Monsoon and Subs Problem

[Greg5421]

I have the stock Monsoon system in my 2001 GT. I want to hook up subs to this but I don't have any RCA preouts or a remote wire hookup. Is that what the other smaller plug for, and if so is there a piece i have to buy?

[97GrandAMGT69]

Maybe look into getting a In-Line Converter. They should sell them at car audio stores etc.

Word
Matt

[peeps]

Originally posted by Greg5421
I have the stock Monsoon system in my 2001 GT. I want to hook up subs to this but I don't have any RCA preouts or a remote wire hookup. Is that what the other smaller plug for, and if so is there a piece i have to buy? get a line out converter and tap into the wires indicated here....

http://www.grandamgt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8051

[brchn1]

You said something about a little plug. Is that a little plug that goes into the amp with maybe 4 wires on it? If it says high level input above that plug then you don't need an external converter. Just tap those wires into the ones in the above link. If thats not what it is then you need an external cnverter that you should be able to pick up at any local shop. Peace, Lee

[Vintalage]

I'll take pics for you this evening or saturday morning to show you what it would look like hooked up.

[Greg5421]

as of now there is nothing in the plug. nothing came with it but it is smaller than the main stereo harness. I don't actually know where the amp is located, but this plug is on the back of the cd player itself, along side the main harness.

[peeps]

Originally posted by Greg5421
as of now there is nothing in the plug. nothing came with it but it is smaller than the main stereo harness. I don't actually know where the amp is located, but this plug is on the back of the cd player itself, along side the main harness. The monsoon amp is conveniently located in the trunk behind the carpet on the driver's side....

[Greg5421]

so to hook up subs, i use the wires that are there, then run seperate power wires?

[Greg5421]

I have been reading up on how to install subs in with my stock head unit, but im still a little shady on the subject. I get that i need a "line converter". Once i get this i plug it into the back of the hu? If this is right i now i have to run a power, ground, and remote wire, this much i know. But i read that people tap into their monsoon amp, is this where the line converter goes? I'm lost and too cheap to have someone do it professionally. I went to circiut city and they were ****s. So if anyone can clarify what the hell to do that would be great. I plan on running an X-Plod 1000 watt 2 channel amp and two rockford fosgate subs. All that i need to know is where to get the RCA preouts to hookup to the amp. Thanks

[Vintalage]

I am going to save you from making the mistake that I made by taking pictures shortly. I cut to wires on the monsoon amp. I thought that was the way to tap wires. It took me a while, but I discovered what I did wrong. Thankfully, I can easily reconnect the wires by using a butt connector or soldering them together.

All you need to do is run a power wire from the battery to the amp. You can tap into the ground and remote from the monsoon amp.

[Greg5421]

Thanks for the shortcut, but what about the RCA preouts and the line converter, what do i do with it? Do i plug the converter into any speaker wires that lead into the amp or do i have to plug the line converter into the HU itself?

[Vintalage]

Pics are coming. I'm not sure how much of a help the pics will be, but it will give you an idea.

[Vintalage]

Power wire into battery:
http://home.earthlink.net/~vintalage/images/Cars/My%202002%20Pontiac%20Grand%20Am%20GT1/Audio/power-battery.jpg

Wires tapped:
http://home.earthlink.net/~vintalage/images/Cars/My%202002%20Pontiac%20Grand%20Am%20GT1/Audio/monsoon%20tap.jpg

Wires tapped closeup (the remote wire is blue and is going to basslink):
http://home.earthlink.net/~vintalage/images/Cars/My%202002%20Pontiac%20Grand%20Am%20GT1/Audio/monsoon%20tap%20closeup.jpg

[Vintalage]

I have never used a line in converter, but I have an idea how it's suppose to work. If I am correct, at one end of the rcas, you want to cut off the coax so it's just the wire. Then strip the wire exposing the copper. Then you put those into the line converter. Then you tap the monsoon wires and put the line converter in.

[Greg5421]

These pics are helpful but i still got some questions because im an idiot. I get that i need to run a power to the battery. As for the ground, you said i could tap into the amp, which specific wire do i use to do that, and my ground to my amp is a lot bigger than the wires that are hooked up to the monsoon amp. Now i need to hook up a remote wire, any specific wire I use to connect it? Last there are the RCA plugs that goin in my new amp, so i should cut off the ends of the plugs exposing the wire, then splice it with wires on the monsoon amp, but which wires specifically on the monsoon amp would i splice into? Can i just use any speaker wire to get my RCA source to my new amp? This is still pretty new so if you could give me the specifics on the wires to use i would appreciate it a lot thanks.

