Im not sure about that JX500 amp with the high level inputs honestly. I would call them and ask.

But as far as a LOC goes, this is the best one on the market




Regarding the ACC/Remote wire, I tapped into the cigarette lighter thats in the center console box. I tried to find a fuse under the drivers side, but couldn't find one with my test light. The fuse for the cigarette lighter has constant power, but the cigarette lighter itself does not. Very strange! It must be wired into another circuit as well.

It's not that hard to take the center console apart. take off the 3 side panels (on each side) then remove the joystick panel and then the main plate covering the shift **** (you have to remove shift **** too). then you can see the wire to the cigarette outlet. Test for positive and then use a T-Tap splice.

 

So for my setup, I wound up with a JX250/1 and lc2 line out converter powering a v0w3 JL 10" sub. I'm not trying to break windows or anything just wanted to boost the factory bass..

Found with the LC2 you don't have to run a remote wire to an ACC powered circuit. The LC2 will power on when it gets a signal from the audio system, if you jump power from the amp to the LC2 and run the remote out of the LC2 back to the amp the whole system turns on when it sees an audio signal and turns off when it doesn't. So all I had to do was run a power wire to the rear on the passenger side, ground off the same ground as the factory amp behind the passenger trunk panel, then run the remote wire down the driver side. Also FWIW, I spliced into the factory sub (+)/(-) signals instead of the rear speakers. pin # 6 & 21 as mentioned on the previous page.

Found a square hole in the lower panel under the steering wheel just had to shave a 1/16th of plastic off the inside of the square opening and the JL RCB-1 remote **** squeezed in perfect without any hardware just wedged in perfect.

I tried to shave down the bottom side of the passenger side Styrofoam (that holds the tire iron and tow bar) in the trunk next to the spare tire to mount the LC2 to under that but couldn't squeeze enough room there so I wound up mounting the LC2 under the spare tire forward of the mounting hole the tire's secured by. Screwed the amp to the forward most passenger side, trunk floor panel. It's under the matt so it's hidden but probably can't set anything heavy there now and then just set the sub box to the driver side of the amp pushed up against the rear seat backs.





The JL amps come with a hi signal input pigtail that you could in theory use in place of the LC2 and run the supplied pigtail to the hi signal side of the subwoofer signals on the factory amp. If you do this though as the factory stereo cuts out bass as the volume is increased on the factory sub, it will also cut out bass on the aftermarket setup.

Also what I learned about the LC2 that makes it better than other LOC option is that it prevents what I previously mentioned about the factory radio cutting bass signals at high volume. The LC2 takes the lo signals, reduced or not and amps them to the same signal out to your amp.

I purchased my equipment from the local audio store because this is the first time I've done this type of modifications myself. I wanted there insight and figured hell it beats waiting on delivery. Typically when it comes to audio I take it to someone else but this seemed to simple.. After going through the whole process I wish I would have just ordered everything from amazon. Audio shops have an insane mark up on install kits and components...

Hope this helps others out that are interested..

 

Thanks for the write-up aha2988. This is going to be helpful for when I get around to putting a system in my ride. I have a hybrid, so the installation should be pretty straight forward. At least I won't have to run a power cable from the engine compartment to the back of the car. I want to do my install without ripping apart the car. It sounds like I won't have to if I go with your suggestion. I'm not going to bother with a subwoofer control ****. I have one in my Jeep and never use it. One less wire to run under the carpet.

 

Subscribed!!!!!

 

can you clarify this? did you tap the LOC into the pre (input) or post (output) oem amp set of wires? Reason I ask is because I want the best possible signal without having to deal with crossover or roll-offs that the OEM amp may impose; I would think that the pre-amp wires would be the best place for a true full-range signal (the radio-to-amp speaker level signals are only front L/R +/- cables (surprising that it doesn't contain a rear L/R +/- as well right?), which would lead me to believe it's a true full-range signal and then divided up for all speakers in the OEM amp).

....this is one complicated system as most other systems have front & rear L/R +/- signals from the HU to the amp.

 

When you spliced into the factory sub signals, which speaker inputs in the LC2i did you connect to? The left or right? Does it make a difference? Thanks.

 

I ran the sub +/- signals to the left input then jumped the left input to the right so they receive the same signal.

Also I wound up going back and running a remote wire from the 12volt outlet in the center console. When I just used the audio signal as the remote signal to turn the system on through the LC2, it would sometimes want to reverberate the sub right at shut off.

 

Makes sense. Sometimes a manufacturer will let you put the + wire on the right speaker connection and the - wire on the left speaker connection. I don't see anything from audiocontrol explaining this, so I guess it isn't possible. Did you remove your back seats to splice the sub wire? Or just pull the connections out of the factory sub. Just wondering? I've got a few days to wait before all of the parts arrive.

 

I spliced into the factory harness underneath the first aid kit. That's where the factory amplifier is. You have the Lo signals coming in from the the head unit and the high signals going out to the speakers all in the same hole so to speak

 

Did you tap into the high or the low signal? I hear you're supposed to tap into the low signal, before it reaches the factory amp. I have a ES300h. My configuration is slightly different than yours. This is the first time I've modified a factory stereo system. I usually rip out and replace.

 

The low signals is what I tapped for sure.

 

I had a stereo shop do my install my system, but after about 20 minutes or so turned off the car the sub will give a loud feed back for about 15 seconds. Stereo guy doesn't know what's wrong. Any ideas? Thanks

 

I completed my install last week. No issues to report. I do get a slight POP when I turn on the car. The problem is the amp is turned on before the stock head unit is able to send a signal to the rear speakers. The fix is to put a delay on the amp remote wire. I wired the amp remote wire to the ACC plug in the back seat. Between the two front seats.

Check to see if the amp is off after you turn off the car. Are you using an LOC? Make sure it's turned off as well.

 

Here's a couple of pics of the JL Audio HO110-W6v3 Subwoofer I put in the trunk of my 2013 ES300h. The base stereo in the IS and ES are basically the same. The amp under the driver's seat in the ES is the same amp that's in the IS. The trunk in my car is a little larger than the IS but still fits. I had one in my 2006 IS350.

 

It sounds better if you aim it towards the back of the trunk in my opinion. I have the same car and same sub.