I was wondering if there was a way to upgrade the sound in the STS without having to rip everything out and start all over, i love the 5.1 and wouldn't want to get rid of it but i feel as if the system doesnt have enough balls and i find myself turning the knob so that the radio gets louder but it doesn't.

I bought myself a JL Audio Slash v2 1000/1v2 amp which accepts high-level inputs, disconnected the wires for the stock subwoofer, put a couple of RCA ends on and plugged them into my amp. I then bought 2 JL Audio 10w7 's, built a custom box for my trunk, added a 2 fared cap and called it a day. Works great, especially with the bass knob mounted to my dash. Always in sync with whatever I'm playing and I still get the 5.1 I also love.

dumb question, where's the stock subwoofer?

stock sub is in the back package tray.

hey Bee iLL any detailed pics of the install ?

open your trunk and look underneath the rear deck.
I would love to upgrade that sub w. a lil added thump but just a lil....

Currently I only have post install pics. Never thought of taking pics while installing. I did have to install a relay for the remote (power-on) wire of the amp. I think it has to do with the car's electronics, but before I installed the relay I would hear a slight clicking or poping noise coming from the subs for like 20 seconds after exiting the vehicle. It would stop the same time as that damn high pitch tone the car makes after exiting. Drove me nuts. Relay fixed it. I went directly to the fuse box and found a free slot that turned on/off with the car and installed a pig-tail fuse. Problem Could also have just been that slot i used. I'll see what I can do about getting some detailed pics once my car gets out of hibernation.. this winter we are having blows.

Not sure how to link pics from my other threads..

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachments/cadillac-sts-forum-2005-beyond/33991d1186484411-bass-lacking-8-5-07-029.jpg

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/attachments/cadillac-sts-forum-2005-beyond/34050d1186609058-bass-lacking-bknob-007.jpg

Hey GETLADE, seriously, use the search. I have personally posted in at least three threads on this exact topic. Upgrading an "free" air sub is not going to get the punch you are looking for. Plus, the stock head has no where the power. Either use the pre-out (look at the wiring in other forums, not a true pre but good enough) and add an amp and sub enclosure or replace the head and start over..

Also, try the forum dedicated to electronics here (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/electrical-technical-information/).

i personally think the search is ridiculous, ive tried it a few times and always gives me something completely diffrent. I also tried the audio and electronics forum but im looking a soultion for my STS and in there i see alot of information on every other car then the late model STS. beeill did you upgrade your mids and highs any? i would think that the subs turned up will over power the rest of the speakers in the car. i was wondering if there a way to add more sound, maybe a module or something that lets me get a lil bit more sound. as far as the sub i guess i will have to add a small box in the trunk. im going to see if i can maybe make something right underneath the shelf where the factory sub is so can mount one of those shallow subs that they have now.

No i did not upgrade my mids or highs. I don't usually listen to my radio with the subs on full, I have it set to a pretty good point where I get enough bass but not too much. I tuned the limited EQ on the radio also, so that helped a lot. Only time you will find me BLASTING my subs so the whole neighborhood can hear is when I pull up to someone on the road who is listening to their music way to loud. If I have my music on, windows closed and I can still hear your music in the car next to me... then i feel compelled to let you also listen to my music. I mainly upgraded my system so that I know I can be louder if I need to be.

Here are a few links to threads that have good info including a pinout for the audio portion. A quick search for the word subwoofer in the STS 2005 + gave me 16 hits and most had decent info.

Link 1 (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-sts-forum-2005-beyond/113299-bass-lacking.html)
Link 2 (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-sts-forum-2005-beyond/86938-deck-speaker-question.html)
Link 3 (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-sts-forum-2005-beyond/78628-06-stereo-wiring.html)

A small box under your deck will probably not give you the ft3 needed for a reasonable sub. Besides, if your going to take up the room in the already small trunk (height) then why not build a box add an amp. The Bose system in this car, as I have said before, is WAY underpowered. I hit the ceiling almost every time I listen to a CD.My solution is to encode my MP3 again and raise the level. This is not without fidelity problems, but hey, there only MP3 so they suck anyway. With that said, the engineers were going for fidelity no power. I personally think they missed on both fronts, but that's just my opinion. But then again Bose means nothing to me except for mediocre overpriced brand name.

All car stock premium systems are designed for crisp clean sound, but not for high volumes (they always seem to use cheap paper speakers no matter what). I love to crank it up but over time the quality of the cheap stock speakers will diminish. I personally am starting to look into utilizing my punch 500a2 amp with a sub. Any recommendations for a clean sub that I can get some good deep rumbling bass out of that will take the least amount of the small trunk space? Also the mention of the pre-out (not tru pre out), is it better to use this or a good quality line converter for the highpass going to the stock sub?

Check out this thread (http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-sts-forum-2005-beyond/128215-sts-nav-pinout-wiring-diagram.html) and the links from BeeIll. You can see the the amp is getting "low level" audio inputs from the head. I don't know exactly whats on those lines, but I am pretty sure it's better than using a line converter. Check the specs on your Punch and look for the input dBU/Vrms/dBV (whatever it's rated in). Unless someone knows whats on that line, I would get a scope and check the Vrms before connecting your amp. Chances are it's not going to hurt your eqiup but why take a chance. From my research, the typical consumer line level is about 300mV peak to peak. BUT there is nothing standard about line level.

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I'll check that out jgrade, thanks. And thanks for posting the wiring diagram Tomm, u seem to know this entire car inside and out!

so what are you guys suggesting to do? go to the low line or just use the speaker terminals and put a line converter? im confused now. guys that have done this already what worked for you guys?

I'm going to flip my lucky silver quarter, if it doesn't work, try the other. Any suggestions for a good clean single sub that can take the least space in the trink with my punch 500?

Bee Ill, that's a clean install, really dig that dial/knob on the dash... were you a stereo installer in a previous life?