stangthang

Help!!... I want to add two amps and 4 speakers to my pioneer stock system on a 2006 S/C... Can I use the output signal from the back of the stereo??... Can i split these leads so they go to the stock amp and speakers, and also for inputs to my two added amps?? Are these signal outputs low level or high level?? I have searched a ton of previous questions here but did not find the exact answer i was looking for... I think the signal output from the stock upgraded pioneer system, 1 CD changer, is a low level signal, but want to ask before I hook it into my amps... Is this signal different because the stock speakers are 2- ohm, not 4 ohm?? I want to add front component speakers and rear 6x9's, from Crutchfield. I cant think of the brand, but they are the ones with the Momo design?? ( a little test to see if anyone can come up with the brand......and I think the company makes a lot of home stereo speaker stuff)...... So, I want to use a pigtail connector to split each signal output to two wires, one for stock amp, another for a new amp... Will this work OK??

Spun

iTrader: (1)

Polk- Next time at least make it hard
They do make decent home audio, I have yet to hear any of there front end speakers, but the C series amps are good (C 300.1, C 500.1) for subs, for that wattage/price range at least.
What your trying to do is add, a new front sound stage , and a new sub I gather (two amps is what you said) but have it all run of the stock head unit, right?

If your trying to keep that stock look than, if i were you I would look into a processor rather than an LOC, The Rockford Fosgate 360.1, The JL Audio cleansweap, The MTX REQ are some examples. The problem is there expensive and you could just buy a good aftermarket HU for almost the same price,.
You cant use any out put from the back of the stock HU, the new amps require low level inputs (RCA's), you can splice into the speaker wires with an LOC (converts high level input to low level) but thats not going to run alot of power to the amps.
The RCA's carry the signal to the amp, the LOC (lets be generous) would only give say a 1 volt pre out equivelent, give or take. The low end aftermarket HU's give you 2 volts, the med end ones give you 4-5 volts, the high end ones give you 8 volts.
IMO anything less than a 4 volt is not going to cut it, most amps were designed to run with 5 volts, The processor type LOC's actual give you higher voltage but then again you could get a good HU that woud put out the same plus have a whole lot more options for the same $$

What exactly were you going to be putting in, I know the front speakers but what amps, sub/s were you thinking about?

I just wanted to add this, some amps do have high level imputs on them, and you could do this, but you wont get full power out of them, same goes with the regular LOC's, if your going to do it, do it right the first time. or trust me you'll just want to change it after

stangthang

yahhhh, Polk... not trying to test, I had a brain fart and could not think of the name... thought of it about 5 mins after creating post..haha.... yeah... so you think the signal outputs from the stock head unit are high level?? I am thinking they are low level....maybe need a few more opinions here....What is LOC??? I dont know the terminology much for stereo systems.... I am adding a 6.5 " component front speaker, and just the 6x9 rear speaker.... each powered by a separate AMP,... NOTHING REALLY BIG... JUST LOOKING FOR A BETTER SOUND.....sorry, hit the caps button...my factory speakers pop and crackle when I listen to radio... like ESPN.....its weird, only during peoples voices, not when I play music a little louder...... at lower volume they crackle... I thought I would try to keep the stock small pioneer tweeter in the doors, and the stock sub-woofer for now....so need to run the stock amp also....could not figure out how the front stock speakers are hooked up....how they split... did notice a small capacitor on the small stock tweeter..... also, I have never tried an aftermarket component speaker so thought it would be fun... need to find a place to mount the small Polk tweeter ... was thinking about mounting them IN the A-pillar up where the screw goes through to secure the a-pillar cover....would require me to cut small circles in the a-pillar covers....

Spun

iTrader: (1)

You could just replace the stock speakers with aftermarket ones, leaving the stock amp in place. However the stock speakers run at 2 ohms so you'll have to find equivelent speakers.
If you want to add amps to run the front you'll have to either do an amp bypass or re- wire up the whole front end, its a pain the ass .

stangthang

First, thanks for the responses, any help is appreciated!!...yeah, thought about that, but had a tough time finding 2 ohm speakers.... already bought 4-ohm speakers.....I think they will work great, just need to figure out how to get the signal to my amps.... if high level, my amps have high level inputs, if low level, I guess I will need to solder RCA connectors to my signal input wires , my amps also have low level input posts...... I have two DUAL brand amps... not great, but were cheap.... I hope they work ok.... they are 100 watts rms/ 2 channel, and 200 watts rms 4-channel or two channel bridgeable.... I bought them for my old mustang before I bought the cobalt... have been sitting in the garage.... trying to use some of my old stuff also..... the 200 watts should work well with the 6x9's, the 100 watts for the front component speakers.... hoping to add a little bass punch, and maybe get a nicer, crisper, treble or tweeter sound from the front speakers, to create the "sound stage" effect I read about.... both sets of Polk speakers come with separate passive crossovers....spent $300 on the speakers from Crutchfield, spent maybe $150 for new amps when on sale at Farm and Fleet, if anyone knows that store chain.... so hoping for a low budget, nice sounding system that rattles the windows just a bit.... I have old speaker sub woofer boxes and old amps out in the garage, but dont want to fill the trunk with speakers...


