Hiding amp in avant and fixing rattles

**Fast4esT** · 08-05-2016 03:23 PM

Just hooked up a small alpine 5 channel amp to replace the Bose amp. I ran rca cables from the Symphony 2+ headunit along driver side, and ran 2 gauge power cable along passanger side.
Re used the original speaker wiring harness. I also ripped apart a spare Bose amp to use the plug so I didn't have to cut any factory wires, it's plug and play now.
Still messing with the gains and crossover and sub frequencies, I am also still using the factory Bose speakers and itty bitty sub.
This has picked up a lot of punch.

Where can I hide the amp in the back of the avant? I'm thinking maybe the driver side storage compartment and run wires under the plastic floor panel. Tried to put amp under the floor panel but it's a litte too tall.

Also, my door handles are all rattling, how can I fix that?

Thanks

**old guy** · 08-05-2016 03:28 PM

Clicky click®

**Fast4esT** · 08-05-2016 03:43 PM

Sweet thanks OG!

**Charles.waite** · 08-05-2016 04:32 PM

I actually removed the whole rear sub enclosure and fabricated an amp mount out of some plywood. I just painted it matte black and my buddy helped make a template with some cardboard and used a jigsaw to cut the rough shape.

I haven't actually mounted it however since right after I did that work I switched jobs onto a different contract and have been too busy with various other things to finish it up. There is a slim change I might actually be doing a bit more work on it this weekend but I haven't decided yet.

How were you able to re-use the bose amp plug? I would love to be able to use the amp side connector to make an adapter harness for my Alpine PDX-5 (to retain the ability to return to stock if need be, and it would be pretty slick IMO). Were there wire leads on the inside of the amp you could snip off and use? I'm not even Bose so there's no point in even bothering to save the cheap stock amp...

**Natolob** · 08-05-2016 06:07 PM

Well, you could use wire taps to get the signal. When you want to return to stock, simply unclip them. It's not perfect, but it worked for me when I wanted to add a sub to the factory radio when I first got my A4. Since then I've redone everything, wiring to speakers, etc.

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**Charles.waite** · 08-05-2016 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Natolob

Well, you could use wire taps to get the signal. When you want to return to stock, simply unclip them. It's not perfect, but it worked for me when I wanted to add a sub to the factory radio when I first got my A4. Since then I've redone everything, wiring to speakers, etc.

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Yea taps were my initial thought. I'll probably do that I would imagine.

**Natolob** · 08-05-2016 06:15 PM

Be careful, the wires may be brittle and break. Had that happen on my front doors. PITA fix, but it won't break again.

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**Fast4esT** · 08-06-2016 10:54 AM

There are not any wire leads on the amp plug, the pins run straight through the plug and are soldered onto the circuit board. It was a pita breaking it free from the circuit board. The pins are long enough to connect speaker wire to, I'm just using butt connectors right now until I figure out what to use.

No Bose? So you still need to run wiring to the front speakers, not a big deal but little more difficult.

**Charles.waite** · 08-06-2016 11:54 AM

Yea. Running the wiring has been my main holdup. Speakers have been installed for 8 months already.

**Fast4esT** · 08-06-2016 01:58 PM

Easiest way might just run rcas back to the amp and run speaker wire back up to the headunit and tap into the front speakers there. You won't have to run any new wire to the doors
There's plenty of room under the carpet along the sides and is easy to access

**Charles.waite** · 08-06-2016 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Fast4esT

Easiest way might just run rcas back to the amp and run speaker wire back up to the headunit and tap into the front speakers there. You won't have to run any new wire to the doors
There's plenty of room under the carpet along the sides and is easy to access

That's the plan exactly, haha. Pulling the line-out at the headunit, running that to the back amp and running speaker cables back up and tap into the front speaker wires there.

Running them through the doors sounds awful! I don't want to do that unless I absolutely have to.

**Fast4esT** · 08-06-2016 03:40 PM

There's no need I don't believe, the factory speaker wiring is good, I think it's 16 gauge.
You can have it wired up in less than 2 hours

**diagnosticator** · 08-06-2016 10:03 PM

There is a lot of room for the amp in the driver's side electronics compartment, under the cargo compartment cover just forward of the hatch opening. Removing the compartment cover can be a challenge , don't get in rush or you could break something.