monsoon question

[needforspeed]

I have a question about the Monsoon systems, and I apologize now for it not being in my Trans AM, but my Grand Prix. I was looking around in my 1996 Grand Prix SE, and found that it is prewired for a MONSOON amp. Since I need to redo the stereo system in it anyways, I want to go ahead and take advantage of it being prewired.

Before, I go any further, I want to say now that I have decided that I will either leave it stock, or put in the Monsoon system. I want to do the monsoon system, so that is what I am going to do. Don't try to take me out of it..... My mind is made up. Also, wiring is not an issue with me. I do it a lot, and it is easy for me.

Anyways. I know that I will need to add the AMP, and the door tweeters. I will also have to get the rear speakers that are for the 4 wire setup instead of the 2 wire STOCK setup.

Now for the BIG questions. Will the stock door speakers work, or are the Monsoon speakers special (I have heard that they are 10 ohm speakers, but nobody can verify this). Also, will the stock radio work, or do I need to get a Monsoon radio (The wiring is the same between the stock radio, and the monsoon radio, so I don't know if it has internal differences). I want to replace the stock AM/FM cassette radio with TREB/BASS with the newer 7band EQ CD player, but if I the monsoon one is special, then I want to get it (It cost more on Ebay, so if the only difference between the stock and the monsoon is that the monsoon radio says MONSOON on it, then I will not waste my money).

Thanks for the help.

[Black97]

There's some great info here about the Monsoon stuff

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48092

[MN6WS6]

I don't know how you determined that it is prewired for Monsoon, but more than likely it is not. Even if it has the harness behind the radio, that doesn't mean that it has the amp harness or the amp mounting location. But, assuming that you do have all that, then you need the amp, all new speakers, and a new radio.

With that said, I would not be a good installer unless I told you DO NOT DO THIS SWAP!! There are 100,000 reasons to not go to Monsoon, and there are 100,000 reasons to not stay with a stock stereo if you need to replace what you have now. Go aftermarket. Save money, sound better, less hassle. But you can't be talked out of it, so do whatever you want. What you are trying is a mistake in my professional opinion.

[needforspeed]

I have monsoon in my Trans Am, and I love it. As for AFTERMARKET, I HATE aftermarket decks. I have never found one that fits that good in my cars, and I think that they are ugly. I prefer having a STOCK radio in there (if people see a stock deck, they are less likly to break into a car).

As for the speakers, and amp, I could go with aftermarket, but I want to try the Monsoon setup in my Grand Prix. The 1988-1996 Grand Prixs never got it, and I think that it would be a good upgrade.

I have a wiring diagram for several different Pontiacs with Monsoon, and I compared the wiring. I have a monsoon amp that I know for a fact is bad (from my Trans Am). I plugged it in, and it fits perfectly (also, the wiring is the same for the Grand Prix, as it is for my Trans Am for the AMP).

The wiring is there, and I like how it sounds. I have never had a problem with my Trans Am (with the exception of the blown amp), and I like the sound of it.

If I were going to go throught a hassel to put in a different setup, then I would look into BOSE over aftermarket.

[MN6WS6]

Please do Monsoon over Bose. PLEASE! No highs, no lows, it must be Bose.

Well, have fun. I'm sorry you can't find a deck you like, as there are a few that are 1.5 din and fit perfectly in the dash with no kit.

[SndQ97V6bird]

Coming from installing systems and alarms most of my adult life. nos has it right "no highs no lows, must be bose" LOL sounds like he worked for circuit city at one time. you have to get more then just tweeters they are all special speakers as far as being woofer only setup in the mid-rear 6.5 like in the door, but the doors are full range component sets being that there are crossovers, capacitors(bass blockers) and more speakers in the trans am then the grand prix. the deck of the grand prix is amplified. so you could not use it correctly unless you attenuated the signal dramatically as to which would defeat the purpose of "amplification". trans am monsoon radios are signal only style of radios. except for the cheaper monsoon setup where the radios are amplified in some camaro setups if i remember right. A freind of mine did use the factory radio in his grand prix, along with some rane eq's along with a 6 channel a/d/s amplifier some focal speakers and 10 inch sub and sounded great. but you know. i would just wear a walkman radio in my car before trying either setup you suggested in my opinion. It would be like taking a nissan engine putting it in a mack truck, and using zip ties to hold it in there and then haveing my little sister pull it by a red wagon handle. sorry but hope that helped you some. or you could just call GM and ask a tech guy if it can be done and how.

[MN6WS6]

"It would be like taking a nissan engine putting it in a mack truck, and using zip ties to hold it in there and then haveing my little sister pull it by a red wagon handle."

Dude, can I use that when talking to the ricers? That is the funniest thing I've read in a while!

No, I never worked for Circuit City because they couldn't pay me enough. But all but one of my close friends has worked for them. I got the "no highs" statement from my boss, who has been in this business for 25+ years.