the bold is what I was questioning when 12V Guy was kind enough to call me today to discuss my issue with the feedback noise. he also suggested that we maybe disconnect the 8 pin connector and that cut power to sub amp, I dont have an issue doing that I just dont want to kill the amp that powers the front and rear speakers, but 12V Guy said they are powered off the head unit, not to question him, but I was under the assumption that that isnt the case......
Another Kenwood/Maestro install thread..
- Thread starter RioRed4v
- Start date
I would be under that assumption as well. I coulda sworn the factory speakers are powered by the factory amps, and not be the factory HU. So if that connector was pulled, I would guess it would cut all power since the door/rear speakers arent directly wired to the HU.
Maybe I should have been more clear. Even if you have factory amp for front speakers (which the service manual schematics say you don't) the turn on for that amp would be in the large 24 pin harness and the signal is fed into it from the speaker outputs of the Kenwood.
So, unplugging the small 8 pin connector that goes to the car should only disable the subwoofer amp. Try it and see.
RioRed4V, you can Y off and use both, and then adjust your aftermarket amp gain to be as loud as you want it when the factory subs start to break up.
In any case, one of these solutions will solve your problem. Your current solution is fine too, just a bit weird to feed rear channel audio into the front subs. I'd plug into the front RCA, but even then you are feeding one channel from a stereo signal to both sides of your car which is not a good thing.
Cheers,
12V Guy
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Thanks for the info. Very interesting. So with the Y adapter, would it matter which side the Y goes in? Since the Sub In RCA on your harness is only one plug, I'll essentially be combining that one, and either the L or R plug from my aftermarket RCA's, correct?
I read somewhere during my research before installing my amp, that 11 models have two amps, while the 12 models have only one. so to me, it sounds as if there is definitely a separate amp for the subs and the front/rear speakers, I'm gonna try a few things before disconnecting the 8 pin connector that 12v Guy recommended. I just have to say ADS has awesome customer service!! I sent a PM to 12v Guy and he asked how to reach me, gave him my cell number and he called me so we could discuss a few options, very knowledgeable guy and very helpful! kudos to ADS for great customer service, especially now a days when great customer service is hard to come by
I used to be very knowledgeable in car audio but have no idea what you are talking about now..lol
12V Guy is correct. 10 and up cars front and rear 5x7(or plate speakers in premium 13-14's) are powered by the head unit. Door woofers are powered by their own amp. Better add an edit, some early cars have 2-2 channel amps, one for each dual VC woofer, newer has a single 4 channel to do the same. But 1 amp or 2 the 5x7's are powered by head unit.
I like this set up, might be time for a re-do of my system even tho everything's still working. Dam technology gonna cost me N2O fill $$$.
I like this set up, might be time for a re-do of my system even tho everything's still working. Dam technology gonna cost me N2O fill $$$.
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I like really like the function aspect of this set up, but am i the only one who thinks it doesn't really look all that great? Just doesn't look OEM ( i guess nothing really looks OEM unless it's OEM) but the closest to OEM in my opinion it's that CS/Raxiom unit that AM and amazon sell's.
What you would want to do if you try this is:
Kenwood has two RCA out for Subwoofer. Pick one and plug in the RCA from our FO1 T-harness. This will provide signal to the door subwoofer amplifier.
Then take the other one and plug in a Y that is 1 male to 2 female. Then connect your RCAs that go to aftermarket amp to the two female RCAs on the Y.
Adjust gains, enjoy.
Thanks for kind words. I am fairly sure that you can unplug the 8 pin without any issue. Even if you have front amplifier (which I am 99% sure you don't, but in the end it doesn't matter), it is NOT getting either turn on or signal from the 8 pin connector or it would have to show that in the factory service manual, which we have.
Cheers,
12V Guy
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This is an example of the universal truths:
1. You can't please everyone
2. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
We did the best we could to make something that puts a superior aftermarket radio in the dash of your car and tried to imagine if the OEM had to do that, what would they have done. In the end, it's why the aftermarket is a good thing. We have enough options out there to please ALMOST anyone (see rule 1).
Cheers,
12V Guy
lol and you actually think the Raxiom looks better :lol1: sorry the Raxiom looks very cheap
It does look damn beautiful.
Love it. I had an IDQ before this one in a ported enclosure, then i went to a sealed enclosure the ICON, and the ICON sounds better. Plus, I enjoy having the smaller enclosure.
Didn't know you could combine signals like that. I might have to give that a shot.
Something like this?
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=663&seq=1&format=2
I also have to agree with scott_o... I'm EXTREMELY pleased with the customer service you guys provide. Its been very helpful.
To each their own:coolman: I personally think this kit is the best looking one I've seen, plus I really like the fact it has the cubby hole.
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That's how I feel. I had to go at least 2.5ft3 on my idmax tuned to 28hz just to get an acceptable response curve (not boomy) and that's a HUGE chunk of trunk space gone. I was thinking about a high power sealed setup. I didn't wanna have to do too much to the charging system.
Thats definitely a big box you have there lol. I was at 1.75ft3 on my IDQ, which was about as big as I would have wanted to go. It was tuned for 32hz if I remember correctly.
Granted, the ICON setup doesnt get quite as low as the ported, but the overall sound is improved IMO. It's also at 1.5ft3, so its a pretty small box. I tossed in 1lb of poly as well. The amp is an Audioque 1200d. I have it at 1ohm, so it pushes right around 1400w RMS. I havent done anything to the charging system so far. I did put the RF 2f cap on since I was having some dimming/voltage drops under heavy load, but that seemed to cure it. Eventually, I would like to upgrade the battery, but for now, I like my warrantied one haha.
I've also been tempted to try building a ported enclosure for the ICON, just to test it out and see how much it differs from the sealed one.
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Ya, a lot of people don't realize how much bigger a 1.75ft3 ported box is than a 1.5 sealed. All they think of is the. 25ft3 difference. A port with enough area to eliminate port noise takes up a lot of space! The 25-30hz presence of a low tuned ported box is my kind of bass.
Totally unrelated, but my buddy has a 2013 Passat with a ported Xcon setup. Its get pretty rediculously loud off the 1200w RF amp pushing it.
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