Chevrolet Impala Audio

[Deleted User]

I'm putting the factory guys back in. I'm intending on selling the old girl, and I'd like to get something back for the speakers as I'm gonna take a small hit on the price of the car.
I'm leaving the tweeters, though. I already sold the original tires that I had replaced.

To tell you the truth, with the JBL Power series, you don't need no stinkin' 12's. They have a remarkable low end response as it is, especially when combined with the Impala amp's already heavy low end, without all the mud.

wwnf

Well I picked up my good amp (10309548) today. Pulled the crappy one out and slapped the good one in. Whoa, way better than old amp and a little bit better than the bypass. Plus the JBL gto speakers help a little bit too. Cleans up the sound.

How I got my amp you ask? I tried a few times when my car was under warranty but GM claimed it was the first they heard of it and mine was working just fine. So just recently I bought an old house along a highway in my area. A couple of weeks ago some woman driver in her Volvo wasn't paying any attention swirved to miss a turning car and ran through my yard and knocked over an 8ft pine tree then bounced off a 10ft then a 15ft pine tree stopped her, . She was ok. Just killed some of my trees and made nice tire tracks in my yard.

This is what gave me a surprise, she was the wife of the President of the dealership where I bought my car. HA! I couldn't believe it. So blah blah blah, I asked for a new amp for compensation of my tree, . I really didn't mind the tree but that crappy amp just had to go.

later

Joe

[Deleted User]

I'd have asked for the new amp IN ADDITION to a new tree and whatever other property Ms. Andretti destroyed with her skillful driving.

impalad

Anybody going to the Spring Break Nationals in Daytona this year? I'd go but hotels are charging $300 a nite! I got the complete IASCA (international auto sound challenge assc.) 2001 World Finals on CD-ROM. Some hot cuties struttin' their stuff included. No new Impalas but there was a nice custom '96 SS as well as a new Monte Carlo SS w/ high sport apearance package. Both have awesome custom trunk installs. MB Quart & Focal brand speakers dominated the 141 Sound Quality winners in each division, format, & class (not talkin' about subwoofers, JL Audio, Rockford, MTX, & Eclipse are used most often.)
I didn't see a single JBL part used by any winner. Out of about 40 company tents & booths there, JBL didn't even have one.
For the old fogy trying to be a salesman for JBL, there are only 2 current 6X9's that are 3-ways. I don't know how many they had in the old days, but instead of dwelling in the past, you can go to their website (which sucks anyway)& see that there are only 2 models. If you buy 6.75" Sony, Pioneer, Infinity, Rockford, Cerwin-Vega, Kicker, Kenwood, or Kicker speakers from Crutchfield, they have a different part number to their 6.5" counterpart. JBL is the only company in the catalog who doesn't make a 6.75" specific speaker. They're too cheap so they try to keep a smaller product line; thus the consumer has to use the same speaker in either application. For "old sound guys" knockin' expensive RCA's & power wire, some of us like high wattage & quality sound. If its too loud, you're too old!!
:-D

impalad

What are you getting next, a Metro? Does this mean you're finally leaving our forum & I won't have your sarcastic, matter of factly, useless messages to respond to? Bummer, I was starting to have fun w/ this! Come back & visit (but not too often.) Don't drop your walker on the way out. Old fart! :-D
Seriously, I like this forum for its views from all walks of life. We'll miss you, buddy.

[Deleted User]

A. I don't buy sound equipment because it's mentioned in some car audio competition mag. Personally, I find the whole concept of competition car audio to be pretty silly. What's to compete? What's next, an air conditioner competition?
B. I only knock what needs knocking. I'm one of the guys that makes the music loud in the first place. I don't fall for that home audiophile nonsense either. It's your money. Spend it however you wish. I'm sure that spending hundreds of dollars on cables makes a huge improvement in sound...in your car.
c. While a Geo Metro would be tempting, I decided to buy this instead:

I went with an Alpine head unit, to keep compatibility with the factory CD changer. I haven't decided on new speakers yet. I'm limited by the shallow mounting depth. I'll be using the existing wiring.

