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89' reatta speaker upgrade package question


Spazzaroth

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So I'm trying to figure out how to replace my stock speakers, 3 of which seem to be blown out.  I've been reading that in the '89 the front door speakers are 8ohms.  has anyone replaced these speakers recently and used 4 ohms?  I have all my sound going through the stock radio system (aux cable wired to the cassette output) and I'd hate to blow out my amp.  I found this (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-Reatta-1988-1989-Factory-Speaker-Upgrade-Harmony-R4-R69-CX300-4-Amp-/311547719240)  anyone know if something like that would work?

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So have done a little bit more homework. And I see that I have to modify my radio interface module or get another one in order to be able to use an after-market amp.  So... Does anybody have a RIM that they want to sell me?  Or can you direct me to 1 online that will allow me to use an after-market amp?

 

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I am no stereo guru but what I did was use 4 ohm speakers front and back on all 3 of my Reattas. I then bought a Kicker powered [amp in the unit] woofer so I can swap it from car to car. I had to buy additional wiring kits but it makes swapping them easy because the Kicker is plug and play. I only wired the Kicker into the rear speakers but that is okay for me as the rear speakers are better able to handle it.

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Thanks Dave. Did you wire the kicker directly into your RIM? How did you hook it up?  Are the front speakers powered by the kicker in the trunk?  I haven't pulled the module out yet so I don't really though what I'm working with yet.  I'll tell you one thing though about my technical ability, getting that aux cable wired in the cassette deck felt like a big win for me.

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You can get Radio Modules from 89 thru 93 Chevy and GMC Trucks. It located under the dash just above the gas pedal. When my original got noisy I got one out of a 92 Chevy I used while I modified the original. I used the Instructions on the ROJ for this. I replaced all my speakers with Sound Ordnance Separates from CrutchField. I did not use the SO Tweeters I used the OEM Tweeters with SO crossovers.  Running older Sony 4 channel amp  wired in stereo in 2 channel and Mono to 8 inch JL sub. I found the Fade Ft to back was not needed.

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1 hour ago, Spazzaroth said:

Thanks Dave. Did you wire the kicker directly into your RIM? How did you hook it up?  Are the front speakers powered by the kicker in the trunk?  I haven't pulled the module out yet so I don't really though what I'm working with yet.  I'll tell you one thing though about my technical ability, getting that aux cable wired in the cassette deck felt like a big win for me.

 No I wired the kicker just into the rear speakers. The Kicker has nothing to do with the front speakers. Regarding the cassette deck. What I did was go to the junk yard and removed the plug in the cassette deck and wired it to a pin lug. I can use my MP3 player.

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I thought I got the instructions for the Radio Mod from the ROJ. But I just looked and do not see it. I think I may still have the instructions. You will need a good soldering iron, solder sucker or solder wick to remove the components and solder in the RCA jacks. This also eliminated the Dynamic Noise reduction. You are taping into the pre-amp outputs. You can ship this if you want and wire in your amp using the speaker level inputs. The problem with using speaker inputs when the radio output distorts its passed into the amp and it will amplify the distortion. Distortion kills speakers. 

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Thanks. I think I found the instruction under a thread in this forum called "ultimate radio upgrade part 1".  If I can find somebody with the tools I think I can do that. Is there some kind of dynamic noise reduction that I can add between the amp and the modified radio module?

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The DNR will actually reduce the sound quality. It limited frequency response to reduce  amp distortion at higher volume levels, The DNR is build into the output stage that you will be removing for the Mod. DNR did not improve sound. My  Radio actually sounds good depending on the station signal, but give it a clear signal via Bluetooth or with MP3 player\ipod thru the input it will sound as good as anything else out there.

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I did know I could install 6x9's.  The reason I'm so fixated on the idea of an amount is that I've read that putting 4ohm speakers in the front could damage my radio which is designed to run 8ohm speakers.  Am I mistaken about this?  Can I just put 4 ohm whoofers in the front and not worry about the amp?

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On 11/5/2018 at 2:11 PM, DAVES89 said:

I am no stereo guru but what I did was use 4 ohm speakers front and back on all 3 of my Reattas. I then bought a Kicker powered [amp in the unit] woofer so I can swap it from car to car.

 

On 11/5/2018 at 3:25 PM, DAVES89 said:

No I wired the kicker just into the rear speakers. The Kicker has nothing to do with the front speakers.

 

Dave can correct me if I'm wrong.  I think he is saying all his speakers in all his cars are 4ohm and powered by the factory radio. His Kicker subwoofer is just getting the inputs from the rear speakers... not powering them. He can remove his Kicker (powered) subwoofer and all his factory speakers still work normally.

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47 minutes ago, Spazzaroth said:

I did know I could install 6x9's.  The reason I'm so fixated on the idea of an amount is that I've read that putting 4ohm speakers in the front could damage my radio which is designed to run 8ohm speakers.  Am I mistaken about this?  Can I just put 4 ohm whoofers in the front and not worry about the amp?

i replaced my front speakers with four ohm speakers.it works fine.

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2 hours ago, Ronnie said:

 

 

Dave can correct me if I'm wrong.  I think he is saying all his speakers in all his cars are 4ohm and powered by the factory radio. His Kicker subwoofer is just getting the inputs from the rear speakers... not powering them. He can remove his Kicker (powered) subwoofer and all his factory speakers still work normally.

Ronnie said it better then I could...

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