Head unit, Amp and the way to do it

[Marcone]

Happy new year all!

Anyone interested in my adventures in replacing a 2004's dead head unit with a new one? Also had to replace the amp, but kept the speakers. (Bose Set up originally)

Lemme know and ill put up a quick little step by step. I couldnt find any online so i figured it out myself.

Simple enough.

Lemme know!

[LanceGT4]

Yes! Thank you
The head in my '05 with the Bose stereo quit on me a couple months ago.
The only write ups I've seen kept the MOST setup and I'm not interested in spending the extra $ on a convertor and still losing the audio controls.
Happy New Year

[Marcone]

Cool.. Ill get one written up in a short bit.. I didnt get awesome photos. Unfortunately. I took some for my reference and such, but ill use them for the write up.

Might take me an hour or two to get it written and such, waiting for a delivery in the next bit. New dining room table. Wifey is gonna be happy.

[Marcone]

OK!

Here we go.

So, i bought this 2004 cayenne for my new to be family. Thought it'd be a good snow car, No real snow yet this year tho..
The car didnt have a working deck (original Porsche PCU Deck / bose system wasnt turning on.), i found out it was the Head unit. Bose amp was good still but doesnt interface with anything but the darn PCU thing.

Decided to get an after market Head Unit, a new amp for the speakers and go.

Heres a little bit of an explanation how to do it at home and save your self some money on installing charges at the shops. I find that they see Porsche and they expect money.

Ill try to keep this accurate, but i may miss out bits because Im doing this write up from memory now.

You'll need:

-New Deck (head unit)
-New 2 Din faceplate mounting kit)
-New Amp (bose one is useless without PCU) 4 or 6 channel recommended
-Euro to standard antenna connector.
-Butt connectors 16-22 g
-Small colored zip ties or twist ties ( to distinguish what wires go to what speakers after cut from connector, since 3 runs are the same color scheme?! )
-An "add a fuse".
Add-A-Circuit Blade Fuse Holder with 20A Blade Fuse (Small Size) - CAD $ 4.99
(below can be found in a kit=(link is to a 2 channel version but you can get them in 6 channel that go in one run of wire) 1200W 2 Channel Car Amplifier Power Amp + 8 Gauge GA Install Wiring Kit RCA fuse-in Multichannel Amplifiers from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group )
-A 6 Channel 17' deck to amp cable (to hook deck to the amp)
-1' of 4 to 8 g cable for power
-A 40A amp fuse and Fuse holder
-Some forked wire terminal bits (dont know what theyre called, See gold bits in link above)
-Some short bit of remote wire
-Wire Cutters
-Crimps or pliers (or if the wire cutters have the option to pinch on them use those)

So, Heres how i started:

Disconnect battery....

From the back of the vehicle i removed the bose amp, bose amp bracket and the Cd changer. It all comes out in one piece if you remove the 4 screws that hold on the bracket, I think it was a torx head of the 25 or 30 size.

Unplug all the connections and keep them accessible.

First off, i have a second battery in my car so i couldnt use that area to mount the amp, it was -15 out and we were in a semi heated but poorly insulated barn when we did this install, so we did it on the quick. We mounted the amp in the area where the bose amp was because the wires all reached. It isnt mounted pretty but its in there, mounted stable and is not bouncing around. I didnt have the patience to run more leads to the larger wheel well on the drivers side and kinda like having the larger one for things if need be. So at this point you can decide what youre up to. Mount it in the passengers side and find a way to jam the amp in as i did or run leads to the drivers side or spare wheel well if you can. If you chose to do this in a different space than the original wheel well area, you will need a bunch more wiring.
All of this also depends on what physical size amp you choose. I picked a square in size amp and it just fits in.

So. back on track here.

Large black connector from the bose system needs to be cut off. Maybe a half inch up from the connector. First thing to notice is one end has pairs of speaker cables, the other end has power, This is more noticeable if you pull off the tape that holds the cables together. Cut it and peel it back to where it joins the larger group of wires(about a foot back). The end of the connector that has power is a found by a larger gage cable that is Red with yellow and ground is Brown (they are larger gage wires). Once tape is cut, you'll see twisted pairs of speaker wires.

