Speaker upgrade + amp

[DamnLag]

I am upgrading the speakers in my truck and have a couple questions. I have a 2015 with the 8.4" screen non alpine. Sadly I haven't done an upgrade like this in about 20 years. I will be using a PAC AmpPRO AP4-CH41 along with a Kicker Key amp.

My questions are -

1) Should I be using the cross over that comes with the fronts. I assume so, but I'm not sure how the stocks are wired.
2) Can I run the speaker wires from the amp directly into the AP4 harness?

Front Speakers -

Kenwood Excelon KFC-XP6903C​

Kenwood Excelon KFC-XP6903C

Excelon Series 6"x9" component speaker system for select Chrysler and Toyota vehicles

www.crutchfield.com

Rear Speakers -

Kenwood KFC-6996PS​

 

[SitKneelBend]

I am upgrading the speakers in my truck and have a couple questions. I have a 2015 with the 8.4" screen non alpine. Sadly I haven't done an upgrade like this in about 20 years. I will be using a PAC AmpPRO AP4-CH41 along with a Kicker Key amp.

My questions are -

1) Should I be using the cross over that comes with the fronts. I assume so, but I'm not sure how the stocks are wired.
2) Can I run the speaker wires from the amp directly into the AP4 harness?

Front Speakers -

Kenwood Excelon KFC-XP6903C​

Kenwood Excelon KFC-XP6903C

Excelon Series 6"x9" component speaker system for select Chrysler and Toyota vehicles

www.crutchfield.com

Rear Speakers -

Kenwood KFC-6996PS​

If you are using the Key Amp it's recommended to run it in Bi-Amp mode. This means running four new wire sets to each speaker up front (2 dash and two door speakers) and running the rears off either another amp or the head unit.

From the factory the left/right dash speakers are wired to the front left/right door speakers (in series?).

 

[DamnLag]

That's good to know. I was planning on amping the rears. Out of curiosity why is it recommended to Bi-Amp the fronts?

 

[SitKneelBend]

That's good to know. I was planning on amping the rears. Out of curiosity why is it recommended to Bi-Amp the fronts?

I won't do the explanation justice but their are tons of videos from audiophiles explaining it...I found this guys videos very helpful.

The new Kicker Key 200 4 vs the old Key 180 4

First video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwFVW_ehMq0&feature=youtu.beGet your shirt here www.teespring.com/stores/fivestarcarstereoVisit Dean a...

m.youtube.com

 

[DamnLag]

Will take a look. Thanks @SitKneelBend

 

[Atcer2018]

That's good to know. I was planning on amping the rears. Out of curiosity why is it recommended to Bi-Amp the fronts?

Basically with a bi-amp setup you use one single front speaker output from
the stock head unit and the kicker key amp in bi-amp mode converts that single output into four usable channels. This allows you to make one output from the head unit power the left/right door and dash speakers on their own separate channels. You still have three useable channels from the head unit of which you’d use the factory rear channels to power the rear doors and simply not use the remaining front channel. It’s a pretty slick setup and sounds good.

I’m not sure what a PAC AmpPro is. If it’s a line output converter you won’t need it for a kicker key amp. The key amp accepts high level inputs and has built in load resistors to signal a load to the factory head unit. The key also has built in line sensing for the amp trigger eliminating the need for a trigger wire. There is no line noise using the high level inputs.

In my install I used a key amp and a aftermarket speaker T-harness to eliminate the need to hack up the factory wiring. Run the kicker supplied power wire through the firewall above the brake pedal where the block off for a clutch pedal would be and directly to the battery. A good ground is the brake pedal mounting nuts. A spool of 16 gauge speaker wire to wire up the dash speakers on their own channels and the T-harness. It’s a very clean and fairly easy install.

 

[DamnLag]

Thank you for the input @Atcer2018. The PACX Amp is a converter that I will still use because I will eventually need it for the sub amp.

