Quote:
Originally Posted by Stl-986
Wait a sec...Do you have the factory amp hooked up to your Avic? If so I'm assuming you are using one of the wiring kits for that.
You wont be able to really do anything with the eq settings. You can make changes on your Avic but it really wont matter with that factory amp in the mix.
In all honesty...you would be better just running the speakers right off your avic. It isn't that hard to do. The wires for the speakers are on the right connector of the amp (when looking it from the front). You can just cut off that amp connector & run extension wires through the firewall to your HU. Your avic has better power then the factory amp and....your ohms would match too as a side benifit.
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As Stl-986 points out, according to the Pioneer web site, my head unit has, "Built-In Amplifier MOSFET 50 W x 4." I checked that against other sources to see whether anyone had tested the manufacturer's claim. According to the Crutchfield web site, the unit has, 'internal amp (14 watts RMS CEA-2006/50 peak x 4 channels)." I'm not sure what standard Haes used to rate its amp at 40 watts per channel. If it is the peak output, then simply hooking up the speakers directly to the Pioneer head unit will provide more power at no cost.
I decided to follow Stl-986's advice. It seemed like a relatively low-cost option and it would give me much better control of the woofers I put in the door. I added the 6-channel Haes amp before I upgraded from the stock CDR-220 head unit. The HAES provided 40 watts per channel to the rear speakers (which I had added after I bought the car) instead of the 20 watts per channel from the head unit.
To power the door speakers, I purchased:
1. MB Quart NA2-400.2
2. Belva BAK82 amp installation kit
Sonic Electronics had a package deal for the amp and installation kit and the total was $126 with free shipping.
Although Sonic recommended the wiring kit, I've run into something I didn't expect. The amplifier has two wiring harnesses. One is for the amp power and turn on and the other is for the speaker output. The amp power and turn on is the challenge.
The power wire is about 14 gauge while the power wire from the amp installation kit is 8 gauge. The amp wiring harness has a 30-amp fuse of the type you see in an automobile fuse box in it. The installation kit came with a fuse holder that contained an ANL-type fuse. I cannot determine the amp rating on the ANL fuse, but it is blue.
You should be able to see the difference in size of the power wire in this photo. The disparity in the size of the ground wire is similar.
In the other amplifier installations I've completed (admittedly it is only two) I have used the heavier gauge wire with a fuse directly from the battery to the amp. I mounted the fuse as close to the battery as possible.
I'm planning to call Sonic tomorrow and ask for guidance, but for now I'm wondering whether anyone has advice on resolving this challenge. I could solder the smaller gauge wire to the larger gauge wire, but that seems awkward. It may be better to return the MB Quart amp and find one with connections that are similar to the amps I've used in the past. As always, I am open to suggestions and advice. I appreciate that I am a novice and I may be missing some fundamental knowledge.