If getting rid of the factory stereo is not on your list, you can always modify it with additional speakers and subwoofers to enhance the sound quality. Subwoofers are the boom box that balances out the excessive-high ends by providing a detailed low frequency.
If you prefer rich and powerful output, then adding a subwoofer to the factory stereo will help. Hook up a subwoofer to the car stereo and see the difference. How to install a subwoofer to a factory stereo in the first place?
We are going to guide you on this journey. We have vast knowledge about setting up stereo systems, thus willing to share our expertise. Bear with us and soon you will learn to add subs on your own.
Table of Contents
Why Is A Subwoofer Important?
The speakers that you have in your car are not powerful enough to channel all the frequencies of the audio source. That means when you turn on the music using the stock speakers and subwoofers, the chances are that you will miss out on a lot of sound details.
The low frequency that we know as bass will be out of sync or too low. A subwoofer helps to boost the lows and offers a balanced output.
Installing A Subwoofer To A Factory Stereo in 6 Steps
Setting up subs in a vehicle is nothing complicated; with proper knowledge you can install the boxes and make your music system more dynamic. Here is what you need to do.
Step 1: Equipment You'll Need
- Woofer box (The housing where the subwoofer is placed)
- Toolbox containing pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc
- Amplifier
- Speaker
- Wiring materials
- Line out converter
- RCA cables
- 50 amp inline fuse
- Safety gears
Step 2: Subwoofer Placement
You must first look for the ideal space in your car to accommodate the subwoofers. Make sure the area has enough room to dissipate heat. Tight spaces will make the woofer heat up as well as the amplifier.
Moreover, it will be harder to reach the subs for cleaning purposes.
Allow sufficient room for wire accommodation as well. You don't want to stress the wire ends by putting them in tighter spots.
Step 3: Disconnect the Battery
In this step, you will need to dislocate the battery from your vehicle. Many people believe it's not necessary to remove the entire thing, just detaching the negative terminal will work.
Why take a chance anyway? It's about your safety. So just take out the battery and make sure you wear safety gear before this task.
Step 4: Run Wires - Complete Breakdown
This is where you join the wrings to their designated connections. Here you will learn how to wire a subwoofer to a car stereo. Follow the sequence.
1. First start by connecting the power source (battery). To add a subwoofer to the stock stereo take the power wire and fix it to the positive battery terminal.
Remember that the power wire must be connected to a fuse holder to lower the possibility of any short circuit.
2. For a noiseless outcome you must ensure that the ground wire is placed in the right spot. The grounding wire goes side by side with the power wire and the other end will be connected to the car’s base frame.
Note: If there is paint on the connecting end of the chassis, please scrape it off to allow an interruption-free connection.
3. Now take the speaker wires that come with the factory stereo and connect them to the line-out converter in the designated terminals. If you are using factory stereo, then line-out converts are necessary, as factory products do not contain pre-amp-out to channel RCA signals.
4. Connecting the RCA cable is necessary as it transmits the much-needed signal to the woofers. Do make sure that the RCA wires are connected to the desired terminals in the converter. You must also use a turn-on wire along the RCA cables to ensure noiseless function.
Step 5: Reconnect The Negative Terminal
Once all the wirings are placed properly, do a double check to be on the safe side.
If you feel that all is good, connect the negative terminal that you previously disconnected.
Step 6: Turn On The Sub
Power on the device you just installed, to see whether it is functional or not. If the wiring is done correctly, then the sub should be booming for you.
Start from the lowest possible settings to monitor the sound difference and slowly increase the sub power and volume to see if the low ends meet your expectations.
Final Words
We don't encourage people to throw out their stock stereo just because they are not giving you the preferred output. What you can do is pair it up with subwoofers to take the sound to the next level.
Knowing how to install a subwoofer to a factory stereo can save you a lot of money. Understanding the basics, you might not need to change the entire sound anymore; just getting additional subs can work the magic for you.
The installation is pretty nothing too complicated. All you need to do is find the sweet spot to set your subwoofers and then connect the wirings accordingly. Make sure you take necessary precautions before dealing with electrical wires.
Once the fittings are done properly, you will never miss out on the bass.
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