| mxhuggy |
Let me first say that this site is an amazing place for MDX related data. It has re-kindled my need to be a DIY'er again. I have some good experience with mobile audio, having worked for Kenwood and a few retailers not that long ago. I am not a pro installer, but I have seen/done several high end systems...just not with a factory head.
I have looked all over the forums for the right answer but I seem to keep reading posts of people just tapping the signal after the Bose amp and re-amplifying it. I really dont want to do that.
I just bought a 4ch amp (Alpine) for the front/rear door speakers and a nice mono amp (Alpine) for the rear sub. Assuming that there are no rca preouts on the back of the stock HU, i began looking into "reverse harnesses"(Scosche # HA08RB). These allow you to plug into the factory radio, totally bypassing the amps and existing speaker wires (I plan on putting new spks/wire in as well). If i go this route how to I get a 5th signal to my sub amp? And how is it crossed-over? I have speaker level inputs on both amps but my thought here is that I need some additional box (eq?)in between that will accept 3 different sets of speaker inputs (front, rear & sub) and one of them needs to be filtered (sub).
I am used to just having one signal coming out of the head(rca) into an EQ with a sub pre-out and a regular preout. From what I can see the sub output is coming off of the Bose amp and I jsut dont want to run anything through that thing.
Your help is greatly appreciated. |
|
|
| mxhuggy |
Well after doing a little more research I have found some options to solve this problem.
Audiocontrol makes some VERY nice, yet expensive LOCs, DSPs and Xovers. They are telling me that I really need to go speaker level out of the Bose amps into their device and then it is processed from there. They also say that some of the steering wheel controls might go through the Bose amp. It sounds great and they are a reputable company but again...pricey. The only real question is where is the signal crossed over on this system. If the signal coming out of the Bose main amp is a full signal then you need to buy some thing with a xover for the sub amp, if not then you need to run a separate feed from the bose sub amp into the LOC as well as the main amp.
Check out their stuff http://www.mobileaudiocontrol.com/default.asp
Again, any thoughts will be appreciated!! |
|
|
| phins2rt |
| I would bypass the Bose amps and take the signal straight from the HU. It should be low level and then just go right to the amp. |
|
|
| mxhuggy |
quote:
Originally posted by phins2rt
I would bypass the Bose amps and take the signal straight from the HU. It should be low level and then just go right to the amp.
I wanted to do that but the guys at Audiocontrol were concerned that there are Navi/Steering control issues by not using the Bose amp. I see that you did that successfully and I was going to take it a step further by using the reverse harness and plugging it right into the radio. I see that you are using only one low level input so I have to assume that the signal is full range and that your amp is doing some high/low pass or xover functions. I also assume that you lost your front rear fader on the head unit.
Thanks! |
|
|
| phins2rt |
quote:
Originally posted by mxhuggy
I wanted to do that but the guys at Audiocontrol were concerned that there are Navi/Steering control issues by not using the Bose amp. I see that you did that successfully and I was going to take it a step further by using the reverse harness and plugging it right into the radio. I see that you are using only one low level input so I have to assume that the signal is full range and that your amp is doing some high/low pass or xover functions. I also assume that you lost your front rear fader on the head unit.
Thanks!
Yes it is a full range signal and my amp is taking care of the crossovers for the sub. I did not lose any fader functionality as my rears are still being powered by the Bose amp. The 04 set up may be a little different than the 03. Good luck with the project. It is well worth it. |
|
|
| mxhuggy |
Thanks for the information, i feel pretty comfortable just coming out of the HU into an Audiocontrol EQX. The only thing is that it only has the ability to take one set of speaker inputs, so i would lose my HU fader control. I can still set this from the EQX so its really no big deal. From the EQX i will then send a High Pass signal (90Hz) to my Alpine 70x4 amp and the Low Pass (90Hz) to my Alpine 220x1 mono amp. From what I have read hear and heard in the past, this should sound alot better than the stock setup.
I got all of this stuff on Ebay and so far I am way under my $800 budget. Now i can buy some pretty good fuses, power dist. blocks and speaker wire. |
|
|
| 04mdx4sq |
quote:
Originally posted by phins2rt
I would bypass the Bose amps and take the signal straight from the HU. It should be low level and then just go right to the amp.
This is the way I would go as well, with just one added suggestion. I would use the AudioControl Matrix line driver to boost the line level signal, the factory preamp levels are usually around 250-300mv which you can boost to 4v+ with the Matrix. You will have a better signal to the amps and you won't need to turn the gains all the way up. |
|
|
| mxhuggy |
quote:
Originally posted by 04mdx4sq
This is the way I would go as well, with just one added suggestion. I would use the AudioControl Matrix line driver to boost the line level signal, the factory preamp levels are usually around 250-300mv which you can boost to 4v+ with the Matrix. You will have a better signal to the amps and you won't need to turn the gains all the way up.
Thanks....I just got the Audiocontrol EQX, which also has the line driver built in. This stuff just oozes quality!! |
|
|
| Silver01MDX |
| I had considered using the JL Clean Sweep for sake of being able to use RCA's. AudioControl definately builds some quality products, so you can't go wrong. Just a thought, you could always use a 1/2-din preamp which would allow you to keep your F/R fader... |
|
|
| mxhuggy |
I ma using the Output levels on the EQX to adjust my F/R fader settings. My install is complete and I must say its the best money i have spent for this vehicle, I wish is did it sooner.
The Polk speakers paired up nicely with the Alpine amps. I am running 70x4 in the doors and I have 220x1 for the sub.....it is very clean and more than loud enough. The best thing i did was make a "custom" wiring harness that I got the information (pinouts etc) from this site. I basically pass through everything except for the speaker outputs on the head unit. I even retained my steering wheel volume control and my nav voice through the stereo as well.
I am now making my first fiberglass enclosure for the sub, it fits right in the stock location.
I will try to post pics when i can. |
|
|
|
