How to connect aftermarket amp to factory alpine amp

[Norman52]

I have a 2016 Ram 2500 Laramie. I have aftermarket amp and subs I’m wanting to put in. Can I connect the aftermarket amp to the alpine amp by splicing into the line output on the alpine to inputs on the aftermarket amp? If so how do I know which wires are the outputs?

 

[corneileous]

I have a 2016 Ram 2500 Laramie. I have aftermarket amp and subs I’m wanting to put in. Can I connect the aftermarket amp to the alpine amp by splicing into the line output on the alpine to inputs on the aftermarket amp? If so how do I know which wires are the outputs?

I’m surprised nobody’s answered this but if you’re gonna hook up an aftermarket amp and aftermarket rear subs, if you have the Alpine system that has the factory rear subwoofer, you could just use those two speaker wires that go to that factory rear subwoofer. That’s what I did. At the time, I didn’t use any kind of a line output converter, I just basically ran two speaker wires to the factory rear subwoofer wiring and then put RCA plugs on the end of those wires and plugged those into my amp and then tuned it that way and it actually worked pretty good.

 

[heefageLA]

Heres what I used. No spliced wires. No line taps. No line output converters. This is the "proper" route in my opinion. This setup was $250 when I got it a couple years ago... The ONE THING that hasnt increased in price!

AmpPRO SUB Advanced Amplifier Interface for Select Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, Dodge 2013 to 2020 - PAC

BACK IN STOCK! Add a subwoofer. Upgrade your sound and keep your 2013 to 2020 Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, or Dodge (with premium amplified sound system) factory radio

catalog.pac-audio.com

 

[corneileous]

Heres what I used. No spliced wires. No line taps. No line output converters. This is the "proper" route in my opinion. This setup was $250 when I got it a couple years ago... The ONE THING that hasnt increased in price!

AmpPRO SUB Advanced Amplifier Interface for Select Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, Dodge 2013 to 2020 - PAC

BACK IN STOCK! Add a subwoofer. Upgrade your sound and keep your 2013 to 2020 Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, or Dodge (with premium amplified sound system) factory radio

catalog.pac-audio.com

Hmm. I’ve heard of a similar type device like that that was recommended to me a long time ago but it was twice as expensive.

I just wonder how that would be compared to the kicker keylock LOC that I bought that I’ll be putting in my truck this weekend. At least with what I bought won’t require pulling the radio out.

The only reason why I’m even trying the kicker key lock is because the JL, audio tech-support guy I talked to a couple months ago recommended using it. He didn’t say anything about that device that you’re using or even the one that was similar to that made by the same brand that was recommended to me from people on here along time ago.

 

[heefageLA]

Hmm. I’ve heard of a similar type device like that that was recommended to me a long time ago but it was twice as expensive.

I just wonder how that would be compared to the kicker keylock LOC that I bought that I’ll be putting in my truck this weekend. At least with what I bought won’t require pulling the radio out.

The only reason why I’m even trying the kicker key lock is because the JL, audio tech-support guy I talked to a couple months ago recommended using it. He didn’t say anything about that device that you’re using or even the one that was similar to that made by the same brand that was recommended to me from people on here along time ago.

I like it because the factory amp limits the power output the higher the volume goes, to keep you from blowing the speakers, so if you tie into that output you also limit your aftermarket amp and subs capability. The bypass above catches the signal before it goes through the factory system so it wont limit the power output.

 

[corneileous]

I like it because the factory amp limits the power output the higher the volume goes, to keep you from blowing the speakers, so if you tie into that output you also limit your aftermarket amp and subs capability. The bypass above catches the signal before it goes through the factory system so it wont limit the power output.

I don’t know how it does it but supposedly the kicker key lock removes all of that stuff you were talking about so that at higher volumes, it won’t do that.

After learning about that device that you used, I decided to call up Crutchfield and ask their opinion if it would be better to go the route you did or with the kicker key lock and actually to my surprise, the guy recommended the key lock over that other device simply because not only is it easier to install, it also goes above and beyond to where it will create a much better signal coming from the factory amp even over the signal coming directly from the factory radio before it goes into the factory amplifier.

 

[heefageLA]

I don’t know how it does it but supposedly the kicker key lock removes all of that stuff you were talking about so that at higher volumes, it won’t do that.

After learning about that device that you used, I decided to call up Crutchfield and ask their opinion if it would be better to go the route you did or with the kicker key lock and actually to my surprise, the guy recommended the key lock over that other device simply because not only is it easier to install, it also goes above and beyond to where it will create a much better signal coming from the factory amp even over the signal coming directly from the factory radio before it goes into the factory amplifier.

Wow. Heck yeah. More than one way to skin a cat!

 

[corneileous]

Wow. Heck yeah. More than one way to skin a cat!

I’m not saying that what you used was inferior, I’m just repeating what the Crutchfield guy said.

In my opinion, the only advantage to the key lock that I can see would be not having to remove your radio, not having to run so much extra wire, pulling up sill plates and removing a lot more interior body trim. I don’t really think I’m all that convinced that the kicker keylock is going to provide that much of a better signal than what you’re getting directly from your radio but, I could be wrong.

 

[Buhshaun]

Wow. Heck yeah. More than one way to skin a cat!

If you are looking at the keylock also checkout the LC2I pro by Audio Control, I have installed it at least 20 times when I was installing at a shop and was always the preferred line output convertor.

