New Pioneer App Radio Revelead at CES 2012 interfaces with Android
The floors at CES today were filled with an incredible energy that I haven’t seen in years past. The crowds were overwhelming, but full of excitement. There was a vibrant energy and an eagerness that was palpable; you couldn’t help, but feel it. As I arrived I found myself in the midst of the action and began riding that wave of eagerness and anticipation. One of the vendors I couldn’t wait to visit was Pioneer.
Their AVIC navigation units have always been our most popular seller at our store, but as much as it appealed to customers, there was always something lacking that seemed to nag them. “It’s a great unit”, they’d tell me, “but it could have been so much better.” Still, they always found it better than the competitors offerings.
The new Pioneer AVIC-Z140BH
Earlier today I had a chance to speak with Harry from Pioneer. He was kind enough to walk us through the new App radios and AVIC navigation units that Pioneer will be releasing in 2012. He also took the time to listen to, and respond to, our very valid gripes with their innovative products. Who knows? Maybe they’ll take notice of our suggestions? We’ll have to wait until CES 2013 to find out.
As far as the AVIC units go, here’s a little teaser. I’ll have the full introduction posted up shortly. Enjoy!
For all you Android users out there, Kenwood has released the Kenwood Music Control App. The Kenwood Music Control APP will allow Android users to connect their phone via USB to any Kenwood head unit with a USB port (see compatibility list here) and access the music stored on their phone through the stereo controls.
The free app, that can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace, allows any USB equipped Kenwood CD receiver to charge, control, and play Music stored on an Android device. The USB connection will allow Android users far superior sound quality over the typical stereo headphone jack that most users have had to settle with when listening to their Android in their car. Kenwood Music Link for Android will automatically manage all stored music and enable users to play, browse and search music by artist, album, playlist and even mood. Yep, you read that right. The Mood feature analyzes beats per minute, tempo and other variables to assist in creating 13 categories that listeners can choose from. This feature is similar to iTunes Genius Playlist, but is a reportedly more sophisticated and intricate in its calculations.
The Kenwood Music Control App currently works with Android versions 2.2.X and 2.3.X
Kenwood has a whole new line of attractive models coming out soon that will nicely integrate the Android app. Look out for the KDC-X796 which will be jam packed with features such as built in Bluetooth handsfree and A2DP audio streaming, USB and Auxiliary, Pandora link control for both iPhone and Android, 4 Volt Front, Rear and Subwoofer preouts, Built in HD Radio, variable illumination, SiriusXM ready and of course, it comes with the 2 year Kenwood Excelon Warranty….all for $220. Expected release date is February 2012.
Packed with features like Bluetooth, Pandora Link, Android control for only $220
Also look out for their new line of Double Din navigation units like the DNX6990HD which promises to be faster than the disappointing and sluggish line of double din navigation units we saw from Kenwood in 2011. The 2012 model Kenwood navigation systems still use Garmin for their mapping system, but they also come equipped with a 1 core processor which should hopefully eliminate that 5 second delay or the much hated screen freeze that Kenwood users seemed to receive after pressing any command on their screen. Along with revved up processing speed, you will find a 5 Volt preamp, Built in HD Radio, Bluetooth, Pandora link for iPhone and Android, built in NAVTEQ traffic integration as well as an App mode.
Check out this innovative product from Scosche Industries. The CellCONTROL module makes it easy for parents to make sure their kids are driving safe and not distracted by using their cell phones while driving. This device is designed to plug into the OBDII port of any vehicle produced in the US from 1996 and up. The CellCONTROL module is easily set up. Simply activate the unit online, download the app to the distracted driver’s cell phone and then plug the CellCONTROL into the OBDII port.
When the vehicle is in motion, the most distracting functions of the cell phone will be disabled. No texting, no internet browsing, no camera functionality and not even phone use will be allowed. Phone functionality resumes when a handsfree bluetooth kit is registered to the phone.
Not only is this kit a wonderful option for parents of teen drivers, but it’s a great option for any employer who has employees driving on company time.
Scosche CellCONTROL in action
Should the unit be disabled or the app be deleted from the phone, the administrator (AKA the parents or the boss) will be notified via text or email. The CellCONTROL is compatible with over 1200 phones on the market including popular operating platforms like Android 2.1 and above, BlackBerry 4.5 and above, all Windows Mobile 5 & 6, all Symbian S60 (3rd Edition) and select Brew and BREWMP systems.
