2LOW4U

I got a smokin deal on the amps/sub on Ebay:
ZX475-Ti new in box... $260 shipped, $799 retail
Ti1200.1 new, was a display... $520 shipped, $1,200 retail
JL audio 12W7, new drop shipped from JL. $495 shipped, $799 retail.

The install was about $1,150. That included the fiberglassed re-enforced 1" MDF box, and flush mount rear wall, with the amps flushed into the spare tire well, and line outs tapped off the fronts, rears and sub all seperatley to keep my 5.1.

It was a little bit of money, but sure sounds

zax123

2LOW4U,

Do you have any pics of your install?

2LOW4U

Not yet, I can go take some of the install for ya, but the amp that runs the sub is in for service, so the amp that is in it doesn't match and is rigged. I'll get some pics of it in a week or so when the other amp is back in.

zax123

I just want to see how/where people are installing their amps and subs. I want to do this this winter and I need ideas.

2LOW4U

I'll make a thread as soon as the other amp is in... they are in the spare tire well with the fuse block and dist block/cap under the amps, and the sub up against the pass through, (which I never use)

zax123

So you felt safe sacrificing the spare tire huh?

2LOW4U

I've never had a spare, EVER... always had large stereos, no room for it. I drove cross country from San Fran to Dallas about 12 times now with no spares...

I have AAA, so I'm not worried about a flat. Had a couple a few years back when I ran some lower end tires on my Stang, but haven't had any flats out on the road, I usually notice them in the driveway or in the garage, esp when the tires loose air sitting there.

zax123

I guess I'll have to consider it then... cuz I don't want to sacrifice trunk space for the amps...

2LOW4U

Exactly, that was my dilema, I wanted to keep most of my trunk. My other two cars are toys, and they have no trunks from stereos, so this install needed to be mostly concealed.

zax123

Well, all I can say is I'm looking forward to seeing some pics of your install!

Zoser

Toasters,

Awesome thread on your project! Thanks for taking your time to document it. I have a few questions about your installation:

1) Did you use the tool recommended in the service manual for removing the clips for the trim? If not what did you use and how do you remove them?

2) There are references to SRS warnings on the pages about removing the back seat and deck lid but the links do not actually show the SRS warnings. What should one be aware of when removing them other than using general care in not damaging anything?

3) Where did you put your crossovers for the front component speakers?

4) You said that you were going to try using the Navi power line as a remote wire for the amp. Did that work? Please give details on your solution for the amp remote turn on(switched power source).

5) How did you connect your MP3 player to your sound system?

Thanks in advance.

Zoser

krichter1

Anyone know if there's a way to take out the stock amp and put in a better one that is possibly fan cooled, in the same location?

bluenoise

From this post, the stock amp looks pretty big, so finding an aftermarket amp that's about the same size or smaller shouldn't be too hard for fitting in the stock location. I can't tell from the pics, though, how the stock amp gets any cooling air on its heatsink. Is it behind a plastic panel or carpeting? If you put in a fan-cooled amp, I wonder if you'd need to cut a vent hole or two so it can breathe.

Is the stock amp just an amp or does it have special circuitry that is needed by the system in order to work (i.e. digitally-controlled volume, etc.)?

bklynpanman

put in a jl audio cleansweep.. i'm running that with kicker 1250.1 for a 12" solo X and a kicker 700.4 for alpines and mb quart tweeters.. the cleansweep helps out a lot

Zoser

I am considering the cleansweep. What is the difference with and without it? Is the 1v signal from the head unit too weak for the amp to get quality sound or does it equalize the factory output significantly?

bklynpanman

it equalizes the factory output significantly.. At first i wasn't happy about having to use a different volume knob, but now i like it and I'm used to it.

Ram4

I guess this is as good a thread to post in as any other.

Great read and pictures in this one, but I must admit - I am a total newb to the world of car audio upgrading (which is pathetic if you saw how many CDs I own).

Anyway, I live in the Chicago area and went over to Abt Electronics, which is a huge operation here. They gave me some prices on some things, but I knew I was at their mercy with whatever they said. I had them write it down to give me a rough idea and I wanted you guys to comment on what I should do.