Now, if you'll excuse me. There's a Matlock / Murder She Wrote double feature on the Senior Citizens channel.

night_owl1

Yeah! Who can freeze an ice cube in the passenger's compartment first!

night_owl1

They spend most of the time up on a rack. A number of years back a friend and I ripped out the engine and electrical in an old Jag and replaced it with a 350 Chevy V-8 because the Jag engine was giving him so much problems. A co-worker purchased one a few years back and it's in the shop so much that I think he drives rental cars more than the Jag. The last time it spent 3 1/2 weeks in the shop. I keep telling him to sell it. The amount of $$ he spent could have gotten him a Vette. He says he loves driving it and he keeps thinking of all the money he sunk into it already. The Jag is a good engine, but the tolerances are too tight and unforgiving to boot.

[Deleted User]

It all depends on model year, and how the previous owner took care of it. New, they are among the top brands for customer satisfaction and reliability. IIRC, they are above any GM brands in those area. Used, ya takes yer chances. Can be a nightmare.

Plus, take a look at her! I'd rather be driving that than most medium age'Vettes. I'd definitely rather have a new XKR over a new Vette. 57 Vette? That's a different story.

BTW, that car to the right of my driveway is more visible in this pic. I really think it's one of those boxy Hondas from the late 80's/early 90's.

dcngo

I owned a 2000 Chevy Impala. I am trying to replace my original wiper blades with winter blades. I could not figure out how to remove the original blade. This blade design is quite awkward to remove. The instructions if the owner's manual is not very clear either. It talks about pushing a pin under the blade, but I could not find any pin.

Has someone ever replace these wiper blades yet? How did you do it.

Thanks for your advice.

Dennis

night_owl1

Turn your radio volume up to 10. This will vibrate the blades off

Wrong group, Dennis. Go see the message I left for you in the maintance. section.

[Deleted User]

Hey. The Impala radio does like a million other things in this car, there was at least a chance it was involved in changinging the blades too.

"Turn the ignition key to the OFF postion. Press DISP for 5 seconds, while pressing the brake peddle, and opening the console cover. The blades will pop off of the arms. When replacing the blades, reverse the above procedure, but open the glove box instead of opening the console, and hold the DISP button for 7 seconds, while pressing the right rear window down button, located on the left front driver's armrest, for 3 seconds. This will engage the blades into the arms."

I can picture it.

impalad

Hopefully this will end the issue w/ expensive wire. Here we go!
A: Power cable: If total amplifier wattage running is 250 watts continuous (1200 peak) or less, all you need is 8 gauge power wire. If running multiple amplifiers @ 1000 watts (2000 peak) total like I am, than run 4 gauge wire.
This is not an issue about sound but safety. (I carry a chrome extinguisher even w/ the thick power cable.)

B: RCA's: You can either tap into the wires in the trunk, use line level converters, & run RCA's to your amplifier (GOOD), connect the converter behind the head unit & run RCA's the length of the car to the amplifier (BEST), or use high level inputs on the amplifier if it has that option (WORST.) That last one you can run into some problems overtime.
RCA's can let noise creep in from the engine (whining fluctuating w/ the engine RPM's) so specially insulated cables are best. The gold plating is so connections don't get affected by oxidation (gold does not oxidize.)

Now, IASCA (international auto sound challenge assoc.) is not a magazine but the most well respected organization that holds yearly all out decibal contests, as well as sound quality competitions. Tens of thousands of dollars in prizes motivate participants. Go to the website, its quite interesting. Smart companies set up booths & displays. Ex: MB Quart had an awesome Corvette w/ all kinds of custom panels & components last year.
Why hold car audio competitons? BECAUSE, anybody can bolt their amps, EQ's, signal processors, crossovers, or other components to the back of the seat. It takes true talent to design & fabricate the world's most visually appealing & highest quality sounding installs.

BTW, the 1959 or 1960 Corvette looks better w/ the mean dual headlights! :-D

impalaboy2001

Got some subs installed yesterday in my Impala. Very loud and boomy when Bass gain is just around a 1/3 of the way. Anyone know were I can get some cheap dynamat? Got Pics and Info posted on my site. Tell me what you guys think.

