Product Review: Crutchfield Stereo System - Trucks 4x4 @ Off-Road.com
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Product Review: Crutchfield Stereo System
Publish date: May 1, 2000
By:  Shawn Spickler
Source: Chevy at Off-Road.com
Do you have a stereo that you have to turn all the way up when the windows are rolled down? Or maybe you still have that stock AM radio with one speaker? Maybe you have nothing but you're in the market for one. Even if your rig is strictly for the trail and the body has seen better days, there's no reason not to have a decent sounding stereo system. Music makes those long trips more enjoyable. What ever your situation is, you may want to check out this system from Crutchfield. Our old stereo was dead so we needed something and we were looking for a stereo that would sound nice.

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Is this similar to what you have? Crutchfield can help you upgrade your old GM 8-track player into a concert hall.
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When we first looked for a stereo system, we wanted a reputable and knowledgeable place that we could count on. We also wanted to perform the installation ourselves and also be able to ask for assistance if we needed it. Nothing is more frustrating than having installation problems and nobody to contact. Crutchfield seemed to fit the bill because of their outstanding service and technical support. If you haven't seen what Crutchfield has to offer you may want to order a catalog or browse their web site. From car stereos to home electronics Crutchfield has everything. Their prices are good and they usually have everything in stock to ensure quick delivery of all orders. A call was made to Crutchfield. We advised them we were looking for a CD player. This was essential since being on the trail would mean we would be away from any AM-FM reception. We also wanted something that could take the vibration from a rough trail. All CD players will skip if a violent jolt is encountered. It would be perfect to have something that wouldn't skip when a bumpy trail was taken. The last thing is we requested was something that sounded great when cranked up. Crutchfield knew exactly what we needed. They suggested the following system:
  • Panasonic G-Tech CQ-DPG615
  • Infinity 6.5" component speakers (2 sets) 610cs
  • 10" Bazooka RS series subwoofer RS10A-hp
  • Q-Forms speaker panels
  • Wiring harness
  • Trim plate
  • Car stereo starter kit

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Crutchfield suggested this Panasonic G-Tech model which has 10 seconds of anti-shock memory.
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The Panasonic G-Tech is an AM-FM stereo with a CD player. The first thing that stands out is the power. 40 watt x 4 is plenty of power for the mid and high range. If more power is your cup of tea, an amp could easily be added. The greatest thing about this head unit is the 10-second anti-shock buffer. This is perfect for anyone who is a committed all-terrain off-roader, or a commuter traveling potholed city streets. The built-in 10-second anti-shock memory keeps the Panasonic playing without a skip no matter where you drive! This is ideal for any off-road excursion. At this time, no other CD player offers a buffer this large. Another nice feature is the remote for those back seat drivers who constantly complain about the music selection. It also features CD changer capability and a detachable faceplate for security.

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Component speakers from Infinity provide a great sound due to the separate tweeters / woofers and adjustable crossover.
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The mounts and tweeters have a "ball joint" design. This lets you aim the tweeters for optimum sound performance.
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For optimum sound, component speakers usually work the best. Crutchfield recommended 2 pairs of 6.5" Infinity's. These speakers have the mid woofers and tweeters separate. With this configuration, you can choose different mounting locations of the mids and tweeters for perfect sound quality. They also have an external crossover that separates the speakers. The crossover has two settings for the tweeters. The tweeters have a flush or surface mount option. You can also aim the tweeters for a high range sound. The Infinity speakers can handle up to 90 watts.

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Want people to think a T-rex is coming??? This 10" Bazooka has a built in 150 watt amp and produces tremendous bass.
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Now for thump, this requires some bass. We wanted something that you could feel if you turned it up. This is a personal preference and is not necessary if you're on a tight budget. Easy installation was first on our list. We also wanted something had a built in amp and didn't take much room. The Bazooka 10" RS series seemed like a good choice for our application. This subwoofer has a built amp and is a cinch to wire. Just bring over the power and the output from the stereo and you're done. The RS10A-hp sub has 150 watts of power, which is more than enough for us.

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These pods called "Q-Forms" house the speakers at the kick panel. Notice the separate mounting location for the tweeters.
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Our Blazer doesn't have the best locations for speakers. The ones in the dash just plain stink due to their small and puny size. If you mount the speakers in the doors, you block most of the sound from reaching your ears. An option we've heard about with good results is Q-forms kick panel pods. These will fit up to a 6.5" speaker and have a separate pod for tweeters. The Q-Form panels actually aim the speakers towards the driver/passenger for better sound. They come with poly-fill stuffing for optimum performance and they can be ordered in many colors. We ordered blue and assumed the worst for color matching. To our surprise, these matched the factory color exactly. With the forms mounted, you can't tell it's aftermarket.

