Factory Head Unit With Aftermarket Speakers?

[desertkj]

I didn't want to post this in the electronics section, as I don't feel it sees as much traffic. Anyways, my Kenwood head unit decided to die on my today on my way to class. The warranty just expired, so that isn't an option. It will not go to CD mode and it will not eject the CD that is in. Originally, Best Buy told me there was no way to connect my aftermarket Polk Audios to the factory head unit that was included with the Infinity premium audio system. However, I am starting to doubt that and think the guy just had no clue what he was doing. I am going to talk to different shops in town, but I also wanted input from here.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

ugh. As far as I know, there's no difference inside the actual headunit when you have Infinity sound. The difference is that the amplifiers are connected to the actual speaker.

Plug it in and find out.

 

[hyde]

Do you have aftermarket amp, powering your polks,
or were they powered by the HU solely? If so you need to get amps to power them polks with stock HU.

 

[desertkj]

Do you have aftermarket amp, powering your polks,
or were they powered by the HU solely? If so you need to get amps to power them polks with stock HU.

Can I run an amp to the factory HU? I have it sitting on a shelf right now and it could go back in. Originally, the guy at Best Buy could not get the front speakers to run off the factory without the amplified speakers. Is there a way to fix that? What would cause that? I would love for it to work as I miss the stock look anyways.

 

[hyde]

From what I read in other threads, the front tweeters on the dash are also powered by the amps in the doors, just like the rear ones are powered off the ones in the front doors. I don't think stock HU has any amplifier built in.
As for the aftermarket amp to the factory HU, factory HU has amp power lead coming from it, which feeds the factory amps. If the ohm and wattage is the same, I think you can use it to power your aftermarket amps. Otherwise just use sound sensing amps and run power straight from the jeep to amps.. I am not a pro, and this whole statement is based on what I have been reading on forums, I also thought about replacing speakers with stock HU, then just let it go and got new HU kept the speakers..

 

[2003KJ]

I dont see why you wouldnt be able to hook aftermarket speakers up to the stock radio....

 

[Atrus]

Agreed, as long as the installer left the OEM amp wired as stock, I don't see why you couldn't use the stock HU and wiring to your aftermarket speakers.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Since the front speakers have the amps mounted to them, you cannot just change out the speakers.

You must wire up a amp and rewire all of the door speakers to that amp. If the amp has the option of running off the speaker outputs on the stock HU, then you can run that amp off the speaker outputs on the HU.

 

[desertkj]

So if I'm understanding what Huseyin and Blake are saying, I can put the factory unit back in, hook up an amp, and get an amplified system while having a clean look? This may not be so bad after all.

Just so everyone is sure what I am dealing with, here is the factory head unit. Does it require a special wiring harness or anything? It seems unusually simple back there.

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[JeepJeepster]

If the amp has the ability to take speaker inputs then yes, you can do what were talking about.

You would need to find out which wires in the wiring harness go to the speakers. If I was home I would be able to tell you since I have that written down. Im thinking gray and white but Idk know what color stripe and crap.

Run the wires from the HU to the amp for the inputs. Then run the wires from the amp to the speakers. Dont forget about the tweeters if you want to keep those. It would be best to get a set of components for the front.

Run the power for the amp.. enjoy.

 

[ed.]

Or you could get a converter for the amp that will convert it from high to low level.

Most HU's output has high level.
Your Amp most likely only takes low level.
With a high-> low converter you can connect the HU to the AMP.