I have a 99 GS300 and was wondering if I install a a dual din monitor/touch screen navigation is there any way to keep the factory amp for the speakers? For the subwoofer its not a huge issue but I want to keep the factory speakers with the aftermarket HU.
The current HU in question is the 20D Eclipse

 

yes you can keep the factory amp. some will tell you to "bypass" it and splice into the factory speaker wires but then you will lose the oem sub. just make sure you get the correct wire harness that has rca pigtails to connect to your new HU. Also, do not use the factory ground through your wiring harness. Run a new ground to either kick panel (better factory grounds found there) or go straight to the battery. If you use the ground from the factory wiring harness, you will have noise; i.e. alternator whine.

I was successful in keeping my stock amp in my ES300 by doing this and didn't have any noise at all.

good luck

 

Ahh *nod* thanks.
I searched but didn't have any luck in a DIY?
Any good displays under 4 bills?
the Eclipse 20D is right at around 400 or I could go with a used unit?

 

I'm currently runnin' an Alpine IVA-W205 (double din DVD unit). You can find these used for around the $400 range. The Eclipse should be fine, just a matter of options you want.....

 

I was hoping to have Navigation too for under 450..

 

Searched no luck?

 

IIRC there is no wiring harness for the 2gen gs. I think a few people said you can use a toyota one but that's just to get the headunit working. Easiest is to just go all aftermarket. You can keep the stock speakers if you want though.

 

The stock speakers don't sound too good with an aftermarket headunit; they work best with its matched amp?

 

Best recommendation is to bypass the factory amp and go with aftermarket amp/sub in your particular situation. I would especially suggest this if there was in fact no harness available for your vehicle. GL!!!

 

NOT TRUE AT ALL. Bolt on a pair of GOOD aftermarket speakers. You'll be surprised at the difference. The stock speakers have a very narrow range of audio reproduction - quite poor actually. Plus the sound stage is quite small. No depth, no real positive character.

The amp is fair at best and that goes for the electronics.

 

I do have an aftermarket sub and amp. Wired to the factory HU (via a Hi/Lo Conv.) which was a PITA to do. :lol:

 

-Ran the RCA wires under the center console and trans tunnel- pulling it under the carpet was a PITA... and then the power wire via the door sill to the trunk

 

So... was there a diffinitive answer on the original question ?
Can you keep the existing Lexus 2ndgen GS Pioneer amp/speaker combination and use an aftermarket radio harness to install a new head unit ?

 

I just installed my Alpine IVA-W200 on my 01 GS430 with Mark Levinson. We used the Metra harness 70-8113 and wired it up and the screen had power but there was no sound output.. we had to do a amp bypass... it wasnt that hard at all. The only thing is locating each wire from the factory amp but we looked it up online and it was a breeze. As far as the pioneer system I dont know if its different but thats how I had to do it with the mark levinson hope that helps.

P.S. - to do aftermarket audio on most factory amplified systems requires amp bypass...

 

Louie its not that hard to bypass the Amp. I've done it before on 3 cars. My friends SC300 was the biggest PITA but not a big issue.