Can you give an example of the T-harness you speak of? I'm not looking forward to fishing speaker wire into the doors, would love to avoid it as well as avoiding cutting the stock wiring

 

[DamnLag]

If the door and dash are wired in series, could I just run new speaker wire to the dash and then tie into the pac pro for the doors? I assume that would eliminate the "series" since the dash has its own wiring at this point?

 

[SitKneelBend]

Y

If the door and dash are wired in series, could I just run new speaker wire to the dash and then tie into the pac pro for the doors? I assume that would eliminate the "series" since the dash has its own wiring at this point?

IF you are going to use the factory wires for the doors that could work. The OEM wires are pretty small IMO and you would have to tap those wires to the key somehow.

 

[Atcer2018]

Thank you for the input @Atcer2018. The PACX Amp is a converter that I will still use because I will eventually need it for the sub amp.

Can you give an example of the T-harness you speak of? I'm not looking forward to fishing speaker wire into the doors, would love to avoid it as well as avoiding cutting the stock wiring

The T-harness installs directly into the back of the radio headunit with a factory connector. It gives a length of wire using the same color codes as OEM wiring and allows the factory harness to plug into it so you don’t have to cut any of the factory wires. Instead you splice into the T-harness or have the harness custom made to allow for what you are planning to do. In my case I simply needed the front speaker wires separated so I could run one channel to the key amp and then from the key amp back to the factory wiring. I purchased mine from NetAudio out of Texas. A pic attached has the contact information.

You can use the factory wiring to run the door speakers. I only ran new wiring for the dash speakers and used the factory door wiring to run the door speakers. Simply disconnect the dash speakers from the factory wiring and run your new wires down through the speaker opening through the dash. Driver side is super simple. Passenger side it’s easier if you remove the glove box to fish the wire.

 

[Atcer2018]

I used the high level inputs so I did not need line resistors as the amp has them built in. Since you are using a LOC you may need line resistors.

 

[DamnLag]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[DamnLag]

So I'm running into an issue when I try to Bi-Amp the fronts. I get no audio from the rear speakers off the stock radio. Is that because of the Pac Amp? I was under the impression that the rears would still work off the factory radio

https://catalog.pac-audio.com/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=2047

 

[SitKneelBend]

So I'm running into an issue when I try to Bi-Amp the fronts. I get no audio from the rear speakers off the stock radio. Is that because of the Pac Amp? I was under the impression that the rears would still work off the factory radio

View attachment 552836

https://catalog.pac-audio.com/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=2047

No, the radio will sometimes stop audio output if it doesn't detect a speaker on the other end. When this happens, remove the inline radio fuse located in the engine bay near the battery and brake booster.

 

[Atcer2018]

So I'm running into an issue when I try to Bi-Amp the fronts. I get no audio from the rear speakers off the stock radio. Is that because of the Pac Amp? I was under the impression that the rears would still work off the factory radio

View attachment 552836

https://catalog.pac-audio.com/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=2047

Are the rear speakers being run through the PAC Loc or are they still run directly from the head unit via the factory wiring? Like SitKneelBend said the head unit needs to sense a load on the line or it will shut the power down to those channels. If all the speakers are run through the PAC device the fronts are showing a load via the Key amp but the rears possibly don’t show because of the PAC. Unfortunately I’m not familiar with the PAC unit.

 

[DamnLag]

Rears are hooked up to stock wiring. I will try the fuse today as sitkneelbend suggested.

I appreciate all the help

 

[runamuck]

how hard is to pop these speakers out for replacement.

 

[DamnLag]

how hard is to pop these speakers out for replacement.

they are easy to remove once you get the door panels off, which isn’t very difficult

 

[SitKneelBend]

how hard is to pop these speakers out for replacement.

30 minutes from start to finish if you've done it before. An hour if not...

 

[kirk35]

So I'm running into an issue when I try to Bi-Amp the fronts. I get no audio from the rear speakers off the stock radio. Is that because of the Pac Amp? I was under the impression that the rears would still work off the factory radio

View attachment 552836

https://catalog.pac-audio.com/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=2047

You will have to power the rear speakers with an amp using the RCA outputs on the AmpPro.