Adding an Aftermarket Amp(s)

[Jebiruph]

For those struggling with the wiring polarity, the factory tweeters have a small capacitor wired to the positive terminal. Mark the side of the factory connector that connects to the capacitor and make sure that connects to the positive terminal of the new speakers.

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[Parvezident]

My sound bar speakers (OEM) stopping working after I finished my upgrade. Any clue on what I might have done wrong? Did I just unplug something or do I need to route the sound bar speaker wiring to the amp too?

Non-alpine 7” radio

New set up:
- front woofers + tweeters: Morel Maximo Ultra 602
- pre amp: PAC AP4-CH41 R.2
- sub: JL Audio 10W3V3-4
- amp: Alpine PDX-V9

 

[Sting_NC_USA]

My sound bar speakers (OEM) stopping working after I finished my upgrade. Any clue on what I might have done wrong? Did I just unplug something or do I need to route the sound bar speaker wiring to the amp too?

Non-alpine 7” radio

New set up:
- front woofers + tweeters: Morel Maximo Ultra 602
- pre amp: PAC AP4-CH41 R.2
- sub: JL Audio 10W3V3-4
- amp: Alpine PDX-V9

When you use the PAC, the new harness that plugs into the back of the radio takes away your stock stereo speaker's connection and re-routes it to the RCA cables you run to your amp.

The PAC comes with an extra wiring harness. That harness is designed to take the speaker outputs of your newly installed amplified signal and utilize the stock speaker wiring to get the amplified signal back to your speakers. Most folks run new, higher gauge wire to their aftermarket speakers to better accommodate the higher power. In your case, you would want to take the rear-channel speaker outputs from the PAC and re-route them into that harness.

I'm hoping that makes sense, but let me know if I can clarify any of that. Good luck!

 

[Parvezident]

I'm hoping that makes sense, but let me know if I can clarify any of that. Good luck!

It does! But I'm now thinking about potentially upgrade the soundbar speakers instead of using the current set up. Do you recommend going with a coax or component? Don't want to spend more than ~$150 on them since they're essentially fillers because of placement.

I want to avoid the SSV 6.5" upgrade as I'm pretty happy with my front speakers + sub. Will I need to find a 4" speaker with 75-100 RMS to avoid overpowering it from the amp? The PDX-V9 I have was tested at 129 RMS per channel (even though it's marketed at 100 RMS)

 

[Sting_NC_USA]

It does! But I'm now thinking about potentially upgrade the soundbar speakers instead of using the current set up. Do you recommend going with a coax or component? Don't want to spend more than ~$150 on them since they're essentially fillers because of placement.

I want to avoid the SSV 6.5" upgrade as I'm pretty happy with my front speakers + sub. Will I need to find a 4" speaker with 75-100 RMS to avoid overpowering it from the amp? The PDX-V9 I have was tested at 129 RMS per channel (even though it's marketed at 100 RMS)

For the record, I'm running component speakers, but that's primarily (OK, only) because my amp is an 8-channel model and is sending a discreet, amplified signal to the tweeter and mid-range in each corner of the Jeep.

I can tell you that you really won't hear the soundbar speakers very well from up front, and that they serve primarily as "fill" speakers for your system. Given that, I might recommend 4-inch coaxial speakers based on your setup.

 

[MoMoney424]

I have the base sound system that came with the JLU Sport, no subwoofer from factory. I plan on adding a 10 inch subwoofer and amp. Here's what I'll be adding:

-Kicker CompC 10" 4 ohm subwoofer
-Kicker CX 400W amp
-LOC

On top of this, I have just a standard wiring kit. Is this all i need and is the amp enough power for the 10" subwoofer or should I go with a different amp? Also, when wiring the power to the LOC, is the rear 12V power outlet a good spot to do it?

 

[Sting_NC_USA]

I have the base sound system that came with the JLU Sport, no subwoofer from factory. I plan on adding a 10 inch subwoofer and amp. Here's what I'll be adding:

-Kicker CompC 10" 4 ohm subwoofer
-Kicker CX 400W amp
-LOC

On top of this, I have just a standard wiring kit. Is this all i need and is the amp enough power for the 10" subwoofer or should I go with a different amp? Also, when wiring the power to the LOC, is the rear 12V power outlet a good spot to do it?

