New Sound System!!

[pektel]

that will only work for 1st gens, they changed the design for the 2nd gens, the container is no longer part of the door that drops down, its just the door to the compartment. however this does make a nice big flat shelf to mount stuff to (above the glove box, getting stuff there isn't quite so easy )

Well, I do remove the entire insert too. just have to remove that piece of wud trim above the glove box, and remove 4 screws.

 

[rickztahone]

while i applaud you for trying the write up, i must agree with what the fellow members have pointed out. you did seem to cut a few corners and it is pretty evident. two of my main pet peeves would be the wire showing from the tweeter, and door, i really hope you are not leaving it that way. secondly would be the amp on top of the sub box, that makes me cringe every time i see an install that way. i wish i still had my pictures of my install and all the wires i had in my LS, too bad i got rid of my sub/amp. i still have my 0 gauge running from the batt though, just in case i decide to add another one. i just sold my 15" for 100 bucks too, so sad. all i listen to is heavy metal and i really get enough mid bass from my alpine 177R's in all four doors, which i ran through the boot btw, only way to do it if you want a clean install. lastly, i hope you do not take it as us putting you down, it's more like us trying to encourage you to clean up some of the shortcuts for a cleaner install and so that others will be able to use that info and using it in their install.

 

[Andrizzle]

I didnt even notice those things at first. Then again im browsing via phone.

 

[1LoudLS]

I didnt even notice those things at first. Then again im browsing via phone.

as an installer, shortcuts are the first thing that i look for!

 

[Mr. STL]

okay. sorry guys. haven't been on here in FOREVER.
to answer a couple questions. I know that the wiring looks terrible. I tried getting it through on the driver's side. too many computers to get it through. doing the passenger's side wouldn't have been an issue but i just didn't want to do one differently than i did the other. I know it sounds stupid, but i swear that's the reason. If there's some insight all you guys care to offer on the wires then go for it and i'd gladly rewire them. As for the tweeters, i'm planning on getting something to cover up those wires and make it much more stock looking. don't worry. And no, i'm not taking it as criticism so don't worry.
but one thing did sorta tick me off. for the person who said that why do you need four speakers in the back...
it's pretty rare for me to not have people in my backseat. the front has four speakers, so is there some reason that the back shouldn't?
are you just being selfish or something and don't want others to enjoy the music just cause they're sitting in the backseat? I mean, i'm not meaning to be rude at all. but that's not really any of your concern why i have four speakers in the backseat when there's spots for four...is it?
as for the amp on top of the sub box...i do have a question. for some reason my subs seem to have stopped working. could this be the reason? I've never encountered this problem before and i went around and tore the car apart double checking every single connection. the fuse is not gone on the amp, and the RCA's are working. and there's absolutely nothing loose. If it makes you all feel better i can put it on the back of the sub or something.

 

[1LoudLS]

too many computers to get it through...If there's some insight all you guys care to offer on the wires

yea those computers can be removed or just moved out of the way, just unbolt them.

so is there some reason that the back shouldn't?
are you just being selfish or something and don't want others to enjoy the music just cause they're sitting in the backseat?

the only reason i said to leave out the factory sub enclosure, is because of it, you cant slide the sub box back at all and your just wasting space, i even recommended a way of putting those speakers in with out the enclosure to be able to have speakers and space

but that's not really any of your concern why i have four speakers in the backseat when there's spots for four...is it?

whoa there kid, pump the brakes. its really none of my concern about how any of the cars looks, but im just trying to help you out by giving you some tips the pro's use, so that your friends and all the people you show the car to dont think you did a half ass job, if you dont want opinions (good or bad) dont bother showing the pictures online

as for the amp on top of the sub box...i do have a question. for some reason my subs seem to have stopped working. could this be the reason?

sure could be

I've never encountered this problem before and i went around and tore the car apart double checking every single connection. the fuse is not gone on the amp, and the RCA's are working. and there's absolutely nothing loose.

well if the amp doesn't have a thermal protect circuit, it could have over heated itself to death, are you sure that you are getting enough power at the amp? good ground and 12v at the power and turn on terminals?

