LOC, and Misc questions

[C1968366]

Hey guys, doing my first actual install in my new car. I had a full Skar setup with tweeters, mids, Pioneer headunit, and subs in my old 3/4 ton but I sent that down the road. Had doors and tweeters on one amp and subs on the second. I'm still learning and could take hints.
I now own a 2019 Impreza. I have subs getting delivered tomorrow. I am leaving doors and tweeters alone as of now.
I have never installed anything with a factory head unit.
I have all the wiring kits I could ever need at home.
2 Skar 12's vented box. 1,200W 1 channel amp as of now
Audio Control LC2 for the LOC.
I already have a set path through the firewall I know will work as I have accessed it already. Everything will be going to the trunk.
Now getting into my questions.

1) I have been reading that you should either splice in the LOC before or after the factory amp if you have one. (I do have the factory amp)
Can someone point me to the positives and negatives of doing either? I was just going to pin in at the amp so I would have to figure out with is coming and going.

2) Should I go off of front or rear speakers? From what I have noticed the fronts seem to be more mids and have a bit more bass than the rears, which seem to be more vocal. I have read a lot of back and forth on that subject to.

I will probably end up adding more questions below. But for now this is it.. Any tips are appreciated.

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[Kickstand Premium Member]

The Audio control is a processor so it shouldn't matter what speakers you tap for it.
Tap the outgoing from the amp .
You can use one of those splice connectors but never trust them so I cut the wire and soldered all three back together.
I have had the problem of the auto sensing remote turn on randomly.
Like getting something from the trunk and the sub starts vibrating.
I prefer to just use a fuse tap from the fuse box as the remote.
That of course was back in the early days when it first came out
They could have improved it by now IDK
I kinda hold a grudge

 

[C1968366]

The Audio control is a processor so it shouldn't matter what speakers you tap for it.
Tap the outgoing from the amp .
You can use one of those splice connectors but never trust them so I cut the wire and soldered all three back together.
I have had the problem of the auto sensing remote turn on randomly.
Like getting something from the trunk and the sub starts vibrating.
I prefer to just use a fuse tap from the fuse box as the remote.
That of course was back in the early days when it first came out
They could have improved it by now IDK
I kinda hold a grudge

I was planning on soldering, worded that wrong. and remote or power on wise I guess I didn't think about that. When you get in the car and shut the door the radio gives a greeting message so it is technically on so it will be sending power immediately. But it goes dark afterwards so I am assuming it powers back down until the ignition is activated. I will also start by tapping into the rear speakers. Just need to figure out the power on or switch for the amp now.
Thanks for the input

 

[GBloes]

If you’re just putting in a sub definitely go off of back speakers because the car does have some rudimentary time alignment (vocal imaging as they call it). If you’re just using left or right then use right as it’s farthest away from driver seat i.e. it’s the one stock speaker that won’t be delayed.

And chances are the greeting is only played through the front speakers, same as Bluetooth calls. That’d be fairly easy to check. But add-a-fuse works well. If you go that route and if you’re using a remote with an LED place it somewhere where you can’t see the LED as it’ll be on whenever the car is, regardless of the radio. Otherwise can get annoying at night.

 

[C1968366]

If you’re just putting in a sub definitely go off of back speakers because the car does have some rudimentary time alignment (vocal imaging as they call it). If you’re just using left or right then use right as it’s farthest away from driver seat i.e. it’s the one stock speaker that won’t be delayed.

And chances are the greeting is only played through the front speakers, same as Bluetooth calls. That’d be fairly easy to check. But add-a-fuse works well. If you go that route and if you’re using a remote with an LED place it somewhere where you can’t see the LED as it’ll be on whenever the car is, regardless of the radio. Otherwise can get annoying at night.

I was planning on going from both left and right because I heard it is supposed to be a little better? I also think I might've go off topic with remote. I meant the "remote" turn on / off signal wire from the radio to factory amp. That tells it to turn on. I wanted to just tap off of that so my aftermarket amp activated at the same time. Not an actual wireless remote.

