08TList

iTrader: (-1)

I am going to try to install my MS-8 and 6x9 speakers today. I have two 6x9 and was debating whether i should use one as a center up front and sell the other or try to put both in the rear deck

garrett

i wouldn't try to install the 6x9's anywhere for the amount of work that's involved it's just not worth it.

Trunk Monkey

iTrader: (1)

^ This

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

aright im gonna skip the 6x9 but im trying to install the ms8 but skytech's guide isnt as detailed as i wouldve hoped and i cant get the pictures either. So far i removed the passenger kick plate and the one covering the amp. Do i use the wire going directly to the amp from the bottom?

Trunk Monkey

iTrader: (1)

There's going to be 2 sets of wires. A "pre-amp" set and a "post-amp" set. You'll want to use the pre-amp set. Wiring diagrams/Color Codes are on this in quite a few places. I think they're in my build thread for one. Can't miss em

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

ok so i go the front left front right and subwoofer wires soldered but do i connect the rest, like the center because i was told the center is the most important with the MS8

SpiderX1016

No, just the FL and FR. No subwoofer, center or rear inputs. The MS8 will take care of that.

But make sure to connect all the speakers to the MS8 speaker output/RCAs.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

ok im doing that now but what about the remote in and remote out connections on the ms8 next to the ground? Did you hook those up and if so where to? And did you use a fuse on the positive cable to the battery?

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

also will the numbers on the output harness corespond to the number on the input harness or are they different

I hate cars

You should have a fuse at the battery and I put an additional one on every component in the system.

The remote out connections go to the amps and anything else that turns on with the MS8. Remote in comes from wherever you're getting the signal from in the car to the MS8.

The MS8 is required to turn your amps on and off otherwise you'll get a nasty pop when it powers on. The MS8 powers on first and then turns your amps on a second later.

I hate cars

Inputs and outputs are not related at all. You'll have 2 inputs and between 4-8 outputs depending on your setup.

When you configure the MS8 during setup, you'll assign what each output goes to.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

so it would be the white wire in the middle of the grey connector that goes to the amp correct? the side coming from the battery goes to remote in and the side going to the connector will go to remote out? And the black cable i assume is a ground so do i not touch that?

SpiderX1016

Actually, I forgot to say. I didn't use my supplied input harness. The one with the Gray/White wires.

I extended the LF and RF outputs to the trunk and soldered RCAs on there and connected it to the MS8.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

ok. what did you do for the remote in and remote out?

SpiderX1016

Fused 12V to Remote In. Use one of these Mini Add-A-Circuits. You can get them from an Auto Parts store.
Remote out to your Amps (if you don't have any, then leave it alone).

http://www.amazon.com/Littelfuse-FHM...6584927&sr=8-3

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

i tested it without the remote in hooked up because i figured i could tolerate the popping once but i cant even get any sound to come out. The blue light goes on for alittle while but still no sound and no activity on the display

SpiderX1016

You need the Remote In or the MS8 won't turn on.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

i hooked up the remote in to the white 12v wire in the middle of the grey connector but its still not working. No activity on the display

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

I think my display may be broken, i did buy it used so its a possibility

I hate cars

Huh? You're not hooking power to one of the connectors that plug into the input or output section, are you? I would be surprised if the MS8 isn't fried from that. Hopefully I'm misunderstanding.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

lol no i hooked it to the rem in which is next to the ground and 12v on the ms8. the wire i hooked to it was the white wire next to the black ground wire in the large grey molex connector that goes into the bottom of the factory amp. i used my continuity/voltage tester on it and its 12v so i figured thats the remote in

I hate cars

You scared me for a second.

Did you keep the tester on the wire for a while after you turned the ignition on? Just making sure it doesn't go dead after a few seconds.

Hook the 12v battery lead to the Remote In temporarily and see if the MS8 stays on.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

so hook nothing to the 12v, just the remote in and ground?

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

i tried your suggestion and the ms8 did turn on, it still is if the blue light is any indicator, but the display still does nothing

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

was just out driving and i noticed the display went active twice. The JBL screen came on then what looked to be a screen with options for alittle and then it went to a voltage too low screen and went off

I hate cars

In that case I would check the basics, power and ground.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

i got it working still no sound though, probably because its not calibrated yet. Im trying to calibrate it, im on the input screen and it says signal none. My ms8 was one of the first batch so it had no calibration cd, jbl sent me the file and i burned it to a cd but the els system cannot play wav

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

i guess i could do the xover setup but i dont know any of the settings i need to use

I hate cars

Just go to "skip input" and proceed from there. You'll do the input setup, then the crossover points and slopes and then the calibration.

As for the crossover settings, what speakers are you running?

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

all stock except my front doors are JBL GTO638

I hate cars

How are the outputs set up? Do you have one channel of the MS8 for each speaker or do you have one channel running the door and the tweeter? Is the center hooked to the MS8? Rears? Sub?

I would do something like this since the stock tweeters won't go very low at all:

Subsonic- 40hz@12-24db
Sub to mid- 80hz/24db
mid to tweeter- 4,000hz/24db

If you're running the center through the MS8 it's good to set it the same as the doors but the little stock 3.5" will never produce the lower frequencies so until you upgrade the center with something much larger I would stick to 400hz/24db or higher.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

fl and fr are connected to inputs, i have the rr, rl, sub, fl, fr and center connected to the outputs

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

one channel for each speaker but i dont know if the tweeters are even hooked up because i didnt see a wire for them on the grey connector

I hate cars

With the way you have it, the front mids and tweeters are being run off of one channel. You can run it this way but you lose the ability to control the tweeter separately. During the calibration phase (the very first set of tones only) you will want to cover the tweeters to properly time align the mids to the rest of the system.

The MS8 will have to be set up as a "1 way front" for this to work properly. It will treat the mids and tweeters as one unit.

If you want to hook the tweeters separately into the system, the connection splits behind the glove box on a block. I don't remember the colors but they're somewhere on this board.

The alternative to this is to run all new wire from the tweeters to the MS8.

The tweeters have a resistor on them that act as a crossover. You must leave this in place if running it as a 1-way front. If running it as a 2-way front, keep the resistor on until you have setup done and you're sure it's set up right. You'll eventually want to get a different rating, maybe around 2khz to protect your tweeters from turn on pops or a mistake in the setup.

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

ok, ive got a backup appointment at best buy tomorrow morning just incase because someone there had experience with the ms8 and i think im going to get them to install a 6x9 in the center if its worth it

08TList

iTrader: (-1)

what do i do about rear left and right? it only gives me the option for them if i select side lefr and right also

I hate cars

You set the rear up as "sides". It knows what to do with them. The "rear" feature is only used if you have sides+rears.

There's a very detailed 40 page manual online which will help a lot with the setup and give suggestions.