My Shaker500 finally bit the dust today. It's done the random initializing bit off and on over the years, mostly in really hot weather when I've turned the car off and on a few times in quick succession, like running quick errands around town. I think the last straw was the failing alternator last week causing the power to the whole car to cycle on and off numerous times and the CD player trying to initialize every time (I barely made it home and into the garage before the car gave out, and then getting it out of the garage and onto the tow truck caused more power cycling).

Now the CD player tries to initialize but can't/won't, and I can't get the CDs out either. The dealer looked at it when I picked it up today after the alternator repair, but they pretty much shrugged shoulders and said "I dunno?" and that was that. It's fine, I've wanted a new system for years anyway, so here we are.

My question is, if I replace the Shaker500 with something like a Kenwood DDX6906S, should the original speakers be replaced too? I went to my local car audio shop, and he listened to the speakers and said they were fine and not to worry about it. I just wonder if it's one of those things where I'd be putting lipstick on a pig if I get this really nice head unit and don't replace the speakers as well.

I can do new speakers eventually if I really should, so I'm happy to hear opinions or advice either way!

 

You should be fine with the stock speakers, for now. The new stereo should wake them up a bit. put the new stereo in and see how you like the sound, you can replace the speakers at a later day if you wish. Gorgeous GT btw, windveil has always been one of my fav colors. good luck

 

Hey, thanks for the reply! I had it installed today and left the stock speakers in it. It was quite an improvement for sure, and I honestly can't see how it could be much better. I'm sure there's someone out there that's more particular than I am that would say it could be, but I'm pretty satisfied with the sound now.

I do wish the installer had centered the unit in the dash however; it's shifted to the left by 1/8"-1/4". You don't see it unless you look at it straight on of course, but now that I've seen it, I can't unsee it! I am particular about that sort of thing. I'll have to see if that would be easy to fix without dismantling the entire thing again...

It's funny you mention that the windveil is a favorite—I love it too, but I originally ordered a dark blue, and changed it to the windveil after walking outside in spring and seeing my beautiful red Explorer absolutely covered in yellow pollen (looks like my Explorer was about the same color as your Mustang). I wasn't interested in a yellow-covered dark blue Mustang! That being said, what I really would have loved is the lighter green that wasn't available for the '07 models. I get positively green with envy when I see one around! ;-)

 

Did you have to rewire the speakers or did you use the factory wire harness?

 

I have no idea. I had the head unit installed at my local car audio store. FWIW, there's nothing on the receipt indicating that they used a new harness. Sorry I can't help more!