Amp Bypass

[Emcd]

i watched the bypass video posted here, but the under seat wiring section is still unclear to me. Does anyone have an accurate, step by step, wire by wire process documented? For people that have done this, how difficult was it? Do you have any pointers? I've looked at subbing in out to a stereo shop, but they sounded like they've never done this and quoted a few hours of work time at $100/hr. I'm not paying some highschool dropout $100/hr to hack apart my wiring. Some more info - it's a 1998 LC, stock stereo, 15 pin harness. I have used the Metra 70-8112 adapter and it creates a wicked hiss and pop between channel changes and aps.

 

[LBridges]

It would be helpful to know your end goal. Are you using the factory headunit? Are you using the factory wire from the headunit to the amp? Or do you just need to know the wires from the amp to the door speakers and will use RCA cables from an aftermarket headunit to an aftermarket amp as in this case you would simply extend the amp to speaker wires to the aftermarket amp. I think over the years I've done just about every possible combination and don't want to give bad advice if I don't understand your goal.

 

[Emcd]

Sorry, I got the vx7020 DVD, rear camera, Nav unit with new speakers. I want to scrap the factory amp completely and run only off the HU power/amp. I used a metro loom to connect to the factory amp and power wires, but it's performing poorly. I.e., bad hissing and popping from the amp feedback. So, I'd like to use just the HU and need to know if I toss the metra loom and splice directly or a combination of both direct wiring and the metra loom.

 

[LBridges]

I would use the Metra loom; run new speaker wire out the back, across the glove compartment, down into the PS kick panel then to the amp. Connect that wire to the amp output side and you should be good to go. Now if you want to eliminate the amp, then you need to bridge power lines at the amp (if I read the diagrams correctly the OEM amp provides power to the OEM headunit, hence why you have to bridge power in to the amp with power out of the amp). Alternately you could find power elsewhere in the vehicle and splice into the Metra - that would also allow you to get rid of the amp.