8g Aftermarket Subs/Amp/HU with Infinity Sound System

[Blue3000GTguy]

Okay guys, so I got a pair of Rockford Fosgate 12" subs, a Sony 1000W amp, and a Dual head unit for a hundred bucks. I want to install it all in my car, but I can't get past the fact that when I wire up my head unit, I get no sound, because it doesn't have the input for the stock amp (I guess?).
So, basically what my question is, is how do I go about installing everything? I have the universal Metra wiring kit, and as far as I can tell I've matched up all of the wires that go to the head unit, but what is next after that?
I'm going to a meet on Sunday, and I'd really like to have my system working...
Any tips?

[wetamup2k3g]

http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/products/2007/120/h120707003-f.jpeg
Mitsubishi Amp integration harness. Your head unit needs RCA preouts for it to work. Plug the canon plug into the canon plug harness for the amp in the car, plug the RCA's into their respective positions on the head unit, wire the remote (blue) wire with the remote wire on the head unit and match up the other colors, ground your head unit, plug it all up and enjoy. Hope this helps!

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_120707003/Receiver-Wire-Harness.html

[Blue3000GTguy]

Yeah, I've got that harness, I just haven't used it yet because I want to put the aftermarket amp in, instead of the stock one, so I can use my subs. Is there a way to do that?

[wetamup2k3g]

What I did was use that harness, set up the rear preouts for the subwoofer and use the front preouts for the stock amp, and just use RCA splitters to make the front two channels source all four channels for the full-range speakers. Run the wiring for the subwoofer amp like normal. You can always leave the rear speakers unused if you don't want to use splitters, most sound enthusiasts might tell you to just focus on the front stage anyway.

[NCamiolo]

I gotta tell you to listen to Greg. His car sounds good even from the outside.

[wetamup2k3g]

Thanks Nick! Next year at MOD it shall sound even better! Sundown Audio comps and a 15" SSA Icon will blow the windows out!

[NCamiolo]

Thanks Nick! Next year at MOD it shall sound even better! Sundown Audio comps and a 15" SSA Icon will blow the windows out!

Look forward to it already. I just need to get my sub setup done. Already have some nice Kickers on all corners. Looking into a KickerComp 12", but really just want Kicker sub setup with the best response to handle fast base from metal/hardcore and the hard hits of Rap/hip-hop.

[Blue3000GTguy]

What I did was use that harness, set up the rear preouts for the subwoofer and use the front preouts for the stock amp, and just use RCA splitters to make the front two channels source all four channels for the full-range speakers. Run the wiring for the subwoofer amp like normal. You can always leave the rear speakers unused if you don't want to use splitters, most sound enthusiasts might tell you to just focus on the front stage anyway.

I really hate to sound like a n00b. But I am. So, could you possibly explain for me how to go about doing that?

[Blue3000GTguy]

Okay, here's a good one, I've had my head unit in for a few days now, but no subs/amp. I don't have any sound at all coming out of the rear speakers, or the left speakers. Sometimes when I drive the left ones will come on, but it's rare.
I soldered the connections again, thinking I had done a poor job, but that wasn't the case. Is the head unit faulty, or did I maybe knock something loose on the stock amp while I was cleaning out my car? Or do my speakers/car just hate me?

[wetamup2k3g]

I really hate to sound like a n00b. But I am. So, could you possibly explain for me how to go about doing that?

I would really need to see your headunit's rear panel to make sure you can do what I did, but if you have two sets of RCA preouts on the back, you can do it my way.

For the subwoofer, the head unit somewhere (either in its function menu or an actual switch somewhere) should have a setting that allows you to switch the rear output between full-range sound and subwoofer sound. Setting it to subwoofer sound is best, but if you can't/don't that's okay. You hook up the RCA's for the subwoofer amp to the rear RCA preouts on the head unit and make sure you use the LPF (low pass filter) on the subwoofer's amp to filter all the high frequencies out of the sub's signal. This way you won't damage your sub or overwork your amp trying to play music your subwoofer can't handle.

For the regular speakers, you would need to use the front RCA preouts and get two splitters to turn your two RCA preouts into four, like these:

http://www.crutchfield.com.edgesuite.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ImageHandler/fixedscale/900/900/lifestyle/2000/h119iLJRY2F.jpeg
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_119ILJRY2F/Monster-Cable-1-Male-2-Female-RCA-Y-adapter.html?tp=1934

Once you have four preouts you can then plug up the corresponding RCA plugs from the cannon plug adapter that came with the amp integration harness. That should give you sound to all seven speakers. Of course the blue remote wire on the cannon plug harness needs to be wired into the blue wire on the square harness, which gets wired to the blue wire on your head unit's harness. That should give the amp power and you should be good to go (I think you've done this though if you have any speakers working). On to the next problem...


Okay, here's a good one, I've had my head unit in for a few days now, but no subs/amp. I don't have any sound at all coming out of the rear speakers, or the left speakers. Sometimes when I drive the left ones will come on, but it's rare.
I soldered the connections again, thinking I had done a poor job, but that wasn't the case. Is the head unit faulty, or did I maybe knock something loose on the stock amp while I was cleaning out my car? Or do my speakers/car just hate me?

