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2002 Gs300: Can I Keep The Factory Amp With New Head Unit


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I know there are a lot of threads around replacing the factory radio, but a lot of them are quite old and I wonder if anything has changed with all the new aftermarket tuners.

I have a 2002 RHD GS300 with non nav factory stereo (I suspect it is a Pioneer unit) and I want well integrated Bluetooth for my phone, as well as USB and Aux inputs. I have an ipod but use Android phone.

Most of the old threads say you can't keep the factory amp and that the rear sub won't work with a new head unit.

From what I see most of the halfway decent new head units have 3 pre-amp outputs (front, rear and sub) so it would seem reasonably straightforward to make a harness to connect those outputs to the Factory amp and have all the speakers working as intended ?

I am very happy with the sound I currently get which seems to give a really well shaped, nice sound (to the driver anyway) so would rather not get into anything too major in terms of replacing everything. I'm a bit of a dinosaur and I'm only just starting to get used to the idea of losing my CD changer but the extra glovebox space will be good.

Am I missing something ? Are there reasons why I wouldn't want to take the pre-amp outputs into the factory amp ? Some incompatabilities I don't know about ?

I have seen some reference to the fader and balance in the factory unit being handled by the amp through a separate databus but I don't know if that is relevant.

Any advice welcomed (because I would rather change my audio set up than have to go out and find a new car ).

John

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OK, so now after looking carefully at the diagrams I think I understand why it isn't plug and play like I imagined.

The factory radio/cassette that I want to replace is *just* a radio. It just sends left and right channel information to the amp. All the work is done in the amp, so even though I change the balance or fader through the controls on the head unit the audio signal isn't changing out of the head unit. All the work is being done in the amp and the fader/balance etc dial is sending information to the amp to adjust the outputs to Front/Rear/Left/Right.

Is that a summary of what is going on or am I still not getting it ?

If I am right does that mean I should be able to buy a new head unit which combines all the functionality from the Factory head unit and amp in one ?

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  • 2 months later...

No, cannot be done. Nor can you use the stock CD changer or amp. It's all or none, Got to do what's called an amp bypass in order to utilize the stock speakers still.

Now that I reread what you posted haha you've got an idea of what's going on I believe yes. And in order to turn the amp on well the stock head unit is the only thing that can send the signal in order to do so.

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