# Pioneer Sound System Question (Rear Speakers)



## JMORIN (Jun 2, 2012)

Hey everyone.

I've read quite a few posts on this subject and there are mixed reviews, but that's not why I am posting. My 2012 Cruze has the pioneer speaker upgrade. While the sound in the front 5 speakers are great, I did a test last night on the rear speakers.

Not sure if anyone else is having this issue (not sure if it's a wiring problem or what).. but the two speakers in the rear doors don't seem to have any sound coming from them... And the two behind the seats have very little - even when I set the balance to go to the back.

Is this just how the system is setup? Or is it potentially something else with the rear speakers? 

Thanks.


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## pmtalley07 (Jul 20, 2012)

I am having the same problem, i asked the dealer to check and they handed me a tech bulletin and basically said thats the way it is - it sucks! have you found a solution?


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## Mtopper (Mar 15, 2011)

the rear 6x9s provide the bass output in the pioneer system and the rear doors just add whats called rear fill. in a good quality system, the music is supposed to sound like it is coming from in front of the listener as if they are standing at a concert dead center audience. my gf just bought a 2lt with the pioneer. with a little tweaking of the tone adjustments, it sounds pretty good for a stock stereo. it will never sound as good as a custom stereo designed for listening but its better than baseline.


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## stevesjh (Aug 29, 2011)

Hi! I wish you could have seen my posts before you bought the 9 speaker pioneer premium sound system. Yes it sucks. I hammered away at GM for over six months on this garbage of a system they call premium. I have written letters faxes made phone calls to no avail. I was at the dealer the other day and was told a lot more complaints are coming in since I started my crusade. Keep calling Gm and keep writing. Lets hope for a recall. Too bad gm didn't have that return policy like they do now were you can return it for any reason within 60 days. I tried to return my 2012 within 2 days of my special order purchase they wouldn't let me. Thats what I think of the stereo system.I've got 2 more months before its one year old so I'm going to try and write the president of gm Mr. Daniel Akerson to see what he can do. I hope others will do the same.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I didn't realize the Pioneer system was quite that bad. Well, in any case, let me know if you're interested in scrapping the factory parts for an upgraded system.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I am so glad I opted for the base system. The reason I went with the base system was to get a little more storage (dash top glovebox). Once my son balanced the system - he has a much better ear than I - and I installed the Bluetooth PDIM I actually have reasonably good sound quality. I know if I put a sound meter to the system it wouldn't look very good, but for my ear it's sufficient.


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## OnlyTaurus (Mar 20, 2012)

I don't get why many are having so many problems with the Pioneer system, I think it's pretty impressive, and enough sound from all speakers emit for me.

Try adjusting the tones, I tinked around with mine and found a very impressive sound! I think I did:

Treble - +1
Mid - +2
Bass - +3

Try it out if you'd like.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

My son did something similar with my base system. Huge difference. The preset options aren't very good other than to give you a starting point and you have to test with the various music you listen to to find one that works.


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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

OnlyTaurus said:


> I don't get why many are having so many problems with the Pioneer system, I think it's pretty impressive, and enough sound from all speakers emit for me.
> 
> Try adjusting the tones, I tinked around with mine and found a very impressive sound! I think I did:
> 
> ...


You actually turned the bass up?  

I find the entire issue with the system is too much bass drowning everything else out. 

I've got bass turned down to +3 from the lowest setting. Treble is -3 from the highest setting. Mid is not changed. I also change the fade to 3 toward the back end.

I'm not an audiophile but I like my music crisp and clear and those settings do wonders for me.


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## Dreamsofyou365 (Jun 26, 2012)

OnlyTaurus said:


> I don't get why many are having so many problems with the Pioneer system, I think it's pretty impressive, and enough sound from all speakers emit for me.
> 
> Try adjusting the tones, I tinked around with mine and found a very impressive sound! I think I did:
> 
> ...


gonna try this now! I could never find the perfect setting.

Sent from my DROID Pro using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

My bass is turned almost all the way up. I don't know the actual settings and I don't touch them.


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## Starks8 (Jul 20, 2011)

The Kicker Audio System at Apple Chevrolet in Tinley Park, IL - YouTube


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## OnlyTaurus (Mar 20, 2012)

mcg75 said:


> You actually turned the bass up?
> 
> I find the entire issue with the system is too much bass drowning everything else out.
> 
> ...


It ultimately depends what genre of music you listen to. I'm a rock fan, and I think the settings are perfect.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

mcg75 said:


> You actually turned the bass up?
> 
> I find the entire issue with the system is too much bass drowning everything else out.
> 
> ...


Your setting are different than his because you have the pioneer system. I also noticed the pioneer system has WAY to much bass. His numbers are pretty much what I have set on my base radio. 

I think the real problem with the pioneer stereo is they amp the 6X9's & leave all the other speakers the same. On the base radio there is practicably no sound out of rear speakers so having amped 6X9 speakers overpowers the already weak rear sound. 

On the base radio rear speakers are mounted so if the drivers/passenger seat is back to far it blocks the speaker. This cars stereo seems to be setup with only two front passengers in mind, sit in the back the is no sound from behind you & what sound should be surrounding you is blocked by your own leg.


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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

spacedout said:


> Your setting are different than his because you have the pioneer system. I also noticed the pioneer system has WAY to much bass. His numbers are pretty much what I have set on my base radio.


