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Radio problems
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The speakers in this car suck as far as I'm concerned. You prolly didn't do anything to them. I would adjust the bass/treble yourself as opposed to using the rock/pop etc feature and you can use the DIC to change a couple features about the radio.
I've been in the audio/video business for 20 years and everytime someone said to me "I blew my speakers" I say "yes YOU did". "Blowing" speakers is a matter of forcing them beyond their capabilities, and beyond the capabilities of the amplifier driving them. It's the same principle as repeatedly going past the redline on the tach in search of performance that simply isn't there. It's not the fault of the speakers.Seattle GTO said:
That being said I agree that the GTO system leaves a lot to be desired. I've upgraded some of my system and have others upgrades in the works. Let me know if you're interested in what I've done/will do.
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32 Posts
My radio just stopped working about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I had nothing coming out of the speakers other than a small crackle when the amplifier turned on, I assume. But the volume control didn't do anything for sound. But all the functions on the radio display seemed to work. I'm getting the radio put back in today. I was told that my original radio was repaired. I don't know what the problem was.
hey seattle gto. just thought i would drop you a line and say hi. i live in shoreline. seen quite a few gto's on the road lately, wonder if any of them were you. what color is yours and what part of seattle do you live in? i bought mine from bellevue pontiac, you? anyway, i'll talk to you later.
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2,097 Posts
Would love to know what the long term blueprints are for your stereo...vmax said:
For now-
MyFi XM radio hardwire-modulated thru the factory system---love that XM!!
JLAudio 6.5" separates in front factory locations
JLAudio 500/5 running all speakers
JLAudio RBC bass controller in center console
Bazooka T102 10" tube in trunk
Monster Cable 4 gauge power kit, speaker wire, and I401 interconnects
a couple cheap LOCs to tie into the factory head unit
Super Dynamat
Basically I had all this stuff and wanted to get an improvement over the factory sound without spending a bunch of money. The T102 has been in 6 vehicles and is usually a stepping stone to a more permanent subwoofer setup. I Dynamatted the factory speaker housings and the doors, and ran enough preamp cables to accomodate any amp setup I'd use. This system sounds pretty good, and I now know I can live with the factory head unit long term.
Upcoming improvements:
Based on what I've read I will use a JLAudio Clean Sweep which does five key things-1. Corrects the EQ of the factory head unit. 2. Allows for a direct, non-modulated input for the MyFi, just like a home audio system. 3. Ties in the factory head to whatever amps I want to use with no signal loss. 4. Gives me 8 volts of output to the amp(s) for an excellent signal. 5. Allows me to set consistent volume levels between my MyFi and the factory head.
So far I'm happy with the 500/5 amp to run the whole system but that may change. I listen to jazz, old funk, rock, stuff like that and although I do like to crank it up I'm concerned about me, not the guy in the car next to me. So I don't need a ton of power to accomplish my stereo goals.
I've contacted a welder about reframing the gas tank cage to let me mount the amp against the gas tank. I'll cut out the trunk lining to fit the amp, then make a cover for the amp so it won't be visible with the trunk open, and so I can fan-force air across the amp.
Eventually I want to replace the separates with something like MBQuart QSD's (had them in last car) or Focal. Haven't decided yet, and it's not a focus since the JLs sound pretty good. And paid for! I will remake the door speaker mounts to give a more solid surface. MDF works great for this. If I can find a place for a 4" midrange I'll do three-way separates up front.
I will probably leave the rear speakers stock. I've had several cars set up this way and since I prefer a strong front soundstage I don't need to invest in rear speakers. When I was designing, selling, and installing car audio I used this formula with excellent results.
I'll sacrifice the tire well to accomodate a subwoofer, probably a 12". One is plenty for me. I have a Polk Audio MM1224 that will be installed next week, and that will give me an idea of what the next step will be for bass response.
I'm having the tire well fiberglassed in and braced with a removable top so I can easily swap out the sub when I decide on what I want long term. When I do this I'll Dynamat the trunk floor and trunk lid.
I plan to add a Monster Power Cap to give the bass some more punch.
My overall goals for the system are this:
1. Keep the factory head unit-I like the way it looks, it's paid for (me and GMAC), and I think with the Clean Sweep I'll get enough performance out of it.
2. Keep the trunk (and the car) looking as stock as possible. This keeps thieves away and is more impressive than a rolling sound system, IMHO.