For only $129.99, you can buy a little peace of mind and driver safety. Check it out at www.Scosche.com
Zach wrote to me earlier this week with this question:
“Hello I just got a pyle 1200w 2 channel amp and have a 1600w power cap and am buying dual voice coil 4ohm kicker s10L7 10″ square sub. 1st will all that work together good and 2nd should I do a dual parallel to the amp or the series wiring? I’m not sure and can a 2 channel amp run 1 ch for the sub and the 2nd for the other speakers I’m thinking not, but didn’t understand. I thank you for your time -Zach”
Aside from the answer I’ve given in the video, the reason you can’t use the 2 channel amp to power the sub and the speaker is this. 2 channel amps are only designed to either run two speakers, a left and a right OR you can bridge the two channels or mix stereo and run it as a mono to a sub (or subs) with a final impedance of 4 ohm. I hope that helps. To have your question answered, write to me at [email protected] with the title of your email “Question of the week”.
What’s up my fellow car audio lovers? I am getting totally psyched up for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas which is happening NEXT WEEK. For those of you that don’t know, CES is the largest consumer electronic trade show in the world.
Companies from all over the globe display and promote the newest technologies and innovations they have to offer. If you have a great appreciation for cutting edge future technology and design, you will appreciate the sneak peek of the latest consumer electronic goodies revealed at CES. Vendors will display and demonstrate their sleek, new models that are destined to arrive on the market in 2012.
Join me as I visit and meet with the designers and engineers behind brands like Alpine, Pioneer, JL Audio, Directed Electronics and more. Watch me as I demonstrate new product features and divulge details on upcoming consumer products about to hit the market.
As I discuss the advancements these companies have made, I will also be putting these engineers and designers on the spot. After selling and installing a couple hundred of these products, I’ve realized that many car audio companies don’t put a lot of time and money into consumer product testing before they go to market. After hearing customer after customer complain about what they consider obvious design flaws (such as miniscule clock displays, tedious menu designs and clumsy controls) I thought it’d be a good idea to speak with some of the men and women who made these decisions and gain some insight into their bizarre design choices.
Each week I get installation questions from people all over the world and it’s my pleasure to help. Often times, the questions I get asked have already been answered somewhere on this blog, but I understand it can take time to find that information and understand how it pertains to your application. I thought it’d be cool to pick one of the more common questions I get each week and answer it via a video post. This way it will be easier for anyone with a similar question or application to find an answer. Just post a comment here or email me at [email protected] with the subject “Question of the week”.
Start with the head unit. I’ll teach you about what features you need to look for and why you need them. Read this before you buy an aftermarket stereo for your car!
Kenwood car stereo head units, how do you know which one is right for you?
Most consumers would assume that in order to get better sound, you should upgrade your speakers. This is true to an extent, but speakers are just one piece of the puzzle. To get truly improved sound quality, you should be upgrading everything: replacing your head unit and or using a processor, upgrading speakers, adding amps and a subwoofer. A lot of people can’t afford to do it in all one shot, so where do you start?
Start with your source. If you have a stereo that can be replaced (in other words it is not integrated into the car’s computer, heat/ac controls and someone makes a nice radio installation kit for it), start with the head unit. You could put the best speakers in your car, but if you are powering them off the stock head unit you aren’t doing yourself any good. You are limited by the power and the sound quality coming out of that stock stereo, so no matter how good of speakers you put in it, you’re only going to notice a slight improvement. You would never reach the full sound quality potential of whatever speakers you put in there until you gave them a good clean source along with proper power amplification.
First off, start with your source and not just any source. If you are going to be building a nice aftermarket system, start with a head unit that will give you a good foundation for building a nice aftermarket system. You don’t want to cheap out here. If you see yourself upgrading speakers, possibly adding amplifiers, you will need to purchase something that gives you the options to add these features later on.
Make sure you buy a head unit that has 3 high voltage pre-outs. Most aftermarket head units with a higher voltage pre-out section are rated around 4 volts. The other feature to look for, especially if you are building your system in steps, is built in crossovers that are adjustable. By having crossovers built in, you will be able to filter out certain frequencies to certain speakers. Some brands offer this adjustment separately for front speakers, rear speakers and even for the subwoofer.