Check the speakers for proper connections there at the speakers, I had that happen on my old G when Circuit City did a poor solder job on my door speakers and I had to fix them myself. Check connections at the amp under the seat. Check the wires at the speaker ends with a DMM with music playing to see what your voltages look like to make sure you have power going to them and it's not the speakers themselves being bad. And of course make sure you have the head unit set right and the rears actually having signal. Again, with pictures of what you're working with I'll know for sure how to proceed, but this should get you started. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask, I'll help as much as I can. Good luck!

[TruBLUE]

Look forward to it already. I just need to get my sub setup done. Already have some nice Kickers on all corners. Looking into a KickerComp 12", but really just want Kicker sub setup with the best response to handle fast base from metal/hardcore and the hard hits of Rap/hip-hop.


Kickers L5 series does pretty well. and i love the L7 series... I think a couple 12'' l7's will get you the sound your looking for. ported box

[fliegendaffe]

Look forward to it already. I just need to get my sub setup done. Already have some nice Kickers on all corners. Looking into a KickerComp 12", but really just want Kicker sub setup with the best response to handle fast base from metal/hardcore and the hard hits of Rap/hip-hop.

Kicker is a waste of money any more. Their quality of product has diminished over the past 3-4 years.

[oakrdrs187]

^ This.

Alot like fosgate.

[wetamup2k3g]

Gonna agree with the last two posts for sure, especially about Kicker.

[NCamiolo]

Eh I've been Kicker loyal for a long time and can't say I see any problems with them. If I ever redo my system though I'd probably go to JL, always liked them too.

[oakrdrs187]

Not saying I wont buy it. Just wont expect what once was kicker/fosgate.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[wetamup2k3g]

I've done a lot of reading on SPL and bass enthusiast forums, seen a lot of videos and learned some things about T/S parameters and enclosures and excursion and response, etc., and for the money, you can do a lot better to go with some of the small-name enthusiast brands and get much better performance than a lot of name brands, Kicker and RF included. Look up Ascendant Audio, Skar Audio, Obsidian Audio, Incriminator Audio, and my favorite two brands as of late, SSA (Sound Solutions Audio) and Sundown Audio. These brands make a super-quality product right here in the US and are cheap for what they do (I know SSA and SA are totally made here, not 100% sure about the other brands I mentioned). I can get an SSA Icon 15" sub for $360 that's rated for 1250 RMS but will take 2K daily no problem and be loud and clear. Sundown is about to introduce their Z version 4 line (Z v.4) that has such mechanical fortitude that you can run the thing with the voice coil leaving the air gap no problem, the suspension is built to handle it. I've been reading a lot over at www.realmofexcursion.com, lots of good (sometimes complex) info over there.

Here's a video of a preproduction Sundown Audio Z v.4 in free air testing using a Sundown Audio SAZ-2500D amp at 2500W RMS at 1 ohm playing a 20 Hz tone. Look at the excursion! This sub will blow away the competition at SPL contests and sound good on music (if you have a good box).

KIl15o-euOw

[Blue3000GTguy]

I would really need to see your headunit's rear panel to make sure you can do what I did, but if you have two sets of RCA preouts on the back, you can do it my way.

For the subwoofer, the head unit somewhere (either in its function menu or an actual switch somewhere) should have a setting that allows you to switch the rear output between full-range sound and subwoofer sound. Setting it to subwoofer sound is best, but if you can't/don't that's okay. You hook up the RCA's for the subwoofer amp to the rear RCA preouts on the head unit and make sure you use the LPF (low pass filter) on the subwoofer's amp to filter all the high frequencies out of the sub's signal. This way you won't damage your sub or overwork your amp trying to play music your subwoofer can't handle.

For the regular speakers, you would need to use the front RCA preouts and get two splitters to turn your two RCA preouts into four, like these:

http://www.crutchfield.com.edgesuite.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ImageHandler/fixedscale/900/900/lifestyle/2000/h119iLJRY2F.jpeg
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_119ILJRY2F/Monster-Cable-1-Male-2-Female-RCA-Y-adapter.html?tp=1934

Once you have four preouts you can then plug up the corresponding RCA plugs from the cannon plug adapter that came with the amp integration harness. That should give you sound to all seven speakers. Of course the blue remote wire on the cannon plug harness needs to be wired into the blue wire on the square harness, which gets wired to the blue wire on your head unit's harness. That should give the amp power and you should be good to go (I think you've done this though if you have any speakers working). On to the next problem...



Check the speakers for proper connections there at the speakers, I had that happen on my old G when Circuit City did a poor solder job on my door speakers and I had to fix them myself. Check connections at the amp under the seat. Check the wires at the speaker ends with a DMM with music playing to see what your voltages look like to make sure you have power going to them and it's not the speakers themselves being bad. And of course make sure you have the head unit set right and the rears actually having signal. Again, with pictures of what you're working with I'll know for sure how to proceed, but this should get you started. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask, I'll help as much as I can. Good luck!

I put the stock head unit back in, and I have full-range sound again. I bought a line-out converter and hooked everything up, but my amp still isn't getting power, so I think I might have a blown amp... FML.

[fliegendaffe]

You're head unit would have no reason why your amp would be getting no power. Did you take voltage reading from your power, ground, and remote wires?

[TruBLUE]

would i need that harness for all 03 trims?

[fliegendaffe]

would i need that harness for all 03 trims?

What are you referring to?

[TruBLUE]

the harness in the beginning of the thread