3. Retain as much space in the trunk as I can. I have a pickup for bigger stuff, but the more I can fit in the GTO the more often I can leave the truck at home!
4. Have a system that plays cleanly, tightly, and crisply at any reasonable volume. INSIDE the car, that is. Imaging and a strong front soundstage are much more important tham sheer volume and boom.
5. Continue to take advantage of employee purchase options and do much of the labor myself. It saves money and I like to be able to say "I did that" when people are checking out my car. I spend my money on performance, not "bling" like neon, plexi, bright colors, etc. To each their own.
There are lots of ways to approach a sound system, and lots of different options. This is simply mine, and it's worked for me for 20 years.
Let me know what you think! I'm always interested in the opinions of others.
MyFi XM radio hardwire-modulated thru the factory system---love that XM!!
JLAudio 6.5" separates in front factory locations
JLAudio 500/5 running all speakers
JLAudio RBC bass controller in center console
Bazooka T102 10" tube in trunk
Monster Cable 4 gauge power kit, speaker wire, and I401 interconnects
a couple cheap LOCs to tie into the factory head unit
Super Dynamat
Basically I had all this stuff and wanted to get an improvement over the factory sound without spending a bunch of money. The T102 has been in 6 vehicles and is usually a stepping stone to a more permanent subwoofer setup. I Dynamatted the factory speaker housings and the doors, and ran enough preamp cables to accomodate any amp setup I'd use. This system sounds pretty good, and I now know I can live with the factory head unit long term.
Upcoming improvements:
Based on what I've read I will use a JLAudio Clean Sweep which does five key things-1. Corrects the EQ of the factory head unit. 2. Allows for a direct, non-modulated input for the MyFi, just like a home audio system. 3. Ties in the factory head to whatever amps I want to use with no signal loss. 4. Gives me 8 volts of output to the amp(s) for an excellent signal. 5. Allows me to set consistent volume levels between my MyFi and the factory head.
So far I'm happy with the 500/5 amp to run the whole system but that may change. I listen to jazz, old funk, rock, stuff like that and although I do like to crank it up I'm concerned about me, not the guy in the car next to me. So I don't need a ton of power to accomplish my stereo goals.
I've contacted a welder about reframing the gas tank cage to let me mount the amp against the gas tank. I'll cut out the trunk lining to fit the amp, then make a cover for the amp so it won't be visible with the trunk open, and so I can fan-force air across the amp.
Eventually I want to replace the separates with something like MBQuart QSD's (had them in last car) or Focal. Haven't decided yet, and it's not a focus since the JLs sound pretty good. And paid for! I will remake the door speaker mounts to give a more solid surface. MDF works great for this. If I can find a place for a 4" midrange I'll do three-way separates up front.
I will probably leave the rear speakers stock. I've had several cars set up this way and since I prefer a strong front soundstage I don't need to invest in rear speakers. When I was designing, selling, and installing car audio I used this formula with excellent results.
I'll sacrifice the tire well to accomodate a subwoofer, probably a 12". One is plenty for me. I have a Polk Audio MM1224 that will be installed next week, and that will give me an idea of what the next step will be for bass response.
I'm having the tire well fiberglassed in and braced with a removable top so I can easily swap out the sub when I decide on what I want long term. When I do this I'll Dynamat the trunk floor and trunk lid.
I plan to add a Monster Power Cap to give the bass some more punch.
My overall goals for the system are this:
1. Keep the factory head unit-I like the way it looks, it's paid for (me and GMAC), and I think with the Clean Sweep I'll get enough performance out of it.
2. Keep the trunk (and the car) looking as stock as possible. This keeps thieves away and is more impressive than a rolling sound system, IMHO.
3. Retain as much space in the trunk as I can. I have a pickup for bigger stuff, but the more I can fit in the GTO the more often I can leave the truck at home!
4. Have a system that plays cleanly, tightly, and crisply at any reasonable volume. INSIDE the car, that is. Imaging and a strong front soundstage are much more important tham sheer volume and boom.
5. Continue to take advantage of employee purchase options and do much of the labor myself. It saves money and I like to be able to say "I did that" when people are checking out my car. I spend my money on performance, not "bling" like neon, plexi, bright colors, etc. To each their own.
There are lots of ways to approach a sound system, and lots of different options. This is simply mine, and it's worked for me for 20 years.
