Audio Upgrade Unhappy.

[TheWhiteDevil]

Hey guys,

I have a question for you. I made the amplifier bypass harness and I think it sounds worse, I would like to know whats going on and where the weakest link is.

So I have been running the stock headunit since I purchased the truck. It had the stock speakers half blown. and a non existent subwoofer (ZERO FOAM LEFT)
It has a stock alt. No big 3 upgrade (yet - I do this to most every vehicle of mine to some degree, sound system or not) Optima Red Top Battery.

First off I replaced the speakers first about 2 months ago with Pioneer Ts-Al676R speakers.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-iuvNQrElC1F/p_130TSA1685/Pioneer-TS-A1685R.html

World of a difference and it sounded great, However I knew about the harness and I knew the back sub was trashed still. So it was replaced a few weeks later with a 8" Shallow Pioneer Ts-sw2002D2

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130TSS2002/Pioneer-TS-SW2002D2.html?tp=111&awcp=1t1&awcr=105374241923&awdv=c&awkw=+pioneer++ts++sw2002d2&awmt=b&awnw=g

Boom, again a large improvement in sound. I was actually impressed by the quality of sound but not the volume I wanted a bit more bass than I was getting. For those interested I did have to trim almost 1/4 inch off the mounting bracket of the sub to fit into the stock location. I know it's not going to be like my other truck and I know it's only an 8" sub but I was running the factory amp and headunit still. I was intending to solder in a 3.5mm aux into the stock head unit but after tonight I'm waiting...

So tonight I threw in the amp bypass harness.

The bass is great but only at really low volumes, otherwise I have 2 issues, 1 the dash lights pulse with the bass and 2 at any slightly higher volume the clarity goes to shit. The mids/lows seem to over power the higher ranges now and it actually sounds worse!

I am trying to keep it as stock looking at possible as all rear space and 2nd row underseat store is PACKED.

What am I missing? should I keep off the harness but run a separate amplifier with a knob to the rear bass? am I locked into an aftermarket headunit to get the sound I want?

 

[ccapehartusarmyINF.(ret)]

okay first off yer running aftermarket speakers and sub off that stock amp wich is not enough to power that sub and speakers
to answer yer question id say yes you are locked into an aftermarket headunit and if your conserving space id get a small 5 channel to power the speakers and sub and you ll prolly be satisfied as long as you dont go to crazy on the 5 channel amp you should be fine with just a big 3 upgrade and that redtop and stick with the stock alternator

 

[TheWhiteDevil]

I guess Im not trying so hard for stock looking as I am Clean, I dont feel like an normal single din has the look I want. I wanted it to perform well but look factory? Ahhh the picky life.

 

[scoobyxj]

You can always get an amp with speaker level input, or use a line converter to adapt the OEM head unit.

 

[Rocket Man]

That Pioneer sub specs with dual 2-ohm voice coils. So how did you wire that, with both voice coils in parallel , both in series, or just using one voice coil? In parallel, you'll be at 1 ohm; in series, you'll be at 4 ohms, and with just one you'll only be using half the speaker. That speaker is designed to be used when you don't have a single sub input, as in if you're using a line output converter on a 2-channel amp. You might need 2 ohms. Is yours a Bose system? You need to replace speakers with the same impedance as the ones you removed. If your old sub was 2 ohms, you need to replace it with 2 ohm single voice coil sub.

 

[ccapehartusarmyINF.(ret)]

I guess Im not trying so hard for stock looking as I am Clean, I dont feel like an normal single din has the look I want. I wanted it to perform well but look factory? Ahhh the picky life.

yeah i agree thats why i went with the din 1/2 vs thee single din cuz its fills the gap the only downside is your a little more limited on selection on din and 1/2 as opposed to single din decks

 

[Rocket Man]

I converted to a double din. It's not hard, just need a radio cage and dash bezel from an 03. That opens up all the possibilities and still looks stock.

 

[05Single]

Sounds like you're locked into an aftermarket deck. There are some out there that have a close resemble nice to a factory looking deck.
Also check into kicker shallow mount 8". I've had all the shallow mount subs including the pioneer and kicker was way cleaner and louder for only a few bucks more

 

[05Single]

I'm assuming bose ?

 

[TheWhiteDevil]

Non bose set up. I am looking into swapping a bose center console into her though

 

[YukonXL04]

I'm betting he has the sub wired to 1 ohm and that's what's making it distort with anything over a low volume. Also will make the dash lights flicker cause the amp is working way harder than it is supposed to.

 

[TheWhiteDevil]

@YukonXL04 I have the Pioneer sub running off the stock amplifier, its a DVC and I am running only one set at 2ohm.

The distortion is coming only from certain tracks with havy mids and its the dooor speakers distorting. I will have to move to an aftermarket headunit it looks like.

 

[ISU-152]

If it's the front front door speakers, you could try just wiring in a couple resistors that take out the bass. I forget what they are called exactly but I used to use them with all my systems.

 

[ISU-152]

Seems odd though. You should be able to run two fronts and two rears off the head unit at a reasonable level, and the sub off the amp without any problems.

Double check wiring. Also how many channels is the amp?

 

[TheWhiteDevil]

Factory amp with a bypass mod to bypass the filters on the speakers. I think you may be right where I could rewire the bypass to only work for the rears but It only seems to really matter with a few CDs that are heavy bass/mids. I have no issues with B.I.G albums, Pantera, Johnny Cash or even Buddy Guy, but I throw in a TechN9ne album and the front mids/highs are distorted by the bass/lows.

 

[kaiwren986]

I would just run a new amp for your speakers, http://www.crutchfield.com/p_777M1500/Sound-Ordnance-M-1500.html?tp=115 I have used these, and they work great.

I bought a cheap amp to drive 2 12" kickers https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S4XKYC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You don't need to spend a ton of money on your amps. They will drive your speakers relatively cleanly. Spend the cash on a good head unit and call it a day. Or even run it all off your factory head unit, there WILL be an improvement in sound. For less than $220.

Its time consuming running new wiring, but don't let it scare you, your patience will be rewarded.