Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

ANYTHING RELATED TO AUDIO OR VIDEO SYSTEMS WHETHER STOCK OR AFTERMARKET.
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thevalleyboy
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Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by thevalleyboy »

So I decided to relive my youth and install my old stereo equipment into the van. So Big Amp - into the Astro - found the stock amp location - took some photos - haven't really nailed down all the details as yet - but I am going for a budget system - use what I have to install - and buy a few things. I'll replace the rear door (stock subs) with a pair of 6 x 9's soon enough but thought I'd share my covert amp install so far. Just the beginning.... stay tuned....

Here's links to photo's on my flickr page.... I want to save bandwidth for the site....

Stock Amp
More Stock Amp
Size of New Covert Amp
Room for Amps Behind Stock Panel
New Amp Installed
Stock Amp Location
2001 Astro LT AWD - SOLD @ 180,200KM
Now I got a 2006 Ford Expedition King Ranch 4 x 4
to pull a Hybrid RV - 2006 Kodiak 235
Calgary, Alberta
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WVKayaker
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by WVKayaker »

Cool stuff, looking forward to your progress....
1999 AWD Astro purchased January 2007
2" Overland Vans Lift Kit, Add-a-Leaf, Shackles, Torsion Bars Cranked 1"
AGM Deep Cycle Marine Battery w/Isolator
Helwig Rear Anti-Sway Bar
Auburn Gear Pro Series Limited-Slip Differential
BFG AT KO 235/75/15
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Dearly Departed 1990 RWD Shorty owned since day one.
Sold Feb 2007 with 193k miles.

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phr1$k37
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by phr1$k37 »


Yahoo! That is where the AMP is! I was looking in the wrong spot! hah ha. Thank you so much! Now to add this to my to-do-list.
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"
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WVKayaker
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by WVKayaker »

Just an FYI...The stock 6.5" speakers are full range. The stock "amp" sends the lower frequencies to these so called "subs"....I removed my "amp" box and spliced the existing speaker wires to my real amp. Also replaced the stock 6.5" speakers with a pair of Polk Audio's. Still running the stock pillar speaker. Haven't made a decision there on replacements yet...
1999 AWD Astro purchased January 2007
2" Overland Vans Lift Kit, Add-a-Leaf, Shackles, Torsion Bars Cranked 1"
AGM Deep Cycle Marine Battery w/Isolator
Helwig Rear Anti-Sway Bar
Auburn Gear Pro Series Limited-Slip Differential
BFG AT KO 235/75/15
Cragar Nomad I Wheels

Dearly Departed 1990 RWD Shorty owned since day one.
Sold Feb 2007 with 193k miles.

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phr1$k37
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by phr1$k37 »


VB I hope your root canal went well :D
Just curious do you have any close-up photos of the stock amp? I want to know the size and what it is to find a good stock replacement.
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"
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meetthespeakers
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by meetthespeakers »

May be a dumb question...but I replaced my stock head unit with a aiwa headunit and an adapter to plug it into the stock harness. I replaced all my speakers as well in the doors and rear. Are the speakers still being powered of the factory amp, or the headunit? And if you remove the factory amp do you just splice into the wires there to replace it with an aftermarket unit? Thanks guys :dunce:
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phr1$k37
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by phr1$k37 »


If you still have the stock amp in place, yes it is going through that - you didnt run new wires. So that being said, time to replace that amp eh? Guess it depends with what you want.
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"

Rebel
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by Rebel »

Good question,,I did the same ???????????
89 Astro, 350 V-8, Shaved doors, Filled Slider, Corvette IRS, 94 Mustang GT Rack & Pinion(Thanks to Skip), Cad Tail lights from SoCalliV8 ( RIP) Miss you my friend.

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meetthespeakers
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by meetthespeakers »

phr1$k37 wrote:
If you still have the stock amp in place, yes it is going through that - you didnt run new wires. So that being said, time to replace that amp eh? Guess it depends with what you want.
Wow, I never knew that... well I guess the question is how much is the stock factory amp putting out? So even if your Aftermarket headunit is putting out lets say 4x20rms @ 4ohm, and its going through the factory amp its using the amps watts, and not the headunits? I wonder if you take the stock amp out if it will sound better? I am starting to think about a 5 channel amp though now, and rewiring everything, I just did not want to if I could just splice in...
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phr1$k37
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by phr1$k37 »


Looks like you two are gonna have to pull of the side to find that amp!!! :) IF amp = garbage ... garbage comes out. You can by-pass it if you want. I have not checked mine yet but it was the premium sound system package and I KNOW I have an amp in line. When I put in the JVC head unit it was louder than it was suppose to be as well the rear panel speakers would distort at louder volumes do to the cheap lo-band method used by GM (good enough with stock stuff). The rear pillar speakers have the caps to filter for hi-band only so when changing those just cut them off.
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"
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meetthespeakers
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by meetthespeakers »

Interesting. I'll have to check it out when I get home. If so, I am planning on dynomating the entire van in a month or so. Installing black carpet, dying the trim black etc. Maybe that will be the time to add the amp and run the wiring from the headunit and such...

I am just disappointed with my current setup just cause it lacks mids. I wonder if the stock amp has anything to do with it....

Infinity Kappa 6.5 in the doors, 6x9's in the rear doors. I just purchased some polk momo 4x6 plates for the pillar.
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1993 Astro, 1973 Austin Mini Clubman Estate, 1980 Trabant, 1961 Morris Minor

phr1$k37
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by phr1$k37 »


Well another easy test you can do is disconnect the pillars, using the head unit compare the sound coming out from front speakers vs rear speakers. Sound different? Stock AMP with GM thinking -D
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"

91AWDAstro
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by 91AWDAstro »

Hey post some pics of your work! I'm not sure how the newer vans are set up, but it sounds like the rears are the same. You can check my SQ install on the changes I did. I didn't utilize any of the factory speaker wiring.
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by phr1$k37 »


What is SQ install?

REally? sounds the same!? Mine you can hear the lost of mid / high in the rear speakers - I get the muffled sound. Again I had the factory premium sound package. Amp is there. Not sure about yours then.
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"
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meetthespeakers
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Re: Rear Amp Upgrade and Stock Amp Location

Post by meetthespeakers »

I dug into my van, and I don't see the factory amp. Mind you mine is base of base vans, only option it had was AWD and power locks, that's it. Anyway, I haven't had the 4x6's hooked up since I installed the 6x9's, but I just ordered some Polk Momo 4x6 plate speakers. This summer I will probably switch to a 5 channel amp, dynamat the whole van, and go with a down firing 10" in the center console I made. :cheers:
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1993 Astro, 1973 Austin Mini Clubman Estate, 1980 Trabant, 1961 Morris Minor
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