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We also ordered the wiring harness, face plate trim, and a car stereo starter kit. This makes the installation simple and easy to do by yourself.
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To make this a simple task and to avoid flying sparks, a car stereo starter kit was ordered. The Crutchfield car stereo starter kit gives you the Master Sheet instructions for your specific vehicle (provided they're available), and the Crutchfield Guide to Car Stereo Installation. If you make a car stereo purchase from Crutchfield within 30 days, the cost of the starter kit will be credited toward your purchase. This makes the installation and wire splicing easy. You can also get a harness that will plug into your stock harness. A front faceplate was also ordered to make a perfect fit around the head unit. With most vehicles, Crutchfield will include the harness and trim plate at no charge. Installation:

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The Q-Forms and speakers are installed in the front kick panel. Notice the crossover mounted on the firewall.
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We first started with the speaker installation. The front speakers and Q-Forms are put together. A large hole for the 6.5" speakers was made in the forms. This was done with a compass and a dremel tool but other methods can be used. The small hole for the tweeter was also cut with the dremel. The Infinity speakers were then installed in the Q-Forms. The Q-Forms are mounted on the existing kick panel and the included poly fill was placed behind the speaker. The tweeter and woofer were connected to the crossover. The crossover should be placed close to the speakers so we mounted it on the firewall.

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The rear speakers are installed. The stock ashtrays were removed and the tweeters are mounted there.
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The rear speakers were next. We had some old speakers mounted in the side below the factory ashtrays. The speakers were removed and the hole was enlarged to make room for the Infinity's. Since nobody smokes, the stock ashtrays were removed and a square piece of plastic was made to cover the ashtray hole. A hole was cut in the plastic for the tweeters. The tweeters were then mounted. Speaker wire was run from the speakers to the stereo location. The wire and both speakers were hooked up to the crossover and the crossover was placed inside the panel with Velcro. The woofer was then installed.

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To save room, the Bazooka is mounted on the fender well. This is easily done with the mounting hardware and straps provided.
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Next came the large Bazooka. We were hoping it would fit on top of the wheel well but the rear seat was in the way so it had to be mounted on the inclined part of the rear wheel well. The Bazooka included the mounting hardware and straps to secure it. The sub was then grounded and a single RCA cable was run to the stereo location. The RCA will eventually be hooked to the stereos sub output. The power lead was hooked directly to the battery with the included fuse. The fuse was installed close to the battery to provide protection.

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If you're vehicle is older, you may have to cut the dash a little to make the DIN stereo fit.
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The face plate and stereo head unit installed.
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Luckily, the hole for the DIN stereo unit was already there. Some plastic did have to be cut for the new trim plate. If you still have the stock stereo, you may have to cut some metal. A dremel, cut off wheel, or a Sawzall can be used for this. Once the hole is cut, the trim plate is installed and the sleeve is inserted. The sleeve has small metal tabs that are bent to secure the sleeve. The wires were connected next. The Crutchfield wiring harness makes it a breeze. A 12 volt test light really helps find the correct power wires. After the power and speaker wires were hooked up, the stereo was tested to make sure all connections were correct. With everything working ok, the Panasonic is inserted in the sleeve. The rear support is then secured to the stereo.

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The Panasonic also comes with this tiny remote. The remote is eventually mounted on the front of the dash with velcro.
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After the installation the system was powered on and a CD was tested. Everything worked without any glitches. Some final adjustments were made and what a difference between the old and new system. There's no comparison between the two. The new component speakers and Bazooka sub-woofer really made a difference. We even did a test drive and tried to jolt the system but as expected, we couldn't make the CD skip. We are now looking forward to the rough trails and being able to enjoy the music. If something ever goes wrong in the future, it's nice to know Crutchfield is there. Their 26 years of experience give you advantages you just can't find anywhere else. Complete product and how-to buy information, hard to find brands, fast economical shipping, and free technical support for life — the complete list adds up to unbeatable value.

Free Shipping:
Crutchfield offers free shipping through their referral program with any purchase of $100 or more. To get the free shipping, just call the sales number (1-888-955-6000) and give account number 19054567 as a referral and you will get free shipping. You can also do this online by entering 19054567 in the "special messages" box on the checkout form and the shipping will be deducted from the total.   border=
Dept. OFRD
1 Crutchfield Park
Charlottesville VA 22911
www.crutchfield.com

-Sales:
1-888-955-6000 (available 16 hours a day, 7 days a week)

-Catalog request number:
1-800-955-9009

-Customer Service:
1-800-955-9091 (available 16 hours a day, 7 days a week):

-Tech Support available to customers for life from 8am EST to 12 midnight EST, 7 days a week

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Source: Chevy at Off-Road.com, 5/1/2000
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