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YOUR RESEARCHUpgrade Head Unit Question
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Install pioneer hu and a kenwood 5 channel amp
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I installed a Pioneer HU and a Kenwood 5 channel amp.
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I replaced my Bose amp with a small aftermarket one that drives the subs, and run the others directly off the aftermarket head unit.
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I traced the wires again and found a very thin wire that ran from the HU to the amp.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I ran RCAs to the amp from the HU and connected the Bose speakers to the amp.
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Suggestion · Original poster
I've tried re-running the power for the HU directly to the battery; wrapping all the cables in copper foil; installing a noise filter; testing the RCA ports on the HU to make sure that they are still grounded to the HU; grounding the chassis of the HU directly to a common ground wire that runs directly to the battery; shortening the ground wire on amp to less than 3ft; and nothing helps.
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Has anyone replaced their factory Bose head unit and bypassed the Bose amp? I�m wondering if the Bose speakers require an amp or if they can be connected directly to the head unit?
Yes, this is exactly what I did. I replaced my Bose amp with a small aftermarket one that drives the subs, and run the others directly off the aftermarket head unit.
This link
might be helpful.
I replaced both (CDR23?). I think you will have multiple challenges trying to do what you suggest. First, the outputs on the head unit are digital optical (the infamous MOST connection harness), while the outputs from the power amp are ordinary speaker wires. You won't have the various outputs you need for the various speakers, and thpse speakers don't all have the same resistance. The Bose power amp is actually several (5 maybe?) seperate amps in one box. A decent 5 channel power amp is around $300.00.
You can do this, but the sound quality is clock radio bad. In removing the amp, the individual speaker wires would need to run back to the new head unit. This is how my car was wired when I bought it.
I removed the the old aftermarket head unit for a new Pioneer with Siri Eyes Free. Then, I added a 5 channel aftermarket amp to the same place as the factory amp. It sounds indescribably better than it did without an amp.
So you ran the factory Bose speakers directly to the new HU and then used RCAs to connect to a small amp to power the subs? Could you send me the amp info (make/model)? Thanks!
I used a Soundstream Picasso Nano (5 channel). That was 3 years ago, I�m sure that there is something newer and better now.
The amp collects the speaker outputs in the frunk. There are RCA cables running between the frunk and head unit for the signal.
Just watch the impedance of the Bose speakers. They are 2 ohm from what I recall, and the subs are 1 ohm each.
That's my current set up. I installed a Pioneer HU and a Kenwood 5 channel amp. I ran RCAs to the amp from the HU and connected the Bose speakers to the amp. The sound is great with the car off, but when I start the car I hear a loud engine whine. I've tried re-running the power for the HU directly to the battery; wrapping all the cables in copper foil; installing a noise filter; testing the RCA ports on the HU to make sure that they are still grounded to the HU; grounding the chassis of the HU directly to a common ground wire that runs directly to the battery; shortening the ground wire on amp to less than 3ft; and nothing helps. At this point I'm a a loss and willing to try anything. That's where I thought I could just bypass everything (RCAs, amp, etc) and just go HU to speakers. It's really frustrating because this unit worked perfectly in another car that I have and it sounds great when the car isn't running.
Consider connecting the unit in such a way that it plays only when the engine is powered. That is the way my Alpine to Alpine units were installed, and I have no noise issues.
It was a few years ago, but it�s a Clarion amp and Kenwood HU. As I remember that is exactly what I did. 2 channel amp running subs, all speakers run straight off HU.
I have Bose speakers, CDR23 and CD disk changer. I bought a mr12volt from Ebay and just bypassed the CD changer with a optical loop that was included, and wired in the mr12volt behind the head unit. Now I have bluetooth and the OEM headunit so I’m pretty happy with that setup.
I had a similar issue with a Pioneer head unit. In my case, the internal fuse on the head unit was blown and even though I tried pretty much everything you did (including grounding the RCA's directly to the head unit and the head unit to the battery ground) the alternator whine didn't go away until I switched to a Kenwood head unit and upgraded to an 8' Audison RCA cable. Even then I still need to have ground loop isolators on the dash and door speakers.
If you haven't already, you may want to check out some of the install guides on Car Audio Innovations' website (
www.cai-store.com
). Rod Birch has been a valuable resource to me in trying to solve this issue.
UPDATE...
I found the issue. I traced the wires again and found a very thin wire that ran from the HU to the amp. It is the amp power up wire and it sends a signal to the amp to power on when the HU powers up. It is a 12v signal and it was running in parallel with the RCA cables. So, I purchased tinned copper braided shielding and ran the wire inside it. I grounded the shielding at the HU side using the same ground as the HU. I also moved the wire away from the RCA cables as much as I could and all this seems to have worked. The whine is gone!
interesting. I think I may try the same for my remote turn on wire. One question - did you get the whine without the engine running as well? Mine is nonexistent when the head unit has battery power but started as soon as the amp powers up with the engine running. My Audison/Connexion 6 channel RCA cable actually has a remote turn on wire running through the middle of it but presumably it is well shielded so as not to interfere with the RCA�s. I don�t use it since the RCAs are on the opposite side of the amp from the remote turn on.
