Audio System Hook-up

[jeg0024]

I have a 2002 protege dx with a stock 6-cd changer and stock front and rear speakers. My brother has 2 kicker comp 10s and a 850w amp that he has no use for sence he totaled his durango. I have done some searches on this site and didn't find much of what I was looking for. I just want to know if its possible to hook this up with my stock radio and if it sounds like a good idea. Im planning on taking my car down to the local flea market this weekend and see if they have all the stuff to hook me up and how much there gonna charge for it. Will I be able to "turn off/down" the subs like you can with an aftermarket radio if I dont want them to be so loud all the time? Please help!

 

[toucci]

You will need a LOC (line out converter) to convert speaker level signals to non amplified signals your amp can use. . You could remove your rear deck speakers and hook it up to their wiring so you don't have to run extra wires, and then use the fader to control gain on the woofers.

 

[jeg0024]

Would I hook the rear speaker wires to my amp? And could I still have my rear speakers spliced off of that? The stock speaker wires are some thin gauge does that matter? Thanks!

 

[Mr.Ames]

What model is the amp? Does it have high level input? If not, you need the converter as mentioned. You could use the rear speakers aswell, but you risk frying the amp in your deck because you cut the impedence in half. As for sub volume control, it depends on the model of the amp too. If it's a monoblock amp it my have remote volume control that you could get and mount it somewhere by the dash or center console or something.

 

[jeg0024]

I was gonna go check the amp to see but its locked in my bros truck, ill ask him tomorrow, all he told me earlier was that it was 850w. Ill check back soon!

 

[Mr.Ames]

I'll probably still be here (spin) I'm addicted ha ha

 

[jeg0024]

Me too, ive been trying to go to sleep sence 7 because I have class in the morning, lol, im gonna be tired. The good thing is I have a 30 min ride to school that I turn into 10 mins if i need too! I always have fun, and driving early in the morning gives me an excuse to have my fogs on. Now I just need some boom-boom to go with that zoom-zoom! Hopefully you guys can help me out, im outa here for tonight hopefully but will get back to you on this tomorrow!

 

[sam1]

i used my rear speakers in conjunction with an LOC for several months before. i ended up just taking out the rear speakers like mentioned above and used that setup for a couple years, until my stock deck died.

 

[jeg0024]

Ok, heres what im dealing with now... Two 10" kicker comps in a custom box, sony Xplod 850watt one channel amp(XM-DS1300P5), and now a Pioneer super tuner3 D+ (or something like that) radio. I think its gonna be easier just to go with this radio and hang onto my stock cd changer, my display on the stock radio has went bad anyways, its was covered under my warranty but "theres nothing wrong with it" as far as mazda is concerned. I do not have any of the wires but im sure I can just get them somewhere local. What am I missing and what do I need to do to get this thing boomin! Thanks!

 

[tsunami]

you need an amp wiring kit and set of rca cables... check www.partsexpress.com for what you need street wires is a good brand or a bit cheaper is www.knukonceptz.com though be wary of their rca cables as i still haven't heard anything good about them. with that amp you would probably be fine with 8awg wire but if you ever wanted to upgrade you would need to run a new power wire... i would say use 4awg wire and be done with it b/c if you just run subs you are going to realize you need to improve your front (mids and highs) speakers in a bad way...

 

[jeg0024]

Will this change the way my stock speakers sound at all? I kinda just want to keep them the same and just add some bass from the subs. Whats the difference between the 4 and the 8?

 

[D-rock240]

4 is thicker. I used a 4 gauge monster ground, the stock speakers will sound louder with the new HU. I used my stock speakers with my HU and 480w amp and 10" sub and it sounded fine, although the sub overpowered the speakers on certain songs. Once I put the Excelons in, I noticed a lot more clarity and the sub was matched closer.

 

[mickeyreategui]

to use the stock radio you just need an (i think it's called an) in line converter ($30) you hook up to a speaker so you will be able to run rca wires to the sub & a amp wiring kit that has a power wire, fuse, fuse holder, rca cables, remote wire (turns off and on your amp), and ground wire.

 

[jeg0024]

so whats better(or easier), trying to use my stock radio or using this pioneer premier radio I have?

 

[D-rock240]

The new HU has more built in power, so you don't need to amp the speakers unless you want to run more than ~20w RMS. Personally the HU is enough to power the speakers for me.

 

[mickeyreategui]

it depends on what you want you want to do.
if you use the stock radio you just need what i mentioned above.
if you want to use the pioneer radio then you can forget about the in-line converter, but you will have to buy a wiring harness ($30) and a radio bracket ($30) and install that yourself or pay somebody about $60+. you will do all the same wiring but you just plug the rca cables in the back of the head unit.

better to go with the aftermarket radio, then you will be able to probably control the sound of the music better than stock.

 

[D-rock240]

I got my wiring harness for $15 at Best Buy.

 

[tsunami]

crutchfield gives em away for free if you buy the radio threw them..

the 8awg is thinner and is for less power then the 4awg... you need to see what that sony amp is rated for at rms b/c i highly doubt the 850 is rms its probably around 300 or so rms watts. (rms is industry standard for constant and certian brands such as sony will plaster the peak power output on their amps which is completely different.. )

 

[jeg0024]

yea well accually it doesnt have 850w or anything else you mentioned written on it, I was just taking my brothers word that it was an 850, he said something about only running it at 500w max though, i dont know. I have decided to stick with using the pioneer and let the people at the flea market in town worry about hooking up the wiring harness and getting me the radio bracket. They do a lot of business over there so im pretty sure they use good quality products and know what there doing. Im guessing after the install and wires and all that good stuff mentioned above it should be more than $80, and I don't mind paying that if its done by someone who can do it right instead of me who had never even thought of putting anything like this in my car. Im good with working on my car but this is just one thing I never really got into I guess.

 

[tsunami]

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=13718

that amp is on the cusp of needing a 4awg wiring kit... that site recomends it and if i were to install it i would as well... good luck with the install it sounds like you have an idea of what you want and where to go...