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Car Forum / Pontiac / Pontiac Firebird / January 2006

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Monsoon stereo question (in a T/A)

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Joe Granto - 18 Jan 2006 17:31 GMT
I have a 2000 Trans Am Firehawk with the Monsoon stereo. The door
speakers are dying one me, and I want to replace them. I have several
questions:

1. What size are the 2 door speakers (I think it is a 6" round for the
main, but dunno about the tweeter)?

2. What replacement speakers do you guys recommend for the main door
speaker?

3. What tweeter do you recommend for the door speaker?

4. From what I can tell, the factory door speakers are true component
speakers in that there is a crossover (presumably straight from the
amp). Should I get a component set of speakers? If so, which do you
recommend? Can I use the amp's connections, or should I somehow use
the crossover that comes with the component speakers?

5. Related to #2, if I just replace the main speaker with a 2-way, how
can I get the full range audio signal to the speaker while at the same
time get the higher power from the amp? I am assuming that the wires
from the amp are already going through some internal crossover or
frequency-liimiter.

Basically, I just want to replace the door main speakers, but am
willing to consider a component system to replace all door speakers,
if that is what is recommended. I do not need the "best" speakers
because I will still be using the factory amp; I just need some decent
quality speakers to replace the factory speakers. Thus, I don't want
to change speaker size, get custom cutouts, etc. Stock replacement
size is the idea.

Thanks!

Please replace the "NoSpam" with "MCI" in my email address in order to
reply.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe Granto                                          Joe.Granto@NoSpam.Com
Senior Engineer                                     Intel Engineering,MCI
SgtSilicon - 19 Jan 2006 00:28 GMT
Hi.  It can depend on which RPO codes your car has.  I have the
factory service manuals for 2001 F-bodys.  I know you have a 2000 but
let's assume for the moment that 2000 and 2001 are similar.  The
Monsoon is based on a BOSE system which uses special 2 ohm speakers.
Also, there can be some strange things as to how the tweeters are
wired as compared to the door speakers etc.  I would have to re-study
it again to really give you more useful information, but even if you
do study it you have to study the information pertaining to the
specific RPOs you are dealing with.  There are some differences
between Pontiac and Chevy and also differences even within each brand.

If you are even a little bit handy, I suggest you purchase the manual
set for you car.  Even at $130 it can pay for itself in one job.
Also, it is good to have if you have anyone other than the dealer work
on it.  A good independent mechanic shouldn't be too proud to have it
come in handy if working on your car too.

>I have a 2000 Trans Am Firehawk with the Monsoon stereo. The door
>speakers are dying one me, and I want to replace them. I have several
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>Joe Granto                                          Joe.Granto@NoSpam.Com
>Senior Engineer                                     Intel Engineering,MCI
Charles Bendig - 19 Jan 2006 06:16 GMT
> I have a 2000 Trans Am Firehawk with the Monsoon stereo. The door
> speakers are dying one me, and I want to replace them. I have several
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
> Joe Granto                                          Joe.Granto@NoSpam.Com
> Senior Engineer                                     Intel Engineering,MCI

   
    I beleave your best option is to talk with someone at crutchfield. They
are not just a audio wholesaler. They actually take measurments and
trial fit products. Unlike most places, they can actually tell you what
will and will not work.
Charles
99 Z Guy - 21 Jan 2006 15:03 GMT
I had all those questions when my speakers went out in my 99 Z with
monsoon;
if you want to upgrade your speakers you should upgrade the head unit
too.
Soon I found out that no one had any answers, even GM said that if you
replace monsoon speakers with differant speakers, the speakers
themselves won't receive the signal correctly and will crackle a lot.
So after researching for about 3 months I decided that I didn't want to
spend the money on a new head unit AND 6 new speakers, so I hopped on
EBay and found a grouping of 4 monsoon speakers (2 fronts and 2 subs)
for $54 plus shipping.  I replaced the blown speaker and have another
in spare.  GM want's I THINK 80$ for each front and $60 for each sub
and $70 for each rear.  

Something to think about.
Bruce Chang - 23 Jan 2006 20:15 GMT
>I had all those questions when my speakers went out in my 99 Z with
> monsoon;
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Something to think about.

You went to the car manufacturer for audio advice?  There isn't a whole lot
of reason a replacement speaker woudln't work correctly unless it was a
vastly different impedance.  I would imagine if they're not 4 ohm, they'd be
8 ohm speakers.  You can get a very nice pair of aftermarket speakers for
$160 and a decent sub for $60.

As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing to think about.  If you're going
to waste money at the dealer, you may as well take that money somewhere else
and spend the same amount of money and get better equipment.
lab~rat  >:-) - 24 Jan 2006 15:44 GMT
>>I had all those questions when my speakers went out in my 99 Z with
>> monsoon;
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>to waste money at the dealer, you may as well take that money somewhere else
>and spend the same amount of money and get better equipment.

Why are there three wires on the door speakers?  I bought some cheapos
to replace the blown one in my 2000 and I was surprised to see three
wires connecting them.
--
lab~rat  >:-)
Do you want polite or do you want sincere?
Bruce Chang - 24 Jan 2006 17:30 GMT
>>>I had all those questions when my speakers went out in my 99 Z with
>>> monsoon;
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> lab~rat  >:-)
> Do you want polite or do you want sincere?

Wouldn't be surprised if you have a +, a - and a ground.

-Bruce
SgtSilicon - 24 Jan 2006 18:05 GMT
Or more likely a positive for the larger driver, a positive for the
tweeter and a common ground.  That's a guess though.

>Wouldn't be surprised if you have a +, a - and a ground.
>
>-Bruce
Camaro Cowboy - 27 Jan 2006 11:01 GMT
Own a 2000 Camaro.
I changed mine last year for the same reason.
Speakers had 4 wires; tweeter +/-, woofer +/-.
Tweeters ran off of the head unit whereas the woofers ran from the amp
in the trunk originally. Put in 6" Alpine S series. Rewired the whole
sound system to put in an aftermarket of my own.
FBR - 28 Jan 2006 01:07 GMT
Own a 2000 Camaro.
I changed mine last year for the same reason.
Speakers had 4 wires; tweeter +/-, woofer +/-.
Tweeters ran off of the head unit whereas the woofers ran from the amp
in the trunk originally. Put in 6" Alpine S series. Rewired the whole
sound system to put in an aftermarket of my own.

- "There's a silver lining to every cloud.... It's just hard to see it when
your sky is grey...."

Please drop the html.
SgtSilicon - 24 Jan 2006 18:01 GMT
1. Have a GM service shop run you off a vehicle inquiry report for
your VIN.  The report, among other things, will provide you with a
complete list of RPO codes as manufactured.

2. Buy, borrow or steal a factory service manual for your 2000 model
year F-body.  Want to buy, visit www.helminc.com

The manual will have schematics for your sound system.  It will also
have schematics for different sound system schemes too.  That's why
you need to know all the RPO codes for YOUR vehicle.  For example, I
have a 2001 Camaro Z28 with RPOs UN0 and UZ7.  Wiring specific to RPO
UZ7 is laid out in a schematic that is different than some others.  It
should you what color wires, in what pins of what connectors cary
which signals and where the terminate between the various equipment.  

Is the $130 cost of the service manuals worth not having to try
experimentation and guessing?  I think it is.  Or as others have said,
visit a good library and if you're lucky they might have it too.

>Why are there three wires on the door speakers?  I bought some cheapos
>to replace the blown one in my 2000 and I was surprised to see three
>wires connecting them.
 
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