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subwoofer rca to regular 18 gauge


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thxlinc 
Member - Posts: 10
Member spacespace
Joined: October 25, 2008
Location: New Jersey, United States
Posted: October 25, 2008 at 8:11 PM / IP Logged  
  • Vehicle: 2007 Lincoln MKZ
  • Radio: THX Nav sound system (Pioneer)
  • Speakers: 14 speakers
  • 12 channel amp, 600 watts located in trunk

Desire: To replace BOTH factory installed 2 ohm 6x9 rear deck "woofers" with two new Kicker "subs" (size 6.5 or 8), using existing wire connections.

Exisiting "woofers" are 2 ohms (50 watts), want to replace with 2 ohm as well (Kicker size 6.5 or 8 round not oval shaped). The factory thx rear deck speakers (woofers) are wired with regular 18 gauge wires clipping into speakers. I see no RCA jacks at all, just the clip into the speakers and the two color coded wires tracing back to amp. I want to put two Kicker "subs" in place of the 2 rears there now.

This large factory amplifier is located in the trunk and has 3  large "clips" , each having bundles of  speaker and voltage wires leading into the large square clips.  No RCA input or outputs noted.

I see most if not all "subs" for sale have RCA jacks and all instructions have these jacks plugging into radio or amp etc via RCA jacks as well. But the factory large amp in my car has no rca jacks.

Is there a way I can use the original color coded "woofer" speaker wires to "splice" into RCA speaker wire and connect to the Kicker speakers with one end being RCA jack into speaker and the other end soldered to regular 18 gauge wire going to the amp?  So I want to use this 2 ohm amp wire coming from the thx amplifier and somehow connect it to new Kicker Subwoofers that only have RCA jack connections?

I have looked over many forums here and havfe not found the actual answers and if I have missed this, I apologize.

i am an idiot 
Platinum - Posts: 13,666
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: September 21, 2006
Location: Louisiana, United States
Posted: October 25, 2008 at 9:02 PM / IP Logged  
Are you talking about Kicker amplifier that only has RCA inputs?   Or are you just wanting to change the woofers?
megaman 
Copper - Posts: 385
Copper spacespace
Joined: June 24, 2008
Location: Montana, United States
Posted: October 25, 2008 at 9:38 PM / IP Logged  
It's the spring loaded 5-way binding posts that look like RCA jacks but are not really RCA jacks. lol.
thxlinc 
Member - Posts: 10
Member spacespace
Joined: October 25, 2008
Location: New Jersey, United States
Posted: October 25, 2008 at 11:13 PM / IP Logged  
i am an idiot wrote:
Are you talking about Kicker amplifier that only has RCA inputs?   Or are you just wanting to change the woofers?
I want to take new Kicker series subwoofers (kicker cvr8 8" 2-ohm subwoofer) and replace each of the old factory woofer speakers with the Kickers. Swapping out the factories pair with a pair of the Kickers. I am not using a new Kicker amp, want to keep the 600 watt amp that comes with the car's THX sound system yet it does not have RCA jacks on it. So I want to wire the existing rear deck woofer wires coming from the amp to the new Kicker subwoofers by "soldering" them to an RCA wire so the RCA wire can be plugged into the Kickers which have an RCA jack connection. Possible? Practical?
So basically one part of the 18 gauge wire wires into the amp as it already is, the other end is "soldered" to another RCA jack wire which is plugged into the Kicker speakers. So I will have 2 Kicker subs, each connected to the old wiring from each of the old "woofers".
I want to keep the 2 ohms rating in the subs which match the 2 ohms rating of the original woofers, but I see there are more 4 ohm subs then 2 ohm's.
i am an idiot 
Platinum - Posts: 13,666
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: September 21, 2006
Location: Louisiana, United States
Posted: October 26, 2008 at 7:00 AM / IP Logged  
megaman wrote:
It's the spring loaded 5-way binding posts that look like RCA jacks but are not really RCA jacks. lol.
There are no RCA jacks on the speakers. There are 2 terminals that when pushed towards the frame of the speaker, expose a hole on the side of the terminal, this is where you insert your stripped speaker wire. Release the button you pressed and the connector grabs the wire. Move to the next terminal.
If you use 4 ohm subs you will not be happy with the end result, a noticeable decrease in bass output.
DYohn 
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Moderator spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: April 22, 2003
Location: Arizona, United States
Posted: October 26, 2008 at 10:59 AM / IP Logged  

Ha, so Lincoln is still using the 2-ohm Onkyo 6X9 subs in the THX system.  Interesting, I wonder who specified those>  Ten years later and not much has changed.  subwoofer rca to regular 18 gauge -- posted image.

