Installing An Amplifier In A 2004 Honda Accord LX

[ViG 10+ year member]

As always, hello and thanks for reading.

I have a 2004 Honda Accord LX with a stock Deck (XM).

I have already taken it to best buy about a year ago, and I had them install a amp for my back sub. This process was very expensive (about $300 for the wires and installation) so I decided If I were to ever add another amp I would do it myself.

So, the time has come and I am going to attempt to wire in a new amp to power my back 2 speakers.

My "sub" amp is installed underneath the passenger car seat, so I was thinking of placing this new amp underneath the drivers seat now (yes? No? Put it in the trunk? Will it over heat? [400W]).

As far as taking things apart goes, I'm pretty good at it, I manually installed a AUX port through the back of the stock radio (soon to be a Ipod hook up instead of aux, so i can charge it).

My question is: Since there is already another amplifier installed do I need to split certain signals? Like the.....ugh, i don't know what it's called, but the tiny blue cord. Also, so far all I have bought is an amp, and a 4G wiring kit off amazon, is this all I'll be needing? I swear the Best buy dude mentioned needing some sort of converter....or something, ****it, um....basically something special that i need to buy separately before I can just directly hook up the cords to the back of my deck. I'm hoping hes full of shit but, that's why im here.

TLDNR- I have: Amp, Amp Wiring kit (4G). Do I need anything else to install this amp (keep in mind there is already another amp installed to power my sub). 2004 Honda Accord LX (Stock Deck XM)

Thanks guys. (I searched through other posts and didn't find this answer)

-ViG

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[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

check out this MECA competitor build log for a 7th gen accord

http://forum.sounddomain.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1745841&page=0&fpart=1

the tiny blue cord is the remote turn-on wire. you can control 2-3 amps with it b4 you need to add a relay. with a factory head unit you might not have a remote turn-on. you want to know where that wire is currently connected.

4awg is probably fine if your system is under 1000W RMS.

you are doing this backwards. upgrading rear speakers is pointless, you should be replacing the front speakers with a nice component set and removing the rear speakers to let more bass through. subs distort rear speakers due to the pressure.

the factory head unit does not have RCA outputs for the amp. a Line Output Converter (LOC) is required if the amp doesn't have high level inputs. this will take the speaker outputs and tap them to get a signal. tap the factory speaker wires that correspond to the speaker you are replacing. i.e. if you are replacing the front speakers you need to tap those factory wires, and run new speaker wire (14awg) from the speaker to the amp. in your car, there is a molex plug in the doors that making running the wire through there a PITA. not impossible, but difficult. the build log i linked to addresses that.

if you replace rear speakers, this is much easier since the wires are visible inside the trunk. again, the need for a LOC depends on the amp.

you'll also need various connectors, electrical tape, heat shrink, zip ties, ring terminals, etc.

feel free to share pics of the existing installation.

 

[FenixAudio 10+ year member]

i disagree with the no rear speakers assessment. you should replace the fronts first though. it will make a huge difference. also if you have an amp under the passanger seat you should already have a line out converter. the problem you going to run into is you will either have to change the line out converter to a 4 ch converter or add a second one for the new amp.

here is what i would suggest.

replace the front speakers and rear speakers at the same time, add a 4 ch amp. i choose a 4 ch becasue you can adjust your fronts and rears to different tuning becasue they are different sizes.

to do this you will need to change to a 4ch line out converter. run your rcas to the 4ch amp and use the 4ch amps pass through rcas for the sub amp. if you have power seats you will not be able to put an amp under the drivers seat most likely. So, i would take out the passanger seat move the sub amp to the trunk area and put the 4 ch amp under the passanger seat. (remember you have to run the power wire and rcas on OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CAR WHEN ADDING A 4 CH AMP)

also with the power wire i would run 1 power wire into the car to a distrobution block and split if off from there. no need to run 2 from the battery. you should b good with 4 awg to the distro block 8 tothe 4ch and 4 to the sub amp. remember if you can ground at the same point for both amps this helps eliminate ground loops. also you will have to run speaker wire to each speaker. ifyou are suing an amp running under 70wrms you can use 9wire bac kup to the deck and split it off from there.

this install is not recommended for a rookie honestly. unless you have a couple days to spend on it. i have seen some hack jobs and it cost them more to get it fixed and done right then actuallytakingto a shop and getting it done right.

 

[ViG 10+ year member]

this install is not recommended for a rookie honestly. unless you have a couple days to spend on it. i have seen some hack jobs and it cost them more to get it fixed and done right then actuallytakingto a shop and getting it done right.

\
Haha story of my life right there, especially in these last two cars of mine (more the last one than this one, this cars actually worth more than 2k).

It's kinda fun though, digging through the car, worst case- ill just take out the new amp if it doesn't work.

Thanks for the insight guys, I'll post up some pictures of my install process as the parts roll in. Hell, at least you'll be able to have a laugh at it. (just warn me if you can see anything that will kill me through the pictures).

-ViG

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

Remove the rear deck speakers and upgrade the front stage. much better for imaging and staging.

 

[FenixAudio 10+ year member]

how does this improve the image and stage? with out rear fill all you will hear is bass and the front speakers. the real fill will be gone with out mids and highs. thatsyour opinions guys but i always suggest to keep the rears. always will. they are there for a reason.

if you were talking about an spl build then yeah but ro a daily driver with passangers...i dont think removing the rear stage is smart.

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

You got CDa and DVDa playback on your headunit? The artist's instruments and voices are coming from in front of you not from behind you. Rear speakers in a home theater vs a car is way different. You don't have the media to play surround sound. your front and rears will play the same thing. And what are you talking about "the real fill will be gone with out mids and highs"? The rear CAR manufacturers have rear speakers is so that it can be louder not for sound quality. They give a shit less and didn't design the car for sound quality. There is no such thing as rear stage.

 

[FenixAudio 10+ year member]

id still replace the rears

 

[slim2fattycake 10+ year member]

That's what the general public does. If you just want it louder than sure.