If a head unit simply states built in crossover, ask the salesperson or read the find print and find out if this crossover is adjustable in any way and if they are adjustable separately for front and rear. The more flexibility you have, the better you will be able to tweak and adjust the sound in your car.
Built in crossovers will allow you to help build your system in steps. If you start with the head unit, and your current speakers are working, I usually recommend adding an amp and sub next. The subwoofer will fill in the bottom end and help create a much larger presence in your overall system. Subwoofers really balance out the entire sound system. So even if you are powering your stock speakers off the aftermarket head unit, having a subwoofer will vastly improve your overall sound.
The crossover adjustment will allow you to filter the bass out of your speakers that are currently being powered off the head unit, regardless of whether those speakers are stock or aftermarket.
Being able to adjust the crossover point separately for front and rear in different frequency increments is ideal. For example, if you have a 2002 Chevy Cavalier, your front speakers are usually a smaller 4”x6” speaker compared to the rears which are usually a much larger 6”x9” speaker. The 6”x9”’s will be capable of playing much more mid bass than the 4”x6” speakers simply due to the larger surface area of the speaker. If you have a subwoofer in the car, you are going to want to filter out some of that bass to the interior speakers. Your sub is designed for playing bass, so let’s let it do what it’s designed for and we’ll let the interior speakers do what they’re designed for.
If you owned a 2002 Chevy Cavalier that came equipped with 4″x6″ speakers in the front and 6″x9″ speakers in the rear, ideally, you would filter out 120 hertz and down from your front speakers and around 60 hertz and down on the rears. Then you would have the crossover on your amp around 80-120 hertz so that the subs would handle those lower frequencies. This way every component in your system is playing to the best of its abilities the frequencies they’re designed to play.
The other thing to look for in your aftermarket head unit is an EQ or equalizer. Try to find something with a 5-7 band EQ. The different bands represent different bands of frequencies that you can increase or decrease. The more bands you have, the more control you have, but also the easier it is to mess up the sound if you don’t know how to tune a system. For detailed tuning instructions, make sure you buy my soon to be released E-Book, the Car Stereo Bible, and read the chapter on total system tuning.
The Kenwood KDC-X996 has a 13 band EQ, digital time alignment, built in crossovers and more.
Other sound adjustment features to look for are things like time alignment or time correction. This allows you to center your sound stage around YOU regardless of where you sit in relation to your speakers. For example, in your average car, if you are the driver, the driver’s side speaker is the 1st speaker that you hear because it sits closest to you. The driver’s side rear speaker is usually the next speaker you hear, followed by the passenger side front and the passenger side rear. To test this out, next time you’re in your car and listening to your stereo (with the car in park, you don’t want to drive and do this), close your eyes. Try to pinpoint where the sound is coming from. You are going to notice the speaker that is closest to you.
Through a formula described in the tuning section of my soon to be released E-Book ,the Car Stereo Bible, you will learn how to adjust this feature. If you purchase a stereo that comes with time alignment, there should also be a section in the stereo’s owner guide describing the procedure necessary for setting time alignment. Through the process of delaying the closest speakers by milliseconds, you control what time it takes for each speaker to hit you. When set up properly, each speaker will hit your ears at the same time. After setting this up, close your eyes and listen again. You will not be able to pin point where the sound is coming from. It will envelop you and the singer’s voice will sound like they’re singing directly in front of you. It’s very cool stuff, once you have this feature you’ll want to have it in every car stereo system you ever own.
Another really cool feature that certain manufacturers offer (Kenwood in particular) is this thing called Volume Offset. If you have a vehicle that has an existing premium amplified system and you plan to start by upgrading the head unit and an amp and sub, but plan on keeping the stock speakers (and thus stock amp for now), volume offset will come in handy.
This is true of any vehicle equipped with a Bose amp that will continue to be utilized. It’s also true of any VW, Audi or BMW with a premium system (most come with it).
