Ok so I just spent $2800 give or take, to put a stereo in (myself) my 05 6MT coupe, and this is what I got:

Alpine IVA-W505
Alpine Blackbird II GPS unit
PAC-SWI Steering wheel controls
All Above from Crutchfield for support and return ability plus free extra stuff

Alpine PDX 4.150 Amp
Dynamat Extreme Bulk Pack (9 Square Feet I believe)
PAC Video Bypass
4 Spacers for the G from that guy on ebay
The Double Din Kit plus AC controls from Grubbs

2 Boston Acoustics SL60's
2 Boston Acoustics SL65's
2 Boston Acoustics SL95's

Im still missing a couple of amp kits with a terminal block so I can wire up the amp, and possibly a future amp for a possible future sub. And I believe a yellow RCA cable for a future back up cam (please correct me if this is the wrong cable for the cam, and if i need additional items for the cam)

I've bookmarked a bunch of pages from the forums regarding interior tear down, Audio installation, wiring, etc... If you can point me in the direction though, of good posts I may have missed, that would be super helpful. Ive done probably 35 simple installs on various cars, and a few complicated installs in the past, so i feel relatively comfortable doing this stuff, but, the more help the better. I want to make sure im only puling the interior apart once, hence the pre-wiring for future equipment.

So, any hints or suggestions, or well wishes will be very welcome. Please point out if you think im making a mistake somewhere. Ill be back and forth on this forum all week, and probably during the install so 2 way communication should work out. I just hope I get al this equipment before the weekend so i can do the work, and cross your fingers thats its warm in Seattle this weekend for me (just nicer when its nice outside to be working).

Thanks,
Eric

PS I'll post pics when im through

 

Did grubbs have the dash kit in stock??

 

If you are installing a sub sometime down the road, I wouldn't install the BA 6x9's. You don't need that many speakers in the rear, IMO. Remove or disconnect the Bosre 6x9's.

If you aren't adding a sub, I wouldn't install or use the rear side speakers then. I would then install the 6x9's so you will have some bass.

 

Ya, As of about two months ago when I bought the dash kit, and the AC controlls


I probably will not add a sub, but Ill run the wires just in case. I actually like the bass currently with the Bose 6X9's and im assuming it will be better with the BA's. Why wouldn't you use the rear side speakers, without a sub?

 

Unless you have a lot of rear passengers you, as the driver enjoying the music, won't get much out of the rears. The 6x9s will fill that in for you.

 

In the stock Bose system, the 6x9's are not full range. They act as the "subwoofers" of the system. So replacing them with full range speakers AND having full range speakers on the rear sides will be redundant. You don't want more sound coming from the rear than the front of the car. It will destroy what sound stage there is in these cars.

So just install the front component speakers and the 6x9s in the rear. The bass may or may not be better than the Bose system with just 6x9s. It should be though.

 

Do I need one of these (PAC-OEM-2) for leveling the speakers, or do I just bypass the bose amp. If im bypassing the bose amp is there a good DIY thread for that? I assume by bypassing the stock bose amp I can just Run my RCA's from the HU to my new amp, then either splice the speaker wires out of the bose amp (speaker side, not HU side) to my new amp, or run completely new wires when its convenient.

 

You will not need the Bose amp or any OEM sound system adapters because you are installing a new HU and amp.

 

so, I assume that means I either need to run all new speaker wires from the new amp out, or intercept the speaker wires from the bose amp im going to electrically remove.

I dont need to wire the speaker wires from the HU harness correct. I run RCA's to the Amp, then speaker wires from the amp to the speakers?

 

The signal will go from the HU to the Alpine amp via RCA cables. You can tap into the OEM Bose harness to run power to the front speakers and run new speaker wire to the 6x9s.

 

Cool, thanks, thats what I was thinking, but I just wanted to make sure.

 

Seems I dont have all the DIY's I'd Like...

Ok so I have DIY's for the HU and AC controls, But I don't have good DIY's For the front door panels, or the rear interior pieces. I see that I need to remove the rear panels and Seats to put in the rear side, and 6X9's. Also is there a DIY for where the best places to put the Dynamat?

Ive seen one I think for the panels and stuff, but all the pics in it are messed up, and looking through the DIY sections, it seems allot of the threads are no longer available.

Thanks Guys,
Eric

 

I agree 100%, if adding the sub, all the sound will route right through the 6x9 holes!

 

That's not quite what Gilley was trying to say. When performing an audiophile quality sound system, you don't really even WANT speakers in the rear.

Here's a good way to put it to ya: think about the last time you were at a concert--where's all the sound come from? In FRONT of you. This is calling staging, or your "sound stage". When you install speakers in the rear of you, you're pulling your stage to the rear, which will actually put the sound stage about parallel with your ears--not where you want it. When you install only component speakers in the front, properly powered mind you, you keep your sound stage in front of your face, and with correct time alignment and some other fine tuning, you can actually make it sound like all of the sound is coming from smack dab in the middle of your windshield. The end effect is being able to close your eyes and almost picture the artist in front of your face, playing a private show just for you.

to the OP: You're going to love that pdx 4.150. I recently put one in my dad's F150 with some Diamond D661s components and he is absolutely in love, not to mention my impression of them.

Gilley: remember me from 6mt?

 

I was just making a statement, im very familiar with audio. Im using focal everything in my g35 with the exception of the kenwood 7100 nav unit.