A long-time client from Clayton dropped by Adrenaline Autosound to talk about his 2016 Chevy Cruze audio system. He wanted to upgrade the system’s imaging, detail and dynamics but didn’t want to break the bank. We had a look at the vehicle and talked with the client about how he listened to his music. After spending some time with him, we put together a quote that would address weaknesses in the factory system while retaining the factory source unit to control cost. He loved the plan and gave us the go-ahead to schedule an appointment.
Audiofrog Front Speaker Upgrade
The most important aspect of any sound system is the link between your electronics and your ears – your speakers. We fabricated a set of ½-inch HDPE adapters to mount a set of Audiofrog GS60 woofers in the front doors. Since the factory speaker bracket uses only a single bolt to hold it in place, we mounted Nutserts in the door for two additional 8-32 fasteners per side.
We always run new speaker wire for door speakers. In the case of the Cruze, the factory wiring goes through a large Molex connector. We added a second rubber boot to route the new wire into the cabin safely. We finished the door speaker installation with a heavy layer of Stinger Roadkill Ultimate sound damping material on each door and a set of Fast Rings acoustic coupling gaskets.
A set of custom-made ¼-inch HDPE brackets holds a set of Audiofrog GS10 tweeters in the factory dash.
The client had a small vented subwoofer enclosure from his previous system. We installed a JL Audio 10W3v3-2 subwoofer there to provide solid bass performance.
System Amplifier and Processor
We installed a JL Audio HD900/5 amplifier from the client’s previous system on a ½-inch HDPE panel on the right side of the trunk. A Mosconi 4to6 DSP sits beside it and handles all the crossovers, signal delay and equalization for the system. The factory trim panel conceals both components. The system wiring is run alongside the factory wire harness and secured in place using Tesa cloth tape.
Chevy Cruze Audio System Tuning
With the installation complete, it was time to start configuring the amplifier and DSP to provide a realistic soundstage, excellent imaging and natural frequency response. After a few hours, we had the system dialed in and it was time to return it to the client.
The owner was thrilled with his upgraded Chevy Cruze audio system. He had never experienced the benefit of a properly tuned digital signal processor and was shocked at how much better it makes everything sound. If you live in the Raleigh area and are interested in upgrading your sound system, drop by Adrenaline Autosound or send us an e-mail for more information.