 

[Black-Wolf]

I have a 2016 Ram 2500 Laramie. I have aftermarket amp and subs I’m wanting to put in. Can I connect the aftermarket amp to the alpine amp by splicing into the line output on the alpine to inputs on the aftermarket amp? If so how do I know which wires are the outputs?

You can patch in to the Alpine from what I understand. See the attached Premium Audio system diagram. Connectors are labeled C1 and C2. Each component is labeled outside of the component itself.

 

[corneileous]

If you are looking at the keylock also checkout the LC2I pro by Audio Control, I have installed it at least 20 times when I was installing at a shop and was always the preferred line output convertor.

Even over the Kicker Keylock? Several Crutchfield reps, the Kicker rep and several JL Audio reps I talked to all recommended the Keylock over just a regular LOC because one of those won’t clean up the ragged and butchered signal coming from the factory amp.

 

[Buhshaun]

I put them in the same category and would say that some of the premier audio design and install shops would advocate for the Audio Control products. You can't go wrong with either of them!

Check out this video from Mark at Car Audio Fabrication.

Add Signal for Amps with ADVANCED features - AudioControls NEW LC2i PRO

In order to add an aftermarket amplifier to a factory car audio system we need a way to convert the high-level (speaker level) signal to RCA low level (line ...

www.youtube.com

 

[corneileous]

I put them in the same category and would say that some of the premier audio design and install shops would advocate for the Audio Control products. You can't go wrong with either of them!

Check out this video from Mark at Car Audio Fabrication.

Add Signal for Amps with ADVANCED features - AudioControls NEW LC2i PRO

In order to add an aftermarket amplifier to a factory car audio system we need a way to convert the high-level (speaker level) signal to RCA low level (line ...

www.youtube.com

So am I correct to assume that line output converter does almost or kind of the same thing as the kicker key lock?

But one thing I just remembered, when I was hooking up my system for the first time, the JL audio customer support representative that was helping me said that the only time I would have to have a line output converter was if the voltage in my factory subwoofer wiring was higher than like 8 V and that if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have to have one. That’s why I just simply took the wiring harness out of my factory subwoofer housing so that I could plug that back into the harness that comes out of the carpet under the rear seat and then used the two metra adapters I had to plug into each one of those two connectors that used to go to the factory speaker and then hooked two speaker wires to them that had RCA plugs on them, which went directly into my new amp.

 

[Black-Wolf]

I have a 2016 Ram 2500 Laramie. I have aftermarket amp and subs I’m wanting to put in. Can I connect the aftermarket amp to the alpine amp by splicing into the line output on the alpine to inputs on the aftermarket amp? If so how do I know which wires are the outputs?

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it: I'd pay the money to get the appropriate harness to connect between the factory amp and the new one. Then you don't have to screw around with trying to find the right output wires and splicing them. Keeps your truck factory if you ever sell it, but allows you to do pretty much whatever else you want.

 

[Cableman]

I’m not saying that what you used was inferior, I’m just repeating what the Crutchfield guy said.

In my opinion, the only advantage to the key lock that I can see would be not having to remove your radio, not having to run so much extra wire, pulling up sill plates and removing a lot more interior body trim. I don’t really think I’m all that convinced that the kicker keylock is going to provide that much of a better signal than what you’re getting directly from your radio but, I could be wrong.

From anything I've read on this forum it seems the pac adapter is the way to go. Ive seen many complaining about loc's and even kicker amps that supposedly clean the input signal 1st.
I just bought that pac sub harness to install! Hopefully i dont break anything pulling dash apart lol

 

[heefageLA]

From anything I've read on this forum it seems the pac adapter is the way to go. Ive seen many complaining about loc's and even kicker amps that supposedly clean the input signal 1st.
I just bought that pac sub harness to install! Hopefully i dont break anything pulling dash apart lol

Its not that difficult. Just watch a few YT videos first to get the right idea. You have (2) bolts at the top, then the whole unit just pulls out.
Be careful stuffing everything back into the dash. Its easy to pinch a wire.
The door panels are more of a pain than the center dash.

 

[Cableman]

Heres what I used. No spliced wires. No line taps. No line output converters. This is the "proper" route in my opinion. This setup was $250 when I got it a couple years ago... The ONE THING that hasnt increased in price!

AmpPRO SUB Advanced Amplifier Interface for Select Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, Dodge 2013 to 2020 - PAC

BACK IN STOCK! Add a subwoofer. Upgrade your sound and keep your 2013 to 2020 Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, or Dodge (with premium amplified sound system) factory radio

catalog.pac-audio.com

I didnt open box yet or read any instructions, ill have to run a remote turn on wire from this to my amp or is that handled by signal detection through the rca cables?

 

[corneileous]

I didnt open box yet or read any instructions, ill have to run a remote turn on wire from this to my amp or is that handled by signal detection through the rca cables?

You can do it either or.

 

[heefageLA]

I didnt open box yet or read any instructions, ill have to run a remote turn on wire from this to my amp or is that handled by signal detection through the rca cables?

I did both like corneileous said.

EDIT: I didnt use their amp gain knob. My kicker amp already had one.

 

[Cableman]

I did both like corneileous said.

EDIT: I didnt use their amp gain knob. My kicker amp already had one.

My alpine amp has a remote gain also and doesnt effect the setup gains, i wonder which one is the better to use, pac or the amps or do they do the same thing??