QuestionHello Brian
I have bought a new stereo and 4 new speakers and 2 new dash tweeters to replace the stock system.
Once I pulled the front door speaker out I realized that these speakers have amps directly connected to the speakers.
What would be the best way in your opinion for me to get this project done ..
Do I need to keep the amps and install the new speakers on them or can I just bypass them and use the power out put from the new JVC stereo ? and would you happen to know which wires on the speaker connecter plugs are for each speaker (as there are more than 2 on the plug to the speaker) hope this makes sense
Thanks for your time and help
Tim
AnswerHi Tim,
In my opinion the best option in these vehicles is to remove the factory amplifiers and drive the new speakers directly from the head unit. This is because the stock amplifiers have built-in equalization and crossovers designed to work with the original speakers. If you're replacing the speakers, you're better off without the stock amps.
The amplifier on each side drives all three speakers on that side--dash tweeter, door woofer and rear door speaker. The wiring in the plug includes four input wires (front and rear positive and negative) as well as output wires for the rear speakers and dash tweeters, and power and ground wires. The output to the front door woofer comes from the amplifier separately, and doesn't run through the main plug.
After you remove the amplifier, you'd bypass it by connecting the rear input wires directly to the rear output wires. Connect the front input wires directly to the new door speaker, and splice the tweeter outputs into these same wires--the front door speakers and dash tweeters share the front channel output from the head unit. Make sure that your new tweeters have a built-in crossover, or that you install any separate crossover network that came with the tweeters. If the crossover is a separate piece, you can install it at the tweeter wires in the door, or at the dash. It doesn't matter where you put it, but it needs to be in place so that the dash tweeters aren't trying to play a full-range audio signal.
You can find the wire colors for the stock amplifiers at this link:
http://crutchfield.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5791/kw/liberty%202002/s
Usually the amplifiers have a long harness attached that connects to a plug near the top of the door. The wire colors in this link will match the vehicle side of the plug, not the amplifier side. I like to cut the long harness in half, and splice the wires in the cut end to make a bypass harness that I can just plug into the door. This makes it easier to reverse the process if you ever want to return the vehicle to stock condition.
Hope this helps!
Brian