 

[Mr. STL]

the only reason i said to leave out the factory sub enclosure, is because of it, you cant slide the sub box back at all and your just wasting space, i even recommended a way of putting those speakers in with out the enclosure to be able to have speakers and space

-makes sense. Just didn't think about it at the time. Thanks for the suggestion though.


whoa there kid, pump the brakes. its really none of my concern about how any of the cars looks, but im just trying to help you out by giving you some tips the pro's use, so that your friends and all the people you show the car to dont think you did a half ass job, if you dont want opinions (good or bad) dont bother showing the pictures online

- don't worry, i wasn't getting angry. . was just giving you some sh*t.


well if the amp doesn't have a thermal protect circuit, it could have over heated itself to death, are you sure that you are getting enough power at the amp? good ground and 12v at the power and turn on terminals?

- yep, i do. but if it was fried, would it even turn on?

 

[Lownslowlsc]

bust out the digital multimeter and check if the subs are still at the ohms there supposed to be at.

you could also take a spare speaker and hook it to the amp on both channels to see if its the amp. Or if you have a spare amp hook that to your subs.

 

[Mr. STL]

i did that. it's really complicated. The speakers didn't work...but the RCA's that go to that amp are specified to be for the subwoofer. So they wouldn't even work if i put other speakers up to it, would it?

and i do have a spare amp. I hooked it up, and the subs worked. well. sorta. they were playing music. like words and all that good stuff. they weren't actually playing the low end frequencies like they're supposed to.

I can just get some y adapters and use the other amp...i like the other one better anyways, but how do i get the subs to behave?

 

[Lownslowlsc]

hmmmm...Do you have a sub-level option on your head unit? Such as: subwoofer on/off? If there is then there might be a level for you to turn it up aswell..

 

[Mr. STL]

It does, but it does not allow me to press it. almost as if there's nothing connected. But i just pulled it out today and it's all plugged in. It just really makes absolutely no sense.

 

[nittanylion64]

Make sure the Zone function is off on your head unit. This may be keeping you from turning on the sub output. Also, one way to clean up your wiring would be to get spacers for the amps on the backs of your seats. Then make a slit in the back of the seat and run the wires up through that slit and out from behind the amps. You won't see any wiring at all.

 

[pektel]

DO you have more than 1 set of RCA connections on the back of your head unit? Just pointing out something obvious, but maybe your sub rca's are not hooked up to the sub out set.

 

[1LoudLS]

i did that. it's really complicated. The speakers didn't work...but the RCA's that go to that amp are specified to be for the subwoofer. So they wouldn't even work if i put other speakers up to it, would it?

yes they would still play some sound, they just wont be able to take a lot of volume, and the freq's they would play would be out of their comfort zone

and i do have a spare amp. I hooked it up, and the subs worked. well. sorta. they were playing music. like words and all that good stuff. they weren't actually playing the low end frequencies like they're supposed to.

this definitely shows that either they are plugged into the wrong rca ports at the back of the radio or that the sub settings are not correct in the radio (LPF)

It does, but it does not allow me to press it. almost as if there's nothing connected. But i just pulled it out today and it's all plugged in. It just really makes absolutely no sense.

the kenny are a little trickly in the menus, before you can adjust the sub settings, they need to be turned on and i think that its in a different menu


and depending on what the problem with the amp is , yes it may turn on, but still have no output, but it definitely sounds like the problem is with the amp itself

 

[1LoudLS]

all right my display of the kenny 514 isnt working right now so i cant go through the menu but i think its similar to the dd units, so go into the settings by touching the wrench (not by just adjusting the audio setting outside of the system menu) then go to audio control and then make sure that the sub is turned on, then click on Xover and set it to somewhere around 80-100hz instead of "through" and then you shouldn't get any more voices

 

[cpgoodman]

I would just take it to a professional. Its obvious that there are still many things for you to learn. I understand that you have to learn somewhere but your nice LS isn't the place to start. Start on one of your friends Honda's or something. You probably smoked that amp because you wired the subs up wrong. There are many different ways to wire subs depending on whether or not they are 2, 4, or 8 ohm and dual voice coil. You cant just put positives and negatives together like A/C power and expect everything to be fine. Suck up your pride and get some professional help. Offer the installer cash to come by your place after work and help you out. I did that all the time when i was an installer. You didn't do a bad job but you dont want to show that install off. Those Focals are to nice not to show off too.