On the speaker cable end, zip tie each pair together.
(each pair is a speaker wire with + on the left (solid color for most) and - on right of the Black BOSE connector)



BOSE CONNECTOR
-Red - Brown/red --- (LEFT FRONT TOP PAIR 3 OHM Total Load in parallel)
-Blue - Brown/blue --- (RIGHT REAR DOOR 3 OHM Total Load in parallel)
-Red - Brown/red --- (LEFT REAR DOOR 3 OHM Total Load in parallel)
-Red - Brown/red --- (RIGHT FRONT TOP PAIR 3 OHM Total Load in parallel)
-Red/Yellow - Yellow/brown --- (CENTRE DASH 4.5 OHM Load)

-White - Brown/white (sub signal)
-EMPTY
-Red (Remote to sub)
-EMPTY
-EMPTY
-White/Black - Brown/black (LEFT FRONT DOOR WOOFER 2 OHM Load)
-White/Red - Brown/red (RIGHT FRONT DOOR WOOFER 2 OHM Load)
-EMPTY
-Brown(ground) -Green and Brown/blue(satellite rears)
-Red/Yellow (+12v constant) -(2 empty holes below satellite speakers)

Cd Changer Connector
3 Cables



-White/red (use this one for remote on to amp)
-Red/Yellow(+12v power for Cd Changer)
-Brown (Ground for Cd Changer)

Optical connectors (dont cut these, no need)

So, get the Red +12v constant wire, strip it back a small bit, put it into the Fuse holder on one end, run a cable from the fuse holder's other end to the amp's 12V constant power input. You'll crimp one of the fork connectors on to the amp end of this cable (fuse to amp).

Strip back the Brown (Ground) cable and crimp a fork connector on to it. Connect it to the amps Ground port.

Take the White/red cable from the CD changer connector, it isnt long enough to comfortably reach the amp like the rest of the cables, so strip it back a small bit, butt connect it to a similar gage wire for remote start. You'll crimp on a fork to the remote start connector as well.

Remember to not strip the cables back too much, you dont want to expose any more copper than needed. Saves issues in the future.

So, we now have power and remote wired up.

[Marcone]

Speaker time:

Speakers are as so:

-Dash tweeter and doors mid range are in parallel on both sides of the front
-Woofer on both doors in front wired individually
-Rear door Tweeter and woofer wired in parallel
-Centre speaker on its own
-Rear satellites are one signal split to two speakers

I wired my speakers to a 4 channel amp. 4 Zones :

Front Left (Left front top pair, Left front door woofer)
Front Right (Right front top pair, Right front door woofer)
Rear Left (Left rear door pair)
Rear Right (Right rear door pair)

This means i left out the Rear Satellites (which are on one signal line therefore they're supposed to be a summed signal) and the Centre speaker (the same) was left out.

Cd and Music audio is only L and R so there is no place for Centre unless its a mono Summed signal. Even then.. Why....

Back on track.

Front Left Zone:
Left woofer Positive to amp channel 1 Positive, Woofer Negative to top left pair Positive with marrette, Top left pair negative to amp channel 1 Negative. This makes a Series/Parallel set up that is approx 5 Ohms on the channel. Car amps can handle this easily.

Same on front Right Zone, but to channel 2.

Rears are simpler. Left rear door speaker combo's wiring to channel 3. Positive to positive / negative to negative.

Same on rear Right door combo's wires.

I wired each zone like this so the amp can handle the OHMs. Bose speakers are weird in OHMS.

Now on to the front.

Remove the PCU and disconnect its connectors.

You will need to now send some wires through the car, so remove the bottom panels on the foot wells on each side of the front of the car. The one on the passengers side and both ones below the steering wheel on the drivers side.

