Installing Radio In 94 K2500

[someone1145]

Hey all, I would like some help/advice in replacing the cassette player with an aftermarket radio. I am going to order the pioneer DEH-4300 this week (when my paycheck comes in). I have 3 way pioneers in the dash and they kinda suck with the stock radio. Anyways...I pulled the cassette player out today expecting to see a plug in the back, but there is not, there is just a wire coming out of it going down to the radio box under the pedal I believe. Is this normal? Ive read on other forums that there should be a plug on the player. Im headed back out to the truck in a bit to pull the radio box and take a look.

 

Also, I want to replace the rear speakers with pioneer 2 way plate speakers, (TS-P463), does anyone have any experience with these, are they good, bad? Etc...

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The plugs you need are on the radio box that will have to be pulled out. Your radio is a 3-piece system.

[someone1145]

Yeah I see where the plug is now. I was under the impression the plug was on the back of the cassette player and not on the radio box. Man is it a pain to get to that box...so many screws. Can someone tell me what the two plugs on the bottom of the silver box are? One of them had a red plastic containment piece. When I unplugged them it shut off the clock but the radio was still playing.

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Those go to the third piece. aka, the display with controls on the dash.

[someone1145]

Those go to the third piece. aka, the display with controls on the dash.

 

 

Can they be plugged back in with the new radio installed? Im assuming no but im not sure. It would be nice to still have the clock on the old radio.

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I'm sure there's a way to hook up 12 volts to it where the clock will still come on and go off with the key, and retain it's memory but I've never tried to do one since I've never owned a 88-94 gmt-400. And I don't have a display in front of me to experiment on, but it is possible.

[someone1145]

Im debating whether to go with pioneer plate speakers (seperate woofer and tweeter) or a 4" with an adaptor bracket. What would you recommend?

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I would definitely recommend the plate speakers for sound quality. I'm pretty sure 94's had plate speakers in the front anyway with separate tweeters. 4in. speakers with an adapter would be a step back, IMO. I see you have three way speakers in the front now, to me that's a downgrade from the factory separate tweeter speakers. 2 and 3 way speakers suck is what I'm trying to say, especially if you're looking for decent bass response.

[someone1145]

I would definitely recommend the plate speakers for sound quality. I'm pretty sure 94's had plate speakers in the front anyway with separate tweeters. 4in. speakers with an adapter would be a step back, IMO. I see you have three way speakers in the front now, to me that's a downgrade from the factory separate tweeter speakers. 2 and 3 way speakers suck is what I'm trying to say, especially if you're looking for decent bass response.

 

 

You can disregard the PM lol

 

Personally I thought the new 4x6"s sounded better than stock, maybe thats just me, idk. I can pull the screen off one of the back speakers to check to see if it has a seperate tweeter or not. I dont have the front speakers with me, they're at home.

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OK.

[someone1145]

Heres what the rears looks like. Yeah...im bored on a sunday night lol

 

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Yep, that's them and wow, they look way better than mine did when I swapped them out a couple years back. There wasn't any foam material left around the rim, it was all dry rotted and rattling around behind the fabric cover.

[someone1145]

Yep, that's them and wow, they look way better than mine did when I swapped them out a couple years back. There wasn't any foam material left around the rim, it was all dry rotted and rattling around behind the fabric cover.

 

 

So how is this different than the aftermarket 2 way speakers?

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That stock speaker is a one way with a voice cone on it, it'll have much better bass response than a leaky multi-way speaker. But the highs suck with it, so they do the cheapest thing to make the treble somewhat better and put that voice cone onto speaker, it's just glued on there and help with highs. It is not a separate speaker, thus it's still one way.

[someone1145]

That stock speaker is a one way with a voice cone on it, it'll have much better bass response than a leaky multi-way speaker. But the highs suck with it, so they do the cheapest thing to make the treble somewhat better and put that voice cone onto speaker, it's just glued on there and help with highs. It is not a separate speaker, thus it's still one way.

 

 

Ahh I see, thanks for the explaination! Cant wait to get paid...