Yup, that should about do it. That amp matches the sub based on the data shown on Kicker's website for that woofer. You'll want to tap the LOC into the rear channel (soundbar) speakers using the twisted pair wires running up the passenger side B-Pillar.

Unfortunately, the 12V outlet won't work for you. You'll need to run a 12V line directly to the battery, ensuring you place a fuse in-line right near the battery. You may be able to use the power outlet as your "remote on" wire, but test it first to ensure it's powering off when the key is off. I think that rear outlet may be able to be changed from always on to keyed on at the fuse box. Good luck!

 

[MoMoney424]

Yup, that should about do it. That amp matches the sub based on the data shown on Kicker's website for that woofer. You'll want to tap the LOC into the rear channel (soundbar) speakers using the twisted pair wires running up the passenger side B-Pillar.

Unfortunately, the 12V outlet won't work for you. You'll need to run a 12V line directly to the battery, ensuring you place a fuse in-line right near the battery. You may be able to use the power outlet as your "remote on" wire, but test it first to ensure it's powering off when the key is off. I think that rear outlet may be able to be changed from always on to keyed on at the fuse box. Good luck!

Will wiring the LOC straight to the battery cause the LOC to always stay on? And where would you suggest connecting the remote wire for the amp, or does wiring the amp straight to the battery act as the remote?

 

[winchreadyAZ]

Will wiring the LOC straight to the battery cause the LOC to always stay on? And where would you suggest connecting the remote wire for the amp, or does wiring the amp straight to the battery act as the remote?

Yes. It would always have power if wired that way. Probably not what you want.

Since you are using Kicker products. Here is a nice Kicker LOC that will create its own "turn on signal" from the high level speaker inputs WITHOUT having to wire it to +12V. For me, I used the fwd +12v outlet to power my turn on signal because I was not using a Kicker amp and the one drawback with this Kicker LOC is that the turn on signal may not work with other brands amps.

So, the remote turn on wire for the amp would either come from your LOC (if so equipped) or from the +12V Forward power outlet (there are other options that only work with the key on, but the forward power outlet seems to be the easiest).

The only thing that should be wired directly to your battery is the main power wire for the amplifier. And as previously mentioned, that wire must have a fuse immediately after it comes off of the car battery. The size of that fuse will depend on the size of the amp. Finally, make sure you have an equally good ground wire from the amp to a proper grounding point. There are many of them around the center console / under the seats and carpet.

 

[winchreadyAZ]

i'm a dope - forgot the link

Kicker LOC with remote turn on

 

[MoMoney424]

Yes. It would always have power if wired that way. Probably not what you want.

Since you are using Kicker products. Here is a nice Kicker LOC that will create its own "turn on signal" from the high level speaker inputs WITHOUT having to wire it to +12V. For me, I used the fwd +12v outlet to power my turn on signal because I was not using a Kicker amp and the one drawback with this Kicker LOC is that the turn on signal may not work with other brands amps.

So, the remote turn on wire for the amp would either come from your LOC (if so equipped) or from the +12V Forward power outlet (there are other options that only work with the key on, but the forward power outlet seems to be the easiest).

The only thing that should be wired directly to your battery is the main power wire for the amplifier. And as previously mentioned, that wire must have a fuse immediately after it comes off of the car battery. The size of that fuse will depend on the size of the amp. Finally, make sure you have an equally good ground wire from the amp to a proper grounding point. There are many of them around the center console / under the seats and carpet.

Thanks for the advice! That's actually the LOC I had bought and it worked great without wiring the 12v anywhere. The high frequency turns it on and off. My system bumpssss now

 

[JEEF]

First off, I've gotta say thank you to @Sting_NC_USA. You're a saint for putting out all this info and helping all of these people. You've really put an unreal amount of time into this thread.


