Im getting to the point Ill probably sell my car before I put in any audio. Anyway, I was wondering about the possibility of wiring in a subwoofer amp myself, but I dont want to buy an aftermarket head unit or play with yards of RCA cable. I was wondering if I could *somehow* tap into the stock amp in the trunk to get a signal (but leave the rear speakers functional too). Can anyone help me out on this? Do I have to worry about tricky biamplification crap or am I just being overly cautious again? A link, email, or post, hell anything, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

hi hi hi hi hi,,

you can tap the low level signal from the head unit at the trunk at the amp connector, also tap the remote turn on. you can do this by stripping back a bit of insulation of the wires and soldering your new wire to form a tap,,, don't use those shit crimp on wire taps.

or, it seems that bavauto sells their subwoofer kit that taps the signal here as well and, i don't know how good their sub is, but they have the connector so you just snap it in w/o hassling with a soldering iron while you are lying upside down in your trunk soldering above your head... sounds fun huh? wear saftely glasses!

just wanna kinda followup on what pika said. it's easy as CAKE installing a sub in an e36 with everything completely stock. the power and ground are both right there in the trunk w/the battery....remote wire is the white wire feeding into the amp...and all you'll need is the high/low converter. 2 wires tap into the rear speakers....out the other end comes RCA's which go to the amp....and feed short speaker wire (2-3 feet) long out to the sub.....its ALL done in the trunk...like butter baby ;)

seedster> howcome most people prefer to get the signal for their subwoofer by tapping into one of the rear speakers. it seems easier to get the signal at the stock amp connector input b4 it gets amplified so that a high/low converter isn't necessary.

reason being just that.....that it isn't amplified.....sound comes out weak and shitty.....with the high low converter.....high input comes in.....a nice and relatively clean low comes out. if you're amp supports high level inputs (like fosgates)....even better. but the signal from the headunit is very very weak and doesn't carry much signal....almost like RCA's....the sub wont hit at all (i've tried).

Seedster correct...

I did the my first sub install in my 318is ( no factory amp) by using a Clarion Mono Amp that had High Level inputs.
The remote was pulled from the CD changer plug.
Was running 2 10" Fosgate XLC subs...

Very nice sound even when using stock speakers, but limited control on the stereo for the bass.

Also added resistors or what are also know as Bass Filters to the rear speaker so that you can turn up bass and not hear the annoying 4" woofer puffing!!
Heh heh

Hope this helps!!

ELIBEEMER

Originally posted by ELIBEEMER
Seedster correct...


when is he not?????????????? HAHA!

okay buddy!!!(should I say Tough Guy) Let's not get cocky...

HEH HEH heh!!

Hey Just saw you Fog Conversion, Nice jop man!!

I did an 100watt H3 conversion a long time ago, but your conversion blew my mind...

Any tickets on the fogs?? Do you turn them off when you spot a cop ahead??

that's odd,,, i kept the stock headunit as the source for my system b4 i got a new headunit and, with the stock low level output, it got just as loud as with the aftermarket head i have now.

Originally posted by ELIBEEMER

Any tickets on the fogs?? Do you turn them off when you spot a cop ahead??

no tickets on the fogs...why would there be? they're not aimed high....just put out a nice clean light output. i've even had 4 CHPs (on 4 separate occasions) pull me over at night (for clear corners)....and ask me to turn on all my lights in the front.....upon close examination.....they said i was ok and good to go (mind you I have 100W h1 superwhite headlights.....superwhite (almost look blue) city lights......and the superwhite h7 fogs....no hassle! =)

Question, i have a pioneer 8200 and it has an option to control the sub. Would i need to run the RCA's. It seems like the control would be really helpful?