Audiophiles Need Your Help

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Necronommicon

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Ok, so when we bought the LS a few years back it came with the Alpine IDA-X303 Head unit. It also has the things for Sirius radio. Here is my problem. Only the door speakers are putting any sound out, and it's all treble. Sounds horrible. I just looked under the package tray in the back and the amp and both 6X9's are still there, just no sound. No sound from the center console speakers either(don't know if there would be much anyways but, still).

There are component cables running to the back to what almost looks like a splitter of some sort, I don't know if they had something to do with the subs that were previously in it or not. There are also a few wires spliced from the left 6X9 to this splitter (or whatever it is). I know that it is very vague, but what can I start looking at to try to get these to work again and have the amp get power. Do I just need to take the H.U. out and make sure everything is hooked up or is there more to it? If needed I will try to get some pictures. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I also didn't see a cd changer, would it originally have come with it?
 
So that is an aftermarket HU. Therefore my guess is the previous owner had it installed along with an aftermarket subwoofer/amp combo.

Then before you got this vehicle, the sub and amp were removed. And all that was left (powered) was the door speakers. The people who installed the aftermarkt equipment spliced the subwoofer amp RCAs off of the stock 6x9s - therefore you have rear subwoofer output RCAs in your trunk ready for an amp of some sort.

Not sure on your LS if there was a stock 6x9 amp, I am guessing there was not, and the installers simply used the rear signal to the 6x9s to get signal to the amp that is now removed.

If you have some extra doe, I would simply removed the 6x9s and put in a decent subwoofer with amp in the trunk. Then of course use the RCAs that are back there from the previous setup.


Also what year is your LS?
 
I would put sub in it, but unfortunately we need the trunk space. I was under the impression that some of the LS's came with an upgraded stereo system that included amp, and disc changer. Is it possible to fix this so they work again easily or am I going to be tearing this thing apart to try to get it back to what it was?
 
Check and see where exactly they spliced into the 6x9s... Also while you are in there.. Look for a stock amplifier. If it has a sub amp it will be the small unit attached to the bottom of the rear decklid in between (sort of) the 6x9s.
 
The easiest way is to acquire the stock parts and replace the aftermarket unit. Ebay should have what you need for not much dough.
 
Here's a couple of photos showing what I have going on. The spliced wires run into that silver box looking thing. Also the cheapest stocker that I have seen on ebay is about $150. Wouldn't I just be better off getting a good HU from somewhere?


DSC01079.jpg

DSC01078.jpg

DSC01077.jpg
 
Where are your spliced wires going to? And what are those RCAs connected to? Both sides.. what is that silver thing w/rcas in it? and where are they spliced into?
 
You can get a custom box on ebay that saves all the trunk space and still have a good sounding system.
 
Yup you have a sub amp back there. So basically you need to take off the electrical tape that someone half-assed with that splitter and resolder/attach the wires back to the 6x9s. I am betting they are just jacked up and not making contact any longer.

Do you have a DMM? You can check if the amp is receiving power and or signal.
 
The RCA's just dead end into that silver boxy thingy. As far as the other end, not sure yet. I don't know how to pull the HU. I will try to get a better picture of the wires feeding into that silver box. The spliced wires come from the 6x9 to the silver box, don't know why. DMM? Multi meter of some sort? Sorry for my lack of knowledge guys but audio/electronics isn't my strong suit.
 
The silver box is a LOC.. line out converter for the RCA rear signal.

I already covered this in the first reply in this thread. Follow those terrible quality RCAs to wherever they go, maybe you will find a surprise aftermarket amp.. lol

Actually I bet you find they lead to nowhere, these are to go into an amp like I said above.

So now you have the choice of ripping the silver box out and reconnecting the stock 6x9s or you can add an aftermarket sub setup...

You need to take off all of that grimey electrical tape that is on those spliced wires by that 6x9 sub. I bet you will find a hack job of a connection.
 
The factory speakers in the rear deck are free-air subs. The only signal sent to them is low frequency. If the previous owner used those leads to power other speakers you'll only get the low freqs. You need to find another signal to power the other, full range speakers.
 
So here is what I have going on so far. Took the HU out and found the other end of the RCA's TADA!!! Disconnected them, figure I am not using them anyways.
0428011522a.jpg


I have the three plugs for the stock unit, do I need to splice any of the after market wires into it so that the rear subs and amp will get the power they need or should it already be getting power? Or do I just need to order a new harness? The attachment is of the after market harness.


And just because here is the back of the HU
0428011522c.jpg


0428011522.jpg
 
Alright, got the stock subs and amp working. One thing though, when the radio powers up the subs pop. WTF did I do to make that happen? Shouldn't there be silence when the radio gets powered up initially?
 
That means you have a crappy loc.

get a better quality one.
 
So I'm figuring maybe the harness I got from Schosche maybe is bad? Is that possible? Also would getting another one eliminate the "pop" sound? Is there a better quality one around or do I have this all twisted? If the harness isn't the LOC where does one get wired in?
 
No.

The silver device you have in your hand with the rca's connected to it is a line output converter. this is what allows the signal to be converted from high input to low input.

its a crappy one so it has the popping. go to a local audio shop and get a better one.
 
I completely removed that. It's in the trash actually. When I put the new little harness in to get the stock subs to work again is when the popping started.
 
Oh...didnt read through all the way.

Not sure go back and check all the connections.
 
All connections are good. So... Anyone??? Any ideas would be great, this popping is extremely annoying!!!
 
I took my sister had sub in her car that did that same thing. It was annoying, but I never checked it out. It's like power builds up and when you turn off the key it releases and pops.
 
Similar to what mine is doing, but mine pop when you turn the key to on, or start the car. It's friggin annoying.
 
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