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Comments
Model # 10432571
Ref # CY-BG2912ZC
Matsushita Communication Industrial Corp. of America
Assembled in USA from foreign & US components
12 VDC
Serial # 332033
Ron
ronf4's "good" amp.
How about the rest of you?
Monte Carlo Impala LS
external amp external amp
Model # 10432571 Model #10432572
Ref # CY-BG2912ZC Ref # CY-BG2911ZC
"8 speaker" premium sound system or you have an
undiagnosed high frequency hearing deficiency
(no offense intended and not uncommon in men over 35), there is a lot of treble there.
Try switching to MANUAL tone and adjust your
treble knob to make the indicator move to the far
right.
I even stuffed my front door tweeters with small rags to minimize the high end - it's that bad on my system.
Hope this helps.
The radio is my biggest complaint with the car.
I was so stupid not to even listen to the radio before buying the car. I had heard the Buick radios and assumed the Impala would be the same - NO WAY!
I even bought a pair of Kenwood 6-1/2" speakers for the front doors. They didn't fit. I'm not sure if 6-1/2S will do it but I'm thinking of trying a pair of those.
Getting to the door speakers involves nothing more than removing the speaker covers. Wiring is simple with a $15 "harness" that fits the GM plug to the standard speaker lugs.
On the other hand, I understand that replacing the 6x9s in the rear is quite a deal.
I've also noticed that on some music (primarily CDs), I can get the bass so strong that it vibrates the rear-view mirror pretty good; yet the bass doesn't "feel" as strong as in my other cars. I'm sure if you put some type of monitoring device in the car, it would register strongly; but to the ear things seem just a bit fuzzy at the ends of the spectrum.
However, such box enclosures are available through Crutchfield and Radio Shack catalogs.
Undoubtedly the boxes will have to be modified but they will make the speakers sound better - louder with better bass. My previous car had them as standard equipment.
mattlc - what model BA's did you install? Price?
How hard was it to do?
Mounting them will be a bear.
Doing the installation was fairly easy, but time consuming. The rear seat (back and lower sections) needed to be removed. The decklid cover could then be removed, and then the speakers. At that point there was one sticking point...the speakers were actually enclosed in a black plastic enclosure that was held on with a strong adhesive. I did manage to remove it and then replace it (with some more adhesive) to the new speakers.
This enclosure is there so that sound will not be lost into the space between the back dash (cloth on cardboard section that the speakers site on) and the metal dash under it. I think that the front speakers have this same type of enclosure. So when people say that you can just take the old one out and throw a new one in, it is misleading.
WHAT ABOUT THE SPEAKER WIRES, WILL THE CLIP WORK OR DOES IT NEED TO BE CUT FOR THE NEW SPEAKERS.
the 6x9 Pioneer TSA695's @ $70./pair sounded loud and clear - not as good as mattlc's BA's I'm sure but a definite improvement over what GM installed.
If you don't want to cut wires, you can buy a Speaker Wire Harness Adapter" by Metra Dash Works at Circuit City. (Part # GM DW-4568SH $15.)
Much easier than soldering in tight spaces.
This worked for the front and the rear looks the same.
According to
buts sounded
So, if anyone with a Impala/GM repair manual is willing to xerox, fax or e-mail to me the page(s) on rear seat removal for accessing replacement of the rear speakers, please post here.
If you want tyo replace the speakers, the removal of the back seat is fairly simple. Start by taking the lower portion of the rear seat out. This can be done (with some muscle) by pushing the seat down and towards the back of the car. This releases a clamp-like mechanism (for lack of better wording) that holds the seat in place.
Next, remove the seat-back. By pulling down the seat-backs, you will reveal several bolts that are holding the seat's frame in place. Take out the bolts. Since you already have the seat-bottom out, you will also see bolts at the bottom of the seat-back that need removal.
Also note that there are several of the plastic push-in "bolts" that need removal to take up the back dash. By removing these (with a screw driver, or putty knife) you will cause them some damage, but not enough that they can be reused.
The rear dash is in tight and actually needs to be slightly bent in the middle for removal. DO NOT try to remove the speaker grilles from the the rear dash. You don't need to.
The speakers and their plastic enclosures are held to the metal deck with adhesive. If you work around with a screw driver, you will unstick them.
Replace the old speakers with the new in the plastic enclosures. Reverse procedure to replace.
ALSO...Please note that I did this a couple/few months ago, and this is from memory (i.e., don't hold me responsible if you screw it up).
Did you replace the amp as well as the speakers?
Did you also replace the front speakers? If so, with what? I tried using 6-1/2" Kenwoods - sounded good but did not fit the odd plastic frame. Is the right size 6-1/2S ?
I looked at the front speakers, measured them, and found it to be a strange size (as you found out). Have you taken the car to a Tweeter-like shop and had an installer size them? I think that this would save you time, instead of doing the work in the hopes that it will fit and finding out that it doesn't.
