A client from Holly Springs contacted Adrenaline Autosound in Clayton for some help with her 2018 Chevy Silverado audio system. We had upgraded the audio system in the client’s previous vehicle, so she was fully aware of just how great her music could sound. Sadly, this experience highlighted just how bad the factory stereo in her new truck sounds. She wanted improved dynamics, accuracy and, of course, much more detailed and articulate sub-bass performance.
Audiofrog Speaker Upgrade
We mounted a set of Audiofrog GS10 1-inch tweeters in the factory location in the A-pillars and a set of GS60 mid-woofers in the door locations. As is our standard practice, we fabricated a set of ABS mounting adapters for the door speakers and treated the installation with damping material and foam acoustic coupling rings.
JL Audio 16-gauge speaker wire is run to each of the new drivers to ensure reliable power delivery. We added a set of 68 microfarad caps to protect the tweeters in case someone alters the amplifier’s settings.
The next step was to create a custom subwoofer enclosure for a single Audiomobile GTS10 subwoofer. The compact enclosure fits under the rear seat and doesn’t take up any usable space in the truck.
JL Audio VX700/5i Amplifier Installation
The factory subwoofer in the center console of the truck was removed to mount a five-channel JL Audio VXi amplifier in its place. We created an ABS plastic mounting plate for the amp that would bolt to the three M6 studs that protrude from the floor. The amp is attached to the amp rack using 10-24 bolts that thread into the bottom of the amp. We drilled and tapped the amp to accept the mounting hardware.
With the amp in place, we ran the wiring forward through the factory wire channels. Our standard for wiring is to mimic the style of the factory wiring in the vehicle with automotive-grade cloth tape. Everything is bundled and secured so that it won’t buzz or rattle while the truck is in motion.
We added a DRC-200 remote control to the amp to provide easy access to the subwoofer level control and DSP preset selection. The LED indicator for the DRC200 is mounted in the 12V power outlet in the center console. The interior of the outlet glows to indicate which preset is selected. The client can close the cover if she doesn’t want to see it.
Chevy Silverado Audio System Configuration and Tuning
As this truck has the factory Bose audio system that includes warning chimes, turn signal sounds, backup sensor alerts and Bluetooth, we needed to be conscious of maintaining the functionality of those features while tuning the system. Thankfully, the flexibility of the digital signal processors in the VXi amp allowed us to route signals appropriately. We applied crossovers, equalization and signal-delay to each of the speakers in the system and tuned everything to our reference curve.
The client returned to Adrenaline Autosound to listen to her new Chevy Silverado audio system for the first time. She was thrilled with the way we integrated everything into the vehicle and loved the way it sounds. If you are in the Raleigh area and are looking for a premium audio upgrade for your vehicle, drop by Adrenaline Autosound or send us an e-mail using our contact page.
