Urgent stereo/speaker question

[Chubbs765]

Today I had my local shop install my new kenwood ddx418. All went well until I got in it and drove away. On the way home I noticed that my front speakers, both the speakers and the tweeters weren't working. It seemed as the rears were playing full range instead of low pass. Any ideas?

 

[1LoudLS]

Any ideas?

yeah they messed it up.

as far as rear speakers playing full range (assuming you mean the subs as the rear door speakers are supposed to the full range), go into your setting and make sure they turned the crossover settings (LPF) on, a lot of places dont even bother to go through the menus and make sure everything sounds right anymore. if the LPF is turned on, then they probably just plugged the sub RCA connector into one of the front or rear outputs by mistake. should be an easy fix either way. the fronts are not so likely, you really dont want the center console speakers working any more as the kenwood doesn't have the sound processing needed for it to sound right, the front door speakers have to either be a wiring mistake, or they blew them out testing the radio (highly doubtful, but I've seen worse).

 

[Chubbs765]

What is the correct wiring harness for a 2003 with a 8 speaker system? Any way it could be the harness or do you have to do something special to get the tweeters to work?

 

[1LoudLS]

What is the correct wiring harness for a 2003 with a 8 speaker system?

it depends on if it was an early or late production 03, they switched mid year.

the 12 speaker system uses either a Metra 70-5519 (early 03) or a 70-5521 (late 03) even the systems with out OEM subs still use the same part numbers, just one of the parts doesn't get used.

Any way it could be the harness or do you have to do something special to get the tweeters to work?

well the tweeter are mounted into a plate along with a mid range in each door for two speakers in each door

if the subs are working, they used the right harness, its hooked up the same. i would be more concerned with the front doors

 

[Chubbs765]

By tweeters I meant the speakers in the center console. But by the looks of it I didn't have either one of those harnesses.

 

[1LoudLS]

which harness did you have?

 

[Chubbs765]

I used the schosche fdk13b wiring harness by the way. I was told it was the same as the metra 5519

 

[joegr]

By tweeters I meant the speakers in the center console. But by the looks of it I didn't have either one of those harnesses.

Then you have the twelve speaker system, not the eight speaker one. You don't want the front center speakers hooked up. Your aftermarket doesn't have the surround sound DSP mode to correctly use them.

 

[1LoudLS]

it sure is, the right harness was used. I'd take it back and fave them fix all of the problems.

 

[Chubbs765]

Thanks for the input guys. I got it taken care of, the installer was highly embarrassed so he gave me a cord to hook my iPhone up to the head unit for free. But joe, what exactly do you mean when you said the aftermarket deck doesn't have what it needs to use those speakers? We managed to get those working very well actually.

 

[joegr]

Thanks for the input guys. I got it taken care of, the installer was highly embarrassed so he gave me a cord to hook my iPhone up to the head unit for free. But joe, what exactly do you mean when you said the aftermarket deck doesn't have what it needs to use those speakers? We managed to get those working very well actually.

They're center channel speakers. Aftermarket decks don't come with an output that is a center channel for mid range speakers. You probably have it wired such that the center two speakers are either playing the left side on both speakers or the right side. Either way, it messes up the sound stage and stereo separation. If you're happy with it that way, then so be it.

 

[Chubbs765]

All of the speakers in the car work actually. Those center speakers are wired with the factory subs, one RCA is the subs and the other is the center speakers. I went away with the subs and just wired up the center speakers

 

[joegr]

All of the speakers in the car work actually. Those center speakers are wired with the factory subs, one RCA is the subs and the other is the center speakers. I went away with the subs and just wired up the center speakers

I didn't say they didn't work. I said that both center channel speakers are the same output, instead of left and right. The factory amp in the car is only one channel, so unless you added a stereo to mono mixing adapter, they are both only playing the left or the right side. Yes, all the other speakers are working correctly. If you really attached them to the sub output, then you won't get much out. Those are mid and high range speakers only, and the sub output should be low range only.

Again, without the right DSP mode, you won't get a correct sound stage. This doesn't matter because it is your car and you are happy with it. You won't convince me that this is the right way to do it, and I have no need to convince you that it isn't. I was just trying to explain it to you, but I don't think that I am able.

Anyway, enjoy...

 

[Chubbs765]

At first I was unsure on what you were trying to say but I understand now. But I thought by default those speakers were hooked up to that amp??

 

[joegr]

At first I was unsure on what you were trying to say but I understand now. But I thought by default those speakers were hooked up to that amp??

They're on the same connector as the sub-woofer amp, but they have their own amp. The connector has a single mono signal (two wires) connection for the sub amp, plus an amp turn-on lead. The connector also has a single mono signal (two wires) connection for the center channel amp, plus an amp turn-on lead.

 

[1LoudLS]

why did they un-hook the factory subs?

the factory subs dont have to be unhooked for the center console speakers to work.

one RCA will plug in the sub output, then the other will plug into either the front right or the front left output (this is why they shouldn't be hooked up, what Joe is talking about, its either both center speakers are a left channel or both are a right channel)

 

[1LoudLS]

just saw in your sig that you have a real sub, this is probably why you didn't have low pass on the factory sub, the RCA connector for sub output are probably connected to RCA's for the sub amp. in this case, it is possible to gain a little more height in the trunk by removing the factory subs, dont know how you box is for that XXX but with the OEM subs out of the way the sub box could be a little taller or possibly let the box slide back a little further.

 

[Chubbs765]

Yeah I figured with the XXX in the trunk I have no possible use for those factory subs unless they had the ability to play full range but they don't I plan to eventually put Boston acoustic speakers all around. Hopefully the old "sub" holes will be the first with these.

 

[Stopsign002]

Yeah I figured with the XXX in the trunk I have no possible use for those factory subs unless they had the ability to play full range but they don't I plan to eventually put Boston acoustic speakers all around. Hopefully the old "sub" holes will be the first with these.

Thats sort of my plan at the moment. I want to put Alpines in the doors and the back sub deck then maybe some R type alpines if I want more bass after that