Calling All Audiophiles!

***DISCLAIMER*** I am NOT a car audio guru-- I can only read instructions;)

And thus I need advice/instruction. I am planning on ordering around Jan/Feb of next year, and the wait is killing me. In the meantime, I have been thinking of ways to upgrade the already well equipped Boston Acoustic system and this is what I am considering:

http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=102&pictureid=767

Connections will be as follows (NOTE: This is my best guess as I do not know the stock connections in the Camaro and do not have access to a service manual yet):

Factory Head Unit
LF to Sound Processor
RF to Sound Processor
LR to Sound Processor
RR‐to Sound Processor
Sub Out to Sound Processor ?

Alpine PXE‐H650 Sound Processor
Front 1 Not used
Front 2 Output split with Y‐Adapters
Front 2 #1 to Amp #1 (Front)
Front 2 #2 to Amp #3 (Front)
Rear Output split with Y‐Adapters
Rear #1 to Amp #1 (Rear)
Rear #2 split again with Y‐Adapters to Amp #2 (both connections)
Subwoofer Output not used at this time

Amp #1
RL +/‐ to Left rear deck speaker
RR +/‐ to Right rear deck speaker
FL + / FR ‐ to Center speaker

Amp #2
FL + / FR ‐ to Left Subwoofer
RL+ / RR ‐ to Right Subwoofer

Amp #3
FL +/‐ to front left crossover
FR +/‐ to front right crossover

This is by no means correct. I am just doing this for fun as it is something I would consider doing, and would like to learn more. Factory speakers will be kept in the system. Crossovers will be added if not there from the factory. I'm not looking for eardrum blasting/competition-level bass; I just like crisp sound and some bass you can feel.

Please try not to flame me too hard! :D

Subscribing for this one! I'd like to see where this goes.

You know you can't bi-wire on an amp and get the cross overs to work right? Not with onstar/linked audio system.
AND, I don't think the OE system will integrate anyway if it has onstar. You may have to lose onstar AND bluetooth and your steering wheel function. Meaning basically you'll need to re wire the entire system without factory options.

Remember I'm learning here. What do you mean by bi-wire an amp?

Also, why wouldn't it integrate? I would be using the speaker lines from the factory head unit to the sound processor to get a clean, flat signal to send to the amps.

Remember I'm learning here. What do you mean by bi-wire an amp?

Also, why wouldn't it integrate? I would be using the speaker lines from the factory head unit to the sound processor to get a clean, flat signal to send to the amps.

Onstar and the GM function mode for steering wheel controls are not compatible with anything. There is a factory amp on the system that cannot be intergrated or piggybacked. (bi-wired) This is the only reason I don't like onstar. You can keep the OE system and start from scratch wiring in your upgrades,you will lose the steering wheel control option. And you may have to wait for an onstar module to bypass the OE chime module.

I'm curious to see how much room you could possibly have left in the trunk with two 12" subs in there. :D

I'm not looking for eardrum blasting/competition-level bass; I just like crisp sound and some bass you can feel.

I'd recommend going with just one 12" sub then, or even a 10". Take the money you would have spent on the second one and use it to go even higher-end on the first one. I'm not familiar with Polk's db124, so if it's already awesome, just stick with it and spend the money elsewhere -- like on deadening vibrations or something.

I'm a cerwin Vega sub guy myself.......And two 12's leaves you enough room for a sixer.

if the boston acoustics dont sound good im puttin in all jl components jvc headunit 4 10inch w6v2 n 2 1000/1 jl amps

jvc headunit

How are you going to do that when the factory head unit is integrated into the rest of the car?

cut it out my friend

I went through all this several years ago in my avalanche. Ended up replacing the premium stereo that was not premium enough for me. I will say it did have a nice OE sub though. Stashed in the center front console near the firewall. What a nightmare that transition was. I can only imagine now,with the usb,onstar, blue tooth and all the active commands how fun it will be in this car?!
BTW,I couldn't even integrate that sub into my new stereo.

But as i understand it, the sound processor (alpine PXE-H650) is for vehicles that have these issues, i.e. you don't want to replace or can't replace the head unit. All it does is clean (flatten) the signals that go to the speakers, you keep all the factory extras.

Will not work with all the factory equipment my friend. That is what it does but it is not compatible through the cars complicated networking.

How do you know it won't work? Stating that it won't work is fine, but please state how you know it won't work. I'm going by what the manufacturer says, and that is that it will work.

"Build up your factory sound system with greater power, clarity, and advanced processing. Keep all your factory sources, like your in-dash 6-disc CD changer, Hands free Bluetooth, your factory satellite radio, and even your factory navigation, but your entire system will sound like an Alpine."

I can find no instance in any of the manuals for the processor that says it will disable or make onstar or steering wheel controls inoperative. I believe that it would have to state this somewhere in the manuals. Also, it is not an in-line processor, but after the signal that goes to the factory speakers, so pardon my ignorance but I fail to see how that will keep the factory onstar and other things from working.

I told all I know and my direct experience with exactly what your planning. Knock yourself out. If it works, awesome let me/us know. If not you'll understand what I told after you live it. Good luck. BTW; I'm not an electrical engineer. I do know a fair amount on audio electrical.

I told all I know and my direct experience with exactly what your planning. Knock yourself out. If it works, awesome let me/us know. If not you'll understand what I told after you live it. Good luck. BTW; I'm not an electrical engineer. I do know a fair amount on audio electrical.

Ok, I'll be specific about my questions.

Did you use a sound processor? If so, what kind and how did you attempt at hooking it up?

This is going to be an extensive task. Please pack your patience, and be prepared to have your vehicle torn apart if you plan to do the install right. I've been a part of two installs and they were a pain, without removing the head unit. I had GM pinout diagram etc, which I thought was gonna make the job easier

I would really like to see this done. I have been tweaking my head unit and there are so many things that are controlled by it that are not music related. Kinda sucks, really.

looks like an all day project as well just to get the cd player removed i really wanted to buy my touch screen player

I keep waiting for the automotive industry to standardize on some component-based audio/nav/control system. In effect, it would be a bit like customizing a PC. You pick one or more displays, various input and output devices, a central processing unit, and various extra processing modules. Everything would be standards-based, and there would be a couple different operating systems you could use with various software applications that can run.

Displays would vary from LED segment displays all the way up to full color LCDs. Multiple displays would be possible: think HUD, gauges, main display (what we think of as a head unit today), movie screens for rear seat passengers) etc. Multiple input sources would be possible. This includes MP3 players, CD/DVD/Bluray players, backup cameras, and even non-AV sources, like GPS, physical buttons and switches, and data from the various sensors on the car. Output options would also include controlling the various HVAC control valves, heated/cooled seats, and all of the other stuff that is typically physical switchgear on the car. Let's go ahead and recover that space on the center stack too. :)

The PCM itself would be one of the extra processing units, such that all data available to it is available to the whole system (but it would remain a distinct hardware unit such that the system is never too burdened to run the powertrain in real time). Other extra processing units might be audio equalizers or signal processors, or dataloggers, or any number of other things.

The operating systems would provide basic input/output functionality (like any good OS). It would be up to automakers and the aftermarket to provide applications and make it easy to use.

There are plenty of modern standards that would work great. PCI for processing modules, Firewire and/or USB for data interconnects, HDMI for A/V signals to and from displays. SATA for storage. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless device connectivity. OnStar could offer satellite-based internet service.

Someday, I hope to develop and install something like what I've described here in my own car. I'd be ecstatic if a company with more R&D resources than I have beats me to the punch. :D