These questions aren't just for Sting, but for anyone that may know. Sorry if some of this gets to rambling.

I'm in the early planning stages of my system and I'm not sure when I'll be getting started. Recently I've been scouring the web looking for info and I can't seem to find all the answers. There was a guy a couple of pages back that asked some that I also have and I haven't seen them answered:


1. When you use the AMP Pro on the Factory Alpine system, I know the AMP Pro goes between the factory head unit and the factory amp. Does that mean that the AMP Pro is getting the signal BEFORE any factory EQ, Time Alignment, Etc.? Therefor, it doesn't need to do any corrections like the JL Fix products? Put another way, is the factory processing done in the factory HU, or the factory amp?

2. If you use the JL Fix products, do you lose the chimes/warnings/hands-free, etc? Or, are they just amplified along with everything else? This makes sense to me.

2b. If those sounds are amplified, are they overpowering?

3. Has anyone used the Optical output for the AMP Pro? Is there any hiss? How does it sound compared to the RCA outs?

4. If using the optical out for the AMP Pro, does it lose any resolution when it's at anything less that full volume?

5. Can the JL Fix products be spliced in between the factory HU and the factory amp in the same way that the AMP Pro is? In order to get a cleaner signal? Would you lose the chimes/warnings/hands-free, etc?

6. If using the Fix 82 and running optical out of that? Would the optical out vary with the factory volume knob the way it would with the AMP Pro's optical?

7. Can 2 JL Audio Twk DSPs be used together? I need more than 8 channels. I know they'd probably have to be tuned in separate Tun sessions and use 2 separate knobs to change presets and that's ok, I guess. I don't think you can use the VXi hub with the TWKs


Like I said, I'm just trying to get all this stuff figured before I start.

I'm planning on doing a fully active system. 3-way in the front and in the sound bar with 6-6.5" midbass, 3-3.5" mids and 1" tweets and 2 12" sealed subs. All with a LOT of power. I'd like to use 2 JL Twk-D8s if thats possible.

I know the JL VXi amps can be networked with the hub and accessed in one Tun session, but they are more than what I want to spend and they're too large for the way I want to design the back. I'm gonna do a false floor with the subs in the middle and compartments on the sides for recovery gear, etc. This is NOT a mall crawler. LOL.


Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Sting_NC_USA]

Thanks for the kind words, Jeff. Happy to help where I can, as this is fun hobby-type stuff for me. While I'm not sure I can address everything, I'll take a shot at it, and others can fill in any blanks or expand further on these responses.

1. When you use the AMP Pro on the Factory Alpine system, I know the AMP Pro goes between the factory head unit and the factory amp. Does that mean that the AMP Pro is getting the signal BEFORE any factory EQ, Time Alignment, Etc.? Therefor, it doesn't need to do any corrections like the JL Fix products? Put another way, is the factory processing done in the factory HU, or the factory amp?

You'll definitely need Signal LOC and DSP processing for the system you're describing. The JL Fix86 or possibly one of the AudioControl processors would be ideal. The PAC works for "many" but running the type of system you're describing, you'll want more thorough processing than the PAC is capable of delivering.​

​

2. If you use the JL Fix products, do you lose the chimes/warnings/hands-free, etc? Or, are they just amplified along with everything else? This makes sense to me.

You'll keep all of those features, they'll simply be amplified based on your selected volume level. In the early years of the JL, the phone ringing and other sounds were ridiculously loud, though through uConnect updates, the sounds have been tamed. Worth noting, I have the base system, but haven't heard complaints from those here who have the premium system and have followed this approach. Hopefully others will share their experiences on this.​

2b. If those sounds are amplified, are they overpowering?

