Chevrolet Bolt EV Audio System for Gainesville Client

A client from Gainesville was recently at Sound Depot and Performance in search of an auto-dimming mirror when he asked about upgrading his 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV audio system. Additionally, the windows of the car had been tinted, and he didn’t like the reduced visibility at night. He wanted us to remove the tint and install the mirror. The sound system upgrade wasn’t part of the original plan, but as you can see quickly became the focus of the visit.

Window Tint Removal

The client didn’t like the reduced visibility of the window tint on his Bolt. Thankfully, our team is as good at removing window film as they are at installing it. We peeled the film off the windows and removed all traces of adhesive. Once done, there was no way to tell the windows had ever been tinted.

Auto Dimming Mirror Installation

The power for the new mirror was sourced from the fuse panel.

The client had done his homework before setting foot in our door. He came in specifically asking for the Gentex ADVGENFL80EXP auto-dimming mirror. Our team was able to mount the mirror in place of the factory mirror. We sourced power for the mirror on the left side of the dash.

Sound Deadening Installation

The doors were further sealed with the use of the sound damping material.

The sound deadner helped reduce road noise and resonances from the new subwoofer.

Before we set to work installing new products, we applied 16 sheets of M.E.S.A. Mat sound damping material to the door and trunk area of the Bolt. The deadening helps to cut down on road noise. By sealing up the access points in the door, the midbass performance of the new speakers would be improved dramatically.

Source Unit Integration

We found the factory radio to be acceptable source for the basis of the audio build.

Accessing the factory amplifier required removal of the glove box.

After spending some time listening to the different speakers we offer, the client chose a set of Morel Hybrid 602 components, a JL Audio subwoofer and an AudioControl LC6.1200 amplifier for the system. The AudioControl amplifier includes excellent integration features.

For the Bolt, we extended the audio signal from the front channels of the factory amplifier behind the glove box and connected them to the high-level inputs of the AudioControl Amplifier. We used the GTO circuit in the amplifier to power up the system when it detects that the factory radio has turned on.

AudioControl System Amplifier Installation

AudioControl’s 6 channel amplifier was a perfect fit for this audio upgrade.

The LC6.1200 amplifier is installed on spacers in the storage compartment in the rear of the Bolt. This vehicle doesn’t come with a spare tire, but we did have to remove the foam storage tray under the carpeted floor panel. M.E.S.A. 4 AWG power wire runs to the main 12V battery to power the amplifier.

JL Audio Subwoofer Upgrade

Spacer legs were fabricated to raise the enclosure.

The enclosure fit perfectly over the amplifier

After hearing the difference a subwoofer made to our demo system in the store, the client knew he wanted one in the vehicle. We created a set of space blocks for a JL Audio CP108LG-W3v3 ported MicroSub enclosure so that it would fit into the trunk above the new amp. The height was set carefully such that the back of the enclosure supports the floor trim panel.

Morel Front Speaker Upgrades

We used foam rings to seal the output of the woofer to the cabin of the car.

Plenty of sound deadener was used to maximize the output of the Morel midbass.

We used a set of Best Kits mounting adapters to fit the 6.5-inch Morel woofer into the door of the Bolt. We then mounted the tweeters in the dash locations. Once the woofers were in place, we finished the installation of the final pieces of M.E.S.A Mat and added a set of Stinger Fast Rings. These foam coupling rings help to guide the output of the speakers into the interior of the vehicle, rather than allowing it to echo around between the door skin and trim panel.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Audio System Upgrade Project

Once everything was in place, our team of technicians completed the process of tuning the sensitivity controls and crossovers on the LC6.1200 to maximize the performance of the system. We used the four main channels of the amp to drive the front speakers in an active configuration and tuned the system to work with the factory rear speakers to fill out the sound.

The client was thrilled with the upgrades we made to his Chevrolet Bolt EV audio system and loved the look of the car without the tint. If you are interested in upgrades to your vehicle, drop by Sound Depot and Performance in Gainesville or send us an e-mail using our contact page.