I'd start with running the 6 channel RCA wire cause its the longest run. This wire will go from behind the deck area through the area behind the glove box on the passenger side and run along the side of the car all the way back to the amp. Remember to leave about 3 inches out of the Deck's hole. So RCA cables can be accessed easily when handling new Head Unit.

I used a coat hanger to find a path from the back side of the deck area on the right to get behind the glove box. Its a simple path that goes kinda slightly to the right and then directly downward. Sort of where the 12v ports would be if the panels we removed were in place still. I cant explain it much better but you'll figure a path out. Then tuck the wire up until you get to the plastic trim on the right side of the car in front of the passengers door.
At this point you tuck the wire under the plastic trim, between the carpet and trim bits. Start high so its behind the Foot shield you will be re installing. Tuck the wire under the plastic trim all the way back to the amp... find the path and tuck till you get to the amp. The spot between the seat and the door jamb that divides the front and rear doors is tricky unless you remove front seat, do able, but tricky. It is also slightly tricky to get the wire up by the rear seats. Take your time and tuck away!

Once at the amp, Plug wires into channels 1-4 and remember what color scheme you use. Wires come colored on each end, you'll need to match this up to the Head unit once we get to that point.

Ok so were now wired to the amp and done on that end of the car!

Head Unit.

So on a head unit you need (coloring may be different, Seem your Head Units manual)
-Red Wire --- Remote on (key on +12v switched power)
-Yellow wire --- Constant +12v power
-Black wire --- Ground
-Blue/white --- Remote to turn amp on
(optional per head unit)
-Yellow Black --- Foot brake
-Yellow Blue --- Parking / E brake

The brake wires are for enabling DVD video and certain menus as per the Head units specs. Some require different things, but ill give you the info you'll need to get all of it going.

Remove the wiring harness on the new Head Unit, Were gonna need it to connect to the wires. Put the Head Unit somewhere so you dont accidentally hit it like i almost did! **Pardon the bandaids, chopped the end of my thumb earlier in the day.***





Behind your PCU you would have had a connector that is yellow, It contains the Remote wire that we connected to the AMP. Cut that guy out of the connector, strip it back a short bit and butt connect it to the (blue/white) Remote amp turn on.
The Black connector on the back of the PCU has your power and ground. Ground is Brown. Butt connect it to the Head Units harness Ground Wire. Red Yellow on that same black connector has the +12v constant power. Butt connect it to your Head Units wiring harness (Yellow)Battery Constant power Cable. Cut the white cable on the black connector and tape it up. Remove black connector.



Now were gonna run some wires to the Drivers side.

Since there is no Switched power behind the deck of the PCU I had to butt connect some of the same remote wire we used on the amp end of things to the +12v Switched power (red wire) for the new Head Unit Harness to make it long enough. You'll need enough to get to the Left side Fuse box.

Find a path and get the brake wires and the extended switched power wire through the back of the Deck hole and go to the left towards the Fuse box. Its a little tight under there cause of the aluminum shield. You'll find a way.

The brake pedal and the E brake both have sensors on them.

E brake is easy, it has one wire, Remove sensor and cut the wire about an inch or so up from the switch, so you can put a butt connector on the sensor's wire, obviously strip all the wires back a short bit, and into the other end of the butt connector you will combine the original wire you cut and the Head Units E brake control cable. Boom, done.

Brake pedal has 4 wires. Mine was wired where the last wire to the right on the connector (passengers side) showed +12v when pedal was pressed. So i did the same as the E brake. Butt connector and join the Head Unit into the circuit.

Now were at the "add a fuse" area. I found fuse hole number 49 showed +12v when key turned. Used that socket and went with it. You can use anything that is +12v with key.
Run your Switched +12v wire to the fuse box, Butt connect the end into the "add a fuse" and put a fuse in the circuit, I used the same as what was on the back of my Head Unit 15a.


