After market Amplifier and Subwoofer Q's

[Genesis]

Firstly hello, another long time lurker, first time poster here.

I have read through countless threads on both here and LegacyGT covering a few topics, but of late, its been audio related. I'm currently waiting for a factory AUX input to arrive so i can have it installed in my car, and now im chasing some sound improvement, because the only way to get any level of semi decent bass is to run the HU at +6 bass, but the music is so droned its rubbish, not to mention my wide variety of music taste, rock sounds disgusting at +6 -____- I know i'll get told to upgrade HU etc, which i'd love to, but im going to have to run this on a budget, and i had no idea how stupid the whole McInstosh system is until i did some research on it.

Now i'm really looking for some clarification here, as i'm new to wiring etc. Been quite handy around bikes etc but i've never dealt with anything car audio related.

I'm looking to add a mono amplifier and subwoofer into my system, and i've read that the easiest way to do this would be to run a hi to low level converter from the original sub output in the rear, to the amp? In regards to this, what wires do i hook up to? i cant find specific information on that part. Then i need a power source to come from the battery to the boot for the amp as well, with a resistor etc (buy an amp wiring kit?) now, does the sub itself, only have to plug into the mono amp and thats it? or am i missing something? I've also picked up something about a remote wire, what does it do and where the eff do i put it in this car -____-

Sorry if this post makes no sense or if i'm wasting your time, i just wish this system was easier to deal with because i'd like to learn a few things about audio for future use...

Cheers guys,

James.

[mihai]

You disconnect your current sub and take those two wires and pass them into a Line Out Converter (LOC).

Then you take the output of this LOC (which will be RCA output) and feed that to your amp.

Your new sub will connect to the new mono amp only.

You will need to run a power wire from the battery to where ever you put your new amp. This will need a fuse on it, not a resistor as you mentioned. Will also need to chassis ground it somewhere nearby too.

The remote wire is effectively a wire that provides the amp with a signal to turn itself on whenever you turn your ignition on. In a normal sound system, this would be connected to the headunits 'remote out' and the amp would turn on and off with the headunit. Since the McIntosh does not have a remote out, you need to connect the remote wire to somewhere in the car that has +12V only when the ignition is in ACC or ON. Otherwise your amp will not turn on and off with the turn of the key. Best place to do this is the cigarette lighter socket, as this off when the car is off.

Where are you located ?

[Genesis]

Cool, thank you for correcting me on the fuse bit!

Now, do I ground the power at the battery end or amp end?

So if I run the wire to the centre console lighter, can I still use it to charge things? An I can't find any how to's and or guides on it at the moment unfortunately...

I'm located in SA, this is going to have to be put on the back burner for a bit, just came home to a rego letter which I completely forgot about, but I'll still try to smash out all the planning...

Thanks heaps for the information mate, very helpful

EDIT: and anyone have suggestions for a sub, amp and wiring kit for around ~$500?

[mihai]

Now, do I ground the power at the battery end or amp end?

You don't ground the power run, you ground the amp. And you ground it as close as you can to the amp.

So if I run the wire to the centre console lighter, can I still use it to charge things? An I can't find any how to's and or guides on it at the moment unfortunately...

Yes you can still use the centre console lighter. The remote wire barely draws any current, it only acts as a switch for the amp. All the power the amp needs comes from the main power cable coming from the battery.
And there is a guide in the Walkthrough section. I wrote it, so I know it's there. IIRC its called 'HOW TO: Install amp using stock HU' or something along those lines.

[Genesis]

Yes you can still use the centre console lighter. The remote wire barely draws any current, it only acts as a switch for the amp. All the power the amp needs comes from the main power cable coming from the battery.
And there is a guide in the Walkthrough section. I wrote it, so I know it's there. IIRC its called 'HOW TO: Install amp using stock HU' or something along those lines.

So, I simply remove some of the wire coating, just back of the lighter plug, and wrap the remote wire around it and tape up? Same thing with the LOC etc, or will I need a specific tool to do these things? It's worked fine with my home theatre install, having to extend a wire, but it seems like these car installs aren't very simple :/

Also I'm regards to running the power from the battery, when you put it through the grommet in you topic, did you feed it from the battery following the rest of system wiring that come from it, or do you go around the side of the engine bay?

Cheers.

[TomTom]

Yes you can still use the centre console lighter. The remote wire barely draws any current, it only acts as a switch for the amp. All the power the amp needs comes from the main power cable coming from the battery.
And there is a guide in the Walkthrough section. I wrote it, so I know it's there. IIRC its called 'HOW TO: Install amp using stock HU' or something along those lines.

So, I simply remove some of the wire coating, just back of the lighter plug, and wrap the remote wire around it and tape up? Same thing with the LOC etc, or will I need a specific tool to do these things? It's worked fine with my home theatre install, having to extend a wire, but it seems like these car installs aren't very simple :/

Also I'm regards to running the power from the battery, when you put it through the grommet in you topic, did you feed it from the battery following the rest of system wiring that come from it, or do you go around the side of the engine bay?

