Monsoon functions/upgrades

**Intrepidman** · 04-23-2009, 05:51 AM

I was at my local car audio shop yesterday, and basically they told me my cause was hopeless. (02 WS6 with monsoon). They said I could replace the speakers with something that might not blow, but the best I could hope for is "stock level" sound...to do any kind of upgrade he said I'd have to gut the system and start completely over (head unit, amp, wiring, all speakers)
Well I don't have that kind of cash to put into a sounds system, nor would I care to.

Anyway, he said the door speakers were a wide range design, the speakers beside the rear seats were actually where all the base came from, and the speakers in the truck area were again just more wide range speakers. Is he right?

Now I don't want to drop a lot of cash, or do any complicated installs...so any kind of sub may not be an option for me. But I have to replace those rear seat speakers anyway (one is blown) so if I do...can I get SIGNIFICANTLY better sound from them, by using a different speaker than stock? If no, what if I replaced the trunk area speakers as well, then would there be a SIGNIFICANT improvement?

**TA98** · 04-23-2009, 07:08 AM

I looked at the speakers in my car since I just bought it and the previous owner installed Kicker speakers all the way around. He just cut and didnt use the one set of wires. I really dont know much about this system, thats just what has been done with my car bby the other owner.

**Smittro** · 04-23-2009, 07:19 AM

No offence, but I call them the "Monsoontobebroken". LOL I'd like to do a double din in mine. On my car I just unpluged the old speaker wires and covered the lose plugs with rubber caps. Then ran new higher quality speaker wire, for the new speakers.

**b.lee** · 04-23-2009, 07:42 AM

Get an aftermarket CD Player with a "HPF" aka High Pass Filter

For the $$, it's hard to beat a Pioneer Premier head unit. I have a deh-p590ib and a deh-p510ub .... both are excellent.

After you get a head unit and set the HPF, (50, 63, 80, 100 ,125hz ... I usually choose 125hz because I use a sub woofer for bass) Then you replace the 1 or 2 blown speakers and be done with it. With the HPF sometimes you don't really need to replace the speakers, the distortion is reduced drastically... depends on how f'd the speakers are.

**Intrepidman** · 04-23-2009, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by b.lee

Get an aftermarket CD Player with a "HPF" aka High Pass Filter

For the $$, it's hard to beat a Pioneer Premier head unit. I have a deh-p590ib and a deh-p510ub .... both are excellent.

After you get a head unit and set the HPF, (50, 63, 80, 100 ,125hz ... I usually choose 125hz because I use a sub woofer for bass) Then you replace the 1 or 2 blown speakers and be done with it. With the HPF sometimes you don't really need to replace the speakers, the distortion is reduced drastically... depends on how f'd the speakers are.

I really wasn't hearing much distortion, I just didn't have much in the way of base. (and eventually one speaker blew) Your plan sounds like it would just give me a purer sound, but I'm hoping for speakers that would actually have a bigger "base kick" to them.

**02WS6dream** · 04-23-2009, 09:42 AM

the 'bass kick' your missin is due to lack of amp power mostly. Replacing with the most expensive speakers you can find won't fix that if you don't feed them from a more powerful source (amp). if you want more kick, I always suggest doing a modest 10" sub in a stealth box with small amp. Not all that expensive and subtle. To keep from blowing other speakers, the high pass filter HU advice given was great! You will also get better sound out of the stock speakers or relatively cheap replacement by getting a new HU and powering full range speakers from it--completely bypass that crappy Monsoon amp. For your goals, no reason to buy a bunch of other amps. spend $600-700 prolly for HU, sub, box, sub amp, replace blown speaker pair, and install supplies.

**Intrepidman** · 04-26-2009, 03:37 PM

Well, I already have to replace the blown speakers...so what if I threw in a set of Kicker cvt 6.5 inch subs in thier place.
And you mentioned the amp is a POS, so what about simply upgrading it? and changing nothing else (other than adding the kickers)

**SS02** · 04-26-2009, 03:43 PM

I have all new speakers with stock unit... it was a big improvement, with lower cost! Sounds great, for older dude! Plenty of bass, unless U are trying to rapper joe...

**SS02** · 04-26-2009, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by 02WS6dream

the 'bass kick' your missin is due to lack of amp power mostly. Replacing with the most expensive speakers you can find won't fix that if you don't feed them from a more powerful source (amp). if you want more kick, I always suggest doing a modest 10" sub in a stealth box with small amp. Not all that expensive and subtle. To keep from blowing other speakers, the high pass filter HU advice given was great! You will also get better sound out of the stock speakers or relatively cheap replacement by getting a new HU and powering full range speakers from it--completely bypass that crappy Monsoon amp. For your goals, no reason to buy a bunch of other amps. spend $600-700 prolly for HU, sub, box, sub amp, replace blown speaker pair, and install supplies.

