Sony HU install in Toyota with factory amps?

[98 SNAKE EATER 10+ year member]

OK, I have a 97 Toyota Land Cruiser with an OEM CD/Tape HU

The system has two factory amps (4 channel under the dash/sub amp in the rear panel)

I want to replace the factory HU with a new Sony XAV-W1 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

Thing is, I don't want to cut ANY of the factory wiring, so I've been looking into a plug n play harness...

So far, I've found two different kinds...

A low level type with RCA's that plug directly into the low level outputs of the new HU:

And a high level type that needs to be wired into the new HU's high level output wires:

The low level type feeds the factory amp, then powers the speakers...

The high level type bypasses the factory amp and just feeds the speakers directly... (don't hold me to this as it's just what I've read on the Land Cruiser forums)

My question is which one is better //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

I'll be using the factory speakers with the exception of a pair of subs powered by a monoblock amp...

From what I've gathered, there are no complaints either way, but the thought of taking a clean hifi signal and feeding it into a crappy OEM amp just doesn't sit well with me //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/redface.gif.62fdbfe1a101588a808c4cff71bcb942.gif

Rick


94 Mitsubishi MiniCab (SOLD!!)

Click to read more...

 

[mokedaddy 5,000+ posts]

If you plan on running factory speakers off of the headunit anyways I would just use the factory amp. But really its a toss up.

There is nothing hi-fi about your factory system so banish the thought of worrying about which way is better.

The better way is upgrading your speakers and amp them separately. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif