New Member/Audio Confusion....

[TravisM.]

Hi everyone. I just got my Explorer friday evening. It's a 96 Sport Model. I'm the second owner, and aside from some minor blemishes inside and a few small scratches outside, its in great condition.


According to the "Quick Reference" sticky at the top of the Audio section, My Explorer is equipped with the "Premium Sound" Option. I have the 19B165 AM/FM Cassette, External Amplifier (4x20 watts), and 4 Speakers (No Subwoofer yet).

Yesterday, I bought a Scoshe Dash install kit. I couldnt find a Wire harness to save my life. I also bought the DIN keys. I have tried the Coathanger trick before, and it wasnt pretty.

I figured just for kicks, I would pull the factory radio from the dash and see what kind of connectors it used. While I had the radio out, I was leafing thru the book that came with my installation kit, and it had the Pin-out diagram for the two plugs that are on the back of my radio. Turns out I didnt "need" the wire harness adapter after all.

So, I start cutting and splicing wires. All goes well, and I get my Pioneer DEH-12A (I know, its an oldy but a goody. I just want to play my CDs, Im not too concerned with LCD dislays and all the latest Doo-Dads) wired in. I turn it on, It powers up and plays the CDs just fine, but no sound from the speakers. So, I look at my wire harness, and I have a Blue wire (According to the scosche book) as the remote turn-on for my factory Amp. Anyway, I splice the wire into my CD players harness, and now it plays fine thru all 4 speakers.


Now, my Confusion.
I was under the impression that only the JBL systems have the external amplifier.
Where might I find the amplifier? I know on the 4 door models with the Subwoofer, the amps are mounted on the panel attached to the subwoofer box. Is there anything wrong with setting it up this way, using the factory amp? It doesnt sound bad to me, but Im by no means an audiophile.
Would there be any advantages to bypassing the factory amplifier?

Secondly, my in laws have a 93 XLT parts vehicle (They drive a 91 Eddie Bauer). I have already pirated the Subwoofer box from the 93, and plan to install it where my cargo pocket is now. I have both amplifiers from the 93 as well. Would the 4-channel amplifier in my 96 sport have the output for the subwoofer amplifier, as the 4-channel amp from the 93 does? Would I be better off getting an aftermarket amplifier to drive the subwoofer off of the RCA jacks on the back of my HU, and let the factory 4-channel amp do the rest?


Also, I'm not trying to sell them here in this post, but what could I expect to get out of the Amps I have (4-channel and subwoofer amp from the 93) and the HU I pulled out of my Explorer?

Thanks in advance.

 

[TTG]

The Premium systems also have an external amp behind the little cargo pocket panel.

You're "supposed" to bypass the amp as the head unit should have an amplifier built in, so you're double amplifying it. Not doing so will decrease your sound quality, and if you turn it up too loud you can overload your amp which will cause your speakers to not play.

The stock 4 channel amp has a max output of 80W. Nothing that's gonna be ground shaking, but if you're putting in a really base level sub with a max output of 100W(like a RF Punch Stage 1) you'd be fine overall with just that. But it depends what kinda sub you get. My Boston Acoustics G212 will take up to 300W, so replacing the amp is a good idea. If you're jsut going to run a small one then there's no reason to spend the money on a seperate amp.

 

[TravisM.]

Yes, my HU is 45wx4 channels, I believe.

After some more thought, I think I will just bypass my factory Amp.
Then I will use the enclosure I have (from a 93 XLT) to replace the cargo pocket. I will just get a bridgeable amp with a LPF built into it, and run it from my head unti's RCA jacks.
Im not looking for anything "ground shaking", but i want a litte more bass.

 

[redx]

I would go with an aftermarket amp for the it will sound alot better. As for the doubleing up on the factory amp this is not true. When you conected your speaker out puts from the HU to the factor amp all you did was give the amp the aduio signal. In a nut shell you did a low line level input ( no RCAs ) to get the sound to the amp.

 

[TravisM.]

I was going to ask about that. When I started driving, my first car stereo was a pioneer Supertuner II Shaft-style radio (20 or 25x2, I believe), with no pre-amp outputs. I ran it thru a pioneer amp (45x2 IIRC) to my 6x9s. Keep in mind, this was early-mid 90's low-end stuff (Me being 16 and all, not being able to afford much else).

I'm pretty much doing the same thing now, right?

As long as I keep the volume at a reasonable level (no window rattling), is there anything wrong with it the way it is set up for the time being?

Of course I plan to bypass the amp, upgrade my speakers and add the previously mentioned Subwoofer enclosure (I measured it, it has a 6" RF "Punch" sub in it). But thats down the road a bit.

 

[danny3221]

where is the"little cargo pocket panel" you are referring to located?

 

[toypaseo]

Holy old thread...

 

[danny3221]

1996 xlt - no audio- very frustrated

Couldn't find any other place to post so I will post here. I have a 1996 xlt with preminum stereo, Suddenly , I no longer receive audio, all other components ( clock, cassette, digital displays, etc work, but I get no sound. I have checked all the fuses that I can find, I have replaced the amp (the one mounted on the passenger's side rear) but still nothing.
I thought it might be the radio itself, I replaced that with two different ones an OEM and an after market one. stil no sound, I have 4 speakers, they all seem to be in good condition. Is there a fuse somewhere else that plays in on this???