Hey guys, i am planning on adding an amp and some subs to my car. I want to keep the stock deck that I have. I went to this auto shop in town, and they told me that there is an adapter that I can buy for liek $40 so that the amp can run off of my deck.

Has anyone done this, and does it sound good?

 

The bose does not have rca outputs.

This one is recommended by some people on the car audio forums.

http://www.davidnavone.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=N-686
http://www.davidnavone.com/adaptor_products.htm

 

Sounds like he's describing the Soundgate LOCPREA. That's what I am using, and yes it's a very good sounding system - but IMHO you will need an EQ if you want to make the factory HU sing. Otherwise, you'll end up with louder mids, because the factory treble/bass knobs just don't cut it.

 

No! No! No! If you are looking to build a quality sounding speaker system, do not use a LOC!! They suck...

You can either directly tap the line level leads coming from the deck BEFORE they enter the stock amp (LOC taps afterwards and adds noise) or buy a converter that StreetEffectz is selling that plugs into an output in the back of the stock deck and provides line level outputs.

Line output converters are not clean themselves and also are taking the signal after the bose amp screws with it, doubling the potential for crappy sound.

Go straight to the source, you'll be happy you did.

 

I dont recommend this way. This is what I was using and you will have static regardless of what you use. SE uses LOC with all his installs.

 

So is it even worth doing or what? I dont wana waste my $$ if there is going to be static, and if the sound is not good. I had a civic that only had a radio. The installer used seomthing called a "hi-low" i think and that sounded pretty decent.

 

Actually, now that I think about it, that converter StreetEffectz sells is for an INPUT not an OUTPUT....

But nonetheless, I fail to understand how a converter (that adds noise and distortion) that is taking a signal that is run through an amp (adds noise and distortion) can be cleaner than taking a signal directly from its source (unmodified, unamplified).

I do believe that he uses LOCs, but not because they sound good, but because they are easy. Tapping the line level leads from the deck IS more difficult and time consuming, and when you are charging by the hour, the cheapest way to do it is to install a LOC which takes all of 5 minutes.

A LOC may not sound like total ass, but the direct way IS better.


You may need a ground loop isolator to stop ground noise the way I describe, but it works well for me (and the numerous installs I've done in other members cars).

Noise is non-existent and the sound is CLEAN!

 

trust me I had a ground loop isolator, and I still received static. Little but still it was there. I recommend a LOC. Although the Bose decks are pretty low voltage, you still need to convert it to low. I'm not talking out of my ass here, I had static, when I cut directly in from the deck.

 

In your civic, that was probably the only option since it probably didn't have a separate amplifier, where you could get the line level signal.

The "hi-low" is the same thing as a line output converter (loc).

If you were happy with the way that sounded, I wouldn't go to the extra trouble to get the better signal. It is more difficult and apparently is easier to screw up. Go with the LOC. It is a lot easier and unless you're planning on doing this yourself, I wouldn't trust a shop to do the modification necessary to get the line level signal from the deck.

 

I added a sub, just tapped an input signal at the Bose amp.

If I were adding more than a sub, I would put in the extra work and use this. It plugs in behind the headunit. You can get a CLEAN signal at the headunit. And use HIGH QUALITY, shielded RCA cables to run the signal to the trunk. You can buy the male/female adapters and make you own, or get a CableLink harness here:
AudioLink

BTW, from what I saw, everything to the Bose amp was individual 18 gauge wire bundled together un-shielded ... +/- input, power, remote, +/- output. I can only imagine the noise a signal would pick up.

 

this is the same thing i used. the only wire i had to cut was the remote for the steering wheel controls. somehow it didn't want to work unless i cut the wire and connected it directly to this cablelink harness. also, there is still some pink/white noise when the volume is at it's lowest level but doesn't get any louder when you raise the volume. so, if your driving and playing music, you won't hear the pink/white noise....not sure which one it is. i think this adapter cost $49. saved me a lot of hassle soldering wires. but like bluto said...get a good set of rca cables.

 

Is there noise all of the time or just when the engine is running?

To get rid of the white noise you could try installing a noise filter in the headunit's power supply. Also give the headunit a nice, close ground. Don't trust the stock harness power to be clean and have a good ground.

 

I wish I knew what the fawk this guy is talking about, because he is always saying the same thing and he is always WRONG! The LOCPREA takes the line signals directly FROM THE BACK OF THE FACTORY HEAD UNIT (which in ENGLISH means that the factory BOSE amp is completely eliminated from the system), runs them thru a passive-designed LOC which uses transformers to maintain complete DC isolation between components, and converts the line speaker leads into RCA jacks which allow you to hook your system up to whatever aftermarket amps/EQ's you want to purchase. The LOC also offers a pot (potentiometer) which allows you to custom tune the input to the amps/EQ if necessary. This unit effectively removes the white noise which the EQ can generate by providing for a input voltage that will not overdrive and thereby amplify the output from the EQ, and also completely removes any semblence of alternator windings from your system. This thing does not/NOT add any noise to the system, and for the life of me I don't understand how mcdanjw continues to criticize and absolutely discount an item that he obviously has no working knowledge of.

