I drive a non-navi 04 TSX and so far the only audio upgrade that I have done is tap into the rear speaker wires to hook up an amp and sub. The sound is ok, but I'm always longing for more. I know that by simply installing an aftermarket HU I'd see great improvement instantly, however the only reason I don't want to go that route is that the OEM HU takes up so much space that I don't want to remove it, and the HVAC seems to be connected to it.

So my question is:
1) has anyone successfully installed an aftermarket HU in the non-navi TSX in the flip up bin space right underneath the HVAC controls? and if so I know most aftermarket HU will provide output to 4 channels, whereas our TSX has 6 speakers+2 dash tweeters. Is it possible to choose 4 speakers to hook up to the HU and then run the rest off the old OEM amp?

2)Without getting an aftermarket HU, is it possible to just simply swap out the OEN amp and replace it with a more powerful one? and if I were to do this can I expect similar improvements compared to the scenario in my first question?

thanks for any help.

 

You ask good questions... all of which have been mentioned in this forum many, many times, btw. Did you happen to see the sticky post at the top of the AV section entitled "General FAQs about TSX audio system"?

1) Yes, it's been done. Since the pocket is narrower than DIN, you can't put it IN the pocket, which would be cool. Best answer is to use the MP3/DVD player install attachment, which you can see with the AVIC-N1 pics posted to the site recently. Looks great, and stock.

1b) The OE HU provides OP to 4 channels as well. The OE amp takes F and R in and mixes them to create the bass channel, and the tweets run of the F with the F door mids. I would strongly recommend against hooking up the aftermarket HU to the OE amp -while it could be done, it would be problematic, and not worth the work.

2) The OE HU has a nice clean full-range set of two preamp outputs that can be connected to a good amp and good speakers, and has been done many times. Personally I prefer this to the aftermarket HU idea, partly because I like the factory HU look and partly because it lets you spend more oney on better amps and speakers.

 

bad ass, thanks bro. I was reading the sticky posts, but I guess I just wanted a direct answer. Its just that the Alpine 9827 is on sale for $179 at circuit city and I really love alpine HU, and would love to get one, but definitely do not want to mess with the layout of the stock system.

I also was confused b/c i've been told many times by the Acura people that there are no preouts on the stock amp, and i wasn't about to go looking behind the dash to find out. But I trust you so I think I'll end up getting a nice 4-channel amp and hook it up to the stock HU. Oh, also does that mean I can actually tap my amp/sub into the stock HU with RCA plugs instead of tapping into the rear speaker wires? I think I remember you saying that while there are preamps on the HU they are not RCA, so do converters exist? Thanks again, and sorry if i'm repeating questions that have already been addressed. I'm just really anal about things and need to know what i'm getting myself into exactly before i start.

 

I'm one of the ones with an aftermarket deck in the storage bin area.

Check out this thread for pics:
https://acurazine.com/forums/audio-video-electronics-navigation-22/tsx-pioneer-avic-n1-many-pics-sirius-navi-tv-mp3-bluetooth-56k-warning-296829/

And let me know if you have any questions. There are noot RCA outputs coming out of the HU, so you need to put RCA connectors onto them. I don't think you need any type of converter. Please correct me if I'm wrong though Eld.

 

If you were really anal, why ask the same person the same question over again? Wouldn't you just read all the posts giving you the info you want? I think you're more compulsive...

There are no pre-amp output jacks, and Acura would never support adding an amp.

But there are preamplified signal outputs that convey the audio signal from the OE HU to the OE amp, as I'm certain you'd realize when you thought it thru.

There are two kinds of pre-amplified signals: single-ended, and balanced differential.

Single-ended uses two wires/conductors per channel and it what RCA cables are meant for, and most aftermarket car audio uses is (I mean like 99.95% of it). Balanced differential cannot be done with less than 3 wires/conductors per channel.

Pro audio, some special compeition-oriented aftermarket equipment, and some factory systems (many JBL and Bose) use balanced differential. I expected the TSX to use it. It does not. It uses a single-ended connection suitable for hooking an RCA up to.

The voltage level could be higher - but it's the same as my non-4V old-school Alpine on the bench.

As far as a converter goes, the converter from bare wire to RCA is an RCA cut in half and with the bare end stripped back. Anything else is not needed. (Maybe I should get a Radio Shack hobby box, hang 4 wires out and two sets of RCA's, glue it shut with a lead weight in it, and start selling it to all the people who ask that question... Hmm... : )

If you are upgrading the amp, then you are probably disconnecting the OE amp, so of course you can't tap into the speaker wires any more, since they won't have any signal. If ALL you are adding is the woofer, leaving it on the speaker wires is probably fine... but you could tap into the preamp level instead.

 

It's only 4 volts??? Crap. My last head unit that I had in my car sent 8v. I wish I could install my Eclipse CD8454 in my TSX. I barely had to turn it up to get great, clear, loud music. Since I didn't have to turn it up at all, my noise floor was nill.

I was going to et an LOC and hook up my 5 channel amp, but I might need to rethink my options.

 

Well, you don't need an LOC. And it's not 4v, it's lower - I think the Alpine 7903 unit it matched was rated at 1.8V. It ain't the volts tho.

A forum member told me how his installer used an LOC and there was lots of hiss, which vanished when the LOCs where removed, and he had clean, clear sound. With no line driver.

Get a 4-channel line driver if you really are attached to it, and install it at the OE amp location so it drivers the whole length of the car wit higher voltage.

 

<-- has an 8v eclipse HU in his navi tsx.

 

I agree with Eld, just run a high quality line driver and you'll still get great sound.

I didn't have one at first, and after I put it in, it made a huge difference.