2017 1500 with Alpine Audio... Will aftermarket amp & sub work?

heefageLA · Sep 20, 2018

Title pretty much says it all. I just got a 2017 1500 with the Alpine Audio system.

Will I be able to plug my amp into this head unit?

I bet I cant, but I dont want to pull apart my dash just to find out.

Any help in this is much appreciated.

TomT · Sep 20, 2018

Short answer, not the way you’re thinking.

The best way is to use a PAC AmpPRO interface and connect your amp to that.

BWL · Sep 21, 2018

Not without something like that the pac unit like tomt mentioned or the dsr1 which i'm using. Believe dayton audio makes something that works as well. Depending what you're trying to do there are a few options. If you're just trying to hook up an aftermarket sub and amp you can use line level input off the factory sub if your amp has that option. The factory eq does have a pretty aggressive subsonic filter on it though. Rear speakers get full range and most guys tap into them for line level input. Some go straighr to an amp and others use the pac audio or audio control units to process and clean up the signal.

TomT · Sep 21, 2018

Unless there’s something I don’t know about (entirely possible), the Dayton unit is strictly a DSP. It would go after the PAC unit but before the amps.

heefageLA · Sep 21, 2018

Good Lord! $300 bucks for the PAC AmpPro... Just to hook up my aftermarket amp and sub.

It looks like thats exactly what I need to make it work though.

Ive gotten spoiled to my old amp with a bass control ***. Every genre needs a different amount of bass to me. Rock, Bluegrass, Folk, Country, Metal, Techno...

Spindrifter · Sep 21, 2018

I decided to replace the factory sub with an aftermarket sub and amp, utilizing the factory sub box. I went with JL Audio 8W1v3-4 W1v3 and Kicker 43CXA3001 600 Watt MONO Class D Power Car Audio Amplifier and Kicker KISL 2-Channel K-Series Speaker Cable to RCA Adapter. I basically did the exact setup in my Rubicon and I couldn't be happier with the results. I'll let you know how it works out in the truck.

heefageLA · Sep 21, 2018

Spindrifter said:
I decided to replace the factory sub with an aftermarket sub and amp, utilizing the factory sub box. I went with JL Audio 8W1v3-4 W1v3 and Kicker 43CXA3001 600 Watt MONO Class D Power Car Audio Amplifier and Kicker KISL 2-Channel K-Series Speaker Cable to RCA Adapter. I basically did the exact setup in my Rubicon and I couldn't be happier with the results. I'll let you know how it works out in the truck.

This will most likely be the route I take. MUCH cheaper. I have the amp, I have the sub, and I have the box... Looks like all I need is the Cable to RCA adapter...

heefageLA · Sep 21, 2018

Spindrifter said:
I decided to replace the factory sub with an aftermarket sub and amp, utilizing the factory sub box. I went with JL Audio 8W1v3-4 W1v3 and Kicker 43CXA3001 600 Watt MONO Class D Power Car Audio Amplifier and Kicker KISL 2-Channel K-Series Speaker Cable to RCA Adapter. I basically did the exact setup in my Rubicon and I couldn't be happier with the results. I'll let you know how it works out in the truck.

After researching this RCA to Speaker wire adapter thing for a little bit, it looks like I tie this adapter into my existing factory speaker wire for the existing sub then plug the RCA end into my amp... then use regular speaker wire from the amp into my sub... am I reading this correctly?

Spindrifter · Sep 21, 2018

heefageLA said:
After researching this RCA to Speaker wire adapter thing for a little bit, it looks like I tie this adapter into my existing factory speaker wire for the existing sub then plug the RCA end into my amp... then use regular speaker wire from the amp into my sub... am I reading this correctly?

Yep, as easy as that. Pretty easy upgrade...

heefageLA · Sep 21, 2018

Spindrifter said:
Yep, as easy as that. Pretty easy upgrade...

Awesome! Im ordering them Right Now. :cheers:

Thanks!