Even the KDC-X396 at $129.95 has 4 Volt preouts,
When you replace a factory stereo in these cars, but keep the stock amp and speakers, you are basically creating a double amplification. You are powering up the stock amp with your aftermarket head unit and you are also using the internal amp in your aftermarket head unit. So you’re technically amplifying an amplifier. This can lead to more output, but almost in increments that are too large on the volume knob. The other issue you may run into is if you then go ahead an add a subwoofer, you have to remember, the subwoofer is only receiving single amplification signal.
At this point, volume off-set will allow you to level match the stock amp with the aftermarket amp, cutting down on the over amplification. This is just one more feature that will give you more control over the sound in your system leading you to better overall sound quality.
Various aftermarket car stereo head units to choose from on display in our store.
Now that we’ve covered audio control features for your new aftermarket stereo, let’s talk about general features to look for. What good will all of these features do if you don’t know how to control the stereo? If you are not tech savvy and prefer easy to use controls, get in the store and get your hands on the stereos you are considering buying. Don’t let the salesmen do all the button touching, they should know the product they are selling like the back of their hand. Ask him or her to run you through the features and simply instruct you on how to access the features you are interested in. If it feels clumsy or confusing, it will still feel clumsy and confusing when it’s installed in your car. Make sure you are comfortable and happy with the operating system and user interface, menu’s and all controls and buttons.
How does it look? Remember, just because the stereo you want may have all the features you are looking for, it still has to be installed in your dash and you’re going to have to look at it almost every day for some period of time. Does the finish match or compliment your dash? Are there illumination options to allow you to match or compliment your interior lighting? Is the display large enough or bright enough for you to see? These are the kind of things you want to address when considering the overall look and feel of a head unit.
Other important factors to consider when purchasing your new head unit, what kind of reputation does the brand have? Do they have a long time track record as being a leading car stereo manufacturer? Has the company changed ownership recently? What kind of warranty does the manufacturer offer? What is the warranty process should any part of the aftermarket stereo fail?
Other considerations to make are what kind of cool tech features does the radio have that you desire? Navigation? Bluetooth? A2DP audio streaming? USB/Aux? Ask the salesperson what kind of cool technology has come out recently. Often times that can be your tipping point between picking one model or brand over another. You don’t want to miss out on something cool that might be unique to one brand and even maybe one model in particular, so ask questions.
Ask the salesperson to demonstrate the features you are interested in. This way you can be sure that they work properly and in a manner that you can understand. If you wanted the feature of bluetooth handsfree, try your phone with the stereo on the display. If you try pairing your phone and the stereo keeps dropping the bluetooth connection, then it doesn’t matter if the stereo has bluetooth. If it doesn’t work with your phone, you probably shouldn’t buy it. Any very important features should be demonstrated so that you can feel confident they will work in the manner you desire.
With all of this knowledge gathered, your decision is kind of like the decision to buy a house. You can’t always check every thing off your wish list so you need to decide what factors and features are most important to you and make your purchasing decision is based off that. It will help to write down the features that are most important to you and have that list with you when you go shopping. The sales person may spout off the features too fast for you to register them, so it helps to have a list that will allow you to clarify which models have the features on your wish list.
What if you don’t have a good car stereo store in your area? Do as much research as you can online based on the feature list you came up with. Have a few different models to choose from and then start reading about them. You can find detailed reviews of products on websites like Crutchfield.com (also a good, reputable source for buying car stereo online) which has user reviews for almost everything they sell. There are many places to find reviews online. Keep in mind, some people only write reviews because they’re unhappy with the product and need an outlet to vent. So be careful from letting one bad reviewer deter you from the product you want.
I still recommend trying to find a store near you that will allow you to speak with a real salesperson that can demonstrate the product that suits your needs. I have some customers that drive an hour and half away just to be able to do that. If you end up going down that road, I recommend calling first to speak with a salesperson. Feel them out, see if they’re genuinely interested in helping you and make sure they carry and display the products you are interested in possibly purchasing.
What if a head unit isn’t an option for you? Then you need to consider a processor that will allow you to integrate better quality aftermarket equipment with your stock head unit. Brands to check out would be JL Audio, Audison and Audio Control. These companies have a known reputation for creating excellent integration processors. You can read more about these options in my upcoming E-Book, the Car Stereo Bible. Thanks for stopping by and reading this post. Good luck shopping for your new car stereo!
