installing subs and amps

k20fg2SI · 06-05-2009, 01:56 PM

i have navi in my car and was wondering if i did put a sub and amp in the back truck area do i run the wires to my head unit or can i connect the wire to the bottom of the speaker in the back? im a noob at audio stuff for cars

k20fg2SI · 06-05-2009, 02:25 PM

any body?

avho · 06-05-2009, 02:58 PM

You should be able to come off the rear speakers, BUT you will need a LOC. Don't just hook up the rear speaker wires to the amp. That would be ... bad.

Google "wiring up a car amplifier". Lots of info out there that you NEED to know if you are going to do it yourself. If you do it wrong, you will be spending alot more $$ than if you just paid someone to do for you.

padrepiimp · 06-08-2009, 11:35 PM

you should run a rca cable from the amp to the back of the head unit. also a remote wire

Visionikz · 06-10-2009, 01:04 AM

It does help to google first but in simple (inexpensive) form: get a LOC or line output converter, several feet of high quality RCA cable (monster, streetwires etc). I am assuming since u have navi u have the premium system. So for u it should be pretty straight forward. Find a place in ur trunk to mount the loc preferably on a metal surface or close to one so u can ground the loc nearby to a clean unpainted metal surface. Tap the positive wire of the loc into the positive sub wire which is green and the negative wire of the loc to the negative sub wire which is red. Unplug ur sub btw and u will see the wires and DONT plug it back in afterwards! Run ur RCAs from the loc to ur amp. Run speaker wire from ur amp to ur sub or subs and ur done. Run ur ground, power and remote wires to ur amp and ur done! U will be able to control the volume of the sub with the factory stereo too! Google to find out where to connect remote wire if u don't know.

AtomSmasher5 · 06-14-2009, 08:08 PM

I don't have a premium sound system in my 2006 civic lx, could I connect the loc to the rear speakers?

Visionikz · 07-08-2009, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtomSmasher5

I don't have a premium sound system in my 2006 civic lx, could I connect the loc to the rear speakers?

Yes u can but it will only sound as good as the factory signal which is crap without some sort of DSP or signal processor.

ryangold · 07-08-2009, 07:02 PM

i have navi and i was lazy to take out the head unit so i got a converter box and ran through my stock sub wiring to my amp to sub it work great and i can use my head unit to adjust levels and stuff but the only sucky thin is that i had to put in a kill switch for my amp so it doesnt drain my battery everytime i turn off my car.... let me know if to need more help

07NHBCivicSi · 08-28-2009, 10:03 PM

Ryan so you dont have to do that tap your REMOTE into your Antenna or ACC. So it doesnt drain your battery and you dont ahve to worry about a switch.

BrooklynVtec · 09-01-2009, 03:01 AM

ryangold is right. All you need to do is get a conversion from high level to rca output and connect your amp with rca's. Then what you should do is set your crossover on the amp to the highest setting since the signal is already crossed over by the stock headunit. You don't want any missing frequencies.

GG07SI · 09-03-2009, 07:11 PM

what is a converter box and where do i get one?

jerseymike68 · 09-22-2009, 02:47 PM

Thank You!

SI4runner · 09-22-2009, 11:07 PM

with a stocked system you cant run wires to the head unit you need a divider box which gets connected to your factory speakers and spits out the RCA cables for you to connect your amp

07NHBCivicSi · 09-23-2009, 06:24 PM

which is also known as a Line Out Converter or a Hi/Lo Converter.

FIVEsixONE · 09-24-2009, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by padrepiimp

you should run a rca cable from the amp to the back of the head unit. also a remote wire

Experience, and common sense, tells me you should run your wiring off the receiver or source. This meaning your RCA's and your Remote. Also, be sure to run you run them on the opposite side of the battery/power cable running from your battery positive (+) to your amplifier.

