How Should I do my Car audio build?

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willford

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Dec 4, 2011
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I'm looking to install all of my car audio myself in my 2006 LT Trailblazer with the bose/onstar system in it. I am going to be running 0 gauge power wire, Pioneer DEH-P8300Ub head unit, 2 MTX Thunder 8000 12" subs. wondering if i Should replace the speakers also and get a new speaker amp or if I would be able to use the stock bose amp that is already in my car. Need help on how everything should be wired for best results.
 
willford said:
wondering if i Should replace the speakers also and get a new speaker amp or if I would be able to use the stock bose amp that is already in my car. Need help on how everything should be wired for best results.
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Welcome to the site.

You can do it either way. If you do decide to swap out the bose speakers, you should also swap out the amp. The bose speakers/amp were designed to work together. The bose amp does not work well with aftermarket speakers, nor do the bose speakers sound right on an aftermarket amp.

For the best sound, I would replace the bose speakers and add an amp for them.
 
:iagree: Most of the time when people upgrade and put in subs they also upgrade their speakers, as i can not speak on how good the bose system is, as i dont have one.

-i am glad to see you took my advice and made the short journey over here! any questions at all, fill free to ask and we will answer, dont be scared to ask anything dumb. that is what we are here for.
 
4 channel for the doors is definetly worth the pay off especially if you going to wire components up front. Split signal sound is heaven
 
I would say start from the beginning. Replace your head unit and add the low end. You might like the way it sounds. I love the way the Bose system sounds; it is very clear. I have the Bose system and it is still in place, but I have added 2 subs and 2 6"x9" speakers in the rear. If you then want something else, you can replace the door speakers and add an amp for them later. :twocents:
 
I am actually considering a decent comp set up front and a pair of good mid range speakers for the back two doors after I get the subs and aftermarket HU in.

Also am wondering if i should run the RCA's down the passenger side of the car and the power wire down the driver side? And where should i ground?
 
My power is ran to the back fuse block, under the red power cable back there, and my ground id under the seat bolt closest to the door, on driver side back seat..

Rca could easily be ran behind carpet against firewall and along the drivers side, under the panels on the floor, they are all easy to remove, and u can run it with very little showing near the back seat.
 
i wouldnt think so, but i have 4 gauge, so i cant say forsure.
i would remove the panel next to your driver seat, and lay a small piece of 0 under there, or use some paper or something, roll it up to about the same size as wire, and try it. , i kind of pushed all my wires barely under my rug, ur rca i dont believe would be 0 ga so i dont think there would be a problem. power and ground would not be a problem.
 
yeah the RCA I wasn't really too worried about, i've helped my friend wire his through his car and had no problems, his car was also a hatchback focus
 
willford said:
yeah the RCA I wasn't really too worried about, i've helped my friend wire his through his car and had no problems, his car was also a hatchback focus
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also, some people use a metal coat hanger, but i use a stick off of the blindes in many houses ( the thing u twist to turn the blinds ) and that has worked very well for me, u just tape the wire to it, and push it right through wherever needed, its not to short or to long.
 
well anything is better than stock, but i have no clue on what comps are really good, and which one are worth the money, i put walmart speakers in my doors when i blew one of my stockers, because i didnt have much money for better. and they work very well! but i believe they are about done. IF mayo3... is looking at this thread then he may be able to chime in because he had much more experience with speakers than i do.
 
willford said:
thanks and just wondering if you know of a cheap 6.5 comp set that is good?
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KICKER DS 650.2 I wish I still had them $70 on ebay everyday dont be fooled by the hifonics Zeus for $50 kicker are way ahead for the 20 dollars. Simple crossover too Easy install
 
They look pretty good for a low price, and should i make another hole for the tweeter or use the 3.5" speaker spot in the dash?
 
willford said:
They look pretty good for a low price, and should i make another hole for the tweeter or use the 3.5" speaker spot in the dash?
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That is all preference my friend I had mine in a very awkward spot but it worked and I liked the acoustics

DSCF4240.jpg
 
did you just drill a small hole in the panel for that? and if i were to do that and replace the 3.5 in the dash where would i wire that one to?
 
Ok im kind of confused but im gonna go for it.
That speaker in the picture wires to a cross over which is the box that's splits the signal into highs and lows those two speakers take up one channel on the amp. (So Amp Wire To crossover whic splits into two wires one to your 6.5 in the door and your tweeter.)

