CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

I am losing my mind. I am not exaggerating when I say I have been searching for an hour.
I even emailed the link to myself!!!
There was one reallll awesome write up, pics and everything to add a sub to the stock head unit.
Please help

DrexLex

This article is probably the one you seek. It shows the installation of the 4080 sub/enclosure in the trunk, with new amp and signal converter module.

However, if you choose the right amplifier, you don't need the signal converter. The Kicker DIY in my sig explains more about it, and some easier ways to run the wires w/o removing the battery or trim panel at rear seat.

CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, thats exactly what I was looking for.
I'm still a bit confused as to where I grab audio signal. My car is the ML just like yours. I did buy an amp already and I bought a Line output converter already.
Thanks

DrexLex

Your audio signals come from the existing amplifier's speaker outputs. The wires currently feeding the sub get cut and routed into the new amplifier (either via the convertor or, if the amp accepts hi level inputs, directly). Just as is shown in post #3 of the 4080 link.

The wires he extended are the ones from the amp. The short sections remaining at the speaker are just left unused.

CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

you are the best!! I am so excited to finish this project tonight and I believe that was the last bit of info I needed.

CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

nevermind. I thought I could do this tonight but the sub and wires shown in the write up look totally different then the ML sub.
I only see 2 wires and they are real taught. Im not sure if I should splice into these or even really how I will be able to get enough slack to splice. Can I take from the amp?
Thanks

TwentyTen

Has anyone pulled the ML sub and replaced it with an amp and JL Audio 10w7?

Darius

DrexLex

You are quite right--our ML system subs only have 2 wires driving it (a single voicecoil), and both are hot (they use bridged amplifiers). I was able to cut/splice a few inches from the sub. Been a while since I did the mod, but I was probably lying on my back in the trunk. Yes, the same wires can be accessed at the amplifier--but it's also tight quarters there. I did tap into the 12v turn-on lead at the amp, though.

The advantage of doing it near the speaker is there's no way to accidentally cut the wrong wires. Since the service manual shows the standard sub and not the ML, I wanted to avoid that mistake.

CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

Ok, i Will try again. I belive my output line converter has 4 wires... how do I turn those 2 wires into 4 wires?

DrexLex

I assume these are the input leads. A + and - for each of 2 input channels. Since the sub is mono, you only need to drive one set, and feed the new sub amp with the corresponding output channel. This also assumes the sub amp is a one-channel unit.

If for some reason you want to drive both inputs (using all 4 wires), just tie the +'s together and the -'s together, then both the converter's outputs will be identical.

CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

UPDATE!! So, I finally got everything working. It took a while cause I'm not so great with this stuff. I hooked up my output line converter and got NO sound, called PAC tech support and they were reallly helpful, the guy told me what to do and it worked GREAT.
The next day on the way to work, listening to my new bass, my car smelled like it was on FIRE. I got to work and the PAC unit was totally melted. I went to the local audio shop where I bought it and they said theyve never seen anything like that. He looked at my car and said I hooked everything up perfect and that it MUST have been a faulty unit. He exchanged the unit for a new one. I called tech support again, and spoke with a different person and he told me a DIFFERENT way to hook it up. So I hooked it up his way, again, worked great. 30 minutes later, I noticed my new PAC was 10000 degrees and STARTING to melt, but nowhere near as bad as the first.
So I sort of stumped, and terrified that I am gonna blow my car up. I guess the SMART thing to do would be to have a professional install it but a professional at a very reputable shop already looked at everything and said I hooked it up the same way that he had hooked up "1000's of the pacs units and never had one melt"..... How do I mess everything up so bad even when I do something that a professional does with no problems.

DrexLex

Are you using the PAC SNI-15 or SNI-35? I'm not really sure even the 35 is right for this application, since the ML amplifier outputs at least 50w to the sub.

Please describe the two different connection hookups. I'm curious how they differ.

CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

Im using the sni-35. The veryyyy first question I asked pac tech support was "I want to make sure I am using the right unit, a sni-35 on my 06 gs430 WITH mark levinson". They said it was fine, they said it's the same thing as the 15 just better cause it can handle more watts (volts? amps? ???).
The FIRST person told me to hook up the white wire with no strip to the positive line and the white wire with a black strip to the negative line and do NOTHING with the brown wires or the gray wires. This DID technically work, I had sound it it seemed to sound ok, not perfect, I thought something still needed to be tweaked, but it did provide bass.
The second guy told me to hook up the BOTH the white and the gray solid to the positive and the white and the gray stripped to the negative. this also worked...

CashOverAs

iTrader: (1)

also, I'm using a 2 channel, bridgeable amp...
maybe I was turning up the gain on the output line converter too high? Maybe the gain on the amp was too high??
is there one variable that could lead to overheating the pac unit more than other variables? I am stumped.

DrexLex

All of the above.

That would work fine for a mono amp, as only one side of the PAC is being driven. Maybe that's why you didn't have any signal the first time you tried it--you might have connected the dead PAC output to your sub amp input.

But that would only be the case if your 2-ch amp had a single mono input option, as some amps do when you only connect the L input and leave the R open. Or maybe it has a mono/stereo switch.

That will cause both channels of the PAC to output an identical signal. That's necessary if your 2-ch amp has no "mono" mode switch.

The PAC is a passive voltage divider, so it cannot be turned up too high--at least as far as damaging itself is concerned. Yes, you might overdrive your amp, but that should not cause smoke in the PAC. The only source of heat in the PAC is the ML amplifier driving it.


So, now that the dust has settled, has your system gone smokeless? Everything working ok? I hope you have no more trouble!