Jump to content

'04 Ext. Cab Silverado Audio Upgrade

Xao

By Xao
in Audio, Electronics & Software

Recommended Posts

Xao Enthusiast

Xao

Posted
Posted

I am not an expert on car stereo's and don't feel like getting ripped off, so I was curious if I could get some advice and input from people more in the know than I.

 

I stopped by the local car audio place and told them what I was looking for:

 

"I'm not a audio fanatic and don't need to have the best, I'm just looking to have a decent sound system. My current stereo is the factory six speaker setup. I really don't want to replace the factory HU and I hate all the new aftermarket HU's, too much going on with them, I like the simple tight look the stock HU presents. The stock unit currently though just does not give enough juice when I'm on the highway for my liking. I don't need a system that you can hear three blocks away."

 

The guy I talked to said I would really need drop about $1500 to get a system I would be happy with, anything less and I would think it sounded good for the first couple weeks and then I would want more. He was talking about putting a turn knob in the dash to adjust the bass, custom built sub-enclosures and a good eclipse amp, yadda yadda...

 

I explained again that I didn't need a "KICKIN" system, just something with a little more juice, he then went on to say that I could probably get by with about $750 and the upgrade other components later.

 

With that, I felt maybe he was trying to oversell me. I'm 34, I've done my eardrum blasting days already, I don't have a street truck, I have a 4x4 and do a lot of back country camping (won't have the stereo blasting in the back country), I'm not trying to impress any friends. I just want a better sounding system.

 

What is everyone's opinion on what is the correct price range and what are the key components to look at for what I am trying to get? If it's $1500, that's cool, I can afford it, I just don't want to over spend for something that I don't really care if I have.

 

TIA!

carguru Senior Enthusiast

carguru

Posted
Posted

You don't need $1500 of equipment to sound decent. You can get by with much less. On the pre '03 trucks, you could get by with just speakers (plus amp and subwoofer, if you want). '03 to current models have another issue. The radios also contain the modules for the door chime and other stuff that is integrated. If you replace the radio, you will have to have additional components to keep your door chimes and other information. Do you have the Bose system? If so, that just adds a bit of complexity to the upgrade. I'm sure some of the others will chime in shortly.

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

Posted
Posted

Just hook up an Infinity BassLink to the back speaker wires. the BassLink will fit under the extended cab seat. This will easily give you the bass and low-end you want, you get to keep your head-unit and existing speakers. And, when it is trade-in time a few years from now, it is easy to remove the Basslink in just a couple of minutes.

 

The BassLink also has a remote gain control which you can mount up front. Gives you control over that sound source which is pumping too much low-end.

 

Infinity BassLink. Prices and reviews at DealTime.

My Infinity BassLink. This picture was used earlier to demo where to mount a satellite receiver, so it is a bit off-topic and chops off the bottom part of the BassLink. But it does show that it mounts under the extended cab rear seat.

 

EDIT: PRICE=$198 TO $350.00

Xao Enthusiast

Xao

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Do you have the Bose system? If so, that just adds a bit of complexity to the upgrade. I'm sure some of the others will chime in shortly.

Well at least I don't have the Bose, just the Z71 standard CD/Cassette w/6 speakers.

 

Any help with components would be great, also, are there work-arounds if I did replace the HU for the door chimes and stuff.

 

If I did replace the HU, it would probably be with an Alpine, since they now have models that will interface and control my playlists on my iPod. ;)

 

Thanks!

carguru Senior Enthusiast

carguru

Posted
Posted

If you don't have the Bose, you can get away with just replacing the speakers in the 4 doors. 6-1/2 in front, 4x6 in the rears. You can disconnect the tweeters or leave them in if you like. Infinity or Polk Audio makes pretty decent speakers that fit. Get the plate mount 4x6 for the rear doors so they can handle more power if you intend to get an amp later.

 

If you plan on changing the head unit, you will have to get a couple of adapters to give you the chimes and functions back (one for chimes and other functions, the other for Onstar). Also you have to get an adapter for the steering wheel controls too (if you have them). These adapters will run you up to $200 over the cost of the new head unit.

