Jeff928S4

So, where would this plug in at the back of the new deck?


I spoke with Stefan and was quoted around $50 for this harness, but I assume the factory amp would still be in the mix and this will be sending less power to the speaker than if I use the new deck's amp?

Alan

1. "Antenna" (looks like a straight plug-in?) YES
2. "Power antenna" - I take it I wouldn't use this - Probably connect to the antenna AMP
2. "Remote turn on" - do I hook this up to anything? The book says "to amplifier" You need this to turn on the stock amp or ignore if you bypass the amp, can also use this for antenna amp
3. "Audio interrupt in" - huh? Says "not used" in book This would be for an auto-mute e.g. when your phone system is active
4. "Illumination" - again, huh? Book says "to the instrument cluster lead" This is usually not for variable - just lowers the illumination at night based on switched dash illum - use clock/lighter illum wires in the console - not the dash
5. Ignition - I assume I'd spice this to the "Ignition" wire on the cars stereo harness?You have accessory switched going to the stock radio use that - red/white stripe wire
6. "Battery" (is this the power supply?) - splice to car's harness? you probably already have this in the existing head unit (Red) - if needed get his from the output of the "Booster" fuse
7. GND - I assume this is the ground and I can put it where the old was grounded. deck Yes

Alan

LT Texan

based on my recent Alpine install.....

2. "Power antenna" - My antenna goes up and down. This is very handy in that case. Surely you don't have one of these.
3. "Audio interrupt in" - huh? Does anyone still have a cell phone mounted? So redundant on a BT unit. leave disconnected.
4. "Illumination" - again, huh? Hook this up to the dash lights. When the dash lights go on, the head unit dims. (My dash lights are always on with the ignition switch on!) and they are always dim!
6. "Battery" (is this the power supply?) - splice to car's harness? I use an external amp, so that is fused right from the CE (?) Panel. I don't use the internal amp in the Alpine and it is switched off. But I'd wire the batt right to the panel too, with a good gauge wire.

And I'd be surprised if your stock peakers are 2 ohm. Anyway, amps are designed for that now.

Alan

Alan

Jeff928S4

Thanks Alan....

So....


- Use the red-white going to stock radio into the new deck's "Inition" wire
- "Power antenna" to antenna amp....Which wire is that? The "power antenna" wire in the deck has a spade end
- The battery wire should run into the car's red wire, or spice in down by the amp

Here is some pics of the existing stereo from behind....





What is that big-*** plug that goes in at a 90' angle?




This is the antenna I assume?



New deck's wires...



Also, found the schematics in the WSM - it does show 3 sets of speaker wires coming out of the "booster". The front speaker wires appear to come out of the sides (one set for each right and left) and the rear speakers come out of the rear of the booster (2 sets for each right and left).

If I run the 2 sets of speaker wires out of the deck to the amp area, I can wire the front speakers directly, but how do I put one set of rear wires into 2 sets that run to the rear speakers? Looks like the rear 6" speakers have 2 sets of inputs and one set of outputs to the rear 4" speakers/tweeters.

I take it you can't bypass the amp on a 10-speaker system?

Jeff928S4

Ok - decided to right to the source and look at the amp - it's much bigger than I though.

Here is what's under that cover (sorry for the blurry pics)......



Now, I see two sets of what appear to be speaker wires (which are labeled on the amps as "RF/LF RR/LR")....



.....on the other side of the amp there two more of the same looking wires....also the big-*** 90' angle plug goes in on that side, as well as what looks like the white plug from behind the old deck.....





So, what are these other sets of wires?


oh......and what in the sweet Jesus is that big gas-cap looking thing lol......

Alan

Angled plug is a DIN plug - preamp outs to the Amp, antenna yes, The later amp is a 6 channel - so may be troublesome mapping to a 4 output (I assume) head unit. Channels are L/R to doors (with passive crossover in each door), L/R to the rear mids on B-Pillar (active crossover in the amp) and L/R to rear set (small on B pillar and medium on rear quarters) these are fed via a passive crossover - mounted to the larger B-pillar speaker but not electrically connected to it.

Big gas cap thing is the diagnostic connector

Alan

Jeff928S4

Ok......we're getting somewhere lol

So, if I were to not bypass the amp - where does that DIN plug go in the back of the new deck? How do I run from the new deck to the amp?

The new deck has one set of RCA outputs for a sub I assume - could this output serve as the extra two speaker outputs I need if I bypass the amp? In other words....use the regular speaker wires off the new deck to run the front speakers and rear smaller speakers and use the RCA's out on the new deck to the rear 6" speakers?

Looks like I may be searching for another newer 6-channel amp or calling Stefan back.

Jeff928S4

The new deck is a 4-channel deck I am assuming (has 4 sets of speaker wires).

Could one use 2 of those sets of speaker wires and splice off them, giving an extra channel? As in, take the rear speaker wires and make it into 4 sets instead of 2 and bypass the amp like that?

Alan

The RCA outs likely preamp outs for a subwoofer amp, pretty certain you won't be able to drive an amp with them.

But you could leave the amp and have it drive the B-pillar mids for you and use the head unit for everything else. Its not ideal but would probably work. - you need to split out just the 2 preamps wires for those channels at the din plug behind the radio and add RCS plugs to them - you can get these plugs at radio shack/ebay.

You likely won't find a 6 channel amp that will fit there - but you may find a newer 2 channel amp.

Alan

dr bob

1) First impression is to use the amp turn-on lead from the head unit for the antenna amp. Not sure if the "power antenna" is hot only when am/fm selected; if so that's the one to use.

2) Drive the front door pair with head unit RF, LF.
3) Drive the 6" b-pillar speakers with RR/LR.
4) Ignore the rear mid/tweets; nobody is going to ride back there, and they just skew the sound field to the rear. Confuses the ears.

Crutchfield was able to supply pigtails that allowed me to plug the existing speaker wiring into the new headunit wiring with no cutting/splicing needed. So my existing car wiring stays unmolested. Don't know how important that is for you though.

Jeff928S4

So, I have 3 sets of speaker wires that need to be fed. 1 set for the front - 1 set for the rears and 1 set for the 6" speakers.

The deck will power 2 of those (front and rear 4" speakers/tweeters).

How do I then get power from the deck to the amp to run the rear 6" speakers? Is this where the 2-channel amp comes in?

Maleficio

Jeff,
Do this.

Alan

You have to decide how much effort you want to go to here.

You can go with just the 4 channels and ignore some of the rear speakers - or add in an extra amp for the extra set. It won't make a spectacular difference either way...

You almost certainly cannot drive all the rear speakers on one channel per side - the impedance will be too low for your head unit - and likely the levels will be mismatched too - bad all round.

Personally I use all the speakers and an extra sub-woofer - with a 4-channel and 2+1 (bridged) amps - so pretty much overkill. But I've never been accused of taking the easy path...

Its all doable...

Alan

Jeff928S4

So, my scenarios basically include...

1. Run the front 4" speakers/tweeters and rear 6" off the deck - straight up wire-thru - lose the back mid's/tweeters and toss the amp.
2. Run the smaller speakers off the deck and re-wire the DIN plug so the 6" in the rear runs off the car's amp.
3. Call Stefan and get the wire harness that allows all speakers to run, while using the car's amp

Now, I'm wonder (and this may have already been answered)......

If the deck can power all the 4" speakers/tweeters and it has a pre-amp out - could you run the pre-amp out to the car's amp and then run that to the 6" in the rear?

...or could I use that pre-out to run to a new amp, which will be used to run the 6" in the rear or new 6" mids or even subs, which I will put where the 6" currently sit?