I am comfortable doing the work myself. My problem is cost. Obviously an amp is going to run about $200 and if I match the BA speakers to my rear ones, that will cost me another $250. As you can imagine, I had a tough time justifying the rear BA speakers (at $300). I'm trying to buy new golf clubs too. If the wife finds out about all of these toys, I'm a goner.
having a yard sale of rental cars from a large rental car company. Just to make sure I was not imagining how bad I think our radios sound, I tried the radios of 3 different cars on the lot.
The 99 Buick Regal with 22,000 miles sounded absolutely GREAT. Standard radio, no apparent
external amp in the trunk. WARM, RICH, NATURAL
SOUND with clear highs and more than enough bass.
2000 Buick LeSabre - almost as good as the Regal.
Very nice cushy leather interior.
99 Olds Aurora - bad, really bad sounding radio.
The tuner didn't even work properly. Station
numbers were erratic. Much worse radio than the
Impala. Incidentally, our Impala seats are much
more comfortable than the Aurora.
I know I'm on a soap box about this radio thing
but I think we've all just kind of stupidly
adapted to the lousy sound and forgotten what a
decent car radio is supposed to sound like. It
really spoils the car for me and I think GM owes
us.
Has anyone had satisfaction with their dealer in replacing the amp or speakers?
At this point in time I believe GM is well aware of the problem with the upgrade Impala/Montecarlo sound systems (Due to the large number of complaints)and I am sure they are currently looking into worthy replacements of these components to be able to successfully initiate a recall campaign (Very costly endeavor)and of course to replace the OEM components for the assembly of new cars as well. Again, remedies could take a long time to produce (Months, years)but I am sure that we will have corrective action taken sooner than later since GM/Delco doesn't manufacture the Speakers or Amp units. Mitsushita does and I can guarantee you that they can't afford to miss such a huge business relationship with GM due to product design problems.
Hang on tight and let's wait and see.
I agree with you to some extent as the Radio performance diminishing the ownership experience. Same as yourself I am an "Audiophile" but I haven't had much luck with my car radios either, may be except the radio that came with my '97 Acura TL, which was a far cry from the usual deficient and crappy Honda Radios (The Impala radio sounds much better for starters).
Other resolution avenues would be (If this radio bothers you to the point of no enjoying the car)to be willing to spend anywhere from $500 to $1000 on new equipment and replace the speakers and amp. If excellent sound quality is so important to you, may be spending that cash will mark the difference between you keeping the car 5 years down the road or trading it in for a new Buick next month. Of these options, I think replacing the key audio components will be very much worth for you and of course less expensive than say trading your new car for another one.
Personally, I am going to hand on tight for another few months and see if GM comes up with a solution to this. Is important to me, but I still enjoy the car, pop a CD and drive into the sunset!.
Cabello, (Another Impala forum regular) sent me some interesting pics of his new Amplifier/subwoofer installation in his impala. He spent around $1200 to revamp the system and he is one happy camper. One problem that I see with his installation is that the Subwoofer has taken half his trunk space. I'll E-mail him to ask him if is OK to send you the pics. May be you can gather some ideas from them.
Good luck Dura...I'll keep you posted.
My .02 cents
Anyway, on my "Service Mission" I will take the opportunity to listen to the Montecarlo radio as well as the standard Radio/Tape 6-speaker system on the base Impala and the Upgraded LS stereo on a more recently made car. I want to "fine tune" my hearing and establish some definite sound quality differences there. I will bring in one of my Favorite Tape and CD to aid in the survey.
The dealership's General Manager is a friend of mine (Although in the end I bought my car from CarOrder.com)and may be he can "Hook" me up with some of his "Top Dog" friends there at GM. I am sure he knows something about the radio issues or at least can get me the scoop as to what Chevy plan of attack will be.
You bring an interesting possibility with the "6x9" Delco made speakers that you saw installed in the Buick. Do you think they can be swaped for the OEM stuff we have in the Impala? Will their shape fit the plastic frame of our cars? The sore point continues to be the shape of the front speakers as it appears that virtually nothing else will ever fit in that space. It would certainly be worth looking into that.
Delco radios have always been well regarded as well as systems from Chrysler's Infiniti line. Problem is that GM essentially "Let Go" of Delphi Electronics last year and they are now a more independent company from GM, so that could explain the sudden switch over to OEM sound parts. But the real reasons why, sure it is beyond me.
Have fun tomorrow, I guess we will make some interesting discoveries in our dealerships missions!
The fronts are still a mystery to me. They are NOT standard 6-1/2". They MAY be 6-1/2S or even 5-1/4. I just don't know and I don't really want to venture into one of those specialty car audio stereo stores.
teo- taking a known tape and CD with you is a great idea. I did that when I bought my last VCR. I knew exactly what it should look and sound like. Also, if you pass a Buick dealer on the way, check out a Regal with standard CONCERT II sound -
NOT the Monsoon audio system which some posters say is overdone and problematic.
