jsampsell 10+ year member
Music and Electronics Nut
Ok, I'm new to this forum. I've spent the last hour looking in multiple sections and threads for something that would at least discuss what I am looking for but I can't seem to find anything relative. It's somewhat unusual so it doesn't surprise me.
I have an 07 Ford Five Hundred Limited with the 6 speaker Audiophile sound system. Recently I installed a Pioneer AVH-P4200DVD using a PAC C2R-FRD1 to utilize the factory wiring harness. I have not replaced the stock speakers at all. I've tuned the stereo to what I like and I am very impressed. Impressed that what I'm getting is from stock speakers at least. So I started thinking about what I could do to make it sound better and since factory speakers are typically paper cones, just about anything would be an improvement.
Here's my problem: I've got two kids and I need as much of the trunk space as possible. I'll probably get some JL Audio speakers for the doors but what do I do about the subs? The stock subs are 6x9s believe it or not and are driven by a fairly small factory amp. I have the wiring diagram for the car but I can't seem to find any information on the wattage or voltage of the factory amp.
I've read here and on other sites that the bigger the gauge wire for power, the better for the overall system. The factory amp power and ground wires are the same gauge as the speaker wires - pretty small compared to amp install kits that I've seen online. I assume that the factory amp is just not pushing much power so the power needs don't really "require" larger gauge wires. That and the fact that Ford was probably looking for every way possible to cut costs where they could, it seems like they just made this work.
So, I'd like to see what it would be like to use the factory wiring going to the factory amp to power an aftermarket amp. I know that a lot of you will probably say to go ahead and bite the bullet and run new wires and I'll probably end up doing that but I'd like to at least discuss the possiblity with those of you who may know what the positives and negatives would be. I'd like to start by adding an aftermarket amp and push the stock subs and see if there is a significant change. Being 6x9s I don't expect a lot but I'm just wanting to experiment and see. I've heard that factory amps come "pre-EQ'd" which I think means that they are clipped to opitimize the sound and help cut down on warranty replacements. That's why I'd like to see what running the stock subs off of an aftermarket amp would produce. Again, I'll probably end up doing a regular install but part of the fun of doing this stuff as a hobby is tinkering. And I figure that what I find out along the way may be helpful to someone else down the road. Maybe not but you never know.
Anyhow, any opinions, even the expected onees, would be welcome.
Jeremy
I have an 07 Ford Five Hundred Limited with the 6 speaker Audiophile sound system. Recently I installed a Pioneer AVH-P4200DVD using a PAC C2R-FRD1 to utilize the factory wiring harness. I have not replaced the stock speakers at all. I've tuned the stereo to what I like and I am very impressed. Impressed that what I'm getting is from stock speakers at least. So I started thinking about what I could do to make it sound better and since factory speakers are typically paper cones, just about anything would be an improvement.
Here's my problem: I've got two kids and I need as much of the trunk space as possible. I'll probably get some JL Audio speakers for the doors but what do I do about the subs? The stock subs are 6x9s believe it or not and are driven by a fairly small factory amp. I have the wiring diagram for the car but I can't seem to find any information on the wattage or voltage of the factory amp.
I've read here and on other sites that the bigger the gauge wire for power, the better for the overall system. The factory amp power and ground wires are the same gauge as the speaker wires - pretty small compared to amp install kits that I've seen online. I assume that the factory amp is just not pushing much power so the power needs don't really "require" larger gauge wires. That and the fact that Ford was probably looking for every way possible to cut costs where they could, it seems like they just made this work.
So, I'd like to see what it would be like to use the factory wiring going to the factory amp to power an aftermarket amp. I know that a lot of you will probably say to go ahead and bite the bullet and run new wires and I'll probably end up doing that but I'd like to at least discuss the possiblity with those of you who may know what the positives and negatives would be. I'd like to start by adding an aftermarket amp and push the stock subs and see if there is a significant change. Being 6x9s I don't expect a lot but I'm just wanting to experiment and see. I've heard that factory amps come "pre-EQ'd" which I think means that they are clipped to opitimize the sound and help cut down on warranty replacements. That's why I'd like to see what running the stock subs off of an aftermarket amp would produce. Again, I'll probably end up doing a regular install but part of the fun of doing this stuff as a hobby is tinkering. And I figure that what I find out along the way may be helpful to someone else down the road. Maybe not but you never know.
Anyhow, any opinions, even the expected onees, would be welcome.
Jeremy
