DeewLay

new to the forum...but i've been reading almost all the posts regarding this topic. so if i'm regurgitating info, or asking something that someone else has already answered, i apologize in advance...

i have a 2005 tl navi and am planning on installing my old amp (mtx thunder 4202) and old sub (jl 10w0 in a prowedge box) in the new few weeks. i just want to clarify what the proper steps are.

so from what i've read i need to do the following:
1) cut the speaker wire that is leading to the stock sub.
2) connect a line out converter (LOC?) to that wire that was connected to the old sub.
3) attach rca cables to the LOC and to the amp.
4) connect the remote wire (from the amp) to the accessory fuse.
5) attach the sub to the amp.

let me know i'm missing a step, or got a step wrong.

final question - what is the difference between LOC and hi-lo converter?

thanks for everyone's help! i hope this project goes smoothly ...and if not, maybe this will help the next person wanting to try this project (and from what i've read, there seems to be many!).

DeewLay

i just realized on my mtx 4202, there is a speaker level input on the side of the amp. can i just attach the speaker wires (that used to run to the stock sub) into that, instead of adding a LOC?

MOS805

Yes, if your amp takes speaker level inputs you can just attatch the speaker wires from the stock sub straight into the amp to get your signal.

hp1kw

LOC = hip-lo converter

DeewLay

thanks for the help fellas....i just bought an amplifier install kit from amazon, and will be doing this install in a few weeks. i'll update then!!!

DeewLay

ok, so i'm starting on this project tomorrow....

a couple of final questions:
1) the wires that are connected to the stock sub - i just need to cut that and rewire to the speaker level input?
2) does the rear deck have to be removed, or can i find the wire when looking up inside the trunk?
3) does the rear seats have to be removed to run the power, and remote wires to the front?

thanks!!!!

MOS805

1) Yezzir just cut and splice/solder some wire route to your amp
2) No, just have to remove the top liner in the trunk and you can find the wire there, liner pulls off fairly easy
3) Doesn't have to I easily routed 4 gauge power wire through there no problem without removing the seat, you will need to move the side molding in the car and side panels in the trunk to get the wire all the way through though

DeewLay

sweet. sorry...one more thing.

it's probably easier to run the wires through the driver side since the battery is on that side, correct?

and is there a hole/space where i can run the wire from the interior to the battery?

i hope this works...i was talking to a best buy car audio guy and he was saying that this might not work since i'm drawing power for 2 amps from the battery....

Trunk Monkey

iTrader: (1)

You are correct on the install, although our signal pre & post amp is balanced. Unless your amp accepts a balanced input you'll get noise. Might be ok for the sub as those freq. will be HP'd but I'll let someone else confirm that.

Also, pop the trunk and pull the clips off the top liner (near the base of rear windshield). Pull it back towards the rear seats and you'll see the big hole for the sub. You can't remove the sub this way, but you can wire an LOC into it this way very easily. Reach up in there and you'll feel the harness hanging loose. Pull it down, cut it and those are you post-amp wires to wire into the LOC.

Another thing, this post-amp signal will already be crossed over (I think it's at 63/12db) so you shouldn't need to do anything with the amp besides setting gains. Turn x-overs to FULL PASS (or highest freq.) and you're good to go.


Forgot another thing..that amp looks to have signal sense for remote when using high-level input (speaker wire). So no need to run remote wire. But then again, with my current/past remote wire brain fart, I wouldn't listen to me lol. But in all seriousness..no remote wire is needed

Trunk Monkey

iTrader: (1)

Best Buy "car audio guy" = random idiot (99% of time) that doesn't know anything

sddale

There is a black plug on the center of the firewall that you can pull out and run the power wire through. There are pics here if you search for "obsidian" and find the post where they did an IB installation. The pics are or links to the pics are in that thread.

DeewLay

Trunk Monkey - thanks bro!! i get less nervous when i have a bit more detail into what i'm doing.....since i really have no idea what i'm doing...

i looked on the crutchfield website regarding my old amp, and i notice this:

"Speaker-level inputs with SmartEngage (turns the amp on when it detects signal from the receiver, eliminating the need for a separate turn-on lead from your receiver)"

is that what you meant when you mentioned that i won't need to run a remote wire to the fuse box?

Trunk Monkey

iTrader: (1)

No problem! And yeah, that's what I saw. Should work fine without the remote wire going into the amp. Good luck

DeewLay

thanks! i'm gonna need it....planning on starting around 9.30 am, and aiming to finish up by 2 pm....

DeewLay

ok. so i spent the last 5 hours working on this...and here is another question.

where the harness for the stock sub is, we plugged in the speaker level input (which is plugged into the amp). everything works. BUT....when i turn off the car, and turn it back on, the sub no longer works. it's not the amp, b/c the light turns on/off with the ignition.

so what i did is unplug the negative from the harness to the speaker level input. and when i do this, the sub works even after i turn off the car...and turn it back on.

is this normal? if not, what am i doing wrong? and is this safe?

thanks!!!

DeewLay

anyone? i really hope nothing blows up.... hahah....

Trunk Monkey

iTrader: (1)

Wait...so you only have the positive sub wire going into the amp? No negative?

Have you tried an LOC if you have one? See how the RCA input would work instead of using your high-level speaker input

DeewLay

yeah. just the positive sub wire going into the amp. weird b/c even if i switch which side that wire is attached to the sub harness (positive or negative), the sub will work. again, no negative attached...

no, i have not. i thought using the speaker level input would work, so i didn't bother buying a loc. should i?

will my amp (and my car) be ok, if i just have a positive sub wire running into the amp?

thanks again trunk monkey!