Audio Install in RX8

[Reptyrog]

Hello all, I am planning on installing an after market audio system in the RX8. Has any one installed in an RX8. I am looking for info regarding running 4 gauge power wire from the battery through the firewall. It all looks pretty tight in there. Any ideas? Also, adding aftermarket component speakers to the doors. Any advice would be great. Thanks

 

[solidtrance]

what stereo is currently in the car? What are you planning on putting in?
I think running the pwr wire for the amp will be the least of you problems. Actually why don't you just relocate the battery to the trunk if you are going to be running wires anyway?

 

[Ben Vo]

The RX8 has odd size speakers from Bose. I believe they are 9 inch woofers in the door. YOu may need some custome work done for those. The rear are 6x9. I kept my Bose audio intact and just added a sub. The good thing about the Bose audio (not a huge fan of Bose) is they dont distort even at high volume. So they actually are pretty good in my car when you turn it up. Than the sub fills in the rest of the harmonics. I am happy with it because I get to keep my steering wheel controls as well. One last thing, the face plate to add an after market audio head unit in the RX8 runs about $150 from crutchfield. That alone is a deal breaker to me...haha!

 

[ganseg]

I kept my Bose audio intact and just added a sub.

Where did you take the audio signal from for your subwoofer? Did you make any openings into the cabin for sound to come thru? Thanks.

 

[Ben Vo]

I bought the infinity basslink which allows you to connect via RCA or direct from the speaker wires. A couple ways you can do this...along the bottom trim of the driver side, you will notice there are twisted pairs of wires. That is for the rear speakers. The only problem is they dont match traditional colors for speakers. I did not want to guess on the positive and negative wires. So what I did was tapped into the speaker wires directly from the rear speakers. This sub allows you to do this and will not require the blue cable (I think its called the amp cable) to attach to the factory head unit. The sub will only turn on when it detects a signal from the speakers.

 

[Ben Vo]

BTW...if you are wondering how I got the power through the rear seats....that was easy too...I am not a pro installer so I just forced it through along the side of the rear seats from the drivers side. Starting at the bottom of the seat and worked it up to the top of the seat while still forcing it slightly behind the seat. Than there is an opening in the middle of the RX8 which I ran it behind there and hid the wireing under the carpet. You will need to play with it a bit to get it to work right.

 

[Ben Vo]

haha!! I just read your question again and I never gave you an answer...no, I did not make any openings. The sub is powerfull enough for the sound to push through. In fact, I think it is perfect...not too loud that it will wake the neighbors and rattle your trunk lid but loud enough to bump Blueprint III.