[intervoid]

I really have no experience with newer model cars where I believe a lot of the electronics of the car are run through the radio area, so this is to everyone that knows audio stuff about newer end cars.

There is a couple reasons that I'm loooking to upgrade the radio. While I have no definite specs on the stock radio (its decent), it needs a little upgrade. I have a Creative Zen Touch (MP3 player) and I really need an aux to plug it in to the car stereo. I doubt the stock radio has one, but I haven't taken anything apart to find out.

Secondly, the bass is a little lacking. The mids and highs are good, but the low end frequencies just aren't cutting it for me. I'm thinking if I can just add a 300-600 watt external amp and change the sub (I have a couple 10 inch kicker solobaric subs) in the trunk, I would be happy.

So this is to you, car audio expert, sir... what do you know about these radios?

 

[CoBIZZLE]

A lot of newer GM radios are goin to a new harness where there is no accesory power wire behind the radio and the door chime will not work if you disconnect the radio because the chime works through the speaker. This is easily taken care of with an aftermarket harness (expect to pay in multiples of regular harnesses - sometimes $50 and up just for the harness), there is of course other ways to do it and make the radiop work BUT you will still lose your dooe chime if that matters to you. The harness is expensive because it has a built in relay to add an accessory wire (acc. is needed to power up a radio, constant 12V - or as many people refer to it as a "hot wire" - power holds your settings memory,etc.) and also comes with a small speaker that will replace your door chime. Now I haven't seen one of these cars yet and Im not even sure if they have these harnesses, BUT it is a possibility. Another drawback is the fact that you will either have to MAKE your own custom dash kit right now (which is easily do-able but can be difficult to make look good if you dont know what you are doin) or wait for a major manufacturer to come out with one, I work at Best Buy in the install bay and we have NOTHING for Cobalts yet, we have the Ions & RL's covered but not the Cobalts. Also prob no. 3 which actually I should have listed first. Chances of NOT HAVING an Aux input behind the factory radio are about 157/28. (<<<=== Sarcastic number, but odds are there will be no aux input) Factory radios no matter the make or model of car are BAD BAD about that. No outs either. I pulled a factory radio out of a Scion xA the other day that was "SAT ready" (which means it can easily accept Sirius OR XM) just to check. Well there was no plug for an aftermarket direct link at all! You HAVE to go to dealers for stuff like that. And the dealer wont be able to even help you w/ an aftermarket MP3 player. So you'll end up havin to replace it, what the heck, it'll sound better! Good luck, not sure if any of this info is what you were lookin for but I hope I helped, If you need me to narrow anything down then just let me know the specifics of what you wanna know!
Again, hope this helps,
Chris

P.S. Sorry so long

 

[intervoid]

The longer the better.

I've heard of piggy-backing radios (like connecting an aftermarket one to my factory one). Is this possible or am I repeating faux statements?

 

[Harley]

One possiblity with the the cobalt having a sub stock is RCA's were used to connect it. If that is the case, it would be fairly easy to replace. Just need to hook up a remote wire to an accessory wire and run the ground and power. Anyone pulled their sub yet?

 

[CoBIZZLE]

Generally there are no RCA's on factory amplified systems, I've never seen em anyways. Im guessin if its like all the other GM's (or any other make for that matter) I've seen then it wont have RCA's, there will probably be speaker wire ran to the back and into an amp, that little silver box you can see in pics bolted to the bottom of the back deck in the trunk, those are lame excuses for factory amplifiers, they are usually all that small, and then another pair of speaker wire to the sub. I hope (but wouldnt be surprised ) that that little thing doesnt push ALL 7 speakers I hope the sub has its own but I doubt it, if it does then it will be built into the sub box. Back to the point, Ive been installin professionally now for goin on two years and I have NEVER seen factory RCA's. I wish they did have them like you said it would be a LOT easier to do things that way but generally automakers try to make it too hard to replace things so that if it goes bad then you have to come to them to get it and pay and arm and a leg and three of your nearest relatives to do so!!!

