Want to replace HU on 94 Audiophile, keep factory amp

[gsmaclean]

I have a 1994 Explorer with the Audiophile system. Everything works in it, except the head unit refuses to change radio station channels until the truck cabin has warmed up. This is highly annoying.

I want to replace the head unit with an aftermarket unit. The factory amp, speakers, subwoofer amp and subwoofer all work and sound fine, so I'd like to keep them. Can I just send line-level audio down from the new HU down to the factory amp, or does it use some kind of funky signal levels that an aftermarket unit won't supply?

And if it can use line-level audio, is there a description somewhere telling which wire is which on the factory harness?

Thanks!

 

[SoundQ SVT]

As a general rule, replacing the factory deck with an aftermarket one will require bypassing the factory amps as well.

I am still new enough to the Explorer platform and its factory subwoofer that I do not know for certain if the subwoofer amp can be retained with an aftermarket deck (although I thought I saw a sticky about this topic....).

 

[kelly2]

bypassing factory amp not required. just use a harness like the one pictured below for the audio. make sure to get a deck that has at least 2 sets of pre-outs.

 

[kelly2]

and this one for the power. they're both available from scosche

http://www.scosche.com/scosche_caraudio.aspx

 

[gsmaclean]

bypassing factory amp not required. just use a harness like the one pictured below for the audio. make sure to get a deck that has at least 2 sets of pre-outs.

Exactly what I was looking for, thanks. Is the sub powered from the factory amp as well (with a high-pass filter)? Or do I need a separate output at the head end to drive the sub? i.e. if I use that adapter above, will my sub still be functional?

 

[kelly2]

yes the sub will be functional, but if you get a deck with 3 sets of preout (front, rear, sub) you can wire it so that the new decks sub control will work with the factory amp

 

[gsmaclean]

yes the sub will be functional, but if you get a deck with 3 sets of preout (front, rear, sub) you can wire it so that the new decks sub control will work with the factory amp

Does the factory head unit have a separate line out for the sub? Or is it filtered (high pass) at the factory amp level?

 

[kelly2]

the sub amp ties into the factory amp for it's signal. nothing done at the factory head unit for it