Pioneer Amp Is Blown.

[Choweye]

Please, I need advise! My pioneer amp is shot and the dealer wants $800 to replace it. I don't understand much about amps and aftermarket amps, but I was told that if I replace it with an aftermarket, that I should also replace the speakers, unless they are 4 ohm. Does anyone know? I really don't want to spend $850 on a stock amp, and e-bay doesn't have any. Will it sound totally different or is it just that I won't get the full benefits of the amp since the speakers are weak? Any advise would be deeply appreciated.

I have a '97 es300. CarToys told me that they would have to build an installation kit if I bought a new head unit because they didn't make any for cars older than '96. Is that true or are they trying to get more money out of me?

Thanks in advance!

[SKperformance]

better to get a new amp and speakers for less than 800

i sold my amp for 100 from my es

i have a custom face plate for a 97 to fit a new deck1 din deck

and yes only the 92-96 has an aftermarket kit to replace the head cheaply

[Choweye]

Thanks. I just got back from cartoys and they were trying to sell me an amp + speakers for $2200, then went to Circuit City and they knew less than I did! They told me to just buy a 2ohm amp.

Anyway, when searching for amps, do I look for a 4,5, or 6 channel amp? Would it be cheaper to buy a new head unit and new speakers minus the subwoofer? I am so confused!

Your opinion and help are greatly appreciated. I am getting more useful info. here than at any of the stereo places around town!

[jragosta]

Thanks. I just got back from cartoys and they were trying to sell me an amp + speakers for $2200, then went to Circuit City and they knew less than I did! They told me to just buy a 2ohm amp.

For $2200, you ought to get a killer system.

Try Crutchfield.com. You can get a very nice amp for $200, front speakers for $100 (or $200 if you want to upgrade to component speakers which I would recommend) and $200 for nice rear speakers. I would imagine installation would run $300 or so.

For speakers, you have to rely on your own ears rather than recommendations. Everyone hears speakers differently. For example, I love Infinity speakers, but lots of people think they sound too bright or harsh (presumably because I have some high frequency hearing loss like many people in their 40s).

My recommendation would be to find a local stereo shop who can help you out. Car Toys is known for being ridiculously priced. Another option would be to select your own components by listening to speakers at Circuit City and ask your dealer if they would install them for you. I wouldn't be surprised if you could do it for the $800 the dealer wants for a new amp - and end up with a better system.

Good luck.

[philbe1]

if u don't want an "uber system" and just a replacement system that sounds well better then what u had, buy a aftermarket head unit (example Kenwood-X579 50 watts by 4 for 220$) have it professionally installed and, unless u haven't blown any of the stock speakers, u should be able to use everything u have in ur car minus ur stock amp and stock cd changer for well less then 800$ for just the stock amp. Sounds to me like they are trying to get one over on you. an aftermarket head unit like the one i describe for that price has a built in crossover for the speaker layout that the 97 es300 has and will sound soo very much better. You won't need to replace the speakers if you want just an enjoyable ride experience. that is Unless u want to start shaking windows out of their panes. bottom line 800$ for a stock replacement amp is entirely TOO MUCH money for what you would be getting.

[philbe1]

Oh i forgot to Add is $800 the price for just the stock amp or for the amp and labor?? if its the price for the amp and labor then (and u want to just replace the stock amp) just ask for the price of the amp because replacing the amp is literally removing the glove compartment and then taking 2 nuts off the stock amp and unplugging the connector and then plugging the new amp back in and bolting everything back up. It is no how difficult to do. Sorry but i am one for not having to pay for somthing so expensive when it can easily be done by ones self

[SKperformance]

Using the stock speaks will sound like crap

they are high efficency speakers and are not made for a full tonal value of a regular amp,which will make it very easy to blow never mind sound awful.

buy a new deck with 4 component co axial speakers ( so you don;t have to mount the tweeters, or have the front door speakers the only seperate component so you can utalize the stock tweeter holes.

[Lex3486]

This poor guy! Look guys, can't we just hook this dude up with a stock amp?? I know someone out there must surely have one sittin around...800 bucks is off the wall, no way I'd even consider it. I wouldn't put an aftermarket head unit in either myself, b/c then you start talkin re-wiring and bypassing stock stuff, replacing all the speakers, etc. etc...and I agree that you would have to redo all the speakers if you went with an aftermarket head unit b/c these systems are set up really weird; no one speaker, except for the 6x9's in the early models, get a full sound range input, so it'd sound like crapola. If the guys main concern is money, which it sorta sounds like it may be, and he didn't really have much desire to redo his whole stereo, which sounds to me like he didn't, let's hook him up with what he needs!

[jragosta]

This poor guy! Look guys, can't we just hook this dude up with a stock amp?? I know someone out there must surely have one sittin around...800 bucks is off the wall, no way I'd even consider it.

Good point.

There ought to be a junkyard (oops, 'salvage yard') somewhere that can track one down. OR, try ebay (I don't know why I didn't think of that, because that's usually the first place I look for something like this.

There's currently a 97 ES300 amp there:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...sspagename=WDVW

(I can't vouce for these people because I don't know them, but my experience with eBay has been good overall, particularly when you're dealing with someone with over 600 positive feedback).

Good luck.

[bbsal]

i have a stock amp for your year.i will let it go for 100 bucks if you want it.i had bought 2 different amps at a local flea market and one was for the 97 an up es.i know it works fine so if it could save you some bucks just pm me.

good luck either way :D

[Choweye]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I may take you up on that offer for that amp. My concern is why the amp blew. I am guessing it may have been a short in the subwoofer that caused the amp to blow because that was making a cracking noise a few days before the amp went out. Then after I took the key out of the ignitiion it made a high pitched noise that wouldn't stop. I put the key back in and tried turning on and off the radio to see if the high pitch noise would stop then the radio went dead and blew the fuse under the hood.

I am wondering if I put another amp in if it will blow again. Lexus had me bring it in to check for electrical probs but I doubt if they really researched the source of the problem or just tested the amp. Just a waste of more of my money.

[bbsal]

its possible that it could of shorted out from the sub but i would guess it was just the amp.thats probably why the speaker was cracking because either the amp was going bad or like you said the speaker is bad.what i would do is test the speaker out buy either pulling it out of your car or some other way and hooking it up to a stereo and see if it cracks still.

a stereo shop could check it out for you also.let me know anytime if you need the amp and i will hook you up as long as i have it.good luck

[Lex3486]

But you're certain that the amp is blown right? You do know that there are 2 radio fuses...just tryin to help out, I don't think you're an idiot or anything but always gotta look for the easiest most obvious b/c sometimes that's what it is lol.

[Choweye]

Yeah, 'cuz when the subwoofer was making weird noises I checked the fuse under dash and the one under the hood, and they were both ok. After the amp blew, I checked again and the one under the hood was blown.

I went ahead and got the amp from e-bay. Won the bid on Saturday night. I will bring it to the stereo shop and see if they can check for a short before the amp is put in. They seemed pretty knowledgeable and willing to help me out. Wish me luck!

Thanks everyone for your help!

[bbsal]

hey i told you i had one for you. :(

thats ok i guess i will list it on ebay also to get rid of it.how much was it anyway?hopefully cheaper then mine.

[Choweye]

well, if it makes you feel any better, they told me it was just the amp that was the problem, but when I installed the amp I bought on ebay ($50), it worked for a day then blew again!

I guess I will just have to install an aftermarket system.