1999 head unit and sub install question. (2 Viewers)

[4PF RIS]

Just purchased a 1999 LC non-nav, and I am wanting to replace the factory head unit with a car play unit. I have read around on the forum and soaked in a lot of information, but still have some remaining questions.

If my goal is to install a new carplay compatible head unit, along with one 12 inch sub and an amp that powers only the sub, is it required for me to bypass the factory amp? If so, would I lose performance in the factory speakers?

 

[JimSoCal]

Just purchased a 1999 LC non-nav, and I am wanting to replace the factory head unit with a car play unit. I have read around on the forum and soaked in a lot of information, but still have some remaining questions.

If my goal is to install a new carplay compatible head unit, along with one 12 inch sub and an amp that powers only the sub, is it required for me to bypass the factory amp? If so, would I lose performance in the factory speakers?

Yes, you will want to bypass the factory AMP. Don't worry about quality. The built in amp from your head unit is much better quality than the 25 year old OEM "amp". Once you take it out, you'll see how tiny it is.

 

[4PF RIS]

Yes, you will want to bypass the factory AMP. Don't worry about quality. The built in amp from your head unit is much better quality than the 25 year old OEM "amp". Once you take it out, you'll see how tiny it is.

If I were to replace the factory amp altogether and replace it with a 5 channel to power all speakers along with my sub, would it make my stock speakers sound any better or would I need to get new speakers if I went that route?

 

[JimSoCal]

If I were to replace the factory amp altogether and replace it with a 5 channel to power all speakers along with my sub, would it make my stock speakers sound any better or would I need to get new speakers if I went that route?

I am not an audiophile, but to me, aftermarket amp sounds much better than the stock, even with the stock speakers. One thing it solved for me was no more buzz at low volumes or AM stations.

 

[Pucker5]

Bypass all the factory s***. Go new head unit that has 4 or 5v preouts and get a decent set of components. Rears doors don’t do anything so you could bridge the 4 channels to the front and the output will be loud and crisp. If you get a deck that has network crossover you could run separate tweeters and midbass drivers in the front door and run three way active. Everything tuned and eq’ed through the deck, way better speakers without having to pay for a passive crossover and likely more sound than speakers in four doors

 

[Patassa]

If I were to replace the factory amp altogether and replace it with a 5 channel to power all speakers along with my sub, would it make my stock speakers sound any better or would I need to get new speakers if I went that route?

My guess is eventually you'll want to upgrade the factory speakers bc your sub will be overpowering the midbass your factory speakers can produce.. Right now you have a set of tweeters and door speakers in the front, door speakers in the rear, and a sub. So you'll need an 8 channel amp, or a 5 channel with a small 2 channel which is what I did. I tried just front speakers for awhile, and that's my normal listening mode but if my kid is in the car and wants music in the back and I either don't want to have to play the fronts that loud or it's music I don't really care for I can fade to the rear. Upgrading car audio is a total rabbit hole, treating doors, chasing rattles, time aligning, DSPs to tame and shape the frequency response etc. Have fun.

My set up is
2" full range driver in custom pods replacing current tweeter location
6.5" woofer for midbass in the doors

rear door speakers optionally playing

12" subwoofer in the cargo area

Pioneer headunit for Android Auto/Carplay
JL audio DSP to handle all the sound processing (this is clutch and really is the single most valuable piece in the entire system)
a 5 channel amp for front components and sub
a 2 channel amp for rear door speakers

 

[Pucker5]

My guess is eventually you'll want to upgrade the factory speakers bc your sub will be overpowering the midbass your factory speakers can produce.. Right now you have a set of tweeters and door speakers in the front, door speakers in the rear, and a sub. So you'll need an 8 channel amp, or a 5 channel with a small 2 channel which is what I did. I tried just front speakers for awhile, and that's my normal listening mode but if my kid is in the car and wants music in the back and I either don't want to have to play the fronts that loud or it's music I don't really care for I can fade to the rear. Upgrading car audio is a total rabbit hole, treating doors, chasing rattles, time aligning, DSPs to tame and shape the frequency response etc. Have fun.

Can also connect coaxials to the headunit and not the amp

 

[Patassa]

Can also connect coaxials to the headunit and not the amp

True, would get tricky if using a DSP or if not using a DSP and using the head unit in active 3 way mode.

 

[Pucker5]

True, would get tricky if using a DSP or if not using a DSP and using the head unit in active 3 way mode.