Okay, so we're wired in and ready, put in the 2 din faceplate (mines still in the mail, so i rigged it up to be used til it shows up, Might even stain the wood if it takes too long to show up... lol! )


and pull needed wires through it to connect your Head Units harness to your head unit. Connect your RCA cables onto the Head Unit. Remember Channel 1 is Front Left, Channel 2 is Front Right, Channel 3 is Rear Left, Channel 4 Rear Right. Channel 5 and 6 are Sub woofer out. (more about that later)

Antenna adapter to the Black Antenna Cable that was in the PCU and connect it to your antenna in on the new Head Unit. (this is theory, i forgot to pick up an adaptor, so i will know if it works like this tomorrow or if the antenna amplifier needs power, which would be the Blue cable on my Head Units wiring harness. If needed ill add instructions on where to get the power from behind your old PCU)

All cables, extra connectors and extra stuff, push back into the back of the dash behind deck area.

Push Head unit in to mounting plate gently till it clicks in.

Reconnect battery, Put key in, Turn key, Power Head unit on and enjoy some music!

Remember, any extra wires and such, Tape them up. I also taped up any of my butt connectors to make sure they're sealed for OCD reasons. Also, when doing your butt connecting, just make sure all connections are tight with a small tug for reassurance.

So now you have music. A new Head Unit and amp.

I never heard the original system in its factory glory. I find that the set up how i've made it sounds great. Its not pounding and such but its clear and sounds quite accurate. (im an audio engineer)

As you've noticed, There is no sub set up yet.

If you have a 4 channel amp, Lines 5-6 from the Head units subwoofer out will go to a dedicated amp that will drive your sub. Some wiring and modifying needed to get the sub working on a separate amp. (i will add this step once i get on to it tomorrow)

If you have a 6 channel amp, Lines 5-6 on the RCA will be from the Head Units Sub woofer out, You will wire a line to the bose sub speakers (there are a few steps needed to get this done before you can just wire it in. I will add steps in once i modify my sub woofer.)

I personally am going 4 channel amp to mains and a dedicated amp for the sub. Better for sound and ease of use.

I hope this is helpful. I've just realized this has taken hours to remember and write so its semi understandable!

Thanks all!

[LanceGT4]

Wow
awesome job writing this up! and fast too.
The pictures are good enough, the main thing you're giving us is the pinouts and things I haven't been able to track down.
this will be a great starting place for me.
I'm going to try a setup that will let me interface my Windows phone and tablet with the stereo and amp system.

You should share this over on RennTech.org also. I'm sure it will be appreciated there too.

Thanks
What a New Years present
Lance

[Marcone]

No probs! Was a fun little project.

The Head unit i got is a blue tooth enabled system. so my phone and tablets will interface.

It also has Usb and all that jazz.. easy connections.

Probably should have mentioned the stuff i got eh?

Alpine IVE-W530 head unit(futureshop demo 149.99)
An Alpine F300 amp for the back. (kijiji 80.00)
Just picked up the Kenwood KAC-859 for the Sub. (kijiji 45.00)

Kenwood and amp is being done tomorrow. Will write that up soon!

[Marcone]

So a quick little update, since i got tired of using the E-brake and brake combination to get into certain menus and movie functions, i added switches.

Basically took the Yellow blue wire and yellow black wire and put them on switches which mount in the faceplate instead of them wiring up to their brake signal.

I guess its set up to be attached to the brakes so you dont watch movies while driving.

Here's the wiring

Switch 1: on off switch.
Connect the wire that is supposed to go to the foot brake line to one pole of the switch.
Splice in from the +12v switched signal to the other pole of the switch.

Switch 2: On off Switch.
Connect the wire that is supposed to go to the E brake line to one pole of the switch.
Splice in from the Ground wire to the other pole of the switch.

To enter menus and DVD functions, use switches instead of brake pedals. Easy as pie.

Im mounting my switches to the sides of the faceplate when it arrives. Dremel and some patience and itll look nice.

I used the blank at the top by the PSM and 4 way flasher buttons to mount my USB input.

Ill upload a pic when the damn faceplate shows up.

On to the sub woofer today.

Back shortly

[ian c2]

Why are you using switches ?
Why not just hard wire it ?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002J22BO?tag=viglink21008-20

[Determined]

I'll be doing this project soon as well, thank you. I would like to know more about the possibility of hard wiring it versus using switches. Can someone comment? Best Regards.

