need help on new system
Dec 1, 2009, 07:21 AM
#32
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
OK. And I'm a little confused on how the speakers wire to the amp and the head unit. Because I wanna upgrade from the factory speaker wires cause its damaged in some places, so where exactly do they all hook up to? I dont know if I should just run the wires exactly how they are now that an amp will be in the equation. Well I just looked at my haed unit and I dont see 6 RCA jacks. I just see two, SW REAR L and R, which my current amp is plugged into. What does this mean? Is there a chance I looked past something?
Last edited by lancerguy0208; Dec 1, 2009 at 11:33 AM.
Dec 1, 2009, 05:20 PM
#33
Evolved Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Florida
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
lol it means:
1. new radio with 6 channels of RCAs
OR
2. use a 4-channel line output converter, but the quality will be reduced a bit.
once you have the amp where you want it and all, you run the speaker wires right from the amplifier directly to each speaker, even going through each boot between the door and body of the car.
1. new radio with 6 channels of RCAs
OR
2. use a 4-channel line output converter, but the quality will be reduced a bit.
once you have the amp where you want it and all, you run the speaker wires right from the amplifier directly to each speaker, even going through each boot between the door and body of the car.
Dec 1, 2009, 08:43 PM
#34
Newbie
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Reading, PA
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The BEST option that yitzac1990 mentioned is to replace the radio with one that has 3 RCA pre-outs. This will give you fade and balance control as well as a separate sub control. In general, radios that have 3 rca preouts tend to be better than those that don't (not always, a lot depends on the brand).
The 4 channel LOC will work, but assuming you have a 4 channel amp it might have high-level inputs. This will let you you run your speaker signal from the wiring harness out of the back of the radio straight into the amplifier without using RCAs (this is only for front/rear - not sub). In this case the only rcas used would be for the subs. The benefit to this compared to the line output converter is less signal loss as you are reducing the number of components in the system.
Another option is to use Y-adapters for the 4 channel. This can either be done by putting the adapters right at the radio and running two pairs of rcas back to the amp, or you can one run pair of rcas from the radio back and split them at the amp. I would recommend the second. If you use y-adapters, then you will only have fade OR balance, not both. Which one you want is up to you. I would recommend that you still be able to balance cuz you can keep stereo sound. Also, when you are tuning the system you can adjust the gain accordingly for the front and rear speakers to get the staging right.
Really, what you need to do is figure out how much $ you are willing to spend all said and done, and then you can work within that budget to get the best solution you can afford.
Good Luck!
The 4 channel LOC will work, but assuming you have a 4 channel amp it might have high-level inputs. This will let you you run your speaker signal from the wiring harness out of the back of the radio straight into the amplifier without using RCAs (this is only for front/rear - not sub). In this case the only rcas used would be for the subs. The benefit to this compared to the line output converter is less signal loss as you are reducing the number of components in the system.
Another option is to use Y-adapters for the 4 channel. This can either be done by putting the adapters right at the radio and running two pairs of rcas back to the amp, or you can one run pair of rcas from the radio back and split them at the amp. I would recommend the second. If you use y-adapters, then you will only have fade OR balance, not both. Which one you want is up to you. I would recommend that you still be able to balance cuz you can keep stereo sound. Also, when you are tuning the system you can adjust the gain accordingly for the front and rear speakers to get the staging right.
Really, what you need to do is figure out how much $ you are willing to spend all said and done, and then you can work within that budget to get the best solution you can afford.
Good Luck!
Dec 2, 2009, 11:12 AM
#36
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
The 4 channel LOC will work, but assuming you have a 4 channel amp it might have high-level inputs. This will let you you run your speaker signal from the wiring harness out of the back of the radio straight into the amplifier without using RCAs (this is only for front/rear - not sub). In this case the only rcas used would be for the subs. The benefit to this compared to the line output converter is less signal loss as you are reducing the number of components in the system.
Dec 2, 2009, 11:14 AM
#37
Evolved Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Florida
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
your amp should have come with a little connector that plugs into the High level input of the amp, with bare wires coming off it. are you talking about the 4-channel amp that has the high level input?
Dec 2, 2009, 11:15 AM
#38
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
OK, the speakers wire directly to the amp. So basically, the speakers wont be connected to the head unit anymore, except through the amp.
Dec 3, 2009, 10:02 AM
#40
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
cool. And yeah, my 4-channel speaker amp has high-level inputs with the connector. Does the speaker wire run from the speakers to this connector? The instructions list the rear L and R and front L and R inputs, so all I do is connect the speakers to the corresponding + and - wires on the connector?
Dec 3, 2009, 10:38 AM
#41
Evolved Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Florida
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
cool. And yeah, my 4-channel speaker amp has high-level inputs with the connector. Does the speaker wire run from the speakers to this connector? The instructions list the rear L and R and front L and R inputs, so all I do is connect the speakers to the corresponding + and - wires on the connector?
Dec 5, 2009, 03:07 PM
#42
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
3 little questions: 1. I know to run the power wire and RCAs away from each other as this can cause interference noise. Also, it says in the instructions to keep negative speaker wires off the car chassis because it can cause alternator noise to be heard. Is this true for any other wires and how can it be prevented? 2. I assume you need a power-on(blue) wire for each amp. If this is true, and my sub one is already connected, where would the speaker amp one connect to on the head unit? 3. I found an unused Optima Yellow Top battery for cheap, and my headlights were flickering as I drove after hooking it up last night? Is this just because its a new battery or what?
Last edited by lancerguy0208; Dec 9, 2009 at 12:05 PM.
Dec 12, 2009, 05:20 PM
#43
Evolved Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Florida
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
3 little questions: 1. I know to run the power wire and RCAs away from each other as this can cause interference noise. Also, it says in the instructions to keep negative speaker wires off the car chassis because it can cause alternator noise to be heard. Is this true for any other wires and how can it be prevented? 2. I assume you need a power-on(blue) wire for each amp. If this is true, and my sub one is already connected, where would the speaker amp one connect to on the head unit? 3. I found an unused Optima Yellow Top battery for cheap, and my headlights were flickering as I drove after hooking it up last night? Is this just because its a new battery or what?
2. you can splice the remote wire for the 4-channel amp off of the one going to the sub amp.
3. what do you mean unused? was it sitting for a very long time or something? Optima batteries should definitely NOT flicker from subs, especially not low powered systems like yours lol I would return it if you can, and just buy a new one from a battery store, or online. also, if you want a battery that is good specifically for car audio, I suggest a brand called Kinetik (http://www.kinetikaudio.com/2009/default.asp).
Dec 13, 2009, 02:12 PM
#44
Evolving Member
Thread Starter
The battery is good. Only a few weeks old. And it only did that the first time I drove it after installing it, but I asked anyway. How do you splice the wire to run to both amps?
Dec 13, 2009, 02:55 PM
#45
Evolved Member
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Florida
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
strip back about 1 centimeter of the existing wire, and take your new wire strip about an inch off, and wrap that around the stripped back part of the original wire. wrap a bit of electrical tape around it, then a small zip tie around it so it doesnt come undone. or you can just solder it after you twist it then wrap tape around it.