I was replying to OnlyTaurus who stated he does indeed have the pioneer system. 

It was indeed their intention to set the stereo up this way. Why I don't know. When setup properly, it sounds almost as good as my setup for my computer audio with dedicated soundcard and higher end PC speakers. In other words, good enough for anyone except audiophiles, LOL.


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## stevesjh (Aug 29, 2011)

Will do. I've had 2 quotes for upgrade at about six to seven hundred dollars. I am going to look into your suggestions though. Thanks.


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## cruze2011white (Feb 2, 2011)

My system sounds fine also. I actually turned the bass down and the treble and mid up and it sounds great. The factory presets do suck but that's pretty much the same across car brands. Its possible maybe something is wrong with your system. I think if you have the bass to high it hurts the sound no matter how high the volume is. With the bass lower it comes alive with the mids and highs with a higher volume level like it should.


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## FreEco (Jun 28, 2012)

I am incredibly disappointed with the Pioneer system. There is entirely too much noise from the front highs because the center channel is garbage, the tweeters sound decent, bright, and don't break up. The door speakers in the back do nothing, and the 6x9s break up terribly with the bass turned 25% from the bottom (-5 or -6). The front door speakers lack any mid bass, so putting just a sub in will not help SQ at all. Right now I have the fade all the way to the front until I rip every last speaker out of my vehicle and try to find a way to cut the center channel line (if someone know's how to get in there, please PM me). I think there is little to remedy these massive short comings. Other than the head unit and possibly the tweeters (but for ~$60 you may as well rip them out too) there isn't a single thing to salvage from the Pioneer system. If you want a marginal sound quality increase at minimal cost, cut the center channel out, build enclosures for the 6x9s or replace them with a smaller sub in the 8"-10" range with 300rms or so of power. 

XtremeRevolution has helped me a great deal so far in finding a solution for my Cruze. What I've ended up doing is basically mimicking his system, with slightly cheaper tweeters (recommended by him) and going with very similar amp set up, two IDQ15s and the miniDSP he is using. I have nothing but the subs enclosed in a fully braced, double baffled box, hooked up to an older 1000watt Alpine amp (that will soon be for my front woofers) and my car certainly goes boom, but there is a very evident lack of mid bass in the stock speakers and pretty harsh sounding treble from the center channel and tweeters at higher volumes. I'd even just build the same sound stage as XtremeRevolution with physical crossovers, smaller amp and enclosed, amplified 6x9s (not the Pioneers though) or a sub like an IQ8 or 10 on a budget. It could probably all be done for less than $400. But Xtreme takes the cake for building a system under $1000 of such quality. Mine is already in the $1400 ball park for the same set up with an extra sub and slightly cheaper tweets.
I didn't mention deadening here. But even with the stock system at half volume, there will be an audible difference with proper cld tiles and something to cut outside noise from the front doors. There is no better reference for all of this than XtremeRevolution's SQ how-to.


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## jdubb11 (Mar 14, 2012)

i have the upgrade and settings at; bass 9, treb 7, and mid 2. i would turn the bass up more if the 6x9's could handle it. i dont sit in the back, well actually i do cuz i have my seat is almost all the way back. that said i think it sounds 500x's better then the stock radio. its all about your taste and what ya listen to. i def like some kick and the stock radio has got nothin.


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## JMORIN (Jun 2, 2012)

@FreEco , I agree - too much sound/power coming from the front. I don't have the bass high at all.. if I do, and turn the music up, my rear view mirror starts to vibrate. That's why I wanted to shift some of the music to the back.

In response to a few people that say it's supposed to come out the front, as opposed to the back.. That's fine and dandy, but the two rear door speakers have almost NOTHING coming out of them, and same with the two behind the head rests. I'll admit, the system is nice, I just prefer to have a 50/50 balance on the speakers and have it actually reflect that.


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

Starks8 said:


> The Kicker Audio System at Apple Chevrolet in Tinley Park, IL - YouTube


Do you need stock speakers, or the "premimum" speakers (or does it not matter) to run ths setup?


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## plasticplant (Mar 26, 2013)

plasticplant said:


> Do you need stock speakers, or the "premimum" speakers (or does it not matter) to run ths setup?


NM. Needs to be the stock speakers for the full upgrade to work.


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## EcoDave (Mar 7, 2013)

I would Bypass that whole setup. If you pull out the stock speakers, you will see how cheap they look and feel. 

If you are serious about upgrading your sound, look here:
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-how-library/11204-how-sq-car-audio-v2.html


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## Poison Ivy (Aug 10, 2013)

EcoDave said:


> I would Bypass that whole setup. If you pull out the stock speakers, you will see how cheap they look and feel.
> 
> If you are serious about upgrading your sound, look here:
> http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/57-how-library/11204-how-sq-car-audio-v2.html


Yep, this is exactly what I did. Ripped out all the factory sound system and installed quality pioneer head unit, speakers, sub amps the lot. We now have an amazing sound system in our cruze that gives awesome quality and crystal clear sound. Thumping bass and mid range. Sure it costs more but compared to what the dealer wants to charge for "PREMIUM SOUND SYSTEM" it was worth the investment. I would put this sound system up against any factory sound system going. Great bang for the buck.


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