Navigation & Audio Need help with wiring LOC and Amp .. visual aid included!

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Mar 9, 2012 | 05:01 AM

ieandro

Thread Starter

2nd Gear

Joined: Aug 2011

Posts: 124

Likes: 0

From: Jersey

Need help with wiring LOC and Amp .. visual aid included!

This was posted in 1st Gen section, but I believe my question can still apply any .. thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ieandro

Ok so here the awesome wiring diagram I used using Paint. I've been debating on whether to change the HU, but from reviews about discrepancies with the adapters available for MFSW I've decided to go with the Line Out Converter route for the sake of appearance and convenience.

Anyway, i'd like the opinion of audiophiles and some knowledge of doing this right. I'm a slight noob when it comes to wiring, but have done it before with an amp and sub, but never anything this extensive (for me anyway). Can someone give advice on what i'm doing is correct?
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the specs:

2002 MCS with no Navi, no HK.

From what I understand about LOC's is that they take a speaker input and convert to a pre-amp output. Yes? No?

I want to take the speaker level output (PURPLE is the stock speaker wires) from the stock HU since it has no factory pre-amp outputs. I think I can cut the speaker wires from harness behind the headunit and attach HU Side of the speaker wires (shown in GREEN) to LOC. Yes? No?

I can then use RCA cable to attach LOC to four-channel amp (shown in BLUE). Yes/No?

I then put the amplified signal back into the speaker-side speaker wires of the (shown in ORANGE connecting to PURPLE) and therefore getting amplified sound to the speakers. Yes/No?

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Now for the remaining questions:

I plan on using an Audio Control LC6i Line Output Converter. Where does the remote out and remote in connect to (shown in CYAN). Does it need an Amp hook up kit with fuse and such just like the amp?

Same for the Amp. Where does the remote lead connect to?
I plan on using a 4-channel for the sake of simplicity, but would it be better to run two amps - one powering the front and one for the rear? I ask because the Polks that I am putting in can take more power and the amps that i've seen are usually 4x75-80 RMS, others higher but with $$$$$.

If what my diagram is somewhat correct, I am essentially wiring inline an LOC and Amp between the HU and speakers via the speaker wires?

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I spent the better part of my afternoon drawing that because I really want to know. I've searched and searched, but got even more confused since many add a sub - something I may consider once I get more comfy, but for now powering four speakers with an amp seems plenty to me.

Also, I understand that product preference is a preference so i'm sure the components i choose may not be someone elses cup of tea, but please just let me know if I got the basics down so I don't blow up my car and not make this into a big "brand x is better than brand y so you should go with brand z" affair.
I got tired of listening to the Honda forums on whether my Polks were inferior to Infinitys ..
I'm on spring break next week so that's a week of ordering stuff through Amazon and installing it.

I do appreciate your time in helping me out with this, but I really want to keep the factory finish and steering wheel controls. I love my MINI, but my blown speakers are driving my ears insane.

Mar 12, 2012 | 04:11 PM

zcast

3rd Gear

iTrader: (1)

Joined: May 2011

Posts: 268

Likes: 1

From: Orlando, FL

Quote:

Originally Posted by ieandro

From what I understand about LOC's is that they take a speaker input and convert to a pre-amp output. Yes? No?

YES

Quote:

Originally Posted by ieandro

I want to take the speaker level output (PURPLE is the stock speaker wires) from the stock HU since it has no factory pre-amp outputs. I think I can cut the speaker wires from harness behind the headunit and attach HU Side of the speaker wires (shown in GREEN) to LOC. Yes? No?

