Stock FAQs

how to hook up a amplifier to a stock radio

by Regan Zemlak Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Connect your 2 channel HI/lo converter to a left and right output signal behind your radio. Attatch your RCA

RCA

The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a wholly owned subsidiary of General Electric; however, in 1932, RCA became an independent company after GE was required to d…

wires to that RCA channel and run that to the input section of your amp Run your remote wire from a source that has 12v only while the vehicle is running to your amplifiers remote input

Part of a video titled How to install an amplifier to factory radio - YouTube
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Positive and negative is gonna go to the driver side positive negative my two gray solid gray andMorePositive and negative is gonna go to the driver side positive negative my two gray solid gray and gray with the black stripe the one with the black stripe is the one that's negative. So positive.

Full Answer

How do you hook up a car AMP to a car?

Now connect your second harness to the speaker wires that lead into the dash and run them to the output section of your new amplifier. Connect your remote wire to a 12v switched source that only powers when the car is running and run that down with your other wires to your amp and connect that to the remote wire input on your amp.

How do I hook up a subwoofer to a 2 channel amp?

You will just need to run the larger gauge speaker wire from your amplifier to your subwoofer. This is usually a lot easier! Connect your 2 channel HI/lo converter to a left and right output signal behind your radio. Attatch your RCA wires to that RCA channel and run that to the input section of your amp

How to hook up an amp without RCA jacks?

The third option to hook up an amp without RCA jacks comes in the form of a line output converter. This is a device used by many installers who have customers that don’t want to get rid of any aspect of their factory stereo – they simply want to add amplifiers and subwoofers.

What is an RCA adapter for a stock radio?

This RCA adapter for stock radio that converts the high-voltage, speaker-level signal to a preamp-level signal that’s acceptable to a power amp. A “LOC” as they are known, consists of a transformer and a high-voltage resistor, and connects to your amp using a standard RCA patch cable.

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Can you hook up an amp and subs to a stock stereo?

Adding a subwoofer to a factory stereo is an excellent method to boost your sound while retaining your factory controls. The nifty devices can produce bass and sub-bass sounds at low frequencies. Thankfully, it's pretty simple to wire one into an existing car stereo system.

How do you hook up amps and subs to a factory radio?

3:236:05How to: Add Aftermarket Subwoofer and Amp to Factory Stereo. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou would run cable that goes from that and plug directly into here I have speaker inputs and so nowMoreYou would run cable that goes from that and plug directly into here I have speaker inputs and so now what that does is it allows you to tap off of a speaker wire.

How do you hook an amp up to a radio?

2:064:34How to install a car amplifier | Crutchfield DIY video - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe turn on wire is included in your amp wiring kit. Run these cables behind the dash to your stereoMoreThe turn on wire is included in your amp wiring kit. Run these cables behind the dash to your stereo. The turn on wire connects to a remote turn on lead in your stereos wiring harness.

How do you hook up a RCA adapter to a stock radio?

0:126:03How to add RCA Pre out adaptor to a factory car radio guide - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd it's part number pc2 so one and what that is is basically it's got speaker wires on one end withMoreAnd it's part number pc2 so one and what that is is basically it's got speaker wires on one end with an earth and RCA connectors on the other end that you can plug your RCA cables into.

How do you hook up a subwoofer to a stock radio?

2:3616:02How to Install Subwoofer WITHOUT aftermarket Radio - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUm so this is the power wire um with the power wire you do need a fuse which usually comes with theMoreUm so this is the power wire um with the power wire you do need a fuse which usually comes with the power wire kit. So this is the fuse that's in there. Now um and then this is going to be the ground

How do I hook up subs to a factory stereo?

As shown in the diagram below, to receive an input signal from your factory car stereo you would just need to tap into your rear speaker wires. Then, you would run RCAs from your LOC to your amplifier. Finally, connect your subwoofer to the amplifier using speaker wire as you would normally.

Can you wire an amp to a stock radio?

Another popular way to connect an amplifier to a factory radio is to use something called a line output converter. It connects to the factory radio's speaker wires and converts the speaker-level signal to a preamp-level signal. This lets you use RCA cables to run that signal to your amplifier.

