wiring an amp

does anyone know if you can wire an amp to a stock stereo and if you can does it have good sound quality

The only way you can do it is speaker-tapping. You'll take your door panel/speaker panel off, or at least partially so you can see what color the speaker wires are. Trace the speaker wires back to a place where you can easily splice into them. Use RCA cables to splice into them and plug the RCA wires into the amp. Run your power cable from the battery and ground wire to the seatbelt anchor or something. Run the amp signal wire to the interior fuse panel (driver's side dash) and piggyback the wire with the RDO BATT fuse. Then hook up your subwoofers or speakers. Then you'll want to adjust the amp according to the manual.

You cant just "splice" RCA cables into speaker wires?!? Maybe you can, but the sound quality is gonna be subpar. Heres what you wanna do. You can get the parts at any car audio shop, but these specific parts must be ordered on www.logjamelectronics.com You need a "Line Output Converter." It basically takes audio signal from speaker wires and converts it into RCA signal for amps. These parts are for two channel amps. If you search the site, you can find converters for four channel amps. Both parts are for an 03 Silverado. First, if you have a factory Bose system, you need part# PAC AOEM-GM24, its $50 and provides an amp trigger wire or remote turn on for your amp as well as the RCA connections and is "plug and play" directly into the factory harness. No cutting, no splicing, no headache. Second, if you dont have Bose, you need part# PIE PDC-LOC-T, it also has amp trigger wire, but has no harness so there is some cutting and splicing involved, and its $25. Instructions on how to connect are included. Its not hard. Hardest part is running the cables and taking the dash apart. The sound quality will be pretty descent. Depends what your trying to accomplish. If your going to run a high watt multiple subwoofer application, I would say replace your deck with a good aftermarket one. Or if your competing in sound quality competitions, buy a new deck. To make a long conversation short, the best signal is transferred through high voltage. Your factory deck puts out low voltage and you'll notice most aftermarket decks costing around $200 put out low voltage too. Your gonna have to spend some cash to get a high end deck that puts out high voltage, say 4 or 5, to get the best signal for high watt, high db, hard hitting bass, or high quality sound coupled with a really good amp. Hope this helps. PM me if you need any help. I use to compete in the audio circuit (USACI) when I was younger so I learned a thing or two. I competed and placed in Texas Heat Wave, Austin, TX, and Spring Break Jam, South Padre Island, TX, 6 and 7 years ago. If you get time check out these websites if your intrested www.heatwaveinc.com and www.soundoff.org/usaci.htm

thanks guys it was really good help

I forgot to tell you, if you dont feel like taking your truck apart to trace the speaker wires, you can go to www.mobileinformationlabs.com and get a wiring diagram for your factory radio for $10, its fast, cheap, and saves heartache. I used to have a big book of diagrams but its outdated and I cant find it anyways. I think its worth it.

thanks fireman526 it was real big help. i know i can do it myself now

quote:

ORIGINAL: fireman526

You cant just "splice" RCA cables into speaker wires?!?

 
I knew I was missing something.... yeah I have a signal converter...

I was hesitant to write that, I didnt want to offend you. I just got to thinking about it and the entire time I worked in the audio shop, we always used line output converters. I couldnt remember if it was possible to just splice them together.

Bah, don't worry about it... I've been wrong more than once!

Where were you guys when I was hooking up my tunes? I ended up taking Rocky to Circuit City and they did the surgery on him for around $60.00. The hard part is running the wires and well worth the cost plus if they screw something up they fix it.

Its easy to do-it-yourself with a little time a patience. And the resources are out there to simplify things.

anyone know where i can get that signal converter for my 06 chevy? classic body style

The signal converters are universal. You can find them at a local sound expert or i think wal-mart may have them. If not, try a google search for Line output converter.

will do thanks

Walmart does have them, and so does autozone. If you want one specificaly for your truck, search online. You might want to try that same website that is listed on page 1 of this thread.

does it matter what kind of line output converter it is?