Notice the Stinger 4 gauge wire has more copper tone and a thicker sleeve
How to buy the right amplifier wiring kit for your car audio amplifier. Determining the proper gauge wire for your amplifier, fuse size, wire length and more.
How the quality of your car audio amplifier wiring can effect your whole car stereo system.
So you just got your amp and your sub and now you need to hook it up. How do you know what gauge wire you need for your amp? What size fuse do you need for your inline fuse holder? How much wire do you need?
Many amp kits are labeled with wattage ratings on them to entice you to buy, but what’s actually on the package is not always the whole story. A basic rule of thumb is this. For up to 500 watts RMS, 8 gauge is sufficient. In the 500 – 1000 watt RMS range, you want to run 4 gauge. From 1000 – 1500 watts RMS you should be running 2 gauge. Over 1500 watts RMS you need 0 gauge and a few other wiring and vehicle upgrades.
Not every wire is created equally. Take a look at the picture above. One is Stinger 4 gauge wire and it runs $2.99 a foot. The other is DB Link 4 gauge and it runs $1.99 a foot. What’s the difference? Why should you buy the more expensive amplifier power wire? Take a closer look at it.
The cheap amplifier wiring has some silver mixed in the strands. That silver wire you see mixed in with the copper is aluminum. Maybe you haven’t heard, but aluminum is not nearly as conductive as copper. This means the cheaper power wire is not capable of carrying as much current as the Stinger power wire which is 100 % oxygen free copper wire. The other important thing to note here is the difference in the shielding. The cheaper stuff has much less shielding. The other tell tale quality difference which you can’t really see, but can easily feel, is the weight of the wire. The cheap DB Link wire is feather light compared to the real copper wire. A good quality amp kit should be pretty heavy. A decent 4 gauge kit with RCA, fuse, fuse holder and 20 feet of wire usually weights around 8-10 lbs.
The weight difference has a lot to do with the wire being 100 percent oxygen free copper, which is heavier than aluminum, and also has to do with having more strands of wire. You can see the Stinger wire has more strands and they are tighter and more compact. The cheaper DB Link wire at $1.99 a foot, with less wire and more aluminum, is as effective as a decent 8 gauge wire. And guess how much a decent 8 gauge wire goes for: $1.49 per foot.
When it comes to amplifier wiring for your car stereo system, don’t cheap out. Don’t you want to get all the power you paid for? If your amp is capable of 1000 watts RMS then it requires 4 gauge wire. Give it what it needs. If you don’t, you end up starving your amp for power. When you restrict the output that your amp is capable of you risk clipping the amp, which causes distortion which can blow your speakers. Besides using the proper gauge power and ground wire for your car audio amplifier, you also need to get the right size fuse for your inline fuse holder.
How do you know what size fuse to use at the battery on your inline fuse holder? Easy. What size fuses are on your amp? If you have two 30 amp fuses on the side of your amp, you would want to have a 60 amp inline fuse on your power wire. If you had two 40 amp fuses, you’d want to get an 80 amp inline fuse. This is kind of important because fuses are only available in certain sizes and in certain styles. Glass cylinder style fuses (also known as AGU Fuses) are usually available in 40 amp, 60 amp or 80 amp ratings and are usually designed for fuse holders that can accommodate 4 or 8 gauge wire.
Examples of ANL, MIDI and AGU fuses
The next one up is the MIDI style fuse. The MIDI style fuse has two hooks, one at each end and a small plastic body in the middle. Midi style fuses are usually available in 40 amp, 60 amp, 80 amp, 100 amp, 125 amp, and 150 amp ratings. The fuse holders that are designed for MIDI style fuses are usually designed to accommodate 4 or 8 gauge wire. For larger amperage and larger gauge wire we have ANL style fuses. These are like giant MIDI fuses. They also have two hooks, one at each end and a plastic body in the middle. ANL fuses are usually available in 100 amp, 125 amp, 150 amp, 200 amp, 250 amp and 300 amp ratings. The fuse holders designed for ANL style fuses are usually designed to handle either 0 gauge, 2 gauge or 4 gauge.