CvcSi2008 · 11-30-2009, 02:17 AM

I'm not too knowledgable on audio and all this deal but I had my brother-in-law install my system today. I'm still using the factory headunit and speakers but running an aftermarket amp and sub. I had all that on a previous car so all I had to get was an LOC. We went to wal-mart and got a scorche LOC and a wire for remote. I remember that he disconnected the plug that goes into the factory sub, and wired the LOC to the wires of the factory sub plug. He ran the wires to the front of the car. He didn't have to take out the radio to do any wiring at all. It seemed pretty simple. It sounds awesome though. I have a Memphis Belle1300 pushing a 12" Memphis sub. I'll post pics eventually.

Silum2k6 · 11-30-2009, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIVEsixONE

Experience, and common sense, tells me you should run your wiring off the receiver or source. This meaning your RCA's and your Remote. Also, be sure to run you run them on the opposite side of the battery/power cable running from your battery positive (+) to your amplifier.

I have done plenty of audio installs, and you need not feed a turn on lead from the source, it just needs 12v when the car is on. That keeps it from turning the amp on and off with the stereo anytime you just hit the power button....now either way is acceptable, but it's all personal pref.

Also, you cannot run RCA's from any stock system unless a LOC is involved, OR you have high level inputs directly on the amp as some do.

I ran a LOC on my STI and it was perfect, I plan on using it on the Si when I do my install as well...there are a couple of threads showing exactly how to.

Silum2k6 · 11-30-2009, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CvcSi2008

I'm not too knowledgable on audio and all this deal but I had my brother-in-law install my system today. I'm still using the factory headunit and speakers but running an aftermarket amp and sub. I had all that on a previous car so all I had to get was an LOC. We went to wal-mart and got a scorche LOC and a wire for remote. I remember that he disconnected the plug that goes into the factory sub, and wired the LOC to the wires of the factory sub plug. He ran the wires to the front of the car. He didn't have to take out the radio to do any wiring at all. It seemed pretty simple. It sounds awesome though. I have a Memphis Belle1300 pushing a 12" Memphis sub. I'll post pics eventually.

That is what alot of folks do for the LOC, right off the sub. I am just waiting on a warm day to do mine.

CvcSi2008 · 11-30-2009, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silum2k6

That is what alot of folks do for the LOC, right off the sub. I am just waiting on a warm day to do mine.

My wife was in the car with me so I was not able to really turn up the bass too much (she doesn't like loud music lol). I had it at low base through the radio and still sounded so much better than that factory sub.

mattydawg2112 · 12-01-2009, 01:23 PM

I had my amp and sub installed at best buy and I also have the navigation. It cost me 125 bucks for the installation and the LOC. The tech hid the LOC under the stock sub and speakers and ran the rest of the wires under the floor mat. He then hooked up the remote wire to the dash lights as they are always on...sounds great...sound levels are pretty good....have them give you a quick amp tune while you are in there and you should be pretty happy

06-05-2009, 01:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
k20fg2SI Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 660 iTrader: 0 / 0%	installing subs and amps i have navi in my car and was wondering if i did put a sub and amp in the back truck area do i run the wires to my head unit or can i connect the wire to the bottom of the speaker in the back? im a noob at audio stuff for cars

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06-05-2009, 02:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
k20fg2SI Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 660 iTrader: 0 / 0%	any body?

06-05-2009, 02:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
avho Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West Palm Beach Age: 31 Posts: 689 Dan iTrader: 0 / 0%	You should be able to come off the rear speakers, BUT you will need a LOC. Don't just hook up the rear speaker wires to the amp. That would be ... bad. Google "wiring up a car amplifier". Lots of info out there that you NEED to know if you are going to do it yourself. If you do it wrong, you will be spending alot more $$ than if you just paid someone to do for you.

