Audio Help - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Excuse my lack of audio knowledge, I have read several of the DIY audio upgrade threads. Not sure what my 99 boxster originally had. Currently it has an Alpine CDA 9820XM unit installed. In the trunk there is a stock amplifier all I can read without taking it out is HAES 4X40 Verstarker. No rear shelf speakers. I have purchased the Alpine SPS-410 for the dash and read the replacement thread. So I believe I am good to go on that. My question is whats the next best move? Replace door speakers or do the rear shelf speakers. If I understand it correctly the factory amp powers only the door speakers? Based on internet research output on the Alpine unit is 18WRMSX4. I just want to make the most of the existing setup. I am not looking to redo the whole system. Thanks

The best thing you can do is ditch the stock amp and run the speakers straight off the head unit. The sound will be crisper and louder. Changing speakers and head unit do little to improve sound if you are still piping the signal through the stock amp.

You have the M490 option which gives you 40 watts to four speakers, the two in your dash and the two subwoofers in the doors. The dash speakers are a mid range and a tweeter each. All four (6) speakers are considered "front" by your radio's fader and there is nothing attached to "rear." The direct speaker outputs from your radio are nowhere near 40 watts/channel, and attaching directly to them is a downgrade. There is lots more potential in your OE Becker radio, and a great way to get it out is to install the rear storage shelf speaker kit. There is an easy way and a harder way to do this, and if you do it the harder way you can make a big difference. The easy way connects the new speakers to the (low wattage) rear speaker outputs on your radio. The better way is to find a 6x40 amp from a 996/911 cabrio and add the wires to the new speakers to the amp output connector--obviously the 6x40 amp has "rear" outputs, and although your 4x40 amp doesn't use it, your current radio-to-amp wiring includes the rear circuits. Lots of these amps cheap on eBay and I recommend the one with part number ending in 323. On my Boxster, this really brought the door subwoofers alive and I'm frankly not looking for more audio performance ... but I want to find a way to insert the new Porsche Classic radio into the system I have ... another topic alltogether.

No, that 40 watts per channel is maximum, not RMS. The stock amp is closer to 15 amps per channel RMS AND uses an archaic common ground (on the input only) which degrades signal and reduces actual mechanical action at the speaker. The stock amp is garbage.

The stock amp is not well suited to the Boxster interior, but it's really surprising how much better the 911 Cabrio amp is. I recognize the received knowledge that anything anywhere anytime from the aftermarket is superior to original equipment (because they say so), but I'm convinced this conventional thinking applies more to the chebbies and fords we grew up with more than it does to German vehicles.

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Is there a DIY thread on that? Can I just disconnect the amp and remove it and then run wires direct to the dash and door speakers? It sounds straight forward but its something I have no experience doing. Appreciate all the input!

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You can do it that way (all new wires) or re-use the existing wires (would have to run 4 new wires to replace the common ground). All new wires would require some hefty disassembly of dash components and door panels. I helped someone remove the stock amp while using the existing wiring and only running 4 new wires to replace the common ground...this is easiest as most of the work is done in the frunk where the stock amp is. I'll see if I can find the thread with the instructions. Edit: click the link, post # 5 http://986forum.com/forums/performance-technical-chat/54857-audio-ground-wires.html

Thanks particlewave, I'll give it a try.

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I'm interested in this mod, but why 323? How difficult is it to replace the stock amp in the frunk? I have the 490 option...

Replacing a 4x40W amp with the 6X40W is very simple. You unscrew two bolts, unplug the wiring harness, cut a small tab off the 6x40W amp connector with an exacto knife and install in the reverse order. You only need the extra 2 channels if you want to run rear speakers off the amp instead of the HU (HU supplies 15W to the rears). There are a lot of amps on eBay, but most of them are 4x40W. I believe there are two versions of the 6x40W amp. There is a ton of info on this if you do a search here and on google.

Does anyone the part no. handy for the pins needed for the connector?