new audio system through stock amplifier not "booming" please help!

[Qmulus]

Personally, I would just forget the factory wiring and run new wires to the dash, doors and back (if you have rear speakers), if you are going to just use the speaker outputs from the head unit. That way you can also leave the factory wiring alone so if you want to put it back to stock for some reason, it would be easy to reconnect.

The only kind of tricky part is the door speaker wiring, but you can get at the wires right at the A pillar where they go into the door connector. They are pretty easy to find as they are the only large twisted pairs of wires going into the door. If you cut and splice into them a few inches back, it would be easy to undo in the future.

Right door: Violet (+), Violet/Brown (-)
Left door: Green (+), Green/Brown (-)

I have an '03 with the MOST optical bus for the input to the amp and CD changer signals, so I pretty much have to rewire if I upgrade the head unit. Running new wires to the speakers is FAR easier than messing with running wires to the amp connector.

FWIW, I worked as a pro stereo installer through college. At that time I always had to have the latest and greatest. Now I just leave the OE stuff and listen to FM with the top up and the engine with the top down...

[CrisZenithBlue]

thanks for the input guys it really helped me a lot! got it done this weekend and am VERY happy with the improved sound. it's booming now

was fiddly and took quite a bit of patience but well worth it and satisfying in the end. since i had everything apart i took advantage and hard wired my radar detector as well so double win!

[BruceH]

Originally Posted by CrisZenithBlue

ok this is great! i am well on my way!

one question though.. i like the idea of running new negative wires from the HU. how did you run them through the firewall? did you follow the existing wires from the HU to the amp?

thanks!!

Originally Posted by CrisZenithBlue

thanks for the input guys it really helped me a lot! got it done this weekend and am VERY happy with the improved sound. it's booming now

was fiddly and took quite a bit of patience but well worth it and satisfying in the end. since i had everything apart i took advantage and hard wired my radar detector as well so double win!

So, did you run the negative wires from the HU? Was that the fiddly part?

[CrisZenithBlue]

yeah i ended up running the negative wires from the HU to get the most out of the system. definitely worth it!

[jeeper31]

Originally Posted by CrisZenithBlue

yeah i ended up running the negative wires from the HU to get the most out of the system. definitely worth it!

This might be a stupid question put if you didn't runt he negative wires from the HU where would you run them from?

[CrisZenithBlue]

Originally Posted by jeeper31

This might be a stupid question put if you didn't runt he negative wires from the HU where would you run them from?

The other option would have been to use the negative wire that goes into the amp but that would affect the quality because the OEM HU only runs a common ground to the amp.

You're better off running wires yourself.

[jeeper31]

Originally Posted by CrisZenithBlue

The other option would have been to use the negative wire that goes into the amp but that would affect the quality because the OEM HU only runs a common ground to the amp.

You're better off running wires yourself.

So if I am running the wires directly to the speakers I wouldn't attach the ground to the amp at all. Correct?