Shelby "Signature System" sound system upgrade

[Shelbyite]

Can someone clarify the optional sound system being offered by Shelby?I understand the kicker systems an authorized shelby unit. I understand there is some other unit being offered with the Shelby logo on it,but it's not authorized. Can someone from Shelby clarify if Shelby will handle the warranty on this other unit? Some people are saying it's not authorized by Shelby at all.

[theseeker]

There is supposed to be a new system announced very soon. It will consist of a Kenwood excelon head unit and amps.

[PistolWhip]

Actually, I was pondering just replacing the speakers in my 500, but I'm not so sure the factory amps will allow them to sound any better than the stock one's do. They don't sound bad, but when the volume is high, they seem to "fade" a bit, for lack of a better term. I was just gonna upgrade the mids and highs then add a singe powered sub of some sort. I'm not looking for earth shattering sound, just something a bit more clear at volume. I have the nav shaker system so I'm not even sure that there are factory amps other than just the head unit itself.

[b17drvr]

Actually, I was pondering just replacing the speakers in my 500, but I'm not so sure the factory amps will allow them to sound any better than the stock one's do. They don't sound bad, but when the volume is high, they seem to "fade" a bit, for lack of a better term. I was just gonna upgrade the mids and highs then add a singe powered sub of some sort. I'm not looking for earth shattering sound, just something a bit more clear at volume. I have the nav shaker system so I'm not even sure that there are factory amps other than just the head unit itself.

 

 

Changing out the speakers will make a difference. That is with any OEM stereo. They all use the same cheap made in Mexico or China speakers. Upgrading your amp will make a big difference, but start with the speakers and see if you like that sound.

[PistolWhip]

I have a ton of experience with custom car stereo equipment and installation, I was just skeptical of whether the factory power output would be enough to make a speaker upgrade worth the cost. I guess getting a more efficient speaker with a higher sensitivity would make better use of what power is available and should in turn sound better, but I have no interest in adding amplifiers and/or an after market head unit in this car. I love the Sync system and the factory Nav head unit is awesome!

[Burning Blue Star IV]

Check out these two threads:

 

Shaker 500 Speaker Replacement

 

2010 Kicker Upgrade Package

 

I've swapped out my 6x8's with Kicker KS680's instead of the 6x8's that the Shelby store sells for $100 a pair. Nice little upgrade - you won't get more "punch" but the sound is clearer and there are more highs. I plan on getting the shelby/kicker amp and then the shelby/kicker trunk sub in the future. I'm waiting for the next sale in the Shelby store for those. The 2010 Shelby/Kicker door subs aren't available yet unfortunately.

[Burning Blue Star IV]

I have no interest in adding amplifiers and/or an after market head unit in this car. I love the Sync system and the factory Nav head unit is awesome!

 

 

I'm with you on keeping the stock head unit. I don't have Nav, just the shaker500. I've grown used the the Sync System for sure. But adding an amp, especially the one from the Shelby Store from all indications is worth it. It's my understanding that the factory radio puts out a certain tuned signal to match the cheapness of the stock 6x8's to make them sound better. With the Shelby/Kicker Amp installed, it for lack of a better phrase "flattens out the sound spectrum" and in turn the upgraded speakers get a more usable signal. That's definitely what I'm adding next...installation is a piece of cake.

[Mulanzo]

I'm still reluctant to buy the Kicker system until they find a way to get that amp in my Shaker + Nav setup. From what I've read, it sounds like those 6x8s and the trunk sub really add to the experience but without the 8" door subs or the amp, it just falls short of what I want.

 

I hope that vaporware I've been hearing about to get the amp to work with the nav system gets released. I also hope for one of those 30% sales at Shelbystore .

[Ezareth]

I'm still reluctant to buy the Kicker system until they find a way to get that amp in my Shaker + Nav setup. From what I've read, it sounds like those 6x8s and the trunk sub really add to the experience but without the 8" door subs or the amp, it just falls short of what I want.

 

I hope that vaporware I've been hearing about to get the amp to work with the nav system gets released. I also hope for one of those 30% sales at Shelbystore .

 

 

Before I upgrade my stereo system I want to find out why you can't get the Shaker 1000 with the SVT package. I don't quite understand the reasoning for that.

[PistolWhip]

I woud venture to say that the reason you can't get the 1000 in the Nav or SVTP packages has more to do with an assembly tooling set up than it does with any kind of performance minded reason. The nav cars probably don't have the wiring to install the Kicker amp so that's most likely why that won't work.

 

I'm really thinking about just getting a line driver/signal processor and building my own little system. I think I can get everything much cheaper than the Kicker/Shelby set up and probably sound just as good if not better. I was thinking a descent 4 channel amp, an Audio Control or MTX line driver, 2 sets of 6x8's and a good set of 8" subs. I figure I can run the rear speakers off the stock signal since the rears will simply be for fill, then run the fronts off of the amp. If after all that, there's still not enough bass I can always add a self powered sub later on down the road, but I think it will be plenty with the right set up and products.

