Aftermarket Speakers With Stock Radio Sound Ok?

[bc_gavin]

i was wondering if aftermarket speakers with stock radio will sound better???

[jdubya]

Do you have stock Bose? If not it may sound better but it depends on what you mean by better and how loud you listen to music. The factory radio is limited on wattage output so if you want to listen to your music loud and have it be clear you would need to add an amp to the system.

[bc_gavin]

Do you have stock Bose? If not it may sound better but it depends on what you mean by better and how loud you listen to music. The factory radio is limited on wattage output so if you want to listen to your music loud and have it be clear you would need to add an amp to the system.

 

 

i don't have bose but i have onstar and i would have to buy this dumb $200 part before i even strated to look at decks

[rebelman06]

I'm in the process of keeping my stock non-bose CD player and aftermarket speakers and a sub. I was regularly having to pull the radio fuse to reset the crappy RAP chime module needed to run an aftermarket stereo and keep the warning chimes. My battery has been drained on several occasions from the module malfunctioning. If you read the comments online for the boxes, (regardless of the brand) you can find people complaining of this same problem. I ordered and installed an Ipod connection kit from PAC/iSimple solutions that uses the XM port on my radio to control my ipod, display text, and delivered good quality sound to the headunit. I missed the bass and extra volume from the front speakers, so I decided to buy a 4-channel amp for my regular cab. The back speakers are worthless in my truck (4x6's), so I'm going to drive the front 5.25's and a 10" sub with the amp. PAC audio also sells a module (like the Ipod kit) that is plug and play into the factory harness that gives you low level outputs to an amp. I love that the PAC harnesses don't require me to mess with any of the wiring on my truck.

 

Check these guys out: http://pac-audio.com/

I have bought 2 Ipod kits off eBay (Sister's G6 and my Silvy) and both installed with no problems and work great. I just ordered the amp kit for my truck yesterday.

[Wingnut]

Aftermarket speakers will sound like ass compared to the stockers unless you add a sub while you're at it. This is because aftermarkets are designed to only play specific frequency ranges. Stock speakers play a WIDE range.

 

If you replace your factory speakers with aftermarket without adding a sub, you'll have even less bass than the stock setup. They're not designed to produce it.

[jdubya]

Aftermarket speakers will sound like ass compared to the stockers unless you add a sub while you're at it. This is because aftermarkets are designed to only play specific frequency ranges. Stock speakers play a WIDE range.

 

If you replace your factory speakers with aftermarket without adding a sub, you'll have even less bass than the stock setup. They're not designed to produce it.

Not really, if you buy an after market full range 3 way speaker. It will sound good but you will not be shaking the windows on the car next to you. If you replace your stockers with component speakers, then yes you will need to add a sub....

[Wingnut]

Read the frequency response ranges on those, and compare them to the factory specs. I've never heard any with better bass than factory speakers. But then, I've never bought cheap shit either.

 

I'm not saying that the factory speakers have decent bass, as they don't. But they have better bass than a good set of aftermarkets for the most part.

[jdubya]

if you read my original post on this thread I mention that you would need to add an amp to the factory headunit and aftermarket speakers. That set up with full range speakers will sound decent including bass wise. That is what I was referring too, sorry.

 

straight up replacing the factory speakers with aftermarket full range speakers using the factory headunit will not sound all that great and yes you would need to add a subwoofer. Which if you are going to go through the trouble of adding an amp, I would go with the four channel amp powering your replacement door speakers. That would sound better than the set up with aftermarket speakers on the factory hu and a sub.

[Chevyguy85]

I'm in the process of keeping my stock non-bose CD player and aftermarket speakers and a sub. I was regularly having to pull the radio fuse to reset the crappy RAP chime module needed to run an aftermarket stereo and keep the warning chimes. My battery has been drained on several occasions from the module malfunctioning. If you read the comments online for the boxes, (regardless of the brand) you can find people complaining of this same problem. I ordered and installed an Ipod connection kit from PAC/iSimple solutions that uses the XM port on my radio to control my ipod, display text, and delivered good quality sound to the headunit. I missed the bass and extra volume from the front speakers, so I decided to buy a 4-channel amp for my regular cab. The back speakers are worthless in my truck (4x6's), so I'm going to drive the front 5.25's and a 10" sub with the amp. PAC audio also sells a module (like the Ipod kit) that is plug and play into the factory harness that gives you low level outputs to an amp. I love that the PAC harnesses don't require me to mess with any of the wiring on my truck.

 

Check these guys out: http://pac-audio.com/

I have bought 2 Ipod kits off eBay (Sister's G6 and my Silvy) and both installed with no problems and work great. I just ordered the amp kit for my truck yesterday.

