Can it be done?

Has anyone found an adapter that will allow the to swap an aftermarket 7" headunit for their 8.4"?

I just had a whole new system installed in my 13 Ram and i'm getting a horrible hiss from all speakers after the aftermarket amp. Not a grounding issue.

Equipment listed below.

HD 900/5
4 C2 6x9 coaxials (Yes the fit) - May be going to 6.5" components. Highs are bright.
1 10W3v3 with attrend BBox
JL Audio amp wire kit.

The shop is a JL signature shop and they did speaker level inputs directly into the amp using JL speaker to RCA adapters from all 4 channels pulled at the pillars. Shop confirmed that front and rear speakers are full range from the headunit.

The problem is that these headunits have a high noise floor and the hiss is audible with audio at 0-6.

It is not from running power and speaker wires too close together. Not a bad ground, and it is not the amp itself. When I unplug the high level rca's the hiss leaves which tells me that it is from the headunit signal itself.

I can't find much info about swapping the headunit for aftermarket, and Crutchfield doesn't recommend it at all.

I have ordered the FiX-82 from JL which is the updated cleansweep that will be delivered tomorrow, but I don't want to give up the headunit volume control or rear wheel volume control for a knob.


What say you Ramforum members?

Do I live with it? Install the FiX-82, or search out ways to get climate controls into aftermarket headunits for the 8.4"

I have posted this on another Ram forum to get more info.

"The shop is a JL signature shop and they did speaker level inputs directly into the amp using JL speaker to RCA adapters from all 4 channels pulled at the pillars. Shop confirmed that front and rear speakers are full range from the headunit. "

What is this? Speaker to RCA Adapters pulled from the pillars? Do you have pictures or a better explanation? wires should of been tapped at the amplifier (if Alpine) or behind the head unit (if non Alpine).

adrianp89 said:

"The shop is a JL signature shop and they did speaker level inputs directly into the amp using JL speaker to RCA adapters from all 4 channels pulled at the pillars. Shop confirmed that front and rear speakers are full range from the headunit. "

What is this? Speaker to RCA Adapters pulled from the pillars? Do you have pictures or a better explanation? wires should of been tapped at the amplifier (if Alpine) or behind the head unit (if non Alpine).

Click to expand...

They used these at each pillar. He cut the line from the headunit to the speaker there and pulled back to the amp.

XD-CLRAIC2-SW - Car Audio - Connection Systems - Audio Connections - RCA to Speaker Wire - JL Audio

Then pulled from the amp all the way back to the speaker in the door.

Forgot to add that this is the stock 6 speaker radio with 8.4.

A line driver might help but almost all stock head units are noisy unfortunately.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

i dont know about a dash kit, but the idatalink maestro says it will work with the 8.4 now. then you can have all your controls through the aftermarket radio. keep in mind it has to be certain radios.

So you only have front signal going into the amplifier? This may be the cause of this issue.

How high can you turn the volume until it clips? Make sure Input Sensitivity is on "high".

The manual does not recommend a line output converter, but this is probably simply because they don't sell one and think their product is good enough. I would first try running the rear speaker to RCA to the amp and switching to 4 channel mode and see if that helps. Then if not I would use something the LP7-4 to get the signal to the amp.

adrianp89 said:

So you only have front signal going into the amplifier? This may be the cause of this issue.

How high can you turn the volume until it clips? Make sure Input Sensitivity is on "high".

The manual does not recommend a line output converter, but this is probably simply because they don't sell one and think their product is good enough. I would first try running the rear speaker to RCA to the amp and switching to 4 channel mode and see if that helps. Then if not I would use something the LP7-4 to get the signal to the amp.

Click to expand...

No. All 4 channels run into the amp via high level speaker to rca adapters.

My FiX-82 from JL delivered today. I will post back tonight after the install and calibration on how it sounds.

Input sensitivity is set to high, and it gets louder than my ears can take before clipping.

jlchristopher said:

No. All 4 channels run into the amp via high level speaker to rca adapters.

My FiX-82 from JL delivered today. I will post back tonight after the install and calibration on how it sounds.

Input sensitivity is set to high, and it gets louder than my ears can take before clipping.

Click to expand...

At what number volume on the head unit is that point that its almost too loud for you? It should be about 27. Did he tag the rears at the b-pillars, and the fronts at the a-pillars? Seems really silly when you get can get it all at one place lol.... but draws a concern that you have RCAs ran across multiple parts of the vehicle. Also was just the JL Audio piece connected and then 4 different RCA cables ran across the car, OR did he extend the speaker wire to the RCA ends.... that could cause an issue because those wires wouldn't be shielded and ran across the car.

adrianp89 said:

At what number volume on the head unit is that point that its almost too loud for you? It should be about 27. Did he tag the rears at the b-pillars, and the fronts at the a-pillars? Seems really silly when you get can get it all at one place lol.... but draws a concern that you have RCAs ran across multiple parts of the vehicle. Also was just the JL Audio piece connected and then 4 different RCA cables ran across the car, OR did he extend the speaker wire to the RCA ends.... that could cause an issue because those wires wouldn't be shielded and ran across the car.

Click to expand...

He took them at the A and B pilars. He ran JL speaker wire back to the amp and then attached to the rca adapters. But that doesn't matter anymore now that I have removed them and am using each channel directly into my FiX 82.

It is around 25 that it was too loud. I just installed the FiX-82 and calibrated it. Oh my gosh at the sound. It is phenomenal and really woke up my C2 6.9's in the doors and sub. I guess getting 4v is a lot better than dealing with high level inputs from the head unit. I never expected to get audio this good out of a factory headunit.

I appreciate all the help. I am gonna take my truck by the shop to let them hear it with the FiX-82 since the ones they ordered are on backorder.

So no more hiss? I would be willing to be having the unshielded speaker wires running across the car, essentially as RCAs, was the issue. I am glad to know that it worked though!

adrianp89 said:

So no more hiss? I would be willing to be having the unshielded speaker wires running across the car, essentially as RCAs, was the issue. I am glad to know that it worked though!

Click to expand...

Yes hiss is gone, and I didn't change any wiring. Still using existing speaker wire that was pulled from the pillars to the FiX-82. Then FiX to Amp via rca. Then amp back to speakers in door.

You can turn off the digital EQ on the FiX temporarily, and I can clearly hear the difference it is making in my system.

I greatly appreciate all the help from everyone!