Jump to content

2018 Silverado stereo upgrade??

SilverSilvy
 Share

Recommended Posts

SilverSilvy Enthusiast

SilverSilvy

Posted
Posted

What is everyone doing on 17-18 non Bose stereo systems as far as upgrades? I feel like just changing the factory speakers would make a pretty decent difference but wanted to get some ideas on what everyone is doing? I have 2 sets of Kicker KS 6.5s, and also 2 sets of Kicker QS components, and a Kicker 4 channel amp that I never got around to installing in my 13. Almost have everything I need to do a full system, but haven't done into any new truck systems in years, not sure what LOC I'd need for everything. Ideas and comments please? And these trucks have 6x9 in the front doors, is everyone running aftermarket 6x9s or using adapter plates to go to 6.5s? 

Thanks!

Nasty Senior Enthusiast

Nasty

Posted
Posted

Mosconi 4to6 or 6to8 depending how you are running the speakers

  • 2 weeks later...
TimothySheriff Enthusiast

TimothySheriff

Posted
Posted

I had reservations about my upgrade till i completed it.  I thought of going the easy route and get a LC6 converter and hooking up an amp and changing out all the speakers.  But after pricing it all out the few hundred dollars difference to change out the factory radio was the better option.  I used the Idatalink Maestro kit.  I still have Factory camera. Stearing controles. Vehicle info. Onstar. Sirius. Climate controle on screen. All work. Bonus you get full digital guage cluster on the radio radio now. And android audio brings all google assistant functions through the phone to the truck. 

Negative. In console usb dont connect to radio anymore. And you cant change the theme of the cluster LCD.

 

I have full voice control of Google assistant. I can make phone calls, text, reply to text, open waze, enter navigation, open spotify, amazon music, pandora and Sirius, Just by hitting the steering wheel button and asking. The resolution of the back up camera is better than the factory screen which was something i was curious about. I can add Kenwoods Dash cam which plugs directly into the radio, I have the option of adding a second rearview camera, A front camera, and radar detector. It has a full crossover built in for amp control, And i didnt have to cut a single factory wire in the truck.  The Kenwood really cleaned up the factory speakers.  Im completely ok with leaving them in for now untill after i add subs.  

IMG_20180930_114901.jpg

RACERX7775 Enthusiast

RACERX7775

Posted
Posted (edited)

I went a little crazy. Nav-TV makes a perfect high quality adapter to get true optical audio out of the head unit. And it keeps your chimes at the volume where they should be. I have Focal yellow 3 way in front. Focal yellow 2 way in the rear. Single 12 jl audio shallow mount under rear seat. 8 channel 800/8 vxi jl audio running active for the front 6 channels and passive for the rear 2 channels.  Single channel jl 600/1 vxi jl audio for the sub. Also the optical hub so i can hook the laptop up and do easy tuning of the system. Second battery under the hood in factory location. Lots of dynamat. Lots of good 2/0 power and ground cable. This pic is of it right before i finished so it doesnt have to cover on the top and its dirty. I dont know how to get more pics on here or i would.

20180721_194337.jpg

Edited by RACERX7775
  • Like 1
cbizz31 New Member

cbizz31

Posted
Posted

I have the stock bose, however I just threw in 2 10” jl tw3s in a sealed box pushed by a jx 1000/1, and it hits preety good. Went with a audiocontrol lc2 converter, and a Rockford fosgate cap. The bose sounds great with it, but when it’s time to upgrade them I’m going with focals. Don’t have a great pic, but this is what I took when I got home. 

EB3A0736-9E8C-42B1-9E0C-7A4CA3B1CAE4.jpeg

15 Z71 Senior Enthusiast

15 Z71

Posted
Posted

A friend of mine has non Bose and he just changed the factory speakers. It sounds really good he did nothing else. Stock head unit did not add any amps.

gixxerk8 Enthusiast

gixxerk8

Posted
Posted (edited)

I went pretty simple.  Came out of stock head into Alpine PXE processor, into alpine X-a90v 5 channel amp, changed out all speakers, and added JBL shallow sub.  Nothing to big but sounds good.  Started out with club 4505 amp which is in pic, but wanted a little more out of it.  Everything we added is in the box under back seat.

