Can I add a subwoofer to my factory radio?
Yes, and it's really quite easy to do.
First off, you'll need the subwoofer(s) and an appropriately-sized amp to run it/them. Selecting these is beyond the scope of this article, feel free to ask in the forums if you have specific questions.
Once you have the amplifier and subwoofer(s), you'll need to hook them up. Some amplifiers can use high-level or speaker-level inputs, while others cannot (the ones that cannot only have low-level or line-level inputs, also known as RCA inputs). If your amplifer doesn't have high-level inputs, you'll need to buy a line-level converter.
If your J-body doesn't have a factory amplifier, you can tap into the rear speakers on the rear deck. There will be two wires on each side:
Left: Brown (+), yellow (-)
Right: Dark blue (+), light blue (-)
If your J-body has the Premium Amplified System or Monsoon system (Sunfire only), you will have four wires at each rear speaker. You will also find an amplifier in the trunk, behind the carpet on the driver's side. The wires to the speakers are divided in highs and lows. If you want just the lows (likely, for subwoofer applications), then you can tap the following wires, either at the amp or the speakers:
Left: Dark blue/white (+), light green/black (-)
Right: Light blue/black (+), Dark green (-)
Or, if you prefer the full, unamplifed signal, you can tap the colors listed above, before they enter the amp.
Power wires may be run from the battery directly, thru the firewall at the main wiring grommet (the big rubber plug), and ground wires as short as possible to a bolt in the trunk (either use an existing one, or add a new bolt). For the remote turn-on wire, you have to be creative. If you connect it to power, the amp will remain on all the time. Therefore, you want to put it on a switch, or connect it to a switched wire in the car somewhere. Use a multimeter to find this :)
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| Created: |
01-10-2006 |
| Modified: |
01-10-2006 |
| Rating: |
(not rated) |