That just sets it up to blow all the remaining stock speakers... if U doing all that, get all new speakers! That is my view, only!

**peterlawl84** · 04-26-2009, 05:52 PM

If you have a monsoon system, the problem with just replacing the speakers is the stock amp located near the spare tire. I replaced my speakers and they sounded like crap until I bypassed the amp (you can either rewire from the HU or just jump the amp with wires). I also ended up replacing the HU because mine was crapping out.

**Intrepidman** · 04-26-2009, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by peterlawl84

If you have a monsoon system, the problem with just replacing the speakers is the stock amp located near the spare tire. I replaced my speakers and they sounded like crap until I bypassed the amp (you can either rewire from the HU or just jump the amp with wires).

Your telling me you ran the monsoon system with the stock head unit, new upgraded speakers, and no amp of any kind?
I don't know much about stereo equipment, but I thought the amp (weather stock or upgraded) was an essential part of the system.

**nillam1** · 05-11-2009, 12:18 AM

I replaced just my speakers on my monsoon with 6.5" kickers in door & sail (disabled highs in sail speakers because thats just a mid range signal) with 4" alpines in the rear hatch. I also added a 10" kicker in stealth sub box and just ran it off my driver side sail panel speaker and it sounds much better than stock. This is the cheapest way if your not a stereo junkie it will sound just fine, even without the 10" sub it will sound much better. If you need help wiring it just ask.

**peterlawl84** · 05-11-2009, 06:39 AM

Yea, til I get a memphis 4ch amp. The monsoon amp has filters so you dont get the full range of sound to the speakers.

**Intrepidman** · 06-29-2009, 05:46 AM

Can anyone confirm this "Firebird coupes have component 6.5S (6.5" oversize) 2-ohm mids and .75" 4-ohm tweeters mounted separately in the doors, dual voice coil 6.5S (4-ohm + 4-ohm) subs mounted in the sail panels (beside the rear seat), and component 4" 4-ohm mids and .75" 4-ohm tweeters mounted separately in the hatch area."

Are the front door speakers actualy 2 ohm while the rest of the system is 4 ohm?

I'm putting kicker CVT6.5" subs in the sail panels and I'm just looking for something good at a decent price for the doors. Can anyone suggest some speakers that would work for the doors?

**Camaro998** · 06-30-2009, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Intrepidman

I was at my local car audio shop yesterday, and basically they told me my cause was hopeless. (02 WS6 with monsoon). They said I could replace the speakers with something that might not blow, but the best I could hope for is "stock level" sound...to do any kind of upgrade he said I'd have to gut the system and start completely over (head unit, amp, wiring, all speakers)
Well I don't have that kind of cash to put into a sounds system, nor would I care to.

Anyway, he said the door speakers were a wide range design, the speakers beside the rear seats were actually where all the base came from, and the speakers in the truck area were again just more wide range speakers. Is he right?

Now I don't want to drop a lot of cash, or do any complicated installs...so any kind of sub may not be an option for me. But I have to replace those rear seat speakers anyway (one is blown) so if I do...can I get SIGNIFICANTLY better sound from them, by using a different speaker than stock? If no, what if I replaced the trunk area speakers as well, then would there be a SIGNIFICANT improvement?

okay so the man is right for the most part....you cant replace the snail pannel speakers and sound better unless you get a 2 ohms speaker....they make them but theres not as many choices as there are 4 ohms which is what most speaker manufactuers make. i recently bought 4 alpine 6.5 inch type r's with a upgraded amp. and sound amazing...the reason why u really cant run a 4 ohm speaker with a 2 ohm amp is because you will only get half the power to run the speakers...making it not loud and sound like crap.... look into infinity speakers they make some decent 2 ohms speakers.!

**Intrepidman** · 07-02-2009, 04:23 AM

The sail panel speakers are 4ohm stock...are you saying switching to 2 ohm is the way to go....? I Thuoght it was set up for 4 ohm so I needed to stay with 4ohm.

**Camaro998** · 07-03-2009, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by Intrepidman

The sail panel speakers are 4ohm stock...are you saying switching to 2 ohm is the way to go....? I Thuoght it was set up for 4 ohm so I needed to stay with 4ohm.

naw the stock speakers are 2 ohms.....if you go with 4 ohms you will have to pretty much gut the system you can use 4 ohms speakers with the monsoon but it will sound quiet and you really wont be able to here them...i gutted the moonsoon and just redid everything..it was hard and a bit of money but it all payed off in the end!

**LSCyaL8R** · 07-05-2009, 10:28 AM

the sail panel speakers differ between the camaro and the firebird monsoon systems. On the Camaro the sail panel has single voice coil 2 ohm subs. In the firebird the sail panel has dual voice coil 4 ohm subs. hope this clears that up for you.