Amp install on 2016 GT with Bose.

[72Dime]

So I got around to installing my AMP and HiLo convertor today.

I tapped into the front door speaker wires from the bose amp. Soldered them and taped them up. Ran the speaker wire from the passenger side to the drivers side under the center console.



Laid out the locations of the AMP and AudioControl LC2i hi lo converter. I did not want anything directly behind the floor vent.



Had to remove the battery to gain access to the engine harness grommet. I cut off the nipple from the engine bay side and there is a hole already on the firewall side. Fed 4g wire through and down the drivers side.



All finished and installed. I used the seat bolt as a ground. I tried to make it as clean as possible. The LC2i requires power and ground which i grabbed from the amp and put a 1amp fuse on the power. the LC2i has a remote out option so I ran that to the amp. I cut some slits in the carpet to tuck some of the wires.



This is the view with the front seat all the way forward. The AMP and LC2i controls are accessible, which is why I mounted them that way. should be out of foot kicking range with the seat all the way back



I installed the gain control knob for the LC2i in the useless cubby. Allows easy access to gain control.



I I hooked up my 12" Kenwood speaker just to test it out and damn it sounds good. I did not play with the settings yet or tune the accubass which helps in correcting the factory level that takes bass out as you raise the volume.
Dropped the car off at the stereo shop to have a custom fiberglass box built in the rear drivers side cubby. I have a JL audio 10TW3 that will go in the box. I will post photos when I get it back.

 

[dergibog]

(thumb)

 

[ryan4130]

Where is the Bose amp for the front door speakers that you tapped? Also how did you get your seat out? I know there are four bolts along the seat rails but what size are they?

 

[72Dime]

Where is the Bose amp for the front door speakers that you tapped? Also how did you get your seat out? I know there are four bolts along the seat rails but what size are they?

The Bose amp is under the passenger seat, under a black plate. 2 10mm bolts and it comes off. the seats are E12 Torx bolts. had to go buy a set cause I didn't have those.

 

[CX-5um]

The Bose amp is under the passenger seat, under a black plate. 2 10mm bolts and it comes off. the seats are E12 Torx bolts. had to go buy a set cause I didn't have those.

So is the Bose amp bolted unto the actual seat itself or bolted into the floor?

 

[72Dime]

Bolted to the floor with 2 10mm bolts.

 

[ryan4130]

Ah I see. That is where I am tapping my signal from too but I am tapping the rear door speakers pre-amped (lines in between the HU and amp). I wonder if there is any low-frequency difference between them.

How did you get the cables to run under the center console from passenger to driver's side?

 

[72Dime]

Ah I see. That is where I am tapping my signal from too but I am tapping the rear door speakers pre-amped (lines in between the HU and amp). I wonder if there is any low-frequency difference between them.

How did you get the cables to run under the center console from passenger to driver's side?

I called audiocontrol and for their Hilo converter be recommended tapping the signal post amp because it would be a cleaner signal. I highly re come getting the converter. I noticed the bass fades out from the factory if you turn it up. The LC2i has a control to add the bass back in so its the same level all the way through the volume.

I took the two circle plugs out of the center console on each side near the rear. There are screws on each side. This allowed me enough room the feed the wire through and grab it in the other side. I didn't have to remove the console to do it.

 

[ryan4130]

Thanks for the responses 72Dime. I'll keep the LC2i in mind if the equipment I bought doesn't work (I have a JBL MS-A5001 amp). I would hope that the signal coming from the HU is linear with increasing volume since it hasn't been processed by the external amp yet, but we will see

 

[yrwei52]

I tapped into the front door speaker wires from the bose amp.

For 2016 Bose, front doors have 9" Nd "woofers" and are the signals not for the full-range? I thought ryan4130 did a proper way by using rear door speaker signals which are supposed to be full-range?

 

[ryan4130]

Both would have the low frequency Signals needed, front door might have some weird Bose amp eq'ing happening though, which is why the LC2i is good for some post-processing of the signal. The full range rear door speaker signal goes through a low-pass filter also but in your personal aftermarket amp. I guess the benefit of that is you can choose your own crossover frequency depending on the quality of amp you buy.

 

[72Dime]

After talking with Audio Control about their LC2i hilo converter, they recommended using the front door speakers as the rears might not be full range and limited on the bass. The LC2i helps correct any bass the factory pulls back as the volume increases. I guess if I were using a regular hilo converter, the rear door speakers would be a better choice? What I can say is that I hooked up my old 12" kenwood sub that was in my Accord just to test it out and without tuning anything, and the amp at normal gain level, it sounded way better than in my accord.

Im not sure of the wires that come from the HU to the amp. I assume the wires you pull from the bose amp are post amp. They (AudioControl) recommended pulling wires post amp so you get a cleaner signal and stronger signal.