Racerx, yours must sound pretty good, about the nicest I've seen

stereo.jpg

Edited by gixxerk8
RACERX7775 Enthusiast

RACERX7775

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thanks. The pic i posted doesnt have the top cover panel I made. So it kinda looks unfinished. Its about $7k by the time i add up everything. Some people would never even tell the difference and would think its factory. I spent alot of time and money to do it once and do it right. The best thing i did was to dynamat the whole truck. And i mean almost everything except the front firewall. You cant see, but even the outer skin on the doors is completely covered with dynamat. Also did side pillars and roof. So worth it. The truck is so tight and its a dream driving down the road. When the truck is closed up and the A/C is on, you can actually feel the pressure coming out of the outside door handles.  

20180624_101334.jpg

20180707_103838.jpg

Edited by RACERX7775
RACERX7775 Enthusiast

RACERX7775

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just a pic of when i first started buying stuff. Went with an alpine amp but then jl came out with the 8 channel vxi so i went all jl audio.20180213_171528.jpg

Edited by RACERX7775
  • Like 1
gixxerk8 Enthusiast

gixxerk8

Posted
Posted

I take back the "about the nicest I've seen", it is hands down the nicest job I've seen in a Silverado.  I put about $5k into the last one in my tundra and couldn't go past 1/2 volume without getting a headache.  This time was quick and cheap, and sounds good enough for a 53 yr old.

RACERX7775 Enthusiast

RACERX7775

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, gixxerk8 said:

I take back the "about the nicest I've seen", it is hands down the nicest job I've seen in a Silverado.  I put about $5k into the last one in my tundra and couldn't go past 1/2 volume without getting a headache.  This time was quick and cheap, and sounds good enough for a 53 yr old.

Thanks very much. Ive never had a car or truck that i didnt do a large stereo.  This isnt the largest or the loudest stereo that ive built. But it's definitely the absolutely the highest quality as far as sound quality that ive done. In my excursion, i have 10 12" alpines and a 4600 watt pheonix gold amp. Along with a bunch of other stuff.  Thats the loudest. I used to do alot of shows and was consistently in the 158 db range. You could actually see inside the rear 1/4 windows when the flexed. For some reason, it wont let me post a pic of that system. 

1SLOW1500 Senior Enthusiast

1SLOW1500

Posted
Posted

Also have alpine x front components a 1.5 digital farad cap. A alpine 4 channel f345, 2 Optima batteries on insulator. Jl3.5 in dash and rear alpine s. Subs are 10" shallow sun downs. At 500watts each. 318bcad22eb8465479720c8e5ccd6956.jpg98d82608c6903301e4ba4339d8ed2ff8.jpg885c451c8a6516f3bf7fc783248960f8.jpg

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

RACERX7775 Enthusiast

RACERX7775

Posted
Posted

Lookin good! Ive never been much of a fiberglass/bondo guy on my sub boxes. I think thats due to me wanting to just get it done. Thats why i just do carpet. 

 

Side note---

For all of you guys adding amps with just a cheapo(no disrespect) line out converter, have your chimes gone like crazy loud? The reason i went with the Nav-TV converter was to give me true clean optical output right at the head unit and all chimes stay at factory levels. I have heard that the chimes are amped when you do the line output converter. Just want to justify in my head if it was the right choice to spend $850 on the converter.

1SLOW1500 Senior Enthusiast

1SLOW1500

Posted
Posted
Lookin good! Ive never been much of a fiberglass/bondo guy on my sub boxes. I think thats due to me wanting to just get it done. Thats why i just do carpet. 
 
