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Started By
Message
Adding a subwoofer to existing car audio
Posted on 11/30/15 at 3:09 pm
Posted on 11/30/15 at 3:09 pm
I'm thinking of adding a very small subwoofer to my existing OEM audio system. The example below will fit under my car seat for concealment.
Current audio controls are through my touchscreen command center console, integrated with Navigation, A/C, etc. In order to install this subwoofer, is it necessary for a car audio installation shop to remove the "head unit" that controls my NAV, A/C, etc.? Or can they access whatever wiring is necessary without having to remove "head unit?"
I am hoping for the ladder, as I prefer to not remove anything that is currently set in place from my vehicle's manufacturer.
Current audio controls are through my touchscreen command center console, integrated with Navigation, A/C, etc. In order to install this subwoofer, is it necessary for a car audio installation shop to remove the "head unit" that controls my NAV, A/C, etc.? Or can they access whatever wiring is necessary without having to remove "head unit?"
I am hoping for the ladder, as I prefer to not remove anything that is currently set in place from my vehicle's manufacturer.
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 3:14 pm
2
Posted on 11/30/15 at 3:12 pm to Will Cover
What kind of vehicle? Most normal system you could just grab signal from the speaker wires.
Posted on 11/30/15 at 3:13 pm to TigerWise
2015 Ford F-150. I edited my original post to include picture of "head unit."
Posted on 11/30/15 at 3:54 pm to Will Cover
Does it have the Sony or whatever upgraded system?
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:03 pm to Will Cover
You can grab speaker output from rear door speaker, run to speaker level input of amp, and then all you need is to power the amp.
No need to touch head unit. This is exactly how I did my 2011 f150 with the Sony system before replacing my factory head unit.
No need to touch head unit. This is exactly how I did my 2011 f150 with the Sony system before replacing my factory head unit.
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:06 pm to Hammertime
Yes, it is the upgraded Sony system.
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:07 pm to CP3
quote:
No need to touch head unit. This is exactly how I did my 2011 f150 with the Sony system before replacing my factory head unit.
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:07 pm to TigerWise
Good chance they will have to get in the dash to install. You need to run a remote turn on wire to the factory stereo.
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 4:12 pm
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:17 pm to SG_Geaux
Amp turns on when power goes to it through speaker wires or RCAs
For signal going to the speakers, isn't that regulated via a crossover in the head unit and then in the factory amp also?
quote:My roommate has a hell of a time getting his set up. He removed the factory sub and used those wires though. Had to find an amp that worked with it (3 tries on that one), and had to add a JL cleansweep also. He had one of those LC7 ones, and it didn't work. Settled on a Rockford amp and the cleansweep.
CP3
For signal going to the speakers, isn't that regulated via a crossover in the head unit and then in the factory amp also?
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 4:30 pm
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:19 pm to Will Cover
Easy job for any car stereo place Pac converter,amp kit.install amp and sub
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:39 pm to Hammertime
Your roomate went way overboard.
The con of the Sony premium system is that the headunit uses an encoded signal for audio output to the amp, which is located under the center console.
So the headunit uses 2 wires to send audio to amp, the amp has built in DSP to decode this signal into the individual outputs (door speakers, tweeters, sub and center channel). Once they are converted under the console they are just like any other speaker level output. That's why you have to grab the signal from the speaker, not the headunit. This makes swapping headunits more difficult, because you essentially have to run new wires from behind the dashboard to the doors to bypass the factory amp.
This has no effect on adding a subwoofer though. You can easily just splice into a rear speaker output and use that as subwoofer input. Set the amps high and low pass filters to get the desired audio range on the sub.
If your amp doesn't have speaker level input and only has RCA connectors, you can buy a line level converter for like $10 that takes speaker output and strips it down to a low level input typical for most amp setups. Absolutely no need for a special amp or cleansweep if you just want to add a simple sub setup.
Trust me, I've done a TON of work and research on these setups.
The con of the Sony premium system is that the headunit uses an encoded signal for audio output to the amp, which is located under the center console.
