Finally finished my install on my 2002 TL-S w/Nav. Not going for super-loudness or competitions/showing off - just wanted good music - and I wanted to keep the stock headunit (for the factory look, in-dash changer and steering wheel audio controls.) Lost my web hosting space, so I'll have to put these pics up one at a time (sorry moderators, please don't kill me!!! )

AllanC45

Here's the Sony 7547-ES amp (last year's model, not that cheezed out ES one they have this year). Haven't installed the wiring cover yet because I'm still tweaking the levels and such:

 

Stripped driver's door, but the crossover has been mounted (only place I could find that it would come anywhere close to fitting):

 

Gutted center console, line-output converters can be seen below the headunit:

 

Original Bose speaker on the right, interim Infinity Kappa in the middle (coax), Focal woofer on the left:

 

Note the relative size of the magnet structure on the Bose vs. the others.... :

 

Focal tweeters, mounted in the sail panels using a 45-degree standoff mount made out of a 1.5-inch wood rod:

 

Finished front passenger's door - tweeter has been mounted, Dynamat applied around woofer cutout, woofer mounted using .75-inch PVC standoff, plastic door "skin" replaced:

 

Closeup of woofer mounting area:

 

Chart of headunit amp response curve - before and after bypassing the Bose EQ:

 

diagram of the black connector going into the headunit. This is the one you need to modify to bypass the Bose EQ:

 

Wiring Diagram, part 1:

 

Wiring diagram, part 2:

 

I was very fortunate enough to get these electrical diagrams from my dealership, Don Mealey Acura near Orlando, FL. If you choose to make use of this info, *PLEASE* be careful, you could easily damage your car if you don't know what you're doing. Not that I'm an expert, I just went through it *very* slowly, since I didn't want to harm my 4 month-old car :p

Thanks to those who've helped me along the way, especially TLDaddy, and the rest of the forum community! Happy trails!

Stock Bose
New amp and speakers

AllanC

 

thank you so much, i just got my stereo system installed, subs amps but not my components....and i must say... with the EQ still kicking in and 75 going into each stock speakers(front) it sounds really good for stock......i'm really impressed.... but its already a bit too harsh and bright..... i know it'll sound nasty with my MB quart PSCs.... so i'm going to bypass the EQ for sure.... the guys who installed my system also did a bad wireing job, so i'm ganna re-do my wiring too..... they ran my 16 gauge speakerwire alon with my 4 gauge power cable and tapped it into my stock speaker wires...... if you want a job done right you ghatta do it your self.....they also power and gound my audio control HPX with the stock headunit....and grounding for each of the amps are more then 1.5 foot long....

 

Hey! Thanks for posting all the pics and all the information as well as your own input. This will soon be in the FAQ section for sure......

 

that looks good, I take it you added the focals up front and the kappas in the rear and left the stock sub in. I have 1 question about that setup how does the sub fit in with the aftermarket stuff you added can you still hear it or is it drowned out by the new stuff

 

actually, I initially replaced the stock speakers w/ 4 Infinity Kappas 52.1's. Now I've removed those and replaced them with the 4 focal woofers and 2 tweeters.

I haven't done anything to the stock sub and sub amp. And yes, they still contribute greatly!

AllanC

 

Nice set up . what size are those speakers? thanks.

 

The focals are 5 1/4". Perfect size if you ask me, not so small that they can't do great midbass, not so big that you have to enlarge the door cutout (I am NOT chopping up my door panels )

AllanC

 

so. . . . . did you just clip the 1,3,7,9 wires from the harness or did you connect 1 to 3 and 7 to 9?

 

That would be door #2, Monty - or in other words, yes, that's exactly what I did, connecting the eq sends right back into the eq returns, as my poor scribbling on the diagram show.

Word of warning, I'm still attempting to hunt down the minor alternator hum I'm now getting since the bypass of the EQ. I'm fairly certain that it is because I have not grounded the the open inputs going into the EQ. I'll confirm that as the cause as soon as I get a minute to tear open the center console again

AllanC

 

I found that 6 1/2" speakers also fit the openings without modification (barely ) But remember, either speaker size will require you to fabricate some standoff rings, which effectively reduce the install depth.

-djsteve

 

I never had any problem with alt hum during or after my mods, so I'm sure you'll find the problem!

If grounding the open eq inputs doesn't fix it, I'd suspect a ground loop between your outboard amp and the factory HU. Good luck!

-djsteve

 

Awesome post man, thanks a lot. As for the noise, did you try shielded wire for the bypass leads?

 

Quite welcome - I'm thankful that the people on this board gave me the info and confidence to be able to try the install myself (ok, I DID do my own install on an 83' Ford conversion van, but, we'll just pretend that doesn't count , cuz is doesn't)

I'm sure once I close those open inputs, the problem will go away - just being plain lazy

AllanC

 

well? did this fix your problem?

lol, i know its a ancient post...

 

any chance on getting the wiring diagram for the stearing wheal controls? I am thinking about putting together a module for alpine head units that i can feed the stearing wheel controls into and the module translate that to an IR signal to control the alpine.

 

There is a company that makes a controller that will allow the stock steering wheel radio controls to work with any head that has IR control. I wouldnt bother messing with making your own.

HERE IS THE LINK