Old timer needs a refresher

[Vonderbach]

It's been over 15 years since I have dabbled in car audio. When when I was doing it for fun, I never got real advanced. So here's my question. I just ordered a PAC wiring harness for my Chevy Avalanche and I have all the pieces to put together a dual sub box in the rear. This much is easy. But I fear I will overpower my mids and highs, so now I'm thinking about going full system. So I need a bit of help figuring out what I need.

What I have:

Factory Bose system (amp location unknown if any)

6 speakers, 1 in each door plus tweets in the columns.

Adding PAC harness with 4 RCA outs

Got two subs, plus box and Kicker mono amp (to be run in parallel for a 2 ohm load.)

What I want:

Something that will take the 4 RCA channels and run them to 2 AMPS powering my 6 factory speakers and two subs.

Two things that I seem to have forgotten

1. How do I get 4RCA outputs to feed into 2 amps?

2. How do I split my tweets from my door speakers?

Color me all kinds of confused.

Click to read more...

 

[1rockford1 5,000+ posts]

change speakers..

 

[Vonderbach]

change speakers..

I'm already doing that, but sadly this does not answer any of my questions.

I'm adding component 6.5" and tweets.

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

What's the model # of your PAC harness? Assume you are keeping the OEM HU? What year is your Avalanche?

I ask all of this as I have an '08 Silverado and as you can see by my sig, I've replaced pretty much everything in mine. I am using a Metra Axxes harness for the HU and a PAC SWI-Jack for the steering controls. It wasn't until AFTER I had everything installed that I found out PAC has a harness that would do everything. Ah well. So, I have a bit of experience with GM. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Personally, as you are already dumping the OEM speakers (good choice, they are crap) I would suggest you look into, if you haven't already, an aftermarket HU. Safer to completely bypass the Bose amps as well. I left my A-pillar Bose tweets in place as my Polk tweets wouldn't fit in that location. I just unplugged the Bose tweets and installed the Polks in the doors about 12" above the woofs.

 

[SocMunky 10+ year member]

Depending on how wonky your radio is ( so many are integrated with something else these days //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif ) you may want to look in to the cleansweep. It's made by jl audio. Basically a line out/eq on roids. Here is some info on it:

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_cleansweep_pages.php?page_id=94

 

[Vonderbach]

Thanks for the replies, you guys are far more helpful than "the other car audio forum" that appears first in Google results. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

JK,I'll have to get the PAC #, but basically it's the harness that allows you to add an aftermarket amp to the stock HU. I'm concerned about replacing the HU since it has so much integration. I understand that I can buy a harness to retain all that stuff, bt it looks to be another $149 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif from Crutchfield.

Reson, would that Cleansweep be necessary since I have the harness to add an amp? Maybe I don't understand what it does?

 

[AlterEgo99 5,000+ posts]

JK,I'll have to get the PAC #, but basically it's the harness that allows you to add an aftermarket amp to the stock HU. I'm concerned about replacing the HU since it has so much integration. I understand that I can buy a harness to retain all that stuff, bt it looks to be another $149 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif from Crutchfield.

Yeah, I hear you about the integration, I was concerned as well as I recently went from a '99 Silverado to an '08 Silverado. OnStar, Bose, chimes, satellite, steering wheel...I was wondering what I was getting myself into. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif

I used Crutchfield to get all the recommendations on harnesses and such and then purchased a lot of my gear from some reputable guys on eBay. Had I known at the time of the dudes here on CA I probably would have purchased from them instead. I mean, after all, everyone here really gets into this shit. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

You can get the harnesses way cheaper than Crutchfield, and honestly, they spell everything out pretty well. PAC is awesome and their tech support was great too. They sent me pics and a schematic on how to wire my steering wheel control harness a bit differently than typical as I had a Metra harness and a GM vehicle. I just needed to add a relay and their schematic made it easy.

I know you want to keep it somewhat simple, but replacing the OEM HU may be easier in the long run. It's not that bad what with all the harnesses out there and you will get better sound, performance and way more options (like iPod and such) than you will with the 'ol OEM HU. I'll post some pics of my HU installed tonight and you can see what an aftermarket can look like. My CDA-9887 isn't a double DIN like the OEM HU, but it is awesome and looks sweet! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[bigaudiofanati2 10+ year member]

If you want a full refresher you can aim me at reimermatt and I can explain anything you want to know. Your car dose have a factory amp there are 2 ways your can put a head unit. Use the factory amp or bypass it and use the head units amp. And than there is always running a external amp which is what a lot of people do. So if you want it all explained just let me know I will be happy to help you out.