Stopped by the stereo shop to check on the progress. This is the start of the box.

 

[yrwei52]

Both would have the low frequency Signals needed, front door might have some weird Bose amp eq'ing happening though, which is why the LC2i is good for some post-processing of the signal. The full range rear door speaker signal goes through a low-pass filter also but in your personal aftermarket amp. I guess the benefit of that is you can choose your own crossover frequency depending on the quality of amp you buy.

I guess if the amp 72Dime installed is only for driving a subwoofer, it won't matter as the low frequency signals should be available from both front and rear door speaker outputs.

After talking with Audio Control about their LC2i hilo converter, they recommended using the front door speakers as the rears might not be full range and limited on the bass. The LC2i helps correct any bass the factory pulls back as the volume increases. I guess if I were using a regular hilo converter, the rear door speakers would be a better choice?

Actually based on Bose document for Mazda6 11-speaker Bose surround sound system, front door has 9" Nd woofer delivers deep, low-frequency output, whereas rear door has 5" speaker produces "wide-range" sound. The speaker setup on 2016 CX-5 Bose system is very similar to Mazda6 but with two less directional dash tweeters. I'd imagine the front signal is the one might not be full range with low-pass filter, not the rear.

Are you doing any other speaker upgrades to your Bose, such as replacing dash speakers with coaxial speakers to improve high notes? I really wish our CX-5 Bose can be a cheaper 7-speaker setup like CX-3 does, with front dash tweeters and a spare-tire area subwoofer! We don't watch movie while driving, so we don't need that many cheap paper-cone mid-range speakers for surround sound effect! Anyway, great write-up!

 

[72Dime]

I guess if the amp 72Dime installed is only for driving a subwoofer, it won't matter as the low frequency signals should be available from both front and rear door speaker outputs.


Only using an amp for subwoofer.


Actually based on Bose document for Mazda6 11-speaker Bose surround sound system, front door has 9" Nd woofer delivers deep, low-frequency output, whereas rear door has 5" speaker produces "wide-range" sound. The speaker setup on 2016 CX-5 Bose system is very similar to Mazda6 but with two less directional dash tweeters. I'd imagine the front signal is the one might not be full range with low-pass filter, not the rear.

Are you doing any other speaker upgrades to your Bose, such as replacing dash speakers with coaxial speakers to improve high notes? I really wish our CX-5 Bose can be a cheaper 7-speaker setup like CX-3 does, with front dash tweeters and a spare-tire area subwoofer! We don't watch movie while driving, so we don't need that many cheap paper-cone mid-range speakers for surround sound effect! Anyway, great write-up!

We will see how it sounds after the sub. Only other thing I can see me doing is maybe replacing the front two dash speakers with the polk audio everyone runs.

 

[72Dime]

 

[ryan4130]

Looking good so far. What is the internal volume going to be when finished?

Also, where are you getting your remote turn on signal line for the amp from? I am pulling mine from the accessory fuse on the internal fuse box but am getting some weird pop from the sub when I turn off the car. I am going to check ground first but heard that wiring the turn on wire to the same one as used for the stock headunit might fix the pop.

 

[72Dime]

Looking good so far. What is the internal volume going to be when finished?

Also, where are you getting your remote turn on signal line for the amp from? I am pulling mine from the accessory fuse on the internal fuse box but am getting some weird pop from the sub when I turn off the car. I am going to check ground first but heard that wiring the turn on wire to the same one as used for the stock headunit might fix the pop.

Not sure of the cu ft. I'm guessing around .75-1 cu ft.
The LC2i uses signal input and has a remote out for the amp, so I'm not running a remote.

 

[ryan4130]

Ahh i see. Well I must admit that tapping the rear door signals BEFORE the Bose amp hasnt been working out for me. I got it all wired up this weekend and had alternator whine coming out of the rear door speakers only when the input signals were connected to the amp. So after lots of frustration I ordered the LC2i and am going to rewire similar to your setup with the amp under the drivers seat and the signal lines going under the center console.

 

[yrwei52]

Ahh i see. Well I must admit that tapping the rear door signals BEFORE the Bose amp hasnt been working out for me. I got it all wired up this weekend and had alternator whine coming out of the rear door speakers only when the input signals were connected to the amp. So after lots of frustration I ordered the LC2i and am going to rewire similar to your setup with the amp under the drivers seat and the signal lines going under the center console.

Sorry to hear your frustration on your upgrade. Do you mind to explain a bit on the use of AudioControl LC2i hi lo converter? What is it and why do you need it for the upgrade?

 

[tibimakai]

That volume, is more then is needed for that sub.
Mine, is in the spare wheel.