Finally, what is "Delphi" Electronics???
Post your Saturday findings here on this forum and I'll do the same. Take care.
I really wanted to hear what ron's radio with a
different external amp and speakers sounded like.
Instead, I checked out 2 Impala radios.
Both had radio/cassettes - NO CD in either.
One had an external amp. The other did not.
I took a tape with familiar music on it and
played the same FM stations in both cars,
The results - The one WITH the external amp
sounded somewhat better than my notorious unit
with radio/cass/CD and external amp. A little
more bass and greater range on the tone with
the high frequencies being less shrill than mine.
Another difference on that Impala with the
external amp, although the Ref # was the same
as mine, CY-BG2911ZC, the Model # was
entirely different 10289187. Car manufacture
date on door was 09/99! My amp Model #
reads 10432572. My car manufacture date
is 01/00.
EVEN BETTER was the radio/cassette
withOUT any external amp. It sounded
VERY SWEET. Full, rich tone with clear
highs and ample bass. Even when I isolated
just the front speakers, it still sounded very
good. Also, the rear 6x9s WERE
DIFFERENT than mine.
They were marked UX7/UG2 Rear, Chevy 4 door.
Mine are marked UQ3 Rear, Chevy 4 door.
That is what a car radio should sound like.
What a colossal effort to remedy something
so simple and basic. I will never again buy
another car without FIRST checking out
EVERYTHING including the radio.
So teo - what did you find?
Could you ask the guy at TWEETER... What amp model he thinks we could use to replace the factory amp.
I'm would think a wiring conversion harness would also be required.
THANKS
They only had one Galaxy Silver Montecarlo (LS) with the same radio configuration as per the above. Although I am also interested in testing a car with that particular sound system setup, I still wouldn't have been able to sample the vaunted 8-speaker system CD/Tape system that you and I own as well as the 6-speaker Tape deck only system found on base Impalas and LS cars with the 1SA preferred package.
Later that day (as well as the entire day sunday) I was caught up doing errands with my wife and visiting her family and mine, so I couldn't go to another dealer.
I still carry a tape and two CD's in my car as tomorrow afternoon I will have some time to spare and plan to visit a new "Mega" Chevy dealership that opened in the west end of the city as well as my neighboorhood Buick/Olds dealer (Angel Buick/Olds)to sample the Concert II system in the Regal.
During my "Eye" survey I also noticed that the Malibu comes equipped with a very nice standard issue Delco AM/FM Tape/CD system which I think is the same radio that comes in the Blazer truck line. That radio sounds very sweet, based on my experience when I rented a 4 door Blazer LS on my last trip to Denver, Co.
Your results are indeed very interesting and confirm the claims that the base 6-speaker Tape/no amp system delivers the best sound. I agree with you that GM has a simple fix in their hands....just swap the OEM speakers and AMP with Delco manufactured units. I am still holding my hopes high...remember don't give up just yet.
Delphi Automotive Electronics was a GM owned subsidiary until a couple of years ago. They are responsible for the development and manufacturing of all electric and electronic components in GM cars and trucks (As well as other global brands such as Opel, Holden and Vauxhall)such as Delco stereo systems, Instrument clusters, In dash climate control and A/C switches and buttons, electronic climate control units, engine computers and so forth. They are a big supplier of other automotive components as well. Now they are independent from GM.
Here is a link on Delphi Electronics for your reading pleasure:
http://www.delphiauto.com/
I'll keep ypu posted on my findings
Enjoy!
The cause is MOSTLY a bad amp and secondarly, bad 6x9 rear speakers in the 8 speaker premium (gag)sound system.
If you take some time to read all the posts on this Impala radio forum (which I started out of my disappointment), you'll see you have plenty of company.
"teo" keeps encouraging me that GM will eventually concede and replace the amps and/or speakers.
I'm hoping he's right. I'm leaning on my dealer and I am about to write GM, AGAIN.
Although some owners have put out hundreds already to replace rear speakers, trunk amps or install subwoofers - is that what you want to do?
Your car is just one week old and you paid well over $20,000 for it. Do you really want to lay out hundreds more right away for speakers or an amp without even knowing exactly what they will sound like?
Keep complaining - if we all do, maybe GM will actually come through for us. This is a legitimate problem that the company should correct.
(There you go teo - I'm beginning to sound like you- optimistic!)
1) Revamp the Speakers and Amp (More $$$ to lay out)
2) Trade-in the car for another and lose your head in the process. (Dura, you are very young at heart...can't picture you driving around in a "Miss Daisy" Buick...sorry but Buicks don't appeal to me...well the Regal GS is great but aged compared to the Impala LS).