[ian c2]

I posted a link ....

This is the RIGHT way to do it

Why drill holes and buy switches and run cable only to have to press them every time when you can spend $20-30 and have it done for you automatically with the added bonus of not making your interior look like a cop car ?

[ian c2]

Here's a link to an install I found on a car forum
How-To install PAC TR-7(parking brake bypass) with Alpine touchscreen - GrandAmGT.com Forum

The manufacturers instructions are also on the first page of google results for "PAC tr7"

Note , this unit has multiple uses not just the brakes sequence needed to run an alpine whilst on the move .
It can also be used to supply a "blue" switched +12v for remote amp turn on if your car head unit doesn't have one etc.

[Marcone]

That is definitely A way to do it for sure.

I chose not to rely on any more technology, since the electrical in these cars has already frustrated me into not wanting any more gadgets deciding things for me.

Two low profile switches 1 cm x 1 cm in size hide easily in the bezel, are black and matte like the rest of the dash, cost 2 dollars and allow me to have control over the modes, i.e. if i were to be pulled over by an actual police car, one flip of the switch and DVD mode is disabled. Something that can not be done with the automatic controller.

Lets also remember we just removed a 400 button 90's looking unit which looked like a bloody computer, so minimal and two buttons / switches arent so bad...

[Marcone]

I looked into the factory subwoofer.

The installation depends on what you have in your woofer enclosure.

Mine looked at first sight to be a DVC (dual voice coil) woofer, which would install easily to any application depending on wiring and such to make the OHMS match up to more applications. But once i got in there, there were 4 leads to the speaker which generally says DVC, but the 4 leads were wired to 2 terminals. No idea why... Leads me to believe some people possibly have a DVC speaker and some dont. As i read some do on forums...

Anyways if its a SVC speaker, as mine is, i had to use one channel on a 2 ohm stable amp since the speaker is 1.5 ohm. Weird numbers BOSE!

If any one needs more info on it. Feel free to ask away!

[ian c2]

Originally Posted by Marcone

That is definitely A way to do it for sure.

I chose not to rely on any more technology, since the electrical in these cars has already frustrated me into not wanting any more gadgets deciding things for me.

Two low profile switches 1 cm x 1 cm in size hide easily in the bezel, are black and matte like the rest of the dash, cost 2 dollars and allow me to have control over the modes, i.e. if i were to be pulled over by an actual police car, one flip of the switch and DVD mode is disabled. Something that can not be done with the automatic controller.

Lets also remember we just removed a 400 button 90's looking unit which looked like a bloody computer, so minimal and two buttons / switches arent so bad...

There are many ways to do it , and you must do the best way for you .
I would describe adding switches as over-engineering a solution to a problem that does not exist .
MANY systems , not just alpine , are installed throughout the world using tr-7s without issue .
If you are breaking laws by watching a screen whilst driving and a cop comes behind you , the common scenario is to turn off the head unit or press "source" ....

[rothaus]

This is a nice project, nice job.

I was thinking to replace my stereo with a new unit with GPS, but I understand that the controls in the steering wheel will be lost during such upgrade. Do the steering wheel controls still work with your upgrade ?

Thanks
Engelbet

[Marcone]

No unfortunately they do not.

I think there are adaptors to make it work that ive read about But dont know a thing about them.

Also. Fyi to all: Radio antenna booster needs power.
Gets decent signal but better with booster powered up.

[rothaus]

Did you finish the project ?

[Marcone]

Hey! Yes I did.

The system sounds and looks great. Got a second amp and wired it for power from the existing wiring from the Bose sub. Used the Bose enclosure and speaker and jumped the wires over to the new amp. The original Bose sub had a proprietary amp which couldn't be used.

All said and done. A few runs back from the new head unit. Two amps and some careful wiring and its an easy job.

I'll shoot up some pics some time soon. Away from the car at the moment.

Any Q's just pm me.