Wingnut Senior Enthusiast

Wingnut

Posted
Posted

Here is the thing about replacing just the mids and tweets, and (probably) why he's trying to sell you the full setup.

 

The factory speakers are designed to respond to the full range of sound.

 

Aftermarket speakers are designed for very specific frequency ranges. This makes those particular ranges sound much, much better, but leaves "holes" in your music.

 

When replace your stockers with a good set of aftermarket speakers, you are going to lose what little bass you had to start with (unless you have the factory subwoofer).

 

This will definately get on your nerves after a short period of time, as your music will start to sound tinny from lack of bass.

 

 

It sounds to me like you are a perfect candidate for a powered subwoofer, and a new set of mids and tweets.

 

Bazooka is the most popular brand of those, and you can drop one in very easily. JBL, Kenwood, and Infinity all make powered subs as well. (A powered sub is just an all in one enclosure that usually includes both the sub and the amp, all in one easy to manage package.)

 

Powered subs range in price from $150 all the way to.....well....You've shopped around....Sky is the limit on stereo prices...$500 and more. They also aren't known to be "boomy", and I've heard a few that are just perfect for someone wanting a little more ooomph to their system. I even talked my dad into one a few years back, and he wanted to beat me for not making him buy one sooner.

 

A good set of components will cost at least $200, anything more, and you will be getting diminishing returns on your investment. They will all sound better than the stock stuff. Spending $1000 on a set of high-end MB Quarts would be a waste on your wallet, and your ears wouldn't know the difference.

 

Keep in mind that the stock head unit will also really not be enough to drive your components to their potential. They really should have an amp on them. But they will work fine without.

 

Another idea....My neighbor put in a 5 channel amp to power the stock speakers, and one 10" woofer in his ex cab. It sounds great (not as good as mine, of course :bs: ) and his total investment was under $700. It could be done for a little less.

 

 

^^All of that, is only my opinion....And others will have their own. The only important one -of course- is your own.

 

Keep up with the questions, it's the best way to form your ideas on what to shoot for. :lol:

  • 2 weeks later...
Sierra04SLE Enthusiast

Sierra04SLE

Posted
Posted

Just upgrade the speakers, I did this in my 2004 SLE Extended Cab.

 

I used Pioneer TS-A1767 6 3/4" for the front TS-A4670R 4x6's for the rears. I got these from eBay for less than $35.00 for both sets.

 

The lead adapters you can get from Crutchfields, part #12071014. They are $9.99 a pair. Use these if you do not want to cut the original connector off and solder the wires directly to the speaker terminals.

 

The Pioneer speakers come with a plastic adapter ring to space the speakers out slightly so you speakers don't foul the windows when they open.

 

These speakers actually improve the listening significantly over the stock units, even the bass levels (Wingnut, sorry to contradict your advice. Normally I would agree). Check out the actual specs. at Pioneer USA

TS-A1767

TS-A4670R

 

You should be able to do this for under $100 !!

 

The stock headunit is actually a pressty good unit. I did not want to go to the trouble of upgrading it. I also added a Kenwood Sirius receiver via a SoundGate adapter for $150.00 inc. the antenna.

 

PS: Consider soundproofing the skin of your doors while you have the panels off. I used Peel'n'Seel (you can get it from Lowe's for $12 a roll). It's a lot cheaper than DynaMat and similar products and does an excellent job, and with no smells like you get with some products. You will need 2 rolls for the 4 doors.

 

This will then give you the sound you are looking for. The overall effect is enhanced greatly over the stock set-up, the bass will not be punchy and tight as it would be with an aftermarket amp and subwoofer, but it will be there.

 

Robert

milehighgmc New Member

milehighgmc

Posted
Posted

I completely agree with just adding an infinity basslink sub to the existing system. I added mine by myself in about 1 hour and it fits right under the back seat. I also replaced the front speakers with cheap pioneer speakers (40 bucks per pair at best buy) since one of the original ones was starting to go bad.

 

Man what a difference!!! My system sounds every bit as good as somebody elses aftermarket system. The reason is you can turn the bass down on your stock head unit to prevent overdriving the speakers and using the powered sub to suplement the bass.

