Installing the T1808 system, Have a premium sound car, need more info Options

[razor7]

Alright,
So I already know that I'll need to kill both amps and run everything off of just the deck itself (though I plan on wiring in a breakout box to send power to an amp that will power 8" polks). Will the stock wiring hook up to the 1808, or will I need to create a pinout connector and work on the wiring some (I can work my around with a soldering iron, shouldn't be too difficult)?

I'm also wondering if anyone has a pinout for the stock mid range amp (the one under the seat). I want to put in another semi-low powered amp in the same spot, and if possible, use the same wiring for the doors.

I have also been reading around and in order to get out the stock amp (next to the climate control) I'll need to tear apart most of my dash and center panels. Is there any special operation/order needed to go about doing this (I skimmed through the other thread, I'll re-check it once I get the radio).

Thanks,
-TC

[razor7]

Alrighty,
I figured it was time for an update. So after sitting on that deck for close to 4 months, I finally got around to getting it in today. There were a few complications that I would like to point out to whomever considers doing the same thing to their car.

1. The right bracket that secures the right side of the deck will not mount without re-drilling holes. I got around this by attaching the bracket and really tightening down the left side, it's on there pretty tight, but if I had re-drilled the holes (which I may end up doing) it would sit much more securely.

2. The Radio trim/bezel will not fit without a lot of modifications, I HIGHLY recommend that you find a spare in case you butcher one.

3. When the normal harness is plugged in (it's on the main amp) you will not get any power to your 8" door speakers. In the interest of time, I spliced them into the 4" speakers. I know I said that I didn't want to cut my harness, but without creating a nasty mess of running wires, it would have been impossible to get the 8" speakers to work. Without them you also come across with little to no bass response at all. No worries on the tweeters though, they already draw power from the 4" as well.

4. The main amp is a pain in the arse to get out. There is no easy way to get it out without pulling part of the center console paneling and the glove box out.

5. When all is said and done, you'll have a spare wire loom running to the bottom side of your seat (where the sub amp is, also something you can pull out) along with spare wires running to the 8" speakers in the door panels. To remove these cables would be a pain, and it would probably make more sense to leave them if you ever decide to Amp them (not with the original amp).

6. You will lose a little bit of control over the speaker's independence. The factory amps did a good job of splitting up the signals to each speaker, it was easy to get bass out of the 8" without making the 4" bottom out. Now you'll have to find a compromise. Remember that a 5 channel EQ is still better then no EQ.

Now for the good news, I ended up removing an excess 5-6lbs. It's not much, but every little bit helps. The new deck's amp sounds SUPERB when it comes to low end frequencies. It's possible that my '94 amps were just dying/dead, but there is a noticeable difference, especially when pushing more power to the speakers (less cracking, speakers won't bottom out, able to hit much lower frequencies). The new deck also seems to fit the scheme pretty well, it's casing matches the clock bezel pretty nicely.

There are also some odd tuning features that you can do to the deck itself. For instance, they give you "SSP" which allows you to switch between neutral, hear, and feel. Hear is supposed to sound more like a live performance, while feel is what the band is supposed to hear while playing. Basically, Hear will up the mid range and give it a more split feel (think strait stereo). Feel will raise up the bass while rounding out the top and mid range. The deck will also allow you to switch between car models; TC, XB, and XD. I found the XD with Feel sounds the cleanest and fullest in my car, but each one will vary (especially dependent upon speakers).

So that pretty much wraps it up. I still plan on throwing in better 8"s (right now they're just 6.5") and custom making 6"x9" rear mounts and amping both the 8s and 6x9s, however this is probably a ways off right now (next weekend maybe? :-P). I find that if you feel like your upgraded speakers aren't reaching their potential with the current set-up, then this is a GREAT upgrade to make, especially if you're going for that factory look. This deck is oodles better than stock, but won't be flashy like most aftermarket ones, while still giving you full iPod control.

Once I get the display bezel cut to shape, I'll take another picture showing the difference between stock and modified.

Video Link to You Tube

At the end of the movie, I'll switch from "hear" to "feel". Make sure to pay attention to the volume levels.



-TC

This post has been edited by razor7: Sep 7, 2009 - 9:36 PM