Quick Sub Question

I want to add another sub to my 04 Yukon with BOSE. I have a decent amp and a couple different 10s to play with.

I want to grab the signal off the back of the head unit so that the amp doesn't cut the bass when its turned up. My question: Do I need a line level converter if I grab my signal before the amp?

Is it stock radio or aftermarket?

Bone Stock. 04 Yukon XL with Bose. I know it has a sub in the center console, but I want to add another.

The radio only sends signal to the amp, the amp does all the work, so whatever your getting on the existing subwoofer would be sent to the new one. Best bet is to do away with that god awful factory amp and run your own setup.

so couldn't I tap into that signal going to the factory amp, and run that to another amp and then sub? The amp I want to use has an adjustable crossover....

blown240 said:

so couldn't I tap into that signal going to the factory amp, and run that to another amp and then sub? The amp I want to use has an adjustable crossover....

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The signal going to the factory amp is a low-level, "flat" EQ signal. It's ideal to tap into this to send signal to an amp and I'm researching doing this with mine. My concern is would the impedance of the aftermarket amp's inputs that's tapped into these stock pre-amp circuits negatively affect that signal going to the OEM amp?

iamdub said:

My concern is would the impedance of the aftermarket amp's inputs that's tapped into these stock pre-amp circuits negatively affect that signal going to the OEM amp?

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It seems like it wouldn't be any different that tapping into the signal going to the sub. I would way rather work with a low level signal than have to run a line level converter. Less to go bad....

blown240 said:

It seems like it wouldn't be any different that tapping into the signal going to the sub. I would way rather work with a low level signal than have to run a line level converter. Less to go bad....

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The signal going to the sub has already been processed and varies wildly and the output of an amp is designed to work with such drastically varying impedances. The low-level side may be more sensitive. My first thought is that it'd be fine. But, I don't wanna tap into it which would either drop or increase the impedance that the low-level output of the head unit sees. A change in the input impedance could just cause a slight and possibly undetectable change in volume (turn the volume up one click higher to compensate) or it may kill the head unit's output amp. I'm probably over-thinking it, but I don't wanna find out the hard way.

A surefire solution would be to redirect ALL channels from the head unit to aftermarket amps and have those power the door and sub speakers and not use the console sub. This has been done plenty of times. The OEM amp is kept in place because it also processes the signal for the chimes and probably other stuff. You're just redirecting the radio's audio signals elsewhere as if the radio was turned off.

Again, I THINK it would okay to tap into them and keep the OEM sub in operation, but I can't say for sure.

You absolutely could tap a speaker lead or the existing subwoofer leads and run a LOC but you will only be amplifying the existing signal.
If your trying to get any kind of upgrade, imo, just go aftermarket for everything. 5 channel amps can be had for a few hundred bucks and you'll thank yourself in the end. Picking up a decent head unit and dash kit wont exactly break the bank either. The options are there, it's just what do YOU want to accomplish. Every Tahoe/Yukon I've owned gets revamped almost immediately because I cannot stand turning up the tunes and losing all the low end in my music, even without subs.

I added an amp and sub to my factory bose, but I got a new head unit and ran my inputs from there. All my chimes and everything still work, my factory speakers and console sub all work, and I have a bumping sub in the back. I wouldn't go so far as to call the factory stuff crap, although it's not the best sound ever. It's not bad for mid 2000s factory stuff.

I would try a line level converter. Worst case scenario it doesn't work and you're out the cash for the converter since you already have the subs and amp.