Amp Install in Stock JBL Subwoofer Location

[James_T]

After my stock sub had blown out, and my desire to get a new dedicated 4 channel amp to power all speakers, I had the bright idea to mount it to the stock JBL amp location. Originally, my plan was to get it just sitting below the driver's seat, but I decided for a more permanent route. I don't have a write up done or anything, but I just wanted to show a pic for possible inspiration for others.

Once I put everything back together, it looks absolutely stock, save for the blue/red light on top of the amp showing through the speaker grille. The wires are run along the door sills, and across where the rear seats are mounted, and under the carpet. The only visible trace of amplifier wire is in the engine bay.

The mounting bracket was made by spray-painting a "shadow" of the mounting bolt locations of the stock sub box, so I could kinda "guess" the location. Each pillar for the bolts has a 2~" inch bolt through the center, capped off with a nut for added strength. The mount is rock solid, and will not even budge with my full force against it. Amp is bolted down as well, and all with washers, of course.

If anyone is curious how the speakers are wired, Metra sells a kit called the Metra Turbowires, which connects to the stock harness (pictured above, the big white connector) and terminates in 10 feet long wires which are color coordinated to the stock speakers. I just cut them to length, and wired in everything.

Metra TurboWires 70-8117 Wiring Harness is where I got the harness.

Word of warning, I had to wire resistors inline for the front tweeter, since the way you have to wire it for center speaker sound is to bridge the LF speaker positive to the LR speaker negative, which sends twice the RMS to the single tweeter. I blew it up real fast, haha.

-----

To replace my stock sub, I also had to add:

The screw down ties are to prevent the subs from moving around. Works perfectly.

 

[parks501]

That looks awesome! Nice work

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

Looks excellent, very nice!!! Just wanted to clarify, you did use the stock speakers, just amplified them? How's the sound?

 

[James_T]

Looks excellent, very nice!!! Just wanted to clarify, you did use the stock speakers, just amplified them? How's the sound?

Except for replacing the stock rear tweeters with Pioneer TS-T110's, all the other speakers are stock. Let me say - the sound had improved greatly. In the stock system, the rear felt to me like it had no sound compared to the front, due to the JBL system designed as a "concert hall" system, only sending the sound from the front. Now though, my car truly surrounds me with the music, and coupled with the lows from the subwoofer, makes all types of music much more enjoyable. I'm very satisfied with the change in audio performance.

The amp has also made the sound clearer, compared to the stock amp.

 

[Ilovesnow]

Except for replacing the stock rear tweeters with Pioneer TS-T110's, all the other speakers are stock.

Would you mind showing us a pic of the tweeter install? How did you mount them?

 

[empty403]

After my stock sub had blown out, and my desire to get a new dedicated 4 channel amp to power all speakers, I had the bright idea to mount it to the stock JBL amp location. Originally, my plan was to get it just sitting below the driver's seat, but I decided for a more permanent route. I don't have a write up done or anything, but I just wanted to show a pic for possible inspiration for others.

I thought when you removed the factory Amp you would lose the ability to control treble, bass etc.? Do you have this issue James_T or did you also replace the head unit?

 

[acronin2]

How to hook up rear pillar speakers using 5 ch amp?

Sorry to bring back a thread from a few years back but I just ordered a 5 channel amp along with the Metra 70-8117 TurboWire harness. I am planning on using the stock speakers for now but I am wondering how to wire them all up. I am considering eliminating the front center speaker but still would like to use the rear pillar speakers. Channel 1 & 2 would be dedicated to front left and front right speakers, Channel 3 & 4 would be dedicated to back left and back right and Channel 5 would be sub. How would I hook up the rear pillar speakers? Any help would be awesome. Thanks

 

[HaulsBike]

Sorry to bring back a thread from a few years back but I just ordered a 5 channel amp along with the Metra 70-8117 TurboWire harness. I am planning on using the stock speakers for now but I am wondering how to wire them all up. I am considering eliminating the front center speaker but still would like to use the rear pillar speakers. Channel 1 & 2 would be dedicated to front left and front right speakers, Channel 3 & 4 would be dedicated to back left and back right and Channel 5 would be sub. How would I hook up the rear pillar speakers? Any help would be awesome. Thanks

I would love to know this too. I would happily ditch the front center speaker and go with a more traditional 4 channel setup.

Front (Right and Left)
Rear (Right and Left)
Sub

How could I re-use the stock wiring harness to accomplish this? Anyone done it.

 

[acronin2]

I would love to know this too. I would happily ditch the front center speaker and go with a more traditional 4 channel setup.

Front (Right and Left)
Rear (Right and Left)
Sub

How could I re-use the stock wiring harness to accomplish this? Anyone done it.

I ended up just using the front door speakers for channel 1 & 2, the rear doors speakers for channel 3 & 4, and then the subwoofer for channel 5. I couldn't find an answer to my question above and to be honest the stock speakers/sub sound 10 times better with an aftermarket amp.

 

[A/V1]

I ended up just using the front door speakers for channel 1 & 2, the rear doors speakers for channel 3 & 4, and then the subwoofer for channel 5. I couldn't find an answer to my question above and to be honest the stock speakers/sub sound 10 times better with an aftermarket amp.

Hey guys, the aftermarket amp install is a huge step for getting great sound, but WHY ARE YOU STILL USING THE CRAPPY FACTORY SPEAKERS WITH IT??? If you are going through the trouble of installing an amp, you apparently seem to care about sound quality.

If you think your sound is impressive by just adding the amp, put in some nice speakers, a good sub, and you will be blown away! Adding an amp to factory speakers is like going from a black & white tv to color tv. Sure it looks ok, but when you look at a high def tv, that color tv isn't what you thought it was! :nod:


My $.02

Rant over

 

[HaulsBike]

Hey guys, the aftermarket amp install is a huge step for getting great sound, but WHY ARE YOU STILL USING THE CRAPPY FACTORY SPEAKERS WITH IT??? If you are going through the trouble of installing an amp, you apparently seem to care about sound quality.

I was actually planning on changing the speakers, but I was hoping to reuse the existing speaker wiring that is already run from the current amp to the speakers. It would certainly make the install a hell of a lot easier and the amount of power I am planning on doing is not enough to require all new speaker wire.