Do you need RCA cables on an amp?

What wiring and accessories do I need? Car amplifiers don't come with any wiring included. You must supply the amp's power and ground wiring, an inline fuse, a remote turn-on wire, RCA cables, and speaker wires.

Do I need a capacitor for my amp?

A cap prevents the sound from deteriorating due to under-voltage, but doesn't actually improve the sound. It supports the amplifier by feeding it the power it needs for short bursts. So, while not improving sound quality directly, a cap does make it easier for the amp to perform its best.

Do stock radios have RCA jacks?

Well, factory stereos don't have something called 'RCA pre-outs'. These are the red and white inputs behind stereos that rca jacks plug into to produce sound… …and factory stereos just don't come equipped with them.

How do you hook up a amp without a RCA jack?

Method #1: RCA Adapter If it can, you can use the cables and connect it to adapters. In this method, the rear speakers will be used to connect to the RCA output. Then, connect the adapter to the rear speaker wires while hook the other end of the cable to the RCA outputs.

Do I need to bypass factory amp?

By bypassing the factory amplifier, the music sounds more detailed and clear than it did when he used the amplifier integration harness. Whenever there's one available, we recommend bypassing the factory amp to get better sound. If you're considering a new stereo for your vehicle, keep this option in mind.

What Is A High-Level Input On A Car Amp?

Because factory radios don’t have dedicated outputs for amplifiers “RCA” or “preamp outputs”, most outboard power amps come with high-level inputs, which enable you to tap into the factory speaker wires for signal flow.

How To Wire A High-Level Input On An Amp

The installation of an amplifier using high-level inputs isn’t much different from the procedure used when wiring one with preamp outputs. Before anything is even attempted, it is always advised that you disconnect the negative terminal from your battery to protect against a possible short circuit.

What Is A Line Output Converter?

This RCA adapter for stock radio that converts the high-voltage, speaker-level signal to a preamp-level signal that’s acceptable to a power amp. A “LOC” as they are known, consists of a transformer and a high-voltage resistor, and connects to your amp using a standard RCA patch cable.

What Does An LOC Do?

As we touched on in the above section, a LOC converts the high-voltage, speaker-level signal to a preamp signal that a power amp can use. This is especially helpful when installing a two channel or monoblock amplifier to an existing factory radio (or even some aftermarket systems).

How To Hook Up A Line Out Converter (LOC)

Here’s an in-depth step-by-step guide for installing a Line Output Converter…

How to connect speaker wires to amplifier?

Run those wires to the amplifier and connect them into the input section of the amplifier. Now connect your second harness to the speaker wires that lead into the dash and run them to the output section of your new amplifier.

How to run a remote to an amp?

Run your remote wire from a source that has 12v only while the vehicle is running to your amplifiers remote input. run power wire from battery to amp. Run ground wire from proper chassis ground to amp. Run speaker wire from amp to subwoofer.

How many speakers can a 4 channel amplifier power?

4 Channel amplifiers – Amplifiers that power up to 4 speakers. 5 channel amplifiers – Amplifiers that power up to 5 speakers including 1 subwoofer. While almost every amplifier is capable of being installed into a factory audio system when paired with the right accessories, there are some that were made specifically for it!

What are the different types of amplifiers?

But, there are a few styles of amplifiers that make it a lot easier to integrate with the factory system without the need to replace any existing things. Subwoofer Amplifiers – Amplifiers dedicated to powering subwoofers. 2 channel amplifiers – Amplifiers that power 2 speakers. 4 Channel amplifiers – Amplifiers that power up to 4 speakers.

Do all amplifiers need the same parts?

Its important you know that not all amplifiers require the same parts during installation. For example, the Alpine Power Pack 4 channel amplifier comes with the mounting parts, wiring and fuse needed to install right out of the box while standard amplifiers might need a few more things.

Do you need RCA wires for a subwoofer?

This channel usually takes the sum of your rear/front or both amplifier inputs to create a proper subwoofer output channel. You won’t need anymore RCA input wires, just a bit of subwoofer speaker wire.

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