Help - LX stereo wiring clarification

[LBridges]

I have read the threads. Could use some help with the wiring of an aftermarket head unit to the OEM Nakimichi amplifier on a 2000 LX470.

This thread seems (to me) to imply I should use pin 1 (White wire, B+) for constant power to the head unit.

While this thread seems to imply pulling constant power from pin 2 (Blue/Yellow wire, B2+)

I am terrible at reading wiring diagrams, but it looks to me like B2+ on pin 2 (Blue/Yellow wire) is the one I should choose for constant power (Pioneer DVD system) and pin 10 (Gray wire, labeled Acc) as switched power. I then presume the wire that is used to trigger the OEM amp would be flow through from pin 14 (Black/red wire).

BTW, this is not a long term solution as I already have an amp and speakers to install, just not enough time to do it all in one shot. So I would like to use the OEM amp and speakers until I can find the time for a proper install.

I can post up the LX wiring diagrams if that helps, didn't want to waste bandwidth for what I hope is a clarification.

 

[reznunt]

not sure which wire is constant, but do you have a circuit tester? good tool to have:

6/12V Circuit Tester with 5 ft. Lead

 

[LBridges]

not sure which wire is constant, but do you have a circuit tester? good tool to have:

6/12V Circuit Tester with 5 ft. Lead

No, and I was hoping to solder up some wiring tonight as the dash is partially apart. But I will pick up one of them, or a Volt-Ohm meter, tomorrow on the way home from work.

Edit: I had forgotten about a site I used to use - the12volt.com - and they show the wiring for constant and switched so I'm going to try and get a few wires done tonight, then finish it off tomorrow (or maybe Thursday) so I have it working over the weekend.

Thanks again for the idea of a circuit tester.

 

[TomEf]

In my LX (2001, ML sound, 13ish pin connector at the head unit), gray was switched power and blue/yellow was constant 12v. Pretty sure my amp trigger is red/black, but I may have snipped an extra wire and still need to track down my antenna trigger. A multimeter, even the cheapest Harbor Freight one, is a huge help for stuff like this.

 

[LBridges]

In my LX (2001, ML sound, 13ish pin connector at the head unit), gray was switched power and blue/yellow was constant 12v. Pretty sure my amp trigger is red/black, but I may have snipped an extra wire and still need to track down my antenna trigger. A multimeter, even the cheapest Harbor Freight one, is a huge help for stuff like this.

Thanks - your colors confirm what I read from most reports (but given my electrical skills I could be misinterpreting). Per the diagrams the antenna trigger would be on pin 5 and is also black-red (like amp wire). If it can't be found in the clipped bundle I would guess you could pick it up at the antenna relay - which according to the manual is behind the glove box, but I can't personally confirm as I've not gone in that far yet,

 

[nikramos]

Thanks - your colors confirm what I read from most reports (but given my electrical skills I could be misinterpreting). Per the diagrams the antenna trigger would be on pin 5 and is also black-red (like amp wire). If it can't be found in the clipped bundle I would guess you could pick it up at the antenna relay - which according to the manual is behind the glove box, but I can't personally confirm as I've not gone in that far yet,

I suggest that since you have the amp and speakers already is to do it all at the same time. My 2000 lx470 had an aftermarket radio connected to the Nakamichi amp with aftermarket Component speakers and it did not sound good. I read read RobRed very helpful Tlcfag site and he explained why and also how you wire it to an aftermarket amp. I started this project yesterday and took me 16 hrs to complete since I am a newbie. It took me that long since I also have to search on the web which wires on the LX amp connectors is the one that needs to be jumped per Robreds instruction since his was for the landcruiser. Installing an aftermarket amplifiers requires you to jump some power wires on the nakamichi amp for your head unit to work. Extremely happy with the results and saved me $520 in labor cost that 3 stereo shops quoted me just to install 4 channel amp, mono amp with subwoofer. Here is the complete lx wiring from a member of this very helpful forum. Good luck


01 WHT +B
02 BLU/YEL +B2
03 n/c
04 GRN ILL
05 BLK/RED ANT+
06 PNK FL+
07 n/c
08 RED RR+
09 BLK RL+
10 GRY ACC
11 BRN E
12 n/c
13 WHT/GRN ILL
14 BLK/RED AMP+
15 ORG MUTE
16 GRN BEEP
17 BLU FR-
18 LT GRN FR+
19 VIO FL-
20 n/c
21 WHT RR-
22 YEL RL-

Kenwood DDX 6019 connector

Pin Color Name

01 BLK GND
02 RED Ignition
03 BLU/WHT Power Contr.
04 BLU Ant. Contr.
05 n/c
06 n/c
07 n/c
08 GRY FL+speaker
09 GRY/BLK FL+speaker
10 WHT/BLK FL+speaker
11 WHT FL+speaker
12 YEL Battery
13 ORG/WHT Illumination
14 BRN MUTE
15 PNK/BLK Ext. Contr.
16 LT BLU/YEL Remote Contr.
17 LT GRN Prk. SW
18 PRPL/WHT REVERSE
19 PRPL RR+speaker
20 PRPL/BLK FL+speaker
21 GRN/BLK FL+speaker
22 GRN RL+speaker

