who has replaced the factory BA amp?

[jfcody3962]

Who has replaced the factory BA amp?

New owner of an 11 2SS. Love the car! Not so impressed with the factory sound system. Looking to maybe replace the amp and add a sub.

Looking for references from people who have done this.
How did you connect the center channel (dash) speaker to the new amp?
I suspect I am going to need a sound processor to break out the center channel and then send it to a separate channel on the new amp.

How do the factory speakers sound with more power/new amp?

Is it worth the investment?

thanks!
Jason

[Iwantone2]

I replaced the stock BA amp with a JL xd400, but I used the harness by ********. It "eliminates" the center speaker, but I can tell you that the BA speakers sounded much better.

[jfcody3962]

Originally Posted by Iwantone2

I replaced the stock BA amp with a JL xd400, but I used the harness by ********. It "eliminates" the center speaker, but I can tell you that the BA speakers sounded much better.

Did you add a sub? Happy with the door speakers and the 6x9s in the rear deck huh? cool..thanks

[Danny Thomas]

Got the same setup and added a JL amp and sub using a sub thump box..great setup..it does sound good without the center speaker. Would suggest eventually changing rear speakers but definitely far better than stock setup

[jfcody3962]

Originally Posted by Danny Thomas

Got the same setup and added a JL amp and sub using a sub thump box..great setup..it does sound good without the center speaker. Would suggest eventually changing rear speakers but definitely far better than stock setup

great thanks!

[Iwantone2]

Originally Posted by jfcody3962

Did you add a sub? Happy with the door speakers and the 6x9s in the rear deck huh? cool..thanks

No, haven't added a sub yet but my new amp has the pre-outs for another amp. I meant the BA speakers sounded good, as in past tense. Since then, I replaced them all with Alpine Type-R speakers.

[jfcody3962]

did you guys use the FARK connector from Steve, or did you just hack into the wiring. I am looking at the wiring diagram on other posts here, and I don't see any surprises. I did see one reference about needing to connect something properly in order to retain the factory backup sensor tones, and the door open chime. Is this a factor when you completely remove the factory amp?

[Iwantone2]

Originally Posted by jfcody3962

did you guys use the FARK connector from Steve, or did you just hack into the wiring. I am looking at the wiring diagram on other posts here, and I don't see any surprises. I did see one reference about needing to connect something properly in order to retain the factory backup sensor tones, and the door open chime. Is this a factor when you completely remove the factory amp?

I used the harnesses from Steve, but my car doesn't have back-up sensors.

[Steve@Subthump]

More than likely, you will have some surprises if you don't use our kit--which will be shipping monday btw

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by jfcody3962

Who has replaced the factory BA amp?

New owner of an 11 2SS. Love the car! Not so impressed with the factory sound system. Looking to maybe replace the amp and add a sub.

Looking for references from people who have done this.
How did you connect the center channel (dash) speaker to the new amp?
I suspect I am going to need a sound processor to break out the center channel and then send it to a separate channel on the new amp.

How do the factory speakers sound with more power/new amp?

Is it worth the investment?

thanks!
Jason

Personally I didn't think adding an amp changed the sound of the Boston speakers that much. Disconnecting the center channel helped, but the Boston speaker still didn't sound any more clear. I didn't run it for more than a few days without the sub though so I don't have detailed impressions. My primary complaint with the stock boston system was clarity (I thought the bass was pretty good for a stock system).

I was worried I would loose bluetooth phone volume or sound quality if I ditched the center speaker but that wasn't the case at all.

Adding a sub definitely gave it more bass and swapping out the front speakers fixed the clarity.

If you really want to run the center channel Phoenix Gold makes a complete replacement amp/sub kit that adds a sub and powers all the speakers (including the center).

[jfcody3962]

Originally Posted by Agent WD-40

Personally I didn't think adding an amp changed the sound of the Boston speakers that much. Disconnecting the center channel helped, but the Boston speaker still didn't sound any more clear. I didn't run it for more than a few days without the sub though so I don't have detailed impressions. My primary complaint with the stock boston system was clarity (I thought the bass was pretty good for a stock system).

I was worried I would loose bluetooth phone volume or sound quality if I ditched the center speaker but that wasn't the case at all.

Adding a sub definitely gave it more bass and swapping out the front speakers fixed the clarity.

If you really want to run the center channel Phoenix Gold makes a complete replacement amp/sub kit that adds a sub and powers all the speakers (including the center).

Thanks for the reply. Did you use the ******** connector(s), or splice into the wiring yourself?

I already have a 5 channel amp, and a ******** box is on my xmas list- so all I have to do now is decide whether I want to wire this myself, or use the connector. I am not afraid of a soldering iron and shrink tubing!

I do plan to ditch the center speaker.

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by jfcody3962

Thanks for the reply. Did you use the ******** connector(s), or splice into the wiring yourself?

I already have a 5 channel amp, and a ******** box is on my xmas list- so all I have to do now is decide whether I want to wire this myself, or use the connector. I am not afraid of a soldering iron and shrink tubing!

I do plan to ditch the center speaker.

I used the ******** wiring kit. I still ended up soldering all of my new wire into the ******** harness but I liked the idea about being able to go back to stock easily in the future. Plus it is easier to solder while sitting at a bench than bent over the trunk. If a new batch of ******** kits is coming out soon I would just use one.

I should probably add this to my comments about the amp upgrade. I had a Camaro with the original, more powerful, Boston amp so replacing the amp may be a bigger improvement for somebody that has one of the newer, less powerful Boston amps. IMO the clarity would still be the problem even this way.

[mattbatt]

Originally Posted by Agent WD-40

I used the ******** wiring kit. I still ended up soldering all of my new wire into the ******** harness but I liked the idea about being able to go back to stock easily in the future. Plus it is easier to solder while sitting at a bench than bent over the trunk. If a new batch of ******** kits is coming out soon I would just use one.

I should probably add this to my comments about the amp upgrade. I had a Camaro with the original, more powerful, Boston amp so replacing the amp may be a bigger improvement for somebody that has one of the newer, less powerful Boston amps. IMO the clarity would still be the problem even this way.

Yes I have the newer 2011 camaro with the weaker amp, my issue has been with clarity. I ordered the FARK harness.

Can you help advise me how to hook up the 6x9's with tweeters working? I want my rear radar to work.

Or is the simplist solution to buy new rear speakers?

[justa25thTA]

Originally Posted by mattbatt

Yes I have the newer 2011 camaro with the weaker amp, my issue has been with clarity. I ordered the FARK harness.

Can you help advise me how to hook up the 6x9's with tweeters working? I want my rear radar to work.

Or is the simplist solution to buy new rear speakers?

if you want the rear tweets to work, don't use the included speaker adapters on the rears. the way the harness works is you have either the tweets or lows, the adapters will give you the lows.