mvnatedog

OK, I'm getting ready to install my new stereo, but I need to figure out where the amps for the front speakers are. Are they in the door with each speaker? I found the amps for the rears and the "sub", but just need to find these two.

While I'm at it, should I just buy an HU mounting kit and wiring adapter at Best Buy/Circuit City/Car Toys, or is there somewhere else where I can find better/cheaper ones?

Thanks for the help!

LS1 RULZ

Every Bose system I've ever seen uses amplifier modules with each speaker.

I like to get all my installation hardware like dash kits, harnesses, antenna adapter, distribution blocks, etc at Parts Express.

mvnatedog

Thanks for the info and the website. I found the dash kit I need there, but I can't figure out which wiring harness I need. The deck I bought is an Eclipse CD3434, and I want to reuse the factory speaker wires, while bypassing the amps for aftermarket speakers. Do they have a harness that will hook into the back of the deck and then into the factory harness?

Thanks for any help, sorry if these questions sound dumb but I've never done this sort of thing before.

LS1 RULZ

Which dash kit did you get? The Metra 99-3009 IMO is the best one for our cars. It flush mounts the HU rather than making it stick out from the dash about an inch.

This harness connects to the wires coming from your HU and then plugs directly into the factory harness.
Harness

I would recommend that you only use it for the power connections. Don't use the factory ground wire because in some cases it is a source of noise. Ground the HU to the chassis somewhere under the dash. I also recommend that you do NOT use the factory speaker wires for reasons too many to list.

mvnatedog

How hard would it be to run all new wires then? Basically I bought 4 speakers to replace the factory ones, and then I want to reuse the factory "sub" and amp that are in the trunk, at least for now.

That is the dash I was planning on buying, BTW. I went on Car Toys' website and they wanted $18 for it! Looks like I'll be buying it online...

LS1 RULZ

Running all new wires is a piece of cake if you are willing to do the work yourself. It is easiest if you take out the seats to run the wires under the carpeting to the back of the car. To get them inside the door you will need to remove the kick panels and the door trim panels. Start by taping the wires to a straightened out clothes hanger and fishing them thru the door and into the rubber boot. Use your free hand to help guide it thru the boot and into the kick panel area.

Forget about using the factory amp and so called subs. Both are junk and not worth using except as boat anchors. If you absolutely must use the factory amp and subs you will need to get a PAC OEM-1 instead of the standard wiring harness. The standard harness doesn't work worth a damn when used with the factory amp. The OEM-1 is nice because it is a plug and play adapter. There is no need to cut and splice any of the factory wiring.

Parts Express sells the 99-3009 for about $10 if I remember correctly.

Black_Z28

LS1 Rulz, where do you suggest is the best place for a ground? I'm about to install a new HU in my car and I was just curious. Thanks a lot.

LS1 RULZ

Try using any screw you can find that has been shot into the car's sheet metal somewhere.

Hack95TA

In my T/A I don't have the Bose system, just the stock CD player and speakers and I am installing an aftermarket head unit and some new speakers up front, but I won't need the OEM-1 since I don't have the "premium" Bose system right?

mvnatedog

I was planning on cutting and splicing the wires in the factory harness that run to the sub amp, putting RCA's on them, and connecting them to the non-fader outs on my HU. Will that not work?

LS1 RULZ

The Bose system uses something between line level (RCA) and speaker level inputs. You can't just place RCA connectors on the wires and use them as line level connections.

mvnatedog

Oh, well in that case, it looks like I'll have to to go ahead and buy an amp and sub. I'll have to see once I get paid next week, though. Are five-channel amps any good, like the Alpine MRV-F450, Eclipse PA5532, or the MTX Thunder895 any good? Or could I run the speakers off the deck and the sub off an amp? I'm kinda on a budget, so I don't think I can afford two amps, a sub, and a sub enclosure.

Thanks very much for all your help, I'd definitely be screwed without it. Sorry if I'm starting to bug you...

LS1 RULZ

What are your plans for your system? Do you intend to use rear speakers? Since you are on a budget I would recommend going with a 3 speaker setup like mine for now. If you absolutely have to have rear speakers you can always add them later. Personally I like to run a dedicated subwoofer amp. I don't like for the main amp and subwoofer amp to share a common power supply. Here's what I would recommend for you...

Get a good HU with a built in crossover and dedicated subwoofer RCA outputs. Power the subwoofer with a class-D subwoofer amp and power the main speakers with the HU for now. You can add another amp for the front speakers later when you have the funds. Since you will be running the main speakers off of the HU I would use a set of bass blockers to hi-pass the signal to the door speakers. 80Hz @ 12dB/octave is a good crossover point to use here. Later on when you add the second amp you can use the crossover in the HU to replace the bass blockers. If you want to have rear speakers you can do one of two things. Get a 2 channel amp for the front speakers and run the rears off of the HU or use a 4 channel amp to run the front and rear speakers.

mvnatedog

My plan initially was, like I said, to use 4 aftermarket speakers and the factory sub in the back, for the time being. I was then later planning to upgrade to a 5-channel amp and a real sub. I never really considered a 3-speaker system. Will I notice much of a difference without rear speakers, especially if the fronts are only co-ax? What about enclosures and all that? I noticed you built your amp rack, how hard was that?

LS1 RULZ

The minimum number of speakers you need for quality sound is three. There is no need for rear speakers unless you have a DVD based surround sound setup. Whenever I demo my system for people they always ask me what kind of speakers I have in back. Most of the time I have to pop off the rear speaker grills just to prove to them that there aren't ANY speakers in back. Some people will say that they want rear speakers for the rear seat passengers to hear. First of all how often do you have people riding back there? Do you really think that having a speaker blasting into your shoulder is a good way to listen to music? Conversation with them is nect to impossible with them sitting so close to one of the speakers like that. The idea of a high-end car stereo setup is to simulate listening to a live music performance. When was the last time you went to a concert and had one of the guitar players standing at the back of the arena playing while the rest of the band was up on stage?

When you install your front speakers it would be a good idea to make a set of baffles like the one on my car's web page. I tried using the factory baffles at first but ended up blowing one of my woofers. On long excursions the speaker's cone was slamming into the back of the door's trim panel. This caused the voice coil to separate from the cone. The baffles I made lower the speakers 1/4" deeper into the doors to prevent this from happening. Whether this will be a problem for your car I don't know but it is something you should be aware of before hand. There is no need for enclosures for the door speakers. These types of speakers are designed to be used as "infinite baffle" or "free air" type speakers. They use the door's cavity as their enclosure.

The rack I built was designed so that anyone with a few common hand tools can build one at home. If you can't build one from the plans on my web site contact Steve at Sub Thump about one of his amp rack kits that are based on my design. Be sure to tell him that the White Rascal sent you.