YES - On my 08 Clubby I picked these leads up from the x9331 connector on the drivers side kick panel. I created a bypass connector and ran new wires (14 AWG) from my x9331 bypass into my LC6i LOC. I am not certain if your car has this connector, but yes, you need to pick up these leads. All you really need to tap into though are the front L & R leads as they are full range. (Your rears MAY be cutoff at 100hz like mine are. I am not sure of your car though.) The LC6i allows summing. So the way I did my setup should be similar to yours. Run your front L & R +/- leads into input #2 on the LC6i. The LC6i automatically sums (or mimics in this case) the input to output #2 AND #3. So you would have individual line level control of your front and rear levels on outputs #2 and #3 on the LC6i. If you read the manual there is a section that talks about this feature in the LC6i. There is also a jumper setting you can set inside the device which allows you to sum the #2 input to the #1 output, which is what I did in my case. So basically it took my front speaker level input from my factory HU and gave me 3 line level outputs each with their own gain adjustment. I sent output #1 and #2 to my 4ch AMP and my output #3 on the LC6i to my powered sub. I then use the optional remote level **** for the LC6i to control the gain of my sub. The LC6i is pretty powerful and gives you quite a lot of gain, so be careful how much you drive your lines to your amp.

Quote:

I can then use RCA cable to attach LOC to four-channel amp (shown in BLUE). Yes/No?

YES - Like I noted above, be careful how much you drive the LC6i to your amp. The LC6i has pretty beefy line drivers.

Quote:

I then put the amplified signal back into the speaker-side speaker wires of the (shown in ORANGE connecting to PURPLE) and therefore getting amplified sound to the speakers. Yes/No?

YES - I ran new speaker wire as the OEM wire is small (22 AWG?). I ran 14 AWG to my new speaker locations. I know others have tapped back into the factory wiring, and most shouldn't have a problem, but you need to be conscious of how much power you are driving to your speakers and the rating of the OEM wiring.

Quote:

I plan on using an Audio Control LC6i Line Output Converter. Where does the remote out and remote in connect to (shown in CYAN). Does it need an Amp hook up kit with fuse and such just like the amp?

I pulled this from a connector behind the x9331 in the drivers kick panel of my 08 clubby. I used pin 1 of the x51? connector. This can be any 12v constant source. No fuse needed, though I did put a small in-line fuse (2 or 3 amp maybe, it says in the manual) for the power input. I know many people pulled the remote signal lead from the cig lighter plug and have had no problems. The LC6i has auto-sensing turn-on on input #1 only. You have to have an input on #1 on the LC6i and not sum it to itself. So if you plan to put your speaker level inputs on input #1 of the LC6i, then it will auto-turn on when it sees signal on input #1. I am partial to hard-wiring the remote leads to a 12v source rather than using auto-sensing. That's just me though, and also I couldn't use that feature because of how I wired into the LC6i. The remote out is just a pass-thru. I tapped into the 12v source in the car and ran it into the remote in on the LC6i and from that same remote in terminal, ran another lead to the remote in on my 4ch amp. I did not use the remote out terminal.

Quote:

Same for the Amp. Where does the remote lead connect to?
I plan on using a 4-channel for the sake of simplicity, but would it be better to run two amps - one powering the front and one for the rear? I ask because the Polks that I am putting in can take more power and the amps that i've seen are usually 4x75-80 RMS, others higher but with $$$$$.

See above for remote lead.

Your system seems fine but I am not a big fan of running OEM rears with an aftermarket amp. IF I would change anything about your install, it would be to just replace the rears with a set of better aftermarket speakers. That way you can utilize the AMP a bit better and not worry about destroying the OEM rears when you turn up the fronts. If you go my route and only tap into the front speaker lines and split it through your LC6i, you lose front and rear balancing from the stock HU and instead control it through the LC6i. I would recommend getting a good set of aftermarket rears so you can comfortably set levels and not worry about blowing the crap oem.

Quote:

If what my diagram is somewhat correct, I am essentially wiring inline an LOC and Amp between the HU and speakers via the speaker wires?

YES

Overall you are fine. The LC6i is a great unit and you can accomplish a lot of routing with it. You need to determine if your rears are full range or are cutoff at 100hz like mine are. If they are both full range then you can grab all eight leads from the HU. If they are cutoff, then I would just tap into the front leads from the HU since they will be full-range, and use the LC6i to route that signal. If you decide to pull eight leads from the HU (FR+/-, FL+/-, RR+/-, RL+/-), then run the rears into input #1 and the fronts into input #2 and internally sum input #2 to output #3 (swap the jumper internally). Then you can use the the output #3 on the LC6i for a future sub/amp.

Hope this helps.

-z

Last edited by zcast; Mar 12, 2012 at 04:19 PM.