Audio wiring help

[Eric0508]

I have a 2000 v8, premium sound. Im planning on upgrading my stereo here shortly (once it gets somewhat warm out) and had an interesting theory. When you typically install your new deck, you lose the function of the center console speakers. Most people couldnt care less about these, but i feel they add alot of good sound, so i'd like to keep them functional. So heres my theory:
1) You lose the console speakers because you cant feed a powered signal into them because they have they're own amp already.
2) So.... if you feed them with just signal from the stereo, they should retain their function
3) My cd has 2 sets of RCA outs, one for subs, and one for speakers.
4) Can i buy some RCA cables, cut off one end, and hook them up to the center console and have them work okay? I do not believe these are a "powered" signal

Does anyone think this would work? Or have any advice about this?

 

[SPY]

Are you using an amp for your front or rear speakers? What I did until I got my center channel amp was use an amp for my front and rear speakers and wire the center speakers to the cd player.

Cutting some RCA's won't work because the center channel speakers get their power from the amp inside the factory radio.

 

[Eric0508]

I was pretty sure that the center console speakers had their own dedicated amp. The front and rear door speakers get their power from the actual head unit. This isnt my actual cd player, but will give an idea of what i want to do.

 

[SPY]

I have a 2002 that had the premium Alpine radio. I have replaced every speaker in the car, including the center channels and I didn't fine any amps other than what is in the radio and the one for the 6x9's under the rear deck.

Also the RCA's are also called "low level outputs" meaning they don't produce enough power to supply a speaker with power.

 

[Eric0508]

Okay, i was fairly sure the center channel's had their own amp, which is why i was going to try the RCA's. But if that is not the case, then something was probably wrong with my wiring. Thanks for the help!

Out of curiosity, what did you replace your center channel speakers with?

 

[SPY]

CDT Audio CL-4X

4" Coaxial Speakers

 

[Eric0508]

Poseted by someone Quik Ls along time ago:
You only have 12 speakers - if you have the audiophile option - your CD changer has to say 'Alpine' on the CD door.

The audiophile option -
- four 2-way 5"x8" speakers - one in each door - driven by the head unit (these count as two speakers each)
- two 3.5" speakers in the console lower front - driven by a DSP (digital signal processing) amp under the dash infront of the console
- two 6"x9" speakers in the rear deck - driven by a 85w sub-woofer amp under the rear deck


I is confused, im getting two different replies

 

[SPY]

I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.

But when I replace my HU and center speakers I never came across another amp.

 

[lseguy]

It was all too confusing to me. I've also heard that it can be "challenging" to get those speakers phased in properly, with the proper audio channels/signals sent to those speakers in an aftermarket configuration.

After 1 day of having the Avic D3 hooked up without those speakers? I totally forgot all about them. And the audio sound is still far better/crisper/cleaner with the Avic D3 (im sure any quality aftermarket head will give the same results) and the lack of the center channel speakers than the stock Alpine Audiophile with those center channel speakers.

 

[SPY]

I kept them since I'm going to be using an Alpine PXA-H701 sound processor which will give me a 5.1 surround for movies.

 

[fethgtgh]

so could you hook up your rear subs to the rca's that your hu has that u labeled subs

 

[Quik LS]

Yes - they have their own DSP amp.

The large 20-pin connector:
Position 5 and 6 = right rear (- white and + gray)
Position 12 and 13 = left rear (- whit/violet and + gray/white)
Position 7 and 8 = right front (- white/red and + gray/red)
Position 14 and 15 = left front (- white/black and + gray/black)

Constant power = position 9 (orange.black)
Switched hot in start = position 3 (gray/orange)
Switched hot in run or ACC = position 10 (yellow/green)
Ground = position 16 (black/green)

The 16-pin connector contains the connections to the steering wheel controls and various data bus signals. The cassette systems with external CD changer have a connector dedicated to the signal cable for the changer.

On audiophile systems, there is an 8-pin connector wired as follows:
position 1 = sub + line level signal (gray/red)
position 2 = sub - line level signal (white/red)
position 3 = shield for sub amp signal
position 4 = +12 remote power to sub amp (yellow/red)
position 5 = center channel - line level signal (gray)
position 6 = center channel + line level signal (white)
position 7 = shield for center channel signal
position 8 = +12 remote power to center channel amp (yellow)

The trunk connector (on the drivers side) is number C465 and the sub audio uses these pins:
1 = yellow/red: switched hot
3 = shield for low level audio signal
5 = red: constant power from battery junction box fuse F418 (20 amps)
7 = white/red: low level LEFT audio signal
8 = grey/red: low level RIGHT audio signal

Remember - for sound quality - they are not simply another set of speakers - they are part of the DSP (digital Sound Processing) so they add depth with echo and delay.

 

[fethgtgh]

oooooo, i get it now on mine i got rca's for the front and rear count i hook up the factory rears and a 12 inch in the trunk

 

[Eric0508]

well..... i guess i'll have to bust out the ohm meter before i'm done.

Thanks for all the help though!