MrIcky

I am absolutely not a stereo expert. I have started to improve my sound but I'm trying to keep things reasonably cost-conscious. If possible, I want to keep my stock head-unit, but more on that in a minute.

So I've been told that without getting an expensive signal processor, the best way to get good SQ and stage is to get a good set of components for the front and disconnect the rears.

I've also been told that some stock hu's are fine, but some cut the real high and real low range to save wear and tear on the speakers. Therefore a new HU may be a necessity. Is this an issue that the Cobalt SS has (09 with Pioneer)? I would like to keep the stock HU if I won't really be hurting my plans in the long run because I want the world to think my car is stock.

I thought I'd ask first so I can get plan my budget better.

fastfreddy7

I ve eliminated my rears, and I will never run them again. As far as having a quality sounding system, you re right, you wont be able to with out a way to process the signal, eith with a good head unit that supports T/A, and crossovers, or with a signal processor such as the RF360. Tuning is about 75% of a good sounding system I believe, it can make even cheap speakers sound good if you know what you re doing. With that said, start trolling around on diymobileaudio.com, every one on the site is very helpful and informative, and most people on there are just as concerned with budget as they are quality, and how to find a good balance of the two.

stinkyfisherman

I ditched my rear speakers a long time ago. Save the money and get some better front speakers. The only way to get good sq and keep your stock radio is go with a processor, alpine makes one that integrates into factory stuff but its pricy. IMO you can’t have good sq with a factory radio even if it says "pioneer" on it.

Blur.fx

iTrader: (2)

Yes. I haven't touched the stock system in my SS-SC yet but in both of my previous vehicles I've ditched the rear speakers and just used components up front. (Along with a subwoofer of course.) I'll do the same thing in the Cobalt.

I'll never waste a dime on aftermarket rear speakers again.

stinkyfisherman

HAHA! X2. When im taking to a customer I always use these two lines get them to buy better fronts and forget about the back

"When your at a concert do they put speakers in the back?"
and
"How offten do you drive from the back seat?" On a side note I had some chick say all the time

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

lol ill admit i dont have rear speakers but i will eventually. i wouldn't say disconnect them because hell i like rear fill but the "correct" way would be fronts only

sadly ill probably spend more on rear speakers then most do on fronts

stinkyfisherman

I would do rears only if I was going to do a 5.1 set up for super audio or dvd's but thats not probably gonna happen.

Blur.fx

iTrader: (2)

The only rear setup I would do would be a left channel minus right channel, right channel minus left channel thing for ambient fill but that takes a lot of extra equipment for a small gain.

I thought JL Audio Slash series amps had this feature, but I don't see it on their website. Anybody know what amplifier I'm thinking of?

MrIcky

Thanks, some good tips- and I'll check out that diy site mentioned above. Very occasionally I have people in the back seat, so maybe I'll just put something there with the fader up to the front.

I guess I need to start pricing head-units. It appears that the built in amp in an aftermarket HU should be decent enough sound quality for the fronts?

I had one more question (and I'll go look it up on DIY as well), but I now I understand that the stock tweeter pod may be too far away from the stock speaker location. Is this people just getting way to technical?

stinkyfisherman

To the first question it will be ok, and work until you get a new HU if you want.


The second is a yes/no. For the most accurate sound the closer the tweeter is from the mids the better, but you might not like the way it sounds. Some think it’s too low like at their feet. Others say that is sounds better higher up on the doors, some like them in the a-pillars, some off the glass. It’s all a matter of opinion. What I recommend is if you’re going with components soft mount the tweeters in different locations and find what you like best then find a way to permanently mount it.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

hell yes im ******* stoked to hear some 5.1 in my car. I already have like 5 dvd-audio discs

stinkyfisherman

I would like to hear what it sounds like in a nice audio set up.... I think i'd want to watch "Finding Nemo"

slowbalt19

you wouldnt happin to work at bby would you?

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

lol what i really want to hear is linkin park in hi def 5.1

stinkyfisherman

that would be sweet! They put on a good show live. There are days of music i'd like to listen to in 5.1

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

lol ya sadly dvd-a isnt too popular and expensive but theres still quite a few out there. id really like to get queen and the eagles too

stinkyfisherman

best buy still caries dvd-a's, I think... Qween and Eagles are god's for SQ. What about some pink floyd?

robster180

i find the sound kinda empty w/o back fill... i have components in my Blazer and left the rear stock, i put the balance 80/20, i need some sound coming from the back

Switt23

iTrader: (7)

I have Pioneer Premiere Components up front and Pioneer Premiere 3 ways in the back, however the gain on the 4 channel amp is set primarly up front. The fronts can get loud enough to make your ears bleed, but I listen to a few artists that like to incorporate 5.1 or the mutlispeaker effect and I think you miss out without the rears.

I have a pure SQ setup, so to me it was 3/4 done with just the fronts

Turbo'dSS

iTrader: (2)

Ill be ditching my rear speakers as soon as i get my 1000 watt pioneer sub installed. lol! im putting it in the stock box and hiding an amp in the spare tire well! low pro baby!

freakta

iTrader: (1)

i took out the middle speakers and all "4" rear speakers in my last car and just ran nice components up front with a nice sub out back and it sounded great. do the rear speakers in the cobalts sound soo bad that you should remove them? i never even thought about it

stinkyfisherman

yes i do why?

JL-KA

iTrader: (4)

Why is this news to me???
I've never heard of not running rears...though I'm more into the performance modding.
I have Kicker KS series front and rear with a 10" in the trunk and I think it sounds amazing. I've been looking into getting a processor but I'm still runing the stock HU.

MrIcky

It was news to me too haha. There's a guy I know from work who's kind of an idiot-savant. He needs velcro shoes because I don't think he can tie his laces, but apparently he knows a lot about car stereos. He's the one who's been feeding me some of this stuff and I can't wrap my mind around taking his word for it because he's such a window-licker regarding all other aspects of life (which is why I asked here too). He's offered to help me install whatever I buy but I don't think I can take that leap.

stinkyfisherman

A Window-licker! LMAO