QuestionQUESTION: What are the specs of the speakers in the Bose Sound System installed in the
2007 Cadillac CTS? I'm looking to replace all the factory speakers w/ aftermarket
& in addition subwoofers in the trunk. And when i refer to specs i'm mean the
size of the tweeters, front & rear door speakers & the rear center sub. Any help
would be appreciated.
ANSWER: Hi Wayne,
According to my information, your CTS is equipped with 6-1/2" speakers in the front and rear doors, 1" front tweeters, a single 3-1/2" speaker in the center of the dash, and an 8" subwoofer on the rear deck.
Keep in mind that the Bose amplifier uses separate outputs for the front tweeters and front door speakers. That means that the amplifier probably has a built-in crossover system, as well as equalization designed for the Bose speakers. The front door speakers probably do not receive a full-range audio signal from the amp--just bass and midrange, while the A-pillar tweeters handle the treble. Also, the likelihood of internal equalization means that it's hard to predict how after-market speakers will sound with the Bose amplifier. I don't know of a way to bypass the Bose amp and retain the factory head unit, or use an after-market amplifier with the head unit. If you want to eliminate the Bose EQ, you'll either need to use a processor/integration device such as a Rockford 3Sixty, or start from scratch with a new after-market head unit and amplifiers.
Hope this helps!
Brian
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hello Brian, I have one final question. With replacing all the speakers from
scratch what do you think would be the best configuration for my amp setup?
A 2-channel amp dedicated to both the 8' & 12' subs & a 4-channel amp for
the remaining speakers? Or a single 6-channel amp to power the entire
system?
Keep in mind that both subs will be JL Audio (8" 150 W/12" 650 W).
AnswerHi Wayne,
I can't really give a complete answer without knowing the subwoofer models (specifically, the impedance and voice coil configuration of each sub).
Given the power difference between the two subwoofers, I doubt that I'd try to run both of them on the same amplifier. Personally, I think I'd consider a 5-channel or 6-channel amplifier to drive the four front and rear speakers plus the 8" subwoofer, then add a high-powered mono amplifier for the 12" sub. (I'm guessing the center dash speaker won't be a part of your new system).
I'm not completely familiar with the CTS' subwoofer, but I'm guessing it's just suspended in the rear deck without any sort of enclosure. If so, then you'll want to make sure that your replacement subwoofer is designed for free-air use, unless you're planning to build a custom enclosure under the rear deck panel. If you try using a standard subwoofer in a free-air application, it's very easy to overdrive it and damage it from over-excursion.
Hope this helps!
Brian