So how much wire do you really need anyhow? This is something most amp kits do get right. For your average car, you will need about 17 – 18 feet for power and no more than 3 feet for ground (the shorter the better on the ground wire). It’s always better to have extra than to come up short after going through all of the trouble of running the wire. Larger SUV’s may need closer to 20 feet if you plan on mounting the amplifiers in rear. In our shop, we get creative with our amplifier mounting locations. Even in larger SUV’s, we usually don’t need anything longer than 18 feet for power wire. It’s better to hide the amp (or amps) in a quarter panel or underneath a seat rather than extend power wire all the way to the rear cargo area of a large SUV. For most vehicles, plan on at least 17 feet for power and 2-3 feet for ground.
Tip: you always need to match the gauge or your ground wire with the gauge of your power wire.
Here’s a short and sweet guide to ensure you get the proper size inline fuse and correct gauge power and ground wire for your car stereo amplifier:
#1 Check the fuses on your current amp. Total them up. That’s about what size fuse you need for your inline fuse holder. Note: you can’t always get the same exact rating, just get close to it. Its safer to round the number down to the closest number rather than rounding up.
#2 Know the RMS rating of your car stereo amplifier so you can determine the proper gauge power and ground wire. Here is are some rough estimates that can help you:
Up to 500 watts RMS = 8 gauge
500 – 1000 watts RMS = 4 gauge
1000 – 1500 watts RMS = 2 gauge
1500 -2000 wats RMS = 0 gauge
Update: Recently a helpful reader named Mike pointed out another very valuable tip in this process:The current capacity of the wire must always be more than that of the inline fuse. If the wire AWG is selected correctly, it shouldn’t be an issue but this is a very important part of the circuit design. After selecting the inline fuse value and wire gauge, it must be verified that the wire actually purchased (and length used) can handle the more current than the inline fuse.
#3 Don’t forget, your power wire must be the same gauge as your ground wire, always.
#4 You will need about 17 – 18 feet of power wire and 2 – 3 feet of ground wire for your average vehicle.
#5 Don’t cheap out! Buy 100 percent oxygen free copper wire. If you buy cheap power and ground wire for your amp you’ll risk starving your amp for power which means you have a higher chance of clipping the amp, thus playing distortion and eventually blowing your speakers. Remember, you get what you pay for. Buy quality power and ground wire.
*Just as a side note, if you’re running 1000 – 1500 watts RMS consider upgrading your alternator or at least installing a capacitor. If you’re running 1500 – 2000 watts RMS then you definitely need to upgrade your alternator, your power wire to the alternator, battery ground wire and chassis ground.
Now that you know what you need, go out and get it and install that car stereo amplifier with confidence! Still not confident after reading this post? Just make a comment or shoot me an email if you have any questions or even if you just need a little reassurance. That’s what I’m here for. Thanks for reading!
Maybe you just bought a used car and it’s got a nice discount because there’s a big old whole in the dash where your stereo should be. Or maybe you should have taken off the detachable face off that nice aftermarket radio you had in your car because someone decided to steal it from your car last night. Whatever the case may be, you are now in the process of trying to put a new stereo in your car, but there’s no harness, it’s been cut. And the factory wiring harness is in no way close to universal. So how do you figure out what’s what?
Tools you will need: A battery popper, a multimeter, wire strippers, electrical tape, thin masking tape and a marker.
What is a battery popper you ask? It’s a fancy little contraption that anyone can make using some speaker wire and any old battery that works (AA, AAA, D, 9V, whatever). You take your speaker wire and tape the negative side to the negative side of the battery. Then you take the positive side of the speaker wire and tape it to the positive side of your battery. Now you have a battery popper.
Plain old AA battery with speaker wire electrically taped to it and probes crimped on = Battery Popper
You can then take this little device and hook it up to speaker wires to determine what’s what. When you get a pair of speaker wires, you will hear that speaker make a rustling or popping sound. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt the speaker. Next up is the multimeter.
Trusty multimeter
The 1st thing you have to figure out is switched 12 volt power, constant 12 volt power, ground, and illumination if equipped. You will need your multimeter to figure this out. What you need to do is take the negative probe of your multimeter and put it to a known ground point in the car, you can usually find one in the radio chassis or near by.
Put your negative probe to ground and get ready to test for your constant power, switched power, ground and more.
Then take your positive probe of your multimeter and measure it against a possible power wire in the stock harness. Switch your multimeter to DC Voltage. Once you get a 12 volt reading (with the car’s ignition off), then you know you’ve got 12 volt constant or your Yellow wire. Use your masking tape and marker to mark this wire so you know what it is.