Chris

http://members.cox.net/2001impala

blackls01

I have a 2001 LS and want to do something to get more sound out of the stereo system. It had the old,crappy amp in it but I got the dealer to swap it out for the 03 amp. It does sound better(more bass and a richer sound) but still not enough volume. When I turn it up my door speakers pop. It is not that loud either. Can still talk above it. Being a girl and all-just don't know anything about sound systems or what to do to make it better. I like to listen to blues(Stevie Ray etc. and classic rock) if that makes a difference. Please, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Also does anyone know how to find out how many watts my amp puts out?

roderacer

not too sure about the rated power of the amps. I already had the 03 amp from the factory on my '01 LS and a couple of weeks after taking delivery, I got the speakers replaced with some Alpine's.

If you swap out the paper cone OEM slush buckets for some decent aftermarkets, you should have enough sound to make you happy. Since blues and classic rock is a very acoustic sound, you won't want to have too much distortion in the sound. I find that the 03 amp puts out good clean power, so focus on the speakers, first.

Another Townhall member replaced his OEM's with JBL's and was happy.

That "popping" you hear with the factory jobbies is the speaker 'clipping' - a sign of inferior speakers or "dirty" power from the amp. Like I said, the Alpines on the 03 amp sound great and I listen to everything from the Isley Brothers to hardcore metal.

Good luck!
RR

[Deleted User]

Ditto what RR said. Speakers. Even cheap Blaupunkts will sound better than that factory garbage.
Make sure you stick with a better brand like Alpine, JBL, Boston, etc. There are also "competition" audio brands like MB Quart and JL Audio. My personal feelings on those is that they are the "emperor's new clothes", if you know what I mean.
Besides looking for the obvious things like frequency response (try and find something that goes down to 50Hz or lower), also make sure they can handle a decent amount of power (at least 40-50w RMS or continuous power), and if you want them to be loud, you'll need an efficient speaker. To judge efficiency, look for a sensitivity rating of at least 91dB. The higher the sensitivity rating, the louder it will be at a given wattage. Being that the Impala amp isn't all that powerful, the sensitivity will play a big part.
Another thing to bear in mind is that the front speakers are 6 3/4 inch, instead of the standard 6 1/2 inch. Many brand's 6 1/2 are designed to also fit the oversize GM hole. Many other brands make a specific 6 3/4 inch model. The rears are standard 6x9.
Get 3 ways in the back, and if possible 3 ways in the front. However, some quality brands only offer 2 way speakers in that size.
It's refreshing to find a woman that would rather listen to tunes than talk in the car!!!!

teo

Check these new Technical Service Bulletins addressing these issues:

01-08-44-011: CD Cannot be inserted into CD player or Ejected (Reset radio); 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier, Impala, Malibu, Montecarlo, Venture, Oldsmobile Intrigue,Sillouette, Pontiac Montana.

Check this TSB out, very interesting....

01-08-44-012: Radio Bass level TOO HIGH (Adjust bass level using GM Tech Tool Level 2); 2001-02 Chevrolet Impala, Montecarlo. (Didn't know the Boomy bass sound could be fine tuned using the GM Tech Level 2 tool, COOL!)

[Deleted User]

Darn! I left my GM Tech Level 2 Tool in my other overalls.

jci1

can someone please post the instructions for removing the package shelf to replace the rear 6x9's? Thanks!

[Deleted User]

First, remove the lower seat cushion. I forget how exactly. It's been awhile. Check for tabs under the front edge, and possibly a bolt or two behind the rear edge.
Second, remove the seat back. That one is obvious. There are bolts above and below the seat back.
Third, you can either bend the cardboard shelf cover in the middle to access the speaker mounts, or attempt to remove it completely.
Fourth, unplug the speaker wire connector from the speaker.
Fifth, remove the speaker mounts from the body by squeezing the tabs from inside the trunk.
Sixth, remove the speakers from the mounts using a Torx driver.

To install, reverse the procedure.

impalad

There's nothing wrong w/ 2-way rear speakers. I also chose 3-ways, but its the front speakers that really count. 6X9's are rarely more than $200 but the 6.5" components can go up to $1000! Its better to get a good set of front speakers than to compensate later by drilling holes to put more somewhere else. Doing that could affect sound imaging. Some guys drill up their car, sell it, & post messages on forums about the car they no longer own. Hmmm.