Let me know what you think! I'm always interested in the opinions of others.
i test drove i 06 g6 now that is a nice sound way better than gto
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2,613 Posts
if u dont belive me test drive one. big big difference. i was in one cause i won the onstar hot button game. and test drove that one (btw i won the 06 pontica montana sv6 just as i was about to leave the lot with my 05 gto. 2 cars for the price of 2 :lol:JMVorbeck said:
My right rear speaker came pre-blown. Fixed under warranty.vmax said:
The audio system is OK, nothing great. However, the high-volume amp shut-off is quite possibly the most maddening thing in the car. Nothing worse than cranking a good song when *click* everything goes quiet...
Wow, mine has never done that. I cant wait until I can meet up with some other GTO owners. This radio thing has got me perplexed. I obviously need to be shown the short commings of this system, and the difference between it and a "good" setup.Groucho said:
I selectively copied the below from another GTO site (Thanks Wayne) :cheers and tryed the ON+4 trick and it made a difference to my ear , will try the amp gain on weekend...
The major problem is that the Head Unit is sorta stupid. The EQ settings are
real dog crap, I honestly don't know what they were thinking. A stock GM unit
is better desgned. My Intrigue had a better HU. I won't ever buy Blaupunkt
after hearing these trashy EQs with reverb (and/or distortion), etc...
But, you can get around the problem if you just want the GTO to have a good
"natural" sounding stereo, and you like the music volume between 20 and 60 (on
the display).
Try this:
1. Cut the radio off. Press the "On and 4" button for about 2 seconds. This
enables DDL and cuts of the EQ. Don't change anything. (See pages 3-46 and 3-47
of the manual if you're interested.)
2. Go in the trunk and cut up the subwoofer amp all the way. There's a sticky
thread... It takes 2 minutes. (Cut on the radio, pull down the carpet on the
left, and reach around to the know, and cut up the bass as loud as it will go.)
3. On the HU, set the bass to -2.
4. Set the trebel to -1
5. Put in your favorite CD and set it to about 45, and see what you think.
It's best to cut off the radio, and then hold down ON + 4 until the radio cuts
on. You get the perfect correct settings to start with...the factory settings
without the Blaush*t EQs.
ON + 4 for 2 seconds resets the HU to the defaults, which includes enabling the
DDL. You can cut it on or off with the display computer, or with the Options
menu on the HU. (ON + 1, Options).
The major problem is that the Head Unit is sorta stupid. The EQ settings are
real dog crap, I honestly don't know what they were thinking. A stock GM unit
is better desgned. My Intrigue had a better HU. I won't ever buy Blaupunkt
after hearing these trashy EQs with reverb (and/or distortion), etc...
But, you can get around the problem if you just want the GTO to have a good
"natural" sounding stereo, and you like the music volume between 20 and 60 (on
the display).
Try this:
1. Cut the radio off. Press the "On and 4" button for about 2 seconds. This
enables DDL and cuts of the EQ. Don't change anything. (See pages 3-46 and 3-47
of the manual if you're interested.)
2. Go in the trunk and cut up the subwoofer amp all the way. There's a sticky
thread... It takes 2 minutes. (Cut on the radio, pull down the carpet on the
left, and reach around to the know, and cut up the bass as loud as it will go.)
3. On the HU, set the bass to -2.
4. Set the trebel to -1
5. Put in your favorite CD and set it to about 45, and see what you think.
It's best to cut off the radio, and then hold down ON + 4 until the radio cuts
on. You get the perfect correct settings to start with...the factory settings
without the Blaush*t EQs.
ON + 4 for 2 seconds resets the HU to the defaults, which includes enabling the
DDL. You can cut it on or off with the display computer, or with the Options
menu on the HU. (ON + 1, Options).
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2,097 Posts
Sounds awesome.vmax said:
I've cut and paste your post into a folder for my car. I'm just not into consumer electronics at all. Buying the stuff seems to be more aggravating than buying a car!
Overall I just want good performance -- but want to keep the factory look -- the exact same strategy as you have. Thanks for the info.
You took my stuff??????????? Send me a buck.b_a_betterperson said:
CE can be very frustrating, mainly because there is so much disinformation being handed out as if it were fact. Unfortunately too many of the people that work in the CE industry simply aren't qualified.
I'll post some pics as the project moves forward.
84racebird - Mine is doing this exact same thing. Sounds like a short as under acceleration sometimes it will work for a couple of seconds. Did the dealer ever tell you what went wrong? I hate to have to visit a dealer just to secure a connector somewhere if I can do it myself.84racebird said:
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