Using a multimeter to find constant power.
What if none of the wires in the dash give you 12 volts? Then you probably have a blown fuse in the car. If someone left bare wires in the dash and a power wire touches another wire, ground or metal in the car, the fuse for the radio and possibly other accessories in the car would blow. So, don’t despair if you have no power reading, you probably just have a blown fuse.
So check your fuses if that happens, and remember that sometimes they look okay, but they’re really not. You should use your multimeter to test fuses. Put one end to each side of the fuse and put your multimeter to the ohms position. If the fuse is good, you will get some type of reading. If you don’t get any type of reading or fluctuation, you know the fuse is bad. Separate all the wires in the dash, replace the fuse, and continue on where you left off, easy as that.
Once you’ve got your constant power reading and know what wire that is and you’ve taped it off and labeled it, you can move on to finding switched 12 volt power. Do the same thing you did to find constant. Put your negative probe of your meter to ground and the positive end probing a suspected switched power wire. Then see what happens when you turn the car’s ignition on. This wire shouldn’t read anything until you’ve turned the ignition on and it should stop reading when you turn the ignition off. When you’ve found switched 12 volt power, the meter will read 12 volts only after the ignition has been turned on. Once you’ve found this, you will know that’s your Red wire for your head unit. Tape it off and mark it with your marker so you know what it is.
During the whole process, make sure you are using your electrical tape to tape off the bare ends of the wire once you’re done testing it. We don’t want those wires touching each other and popping any fuses.
To find ground, put your multimeter on the ohms setting. Put your negative probe on the chassis for ground. Then take your power probe and probe the suspect wires for a ground. When it reads 0, or close to it, you’ve got ground. Remember to tape off the bare wire with electrical tape and mark it with your masking tape and marker so you know it’s your ground wire.
Using a multimeter to find ground in your stereo wiring harness.
For illumination, you will be taking the negative probe from your multimeter and putting it to ground, and your positive probe will be checking each wire. With your positive probe on a bare wire, turn the parking lights on and off. Test each wire in this manner. If your car has an illumination wire, and you get the right wire when testing, your multimeter will read 12 volts when you’ve turned on the parking lights. If you get nothing, don’t worry about it, it just means there is no illumination or dimmer wire for the radio harness.
At this point you should have mostly speaker wires left over. With your multimeter, first measure all of them ignition on and off to make sure there is definitely no power going through those wires.
Next you are going to get your speaker popper tester. Pick a wire and put the negative wire from your speaker popper tester to it. Now, go through each leftover wire with your positive wire of your speaker popper tester. Once you get a pair of speaker wires you will hear that speaker rustling and popping.
Now you will know whatever pair of wires you have in your hand is the “left front speaker wires” or “right rear speaker wires”, or whatever pair you heard. To figure out what’s positive and negative, you will really need a partner. You can do it without one, but it will be more time consuming and unless you have a good ear, might be hard to correct if you get it wrong. So try to get someone to help you out here.
While you pop the speaker, have your partner look at the speaker. If the speaker moves outwards, you have positive and negative correct. If the speaker sucks back in and moves inwards, you have positive and negative reversed. You have to do this for each pair of speaker wires. If you get one speaker out of phase, it will make the whole system sound kind of funky and hollow and it will definitely be lacking in bass.
One you determine a pair of speaker wires and you determine what’s positive and what’s negative, electrical tape off the bare wires and use your masking tape and marker to note what’s what.
It’s very important that you have your phase correct! When you have a pair of speakers and you have positive and negative correct on the left side, but reversed on the right side, what happens is they put each other out of phase. This cancels out certain frequencies (this is how noise canceling devices work). It leaves a hollow sound, and very little bass. So take your time to get it right, it will be well worth it in the end.
After identifying all of your speaker wires, it’s always a good idea to take your multimeter and measure the impedance of all of the speakers in the car. Assuming you aren’t dealing with a factory amplified Bose system, all of the car speakers should read around 4 ohms. This is important as aftermarket head units are only designed to power 4 ohm speakers.
Once you’ve identified all of your wires and you are positive your car speakers are all 4 ohms, get to it and start wiring up your aftermarket radio. Enjoy!