 

[GBloes]

I also think I might've go off topic with remote.

No you didn’t, you made it clear you were talking about the turn on. I had a sub installed in my Impreza a couple years ago and they put the wired remote (volume) in a location that blinded you when driving at night (they also used front left door speaker for the input,... the one speaker delayed most. Sounded like it was in a trailer I was towing. That shop should have paid me for letting them practice on my car). Just something to keep in mind if it’s applicable.

I don’t know if using both left and right v. one or the other is better. Unless a song was mixed to be listened through headphones anything from a couple hundred hertz down won’t be channel specific because you can’t tell where it’s coming from. But the only upside I can see from just using one channel input is, of course, time spent on install but also because the left rear speaker will have delay applied where as the right speaker won’t, you don’t want any delay on the sub. Now,... whether or not that’d be noticeable is a completely different matter for which I don’t have an answer.

 

[C1968366]

but also because the left rear speaker will have delay applied where as the right speaker won’t, you don’t want any delay on the sub. Now,... whether or not that’d be noticeable is a completely different matter for which I don’t have an answer.

Okay, thanks for the info. I have seen "delay" mentioned a few times now? what exactly is that? is that where the head unit is limiting output? and from what you are saying I will want to use the Rear right speaker for my LOC ?

 

[GBloes]

Your head unit has the basic left/right front/rear balance/fader but it also has what it calls “vocal imaging” which is time delay. The way they do it isn’t great but it’s better than nothing. The basic principle of time delay is delaying the speakers closest to the listening position to match the speaker that is farthest away, so that the sound from all speakers reaches you at the same time. So, the front right dash and door speakers would be delayed quite a lot as they are closest to the driver so that the sound from them reaches you at the same time as the sound from the rear right speaker (which would have no delay), as that one is farthest away.

If you have the “vocal imaging” set to the middle of the graph then nothing will be delayed. Move it to the right and it’ll apply delay to the left speakers in relation to the right speakers, move it up and it’ll delay the front speakers in relation to the rear. That’s how you change where it sounds like the sound is coming from. There’s no way of setting it properly using their method, only trail and error.

 

[GBloes]

I should have said that I have no experience with the 2019 Imprezas but I’d highly doubt they got rid of that option though for all I know they might have changed it.

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

The LC2i has GTO signal sensing. You can use that and will not have to run a remote from the radio. The LC2i has a remote out. Once it senses a signal it will turn on and simultaneously turn on the amp.

 

[C1968366]

The LC2i has GTO signal sensing. You can use that and will not have to run a remote from the radio. The LC2i has a remote out. Once it senses a signal it will turn on and simultaneously turn on the amp.

So that is what the "Enable GTO bypass" would be on the left side of the LC2i unit?
My buddy told me for that reason I don't necessary need a remote in, but I would use the remote out to my amp? Does that sound correct?

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

So that is what the "Enable GTO bypass" would be on the left side of the LC2i unit?
My buddy told me for that reason I don't necessary need a remote in, but I would use the remote out to my amp? Does that sound correct?

Yes that is correct. If you run into problems during the install of the LC2i call audiocontrol. They will walk you thru the setup

 

[C1968366]

Yes that is correct. If you run into problems during the install of the LC2i call audiocontrol. They will walk you thru the setup

Okay thanks! I just found they're actual website explaining it and how once it senses an input on the left channel it will turn on. Which is no problem for me, I have taken basic electronics classes, still working on the audio part of it though.

Now I know we discussed just hooking up the right channel speaker earlier instead of using both speakers.. In that situation could I just put that right channel speaker into the left channel input on the LC2? or should I run both channels? I am just trying to get any questions out before I get there and get stumped. I am planning on getting home tonight and having it running before morning. After getting off work at midnight! Long night ahead haha

edited to make more sense

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

You would want to run a jumper from L+ L- to R+ R-. I think. You might wanna call or email audiocontrol for verification

https://www.audiocontrol.com/contact/
OFFICE
Tel: 425-775-8461