Stock HU w/ aftermarket Sub/Amp

[TwitchFoot]

I know this is a pretty common subject and I did search and look at the FAQ, but I can't find anywhere what part I actually need to plug the amp into the stock HU. I recently decided that I don't want my alpine HU anymore, too flashy and it is starting to rattle. Is there some kind of adaptor they make? If so, where can I get it?

 

[melbourne_mp5]

You'll need a reverse harness and speaker-level inputs on your amplifier (or a Line-out converter). I believe sound domain sells the reverse harness. I had this setup in my car for a while and have the reverse harness and the monster wire with color codes and all that for hooking up to a 4 channel amp that I had under the drivers seat. PM me if interested.

This is what it looks like:

http://electrogalaxy.dtopinc.com/index.html?object=sisma03rb

 

[1sty]

You don't actualy need the harness, it just can make the job easier. However, to be truely easier you need both standard and reverse harness. I personaly think just tapping the speaker wires is the easiest.

You really only need to tap one set of speaker wires (either front or rear) then run those taps to either a LOC or to an amps speaker level inputs if your amp is so equipt.

 

[TwitchFoot]

You don't actualy need the harness, it just can make the job easier. However, to be truely easier you need both standard and reverse harness. I personaly think just tapping the speaker wires is the easiest.

You really only need to tap one set of speaker wires (either front or rear) then run those taps to either a LOC or to an amps speaker level inputs if your amp is so equipt.

I am really really "uneducated" on the electrical aspect of running the wires etc. So where does the red/white male cord go that was going into the back of the Alpine HU? And the one wire (for sub) going into the wiring harness needs to be tapped? Could I take my car to Sound Advice*Tweeter (where I purchased it) and have them do it? Or will they not do any of that?

 

[melbourne_mp5]

The red/white male cord I assume is RCA cables? This would go to your LOC if that's the route you choose to go.

I'm guessing that if you didn't install the amp this stuff isn't going to make sense to you and you should take it back to Sound Advice and tell them what you want to do. They should be able to do this in less than an hour for you.

The reason I only recommended you buy a reverse harness is because you already have a standard regular harness if you have an aftermarket head unit unless they hacked your wires. This way, if you have to sell the car, you unplug the reverse harness, pull the amp, and plug in the factory one, and you're back to a working stock stereo with no amp in less than 5 minutes.

Also... the difference between my solution and 1sty's, while both would work and give you sound, mine retains fader control between front and rear speakers. Useful because the stock head unit doesn't have many sound tuning options like an aftermarket HU.

Use the power lead in the harness for the remote turn-on for the amp.

 

[TwitchFoot]

I actually didn't install the amp/sub, but i did install the HU. I think I will take look it over first and if I don't get a grip, I will take it up to Sound Advice and make an appt. Thank you for your help guys.

 

[melbourne_mp5]

Wait a sec... I'm slow on the uptake... are you amping all of your speakers or just a sub?

If you're just doing a sub then disregard the fader comments and all that. I still recommend the reverse harness for $5 for simplicity of installation and removal, but yeah, you only need to tap either the fronts or rears for that signal to the LOC. All your other wiring would stay the same. I'm not sure what LOC cost but in this situation its worth it... probably like $20 - $30 is my guess.

When I read your first post, I couldn't tell what you were doing. When I read your last one, I think I understood the situation...

 

[1sty]

I am really really "uneducated" on the electrical aspect of running the wires etc. So where does the red/white male cord go that was going into the back of the Alpine HU? And the one wire (for sub) going into the wiring harness needs to be tapped? Could I take my car to Sound Advice*Tweeter (where I purchased it) and have them do it? Or will they not do any of that?

SOund advice is a good idea. Its best to stay away from something until you really know whats going on. That being said, its not terribly diffucult.

The factory radio has no place to plug in the Red and white cord (these are called RCA cables) They factory radio only has speaker wire coming out of it. Its ment to go directly to speakers and not an amp. This is common of most factory radios so.......... Amplifier makers sometimes have what are callled speaker level inputs on the amplifier. This way you cna take the speaker wires that come out of the radio, extend them, and plug them directly into the amplifier. Convient! Now, the way this is done when adding a sub is that you "tap" the existing speaker wires. Tapping means that you buy new speaker cable and then splice them into one of the existing pairs of speaker wires. Then you run the new speaker wires into the amp.