These were the items they told me I needed:
JL Audio Cleansweep
JL XR series component speakers (front and rear)
JL 5005 amplifer
JL W6 10" subwoofer

They said with this setup, I would lose the 5.1 option (which I actually won't really miss). If I tried to play a DVD-Audio disc and the default 5.1 group came on, will I be missing things like the center channel? How will those discs play? (I wish I could have all DVD-Audio disc default to the Advanced Resolution 2 track mix, which is the main thing I want to hear on the discs, but I know that our two buttons at the same time trick only works on a select few)

So, any advice on this setup? I don't need over the top bass/subwoofer (I'm not into hip hop), but I'm open to suggestions. I do want my trunk space and I think the spare tire is very important as it has saved my ass on other cars a few times.

Now, if that wasn't enough - I think I'm going to add a DVD player and even a TV Tuner to view on the Nav. They said if I did both the audio setup and the video at the same time, I would not need an FM Modulator.

One last thing, I have read, or heard - that my XM radio could be compromised if I try to mess around with it?

Thanks everyone.

Rich

2LOW4U

The center channel greatly improves the sound stange, even on regular stereo music... take the center channel, and turn it off, and listen to the music move around and sound strangely offcentered with it off. I would ask them to somehow leave it in, even though with the clean sweep, you cannot. I had them run my amps off the factory 5.1 setup, so all my factory eq factors and center still remain. With surround sound music, yes you will be missing most of the words, as they all come out of the center. The setup sounds good, JL builds great stuff. I have a 12W7 in my TL, love the sound of JL subs, never owned anything but. I have owned about 12 or so subs, all JL all 12s.

kyleatdyer

Please tell me you ran your power wire through the factory grommett or insulated the wire somehow and fused your main power cable at the battery. As a pro installer the most common reason a car burns up is due to lack of a fuse at the battery. Also without some kind of grommett in the firewall you can have the wire short out and blow the fuse and you can also have water enter the interior. Just making sure. You seem to have thought everything through. Great pics thanks for all the hard work.

DeathtoToasters

Sorry about that lack of response...I must have erased this email showing more your post. Anyway here we go:

I used a flathead screwdriver to remove the AIRBAG named clip things...they just pop out. They are not part of the airbag system so don't worry.

You really don't touch the srs stuff when removing the cpillars. The air bag system is NOT on or in the rear deck, it is in the sides of the wall between the rear window and rear door windows. In the cpillars.


I put the right front crossover where the stock amp used to be. The left crossover I put under the steering column drivers area.

I ended up using the power wire from the XM Radio unit that is back there.

I used the Soundgate AUX3 for the Aux input switching. I have a three way switch for me to hear either my Sirius radio, MP3 player, or the audio for the DVD player.

Then I used the hack where I went ahead and soldered on RCA jacks to he XM speaker wire outputs so that everything went into the head unit.

IF you want to KEEP your XM you will have to go another route...you will have to do some searching.

DeathtoToasters

If you want to go the cleansweep route and keep the 5.1 you can use 2 cleansweeps.

If you read all my DIY you will see the reason why I didn't choose the cleansweeps and you can see what I used (Audiocontrol Matrix)

I didn't lose any 5.1, which still sounds great, but I have to admit that I don't purchase too many DVD-A's. The Navi and phone use the center channel also. So if you get rid of it, you won't be able to use the voice on those either!

That is another reason NOT to get rid of it!

For the fronts components....I don't care for JL audio. They are a great speaker, I just don't like the way they sound personally.

If you want to keep the 5.1 (which you should) then you should not get the 500/5 but get another 4 channel amp or another 5 channel amp which only gives about 100 watts to the center channel. Then you will need to get a mono amp for the sub. Actually either way you will need to get another amp for the sub.

The center channel should not have tons of power. I replaced mine with an Infinity 3.5 inch. 100 Watts RMS. So I have 100 watts going to the center channel.

One thing to keep in mind when doing new speakers and amps is this. Match the SPEAKER RMS power, NOT the MAX watts, to the AMP PER channel RMS output.

It doesn't mean that the more the better, what you will be doing is making the speakers work as they were designed to do.

If you have 150 RMS component speakers up front, but run then with 75 watts, will it sound good? Probably, but know that most speakers are blown from being UNDER powered, not over powered. Are they running and sounding like they should.....nope they are not.

Something to keep in mind.

DeathtoToasters

Let me clarify something about the amps and channels. I don't think I explained it correctly before.

What I got and alot of other people did is get 2 amps. I went the route of two four channel amps.

One of the amps was 200 x 4 (200 watts per channel) and then a 100 x 4 (100 watts per channel)

200 watts for each front channel then I bridged the other 2 channels for 400 watts and gave that to the sub.

Then I put 100 watts per channel to each of the rears, from the second amp, then used ONE of the two remaining channels for the center. Leaving one 100 watt channel left.