Side note---
For all of you guys adding amps with just a cheapo(no disrespect) line out converter, have your chimes gone like crazy loud? The reason i went with the Nav-TV converter was to give me true clean optical output right at the head unit and all chimes stay at factory levels. I have heard that the chimes are amped when you do the line output converter. Just want to justify in my head if it was the right choice to spend $850 on the converter.
No on my radio I can adjust the chime volume but my Audiocontrol Lci 2 had no issues. I didnt buy a 6 channel as only the front doors are full range. My bose amp does my dash and the factory sub only.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • PunchT37
      OCI, not when but why?

      By PunchT37 · Posted

      My brother has a 2007 Avalanche with afm 5.3. It`s got 176,000 miles. Runs like a clock. Never been apart. Co worker has a 2010 Tahoe with afm 5.3. 230,000 miles. Never been apart. Runs like a clock. So, even though cyl deac is a weak spot, they can go the distance.   BUT, these engines had the oil changed regularly, AND had 5w30 as spec. I wonder if they would have lasted this far on 0w20? I`ll bet not.
    • Chuck FB
      OCI, not when but why?

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I certainly could be wrong but I hear of pickups far newer than that 2007 cutoff which may not be going to the wrecker but are having engine work done and be that a reman engine or new engine or trying to repair the existing engine. Some of it would be design issues as per the cylinder deactivation system that GM has and one of those lifters wiping out the cam and the question of oil changes moving the needle or not on that whole mess, or in the case of Ford pickup engines that have the long timing chains and wearing them out and the roller followers and phasers and some of that certainly goes back to oil change intervals. But in those various cases the truck has all sorts of life left in it and so the unfortunate owner and may be original owner or used market owner that is pouring money into repairs so the truck is not seeing the salvage yard yet but damage is happening by infrequent oil changes. A friends son had bought a 2018 I think it is half ton GM and it had some sort of extended or used dealer warranty on it and of course the lifter issue bites and its rattling and so the dealer had to swallow the bill and was at least 7000.00 and I think they only replaced what they felt they had to replace so yeah, I can see that being a ticking time bomb in the not too distant future. Would frequent oil changes cure all these engineering "marvels", probably not but some engine designs have shown that they do much better if the oil is changed a lot more often then if the manufacturer service claims are followed. New trucks cost so much that there is an incentive to keep the existing truck on the road by repairing. 
    • davester
      Tranmission stays in Low

      By davester · Posted

      get a good code reader, and find out what problems the truck has noticed by reading codes. cheap ones can only get basic engine codes, you may want to get one that can get codes from all the computers in your truck.
    • asilverblazer
      OCI, not when but why?

      By asilverblazer · Posted

      This is sort of my point, salvage yards aren't overflowing with all these 'poorly' maintained trucks - excellent/good/servicable condition otherwise, salvaged only as a result of a bad engine from poor oil change regiment.    In my area, there are no 2007 to newer gm trucks/suvs in any salvage yards. A few are in the 'recyclers' with very obvious reasons for being there - wrecked.
    • asilverblazer
      Stabilitrak conversion to Z71

      By asilverblazer · Posted

      Stabilitrack was a stability control, traction control system, that functioned independently from the transfer case.   Z-71 has nothing to do with the transfer case or differential.   If it does have an AWD system, my memory recalls this being specific to the Denali trim, converting won't be as simple as swapping out mechanical parts like differentials and transfer cases. It will require reprogramming at a minimum. Long story short, not likely worth it.   Pulling a fuse, may disable the AWD system, it might also prevent any other transfer case functions.   However, the AWD case was generally based on the same transfer case you refer to in the 2006 Suburban. If it still has a 4-High and 4-Low where the transfer case locks and splits power 50-50 front to rear, what are you gaining by changing anything? A true-rear wheel drive only, what good will that serve? Not enough to go through the trouble of changing out all the parts.    Generally, all the factory systems will handle a 33" tire and re-gearing. Probably a 35" tire too, if you aren't driving like a caveman. If 35" tires are in the plan...   If you do plan on driving like a caveman or are fully committed to 35" tires, an entire re-think of the build is probably in order. Starting with square one, an IFS front end isn't going to be the best starting point for 35's and caveman driving. 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...