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2018 Sound System Update and Questions

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by Taco1.1, Jul 19, 2018.

  1. Jul 19, 2018 at 3:07 PM
    #1
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I have already replaced my stock head-unit with a Kenwood DDX9905S. I have ordered Kicker 43CSS694 (component) for the front doors and 43CSC674 (coaxial) for the rear doors. A couple of questions:
    • Does anyone see any problems with this combination? I am planning on installing this weekend.
    • I am installing the tweeters in the stock tweeter location and the midrange speakers in the stock door location. Any recommendations on where to install the crossover? I am thinking behind the kick-panel.
    • I'm using the stock speaker wire. My understanding is that the speaker wire runs from the HU to the tweeter and then branches to the front door from there. Is this correct? It seems I would have to splice the crossover to the main feed by the tweeter. Any recommendations on the best way to make this connection?
    • Anyone know the parts number of the various trim piece clips? I am worried about breaking them.
    I also bought Noico 80mil sound deadener that I plan on installing the doors. Any concerns with this? I will take sound measurements using my phone before and after the deadening.

    After living with the upgrades for a while I will consider more sound dampening, amp, and subwoofer. I'm considering a Mr Marv box or else the JL stealthbox.

    Also - kind of a random question but it seems like the vast majority of car speakers are 4 ohm some going to 2 and 1 (subs). Coming from the high end home audio world, I would say the majority of speakers are 8 ohm. Why do car audio speakers have such low ohms?

    Thanks for any help!

    door
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2018
  2. Jul 19, 2018 at 9:19 PM
    #2
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    Combo should work well for you

    You till have to cut the factory tweeter harness, or buy the harness from *********. I bought them because I don’t like cutting factory wiring. Two of these wires are the signal coming from the radio, and the other two go into the door. So you will use the pair from the radio to the input on the crossover, the other pair to the woofer, and run your own wire for the new tweeter

    You could put the crossover in the kick panel if you want, but you’ll need to extend the factory wires a good bit to reach. I recommend the ********* harness to keep things simple and clean, but no problem in cutting

    Don’t be too worried about breaking clips. They are hard to break when they’re this new. Biggest thing is to pull straight out, and not at an angle.

    The noico 80mil is good stuff. Don’t be stingy with it. Apply everywhere you can get your hand to, including both sides of the metal around the speaker hole

    Comparing car audio opens up a can of worms that I’m not about to type on my phone lol. Maybe when I crack open the laptop
     
  3. Jul 22, 2018 at 7:26 AM
    #3
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks! The tweeter has 4 wires. I assume I have to splice them into two wires only. Do you know which ones I would combine? I looked at the ********* videos and it looks like the 1 and 3 combines with the 2 and 4th.

    It does seem like car audio is substantially more complicated than home audio...I assume it is car manufacturers trying to lock you into their system.
     
  4. Jul 22, 2018 at 8:02 AM
    #4
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    You wouldn’t splice the tweeter wires in this particular scenario. If you had the tweeter and the woofer in the door, you could. But we have an easy way to leave the crossover in the dash (this is ideal because crossovers tend to get moisture damage in the door) so i wouldn’t splice them. The taco tunes harness works well, but it’s a bit pricey. Oh well. I’ve gotten my money’s worth out of it. Looking back, I probably would have cut the factory harness, but it works well either way. One of the sets of wires comes from the radio as the input to your corossover, and the other set goes from the crossover out to your woofer
     
  5. Jul 22, 2018 at 9:27 AM
    #5
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Dustin! Do you, or anyone else, know which color speaker is positive and which is negative?
     
  6. Jul 22, 2018 at 9:43 AM
    #6
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    Drivers side
    From the radio: Purple/black +, Purple/white -
    To the woofer in the door: DarkGreen +, Light Green -

    Passenger Side
    From the radio: Purple/Red +, Purple/Green -
    To the woofer in the door: Grey +, Blue -
     
  7. Jul 22, 2018 at 9:47 AM
    #7
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you!!!!!!
     
  8. Aug 4, 2018 at 6:14 AM
    #8
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    OK - so I got the back speakers done and then got side tracked for a few weeks. I am doing the front speakers today.

    I am using the ********* harness from the head unit. The speaker wires from the HU are the full range speaker wires? I can just connect these to the cross over? The wires that go to the woofer really wouldn't be needed?
     
