fdylan

So I decided to replace the stock head unit with a Pioneer 3250bt that I had lying around, and Ive managed to get it connected to all the speakers (with rca cables) and all the power is working and the display works great. However, I need to get my sub wires to convert to RCA so I can plug them into the head unit as well.
I've tried using some old rca cables and twisting them around what I thought were the correct wires but I can't get the subs to start working. I am pretty sure there is a separate amp wire that I need to connect to get the sub some power because it plays music, just not providing bass.

Has anyone managed to get the stock subs to work on an aftermarket stereo whilst using RCA cables?

I have a nakachimi sound system btw.

Zerodrag

iTrader: (5)

The pins on the Pioneer setup are different, but the idea is in this thread. I followed it when I changed my head unit in my SC3. Maybe it's have some similar info to what you are looking for.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lex...b-working.html

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

If you're bypassing the sub amp with RCA output from the head unit, a sub-$10 RCA to speaker level adapter ought to do the trick.

I never could get my sub amp to work so I just installed a small mono amp in its place and ran RCAs to that.

fdylan

Ya i'm just going to get a small amp as well, this nakamichi stuff is giving me a headache

matguy

I did the separate sub amp as well. There really hasn't been a good way found to get the factory Nakamichi amp to power the sub with an aftermarket deck. Run an RCA from the deck's sub out to the back, also run a power wire from the battery (with an in-line fuse close to the battery.) Yes it's a pain, be prepared to remove the back seat, door trim, and drill a hole in the firewall.

I took out the factory CD changer and mounted the amp to the cd changer bracket. My amp just happened to line up well with the original bolt holes of the factory bracket; a 1 in a million chance, but it worked well. Otherwise you could probably use the bracket to hold a board to fasten the amp to, whatever works for you.

The factory Nakamichi sub is 5 ohms and should be good to about 120 watts. Which means an aftermarket amp around 100 to 150 watts at 4 ohms (to figure out the wattage difference when pushing 5 ohms with an amp designed for 4, take the rated wattage, divide by 5 and then multiply by 4.)

Either figure out which wire on the factory amp harness is the sub, or run a new wire to the sub itself. I crossover around 80hz between the main speakers and the sub. Higher and I get mid-bass localization towards the sub and lower causes resonances/rattles from the main speakers and rear deck. Either way, rattles in the rear deck are common.