The wiring from Radio receiver connector mostly goes to Nakamichi amplifier (it is under Fr. Pass. seat). Best way to access it – remove the seat (just four bolts & connector). Amplifier has 4 connectors in row:
Connector "A" – mostly has different kind of Power and Ground pins;
Connector "B" – wired to all speakers except subwoofer;
Connector "C" – wired to subwoofer only;
Connector "D" – mostly amplifier linear inputs:

Amplifier connector "A":
Pin Color Name

01 BRN GND1
02 BLU/YEL +B1
03 n/c
04 BRN GND2
05 BLU/YEL +B2
06 GRY ACC
07 ORG MUTE
08 GRY ACC0
09 WHT +B0

Amplifier connector "B":

Pin Color Name

01 LT GRN FR+
02 PNK FL+
03 n/c
04 RED RR+
05 BLK RL+
06 BLU FR-
07 VIO FL-
08 n/c
09 n/c
10 n/c
11 n/c
12 WHT RR-
13 YEL RL-

Amplifier connector "C":

Pin Color Name

01 BLU/BLK WF1+
02 BLU/RED WF1-
03 n/c
04 n/c
05 n/c
06 BLU/WHT WF2+
07 BLU/YEL WF2-
08 n/c
09 n/c
10 n/c
11 n/c
12 n/c
13 n/c
14 n/c

Amplifier connector "D":

Pin Color Name

01 n/c
02 n/c
03 LT GRN FR+
04 BLK RL+
05 RED RR+
06 BLK/RED AMP
07 GRN BEEP
08 BLU FR-
09 VIO FL-
10 PNK FL+
11 NCA SDG1
12 NCA SDG2
13 YEL RL-
14 WHT RR-

I hope this data along with following pictures gives adequate way to recognize who is who and if necessary, easy adapt it to any aftermarket unit.

 

[PabloCruise]

I have read the threads. Could use some help with the wiring of an aftermarket head unit to the OEM Nakimichi amplifier on a 2000 LX470.

This thread seems (to me) to imply I should use pin 1 (White wire, B+) for constant power to the head unit.

While this thread seems to imply pulling constant power from pin 2 (Blue/Yellow wire, B2+)

I am terrible at reading wiring diagrams, but it looks to me like B2+ on pin 2 (Blue/Yellow wire) is the one I should choose for constant power (Pioneer DVD system) and pin 10 (Gray wire, labeled Acc) as switched power. I then presume the wire that is used to trigger the OEM amp would be flow through from pin 14 (Black/red wire).

BTW, this is not a long term solution as I already have an amp and speakers to install, just not enough time to do it all in one shot. So I would like to use the OEM amp and speakers until I can find the time for a proper install.

I can post up the LX wiring diagrams if that helps, didn't want to waste bandwidth for what I hope is a clarification.

Very curious about your upgrade project! I have a '99 LX w/ Nakamichi and wonder about upgrades. Will you be replacing subwoofer?

 

[LBridges]

Very curious about your upgrade project! I have a '99 LX w/ Nakamichi and wonder about upgrades. Will you be replacing subwoofer?

Yes, I will be replacing the subwoofer, but I don't have any on hand and I'm just starting to research them, so I can't really say much there.

Regarding other items:
For the front sound stage I will first try a set of Premier Reference Series (PRS) speakers. If I can't get the PRS units to sound right I have a mix of some Seas speakers and a set of the Alpine Type X tweeters I might use (but I was really holding them back to build a set of garage bookshelf units). I won't run back door speakers as I'm from the school of thought that at a concert the band doesn't play behind me so why have speakers back there. Of course I also don't have rear seat passengers, so I don't have that worry either. For the amp I'm about 95% certain I will use an old school Xtant 603X. I have an Alpine digital audio processor, but I might stay totally old school and use a set of analog Audio Control 30-channel graphic equalizers.

I really don't know much about the acoustics of the LX, so my plan was to do this in stages. Today I soldered all the connections between the OEM amp and the Pioneer DVD head unit just to get some sound (driving around in silence was a bit much and I've got a bunch of home building supply type errands to run this weekend). Eventually I won't use any of the OEM wiring for the headunit, speakers, subwoofer or amp. But how and where to install things drive so much of the decision space that I'm going to start out small. I don't think any of the three sets of tweeters I have here will fit in the OEM location. But I've got lots of time as this is my project vehicle (daily driver is a Prius v for the gas mileage, and the wife's FJ is always there when needed).

 

[PabloCruise]

Sounds good! What Pioneer unit did you go with?

 

[LBridges]

You know I don't even know the number for sure. Just one of the items I have in a closet. It doesn't have Nav, but has DVD capability. I think maybe 5500 something? I just want audio playback via lossless recording on an iPod and Bluetooth phone connectivity. These days I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that the signal to noise and bandwidth for any head unit that can handle the signal and bit rate for DVDs is superior to the older CD digital to analog processing. After attending a lot of concerts in the late 60s-early 70s and working on the flight line as active duty Air Force, not to mention my age - I expect I'd never hear the difference in a rolling vehicle no matter how quiet it was. The work is just something to get me out of the house and out of the line of fire from the "honey-do list" blues.

 

[PabloCruise]

Ha ha, good luck with that!

 

[samyinaz]

Great detailed info. I just picked up a 99 LX470 and it has a pioneer unit installed. It looks like the speaker wires were spliced into the harness so I am assuming the nakamichi amp is still active. I removed the seat and it's all wired up still.

The power to the stereo and antenna go in and out randomly. I can't find a pattern or reason why it happens. Any ideas anyone?