  9. Aug 4, 2018 at 6:53 AM
    #9
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    The wires FROM the head unit to the tweeter are full range

    You DO still need the wire from the tweeter to the woofer, because that is what will be connecting your new woofer to your crossover

    Hopefully this helps
    Screen Shot 2018-08-04 at 8.45.23 AM.jpg

    Then, using the wire colors listed in post #6, repeat with passenger side
     
  10. Aug 4, 2018 at 7:21 AM
    #10
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    See - this is where I'm getting screwed up. The kicker crossover is already wired with the wire that goes to the woofer. Why would I need the original woofer wire?

    I guess I'm missing something. What I think should happen is the wire from the headunit connects to the input wire. The output to the tweeters and the woofer are already provided by the kicker set. Therefore the original woofer wire is not needed. What am I missing?

    I really appreciate the help and sorry of this is basic buy I'm just not seeing what I'm missing.
     
  11. Aug 4, 2018 at 7:30 AM
    #11
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    the grey woofer wire from the crossover (labeled MID) needs to be connected to the green pair of wires at the tweeter location. This is how the audio gets through the wire boot and into the door where the woofer is. You can certainly try to run your own wire into the door, but its a bitch for sure.
     
  12. Aug 5, 2018 at 5:16 AM
    #12
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for all your help Destin. Pulling your own wire is definitely a pain for sure but I got it done! Sound quality is massively improved...now to sttart thining about a sub...
     
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  13. Aug 5, 2018 at 6:15 AM
    #13
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    I love when people put in the work to make it great!

    For subs, depending on the sound you want and the money you want to spend, a MRmarv box with something like the JL 13tw5v2 is about the best you’re going to get. But that setup is going to run well over a grand. I’m using a kicker 43cwrt122 loaded shallow enclosure. Absolutely love it for the money. To fit the 12” I had to cut off 2 of the child seat latches on the back wall but I had a local body shop weld them back a little higher. I have used the 10” version without any modification though.
     
  14. Aug 5, 2018 at 3:49 PM
    #14
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    One final question...how do I get the drivers side molex connector to hook back up with the window switches...there see.s to a trick I'm missing!

    2018-08-05 17.48.24.jpg
    2018-08-05 17.48.50.jpg
     
  15. Aug 5, 2018 at 7:38 PM
    #15
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    Oh gosh. Without having it in my hand I don’t remember. I dot remember it ring difficult (but again, I do car electronics for a living so my thoughts are a bit skewed)
     
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  16. Aug 5, 2018 at 8:01 PM
    #16
    jasperkat

    jasperkat Business cat

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    I don't recall there being anything special to get that connector to plug back in. Just line up the green marker lines on the side of the plug and switch connector and push it in (you can see one in your picture). If I recall it only goes in one way.

    I purchased these clips https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074563GYT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 to have on hand. Not quite as thick of plastic like the stock ones but are much better priced. Like destin_meeks says if you pull it straight out you will be fine. Just watch when you put the panel back on, I've had a few get sideways and not clip right; you'll want to line it up and push the clips straight back in.
     
  17. Aug 6, 2018 at 5:41 AM
    #17
    Taco1.1

    Taco1.1 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Maybe I broke it getting out but it just doesn't seem to want to reconnect. I did all the other doors with no problem. I don't want to force it too hard so I don't break it in case there is something I'm missing.

    I have it lined up correctly and it goes in about half way. There is a sliding locking mechanism that seems to keep it from reconnecting.
     
  18. Aug 6, 2018 at 6:20 AM
    #18
    vietjdmboi

    vietjdmboi Well-Known Member

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    that connector is 2 pieces. the part you are grabbing slides away from the other piece. hope that kind of helps.
     
  19. Aug 6, 2018 at 6:42 AM
    #19
    destin_meeks

    destin_meeks I used to fix people's crappy stereos

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    I know the slide part has to be out and it locks in as you push in the plug

    I think

    It’s been a year since I did my system so I’m foggy

    Sometimes just putting it down for a bit and coming back makes it work
     
  20. Aug 6, 2018 at 6:48 AM
    #20
    vietjdmboi

    vietjdmboi Well-Known Member

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    yea its like a sliding mechanism. youll need to separate the two pieces.
     

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