installing subs and amp with stock HU possible?

[ryanM]

alright well i might be scoring 2 12" kenwood subs and an amp for really cheap from one of my friends. i dont really care about the brand or any of that cuz this wont be permanent, i just want something that hits harder than my stockers, but anyway, i have a stock head unit. is it still possible to hook up the subs and amp on the factory deck?

 

[ryanM]

bump?

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[DaGFTDOne]

I wouldnt think so, I never tried it with any of my customers, they always have aftermarket HUs

 

[that VERBAL]

I wouldnt think so, I never tried it with any of my customers, they always have aftermarket HUs

and where do you work???


Yes, you can use speaker level inputs if your amplifier supports it. Doing this will raise the distortion however, it shouldn't be a huge problem for a subwoofer though. You just run your speaker wire, (from say the rears) right to your amp. This will cut out your rear speakers though unless you have an amp that can run in 3way, but from what it seems you have a mono subwoofer amp?

You can also buy a high/low audio converter and that will convert your high level speaker wire to low level rca and allow you to run the sub off RCA inputs.

hope this helps you out some.

 

[cujo613]

and where do you work???


Yes, you can use speaker level inputs if your amplifier supports it. Doing this will raise the distortion however, it shouldn't be a huge problem for a subwoofer though. You just run your speaker wire, (from say the rears) right to your amp. This will cut out your rear speakers though unless you have an amp that can run in 3way, but from what it seems you have a mono subwoofer amp?

You can also buy a high/low audio converter and that will convert your high level speaker wire to low level rca and allow you to run the sub off RCA inputs.

hope this helps you out some.

most kenwood amps have speaker level inputs but will require the plug that came with the amp.
If it doesnt have the plug a hi-lo level input adapter will do. 20 bucks at any stereo store.

 

[bloodstaindpyro]

It can be done.

 

[DaGFTDOne]

I wasnt saying it wasnt possible, I was simply saying that in my shop when people come to us they always want an aftermarket HU instead of the factory one.

 

[bloodstaindpyro]

Well in my situation, I didn't have the money for a headunit, and I really needed some boomboom at the time, lol.

 

[96greencivic]

Well in my situation, I didn't have the money for a headunit, and I really needed some boomboom at the time, lol.

IMO, start with a nice HU and everything else should follow.

 

[HP Civic 2]

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[cujo613]

IMO, start with a nice HU and everything else should follow.

you know unfortunately some of the newer cars you should leave the head unit. The read mp3 why not. run it through a hi lo or jl audios new little processor they have for running stock decks. Guaranteed people wont try to jack a stock deck

 

[that VERBAL]

Guaranteed people wont try to jack a stock deck

eh, my brother got the stock tape player jacked from his quantam

 

[mycarisslow]

eh, my brother got the stock tape player jacked from his quantam

lol! how sad.

 

[96greencivic]

you know unfortunately some of the newer cars you should leave the head unit. The read mp3 why not. run it through a hi lo or jl audios new little processor they have for running stock decks. Guaranteed people wont try to jack a stock deck

That's true. A lot of new cars have nice looking HU's. I drove an 05 Legacy GT and the stock HU is pretty nice and it wouldn't look great with an aftermarket IMO.

 

[mercuryrising]

Your only real issue comes when you want to change the level of the subs.

From my experience, you dont want to have the subs on a set level ALL the time, its nice to change them with the music.

If the amp has a remote bass knob, like for example many rockfords do, your set, if not, just leave them at a nice level so they sound good with most music in your collection.

Also, if you do plan to get a new headunit, save a bit longer and get one thet has 3 paird of RCA pre-outs, so you can easially have it wired up to the deck, and also if it has those, it will more likely than not have controls for the sub volume right there on the deck.