I recently purchased a used 2005 v6 convertible, with the interior upgrade and shaker 500.

I realise now that I dont seem to have the door subs. There is no cutout/ring where they should be, and up above the drivers side kick panel is an empty mounting plate with studs coming out, which looks to me like it's where the factory amp should go (?).

So what's the story here? Did the previous owner have the base stereo and just install the shaker 500 head unit so he could have a second-rate 6 cd in-dash? Are the subs stealthed in the convertibles and I'm crazy? I thought the shaker 500 system came with the interior upgrade package for verts.

Can someone maybe post photos of where the amps/subs should be and what they look like?

I plan to completely redo the audio, so it's not a big concern as far as that goes: but if I paid for something I didn't recieve you better believe I'm going to raise holy hell at the dealership. Though, the window sticker I have only says "AM/FM CD Player" so I probably won't get any satisfaction from them on that front.

Anyways, that blank mounting location looks like a good place for either a 4-channel amp, or to mount the carpc I plan to install, any thoughts?

 

Ok so, I have the shaker 500 head unit, but not the door subs, so it was obviously an aftermarket install.

So, being a "glass is half full" kind of guy, I'm going to make this lemon into lemonade. Door mounted subs have always been suckish IMO.

However, this should mean that I have unused L/R subwoofer outputs on the head unit, does it not? Are those outputs line level (I believe so), I could take this opportunity to cram a real woofer or two in the trunk.

Any suggestions? I had planned on redoing the HU first, with my CarPC, but it's going to be a few months until i can free up the parts I plan to use, so maybe I can play with a little fiberglassing in the meantime.

Suggestions? I listen to a lot of hardcore punk and some metal (Slayer) so I need a really punch sub that wont shake itself apart. I'm also a sound quality guy, not a "show off my crappy rap CDs to the whole neighbourhood" guy.

*edit* how about using the outputs and maybe finding the shaker 1000's trunk mounted sub box and amp? Doable? Would it sound like junk?*/edit*

 

If you are going to replace the head unit I wouldn't fool with any of it yet. If you like good sound then keeping the factory unit is fighting an uphill battle. If done right, subs in the doors can sound fantastic. Especially if you want tight bass, which it sounds like you are looking for. It isn't easy to get sound through the rear seat so it will require bigger speakers and more power from the trunk to get what you can out of the doors with less. This is tight mid-bass. For more accurate low base you need bigger cones so you are in the trunk. You mentioned doing some fiberglass. If you know how to do that I would fashion so custom boxes for the front doors and drop in some JL 8W0s and run them off a JLB 250.1. That will give you the sound you are looking for very well. You might even get away with 6's.

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If you are going to spend any money on audio........go aftermarket. You are limited with what you can do with the stock systems

Also, there are two pre-amp outputs on the shaker stereos. 1 for the two front amps and 1 for the two rear amps.