I am faithful that GM won't let us down on this one, but we will have to pantiently wait some times that's the only way.
I'll let you know about my Chevy/Buick dealership field trip tomorrow on the radios.
The web address is:
www.chevrolet.com
Click on "CONTACT US" at top of screen
Click on "CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE" along left edge in next screen
Click on "E-mail us..." within text.
Fill in the blanks and spell out your complaint
The 800# is there too if you'd rather call.
Be polite but firm in your dissatisfaction.
While I doubted that would work because I did not think there was an amp in the Radio/cass/CD, I have some reason to think otherwise now.
Because I am unwilling to give up my car and get no results, I PHONED the auto audio shop my dealer said they would send the car to.
Although the Delco specialist was not in today, another guy looked it up in some manual and his info was that all the head end units (the things in the dash) were interchangeable! Now does that just mean in terms of size or what? He didn't know.
In the meantime, I might experiment with jumping speaker ins and outs on the plug as you suggested.
Can you please post that info from your manual or e-mail me a scan from the manual? If I think I can do it, I'll try.
I just cannot stand that radio - especially after hearing how really good the standard Impala radio/cass sounds without the external amp.
Thanks
Totally disgusted with this audio system,I finally
and reluctantly took the car to the Chevy dealer
and also to their auto audio sub-contractor.
It went as badly as I knew it would.
The audio guys said they had no substitute for the
Matushita amp in the trunk.
At the dealership, I persuaded the service manager
to order another amp. It will be identical to
what's in there but I seriously doubt that it will
sound any better.
At both places they just listened, shook their
heads and said it's performing the way it's
supposed to. That's little comfort when it sounds
like XXXX.
It was like a trip to dumb and dumber.
As I contended from the outset, the solution has
got to come from the top down - a recall from GM.
Frankly, I don't see it happening.
In 3 months and 2700 miles, I have had NO
significant problems with our LS. A little
stuttering at start up a while back which I
attribute now to bad gas, but that's it. It's a
pleasure to drive.
I feel for those of you you have had engine
shutdowns and engine cradle weld problems.
There's no excuse for that. Although the audio
has nothing to do with safety or performance, it's
a valid issue too.
The RDS radio/amp is an integral part of this car and unfortunately it is not readily replaceable.
I have no intention of laying out $120 for a service manual that I'll never use for anything else. I am not that mechanically inclined.
Ab aside - My wife had a basic Buick Century on a one day rental during routine maintenance of her car. That simple radio/cass sounded so much better than ours with cass/CD and the dreaded external amp.
Highlight my name on header to access my e-mail address. I'll post results.
Thanks.
I got your e-mail address. I'll e-mail the page to you this weekend.
It's easy to do over time. You just sort of get used to it and adapt to the lousy sound with poor bass, shrill highs and little control over the tone. (I also found that my tape unit plays a little fast - by almost 2%!)
On 5/16. my dealer supposedly ordered me a replacement amp for the trunk. (See post #153) No word yet. I'm going to call him on that today.
In the meantime, I look forward to jumping the wires on the plug. I have such little confidence in most mechanics, I dread them poking around in a new model car they are unfamiliar with and possibly creating new problems.
If you e-mail me TODAY just a note with YOUR return address, I'll provide a couple other options for getting me the info from the service manual that might be easier.
Also, what is the Model # and Reference # on your amp? Mine is:
Model # 10432572
Ref # CY-BG2911ZC
My car build date is 01/00 from the sticker on the edge of driver side door.
I heard one Impala with radio/cassette ONLY (no CD) that sounded noticeably better.
Model # 10289187
Ref # CY-BG2911ZC
Build date 09/99.
Such a headache over something so basic. Radios have been in cars since the 1930s. In my 6 cars over 30 years, this is the worst sounding thing I ever owned.
Let's hope we can get it straightened out without spending a fortune.
Thanks.
I'm generally either listening to "Radio Disney" on the AM band with my kids, or by myself listening to tapes/CD at high volume, so I don't do much "normal volume" listening.
I never blast the thing - for one reason it's simply not safe. It's distracting and you can't hear other cars and people around you - not to mention sirens and the like.
Listening at high levels also destroys your hearing. I know guys in their 40s who have played in rock groups or worked in video tape editing and their hearing is shot from high levels of audio.
The same thing happens to factory workers and others exposed to high decibel levels over prolonged periods of time. Even my lawn guy (about 25) has enough sense to wear ear protection to save his hearing as he mows.
AM radio sounds acceptable on the Impala radio/CD/cassette with external amp because of AM's limited frequency range. When I listen to business, news and talk radio on AM, it doesn't sound bad at all. Distant reception could be better but that's a seperate issue.
Final note - my neighbor has a subwoofer in his car. We can always hear him coming down the street. He wears a hearing aid and is only 30!