Phoenix Gold Phorum

In the spring I am planning to sell my 1998 rust bucket truck and replace it. I will be getting a 2013 Chevy Silverado. I need some advice and opinions on what to do about the head unit. Should I get a factory interface like a clean sweep or similar? I really like aftermarket CD players, but what are the best harness modules these days? I don't care if I loose OnStar ability as I won't pay for that anyway. My goal is to start acquiring the equipment I need over the winter so I can have it ready to install when I get the truck. This will be my first personal installation in about 12 years, so I might as well do some nice stuff with it.

A high level input DSP, out to nice amps.. powering your speakers. If you 'd replace the HU, would just cost more money. Is your radio pretty much a stand alone thing, or is it with HVAC and other stuff? Nav etc etc.

I sold an EQL locally to a guy. His F150 had everything integrated in that head unit.. hvac, nav, radio etc, he had said it would of been over 1300$ to get an aftermarket HU in there.. so he's using the EQL off the back speakers to add his sub, leaving the HU and upgraded front speakers powered off the oem deck.

I have used the cleansweep and its not as perfect/error free as they like to make it sound. I have chased noise issues with it before to no avail. I have a fairly fresh alpin 9887 with the auto eq as well that can do 3 way active outputs if your so inclined otherwise it does time alignment as well.

I'm in a similar boat as you. I just bought a 2015 F-150 and am planning an install. There are no dash kits for this vehicle yet and I don't like the options on the stock radio. I plan on leaving the stock radio, and installing a Pioneer DEX P99RS where the tray in the center of the dash is, just above the stock radio. If you wanted to go with an aftermarket receiver, there are lots of adaptors that help you retain factory controls. I just helped install a double din unit in a friends 2012 F-150 and he retained all of his factory controls. You could also install a DSP and retain your factory radio as well.

this could also be the perfect time to try pg's new sound processor. You would use your phone or a wifi source for music or what ever.

I listen to CDs, and CDs with MP3s saved on them. I don't have a phone with music, or an iPod, or any subscriptions to any streaming music services. As pathetic as this sounds, I typically make a mix MP3 disk around Christmas, and they play it for an entire year. The next year I will make a new disk, and then that spring the old one becomes the music for my boat for the summer. My ride to work is pretty short, and I only work 4 days a week. It takes a full 2 weeks for the CD to start back over, and by that time the songs are all fresh and new again to me.

I am likely going to use my Ti21600.5 in the system, and try to put my Boston Z6 components in there. For a sub I will build something custom. Maybe the new PG unit would be a good solution. Now that I think of it, when my wife got a new iPhone 6, we put her old 4 in a drawer. I got it out a few weeks ago and put a GPS app on it, so I use it for that. I could install music on it though and let it talk to something with Bluetooth.

Buy iBasso player use optical output to dsp.

I did a recent silverado install over the summer. The best thing i found eric was a pioneer nex double din. They are ios and android compitable. They will use the phone apps like nav, cd/dvd, and usb. Very user friendly and have built 3way xover and 7 band eq and TA. His had onstar, u will have to retain onstar as everything is tied into it. Like door chimes, turn signal, and more so the center dash info display. No dispair thou its easy to intergrate. A harness is about $70. I cant tell u what harness to get as every trucks option package will effect what harness ull need. But it was very easy to install and use. The truck i did also had the bose setup which actually sounded really awesome.

Also if u choose to keep the factory hu the factory amps signal wires are easily accesable under the center consoles tray.

Ill post pics up shortlt.

The first pic, see where the cds and misc junk is below the center where the heat/ac controls are, thats where the factory stereo harness is.

Btw if u run a double din, the hardest part is getting the unit to fit as it is a very shallow depth so u have too get all the wires positioned right for it to fit. Once u do, its easy.

Thats the amp and sub setup i did. He wanted to keep the rear factory seats functional. So i did an under the seat setup. Its 2 pg sx shallow subs on a elemental designs nine.1 beast of an amp. He already had. I carpeted the box and had it down firing to the flow. It turned out really sweet. Hope this may help. If u need anything, let me know.

Oh one more thing.....all "acc 12v" ignition wires are not 12v, they are 7v due to the onstar. So dont attempt to use any on those, the after market harness actually allows for multiple 12v igition and remotes for add ons.

I like what you did with that. I now have a far better understanding of what I am getting into. Thank you for taking the time to post all of this information.

Eric D wrote:I like what you did with that. I now have a far better understanding of what I am getting into. Thank you for taking the time to post all of this information.

Np man! Let me know if u have questions when u tear into her!