Well honestly new units arent built like they used to so may not even work in a typical in dash hu. For a dsp, get an 8 out model and rca splitters on a 200x4 amp and it’s good enough for me. Ct sounds has

I run active in my cruiser and haven’t heard what the soundstage sounds like in a cruiser with rear coaxials since right before I ripped out my factory stuff so I don’t remember. If I was going to use rear doors though and keep tuning/eq simple with a head unit I’d probably get a second component set that includes a passive crossover and just mount tweeters higher up in the door

 

[4PF RIS]

My guess is eventually you'll want to upgrade the factory speakers bc your sub will be overpowering the midbass your factory speakers can produce.. Right now you have a set of tweeters and door speakers in the front, door speakers in the rear, and a sub. So you'll need an 8 channel amp, or a 5 channel with a small 2 channel which is what I did. I tried just front speakers for awhile, and that's my normal listening mode but if my kid is in the car and wants music in the back and I either don't want to have to play the fronts that loud or it's music I don't really care for I can fade to the rear. Upgrading car audio is a total rabbit hole, treating doors, chasing rattles, time aligning, DSPs to tame and shape the frequency response etc. Have fun.

My set up is
2" full range driver in custom pods replacing current tweeter location
6.5" woofer for midbass in the doors

rear door speakers optionally playing

12" subwoofer in the cargo area

Pioneer headunit for Android Auto/Carplay
JL audio DSP to handle all the sound processing (this is clutch and really is the single most valuable piece in the entire system)
a 5 channel amp for front components and sub
a 2 channel amp for rear door speakers

How did you manage to fit a 12 inch in the cargo area? Sounds like a sweet idea

 

[Patassa]

How did you manage to fit a 12 inch in the cargo area? Sounds like a sweet idea

After I got fed up screwing with the stock location and trying to reduce rattles with that , I built a box and just keep it in the cargo area like permanent groceries. 3rd row has been removed for 20 years and was donated to a fellow mudder. I take the sub out for vacations/trips.

 

[4PF RIS]

After I got fed up screwing with the stock location and trying to reduce rattles with that , I built a box and just keep it in the cargo area like permanent groceries. 3rd row has been removed for 20 years and was donated to a fellow mudder. I take the sub out for vacations/trips.

Ahhhhh I thought you meant you had in the stock sub location for some reason. I will likely keep my 12 in the trunk/cargo area as well

 

[4PF RIS]

Decided to bite the bullet and upgrade the speakers as well while I’m at it. So the plan is to find a compatible double din HU, get an alpine pdx-v9 to replace the factory amp, new speakers, and put my sub in the cargo area.

 

[Pucker5]

Decided to bite the bullet and upgrade the speakers as well while I’m at it. So the plan is to find a compatible double din HU, get an alpine pdx-v9 to replace the factory amp, new speakers, and put my sub in the cargo area.

What speakers you roll with

 

[4PF RIS]

What speakers you roll with

Haven’t purchased any yet. I’m still looking around on the forum to see what others recommend.

 

[Pucker5]

Haven’t purchased any yet. I’m still looking around on the forum to see what others recommend.

If you go active I can send you some recommendations of raw drivers that will be better for money than you can buy in a comp set but here’s some recommendations from low to high $. All have matching coax sets

Nvx vsp component- punch way above their weight class

NVX VSP65KIT 250W RMS 6.5-in V-Series 2-Way Component Speakers

NVX VSP65KIT • 750W Peak 250W RMS 6.5" V-Series 2-Way Component Speaker System with 25mm Silk Dome Tweeters • 375 watts Peak Each 125 watts RMS Each • 1" Silk Dome Tweeters • Polypropylene cone material • Impedance: 4 ohms • Sensitivity: 88 dB • Mounting Depth: 2.51"

www.sonicelectronix.com

Crescendo symphony

Crescendo Audio Symphony 6.5" Components

Shop Crescendo Audio Symphony 6.5" Components at the Guaranteed lowest allowed price of 134.99 with 20+ yrs of the best customer service, only at the SSA STORE

store.soundsolutionsaudio.com

Nvx x series

NVX XSP65KIT 250W RMS 6.5-in X-Series 2-Way Component Speakers

NVX XSP65KIT • 600W Peak 200W RMS 6.5" X-Series 2-Way Component Speaker System with Carbon Fiber Cones and 25mm Silk Dome Tweeters • 300 watts Peak Each 100 watts RMS Each • 1" Silk Dome Tweeters • Carbon Fiber cone material • Impedance: 4 ohms • Sensitivity: 92 dB

www.sonicelectronix.com

Plenty of other good sets…infinity reference, kappa perfects, Polk db, Polk mm. Seems even budget comps have gone significantly up