So the headunit uses 2 wires to send audio to amp, the amp has built in DSP to decode this signal into the individual outputs (door speakers, tweeters, sub and center channel). Once they are converted under the console they are just like any other speaker level output. That's why you have to grab the signal from the speaker, not the headunit. This makes swapping headunits more difficult, because you essentially have to run new wires from behind the dashboard to the doors to bypass the factory amp.
This has no effect on adding a subwoofer though. You can easily just splice into a rear speaker output and use that as subwoofer input. Set the amps high and low pass filters to get the desired audio range on the sub.
If your amp doesn't have speaker level input and only has RCA connectors, you can buy a line level converter for like $10 that takes speaker output and strips it down to a low level input typical for most amp setups. Absolutely no need for a special amp or cleansweep if you just want to add a simple sub setup.
Trust me, I've done a TON of work and research on these setups.
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 4:43 pm
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:46 pm to CP3
He could not get the wires going to the factory sub to work properly IIRC. Never tried the door speakers
Posted on 11/30/15 at 4:49 pm to Hammertime
Ah, well that was probably his problem.
He could have easily fixed that for 10$ instead of the $300 cleansweep
He could have easily fixed that for 10$ instead of the $300 cleansweep
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 4:57 pm
Posted on 11/30/15 at 5:11 pm to CP3
Just asked him. The wires weren't getting enough steady power, and the amps were shutting off intermittently. He tested the wires going to the sub amp, and tried matching those numbers to the amp turn-on voltage, but I guess the amp manufacturers lied about the required input voltage.
He's got it set up with a 500w Rockford tiny amp, the cleansweep, and a Pioneer thin 12. Sounds like shite IMHO. It only hits low notes, and is sloppy.
I have a Tang Band 6.5 that sounds cleaner, but doesn't hit as hard. Would rather what I have than his setup
He's got it set up with a 500w Rockford tiny amp, the cleansweep, and a Pioneer thin 12. Sounds like shite IMHO. It only hits low notes, and is sloppy.
I have a Tang Band 6.5 that sounds cleaner, but doesn't hit as hard. Would rather what I have than his setup
Posted on 11/30/15 at 5:31 pm to Hammertime
The clean sweep is pretty much useless in that situation he had. If he ran new power for amp and tried grabbing the audio output right at the sub, it should have worked. I just used rear door speaker Bc I was keeping factory sup in tact, and rear speaker output was closer to where I mounted my amp
This post was edited on 11/30/15 at 5:32 pm
Posted on 12/1/15 at 6:38 am to CP3
I wouldnt touch anything factory in this truck electronic wise more than you need too.
If you are installing or a shop (tell them)
-use a line out converter for audio signal (as already said) just pull it off the back door speaker.
-wire the remote wire for the amp to an ignition fuse or radio fuse so it will turn off when the truck is off
-Power wires will obviously come from the battery ensure it's fused.
If you are installing or a shop (tell them)
-use a line out converter for audio signal (as already said) just pull it off the back door speaker.
-wire the remote wire for the amp to an ignition fuse or radio fuse so it will turn off when the truck is off
-Power wires will obviously come from the battery ensure it's fused.
This post was edited on 12/1/15 at 6:40 am
Posted on 12/1/15 at 1:48 pm to southern686
I tried an under seat, powered woofer similar to that. Had them try 2 different ones, a focal and some other brand. Neither of them added anything to the sound in my truck. I'm not one for ghetto bass, but these didn't even fill out the sound in my truck. You may be better off replacing the factory speakers with quality aftermarket components.
Posted on 12/1/15 at 2:13 pm to DownSouthDave
quote:
under seat, powered woofer
This is the problem.
Buy a 10" woofer and box + amp and be done with it. I added a 10" JL and 300W RMS amp. Way more "beat" than I need, but I have it toned down and it sounds great. Adds a ton of depth to my music and a good kick for rock.
Posted on 12/1/15 at 2:30 pm to CP3
I ended up with a JL 8 in a ported JL box. It fit under my rear seat and the amp went under my passenger side seat. 100x better than the sub/amp combo. Wasn't even close.
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