[Vintalage]

I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking clearly at the time I typed my post. You don't need to tap a wire from the monsoon to ground your amp. I don't think there is any. All you need to do is attach the ground wire to any metal surface on the car. A nut screw is perfect. Use the one that is holding the monsoon amp in place.

I'll post about spilcing with the rca in the morning. Maybe we could discuss it with AIM?

[brchn1]

Now I'm confused. First, do your blue T-taps work when used like that. You are suppose to attach those to the wire you need then push a male spade connector into the end pointing out. Second, someone is way over thinking this. A RCA adaptor is a box with four speaker wires coming out one end and RCAs coming out the other. Tap into the correct factory speaker wires and hook the speaker wires from the adaptor to those. Then put the RCAs into the amp. You can also tap into a remote wire at the monsoon amp. As for the ground take it to bare metal as close to the Sony amp as possible. You can use a stinger screw, or a small bolt and nut combo. I don't suggest a self tapping screw as they never really get to tight and can bring in altinator noise. The speaker wires are noted in the sticky called "Monsoon System Pinout". make sure the positive speaker wires go to the positive speaker wires on the adaptor and the same with the negative. Peace, Lee

[Vintalage]

Actually, they work just fine. I cut 2 wires I weren't suppose to so that is why one end of 2 wires isn't leading anywhere (Purple and blue).

[Greg5421]

Edited out double post. :)

[Greg5421]

thanks you've been a huge help man. I picked up an RCA adapter today and i plan on hookin it up this weekend. Just one last thing i promise. First can i just take a piece of speaker wire and splice it in with the speaker wires that run into the amp and then run that in adapter instead of using t-taps? and last about the power wire. do you recommend running it through the molding of the car then drilling through to the engine compartment underneath the steering wheel, or running it underneath the car? Last i had a jeep and i had a system in there too. It stopped working, so i came to the conclusion that it was the power wire because it rigged a current to test the remote wire, but the power still failed. Could it be that i cut the original ring terminal that came with the wire and replaced it? I know that the fuse wasn't blown. It might have been the terminals on the battery that made it screwed up. I just wanted to know if changing a terminal can effect the functionality of the power wire. i know this is a long one but thanks if you respond

[Vintalage]

You want to run the power wire through the interior of the car and through the firewall (the wall that seperates the interior from the engine). That means pulling up the plastic molding pieces that are near the door sills.

I don't quite understand your question about using an adapter instead of t-taps.

If you want, you can talk to me through AIM (aol instant messenger)

Vintalage2 is my handle. Will be on till about 12:30am EST

[brchn1]

You can use what ever you want to hook the adaptor to the speaker wires, just make sure they are tight and then covered up well seperately. I also suggest not to run the wire under the car. Double check where you are drilling in the firewall before drilling though. As for your jeep, clean up an corosion you have and make sure your connections are good. A gold or platinium plated connector can help. Did you check your inline fuse? Tell me you have an inline fuse. Peace, Lee

[AmIGrand]

First: don't run power wires under the car, it's asking for trouble eventually. It will work, it will also cause trouble some day. Run the power wire through the firewall.

Second: T-taps should be fine, you're only stealing a little signal. Cutting & splicing might be better though - by doing that you remove that low frequency signal from the rear speakers, making their life a lot easier.

On the Jeep thing - there's lots of possible problems there. Get a voltmeter and test the power at the battery, and at both sides of the fuse, then the end by the amp.

If you have power right at the terminal (meaning you're testing teh wire right at the ring, off the terminal), than your connection is OK. If you don't, then either the terminla is loose in the battery (in which case the rest of the car probably wouldn't have power either) or the ring terminal or wire behind it is bad.

If both of those come out OK, move to the underhood fuse. If you have power at the battery end of the fuse, than your connection is good and so is your wire. If you don't, than the wire inside the insulation may be badly corroded, or the terminal connection is bad. If it's good, move to the other side of the fuse. Fuses can look good and be bad! If there's power on the battery side, but not the other, the fuse is bad. If it's good, move to the end by the amp.

If no power here, your wire is broken or shorted somewhere. If you have 12v here, then the problem is not your power wire, check your ground!!

Hope that helped, and thanx everybody for helping out in this thread!! :)