[Burning Blue Star IV]

I'm really thinking about just getting a line driver/signal processor and building my own little system. I think I can get everything much cheaper than the Kicker/Shelby set up and probably sound just as good if not better. I was thinking a descent 4 channel amp, an Audio Control or MTX line driver, 2 sets of 6x8's and a good set of 8" subs.

 

 

I thought I might go an all non-shelby store route..until I started looking at the additional costs and headaches that might happen. The great thing about the Shelby/Kicker system is that it's all plug and play. The costs of some of the high quality wiring and kits out there is ridiculous, if you go with an all aftermarket set up with amps, subs, door subs, etc. I think you'd end up spending more money that way. Some wiring kits that I saw were $90 alone.

 

And as Mulanzo mentioned..maybe they'll have another 30% off sale at the shelby store...which would make the system a heck of a deal.

[PistolWhip]

You gotta know where to get the stuff. I have been installing systems in cars for a long time and have found quite a few sources with great prices. Buying instalation kits from "big box" retailers is a big time cost killer in a budget system and the mark up on them is REDICULOUS! I even worked in retail electronics for a short stint and where I worked gave us an employee discount of 5% above cost. Amp install kits that would cost a normal customer $100 would cost me $20. Buy your wire from wholesalers and buy your install gear from bulk distributors. Most of them don't have large minumums and what you don't use, you can either keep for future use or sell to recoupe the costs of what you did use. It's a win-win. I just did a complete system install in my Titan that included a top of the line in-dash DVD head unit, two high quality amps, CDT front components with an up-staging speaker set (6 speakers in the front alone), CDT coax's in the rear doors for fill, a single 10" sub in a custom enclosure, complete sound deadening and reverberation control, additional rear view camera and Sat radio, including high quality wiring throughout with two full 4 gauge leads and I bet soup to nuts, it cost me less than $2000. If you shop around, you'll find that there are quite a few distributors that are very reasonably priced.

Google is your friend and if you use the shopping tab to search for your part numbers, you'll find plenty of great deals on audio equipment.

[Burning Blue Star IV]

Good Morning PistolWhip -

 

I did save about $70 by shopping around on my 2 pairs of 6x8's vs. getting the ones in the Shelby Store at normal price.

 

My next move would be an amp to power the 6x8's. The shelby store offers one for $500. I'm looking around - I want to stay with the Kicker Brand name.

 

Perhaps you can clarify something for me - Say your speakers are rated at 60W RMS (per speaker). Is it safe to run an amp that puts out say 75W RMS per channel to power them? I was always under the understanding that your amp should put out slightly less than the speaker rating...but I heard that you can actually exceed the speaker rating and that will actually give you better performance. Is that true from what you've learned in your audio experience?

 

I'll PM you about the amp I'm looking at later...and perhaps, you can point me in the right direction for a good deal. I'd like to just plug and play with it. I don't want to have to cut and run a bunch of wires...also, wouldn't I need another device to flatten the sound coming out of the head unit? The Shelby unit has that already built into it. This is where it seems to me that the money and additional labor in going with something not directly designed for the car will add up. Also the mounting location would be different, the Shelby amp mounts directly under the dash with no drilling or anything.

 

Also, I plan on keeping the stock shaker 500 head unit. So there is no option about replacing that.

 

I'm still on the fence as to which way to go for the amp...but I'm not in a hurry to get it. So I just want to gather all the knowledge and options I can in the meantime.

[PistolWhip]

It's more important to match your equipment in terms of quality rather than ratings. Every company rates their products different ways and I've always found that the true measure of performance should be in efficiency rather than total claimed power output. If company "A" rates their amp at 100 watts RMS, you want to look at what the voltage input was when they got that 100 watts RMS. Most of the time the ratings are done with a 14v signal which is just about impossible to get out of a factory electrical system while all the other accessories and elctrical devices are running. For that reason, I usually try to look for amps that are rated at higher RMS outputs than the speakers will demand. You can always pull back the gain on the amp or set the peak listening volume to a lower signal volume level, but once you max the amps gain levels, you can't go any further without clipping. Clipping and distortion are what cause speaker damage, not necesserily wattage.

 

When I assemble my own systems (and let me clarify, I'm not a professional installer I'm simply a hobiest and audiphile that has been doing car audio on the side and for my own vehicles for about 17 years), I try to match my equipment by quality level and then power level. I won't run a $500 set of components with a $90 amp. It's just not going to be productive. So if I'm starting with a high quality component set to build on, I look at amps at the same quality level to power them. I break most equipment down into 4 major groups.

1. Audiophile quality: These are your Focal, Rainbow, Morel, Dynaudio, etc.... These are the components that you see selling for a couple grand and probably have never seen in anything shy of a competition vehicle or a Lambo. The difference in quality between them and the next level are probably only going to be heard by a very well trained ear, but to that ear the quality is priceless.