 

I got my basslink off of ebay for only $179 however it didnt come with a warranty but for 1/2 price I dont need one.

 

Good luck.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.5k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,974
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    Gilkey96
    Newest Member
    Gilkey96
    Joined

  • Who's Online   4 Members, 0 Anonymous, 878 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • garagerog
      Low fuel pressure after installing new fuel pump

      By garagerog · Posted

      Replace the fuel pump with an OEM AC-Delco.
    • Gilkey96
      Low fuel pressure after installing new fuel pump

      By Gilkey96 · Posted

      Hello, first time posting here. I have an 03 Chevy 1500HD with the 6 liter gas engine. The truck ran fine until the fuel pump died on me and had to get it towed. Replaced the fuel pump with a precision pump from O’rileys and changed the fuel filter while I was there. The truck will run and drive now but it wants to idle around 500 rpm when in drive and it tries to stall if you touch the gas. It drives fine though, just doesn’t want to idle. Put a fuel pressure gauge on the rail and only have 50 psi. I guess these trucks should have 55-62 psi to run right. I thought the regulator might be the issue because when I would unplug the vacuum hose it jumped to 56 psi. Replaced the regulator and no change. The only thing I can think of is that I was sold a faulty fuel pump. Any help would be appreciated because I’d rather not have to take the bed off again if I don’t have too. Thank you!
    • diyer2
      AFM Experience

      By diyer2 · Posted

      I've been wrenching on GM trucks for 17 years. And I need to get something off my chest because it's been weighing on me for a long time. After all that time, all those motors, all those people standing in my bay, I've figured out there are really only two kinds of owners. The ones who already know about this. And the ones who are about to find out the hard way. A guy came into my shop a few weeks back in a 2018 Silverado 5.3. Sharp guy, maybe 35. Knew his truck cold. He'd been on the forums, read the threads, done his homework. He only rolled in so I could double-check a little module he'd already plugged in himself. Wanted a second set of eyes on it. Ten minutes, in and out, drove off happy. Two days later, a completely different story walked through the same door. Older fella this time, in a 2016 Sierra. Gorgeous truck, clearly babied, not a scratch on it. Wedding ring. Looked like a guy who took care of his stuff. He was in because his engine had started knocking on the way to work. And by the time I got the valve cover off, I already knew it was too late. Lifter collapsed. Cylinder 5. Camshaft chewed up. The whole top end shot. Same kind of truck. Same motor. Same roads, probably the same dealer. The only thing separating those two men was information. I've been at this since 2008, and I've worked on everything GM puts out. Silverados. Sierras. Tahoes. Yukons. Suburbans. Escalades. The 5.3 and the 6.2. Doesn't matter which badge is on the tailgate. They all carry the same problem. So here's the information one of those guys had and the other one didn't. It's called Active Fuel Management. AFM. GM started building it into their V6s and V8s back in 2007 to squeeze out a little better mileage on the highway. Maybe a mile or two a gallon. All to hit government fuel economy numbers. The way it works, the motor quietly shuts down half its cylinders when you're just cruising along. And the little lifters that pull that off have a tiny pin inside them that's constantly clicking in and out. Lock, unlock, lock, unlock. Hundreds of times a drive. Thousands of times a week. Eventually one of those pins wears through. The lifter drops. And it starts grinding the camshaft down like a chisel on butter. And what nobody tells you is that the shudder you feel around 40 or 50 mph? That's the system cycling. Every single time. Here's what really gets me. The pre-2007 trucks, the ones without AFM, they're bulletproof. I've got customers still daily driving them with 260,000 miles on the odometer. Not a problem in the world. GM took a perfectly good motor that would have lasted a lifetime and bolted this system onto it. And it is wrecking engines that should have run forever. The guys who hang around the forums already know all of this. So do the techs. They handled this years ago. They didn't sit around waiting for the dealership to mail them a warning letter, because that letter is never coming. It's the guys who figured somebody would've told them who end up on my lift. And I want to be clear, because this part matters. Maintenance has nothing to do with it. I've torn down motors with barely 30,000 miles on the clock. I pulled apart a Tahoe last summer with 24,000 on it. Practically a brand new truck. Owner had it less than a year. Spotless oil. Best synthetic money can buy, changed early every time. Made no difference. I've seen guys with full dealer records, every interval stamped. Made no difference. The oil changes were never the problem. The pin was. And no amount of babying that truck stops that pin from cycling every single time you drive. That's the part that eats at me. These are good motors. Take the AFM out of the equation and a 5.3 or a 6.2 will run 300,000 miles and never blink. So a few years ago I started telling every single owner who comes through my doors the exact same thing the smart guys already knew. Get yourself a FullForce disabler. It plugs right into the port under your dash. Couple of seconds and you're done. It just tells the computer to leave every cylinder running, full time. No more cycling. No more beating those lifters back and forth every time you turn the key. It doesn't reprogram anything. Doesn't touch your tune. And unplug it before a dealer visit and there's absolutely zero trace it was ever installed. I've had customers come back at 40,000, 60,000, 80,000 miles after I put one in. Zero issues. The trucks run smoother. And the lifters aren't getting beaten to death every single drive. I won't sit here and tell you it's magic. A lifter that's already damaged is a lifter that's already damaged, and this won't un-ring that bell. But it takes away the one thing causing all that wear in the first place. That's the whole game. You don't need a five-thousand-dollar delete. You don't need an expensive tune. You don't need to tear anything apart. You just need to stop the cycling. I'm not writing this for any company. I'm writing it because I'm tired of watching the guys who didn't know pay four and five figures for it. I'm tired of being the guy who has to break the news. I'm tired of knowing that the guys who did know fixed the whole thing for the price of a tank of gas, and the only difference was that somebody told them first. If you drive a Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Yukon, Suburban, or Escalade from 2007 or newer with a V6 or V8, you've got AFM. You've got those lifters, and they're cycling every single time you drive. So be the guy who already knew. Not the one I'm scraping metal out of next month. EDIT: A bunch of folks asked, so here it is. The one I put my faith in is FullForce. This is where to find it: https://www.tryfullforce.com/products/fullforce™-afm-dfm-disabler They back it with a 60-day guarantee too. I've handed out more than I can count and not one's ever come back to me. Not one. See less
    • Atlas
      Wow I'm in a pickle. (Broke down truck) and a story.