The curve ball is if the amp your using doesn't have speaker level inputs. In this situation you would use a LOC (Line Output Converter) This takes that speaker wire signal and turns it into line level (which is RCAs) that in turn plugs into any amp.


Check out the main car audio section and read the FAQ thread. It will help you learn alot.

 

[1sty]

Wait a sec... I'm slow on the uptake... are you amping all of your speakers or just a sub?

If you're just doing a sub then disregard the fader comments and all that. I still recommend the reverse harness for $5 for simplicity of installation and removal, but yeah, you only need to tap either the fronts or rears for that signal to the LOC. All your other wiring would stay the same. I'm not sure what LOC cost but in this situation its worth it... probably like $20 - $30 is my guess.

When I read your first post, I couldn't tell what you were doing. When I read your last one, I think I understood the situation...

The problem is that he is going ot be using a factory radio so if he uses a reverse harness which is bare wire to factory radio, then his power ground, remote, illumination, ect will all be free floating and going no where, so he would then have to go and get a regular harness and butt connector through all of those connections. Also keep in mind that with an ES he has rear deck speakers with exposed wires, so he can easily tap the speaker wire single ther. This is assuming he just adding a sub though and not trying amp all the speakers.

 

[melbourne_mp5]

The problem is that he is going ot be using a factory radio so if he uses a reverse harness which is bare wire to factory radio, then his power ground, remote, illumination, ect will all be free floating and going no where, so he would then have to go and get a regular harness and butt connector through all of those connections. Also keep in mind that with an ES he has rear deck speakers with exposed wires, so he can easily tap the speaker wire single ther. This is assuming he just adding a sub though and not trying amp all the speakers.

I assumed that since he already has aftermarket head unit installed, he already had the standard harness hooked to the factory harness, and it would all tie together. Reverse harness plugs into factory ---> radio sends bare wire to standard harness bare wires ---> standard harness hooks up to factory harness. Not sure what the problem would be in what I'm suggesting? I've done this several times in several cars with success.

 

[TwitchFoot]

Sweet, thank you very much guys. To clarify: I have an Alpine CDA-9831 powering all stock speakers and a prefab JL10 powered by an Alpine MRV-T320 amp. All I see behind the HU is the wiring harness from Crutchfield, the power cord (I'm assuming, its black and single) and the RCA cables. I would need to take the wiring harness that is connecting my aftermarket HU to the original wiring harness (the one that goes into the factory radio) out... correct? Or am I going to be using that? I'm really sorry you guys. I am in the process of reading the FAQ and I'm trying to learn. So I will be splicing into the stock speaker wires? If it's in the FAQ and I haven't gotten there, just don't answer me, lol. Thanks again guys.

 

[1sty]

. Not sure what the problem would be in what I'm suggesting? I've done this several times in several cars with success.

SImplicity. The problem is that he is new to car audio and probably doesn't know or want to have to cut out the alpine harness and then recconnect a reverse harness, all while remebering to splice in the speaker leads while doing this, and then having to run the speaker wires through the car. That would all be alot harder then just taking out the harness adapter, throwing it out, and then tapping the rear speaker wires.

 

[1sty]

Sweet, thank you very much guys. To clarify: I have an Alpine CDA-9831 powering all stock speakers and a prefab JL10 powered by an Alpine MRV-T320 amp. All I see behind the HU is the wiring harness from Crutchfield, the power cord (I'm assuming, its black and single) and the RCA cables. I would need to take the wiring harness that is connecting my aftermarket HU to the original wiring harness (the one that goes into the factory radio) out... correct? Or am I going to be using that? I'm really sorry you guys. I am in the process of reading the FAQ and I'm trying to learn. So I will be splicing into the stock speaker wires? If it's in the FAQ and I haven't gotten there, just don't answer me, lol. Thanks again guys.

YOu just going to run the speakers off the radio and add an amplifier, ONLY for the subwoofer.....right?

 

[TwitchFoot]

YOu just going to run the speakers off the radio and add an amplifier, ONLY for the subwoofer.....right?

Correct. So will my rear speakers still put out sound or am I sacaraficing them for the woofer?