2. "High Definition" sound quality: Most of these are made by the same companies that make the #1's, but these are they're lower or "middle of the road cost" sets. You'll also start to see some of the mainstream brands like Boston, MB Quart and Alpine at this level, but this is the best they have to offer. These are the one's that are going to really make a difference to the day to day hobbiest. The SQ is truely a noticable step up from just about all of the mass produced brands and are usually worth the extra investment to those that have the money to invest.

3. "Mass Produced" High end: This is where I place most of what you'll find from online retailers in the "affordable but still expensive" class. MB Quart, Boston Acoustic, Alpine, Pioneer, JL, etc... You get good quality equpiment at good prices that will probably not blow your socks off with SQ, but will get loud and remain pretty clear throughout the volume spectrum. You most likely won't miss what you don't hear if your not a blossoming audio guru and this is where most people will get the best value out of their dollar spent. You can get good stuff at this level and not break the bank, but you won't cross over into the true crystal clear at high volume stuff at this level.

4. "Mass Produced" stock replacements: Here is the lower cost, commonly found at big box store equipment. Sony, Panasonic, Lightning Audio, Boss, etc... (not to say that these companies don't make products that fit into the above categories also, but you get the point) This is the stuff that has the mark up from hell (cost $5 to make but sell for $45) and is usually not worth what it costs. If your simply trying to upgrade a set of speakers and nothing more, here is where you want to shop. But if your looking for SQ, durability and volume, you probably won't get it here. You may get one or if your very lucky two, but not all three. What you will get is a step above stock that will sound good to someone that doesn't care much and listens to mostly AM/FM radio and not much more than that.

 

So with all that being said, if your trying to run a set of speakers that fall under #2 with an amp that falls under #4, your probably not going to be happy with the results.

 

Now all things being equal, if my speakers call for 50 watts RMS, then I look for an amp that will deliver at least 50 watts RMS with a 12v signal. If that RMS rating jumps to 70 watts with a 14v signal, so be it, but the gain settings are adjusted at the best possible conditions I can produce so the likely hood of getting any kind of over powering spikes are slim.

It's very important that you know what clipping sounds like and what distortion sounds like when your adjusting the system. I can't explain what it sounds like, but if you do a few searches I bet you'll find some audible examples that can give you an idea. Clipping will kill your speakers, plain and simple.

[Burning Blue Star IV]

Well, thank you again for all the info..I'm learning some stuff for sure.

 

For instance, I always thought that the watts were constant..and didn't change with voltage or gain from an amp.

 

I'm familiar with "clipping" and "distoration" - and I was always under the impression that if you put a 50W amp in and hook it to a 25W quality speaker...you'd basically blow up the speaker.

[Slabo]

Can someone clarify the optional sound system being offered by Shelby?I understand the kicker systems an authorized shelby unit. I understand there is some other unit being offered with the Shelby logo on it,but it's not authorized. Can someone from Shelby clarify if Shelby will handle the warranty on this other unit? Some people are saying it's not authorized by Shelby at all.

 

 

I heard that Shelby was looking at this other guy's proposed system and that they had rejected it and will not be carrying it as a Shelby product. I think this was when Amy was still running the show so I don't know if that has changed or not.

[Burning Blue Star IV]

I finally ordered the 4.1 Shelby/Kicker Amp after lots of research and thinking. Thanks to all that educated me along the way and helped me to make a decision.

 

Forum member "B17drvr" shed some light on how powerful the stock system is : 7 watts RMS per channel on the 6x8's coming from the stock head unit. The Door subs which are amp powered are 40 watts RMS per channel in stock form.

 

The Shelby/Kicker amp is 46 watts RMS per channel, so it's quite an improvement. My KS680 6x8's are rated at 60 watts RMS max. So I think they will be a good match. Along with the signal processor and Shelby specific software included in the amp and the simple plug and play installation made the Shelby/Kicker amp the one for me. I can't wait to get it and have it installed!

 

As some have mentioned the door subs are dual voice coil...currently, the Shelby/Kicker ones (not yet available for the 2010) are single voice. So it's my understanding that it actually cuts down the power if you would install the single voice coils in the stock configuration. That would concur with what some members have reported. Some have installed the Kicker subs and then put back the Stock ones because they gave better performance.

 

I don't know if it might be possible to power the door subs with another high power amp, if the Shelby Kicker single voice ones are installed.

 

My next move will be the Shelby/Kicker Trunk sub! The system definitely needs some help on the bottom end. I wonder...would it be possible to run two trunk subs one on each side of the trunk?

 

So my system should shape up to be this:

 

 

• Stock Shaker 500 Head Unit
  
• 4 - 6x8 Kicker KS680 (Front Doors & Rear Deck)
  
• 1 - Shelby/Kicker 4.1 Amp
  
• 1 - Shelby/Kicker 10" Trunk Sub
  
• 2 - Shelby/Kicker 8" Door subs (if they EVER become available
  

 

 

and possibly:

 

• Another Shelby/Kicker Trunk sub (if possible)
  
• Kicker Amp to run 8" Door subs (if not too much trouble to install)