If your asking what would you do If you wanted to continue to run your Dash speakers with the kickers.
One option is that with a 4channel amp you will be running rca's so you have no need for Hardwired speaker connections at the harness take a left and right from the HU and run them to your dash speakers. But depending on subs if you dont have enough bass your going to have too much high frequency going on upfront. So honest its better to place the kicker tweeter where you want and eliminate the stock dash speaker.:twocents:
 
yeah you got what i was meaning, but i might just remove the dash speaker and put the tweeter there
 
Sounds like a plan that's is the best option for your set up And I GUARANTEE you will love the kickers MY SS came with $200 boston components and Im about ready to change them out to Kicks again lol.
 
I use Infinity reference 6.5 in all 4 doors and Infinity reference 3.5 in the dash. They sound great! paid $100 for each pair in the doors speakers and $80 for the in dash. I had to do some custom fitting to put the dash speakers in, but nothing a dremel tool couldn't handle. I'll post some pictures of how I did it. The door speakers just bolted in place and had enough clearance for the window to roll down without any custom work needed

The Bose stereo sounds great though... The interface should allow you to keep your Bose setup with the aftermarket head unit.
 
thanks for all of the speaker suggestions. I have another question though about a wiring harness, I don't know what one to get, I'm installing the Pioneer DEH-P8300ub and have onstar and the bose system in my trailblazer and don't know what harness to purchase.
 
willford said:
thanks for all of the speaker suggestions. I have another question though about a wiring harness, I don't know what one to get, I'm installing the Pioneer DEH-P8300ub and have onstar and the bose system in my trailblazer and don't know what harness to purchase.
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Hold your breath, to retain both onstar and bose this is the harness needed, If you dont use onstar you can cut this price in half.
Scosche DCGMOS2B11B GM OnStar Interface for Premium/Standard Bose
 
I dont use the onstar, but if i get the harness without onstar but still has bose, when i change my car speakers and amp, am I going to have to get a different harness?
 
YOUNG said:
My power is ran to the back fuse block, under the red power cable back there, and my ground id under the seat bolt closest to the door, on driver side back seat..

Rca could easily be ran behind carpet against firewall and along the drivers side, under the panels on the floor, they are all easy to remove, and u can run it with very little showing near the back seat.
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I thought that was a big no-no. You risk blowing the main source fuse for the rear block if you're not careful and then that will create a whole slew of issues. That's only a 10 or 12 gauge wire from the front to the rear too.
 
willford said:
I dont use the onstar, but if i get the harness without onstar but still has bose, when i change my car speakers and amp, am I going to have to get a different harness?
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Those harnesses come with a rca hookup to retain the bose amp. If you do not have the bose amp they instruct you to cut the rca ends off which then exposes just speaker wires which you would use for the non bose TB. With a door amp you will use all rcas to send the sound to the amp and then speaker wire from the amp to the doors for the individual channels. So if you think about you won't even need the harness as far as a speaker output but even if you had to, Yes it is possible to use that harness when you cancel the bose amp.
 
thanks i'm gonna go with the cheaper one since i don't use the onstar anyway. Just wondering if you know if there are RCA cables running from the stock bose amp?
 
willford said:
thanks i'm gonna go with the cheaper one since i don't use the onstar anyway. Just wondering if you know if there are RCA cables running from the stock bose amp?
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Not that I know of the amp just uses 2 separate Pin Harness Connectors no RCAs. Stinger RCAs are great for the price if your looking. For the low frequency of your sub woofer signal they will be perfect.
 
I'm wiring the 0 gauge now and will i be able to just hook up the 0 gauge ring terminal to the battery?
 
willford said:
I'm wiring the 0 gauge now and will i be able to just hook up the 0 gauge ring terminal to the battery?
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You'll want to replace the positive battery bolt with an aftermarket type such as the Stinger SPT55308. The factory wires will be held down with the large bolt, and your 0g ring will be held down with the piggy back bolt.

DSCN4637.jpg
 
TB_n00b said:
I thought that was a big no-no. You risk blowing the main source fuse for the rear block if you're not careful and then that will create a whole slew of issues. That's only a 10 or 12 gauge wire from the front to the rear too.
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I've seen some people say its not good to wire it on the back positive, and i have seen others do it without problems, i have had mine wired that way for a year now, and have not had any problems, i didnt wire it up this way, my audio guy did, he has his own shop, and does audio jobs all day everyday.
 
1. I would upgrade the battery to an optima yellow top deep cycle
2. Upgrade your alternator
3. Install a few line drivers to help boost the signal going to your amps
4. Upgrade your mids/highs
5. Have a amp or amps for the subs and a amp for the mids/higs (unhook the bose amp)
6. Get a capacitor for each of the sub amps
7. Get a nice crossover
8. Crank it up and enjoy yourself
 
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