      By Atlas · Posted

      Thanks for following along. I'm not author material, my tenses are all over the place and an editor would have a heck of a time cleaning up after me. Reading and writing is still a fun pastime though.   My new scanner came in yesterday, wow, where the heck has this thing been?! It connects right up to the Blazer, there's all kinds of bidirectional tests like EGR activation and percentage, toggle the fuel pump relay, EVAP purge valve, IAC control, AC relay, reset the transmission's adaptive learning, toggle shift solenoids and TCC lockup, and I can reset fuel trims with the click of a button...all things I could have used over the last 60 days!   It's also telling me there is a stored code in the ABS module for front left wheel sensor open and something about the brake switch. The ABS dash light works. It illuminates normally during the self-test at key on/ start and that's it. I cleared the codes and will see if they set when I take it out later. That, and I'm going to get (hopefully) real data on timing and cam ******. The PID's are there.   I connected the tool to my truck...holy smokes. Newer vehicles make early OBDII vehicles look like 8-bit, pixelated, early Nintendo stuff. This? This is like wearing 3D virtual reality goggles playing one of those elaborate, cinematic video games with seasons and plots in comparison. There are SO MANY modules and SO MANY tests and SO MUCH data. There's a scanner sequence for filling the coolant...   End of the day, it's a tool with way more power than I need, but the versatility to do old and new is there (and I need an adapter to connect it to my OBDI Camaro). It will allow me to do the first pass of diagnosis when out-of-warranty vehicles need help, and it will enable more DIY maintenance like brake system bleeding, ABS bleed, etc. I probably over-bought here, but, mission is accomplished.   Enjoy your Sunday...I need to shut this machine down and go get ready for the week ahead.
    • MORSNO
      Which 2027 engine will you choose?

      By MORSNO · Posted

      Not that I've read, after all the issues they've had in the past I'm pretty sure they learned their lesson. 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...