MOST 5 channel amps are made for 4 speakers and a sub. IF you go that way you can get a small amp with low wattage for the center...BUT keep in mind that music will come from there, so personally I decided to do the way above so that I was having nice clean quality power to the center channel.


Also remember that you don't have to do all this at once...although that makes life alot more enjoyable!

zax123

Toasters,

Do you have pics of your amp installs? I'm curious to see how you fit it all into your trunk. I'm considering an audio upgrade and the only limiting factor now is where to put everything.

DeathtoToasters

Take a look at part 3 of the DIY:

https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/wiring-kits-122139/

TL4DADL

Toasters, I have a question and this question might have been answered already so bare with me please. After you have installed your system does your HFL still work properly?

Usalinh

Quick question for you guys if you don't mind. Do you think I could still use the factory amp and just change out the speakers and the system sound decent without any problems?

zax123

The problem is the factory speakers and amp are at 2ohm. Most (if not all) aftermarket speakers have a higher impedance rating than that, so the output levels would be super low and really not worth it. I think the reverse (keep factory speakers, get new amp) would yield better results. But to truly hear the difference, change it all.

chusteveb

Hey Toasters, haven't heard from you in a while so I figured all was going well. Good to see you have everything installed and up and running. I think last I read you were having that noise issue with the Matrix, I'm not sure if I told you or not about the jumper inside the Matrix itself this way you won't be having to use any ground loop iso.

So did everything turn out as planned? I know you went with different amps, do you project changing anything in the future? Keep in touch!

Steve

PS. It is awesome to finally see someone else agree with me that the Matrix is the key to the TL's sound system. It's almost as if Audio Control designed this unit for us, Matrix rocks!!!

Usalinh

Yeah, I plan on changing out everything just kind of tight on money right now. With the car note, new rims on the way, UR pulley on the way, trying to find a place with the Comptech sway bar in stock and the usual monthly bills.

fishacura

To a self admited novice audiophile:

What is the point of all this? I am unclear as to why you did all this? Does it drastically improve performance of the stereo?

DeathtoToasters

I was finding that the level of 40 that was set as the original stereo was not sufficient. Basically it was not loud at all......

DeathtoToasters

Zax - do a search under my user name and you will find PART 3 of this install, which has final trunk install pics

chusteveb - Well we figured out that the noise I was getting was NOT from any of the amp install. It was from a broken AUX3. So I replaced that and it works GREAT.
Star Wars Episode 3 sounds great in the car and looks great on the navi screen with the tv-navi conversion

Usalinh - They have a UR pulley system for our year of car now????

I have been so busy with work and everything....lost track..

Now since Apple introduced the NEW Ipod yesterday....where does the money go!!!

bad90

Hey Toaster great setup, I coudn't help notice that you said you listen to MP3 in your car. My question is did you setup a Ipod input in your car? If so how?

DeathtoToasters

Well what I did was use the Soundgate AUX3 to allow up to three additional inputs in my car.
I have an MP3, then DVD player audio, then my Sirius Radio setup.
All of it goes through the XM Radio mod I did.

If you do a search in the audio section or under my name you sill see the links to all of those threads. Alot of reading...but well worth it.

skyy406

Seriously... you need a reward or a trophy or something... This is the best "how-to" I have seen in a very long time

Usalinh

Hey, DeathtoToasters

I was wondering if you have the Navi to DVD unit that Dom sales? And if so did you figure out how to make the 5.1 still work with it? I'm thinking about just keeping the regular sound system for now and want to know if I'll be able to just buy the unit and use like a DVD changer and still be able to use the 5.1. Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.

Chita79

i gotta quick general question about doing all these mods to our TL systems. at what point (if at all) do you void the warrenty of the car? I really dont wanna do that my plan is to add a JL cleansweep/polk audio 6.5" momo's all around and use my existing V12 Alpine 4 Channel amp. Would they void my warrenty on something like this?

Chita79

no one has any input on the warrenty issue?

zax123

Modding the audio system will definitely not void any warranty on the system. In all cases, any servicing done as a result of defects caused by aftermarket mods HAS to be proven to be the fault of the mods. If it can't be, the servicing must be covered under warranty.

BukvaMan

i really need ur help man. i know u are using the 3sixty as i am but i have problem thoe wich i cant figure out right now. im not sure if my stock amp is working or my 3sixty. If you could tell me how many volts u read coming out of your 3sixty. and how far do u have the gain on the 3sixty until it starts clipping

thanx i would really appriciate it !