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Line Output Converter In Navigator

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=10005
Printed Date: September 15, 2025 at 6:03 PM


Topic: Line Output Converter In Navigator

Posted By: ben51925
Subject: Line Output Converter In Navigator
Date Posted: February 24, 2003 at 10:53 AM

If I use a line output converter on a stock radio in a navigator would it be better to splice it in from the wires behind the hu or go into the rear doors? Since there are factory amps, will there still be low frequencies coming through the door speaker wires or will it have been crossed over?

Would hooking it up to the stock sub speaker wires work also?

If the amp had speaker level inputs would I even need a line output converter?

If anyone knows let me know or talk to me on aim, ben51925. Thanks.



Replies:

Posted By: djfearny2
Date Posted: February 24, 2003 at 1:30 PM
a line out converter creates the low leverl output from high levels . you have to find the amp or amps on car and and if your adding a sub amp you need to tap the line converter to the outputs from the amp that put out the most base . cuase if it is amped by factory that means generally it is crossed over before the amp or in the amp . so make sure you grab pos and negative going to the speakers with the most base being put out and that does not mean it is in the back ,. the front door speakers could be getting the bass you dont know till you listen closely . test by fading from front to rear to see which holds and gets more bass that focus on the wires from them . test this will a speaker.

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Jon
Installer/Help Technician
---coral springs florida---
mecp certification is not always needed. I have it and it has not helped me out at all. my experience out shines it.




Posted By: thepencil
Date Posted: February 24, 2003 at 1:48 PM
ben51925,

"If the amp had speaker level inputs would I even need a line output converter?"

First of all, if you have an amplifier with speaker-level inputs you would not need a line out converter. The speaker-level inputs let you use your factory speaker wire to feed the amplifier the musical signal from your factory radio. Basically, you are using a line out converter because most factory headunit don't offer preamp outputs. You can use line out converter with a RCA patch cable to your amp but not both at the same time.   

"If I use a line output converter on a stock radio in a navigator would it be better to splice it in from the wires behind the hu or go into the rear doors? Since there are factory amps, will there still be low frequencies coming through the door speaker wires or will it have been crossed over?

Would hooking it up to the stock sub speaker wires work also?"

It would not make much of a difference where you take the signal from since most signals that come through factory speaker or behind the head unit has a frequency response between 20-20,000 Hz. Personally, the easiest place to access the signal is from the factory speaker wire in the trunk in your case the doors. Lastly, if you used the sub speaker wire it also will work. The only thing that is different here is that you have a lower frequency response.   I hope that will help in answering your questions.

p.n.
p.n.




Posted By: ben51925
Date Posted: February 24, 2003 at 3:56 PM
The amp I will be using is a rockford fosgate 500.2.  The factory sub in the navigator is already blown so would the high level inputs work if I hooked them up to the sub wire?  Since there are 2 wires for each left and right on the input would I just need to hook the 2 pos up to the one pos on the factory wire and the 2 neg to the neg on the factory wire?  Thanks.




Posted By: thepencil
Date Posted: February 24, 2003 at 8:37 PM
Yes it would and I don't see why not, since it's only for bass. It's fine to have it in mono with the pair up of two negative and positive.   

p.n.




Posted By: ben51925
Date Posted: February 26, 2003 at 3:51 PM
Does anyone else know about doing this?




Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: February 26, 2003 at 8:44 PM

I usually recommend external line output converters like the Scosche FAI-3 as they can handle higher output voltages typically put out by premium factory amplifiers.  The problem with using the built-in high level inputs on your rockford amp is that they can only handle a high-level signal up to 11 volts A/C, and there are some (not many, but still some) factory amplifiers that put out more than this.  This makes the aftermarket amplifier clip, heat up, and shut down.  sometimes you can fry your amp this way, too.  Usually using the external converters like the FAI-3 will prevent this from happening.

I found this article on the Rockford Web site and thought it was really informative with all the diagrams.  I highly recommend you check it out.  Since your sub has 4 wires going to it, just substitute in your factory sub for the two rear speakers, in the top diagram that they show.





Posted By: x6369x
Date Posted: March 29, 2003 at 8:09 AM
esmith69,
Thanks for the link to the Fosgate article. It answered all of my ?'s.

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Friends Don't Let Friends Bump Stock.





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