Wiring new sub using HK wiring

zedonist said:
Of I remember correctly the remote switch wire is blue for the amp, I am pretty sure there is also a blue wire with white stripe that is the auto Ariel lead, don't confuse these two
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Thanks, did notice that and used only the solid blue one.
There sure are plenty of wires in there for the sound it produces!
 
I have tried various ways to get the sub to play properly but the HK wiring is the problem I believe.

The Alpine HU currently is connected via a harness adapter to make it work via the original wiring. So the signals are all running via the HK amp/crossover. So even though I have a second amp (for sub only) with RCAs from the HU >amp>new wiring to sub; the subwoofer is not getting this signal, it is still only going via the original wiring.

So am thinking to just run new wires for the speakers and run it directly from the Alpine HU and and new amp. For now I will run the rear speakers and front speakers from the HU only (tweeters in doors will be disconnected) and run the JL sub via the amp. Will need an active crossover, at least 3 way for now too.

This way is simple and the original wiring remains intact if I wish to return to standard one day.
Later on will get around to upgrading the rest of the speakers and upgrade/add another amp for whatever replacement speakers I put in the rest of the car.


Some pics:
HK amp/crossover:


Wiring in and out of HK (plenty of it for just 9 speakers!):


The 4 wires that powered the original HK sub. I used 2 of these (one of each colour only) to power the JL sub:


RCA outputs from ALPINE HU
 
That's a lot of RCA interconnects for a sub woofer, are you sure it's connected correctly, remember a sub is mono.

What model HU do you have?
 
Looking at the manual you should only have RCA in the bottom two connections for the sub, all other speaker connections should go through the harness adaptor, where are your other RCA connections going?
 
zedonist said:
Looking at the manual you should only have RCA in the bottom two connections for the sub, all other speaker connections should go through the harness adaptor, where are your other RCA connections going?
Click to expand...

hi, yes that's right.
The other 2 sets of RCAs above the sub RCA are for front and rear speakers.they go into the harness adaptor but each wire from the RCA is actually split into 2 to make 4 wires as needed for the HK wiring setup.

I do wonder why this HK set up use so may wires per speaker.....?
 
You should only have the sub RCA connected, the other speakers should be connected through the harness
 
zedonist said:
You should only have the sub RCA connected, the other speakers should be connected through the harness
Click to expand...
It is a bit strange that - I got the car with the this already fitted:
2 sets of RCAs that lead into the harness plus the other wiring that comes from the HU to the harness. It drove all the speakers and the HK sub that way fine. The Sub Volume control on the Alpine also worked when wired this way (It's a CDE-9880R +iPod controller).

Now that you mention that I am wondering what is best when I re-wire - use the RCA or the HU wiring harness, can't use both as the BMW wiring seems to require..
Eventually I'll get around to your full system as your published in your guide but right now just want the best I can get from the equipment I have.
 
The reason I mention it DIno, is that the RCA by pass the internal amp of the HU, the harness speaker wires are from the HU amp, now would having all wired in give you a problem? Normally when fitting an after market HU you just buy the ISO lead to patch the HU into the car lead and your done, no RCA needed, this was how mine was, and is, even as I have run new speaker cables, I still only have one set of RCA connected, and those are for the sub
 
I hear you, must get some pics of the wiring coming out of the rear and how the RCAs and harness are hooked up. I just added the sub RCA, the rest was already there. Now I thought by simply adding the sub RCA I would just grab the signal for the sub and it would work but not so...
I guess the RCAs have been used so as not to over amplify the other speakers which are hooked up via the HK amp..
Based on what you say I will run the front (lower) and rear speakers via the HU harness so that they benefit from the inbuilt amp. The sub to run straight from the RCA and via it's own amp.
I'll need to do a bit more homework on how to do it with the crossover and also see if I can make the tweeters work too...

This just started with me wanting run the sub on its won and leave the rest as is....anyhow at least the wiring will be done for when I get proper speakers throughout making that a quick job!
 
I think you now understand why I just rewired, less hassle, and the oem tweeters are in the wrong place as well.
 
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