how to wire subs to stock head unit?

[ridered9hbs]

ive done some seaching and i cant find what i want so..
is it possible to wire subs to a stock headunit, if so how do you do it?

[3rdCoast]

i dont think u can without an amp. You use the speaker level inputs on the amp. If there is a way im pretty sure its not gonna sound good.....y not step ur game up and ditch the factory garbage?

[AccordRacing21]

A stock tape player head unit? I'm hoping you're talking about a different car...

[ridered9hbs]

i would have an amp and i upgraded my speakers already. i would like to add subs but i dont want to get a new head unit for fear of it getting stolen. and p.s. i know about detachable faceplates but i still dont trust them

[AccordRacing21]

Where do you guys live at? I leave my car unlocked at night and I don't even worry about it. What about getting a cheap deck w/pre amp outs...that way if it gets jacked it's only worth $100?

[theDougler]

thats what i did i bought a pioneer that was worth 130bux. i leave my faceplate on all the time, i'm not that worried about it. you have to hook up subs to an amp

[ridered9hbs]

i know i need to hook my subs to an amp. i was just wondering if there was a way to run an amp and subs of a stock head unit. thanks for your replies but none of you answered my question

[Vanilla Sky]

if you plan on replacing the head unit, go for it. hooking up subs to a head unit tends to fry the amp in my experience. it also sounds like utter pig shit.

get yourself another amp and use the speaker-level inputs. problem solved.

[SteveDX89]

If you have a cheap amp that doesn't have speaker level inputs, you need to get a speaker level converter. You tap into your regular speaker wires and the converter turns it into a pre-amp signal. Then you can hook up with regular RCA cables.

PS - Where in PA are you located?

[FyreDaug]

Don't.

[frantik]

unless you have a direct line in to the stock head unit (via the eq port), theres not much point to adding a sub with the stock head unit because neither the tape deck nor the radio transmit much sub bass information.


but as others have said you need an amp with speaker level inputs to wire the deck to the sub

[Selfmindead]

Ok I don’t know alot about audio, but I hooked up my first head unit & I'm about to install two 12" & an amp, but wouldn't your stock head unit need RCA's in the back?

[Vanilla Sky]

no, you can use an amp that has speaker level inputs, a line level converter, or an EQ that has speaker level in and RCA out.

[Ludi Mali]

If you have a cheap amp that doesn't have speaker level inputs, you need to get a speaker level converter. You tap into your regular speaker wires and the converter turns it into a pre-amp signal. Then you can hook up with regular RCA cables.
PS - Where in PA are you located?

Steve's got it right, thats the easiest way if you don't want to find an amp with speaker level ins or don't want to buy another HU

[86-accord-lxi]

Like they said, You need to get a line level converter like this :

http://www.avtoybox.com/rbhl-2.html

Hook that up to the rear speaker wires on the back of the radio,
then run the rca's to an eq like this :

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/viewi...iliate=froogle

Then run rca's from the eq to your amp, then hook your subs to your amp !

[FyreDaug]

Its not worth it, it wont sound good.

[carotman]

The stock head unit has low level inputs and outputs at the back. They're used for the stock EQ or CD player.

You could use those as a low level output for an amp or, jsut like Steve said, use an amp that has a high level input.

[86-accord-lxi]

I am in the process of adding low level rca ouputs to my stock head unit.
Take the cable that connects the stock cd or eq to the head unit, get one
at the junkyard if you don't have one already, Cut one of the ends of the
cable, strip it down and you will see a set of input wires and a set of output
wires, one wire for power, one for ground, and one for illumination. Thats
all I got so far because I need to buy some female rca cables to make this
work, but you get the idea. Just play with the wires in the red jacket, or the
white jacket to see which one's are ouputs, I have not tried it out yet and don't know which set is output, But I think this is right :
1-left
2-ground
3-left
4-right
5-right
6-power
7-illumination
8-ground
Like I said not sure which set of left and right is ouput just muck with it and figure it out.
What you want is to find the pair of ouputs, one left, one right, one ground, The ground is in the jacket with each set of left and right wires.


This pinout is just to see the connector itself, Ignore the bottom part.

[carotman]

I know for sure that some of the Head units have a connector in the plug from the factory. It connects the inouts and outputs together. If you remove it, the radio doesn't have any sound. These head units can only have an EQ attached to them. The sound is send to the EQ, then processed and returned back to the head unit. I guess it's only for the 86-87 models that were this way.

Oh one more thing. Those outputs aren't affected by the Bass/Treble adjustment buttons (not 100% sure on this one)

[86-accord-lxi]

You're right carotman, There is low level inputs and outputs on the stock head units. It's the 8 pin din connector on the back of the unit. They are simply pre-amp outputs(left and right) and main amp inputs(left and right)
Which enable you to use the head unit as just a pre amp, or just a power amp. If you use it as a pre amp, you bypass the tone amp(bass and treble). Just try both sets of left and right wires to see which is output. I'll be doing this myself when I have the time. I'll let you guys know which set is outputs i I'll see if I can get a cheap ass digital camera to do a "how to" on this If anyone would be interested.

[frantik]

i use my EQ port for line in.. it works great

this thread has a diagram for what each wire does:
https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44949

[russiankid]

i would have an amp and i upgraded my speakers already. i would like to add subs but i dont want to get a new head unit for fear of it getting stolen. and p.s. i know about detachable faceplates but i still dont trust them

um.....walmart sells a unit for 80 bucks i think with a detachable plate, and it plays mp3. and they do have units out there like my brother has on in his accord where the faceplate flips inward and looks like u have no plate but it's really just hidden.

[89AccordResto]

ive done some seaching and i cant find what i want so..
is it possible to wire subs to a stock headunit, if so how do you do it?

Please tell me you're joking.

[ivanfbi]

i wouldn't go with walmart POS. try to find some used better player locally, like on craigslist. i just got a pretty good cd player for $40. sure, its pretty old, sure it doesn't have a lot of new cool features, but its cheap, Kenwood, has detachable face and its aftermarket (can hook up amp to it. so even if i was really poor, i could buy a used amp and subs for around $100 and have an OK system for a daily driver.