Did a lot of research over the last 2 months and wanted to post results to help anybody that may be looking to upgrade their factory stereo system. I have a Boston Acoustics Premium sound system with a 130S/RES Uconnect stereo.
If you want to keep your factory radio due to the features and upgrade the sound by adding speakers and an amp for subwoofers then here is what I did. Though you may approach differently the gist of this will get the job done. Also I found the trunk's drivers side wall worked to strap the amps and LOC. You may wish to mount to subwoofer box or some other way:
Adds- JL Audio XD600/1 Amplifier
- MTX Audio Terminator Series TNE212D Subwoofers
- JBL GTO939 6x9 Loud Speakers (replaced rear deck Boston Acoustics)
- Audiopipe APMI-2125 Amplifier
- Audiocontrol LC2I Line out Converter
- Mini power block
Removed- BA 6x9 rear deck speakers
Power- Run 4-8awg power wire to battery
- Ran from rear of the trunk through side railing of the driver's side back seat
- Followed the door sills up under the driver's side
- Removed large rubber cap on left side of brake pedal on firewall
- You'll find this when you peel down carpet and installation a tad
- Poked hole through rubber cap and run wire through and then up the hole
- You'll have to fish up through this hole but should land right at the battery
- Connect to power block in trunk
- Connect to battery - use caution and only when ready to test
Test Tones
Audiocontrol LC2I- Main source in providing the signal to trigger the amps
- Splice into rear deck speaker wires both left & right making note of + and - for each
- Connect them correctly (L&R) into the Audiocontrol LC2I speaker inputs
- The left speaker input controls the remote signal
- But you need both speaker inputs to provide signal to left & right
- Run the power to the power block
- Run the ground nearby to the chassis or bolt (I used wheel well bolt)
- Run 2 wires from remote out to each amplifier
Audiocontrol Gain Setting- Accubass - dial all the way left. I didn't use it
Main Setting
- Play 1kHz test tone by way of stereo with volume at about 75% max
- Turn Main to right until maximize light comes on. Turn slightly left until it is off
- I did this a couple of times and each time ended up at same place
Bass Setting
- Play 50Hz test tone by way of stereo with volume at about 75% max
- Turn Bass to right until maximize light comes on. Turn slightly left until it is off
- I did this a couple of times and each time ended up at same place
Once complete the settings are at the most efficient to provide the cleanest signal to the amps
Subwoofer Amplifier - JL Audio XD600/1- Run ground to same ground as LOC
- Run power to power block
- Run RCAs to Bass output on LOC
- Turn gain setting to minimum - left
- Place digital multi-meter leads into speaker input of amp
- Red lead into positive and black lead into negative
- Do same test with the 50Hz test tones for the amplifier
- The Terminator woofers needed 28.28v.
- Turn the gain right until it comes very close
- Once reading on meter is steady you're done
- Make adjustments to other settings as you prefer
Speakers Amplifier - Audiopipe APMI-2125- Run ground to same ground as LOC
- Run power to power block
- Run RCAs to Main output on LOC
- Turn gain setting to minimum - left
- Place digital multi-meter leads into speaker input of amp
- Red lead into positive and black lead into negative
- Do same test with the 1kHz test tones for the amplifier
- The JBL's needed 20v.
- Turn the gain right until it comes very close
- Once reading on meter is steady you're done
- Make adjustments to other settings as you prefer
Connect wires from subwoofer box and rear deck speakers to corresponding amplifiers and you more than likely will be very pleased as I was!
Upgrading Sound System
Threaded Mode