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1994 Grand Voyager LE diagrams


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Doug 
Member - Posts: 2
Member spacespace
Joined: June 04, 2002
Location: Canada
Posted: May 16, 2003 at 4:23 AM / IP Logged  
Im upgrading the factory radio in a 94 Grand Voyager with an Eclipse CD-8052 CD player. I'm not upgrading the factory speakers at this time. Problem is, is that the factory speakers have the amps mounted right on the speakers ( both the front and rear ). The Eclipse only has 8 volt line outs ( no speaker output )I've been told that the built in amps inputs are higher than normal line inputs but lower than speaker level inputs. Is there an adaptor that I can purchase so I can install the head unit and just plug it into the existing Infinity amps? Does anyone know what the input level is to these amps?
Thanks; Doug
Doug
esmith69 
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Joined: November 26, 2002
Location: United States
Posted: May 17, 2003 at 2:22 PM / IP Logged  

This one is a toughie as these cars are kinda different from year to year.  Really the main problem that you're gonna run in to is that your head unit does not have speaker-level outputs and thus to make the phsyical connection to the factory amp is not easy.  You could solder rca plugs onto a standard chrysler/plymouth harness, as long as you ground them properly.  However, if this infinity system uses a common ground system then you'd need to use an adapter like the Peripheral CHYAH in order to properly interface with the factory amps.  I don't know if this adapter will work if it is a standard (floating) ground factory amplified system.  Might wanna try to email peripheral and ask them.

Usually when we are doing head unit installs on these chrysler cars with the infinity systems, all we do is hook up the aftermarket head unit's speaker wires up to the chrysler harness wires as if it were a standard stock system.  As long as you do not turn the volume all the way there is nothing wrong with hooking it up that way as the factory amps use a high-level input anyways.   Once you start to send too much wattage to them, however, is when the sound starts to get distorted.  But I have yet to see this happen on one of these vehicles, I just know that it's technically possible.

With that being said, we come back to your problem now which is that you're trying to go from low-level to high-level, and if you think about it that's basically what an amplifier does.  I saw this harness at installer.com but not only could I not find it anywhere else, but it says "coming soon" so i dunno what that means.  But still if you could get a hold of one of these or if you are good enough at electronics and soldering to be able to make one of these, then I bet it'd work.  It's the 70-1818 which makes it sound like a metra part number, but I couldn't find it on metra's site either.  Try emailing metra explaining your situation to them--they usually respond pretty quickly and should be able to tell you exactly what to get.

http://www.installer.com/wires/70-1818.jpg

Ethan
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"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
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Doug 
Member - Posts: 2
Member spacespace
Joined: June 04, 2002
Location: Canada
Posted: May 23, 2003 at 3:29 AM / IP Logged  
Thank you very much for your quick reply. I've decided to wait until I can get new coaxial drivers for the van and do the complete install all at once. My original thought was to get the head unit in now and use the existing speakers, then later install the coaxials and a subwoofer later. The Eclipse unit has been sitting in the box since Christmas LOL!! I had not realized till now that it dosen't have a built in amplifier, just line level outputs. To use the Eclipse with the built in Crysler amps, I would need a pre-amp stage to raise the level to drive those amps, whatever the input impedances and levels are?? All of the adaptors I see for cars are to go from a higher level to a lower level.
I do pro audio for a living and don't normally work with car audio and have never seen so many different " non standard " wiring systems, color coding, input & output levels etc etc. Every car maker seems to have their own way of doing things :-) I would not want to do car audio installs for a living LOL. In pro audio, everything is standard, ie: in and out levels are in dBm referenced to 1 milliwatt across 600 ohms.
Anyway, I'm rambling on, but thanks again for your response.
Doug
AUDIO BY DESIGN
Guelph, Canada
esmith69 
Gold - Posts: 1,511
Gold spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: November 26, 2002
Location: United States
Posted: May 25, 2003 at 1:03 AM / IP Logged  

I think that's part of the fun of it--every car is different so you're always doing something different.  And then add to the fact that they come out with new cars every year; so you're constantly being challenged (well, to some extent).  Sometimes it is kinda annoying when we see manufacturers use the most illogical wire colors and stripes and stupid stuff like that--as if it's less expensive to make the harnesses that way than to just follow the EIA wiring colors? lol

You might need a line driver to raise the preamp level to a high-level type input that would be compatible with the factory amps.  Or an integration adapter might be needed...it's kinda hard for me to tell since i'm not there with the system in front of me, etc.

You are correct about the high-to-low level converters.  That's pretty much all there is out there because, well, basically it comes down to this:  most people who buy an eclipse head unit--especially one without a built-in amp, will also have all aftermarket amps and speakers.  Hardly anyone will use a head unit with no built-in amplification, with a stock amplifer system.  I'm not saying that what you're trying to do is wrong or weird, because it's not at all.   I've seen it done before and done well.  But it's not what I would recommend.

Just remember that stock amps can't give you the sound quality of an aftermarket 4-channel will; and this will become even more apparent when you have aftermarket speakers installed.

Ethan
-----
"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
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