[Deleted User]

You could put the finest speakers in the world down there. You'd still need tweeters mounted somewhere up high to get the optimum sound from the fronts. (Unless you've got ears in your ankles.)
No. There's nothing wrong with 2 ways, either, There just not usually as good as comparible quality 3 ways . Simple. (Matter of fact, even.)
BTW, I still have my LS. I've already removed the fronts, and will take out the rears this weekend. I'll leave the tweeters, obviously.

clarkkenny

I wouldn't say tht I'm a stereo enthusiast butI know that I like a lot of base and I think my standard 2001 Impala has plenty of it. But this might just be more fuel to the fire that the standard systems are actually better than the upgraded LS systems.
My actual question is if anyone has the codes to diable the security function of my stereo. I dont' want to have to worry about having it reprogrammed if I disconnect my battery.

[Deleted User]

"bass"

impalaboy2001

you dont have to worry about any reprogramming crap. The Stereo has the vehicles VIN # built into it, so that you wont have to reprogram it. I've disconnected my battery several times and even installed a new stereo system with subwoofers.

Chris

http://members.cox.net/2001impala

impalad

Only time the dealer reprograms it is when you're getting a whole other factory radio exchanged, maybe for those who only have tape & want CD (or have CD but want tape too.) Damn AC Delco, thing is $450. I guess the blinking light is to ward off crooks b/c it has this special feature. Then that means there should be a database of stolen Impala radios somewhere. And they do a search before allowing you to switch radios. Hmmm :-D

impalad

Being a stage hand must have affected your ears or you've never experienced the wonders of MB Quart's Q Series. Contrary to your statement about ankles & extra tweeters, I only heard of people complaining the QM18 6.5" components being too powerful. Some consumers even changed the crossover b/c the tweeters were too strong. One customer I know doesn't like them b/c his kids turn it up & he has to wear ear plugs b/c the highs are TOO STRONG! If you wanna bring the speakers closer to your ears, why don't you just wear some studio quality headphones?
"Put the best speakers in the world blah blah blah;" Try some demo speakers at a good car stereo shop like Custom Sounds or Audio Express & you'll understand what I'm talkin' about. That's how I originally came across this brand. (I currently like the Eclipse subwoofers after listening to various brands inhouse.)
Also, you contradict yourself about the rear speakers by recommending 3-ways. Using your reasoning it would only benefit rear passengers. Unless you got donkey ears. :-D

night_owl1

Go to www.impalahq.com and in the How-To section, there is an article that addresses questions about the Impala's sound system. Here is the section that deals with your question:

Q: If I remove my radio, will the dealer have to reactivate it if I want to reinstall it into my car?

A: No. In previous model years, a security code had to be programmed into the radio for the radio to operate. In the Impala, the radio is programmed with a portion of the vehicle's VIN. When the radio is activated, it compares the VIN it has stored with the VIN that is transmitted from a module in the vehicle. If a mismatch occurs, the radio will lock and can only be unlocked with a scan tool. You can remove the radio and reinstall it in the same vehicle with no problems, but you cannot install the radio into a different vehicle unless the dealer reprograms the radio.

[Deleted User]

Some of the stuff you say about audio is just plain wrong. OTOH, I'm sure there's plenty of stuff you know more about than I do. Audio just ain't one of them.

If people complain that MB Quart speakers have too much high end, and you say you hear plenty from tweeters mounted at your ankles, then it certainly seems that their high-end output is either to strong, or inaccurate at the frequencies that are the most unpleasant at higher volumes, namely the upper-mids. It is a trick often used by manufacturers to make their speakers seem better than they really are. Enhanced low end is another one.
A good speaker will reproduce sound accross the entire spectrum in a smooth, realistic, unenhanced way, without unnaturally accentuating any particular frequemcy or groups of frequencies.

As for the rear speakers, where have I contradicted myself? A 3way speaker will sound better, have better mid-range response, and a smoother bass-to-mid-to-high transition than a 2 way of equivalent quality.

I also have no problem hearing my rear speakers, despite normal sized ears. (My nose is a different story!) The speakers are only a few feet behind my head. In addition, the mids and highs are reflecting off of the rear window, proving most of the audible sound spectrum at ear level, unlike the ankle high front speakers.

