hey guys... kinda newbie at the audio installation ... but can i use the STOCK pioneer audio system when i hook up an amp and subwoofs? my cousin told me i had to buy a new cd player... cuz the stocked pioneer system in the tc doesnt have the "SUB" mode... TRUE?

 

I beileve you can still use the stock head unit with amp/sub. BUt you have to get RCA converter cables for the unit in order to get the amp and stuff to work. I think it's RCA converter cables..ANYWAYS...it will work. but there is no "SUB MODE" on the stock pioneer head unit. but a sub and amp will work with the unit.

 

IM not a newbie at car audio installs.

you can use stock but if your just replacing the radio but if your using subs and amps then your gonna blow IF THEY ARE MADE OF PAPER OR CHEAP SILICONE them in a matter of dayz so save your ears and your speakers and just do the full upgrade. after markets will run you and extra 150 bucks at most for the rear speakers.

 

if you're not a noob at car audio installs, you should know that more emphasis and time should be spent on the front stage than the rear.

To answer the original question in a nutshell, yes you can use your stock system and add a subwoofer using a Line Output Converter.

 

moved to ICE....

 

you can use a line level converter to convert the speaker(high) level wires into RCA (low) level cables....JL Audio has an excellent unit called the cleansweep that executes this very well.....there are also cheap LLC's you can buy at wal-mart but most won't give you very good SQ.....if you're only amping a sub, it probably won't make a huge difference....

another option is to purchase an amp with High level inputs(meaning using speaker wires instead of RCA's)....all you'll have to do with this is splice(piggyback) into the rear speakers and run the speaker wires to the High Level inputs on the amp.....

last option is to get on ebay and get a harness adapter that plugs in between your radio and the factory harness that will give you RCA's (1 or 2 pair depending on which product your order) as well as a remote turn on lead.....

If you have any questions, drop me a PM....

 

yea just use a hi-lo converter. No need to replace the head unit. I'm pushing a 12" dual 2 ohm alpine type-r with my stock pioneer unit. Sounds great. Would sound better with an aftermarket HU, but meh...not enough money for the quality one i want yet.