 

 

do you have the full 4x6" or do you have the 4x6 plates?

[[email protected]]

They'll sound decent...not better. Because you lack the real power to push good aftermarket speakers. The speakers that come in your truck with the stock HU have a 8 ohm rating compared to the Aftermarket 4 ohm models. While less ohms means you can push them harder without distortion, it doesn't mean that your stock HU will do it. You will notice very sharp treble and almost non existent bass levels. Finding aftermarket 8 ohm speakers is hard, but if you can find those they will sound much better than 4's on a low watt system.

[mhenshaw]

Well I have the Infinity Reference speakers that are 2ohm and they will produce way more bass than the light weight paper speakers. I also have dynomat in my door which has helped the most with the bass. The speakers sound amazing compared to the factory and I have to keep my bass way down.

 

To the op I say yes you can run aftermarket speakers with the stock headunit and be a lot happier than with the factory speakers. Just remember it takes alittle more power to run quality speakers over the stock paper ones.

[bc_gavin]

so you guys thinking it might be worth it to spring for the $200 OnStar/part and get a deck?

[Doug_Scott]

When I got my truck (base radio, no Bose), the sound from the rear speakers was best described as muddy. I had a set of Polk 5.25 speakers (DB521) put into the stock mounts after cutting the stock speakers out. Huge difference in sound, cleaned up the sound a lot. Drove it like that for a few months, then decided I wanted more bass. I had a sub (10 inch Thunderform C15EX07FB10U) put in, changed the front speakers to Polk component (db6501), added line out converters, 4 channel Polk amp (PA200.4), and a monoblock Polk amp (PA400.1) for the sub. Looks like a stock setup, amps and sub are under rear seat (I have ext cab), head unit is the base head unit. Sounds great. I did not want to have to add butt loads of adaptors to keep the stock accessories that are ported through the head unit. The only complaint I have is the sub amp has a remote volume controller that has a blue LED in it. That LED is so bright it blinds you at night, had to put black tape over it.

 

I may switch out the rear speakers for some DB5251 component speakers. The rear is very clear now, but when compared to the front, they are not.

 

I have not regretted keeping the stock head unit one bit. Cost is not low though, I have about $2000 in my system now (including labour and taxes), about all I saved was the cost of the head unit and the various adapters needed.

[tyhuck]

My experience is that they will sound like factory speakers until you add some more juice. There may be a little more high frequency sound depending on the speaker, but they SHOULDNT sound worse. There are exceptions though. I replaced my door speakers with some middle-of-the-road Sonys because the surrounds on my factory speakers were disintegrated and buzzing like all get-out. They sound pretty good at a decent listening volume, but I dont like loud music............................. all the time.

[JBDragon]

I just finished Replacing the stock speakers in my 03 Silverado Extended CAB for Aftermarket. One of the Reasons was because the tweeters were broken off their plastic mounts and were just hanging down behind the grill. I replaced the Front Speakers with a set of Polk db651s 6-1/2" speakers, and the Rear doors with a set of Polk db461p 4"x6" speakers. Both sets are 2 way speakers. The Reasons I went with THESE, were they had great reviews on them, and also because the Sensitivity range on these speakers are high. They are in the 91-93dB range, where as a lot of other speakers in around 86dB and really need a AMP to power them. With these POLK speakers, they sound great. I can crank up the Volume quite loud with them just using my Factory Radio!!!

 

I do have plans in the next few months to add 2 10" Subs in the BACK, and a AMP of course. Not sure if I'll go with a MONO or 2 channel AMP for just the SUB, or get like a 5 channel AMP to power the 4 new speakers and the 2 SUB speakers also using something like the Polk Audio Pa1100.5. I plan to get a new Head Unit, just not 100% sure YET, I'm kind of leaning with the Pioneer AVIC-Z130BT which hasn't been released YET, but I could change my mind. I did take lots of pictures for my Speaker Replacement process and plan to do that also with the rest of the setup also.

 

I'm trying to figure out what hardware I want to use and then start buying the needed Hardware for the Install in the next few months I hope. Depends on if business picks back up at work or not as it's been SLOW. For me, I was told to take this week OFF, which isn't to bad as quite a few others haven't but worked 2 days in a month and even worse for others. I'm told it'll start picking back up, if it does, I can start spending. I already have the adapter to replace the OEM Radio, allowing me to still have all the warning Chimes and retaining the RAP feature. My truck has NO BOSE(Thank goodness for that garbage) or OnStar. It has a 2/4 Drop, with 20" 275/45-20 Tires also A Remote or Dash controlled Power Tonneau Cover with a Carpet Bed Liner.