2.0 t base AMP upgrade?

[rocket23]

I really would like to put some umpf into the sound of the car. It is not the H-K package but the oem styled package. I can start digging, just wondering if anyone else has dug into it before me.

 

[Christopher Thomas]

I really would like to put some umpf into the sound of the car. It is not the H-K package but the oem styled package. I can start digging, just wondering if anyone else has dug into it before me.

I been looking around I have the same model and want to add a amp. does it have a amp already? if so where is it located? where are the plug for the speaker wires located? I want to had a little boom

 

[rocket23]

I been looking around I have the same model and want to add a amp. does it have a amp already? if so where is it located? where are the plug for the speaker wires located? I want to had a little boom

Ok I'm on the east coast...so I'll check this half of the united states..........dude I think we are the only ones,lol

 

[Christopher Thomas]

Ok I'm on the east coast...so I'll check this half of the united states..........dude I think we are the only ones,lol

we may be lol

 

[hummus]

I haven't looked into this for a few years, but I'll chime in. First, a sub with an amp (or a powered sub) is probably a better first upgrade, and better bang for your buck. Adding just an amp and keeping the factory speakers will have unpredictable results, as modern car audio tends to be very proprietary; the sound from factory head units tends to be "shaped" specifically for factory components. A proper amp and speaker upgrade will also involve a signal processor to "convert" the factory sound to an unshaped/flat signal ready for aftermarket components. Here is a article to start with: factory sound processors.

Depending on the factory speaker dimensions (and I haven't looked at them), upgrading them can be a very expensive proposition if custom enclosures are necessary. A shop that is capable of doing that while taking proper care of your car is not going to work for cheap.

With a sub, you might get away with just tapping the rear speaker signals, picking up power in the trunk (at least the battery is back there, avoiding the need to run large wire from under the hood, through the car, etc.) and tweaking the tone and phase settings on the amp/powered sub and factory head unit. Tackling the factory mids, tweeters, and amps could be a slippery slope that either ends in frustration or much lighter wallets.

Hope this helps.

 

[rocket23]

emensely, tapping into the rear speakers for an added powered up sub woofer is deffinatly the way to go wallet wise

 

[Christopher Thomas]

emensely, tapping into the rear speakers for an added powered up sub woofer is deffinatly the way to go wallet wise

you figure out how to tap into the speaker wires yet

 

[rocket23]

shoot I just figured out the price tag for ownership in 2 years.....I might be holding off a tad.

 

[Christopher Thomas]

what you mean ?

 

[Christopher Thomas]

shoot I just figured out the price tag for ownership in 2 years.....I might be holding off a tad.

what you mean?

 

[WildBill]

I'm guessing he's leasing and doesn't know if he wants to mod the car yet.
Here is the pinout for the base amplifier AV8R posted in this thread.

Signal is sent to the amplifier digitally via the CAN bus so to my knowledge your only option is to leave the factory amp in place, use a line level converter, and use that signal to feed your new amp. I've added a sub and detailed the process on the HK system in this thread.

Angelo in Seatle and RandallK look like they are going to be going further into custom audio installation territory so keep an eye out for them. Link

 

[rocket23]

what you mean?

I have a 6 year loan and want to pay it off in 2 years....which means over a grand a month.

]I'm guessing he's leasing and doesn't know if he wants to mod the car yet.
Here is the pinout for the base amplifier AV8R posted in this thread.

Signal is sent to the amplifier digitally via the CAN bus so to my knowledge your only option is to leave the factory amp in place, use a line level converter, and use that signal to feed your new amp. I've added a sub and detailed the process on the HK system in this thread.

Angelo in Seatle and RandallK look like they are going to be going further into custom audio installation territory so keep an eye out for them. Link

thanks for the reply and the links........It's not a lease, and there isn't much I will mod .....yet.

 

[Christopher Thomas]

I have the base model and could not find a amp anywhere and I looked in the trunk, do you know where it may be located?

 

[rocket23]

buried in the dash would be my guess.

 

[WildBill]

It's not in the trunk behind the panel on the passenger side?
For the HK system it is above the fuse box.

 

[Christopher Thomas]

no I have the base model and it does not come with the HK stereo

 

[rocket23]

so we need to find the pesky miniscule amp for the base model.

 

[WildBill]

So for clarification, it is not in the same spot as the HK amp?
The pinout diagrams for the 2 amps look so similar that my assumption was they were in the same place.

 

[Christopher Thomas]

i reached my hand up and above and around and I did not feel anything, i will have to take the lining out to make sure I let you know

 

[rocket23]

This guy wants the upgrade worse than me^^^^

That's a good thing btw.