 

Blah blah blah... I don't have 'working knowledge' of the device you describe. Wow you're smart.

What I'm talking about is the device listed on the top of the page posted previously:

http://www.davidnavone.com/adaptor_products.htm

And that is an adapter that plugs in at the speakers... and those are not the 'cleanest' choice available.

This thing you decribe sounds like would work well though.

I guess I'll just turn to my new stereo wizard in the future.

I've always known the device like the soundgate LOCB to be known as a line driver, since it is just boosting the 'line level' outputs of the deck, and not 'converting' speaker level signals to line level, but they're calling it a Type 2 LOC. Fine with me.

But what they call a Type 1 LOC, such as those in the above link, can be improved upon.

 

LOCB - Line Output Converter BOSE (at least according to Soundgate's literature). This unit, although on the surface designed specifically with out cars in mind AND being a "Type 2" device, doesn't work for the CL-S non nav application (didn't know until I spoke to Acura that there are four headunits for the TL's/CL's - two each, 1 with/1 without nav). The output speaker leads from my HU are 3.15vrms, and the LOC"B" pushes 2.5 vrms down the road. The HU effectively overdrives the LOCB, and the best you can do (by using the dipswitch options) is crank the thing down so low that you reduce the noise, but effective reduce the volume so much that the only way to make up for it is to increase the output from the amps. I didn't want to opt for this path. I know nothing about the applications of the Type 1 LOC's, so will defer. My only criticism was that it appears that you tend to lump ALL LOC's into one category - "they suck" - and although I can't question your knowledge of LOC's in general, I know there is at least one application that doesn't fit into that category. I'm no expert - self professed or otherwise - and I have nothing to gain by deliberately steering anybody in the wrong direction. I guess I just saw someone asking for an opinion, which I do stand (and hence listen) by.

 

Ok this topic is of great intrest to me, since I just order an
amp and was wondering what the best way to wire the audio to it would be. I am adding it to power a 12 inch sub, and am keeping the existing HU and speakers. So here is my question,
if I tap the speakers lines before the amp, do I need a LOC to hook it up to the low level inputs, or should I tap it after the amp and hook it up to the High level inputs. Or tap after the the amp, use a LOC and hook it to the Low Level Inputs? Actually now that I think about it no matter where I tap it I will need a LOC to hook it up the low level inputs since they require RCA plugs. Also wondering if that Audiolink harness will work with a NAVI unit?

 

SilverKnight has a post on this in the A/V section, with a URL which pretty much explains what you are wanting to do - including pictures and the wire labeling chart from the shop manual. His solution to adding an amp/sub to the existing factory setup did not include anything other than soldering RCA's to the speaker lines B4 the amp (if memory serves correctly). I don't believe he used any type of peripherial gizmo's (technical term). Look at his thread, and I'd direct any questions to him, or else wait for others who will no doubt chime in. My LOC usage is solely aimed at upgrading EVERYTHING after the H/U, and therefore may or may not have any applications to your intended upgrade. It could be that since only bass is being added, any line noise etc may be masked since most in here fire their subs towards the rear of the trunk. I also think it is much easier to solder the leads when accessed from in the trunk - which many claim is a better way to go than using the LOC - but I really didn't want to dick around with trying to solder connectors that are coming off the back of the connector to the H/U ... especially when returning to complete stock is something I might want to do down the road. just my .02 worth.

 

Soundgate's site states "the LOCB can take very low-level audio signals and cleanly boost them up to the levels required by today's high-powered amplifiers. "

The LOCB is a line driver. Can it also lower your signal voltage (have a gain < 1)? I thought the stock head unit output was only 500mV?

The HU lines before the amp are not 'speaker leads' but 'stereo amplifier' signals. They have nothing to do with the speakers, just input level (pre-amp) signals to the Bose amp.

My amp can only have a 2.5V input. If you 3.15 is correct I may need to get a line driver.

 

The figures on the H/U output were gotten (begrudgingly) from Acura Customer Relations. After convincing them that the only parts of the BOSE system were the Amp and Speakers, and the H/U was Panasonic, AND that no dealer service/parts department would have the information I was looking for, she came back and provided these figures. IF the 3.15vrms that I was quoted is correcty, it explains why I couldn't use the LOCB in the system because the input was already higher than where the LOCB was attempting to boost them to (inputs not low-level in this application). I discussed all this with the Operations Manager at Soundgate, and after getting some resistance readings from the back of the H/U and providing him with what Acura told me (plus the results that we got trying to use the LOCB) he advised that the LOCPREA was the way to go. I can't swear that soldering RCA's onto the speaker/amplifier leads (they are marked Left +, Left -, Right + and Right - so they look like speaker leads to me but this could just be a naming convention) wouldn't work, but I'm not comfortable doing it behind the head unit where the access to the wiring harness is not ideal. Tapping into the leads here and running them thru the LOCPREA and then to the EQ allows for a very short run to the EQ, and from there you run wires back to the amps in the trunk. I can only tell you from experience that the LOCB is not/NOT the proper LOC for our application, but the LOCPREA solved all my noise/alt winding problems.