Similar to the answer above, it's volume dependent.​

3. Has anyone used the Optical output for the AMP Pro? Is there any hiss? How does it sound compared to the RCA outs?

Sorry, can't contribute much here, but when I think of Optical, I'm thinking clear, high-quality sound sources. A converted stock system signal that's "cleaned" and then converted to Optical doesn't appeal to me personally.​

4. If using the optical out for the AMP Pro, does it lose any resolution when it's at anything less that full volume?

Skip the PAC and count on the more powerful processors, or use the PAC and feed it into one of the processors.​

5. Can the JL Fix products be spliced in between the factory HU and the factory amp in the same way that the AMP Pro is? In order to get a cleaner signal? Would you lose the chimes/warnings/hands-free, etc?

Processors like the JL Fix and others require the amplified signal, as they receive and correct signals from speaker level inputs. ​

​

There are a few options that involve using the PAC to feed it's signal into the JL Fix, AudioControl or other options. That seems pricey, though, and leads me to this next option.​

​

The Metra AX-DSP-X option functions similarly to the PAC. While I haven't used it, see the post by @NYknowledge (Here), as he's outlined the parts used with this particular setup. ​

​

I don't reference it directly in this thread because I haven't installed a system with one, and can't speak to its use with first-hand knowledge. That said, it seems like it may be the easiest way to get a signal to a DSP without cutting stock wires. You'll definitely need the resistors with this approach, and Rob's post clearly outlines how he's adapted that modular kit.​

6. If using the Fix 82 and running optical out of that? Would the optical out vary with the factory volume knob the way it would with the AMP Pro's optical?

My understanding is yes. Functionality should be the same, otherwise optical would be useless with out that capability.​

7. Can 2 JL Audio Twk DSPs be used together? I need more than 8 channels. I know they'd probably have to be tuned in separate Tun sessions and use 2 separate knobs to change presets and that's ok, I guess. I don't think you can use the VXi hub with the TWKs
[/QUOTE]

Possibly!? How's that for confidence? I "believe" you can utilize the JL Audio Networking hub with multiple TWKs to accomplish just about anything you need based on your outlined needs. I say this only because the TWK 88's have a JL ID port. That leads me to believe more than one could be used, though see the last bolded paragraph in this section for clarification as Travis is "the man."​

​

But consider this... How much control do you want for tuning? The bigger question for a truly high-end system is whether or not you believe a 10-Channel Graphic/Parametric EQ (per channel) will work vs. a 30 Channel EQ?​

​

Personally, I'm doing fine with 10 separate 10-Channel Parametric EQ's via the TWK features built into my VXi 800/8 and it's two throughput channels feeding my sub's amp. This is primarily due to the fact that the JL Fix86 does a really, really good job correcting the stock signals.​

​

As you know this stuff can get fairly technical, and you'll see I've left a reference source/contact at the end of Post 1 here. Don't hesitate for a second to reach out to talk to Travis, as he's ridiculously experienced and helpful with this level of installation.​

Jeff, these were great questions, and I'm hopeful others will chime in as well. Feel free to respond with any additional thoughts or for clarification. Sounds like you're heading down a fun path!

 

[StaindReality]

I have the base sound system that came with the JLU Sport, no subwoofer from factory. I plan on adding a 10 inch subwoofer and amp. Here's what I'll be adding:

-Kicker CompC 10" 4 ohm subwoofer
-Kicker CX 400W amp
-LOC

On top of this, I have just a standard wiring kit. Is this all i need and is the amp enough power for the 10" subwoofer or should I go with a different amp? Also, when wiring the power to the LOC, is the rear 12V power outlet a good spot to do it?

I have the same amp and sub I am putting into my base system as well. What is the LOC? And I also would like to do myself but not sure where to begin as it has been 20 years since I have done this stuff.

 

[StaindReality]

Sorry. I should have read further. So. I don’t have time to have this installed so I’m going to try myself. So I have the comp c sub and 400 Watt mini amp and loc also. So I want to be clear. I run the wire kit from battery and back to back of Jeep. I tap into the sound bar speakers in the rear puller with the loc. Then plug my rca from loc to sub. What do I hook to amp besides power wire. I’m sorry. It’s been years and I don’t remember crap. Also do I unhook just the main battery positive and negative. Or just positive wire. And or both batteries? Maybe I missed some of this in all these pages. Where did y’all hook up the remote wire?

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