Difference between RF audio systems?

[Minority]

I got my Scosche 106b wiring harness for the Kizashi with Rockford Fosgate system and pulled apart the "black box" to see what was inside.
With just a few resistors for each speaker channel it looks like a pretty standard passive LOC (confirming I think Naviguy's theory)



As the double din unit I am fitting has 4v pre-outs I think I'll bypass the LOC and connect them to the Rockford amp. My only concern is that with 4v pre-outs I might be able to overdrive the amp/speakers and blow something up!

If I'd known for sure that all the "black box" was was a high to low converter, I would have got the 105b harness and saved myself $4.00 and some work!

[JakeRam]

Are the wires not going through the box your new ones? I'm wondering in order to see if my next question makes any sense. It seems the wires going through the box would be left & right front and left & right rear - no sub. Would you say that's correct? I've been wondering if there is a dedicated sub line going from the front of the car to the back. From what I've read here, I don't think so and if this logic is correct that would seem to confirm it. Also seems confirmation that the amp is looking for speaker level inputs, I wounder why they would do that???

[Minority]

Are the wires not going through the box your new ones? I'm wondering in order to see if my next question makes any sense. It seems the wires going through the box would be left & right front and left & right rear - no sub. Would you say that's correct? I've been wondering if there is a dedicated sub line going from the front of the car to the back. From what I've read here, I don't think so and if this logic is correct that would seem to confirm it. Also seems confirmation that the amp is looking for speaker level inputs, I wounder why they would do that???

The wires not going through the box are 12v power (constant and switched), ground, illumination and amp control (remote switch on), I haven't got round to adding the preamp out connections yet. There is no sub connection running from the HU to the amp just front left & right and rear left & right (+ the remote switch on for the amp) just as you said.

[JakeRam]

Hmmm...again, I have to wonder "why?"...why not just do it the "right way". It seems the difference in cost would be insignificant...especially in a car where they otherwise have shown to often NOT take the cheap route (see the "attention to detail" thread). Why not just run left/right - front/back - sub on line-outs to an amp designed for that and output appropriately, including mono sub? I'm far from an expert here (probably apparent), but having done a few installs "back in the day" I get the gist of it and the logic seems straightforward enough. And, BTW, have both style head units work that way. Same set of cables, same amp, plug-and-play. Oh well, somebody smarter and better paid then me must have some reason (unless it was an accountant who made the decision

[Minority]

Hmmm...again, I have to wonder "why?"...why not just do it the "right way".

My guess is that as the nav install is not done by Suzuki at the factory (as far as I am aware), the installer looked for the easiest way. This turned out to be the readymade Scoshe 106b harness and the Scoshe 106b was a generic solution for any aftermarket stereo, even the ones without low level outputs, hence the LOC method.

[davemarco]

I have been following this discussion for quite some time, and I must say that I am grateful for the knowledge and experience of the individuals on here. This is, regretfully, the ONLY thread on the internet currently working on this problem.

Would it be possible, once a resolution is reached, for someone to make a short list of instructions (parts to buy, etc.) that the layperson might be able to use? Even if I don't plan on doing the work myself, it would definitely help to have a simple description of what I want done to share with a professional Audio tech.

Keep fighting the good fight, and know that there are many Kizashi owners silently awaiting the results of your tests!

[MrMayhem4]

I am currently getting a new paint job on my 2011 Kizashi under warranty for paint chips...Now I noticed my stereo audio quality sucks on the Kenwood Nav unit! What a joke! I hope this thread can find some answers. I wish I could help but I am not an audio expert in the slightest.

Can someone post the optimal settings at least to set the unit at?

[JakeRam]

All these people who say the audio quality sucks must have a much more discerning ear than I do. Although I think it's silly Suzuki wouldn't have hooked up the system optimally, I think the system sounds pretty darn good -- maybe just not as good as it could is all I'm thinking. If people are truly getting suckish sound then I guess I got lucky somehow...or my ears are going faster than I thought
All the equipment is good - the head unit, the amp, the speakers...from what I've read not *great* but good...it's hard to believe it could have been hooked up so poorly that all that "good" went straight to "suck".

[MrMayhem4]

It doesn't suck but the bass is severely lacking. You turn it up all the way and it changes nothing. You might as well forget about there being a woofer in the trunk because I haven't heard it once since I have had my Kizashi.

[Minority]

Finally got all the peices together for my double din HU to replace the standard Rockford Fosgate (Panasonic) HU and installed it this weekend! All went well and I will post pics and a write-up soon.