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How do I install an amp to a factory Malibu head unit?

83K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  Zach 
#1 ·
I'm wanting to surprise my fiance w/ a amplifier/sub for her birthday coming up, but I don't want to replace the head unit. I've got the amp, sub, box, and wiring it. How do I connect the amplifier to the factory head unit? I've never done an install to a factory unit. What type of converter/adapter do I need? Thanks.

2008 Malibu LTZ
 
#3 ·
Ok thanks. I was looking at some on eBay, I'll prob get it there. What wires on the back of the head unit do I connect to the converter? I'm not diverting speaker wires to it, am I? Are there wires specifically meant to go to the convert for the amp, or am I taking those wires off of something else?
 
#6 ·
You can do it in the trunk. There's power available at the fuse block above the left wheel, behind a carpet "door".

Pull down the speaker cover to access the speakers. I'll suggest that you see about soldering and using heat shrink tubing on the connections you make. If that's not in your bag of tricks then use good quality crimp connectors. Route the wires away from sharp edges (yeah, I know I prob. don't need to say it, but others read these posts as well) to keep it from shorting out.

If all this just ain't gonna happen by you in time, consider having a pro shop do it.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the help.

To clarify:

For the line converter, there should be 8 speaker wires, right? FL, FR, RL, RR, + & -. I splice all 8 of those into the speaker wires coming from the head unit while leaving the current connections complete to send signal to the speakers, right? (I've never installed a line converter before)

For the remote, the factory head unit will already have a remote wire attached, right? I can just splice the remote wire into that, right?

DrivenDaily,
[q]Pull down the speaker cover to access the speakers[/q]
What is this for? For the remote wire in the trunk? I didn't understand which part you were addressing.

Thanks again.
 
#8 · (Edited)
A line converter will generally have 2 inputs. L+, L-, R+, R- and two pre-amp outputs. You stated that you were just adding a subwoofer so you can tap into the rear speaker wires without having to pull the head-unit. All you will have left to connect then is the amp +, -, and the remote turn-on wire. This wire needs +12 volts to turn on the amp. I"m not sure that your factory radio has one? DrivenDaily was trying to tell you that you can tap into an accessory fuse at the fuse block at the rear left side of your trunk so the amp will turn on when you turn your ignition key to "accessory." You can use the gain control on the amplifier to adjust the output of your subs to your taste.
 
#9 ·
Oh, I get to the fuse box by removing the speaker cover? It isn't just out in the open?

Am I losing any signal by doing it this way - only converting the back speaker lines? Or will it sound exactly the same as an aftermarket deck w/ connections meant specifically to go to an amp?

I'm not sure how many input wires mine has, because it is in the mail, but I thought I saw a few on eBay that had 8 wires, not 4? If mine have 4, I just connect to the rear speakers.. if they have 8, do I connect to all of them, or will just to the rear work?
 
#10 ·
The speaker cover is the "rug" used to line the trunk, and there's one on the underside of the rear window deck where the speakers are installed. Dropping that will give you direct access to the speakers and therefore the wires.

The fuse block on the left side of the trunk is behind a little door that is cut on 3 sides with a little handle. That will provide access to the fuse block, from which you can access power.

The remote signal you'll need to turn on the amp will depend on how it's designed. If it uses a sensing circuit to detect that the speakers have been energized then it's automatic. If it needs a key-on signal then you can get that from the fuse block. If you can't find an acceptable key-on at the rear fuse block then you'll need to run one from somewhere else.

As far as what to hook up to what, wait for it to come and read the instructions. (Yeah, I told a guy to read the instructions!) It should be laid out very simply. If you have difficulties after reading them, get on here and ask and/or find an audio shop to ask them for a little guidance.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Also, there are 4 wires running to each speaker in the rear. Two are for highs and two for lows on each speaker. You need to tap into the lows only to have the correct sound for the line output converter. The wire colors are dark blue/white wire for positive and light green/black wire for negative. I was not able to find a fuse in the trunk of my 09' that was off when the key was off so my remote turn on lead came from a fuse in the engine compartment that only had power when the key was on. I just used a fuse tap to add a wire off the fuse without causing problems. I had never hooked up to a factory stereo before, only aftermarket head units. It does have a little more work involved, but it really isn't any harder than setting up a system on an aftermarket HU, you just have to be more creative. Also, there is existing ground by the tail lights that work really well for the amplifier ground wire.

The hardest part to me was drilling through the firewall for the power wire and doing a clean install with the line output converter. Other than those to things it is easy to do, just take your time.

Edit: the wire colors are for the premium sound (RPO code UQ3) which is what you should have for an LTZ.
 
#20 · (Edited)
You need a line out converter, tap it into the subwoofer wires that go to the rear speakers, black and greens.

Then you NEED to add a powered crossover after the line converter because those line converters put out very little signal on the RCA, the signal needs to be cleaned and brought back up to 4-6 volts. Otherwise you'll be lucky to get 1.5 volts and most subwoofer amplifiers won't even pick that up resulting in horrible bass output.

After that just call the amp company and tell them the input voltage of the crossover and adjust the gain accordingly, most people crank the dials, MISTAKE. my kicker amps put out full signal at 4 of 11 on the gain because of my crossover.

Line out converters are around 25 bucks and crossovers are around 30.
Good luck!

BTW : easiest way to create a remote on, go to autozone grab a ADD A CIRCUIT, open up fuse box and did a 12v constant that only turns on with ignition and tap into that, simply run a wire back and your good to go.
 
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