Replacing The Sub Powered By Aftermarket Amp?

[BlackPlatinumGS]

I want to replace the stock sub in my 2000 GS300, I do want to power this off of an aftermarket amp. I am totally confused about the wiring! How can I bypass the stock amp yet still get the audio out from the head-unit. Because of the changing season and my obsession with motorcycles I am trying to make my car sound great with minimal expense. I would like to replace all the stock speakers and the stock amp (while keeping the stock head-unit) but it sounds to involved and costs to much money. (If there is a reasonably priced way to do it I would love to learn)

Jordan

[BlackPlatinumGS]

My bithday is Tommorrow and I want to give myself a presant of a new sound system please help!

[SKperformance]

You cannot make any improvement using the stock amp and only replacing the sub. It will sound like crap as the stock speakers are efficent while any good aftermarket one uses larger magnets to reproduce a crisper sound.

You will also have a hard time in keeping the stock deck but gettting rid of the amp as well . The deck sends an unusable signal to the amp which is where you will have to tap the analog signal in a high pass situation.

I may be wrong though on the amp and its signal.

[GuyTelefunken]

I agree the keeping the stock head is a problem. If you're going to rip and tear, plan on replacing everything, including the changer which doesn't work with anything except the Lexus head. (I've heard that certain Pioneer heads will integrate to the Lexus changer with an appropriate adapter, but I haven't seen it done.)

The Lexus head sends fixed-level balanced line level to the amp over two shielded pairs. The controls on the head send a serial data signal to the factory amp instructing it to adjust base, treble, balance, fade, and volume. Signal source switching is done in the head with the exception of the changer, which does not go through the head but rather directly to the amp.

There are many threads on this forum about audio upgrades and such. Have a search.

By the way, the factory speakers are in customized enclosures and are of nonstandard impedance. For instance the fronts are 2 ohms. If I recall, the rears are 4 ohms. So just replacing the speakers is also not an efficient idea. Removing the enclosures to provide room for aftermarket speakers will probably provide more problems and work than benefits. To efficiently upgrade, IMHO it's an all or nothing situation.

[dcfish]

I agree the keeping the stock head is a problem. If you're going to rip and tear, plan on replacing everything, including the changer which doesn't work with anything except the Lexus head. (I've heard that certain Pioneer heads will integrate to the Lexus changer with an appropriate adapter, but I haven't seen it done.)

The Lexus head sends fixed-level balanced line level to the amp over two shielded pairs. The controls on the head send a serial data signal to the factory amp instructing it to adjust base, treble, balance, fade, and volume. Signal source switching is done in the head with the exception of the changer, which does not go through the head but rather directly to the amp.

There are many threads on this forum about audio upgrades and such. Have a search.

By the way, the factory speakers are in customized enclosures and are of nonstandard impedance. For instance the fronts are 2 ohms. If I recall, the rears are 4 ohms. So just replacing the speakers is also not an efficient idea. Removing the enclosures to provide room for aftermarket speakers will probably provide more problems and work than benefits. To efficiently upgrade, IMHO it's an all or nothing situation.

I concur w/ Guy. Replace the entire system. Good Luck !

And by the way, Welcome to the club and Happy B-Day

[BlackPlatinumGS]

thanks for your help guys

[dukabor]

thanks for your help guys

If you happen to see this............I disagree with everthing posted !

If the 2000 is the same as my 98..........

What you can do is steal the signal from the existing amp and feed it to a seperate sub amp.

Take out the sub in the rear deck and put in a pre-made dual 12inch box.

I used Clarion componants and it is amazing.

the sub box fits perfectly on the shelf on the trunk and ports through the rear deck.

the whole set up cost me under $500.00 cdn.

When I want to adjust the sub , the bass controll works quite well and I can also use the gain on my amp.

I tried 10 inch subs first but they didn't resignate enough.

pop into a stereo shop and ask........its worth a look.

Dukabor

[SKperformance]

Audio is a very opinionated and subjective thing to evaluate.

What sounds good to you may infact sound horrible to others.

[Obeah Man]

I'd be the first to admit that my knowledge of car audio is basic at best in the technical departement, but I know what sounds good. Once you put in a good amp and sub, you will soon have the problem that the factory (I have the mark levinson on a 2002 GS430) speakers no longer sound as good as you once thought. Obviously before you replace them, you need a new head unit. In my opinion, it's a dumb idea to get rid of the factory head, because you paid the big bucks for the touch screen, Nav etc. What you can do is by an Alpine Hub, which will allow you to operate third party peripherals through your touch screen (ie. you can control your iPod, add a DVD player etc. on your screen). I believe that you should then be able to change your head unit set up by running it through the Hub and still keep the factory screen and the classy look of the cabin.

Now I havent done all of this yet, but that's my plan for this summer. Has anyone elese had any experience with alpine's Hub system?

-Obeah Man

[SKperformance]

Not that familiar with alpines system but i also like the use of a factory head . I hate factory system controls which distort the audio to suit its own personal failures in reproduction such as raising an lowering frequencies .

JL audio makes a very nice unit called a clean sweep. It takes all the factory's high outputs and makes them linear in reproduction .Meaning you have a well balanced set of RCA's to go to a new amp or 2 for the highs and mids then one for the sub if wanted.