bullyx2

Hi all. This may be on here somewhere, but couldn't find it quickly. I am toying with the idea of a new 5 channel amp in my '05 TSX with NAV. Planning to install new front components, rear co-ax's, and a subwoofer. (ditching the 6x9's in the rear deck) For anyone who has added an amp to a TSX, my question is, where did you tap off the stock wiring to get a signal to the amp? I am under the impression that the stock AMP is external. I want to probably do it before the stock amp to get the cleanest signal as well as to be sure I am getting a signal before any x-overs that may be installed. Would any of you happen to know the colors on the wires as well? Thanks in advance for the help!

StreetEffectz

The stock amp is located in the center console on the transmission hump - I think there is a sticky here or there is DEFINITELY a thread with the wire colors.

CJams

Here is the DIY stickies
https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/%2A%2Aaudio-video-diy-info-faq-all-models-%2A%2A-299065/

There is a TSX section with a sticky that suggests how to add rca's to the TSX by splicing the wires before the OEM amp. The OEM amp is located under the "Not an Ashtray" I used the DIY thread ( https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/instructions-install-shop-preamp-output-300209/ )and added Alpine amps and came up with these issues....

Issues ...
1. Motor Noise/whine
2. When you turn the car on you get a huge pop.
3. You get bleed through when you fade...
ex: if you hook your subs to the rear channels you can fade the HU controls all the way to the front and you still hear your subs. Or you can fade all the way to the front and then fade all the way to the left speaker and you can still hear all of the other speakers in the car. You can't fade to any certain side without completely eliminating the rest of the speakers......not good! Defeats the purpose of the fader.
4. You have to buy "special" amps to deal with most of the issues, so your amp selection is limited. But it still doesn't eliminate all the issues. (I like Alpine, but Alpines prefer a "clean" input signal, so they wouldn't be on this suggested "list")
5. But most importantly you have to butcher your factory wiring harness to do this to yourself!!!!!

I plan on unfcuking my sytem by reconnecting the OEM amp and adding LOC's to the four door speaker outputs from the OEM amp. This should eliminate the noise, pops, and fading issues. Haven't done it yet, just waiting for the time.

Good luck! Report back and tell us what worked for you.

bullyx2

thank you both for the help. sounds like an idea. a quality LOC should be fine. are those outputs full range?

CJams

^^^they should be, thats why I suggested them. The 6x9's aren't and the tweets arent so our only hope is the doors. I have my locs ready, but I just don't have the time to switch it back right now! Let us know how it goes.

bullyx2

will do. i have a guy's weekend in vegas this weekend and t-giving in nashville the following weekend so, assuming i have any $$$ left, (not counting on it) i may get started after that.

Tiguron

I've got a similar set-up (Alpine amp off HU RCAs - noise) and am also planning on putting the stock amp back in. I may actually get around to it this weekend. If it works I will let you know.

Tiguron

I found time to rewire my setup. The factory amp is back in and wired up. I used the front door and rear door speaker outputs to feed my amp. Instead of an LOC for the front I used the PG line driver I just recieved. On the rear I have LOCs.

Noise is gone, pop is gone. Sound is very nice. Only issue I have is the rear signals started to distort/clip if the HU was turned higher than 15. I could leave it at 14 and crank the gain with no distortion. Something tells me I have a short in the factory amp harness wiring. When I originally removed it I didn't think I would be putting it back in, so some of the wires are pretty short to tie into. As a short term fix I am using the two front channels to drive all four channels. The rear doors are full range.

So - if engine whine, popping, turn on/off pop are occuring, try using the factory amp speaker levels as inputs. It may fix alot of problems.

CJams

Amen!!!!!! I knew this would work! I am definately planning on doing this this weekend now. Thanks for responding and unfcuking yours first. I was never planning on using my OEM amp when I originaly removed it. Now I have to resolder all those friggin wires I hacked up listening to eldouchebag. Man that pisses me off!

So are your fading issues gone as well?

Now we should concentrate on the perfect set of LOCs to use. I will try mine and see if I get distortion.

Tiguron

My fading/bleed through issues are gone. I never recognized it as a fading issue. What I noticed was my front tweeters had a minor distortion. When I was messing with my car on the weekend I realized the distortion was actually the additional signal not quite blending in. I was happy. At fist I thought the tweeters may have been damaged.

My factory harness is a mess. When I took the amp out I left some of the wires a little too short. My next plan is too try and find a new one with more wire on it so I can make sure the connections are soldered properly. Like I said before, if my HU goes above 15 the rear was distorting. This only started after the re wire job, so I am sure it is a bad solder connection in the harness hook up. I am driving all four channels off the front for now. Before I disconnected the rear inputs I did check for the fade problem to make sure it was eliminated, which it was.


One more note. The sound quality is ten times better!!!! It is nice to be able to hear all the correct sounds that the amp/speaker are capable of producing.