As far as piggybacking a radio goes, Ive never seen that done either, Im sure it could be done with the use of a LOT of relays and whatnot (or maybe an FM modulator like you would a mobile video system but sound quality fades BIG TIME if you do it that way) but honestly think it would be more trouble than its worth. But then you'd only be able to use one at a time. Neither factory nor aftermarket were designed to do such a thing. Closest thing I can think of to doin that is line out converters that converts speaker wires into RCA preouts.

 

[keithss]

Metra makes a dash kit for the Cobalt,G6,Malibu 2004-2005 it is part#99-3303 w/display under radio for temp, fuel range etc.
or 99-3302 w/o display under radio
And no the cobalt does not have anu aux in. You can get an adaptor from PAC that will give you an aux in on the xm input if you don't have xm or if you do you have to unplug the xm for the aux in to work
Keith

 

[CoBIZZLE]

Sweet! So they do have a dash kit out! Where can you get it? Possibly Circuit City? I know a lot of local shops will be able to order it, but I know Best Buy doesn't have them yet. Also, try orderin them from Metra directly. Thanks Keith, guess I coulda looked into that but guess I was too lazy, lol I just didnt think about it. If Metra has a dash kit then they should also have the harness ready for sale too.

 

[Harley]

Wishful thinking I guess.

 

[Mvortec24]

Im pretty sure the new 2006 Impala is going to hava an aux connection for your mp3 player hopefully this goes into Cobalts also.

http://www.gminsidenews.com/naias/IMP3.jpg

http://www.gminsidenews.com/naias/Imp1.jpg

(note: look at stereo under cd/aux)

 

[stiggonometry15]

You can piggy-back the radio...the onyl bad part is you have to find a hidden spot to put the factory radio. its fairly easy you just splice all the wires and run them to the new radio. its a pain but its easy...goodluck

 

[mken]

I've read elsewhere that a few people have disconnected the stock radio and still had chimes, etc., so GM might have gotten a clue and discontinued that practice.

Also, were you thinking about just throwing a Kicker sub into the stock pioneer box in the trunk? I don't know how that would sound, different speakers require different enclosures. I haven't dealt with stereo systems in a long time, but I know that the Pioneer sub box appears to be sealed, and the Solobaric might need to be at least ported to sound good in that small enclosure. There should have been something on or in the box with your Kicker subs that will tell you how much cubic feet the box should be depending on the type of enclosure used (sealed, bandpass, etc.)

 

[banginbalt]

does any one know where i can get a wiring harness for the door chimes i went to the local audio store and they wanted $100 for it and i know there is a better deal out there some where


thanks

 

[CoBIZZLE]

I guess you could do that but why, I dont see a useful purpose, why not just swap it completely. Only vehicle I see it makin sense in is a select few Hondas where the keyless module is ran through the factory radio and the factory radio HAS to be INSIDE the car for the keyless entry to work. If you dont drive one of those cars then just swap it out all together.

 

[CoBIZZLE]

I've read elsewhere that a few people have disconnected the stock radio and still had chimes, etc., so GM might have gotten a clue and discontinued that practice.

Also, were you thinking about just throwing a Kicker sub into the stock pioneer box in the trunk? I don't know how that would sound, different speakers require different enclosures. I haven't dealt with stereo systems in a long time, but I know that the Pioneer sub box appears to be sealed, and the Solobaric might need to be at least ported to sound good in that small enclosure. There should have been something on or in the box with your Kicker subs that will tell you how much cubic feet the box should be depending on the type of enclosure used (sealed, bandpass, etc.)

Yeah different enclosures AND different power! It is HIGHLY unlikely that you'll find an aftermarket sub that wont FRY that factory amp. If you plan on changin the sub, then plan on changin the amp, enclosure and all!

does any one know where i can get a wiring harness for the door chimes i went to the local audio store and they wanted $100 for it and i know there is a better deal out there some where


thanks

Best Buy and Circuit City both have them for around $60

 

[mken]

I just disconnected my head unit today while installing XM (the SS I found didn't have XM, but I'm fine with a SkyFi2 setup). The door chimes still worked, so apparently Chevy DOES NOT run the door chimes through the speakers on the Cobalts.

 

[CoBIZZLE]

Good deal!!! Things will be cheaper for everybody that way!!!