Let's say I want to replace the speakers of the TC and power them with an external amp, but still use the factory HU. Would I need to buy the RCA outs for the amp to connect to the HU?

If i do have to get the RCA outs. How much does dealerships charge for them?

thanks in advance

 

yes you will have to buy a line level converter. you can pick them up at your local Circuit City/Best Buy or any other car stereo shop. don't waste your time at the dealership, that don't carry them.

 

Two options: Pull the speaker wires from the head unit and put them into a line level converter like violent said, then run your rca from the line level to your amp, and then from the amp run the speaker wires from the amp back to the wires you cut near your head unit. The second option is to get an "add an amp" kit from a stereo shop. Most of the stereo shops I know, including frys electronics, cary these little boxes. They just plug in to your stereo and serve as a man in the middle for your stock wiring harness. They typically cost about 100 bucks. At some point you will still need to cut your speaker wires if you want your amp to power your midrange. What I usually do is kill the bass on the head unit, then use an amp with a sub. Killing the bass on the head unit allows you to push slightly more through your midrange, giving you more or less the same effect (once the sub is added) without all the wiring mess.

 

I heard that the Alpine MRP-F240 amp does not need the line level converter if i use that with the stock HU. Is this true?

 

I looked up your amp, it comes with both high and line level inputs so you could just cut the speaker wires from your HU, and wire them directly into your amp, presuming you bought the amp new, and you have the high-level wired adaptor which plugs into your amp.

 

whats a high level wired adaptor? I went to al and eds and they said i didnt need to buy anything else with the amp except for an amp kit.

 

It should come in the box with the amp. It is a harness of wires that goes into your amp. You then wire the correct speaker wires from your headunit into each wire of the adaptor.

 

oh ok thanks, im going to be paying it to be professionally installed.

 

 

hey edlin, where in san diego do you live? would you install an amp if i payed you?

 

I wouldnt take money for it.. I do this stuff for fun. I could help you, but if you plan to do future mods and things, you would really be better off doing it yourself and gaining the experience *Crafting + 10*.. Id say the hardest part is finding a place for your amp, and getting power to the amp. Incidently, does anyone know if there is a remote turnon wire somewhere in the stock TC harness? If not, you might need to find some kind of a line level sense adaptor from a car audio shop to give you a remote turn on. Otherwise you will need to have a switch hooked up to turn your amp on and off which is bad mojo if you forget to turn it off one night..

 

whats the basic steps of installing an amp?

 

Im going to presume you wont be adding more amps later on.

Run an 8 gauge wire from the battery, fused close to the battery, through the firewall (theres a rubber wiring gromet there that you might be able to squeeze the wire through) to where you want your amp to go.

Dont hook the power wire up untill you have it at the amp. Otherwise while you are working, it might *accidently* rub up against something metal/grounded.. which is bad.

Then ground your amp using 8+ wire to the frame of the car, or a big fat bolt near by, like the seat bolts or something.

Run your remote turn on wire to whatever is going to turn on the amp.
Options:
ACC Wire: Turns amp on when car turns on.
Remote Turnon: Typically aftermarket stereos, a line out convertor box, or a wire which is more than 9 volts when the stereo is turned on.
Switch: Manual operation.. bad if you forget to turn the amp off.
Direct to battery: Dont do this.

If you have no other option, or any type of adaptor for your radio, then find the speaker wires from your stereo and cut them somewhere you have enough wire on both sides to put them back together if you mess up. Crimp/solder wires to the wires which go to the speakers to extend them. Run those extended wires to your amp speaker terminals. --- Then extend the wires on the radio side of the cut wires and run those to your amp speaker level wiring harness for the input.

Basic operation is that the speaker wires that were going to your speakers, are now supposed to be taking a short stop over at your amp first, then back to the speakers..

 

hey edlin:

if its any help, i wired my remote turn-on wire to the radio switch on the back of the radio harness. if you look in the tech section there is a wiring guide for an xb. i used it for my xa and everything works fine. by wiring to the radio switch, the amp only gives signal when i turn the radio on and cuts off when i turn off the key.

 

Hey Edlin (or anyone else from SD), I'm new to the area and looking for the best audio shop in town. Could you check out this thread please?

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...141591#1141591

Thanks.

-Matt