Cheers.

For best results you should solder the wires together to prevent short circuits. There are plenty of videos of YouTube demonstrating how to solder, I'd suggest playing with a few left over pieces of wire from your wiring kit first, it's a handy method.

Buy:
- wire stripper
- solder
- soldering ion
- heat shrink

And yes run the power from the battery just directly to the grommet, making a small cut above the arrow of the grommet and feed it in. You may need to partially remove the grommet to feed it through. It'll come into your passenger foot well then simply attach to your Amp.

Oh and make sure you've got an inline fuse running between the battery as well

[triston]

You disconnect your current sub and take those two wires and pass them into a Line Out Converter (LOC).

Then you take the output of this LOC (which will be RCA output) and feed that to your amp.

Your new sub will connect to the new mono amp only.

Hi - I'm looking to put an after sub and amp in my car, when you say disconnect the current sub and take those wires to an LOC... is this after the wires have gone into the stock amp, or do you need to cut them before they go to the stock amp?

Thanks,
Triston

PS. I have the 08 GT sti model with the McIntosh head unit

[mihai]

After the stock amp.

The easiest way to do this is to just unplug the sub and the cables that go into the LOC directly to that connector. You can think of it as 'extending' the sub wiring.

You don't need to do anything near the stock amp, just in the boot, where the sub is mounted.

[tom_kauf]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but this Q relates to the topic and may be useful to other people too.

What is the length of power cable needed from the battery, through the firewall grommet, and to under the driver's seat? Because I have a wagon and need boot space, I will install the sub there.

What would be the most professional/neatest route to run after the firewall? Towards the seats and then across to the driver's side (under the carpet?), or across under the dash and then towards the rear?

If no one knows for sure, I'd be very appreciative if you could measure the rough distance. Because I'm away from home (and my car), and would like to order some things for my amp install - so it's there when I'm home.

[nytrojen]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but this Q relates to the topic and may be useful to other people too.

What is the length of power cable needed from the battery, through the firewall grommet, and to under the driver's seat? Because I have a wagon and need boot space, I will install the sub there.

What would be the most professional/neatest route to run after the firewall? Towards the seats and then across to the driver's side (under the carpet?), or across under the dash and then towards the rear?

If no one knows for sure, I'd be very appreciative if you could measure the rough distance. Because I'm away from home (and my car), and would like to order some things for my amp install - so it's there when I'm home.

I'd probably go under the dash and go down the side to the seat. Don't kits come in standard length anyway? Just run the cable and then cut it off at the required length afterwards?

[tom_kauf]

Ok, cool I'll route it that way.

I'd still prefer to buy the power cable by length, because it's cheaper and I already have everything else (except the fuse). I have heavy duty crimp terminals as well from a previous install. And to keep the engine bay looking stock, I like to buy black power cables (with the positive terminal just having a thin red line). That's just me though, coz I don't like things looking aftermarket or blingy like big bright-red power cables.

[Flat6Estate]

Just don't run any power cables near any audio cables.
If the existing rear speaker cable loom runs down the drivers side of the car, then run the power cable down the passenger side of the car.
I made the mistake of running power and rca audio together down the drivers side of the car when doing my first install of an amp in a mates car.
The alternator whine through the stereo annoyed him until he sold the car 10 years later. I never got a chance to pull it all apart an re-run the cables.

At least he was the guinea pig, so when i installed one in my car a couple of years later I knew not to make that mistake again

[nytrojen]

Just don't run any power cables near any audio cables.
If the existing rear speaker cable loom runs down the drivers side of the car, then run the power cable down the passenger side of the car.
I made the mistake of running power and rca audio together down the drivers side of the car when doing my first install of an amp in a mates car.
The alternator whine through the stereo annoyed him until he sold the car 10 years later. I never got a chance to pull it all apart an re-run the cables.

At least he was the guinea pig, so when i installed one in my car a couple of years later I knew not to make that mistake again

Oh yes... that too ^

[tom_kauf]

Just don't run any power cables near any audio cables.
If the existing rear speaker cable loom runs down the drivers side of the car, then run the power cable down the passenger side of the car.
I made the mistake of running power and rca audio together down the drivers side of the car when doing my first install of an amp in a mates car.
The alternator whine through the stereo annoyed him until he sold the car 10 years later. I never got a chance to pull it all apart an re-run the cables.

At least he was the guinea pig, so when i installed one in my car a couple of years later I knew not to make that mistake again

Awesome, yeah that's a good tip. Does anyone know where the speaker cables run from a McIntosh HU to the under-passenger seat amp, to the RH rear of the boot (where the amp is in a wagon)?