Riccochet · Sep 21, 2018

Just an FYI. My friend owns a audio shop in Philly. Said that Metra is releasing a new DSP for the 8.4 Alpine systems. 6 inputs, 6 RCA ouputs, 31 band EQ, time delay, smartphone/tablet app controlled. Goes between the head and amp. His words "this looks to be the best product for the uConnect Alpine systems".

heefageLA · Sep 21, 2018

Spindrifter said:
Yep, as easy as that. Pretty easy upgrade...

I went with this one because I can have it here by middle of next week... rather than wait over 2 weeks for Amazon... https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rockford...el-Male-RCA-Converter-Adaptor-RFI2SW/39403765

heefageLA · Sep 21, 2018

Riccochet said:
Just an FYI. My friend owns a audio shop in Philly. Said that Metra is releasing a new DSP for the 8.4 Alpine systems. 6 inputs, 6 RCA ouputs, 31 band EQ, time delay, smartphone/tablet app controlled. Goes between the head and amp. His words "this looks to be the best product for the uConnect Alpine systems".

All yours for the low LOW price of only $600.

Im sure thats an awesome piece of technology, but thats way more gadgetry than ill ever need.

All Im looking to do is make my factory head unit work with my aftermarket sub and amp.

BWL · Sep 21, 2018

heefageLA said:
All yours for the low LOW price of only $600.

Im sure thats an awesome piece of technology, but thats way more gadgetry than ill ever need.

All Im looking to do is make my factory head unit work with my aftermarket sub and amp.

Looks like they go for around 300 , but the rockford dsr1 is an 8 channel dsp vs 6 and does all the same stuff for cheaper. Regardless for what you're looking to do line level converters like you're looking at will work fine.

rotwiler · Sep 22, 2018

All alpine systems are same when adding amps 13-18, except I don't know much about 19s. Tried a pac loc and could never get it to sound right, now have a audio control LC2i and sounds excellent, but I turned accubass off, just didn't sound right to me. After adding jbl gx302 3.5s up front (same ohm as factory) and jbl power series 6x9s in rear doors, then a fiberglass dual 12 box, 1000 watt rms amp, love the sound now, perfectly balanced. Was thinking about that axxess dsp, seen them as low as $210+$30 harness, if I didn't have the LC2i I would do it instead. May still do it, but I did a super cheap upgrade and sounds much better than expected. Was thinking I had issues with the LC2i until I started thinking, my subs are not really efficient and in slightly smaller space and underpowered by 200 watts rms, so is reason they sound great but spl is lower. LC2i was easy to install and much better than the pac loc I had before it.

heefageLA · Oct 2, 2018

Will I still need to hook up the Remote wire to my amp when using the High-to-Low level converter?

If so, would I splice into my factory head unit somehow?

TomT · Oct 2, 2018

heefageLA said:
Will I still need to hook up the Remote wire to my amp when using the High-to-Low level converter?

If so, would I splice into my factory head unit somehow?

Unless the amp has an automatic turn-on signal sensor (it powers up when it senses an input signal), you'll need something to tell the amp to turn on.

heefageLA · Oct 2, 2018

TomT said:
Unless the amp has an automatic turn-on signal sensor (it powers up when it senses an input signal), you'll need something to tell the amp to turn on.

Dang it... I kind of knew in the back of my head I would have to run a remote wire... Do any of you know which wire it is on the factory head unit?

AdamKan · Oct 2, 2018

heefageLA said:
Dang it... I kind of knew in the back of my head I would have to run a remote wire... Do any of you know which wire it is on the factory head unit?

I just moved my aftermarket sub/amp from my 14 to a 17 with the alpine system. I tied the remote into the power wire for the cigarette lighter outlet in the center console. It's super easy to get to and you can just run it to under the front seat and back to the rear. Since it's only on when the ignition is on, no worry about draining your battery and no need to pull the radio off. Also, hooked the PAC SNI-35 up to the factory sub harness (used 1 set of wires in series to the PAC) and it works great. Easiest aftermarket sub install i've ever done.

TomT · Oct 2, 2018

A remote wire just needs to be continuous 12v. I don’t know that the factory head unit even has a remote trigger circuit since it is not designed for use with additional amps.

If you search car audio sites, you should be able to find information on using a simple relay as a trigger.

2017 1500 with Alpine Audio... Will aftermarket amp & sub work?

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