cassandra

Stock Delco indash system has lost many led lights. Plan to replace with ebay purchase, but need to know which stock systems will fit. Any reference material available with model numbers of stereos that will fit my 97?

ZX1100F1

When you search Ebay just type in some thing like "Delco CD" in the search engine and then look at the units that appear to be the same as the one you currently have.
Skip units that look the same but have metal mount tabs on each side (these are for S10 and cars) the units that fit your 97 will have long black plastic clips.
Any unit that you find that looks the same and has the black plastic locking clips will work, (there are many different part numbers).

wreckless123

Why not go aftermarket? Go to www.pricegrabber.com and look for a single DIN radio with an adapter for your truck. The only downfall is if you have the external CD player, it will not work anymore..

ZX1100F1

The reason I don't use aftermarket head units is that they look very out of place, the adaptors are cheezy, most of these units offer little improvement in sound quality, the smaller controls and display are harder for me to see and operate and then to top it off I have to remember to remove the faceplate or risk getting my car broke into.

wreckless123

You can always get a DIN and a half unit which fits right into the GM provision. You can also get nice adapters which cost a little more then what your local audio shop will include with an install. I totally disagree on the difference in sound quality, the new units can put out enough clean power to power all of your mids and tweets without a remote amp. A delco puts out maybe 5 watts a channel and a $200 Pioneer or Alpine is putting out an easy 50 RMS..

ZX1100F1

Your facts are incorrect; 50 watts RMS and 50 watts Peak are two different things. Peak power means next to nothing; it's kind of like the "digital zoom" rating on a camera.


The current GM OEM Delco/Panasonic/Denso units put out 16 watts to 18 watts RMS @ 4ohm X4, the integrated circuits and amplifier sections are of similar quality to the mid-end aftermarket offering.

The highest power (RMS) that you can genrally find in a sub $200 Alpine or Pioneer CD head unit is about 20 watts RMS, most are between 15w and 18w RMS, some other brands are slightly higher but none of them produce enough internal power to make an appreciable difference.


Speaker quality and efficiency will have much more to do with sound quality then swapping the modest power of an OEM unit for the similarly modest power of an aftermarket head unit.
Anyone looking for any significant improvement in their systems sound quality and SPL are pretty much forced to add an external amp no matter which head unit that you go with.

wreckless123

I am sorry, I meant to type "Peak" and not "RMS" on that last post. I agree that the newer systems are better but he is talking about a 97 Tahoe. That stock stereo put out no where near what the new ones do, he would be lucky to get 5 watts RMS out of that old unit.Below is an example of a nice stereo for $249 that has tons of features that an OEM unit does nothave and it is 50 peak and 22 RMS. On the older Tahoe's when you upgrade the stereo, you almost have to replace the old cheap speakers or the radio will end up tearing them up pretty quick. You are right, the most important component of a system is the speakers but that old unit is just so dated, at least step into the 21st century.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...H-P7900BT.html

wreckless123

Look at this one. Its actually a decent unit with nice power and a few options for almost nothing!

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...n+DB175MP.html