BTW, I was a soundman, not stagehand. Hence, my knowledge born from experience, not from car stereo salesmen and magazines designed to sell car stereos.

night_owl1

After saying for months now that I would be getting the CD changer, I finally ordered it this morning. I was told I would receive it by tomorrow, but being in Hawaii, I'll probably get it next week. The good news is that if you have the harness in the trunk, installing the factory changer is really easy. If you don't, you have to do more work, but you still can get it to work. If I get it this week, look for a new How-To article by the weekend.

http://www.impalahq.com

night_owl1

After saying for months now that I would be getting the CD changer, I finally ordered it this morning. I was told I would receive it by tomorrow, but being in Hawaii, I'll probably get it next week. The good news is that if you have the harness in the trunk, installing the factory changer is really easy. If you don't, you have to do more work, but you still can get it to work. If I get it this week, look for a new How-To article by the weekend.

http://www.impalahq.com

[Deleted User]

Omedeto gozaimasu! (Ask your grandparents)

night_owl1

Hey, I may not be fluent, but I understand the simple stuff. Comes from watching Kikaida, Zaboga, Go Ranger, and all the other Japanese live action shows from the 70's.

[Deleted User]

You gotta be better than a white boy like me!

night_owl1

Wow, I ordered the changer at 8:00 am Hawaii time and it was delivered to my house at 11:00 the following day. Connected the two harnesses under the passenger side, plugged in the changer, loaded up some disks and turned on the car. Changer started right up. Mounting the silly thing was another story. I'll post a new How-To article sometime this week.

[Deleted User]

Mazel Tov. (Ask my grandparents)

bh0001

Which radio option do you have?
Brad

night_owl1

I have the radio/tape/CD head unit.

impalaboy2001

Is Onstar still operational after the CD Changer Install?
Chris

night_owl1

Ok, I updated the page with the Changer install.

Yes, OnStar still works. If you don't have a factory installed harness, you have to put in the harness that is included in the kit. That would disable OnStar. However you can move a couple of connectors from the factory radio harness to the one in the kit to retain OnStar.

aquaknot2000

I have a Changer (12 disc) with cassette only radio. It works fine. The only problem seems to be that there is no way to select the DISC in reverse order. Can your changer select the Disc in reverse order. If so please advise.

night_owl1

I can't search backward either. It's a little irritating because I have the steering wheel controls and am used to pressing the PRESET button to switch radio stations when I don't like the music. However the PRESET button switches disks in the changer so I end up switching disks and the only way to get back is to run through the others to get back to the same disk. Have you tried the random feature yet? Does it go through all the songs/disks before replaying a song?

aquaknot2000

I can't go back (Reverse) on Disc, only forward. Once I am playing a Disc I can go reverse on Tracs. When you purchased your CD-Changer did you get an instruction manual with It??? What does it say?

my2000impala

I've read through these boards, but haven't seen exactly what I need. All I want to do is install an Amp and a couple of subs (from my blazer im selling). If possible, I will keep the amp that is already in my Impala (for the rear speakers), and I will keep the original RDS headunit. I just need to know what stuff I will need when wiring up my amp (as far as coming off of the head unit), and if I need to do anything with the other factory amp that is in there. Anything will help, I just need to clear up some confusion...and i also had problems draining my alternator down all the time in my blazer, so i was just wondering if that would happen here too...

Thanks...

night_owl1

Have you checked out the radio FAQ on the How-To page of my site?

www.ImpalaHQ.com

If you are going to keep your factory amp installed, you should be able to tap into the audio input of that amp and send it to your aftermarket amp without needing line level converters. Read the FAQ and let me know if you have any other questions.

my2000impala

I've never installed a system, ive always taken it somewhere else to be installed. I guess I dont understand how I hook up my new amp to the factory amp allready in there. I dont know what cables i run to where, or anything. Like, new amp to old amp? then new amp to headunit and battery? fill me in a little bit, and i would really appreciate it.

Thanks

night_owl1

From what I gather, you want to install two additional speakers and an amp to your car. You want to keep the factory amp and rear speakers. I really need to know more info on what you want to do. What are the specs of the amp (power output, mono, bridged, input levels, etc) type of speakers, what you want to end up with, your ability level, etc.

my2000impala

I emailed your hawaii email address, so we can find another way to chat a little bit quicker...

2001impala2001

hey. I was planning to do an upgrade by adding an MTX sub and Kenwood amp. Does anyone know:
How many watts comes from the Trunk amp?
How many watts per channel from the head unit?
Does the head unit have RCA jacks on the back?

I was thinking of using RCA jacks from the head unit to the amp but if I have to I'll "steal" signal from the rears.