Adding a sub to stock radio - C5
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,390
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From: stop your crying... who cares
St. Jude Contributor
Adding a sub to stock radio - C5
Need help... a friend of mine is adding a subwoofer to his C5 stock radio. He has purchased a converter like the one below:
It has left and right speaker positive and negative lines. Where does he need to tap? And yes... done the search thing and yes... read 99HT's deal. 99HT explains how to hook up with out a converter. First... we dont understand it. Second... we want to use the converter.
So I ask... what is the best way to hook this converter up? I understand that the rear speaker lines do not carry a low end signal. We would prefer to hook up behind the radio. Please help! Any pics of which lines? Colors?
Thanks!
It has left and right speaker positive and negative lines. Where does he need to tap? And yes... done the search thing and yes... read 99HT's deal. 99HT explains how to hook up with out a converter. First... we dont understand it. Second... we want to use the converter.
So I ask... what is the best way to hook this converter up? I understand that the rear speaker lines do not carry a low end signal. We would prefer to hook up behind the radio. Please help! Any pics of which lines? Colors?
Thanks!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 3,326
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From: Taylor TX
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (Conquer)
The following are Bose "conditioned" outputs fed TO the front door sub-woofer amps
Signal / Bose signal processor connection
RH out A9
RH return A11
Drain B9
LH out A3
LH return B11
Drain B4
This is a "processed" full-range feed you could use. Your amp would have to have its own low-pass crossover.
However, this is a LOW-LEVEL signal. Your "converter" may reduce that signal so low that you can't use it. Depends on how much gain the amp has.
There is no HIGH-LEVEL full-range output for you to tap into.
This is why 99HT's suggestion of splicing into the low-level directly works best.
Signal / Bose signal processor connection
RH out A9
RH return A11
Drain B9
LH out A3
LH return B11
Drain B4
This is a "processed" full-range feed you could use. Your amp would have to have its own low-pass crossover.
However, this is a LOW-LEVEL signal. Your "converter" may reduce that signal so low that you can't use it. Depends on how much gain the amp has.
There is no HIGH-LEVEL full-range output for you to tap into.
This is why 99HT's suggestion of splicing into the low-level directly works best.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,390
Likes: 0
From: stop your crying... who cares
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (lotzahp)
Thanks for the info... However, I have done this a while back when I first got my 98 Coupe. I just cant remember which wires it was since it was 5 yrs ago.
Anyone else?
Anyone else?
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 7,812
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From: DFW, TX www.vettestripes.com
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (Conquer)
Conquer, try my website at http://www.geocities.com/mikec5vert/stockhu_preamp.html for earlier C5.
And I beleive you don't need that converter.
:cheers:
And I beleive you don't need that converter.
:cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 0
From: Kennesaw GA
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '08,'16,'18,'21-'22,'24
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (lotzahp)
The following are Bose "conditioned" outputs fed TO the front door sub-woofer amps
Signal / Bose signal processor connection
RH out A9
RH return A11
Drain B9
LH out A3
LH return B11
Drain B4
This is a "processed" full-range feed you could use. Your amp would have to have its own low-pass crossover.
However, this is a LOW-LEVEL signal. Your "converter" may reduce that signal so low that you can't use it. Depends on how much gain the amp has.
There is no HIGH-LEVEL full-range output for you to tap into.
This is why 99HT's suggestion of splicing into the low-level directly works best.
Signal / Bose signal processor connection
RH out A9
RH return A11
Drain B9
LH out A3
LH return B11
Drain B4
This is a "processed" full-range feed you could use. Your amp would have to have its own low-pass crossover.
However, this is a LOW-LEVEL signal. Your "converter" may reduce that signal so low that you can't use it. Depends on how much gain the amp has.
There is no HIGH-LEVEL full-range output for you to tap into.
This is why 99HT's suggestion of splicing into the low-level directly works best.
Andy
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,390
Likes: 0
From: stop your crying... who cares
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (mike76002)
Conquer, try my website at http://www.geocities.com/mikec5vert/stockhu_preamp.html for earlier C5.
And I beleive you don't need that converter.
:cheers:
And I beleive you don't need that converter.
:cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
From: Taylor TX
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (C5BlkVette)
C5BlkVette:
Yes, because the rear speaker wires have already been processed by the Bose box and they are crossed over at like 1kHz. There is NO bass going to the rear speakers.
The front speakers (the little ones) have also been processed this way. They have no bass going to them.
Your only hope for a full-range signal that you can crossover yourself, is the wires listed above OR the pre-amp outputs going INTO the Bose box.
Yes, because the rear speaker wires have already been processed by the Bose box and they are crossed over at like 1kHz. There is NO bass going to the rear speakers.
The front speakers (the little ones) have also been processed this way. They have no bass going to them.
Your only hope for a full-range signal that you can crossover yourself, is the wires listed above OR the pre-amp outputs going INTO the Bose box.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 0
From: Kennesaw GA
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '08,'16,'18,'21-'22,'24
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (lotzahp)
C5BlkVette:
Yes, because the rear speaker wires have already been processed by the Bose box and they are crossed over at like 1kHz. There is NO bass going to the rear speakers.
The front speakers (the little ones) have also been processed this way. They have no bass going to them.
Your only hope for a full-range signal that you can crossover yourself, is the wires listed above OR the pre-amp outputs going INTO the Bose box.
Yes, because the rear speaker wires have already been processed by the Bose box and they are crossed over at like 1kHz. There is NO bass going to the rear speakers.
The front speakers (the little ones) have also been processed this way. They have no bass going to them.
Your only hope for a full-range signal that you can crossover yourself, is the wires listed above OR the pre-amp outputs going INTO the Bose box.
P.S. I grounded my amp to the seat bolt... apparently that's one of the best place to put - w/o drilling a hole to ground to the frame.
Andy
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,926
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From: I hate you and I dont even know you
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (Conquer)
Why use the converter when you can simply tap the wires on the head unit like 99HT describes? Return the converter and follow the tech tip. If you read it a few times and look at a wiring diagram or at the head unit itself, it will make sense. Took me a few reads to get it right. Very simple, cut the ends off of an RCA pair and splice the inner wire on each to the left and right preamp rear channels. Then ground the outer shielding and your done.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
From: Taylor TX
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Re: Adding a sub to stock radio - C5 (C5BlkVette)
I tapped the wires on the converter to the Front left and right channel wires from the factory harness... I still get close to none bass... I checked all the + and - connections and they are correct. The amp I got is Alpine MRD-M300 digital amp, so there is no gain for me play with... I don't know what am I doing wrong :( Any suggestions?
P.S. I grounded my amp to the seat bolt... apparently that's one of the best place to put - w/o drilling a hole to ground to the frame.
P.S. I grounded my amp to the seat bolt... apparently that's one of the best place to put - w/o drilling a hole to ground to the frame.
The OUTPUTS (front and rear) go to the Bose box and they are full-range low-level. Either set of these should work to tap into WITHOUT A CONVERTER. These are what 99HT recommends splicing into.
The INPUTS to the HU have been processed and crossed at 1kHz. You cannot use these for bass.
Hopefully the HU signal strength is enough to drive your amp. Never heard of an amp without gain control though :confused:
