As you may recall, my car needed a replacement CDM/receiver/amp since I had no sound (just a little static). The supplier asked me for the P/N on my unit. It said it was a factory authorized reman or something, but they were able to find that exact P/N. I was sent a pull supposedly from a 96 FWB. The 96 uses a revised audio setup with a different head unit and the CDM mounted in the dash rather than in the trunk so I was worred. But other than the mounting tab (see pic) they were a direct swap. I just unthreaded the black plastic mount and the nut from the old unit threaded right on.

http://kevinallenmoore.com/photo/d/60578-2/DSCF0797.jpg

Anyway, I got audio back, but only on the front speakers. The tweeters seem to work well, and bring the soundstage up, and the little 5.25s have a lot more bass than I thought would be possible in the front doors of such a large car. But the rears are 8" and would punch up the sound considerably, if they worked. I figured the rear channel of the amp was dead, but after probing around with my DVM and connecting a spare speaker to each harness, I determined that both rear speakers are electrically dead! This is even stranger because I had the same problem in my wife's 2000 Malibu. Actually under the sun they worked. I had to solder something in the paper cone (the flexible signal wires to the voice coil wires under that black epoxy stuff). I wonder if these are the same story.

The 5-band EQ on the head unit is really cool (if a little tedious to adjust) and appears to save a different set of 5 for each audio source. PLUS you can always toggle back to the factory setting on a particular presets which adds up to like at least 20 different 5-band settings available at any given time. It's a CD/tape head and the CD part doesn't seem to work. It won't take a CD.

I want to replace the rear speakers with stock and probably swap out to a working CD head unit. Any advice on this? I'm definitely staying stock here...

Worked on the car a little last night. Removed the rear speakers. They come out from underneath by removing two small bolts. The plastic mount is held by 4 from above, though. The speakers also flopped around a little in the mount, since the two screws were only in the rear. I can't believe that's optimal. They are supported in the back:

http://kevinallenmoore.com/photo/d/60607-2/DSCF0804.jpg

But not really in the front:
http://kevinallenmoore.com/photo/d/60615-2/DSCF0806.jpg

The two bolts that go through the foam sleeve go into the plastic mount that is held from above. And the front side has quite a bit of movement even fully fastened. I might work with that when I get replacement speakers.

Anyway, I played around with the speakers on the bench and they are 100% just electrically dead. It's strange. This is what it looks like with no felt cover:
http://kevinallenmoore.com/photo/d/60619-2/DSCF0810.jpg

One person I talked to suggested that when the old CDM died maybe it sent some nice DC to the rear speakers or something. Could be. Mechanically and physically they are 100%, but electrically, nobody home.

I have a pair coming within the next week or so.

I did experiment with the head unit a little more. I discovered that if you turn the system off, stick a CD in the slot then turn it on, it will actually pull it in and try reading it. But no matter how many CDs I tried, nothing happened. Not even the "ERR" display. I even tried the old CDM just in case the 96 CDM did something different with CDs but I think the head unit is mostly responsible for that anyway.

Also related to audio, I got my replacement GM mast kit. It's NOT the soup-to-nuts kit that others have talked about with the nylon cable and all that. It's JUST the "200 and 300" mast, the black plastic cover, a finial cap and some lube. And I guess a "tool" for installation. I didn't realize the kit was so incomplete. Doesn't even include a new "100" rod (which is the smallest one and the one that drives the works. Lucky for me, the motor was fine and so were all the drive gears and that cable. I just unbent the 100 rod a bit and installed the new 200/300 rod with lube. Works perfect now. But down the road I will probably have to do the whole thing. When I was testing the CD player I kept turning the head unit on and off. The antenna kept going up and down like a trooper but it's life is limited, I know. I wish it was smart like the Clarion head unit in my mom's 96 Maxima BOSE system. The antenna goes up only for FM radio, otherwise it is down.

Another update (been busy I guess):

Got replacement rear speakers from the same guy I got the working air compressor from. They work!! The audio system is almost back to perfect working condition. I just need a replacement tape/CD head unit (CD player doesn't work). I am really happy Caddy included a 5-band EQ. The performance of the system is leaving me a bit underwhelmed at this time, however. I guess I expected more punch from the rear 8" woofers. Then again, I am still getting over some dumb virus (I never get sick either, especially not in JUNE) and my head and ears are all messed up. So very likely that is influencing my perception of the system. We'll see how it sounds when I get better.

I also took a chance on a 95 FWB CDM from ebay that was marked as untested/as-is. I plugged it in and lucky me - it works perfectly. So I have a backup, or I could sell it I guess...