Those woofers in the rear deck are genuine subs, and pretty high quality ones by automotive OEM system standards.  They are powered by a 50 WPC amplifier, which used to be mounted in the trunk of some Lincolns, but I have no idea where it is in the MKZ.  That car is based on the Mazda 6, so perhaps if someone has experience with a Mazda OEM subwoofer system it will give you a place to start.

My best advice to you if you keep the OEM head unit is to not replace anything in the THX system at all... but if you really want to, you should upgrade ALL the speakers and amps.  The easiest way to upgrade the subwoofer system while using the stock head is to attach an LOC to the speaker wires now connected to the OEM subs and use a new subwoofer amplifier and speakers of your choosing..

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megaman 
Copper - Posts: 385
Copper spacespace
Joined: June 24, 2008
Location: Montana, United States
Posted: October 26, 2008 at 11:42 AM / IP Logged  
DYohn, how is your experience in adding subwoofers to factory sub'ed systems?  I always have to do extensive tuning to make them sound half-way decent.  It seems the factory subs always end up 'fighting' with the aftermarket subs.  In my experience, its much better to disconnect the factory subs when adding new subwoofers.  Yours and anyone else's thoughts?
DYohn 
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Joined: April 22, 2003
Location: Arizona, United States
Posted: October 26, 2008 at 3:17 PM / IP Logged  
Yes, disconnect the factory subs but use the factory amplifier output to drive the LOC - or grab the line-level input to the amp and take it out of the system altogether.
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thxlinc 
Member - Posts: 10
Member spacespace
Joined: October 25, 2008
Location: New Jersey, United States
Posted: October 26, 2008 at 7:10 PM / IP Logged  
DYohn wrote:

Ha, so Lincoln is still using the 2-ohm Onkyo 6X9 subs in the THX system...My best advice to you if you keep the OEM head unit is to not replace anything in the THX system at all... but if you really want to, you should upgrade ALL the speakers and amps. The easiest way to upgrade the subwoofer system while using the stock head is to attach an LOC to the speaker wires now connected to the OEM subs and use a new subwoofer amplifier and speakers of your choosing..

DYohn,
Wow, thanks for the information and to the two others who earlier explained to this novice, what look like RCA jacks on the subs is really not. I feel kind of "egg on my face" for not knowing this but hey, I am learning and am appreciative of people who know, letting us who do not know, learn. Thanks again!
Now, what is and what does an LOC look like and do? Not sure what LOC stands for. I am likely going your way with you suggestions DYohn because it kind of makes sense.
I will be sticking with the 2 ohm speakers not a 4 ohm.
I know the amplifier is located in the trunk, right side panel behind the trunk lining. I have already located it and am kind of understanding how it is connected.
Thanks again guys and I will keep you posted on the final results.
i am an idiot 
Platinum - Posts: 13,666
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: September 21, 2006
Location: Louisiana, United States
Posted: October 26, 2008 at 7:20 PM / IP Logged  
subwoofer rca to regular 18 gauge -- posted image.
SNI-35 converts 2 to 40 watts per channel speaker level output into a pre-amp signal. Perfect when adding an amplifier to a factory or aftermarket radio. Great for getting an additional set of pre-amps outputs from a head unit equipped with only one set.
• Fixed 10:1 conversion.
• Linear from 20-20,000Hz at +/- 5 dB, while maintaining signal phase.
• Isolates input and output circuits to prevent ground loop noise.
White: Left(+) speaker
WHITE/ Black: Left(-) speaker
Grey: Right(+) speaker
Grey/Black: Right(-) speaker
    FAQs: Application Guide:
< color=#0066cc>SNI-35 Click Here

LOC= Line Output Converter.  Converts speaker level audio to a level suitable for the input of an amplifier

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