Review on my speaker upgrade

[Firetiger(MN)]

21 hours ago, SPASierra said:

When you installed your rear speakers, how did they sound initially?  I swapped my dash speakers for the Kenwood today, and it was a huge change. I moved on to the rear doors where I installed JBL 622 Club speakers, and when I isolate them, there is almost no bass and the highs are barely there unless I turn it up over halfway. I have a set of JL C1-690x’s for the front doors to put in tomorrow, and wonder if they are going to make it all sound worse. 
 

Update:

I installed the C1s this morning, and the whole system sounds better. I’m on the fence about grabbing the C1s for the rear doors (so they will match brands with the fronts). I’ll give it a couple of weeks and decide then. 

The rears  won't do much due to the equalization applied by the Bose amp.  I used an RTA to examine the signal going to the speakers and the rears start to roll off under 500Hz or so.  I wouldn't waste the time/money on different rear speakers.

[SPASierra]

2 hours ago, Firetiger(MN) said:

The rears  won't do much due to the equalization applied by the Bose amp.  I used an RTA to examine the signal going to the speakers and the rears start to roll off under 500Hz or so.  I wouldn't waste the time/money on different rear speakers.

That is great info!  I appreciate the knowledge!

[Firetiger(MN)]

Dash 

Sub 

Front door 

Rear door 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SPASierra]

16 hours ago, Firetiger(MN) said:

 

Metra 72-4573 worked in my '23 with Bose. 

Thanks for the part number.  I ordered some last night.

[Daniel Formichelli]

@capitalst Any update on the sub sound?

[Djl106]

Hey,

 

I have a 2021 gmc Sierra and I’m starting a full sound system upgrade with door speakers ,subs, amps and Dsp. Has anyone done this yet and have some pointers?

[Mshawn]

On 3/5/2023 at 4:04 PM, Firetiger(MN) said:

 

Metra 72-4573 worked in my '23 with Bose. 

Because of this post I ordered the metra 72-4573. Be here on the 15th then installled in the dash corner of the Silverado RST. After reading all the write ups here and advice, I’m really looking forward to better sound. It does sound like someone muffles the speakers and most of it comes from the corner dash speakers. 

[23RST]

On 10/19/2022 at 6:45 AM, capitalst said:

I  took delivery of my 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT with the Bose HD system two weeks ago.  I was not very impressed with the Bose system so I decided to start upgrading the speakers first to see how it sound before considering adding an amplifier. So far I have replaced my front door 6x9's and back door 6 1/2's speakers with the JL Audio C1-690x and JL Audio C1-650x speakers. So far using the stock Bose amplifier these speakers sound 100x better. More crisp and adds some more base to the system. These really bring the sounds alive when you turn it up. The only issue which will be handled today is the dash speakers. They overpower these new door speakers at lower volume due to the doors being 4ohm vs Bose's lower OHM.  I did decide to order the Kenwood KFC-X2C speakers to replace my dash speakers over the weekend which come today. These should complete the sound system and give a better balance along with a more crisp sound.   I will add to this review tomorrow once they are installed.  So far the JL Audio C1's are an excellent upgrade using the factory amplifier but If you go this route expect to upgrade the dash since it will not sound right til you crank it plus the dash Bose just ruins the overall sound experience IMO.  Very muffled sound. Sounds like someone put a towel over a great sounding speaker. How they had no tweeter in this speaker basket is beyond me. 

 

The original dash speakers really ruin the overall sound of the system and honestly Bose and GM should be a shamed that they put such crap speakers in these expensive trucks.  I spent $70k on this SLT and have had other vehicles for far less money that sounds better.  This is not an HD system as they call it and other manufactures like Ford and RAM have worked with better companies to put a lot better sound system into their vehicles.  I think Bose is done in my book for speakers.  The fact that this have no tweeters in them at all in this day of age is a shame.  Ether Bose needs to up their game or GM needs to find a better solution with someone else as a upgraded sound system.  I would pay for a HK upgrade or better.  

 

Either way this is my two cents on what I feel so far was a very cheap upgrade given all in cost for 3 sets were under $500.00 and works great with the stock Bose amplifier.  

 

 

UPDATE:

I added the Kenwood KFC-X2C dash speakers and all I can say is wow what an upgrade. Everything sounds sooo much better.  It really completed the system. I feel adding a amplifier to really tune it right is the next step but I would say this is a 8/10 upgrade with the factory HD Bose amplifier.  I highly recommend this setup to anyone looking to send under $500 bucks to upgrade speakers. All in all it took me about 2 1/2 hours to do the setup and Crutchfield gives you all the directions to do so.

Hey I'm in need of a little help....

I put these exact corner speakers in last night. I did the work with the truck off obviously, but my battery was still plugged in. I shorted the wires on the passenger corner when I cut them (there's no aftermarket pigtail so you have to splice them). When I did so, you could hear the short, and also the digital dash illuminated for about a minute, it showed it's usual "Z71" graphic, and then turned off.

I twisted the wires together with the new KFC-X2C wires, crimped them, and tested the stereo. All other speakers work except for BOTH dash corners (I only shorted the passenger side).

Any ideas? Did I fry a fuse in the amplifier?

[Mshawn]

Most of the time on newer vehicles, if the BCM detects a huge drain, it will turn that circuit off until it gets the correct voltage draw reading. If this is the case then you may have to go in and clear the code in the bcm for that circuit to be active again. By the way my 2023 rst  built May of 23 Canada. I used 72-4573 metra and the worked perfectly as harness for connecting the front dash corner speakers.

[Mshawn]

On 9/15/2023 at 8:16 AM, 23RST said:

Hey I'm in need of a little help....

I put these exact corner speakers in last night. I did the work with the truck off obviously, but my battery was still plugged in. I shorted the wires on the passenger corner when I cut them (there's no aftermarket pigtail so you have to splice them). When I did so, you could hear the short, and also the digital dash illuminated for about a minute, it showed it's usual "Z71" graphic, and then turned off.

I twisted the wires together with the new KFC-X2C wires, crimped them, and tested the stereo. All other speakers work except for BOTH dash corners (I only shorted the passenger side).

Any ideas? Did I fry a fuse in the amplifier?

How do you KFC-C2c sound now you have them installed an working?

[Mshawn]

Anyone installed Polk 652 in their front door with Bose yet. I have some brand new in a box l got for another build but didn’t use them. I noticed crutchfield shows them as a direct fit into front and rear door of 2023 Silverado 13.4 screen Bose system. I was wondering the pros and cons of them . They are 4 ohms just like the front door. This is where I’m going to install them.

[Okievision]

On 10/5/2023 at 9:58 AM, Mshawn said:

Anyone installed Polk 652 in their front door with Bose yet.

Did you do this yet? About to go this route

[Mshawn]

I have not installed these speakers yet. I’ve since bought kenwood 6x9 3way speakers for the front and I’m going to install the Polk 652 in the rear door instead. I’ll do this Tom ( Friday and I’ll let you know how it works out. 

[shudog]

Following this.   Recently test drove a 2021 Denali 1500 to replace my Jeep Grand Cherokee High Altitude.  Truck was good but stereo was bad.  Played around with settings and felt like it sucked at all levels.  Was researching on Crutchfield and discovered this thread.  I've done stereo upgrades in other vehicles but it's been awhile.  Thanks again for all the insight on what works and how everything sounds

[shudog]

follow up question - for those that added dynamat/sound deading material, did it change the way anything with the door panel going back on?  It looks like there's an interior door liner on the front doors at least, wondering if this gets eliminated when you do the dynamat material?  Thanks