.... I read posts on this using the search function, did not really understand the amp by-pass ... I used the stereo pin-out for color of wire and pin numbers, and it looks like the wire colors match the pin-out for low-level signal out of the stock deck.... I just tapped these wires to run input signal to my amps, but did not hook all wires up yet.. I also re-wired the door speakers..... what a pain...

Spun

iTrader: (1)

If you already re wired the doors then you are laughing.
Heres what you do, if your adding the amp to the stock sub (not recomended but possible) use a LOC (line output converter) this will tunrn the high level wires into low level if your running the sub off the stock amp then just tap the wires that are going to the 6x9's in the rear deck lid.

An LOC will get the job done, those Duals were not built to take a huge voltage input so you should be fine, this will save having to rip wires apart under the dash and if you need to change it back to stock one day this will make it easier.
You will need to use a fuse tap to run a remote wire, tap into the sunroof or the winshield wiper fuse,( see the Stickies at the top of the page for more info)

ADDED- sorry didn't see the part where you said you tapped the wires already, well good luck

stangthang

thanks for the info... Yeah, a fuse tap is easy enough....I need to buy another one...used one for some other switches to power my radar detector and interceptor gauges...I am keeping the stock sub and amp for now....used the rear 6x9's in two small custom boxes in trunk.... put new 6x9 in stock locations in rear deck...so I am going to try to tap the wires right out of the back of the stock head unit....I guess i will post results here...might not be the easiest way, but I already did the work.... I will try an old amp for the new POLK front speakers to see what happens,... if I blow the amp, no biggie, if I blow the factory radio, guess I can try to get another on this forum for $75 or so....I am still going on the assumption that the stock head unit produces a low level signal output for the upgraded stereo unit....nobody has said otherwise yet...hope I dont blow my used $30 amp...!!

lightsout

Your stalk pioneer system runs off a 6 channel amp connected to the front tweeters, 6.5" mids in the doors and 6/9's in the back. The stalk 10" sub is bridged off the rear 6/9's.

If I understand you correctly, you want to replace the rear 6/9's and front 6.5"s with polk audio speakers and keep the stalk pioneer tweeter. I would not recommend putting the polk audio component tweeters in the a pillers. This would be too close to the stalk tweeters and I don't think it would sound good. If you really want to add components while keeping the stalk tweeter in it's original location, what I would do is try and keep the polk component tweeters as close as possible to the 6.5"s in the door. This way you have the components at the bottom and and higher sound stage up top with the stalk tweeter. I would also completely replace the stalk amp, with two good aftermarket ones. Have one amp power your sub alone. and have say a 6 channel amp power your other speakers. You can have the stalk tweeters bridged off the front components.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

thats way to many speakers

lightsout

It's not if he is replacing his original speakers with the Polk ones and only keeping the tweeters. From what I gather, this is what he wants to do. So the only extra would be the tweeters.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

and an extra set of 6X9s in the back

stangthang

yeah, not sure about the extra 6x9's yet...

So, having two sets of tweeters mounted up high would ruin the sound quality?? I figure the Polk tweeters might sound better than the pioneer tweeters....I can always just remove the pioneer tweeters from the doors... i have never heard a quality sound system so really have no idea what it should sound like..... I thought I could get a nice sound by mounting the Polk tweeters up higher...

any other ideas what i could use the stock amp for?? other than powering the stock sub....if the stock front speakers run off 4 different channels, could I use that somehow??....are all the stock speakers 2-ohm??

Thanks for the replies guys.....

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

yes all the stock speakers are 2 ohm

I personally dont like much tweeter at all but some people prefer alot of it. Honestly the aftermarket tweet should be plenty and depending on your crossover there should be a few different settings for the tweeter volume

stangthang

yeah, I am not a fan of too much treble either... I used to have a sub box with a pair of horns for loud treble.... it hurt my ears.... maybe I need some kind of crossover network or board, not sure what they are called, to adjust the highs down a bit.... but then I might have to re-wire all my speaker wires again..... I might have to kick the dog..... (I dont have a dog!!).... I do have two cats though....

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

stang hopefully by used to you mean you threw that box away

stangthang

Nope. I still have it sitting in my garage... I have even used in in my home stereo for a while.. it is an old MTX box....too big for the cobalt trunk propably... it had 2 12" subs, 4 ait tubes, mids, and horn tweeters....it really put out some bass.... probably not the greatest quality sound, but it was loud as hell....I suppose I could mount new speakers in it.... I liked the bass you could feel in your chest, but hated the way it rattled the windows... I even put it under a wood box frame bed I custom built out of an old waterbed set-up with the drawers.... hooked it up to the stereo..... the mattress was thumpin' while me and the girl were bumpin'.....bauhwww, bauw bauwwwww...

stangthang

bump for solution... how about using an Audiocontrol Matrix 6-Channel Car Audio Line Driver.....?? Would that help me divide the signal to 3 or 4 amps??

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

nah u dont need a line driver

whats the question again?