06-08-2009, 11:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
padrepiimp Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Tempa, az Posts: 16 iTrader: 1 / 100%	you should run a rca cable from the amp to the back of the head unit. also a remote wire

06-10-2009, 01:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
Visionikz Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: DFDub Age: 24 Posts: 30 JD iTrader: 0 / 0%	It does help to google first but in simple (inexpensive) form: get a LOC or line output converter, several feet of high quality RCA cable (monster, streetwires etc). I am assuming since u have navi u have the premium system. So for u it should be pretty straight forward. Find a place in ur trunk to mount the loc preferably on a metal surface or close to one so u can ground the loc nearby to a clean unpainted metal surface. Tap the positive wire of the loc into the positive sub wire which is green and the negative wire of the loc to the negative sub wire which is red. Unplug ur sub btw and u will see the wires and DONT plug it back in afterwards! Run ur RCAs from the loc to ur amp. Run speaker wire from ur amp to ur sub or subs and ur done. Run ur ground, power and remote wires to ur amp and ur done! U will be able to control the volume of the sub with the factory stereo too! Google to find out where to connect remote wire if u don't know.

06-14-2009, 08:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
AtomSmasher5 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1 iTrader: 0 / 0%	I don't have a premium sound system in my 2006 civic lx, could I connect the loc to the rear speakers?

07-08-2009, 07:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
ryangold Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 246 iTrader: 0 / 0%	i have navi and i was lazy to take out the head unit so i got a converter box and ran through my stock sub wiring to my amp to sub it work great and i can use my head unit to adjust levels and stuff but the only sucky thin is that i had to put in a kill switch for my amp so it doesnt drain my battery everytime i turn off my car.... let me know if to need more help

08-28-2009, 10:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
07NHBCivicSi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Walnut Creek/Bay Area,CA Age: 19 Posts: 2,438 Curtis iTrader: 6 / 100%	Ryan so you dont have to do that tap your REMOTE into your Antenna or ACC. So it doesnt drain your battery and you dont ahve to worry about a switch.

09-01-2009, 03:01 AM	#10 (permalink)
BrooklynVtec Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Brooklyn Zoo Posts: 157 iTrader: 1 / 100%	ryangold is right. All you need to do is get a conversion from high level to rca output and connect your amp with rca's. Then what you should do is set your crossover on the amp to the highest setting since the signal is already crossed over by the stock headunit. You don't want any missing frequencies.

09-03-2009, 07:11 PM	#11 (permalink)
GG07SI Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Harrisonburg, Va Posts: 2 Greg iTrader: 0 / 0%	what is a converter box and where do i get one?

09-22-2009, 02:47 PM	#12 (permalink)
jerseymike68 Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 87 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Thank You!

09-22-2009, 11:07 PM	#13 (permalink)
SI4runner Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 108 Bernard iTrader: 0 / 0%	with a stocked system you cant run wires to the head unit you need a divider box which gets connected to your factory speakers and spits out the RCA cables for you to connect your amp

09-23-2009, 06:24 PM	#14 (permalink)
07NHBCivicSi Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Walnut Creek/Bay Area,CA Age: 19 Posts: 2,438 Curtis iTrader: 6 / 100%	which is also known as a Line Out Converter or a Hi/Lo Converter.

11-30-2009, 02:17 AM	#16 (permalink)
CvcSi2008 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Alabama Age: 28 Posts: 178 Walt iTrader: 0 / 0%	I'm not too knowledgable on audio and all this deal but I had my brother-in-law install my system today. I'm still using the factory headunit and speakers but running an aftermarket amp and sub. I had all that on a previous car so all I had to get was an LOC. We went to wal-mart and got a scorche LOC and a wire for remote. I remember that he disconnected the plug that goes into the factory sub, and wired the LOC to the wires of the factory sub plug. He ran the wires to the front of the car. He didn't have to take out the radio to do any wiring at all. It seemed pretty simple. It sounds awesome though. I have a Memphis Belle1300 pushing a 12" Memphis sub. I'll post pics eventually.

12-01-2009, 01:23 PM	#20 (permalink)
mattydawg2112 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Maine Posts: 20 Matt iTrader: 0 / 0%	I had my amp and sub installed at best buy and I also have the navigation. It cost me 125 bucks for the installation and the LOC. The tech hid the LOC under the stock sub and speakers and ran the rest of the wires under the floor mat. He then hooked up the remote wire to the dash lights as they are always on...sounds great...sound levels are pretty good....have them give you a quick amp tune while you are in there and you should be pretty happy