Avalon Stereo aftermarket HU => Woofer - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

thope · 06-23-2009, 02:18 PM

HI, I just realized that my aftermarket HU is not driving the Rear deck sub at all, I read somewhere the system relies on a standalone amplifier located somewhere in the car. is there any way to re-integrate the amp into the loop?

mmejia · 06-23-2009, 02:58 PM

The stock amplifier is hidden by the glove compartment. You will only have this if you have the premium audio system. If you bought the right harness, it should be integrated already. Here is a link to the Metra harness you should have bought with the special pre-amp RCAs. Your head unit will require pre-amp outputs.

http://retailer.installationexcellen...hicleid=115523

thope · 06-23-2009, 06:26 PM

How to confirm that I have a premium unit.

mmejia · 06-24-2009, 01:12 PM

Check the connector for the stereo. Does the connector look like it can plug into this harness? 10-pin plug + 6-pin plug

Or like it would plug into this? 15-pin plug.

thope · 06-24-2009, 04:40 PM

i will rip it apart if this doesn't clear it, I do have an XLS

mmejia · 06-24-2009, 04:47 PM

I don't think that will clear it up. I have an XL and it has the premium audio...The other easy way is to check if you have the 6-7 speaker system.

Do you have two speakers in the front with two tweeters by the door handles? Two speakers in the rear and the rear deck woofer?

If you have all these, then you for sure have the premium audio.

thope · 06-25-2009, 02:19 PM

I do have the sub-woofer in the rear deck and all the speakers that you speak of.

thope · 06-25-2009, 02:27 PM

Is there any way to drive only the subwoofer from the haman - kardon amp, I am just asking as I think the sony stereo might have more wattage than the 20 watt harman kardon.

Found this image on toyotanation btw.

mmejia · 06-25-2009, 02:46 PM

That part that you found that was 20 watts is for only one of the speakers. You have 5 speakers that are 20 watts, plus 2 tweeters (not sure of wattage). If you drive more power to them, it is more likely to blow the speakers.

To connect your aftermarket stereo, did you use a harness? If you did, did you use the right one? (Should be the 15 pin harness with pre-amp outputs). You shouldn't be able to use the wrong one anyway, but just to make sure.

If you're using the right harness, the rear deck should be driven, as you are giving the signal to the amp and then the amp takes care of it. You wouldn't be able to just run the rear deck through the amp because all the speakers are wired to the amplifier, and the amplifier just gets inputs from the head unit. You would have to re-wire to your head unit in order to do that, and also have the pre-amp outputs.

thope · 06-25-2009, 06:53 PM

I didnt install it myself, installation was free so I let CCity take care of it, I don't drive the regularly so after six months I got a new kenwood stereo and replaced the rear deck with 6X9's in my 2001 Accord and the thing was booming better than the upgraded stereo in my friend's volkswagen. so I checked the avalon for the sound as I knew it had a sub and the music sounded like it was being played in cheap computer speakers due to the sub not being driven. I guess it would be a better idea to check if the sub is blown too.

mmejia · 06-26-2009, 03:21 PM

Yes, the speaker could be blown, could be bad wiring, or could even be the amplifier is having a problem (not sure if the rear deck is on its own signal or if it's parallel with the others).

thope · 06-26-2009, 04:32 PM

mmejia thanks for replying to my posts, i opened the sub and as it tuns out it doesn't even have a diaphragm, there was just the magnet in there. previous owner probably did something to it, i'll try to find an aftermarket or stock speaker and go from there.

Jigg007 · 06-26-2009, 11:40 PM

I doubt your sony head unit puts out 20wrms. Theres no guarentee that the OEM puts that out either. My 2006 model Pioneer puts out 22wrms, and thats high. Many of the newer year units are putting out 18wrms. (though sony does have some good power in their radios) Plus I think radio amplifiers are measured at 10%THD.

The cars manurfactur is Harmon Motive. Which if I recall is a sister company of JBL.

You can put more than the RMS value into the speaker, and it will hold fine. Not monsterous ammounts, but Its better to overpower a speaker verses underpowering an amplifier. If you want the most power out of your OEM setup, get a low pass filter rockin on the doors.

And you can always hook up a test speaker to the rear subwoofer to verify that it is even reciving signal in the first place (so you don't get a new subwoofer, and find out that it's still something else.

)

Also to add, I'm driving the oem speakers with a 35/70wrms amplifier.

thope · 06-27-2009, 12:52 PM

I assumed the Harman-Motive rating was just pmpo as the audio system was pretty unremarkable before I got the stereo (partly due to the lack of the sub of course) but the sony was definitely a step up from before. and yes, thats right about the pioneer, same with my kenwood (22wrms) new people often ask me if I have a sub in the trunk. I have two alpine type r 6X9s and Polk DBs in the front. They took about a month to properly break in but these plus a little dynamat sure did the trick.