 

[Mr. STL]

okay, so the subs just started working today. i'm not entirely sure how or why they started working. but they just did...
and no, i am in no way, shape, or form a professional. i'm only 18...
and you may think that i need a professional to show me what to do, but i don't believe in that. if you've got somebody babying you all your life you're never gonna learn jack sh*t.
I know an LS isn't an idea place to do that, but it's not like this is the first sound system i have ever put in. Sure, i ran into some issues, but who cares? It happens!
I know that i do still have some work to do and i'm gonna be working on it, but i really don't believe in finding some person off of craigslist and doing it...
just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

[Mr. STL]

all right my display of the kenny 514 isnt working right now so i cant go through the menu but i think its similar to the dd units, so go into the settings by touching the wrench (not by just adjusting the audio setting outside of the system menu) then go to audio control and then make sure that the sub is turned on, then click on Xover and set it to somewhere around 80-100hz instead of "through" and then you shouldn't get any more voices

so. the thing that doesn't make any sense to me is that even though the subs are working now i still can't choose whether to turn the subs on or off...
i went to exactly what you are talking about...and it just wouldn't even let me press on.
not entirely sure why it's working...but oh well. i'm just gonna change the place of the amp and hopefully that prevents it from happening again.

 

[Mr. STL]

and i think we should get some other people to post their sound systems too! cause this entire thread has been about me and i'm tired of talking about myself! so if anyone wants to, go for it! i'd love to see it. as i'm sure everyone else would.

 

[pektel]

so. the thing that doesn't make any sense to me is that even though the subs are working now i still can't choose whether to turn the subs on or off...
i went to exactly what you are talking about...and it just wouldn't even let me press on.
not entirely sure why it's working...but oh well. i'm just gonna change the place of the amp and hopefully that prevents it from happening again.

Like I said before, you need to use the SUB OUT rca outputs in the back of the head unit. I bet the RCA's from your sub amp are not plugged into the correct set of outputs.

 

[1LoudLS]

do you have the unit bypassed, or the parking brake set? with a lot of units if the p-brake is not set(or the unit is not bypassed) then the unit will lock you out of certain options (along with locking you out of watching any videos)

and i think we should get some other people to post their sound systems too!

you can just search for them, its been discussed many times before and there are a bunch of threads for other peoples systems

 

[pektel]

You really don't want to ask me to post pictures...

 

[1LoudLS]

You really don't want to ask me to post pictures...

you already have posted some in this thread. lol

and i swear to god if you show those damn Ipod dock pictures with all the little plastic shavings all over the place...

 

[pektel]

lol... I'm gonna make a new one, actually. I haven't been happy with the finish on this one. I have 2 spare ashtray surrounds to use.

 

[reaper76]

Resurcting an older thread but what the hay

This is my second ls. I had totaled the first one back in 2009. I was very excited at the opportunity to install another system in an LS. If you have the experience the LS is a fun install as well as rewarding when its done.

If done clean and right it looks amazing. I had installed a pioneer system in the first LS and decided to go kenwood this time other than the 4 door speakers i got the new pioneer 3 ways and love them. A member had posted that the LS is not a good first time install and I would agree with that. Being in my mid 30's and having done several different installs in several different cars and trucks id say the the LS is one of my favorites. My install is somewhat basic but its clean. I want to be able to keep a spare and be able to remove the box fairly easy if i want.

I will also say a double din is the only way to go in one of these cars. Flip outs don't look bad but if you can fit a DD in a car why go flip out in my opinion. That to and i have had 2 flip outs go bad on me so im a little Leary about those anyways.

Sorry to bring back an older post but as i was searching around here looking for ideas for mounting my tweeters i came across this post and figured i put some pics up. There is probably another post around here with just audio pics but i haven't found it yet.Some of the picture quality is crap but anyways tell me what y'all think!