LS - 1st and 2nd Gen (1990-2000) Discussion topics related to the 1990 - 2000 Lexus LS400

Help: 2000 LS400 Nak to Aftermarket Conversion

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Old 07-02-14 | 07:43 AM
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Any idea which wires I am supposed to splice?
Otherwise I'm going to BestBuy to fix the issue.

Thanks Kansas!
Old 07-02-14 | 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by bornking
Any idea which wires I am supposed to splice?
Otherwise I'm going to BestBuy to fix the issue.

Thanks Kansas!
No splicing or cutting of wires was done by my Best Buy installer either on the Kenwood's or car's harness. He simply connected the pins on the Kenwood's female molex type connector to the corresponding pins on the car's molex type connector leading to the Nak amp using short lengths of wire on which he put pins on each end - essentially fabricated a little interface harness. People have speculated that the pins included resisters. The install took three hours and fabricating the interface harness took maybe half that time. Maybe your Kenwood only has RCA outputs. My DDX470 had a molex type connector that contained all the outputs.
Old 07-02-14 | 01:04 PM
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I think you are right Kansas.
I have the original connectors still.
I have an appointment with a car audio installer at futureshop who has heard of my issue this Tuesday.
I hope it solves my issue because I'd rather keep all my amps and speakers stock.

I am however thinking of plasti dipping my car. But that's on another thread.
Old 07-08-14 | 08:23 AM
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I need your help Kansas.
I just took the car to the audio installer.
He seems to think that there is no way to turn on the amp.
He says it takes a digital signal to turn on and there is no way to do it.
I don't believe him.
Kansas, can you give me the name of the person who installed yours?
Perhaps I can ask him what he did or where I can get it installed correctly?

Thank you!
Old 07-08-14 | 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by bornking
I need your help Kansas.
I just took the car to the audio installer.
He seems to think that there is no way to turn on the amp.
He says it takes a digital signal to turn on and there is no way to do it.
I don't believe him.
Kansas, can you give me the name of the person who installed yours?
Perhaps I can ask him what he did or where I can get it installed correctly?

Thank you!
I don't know if the guy still works at the Best Buy store near me and I doubt that he is going to remember the specifics even if I can find him.

I don't understand why your installer can't figure this out. Maybe you should look for another installer? Like I said, all the installer did was to connect the outputs of my Kenwood DDX470 with the inputs on the OEM connector leading to the Nakamichi amp. We discussed the details of the installation before I committed to the purchase and it wasn't any more complicated than that except that I don't know what type of pin connectors he used on the wiring harness he fabricated for use between the Kenwood and Nakamichi connectors.
Old 07-09-14 | 12:13 PM
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Sounds like you need a wiring diagram, wire strippers, butt connectors, pliers, a lighter, and a swift kick in the pants to get to work since your installer can't figure it out.. I mean at the very least download the NAK wiring diagram and give it to him and tell him "What do I pay you for?"
Old 07-12-14 | 02:57 PM
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Just left Number 1 Audio in downtown Toronto. They said there is no way to turn on the amp because it needs a digital signal.

I called another audio place and they also said the same thing.

Bah.

The owner at Number 1 Audio said he will ask his specialist if he can make something turn on my amp but I am really stuck.

I don't want to spend $$$ on a whole new amp because I'd have to replace other stuff.

Ugh

I really need help

I wish I could see which wires go to which so I could just solder them myself.

The wiring diagram i have for the 2000 nakamichi is very confusing.
Old 07-12-14 | 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by bornking
Just left Number 1 Audio in downtown Toronto. They said there is no way to turn on the amp because it needs a digital signal.

I called another audio place and they also said the same thing.

Bah.

The owner at Number 1 Audio said he will ask his specialist if he can make something turn on my amp but I am really stuck.

I don't want to spend $$$ on a whole new amp because I'd have to replace other stuff.

Ugh

I really need help

I wish I could see which wires go to which so I could just solder them myself.

The wiring diagram i have for the 2000 nakamichi is very confusing.
I feel your pain. When my money is right, I will be replacing everything with hopefully some extremely high quality stuff. Just pony up the cash and replace the amp and the sub. If your door speakers are ok, then you dont have to replace them...

Not the ideal scenario but Nakamichi really screwed the pooch with their "we have to be different" approach to their oem designs.
Old 07-12-14 | 05:21 PM
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You can't read this? https://www.clublexus.com/forums/att...em-diagram.pdf

Originally Posted by bornking
Just left Number 1 Audio in downtown Toronto. They said there is no way to turn on the amp because it needs a digital signal.

I called another audio place and they also said the same thing.

Bah.

The owner at Number 1 Audio said he will ask his specialist if he can make something turn on my amp but I am really stuck.

I don't want to spend $$$ on a whole new amp because I'd have to replace other stuff.

Ugh

I really need help

I wish I could see which wires go to which so I could just solder them myself.

The wiring diagram i have for the 2000 nakamichi is very confusing.
Old 07-12-14 | 06:29 PM
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Yes I can read it but I don't know which wire to connect for turning on the amp. And if the Kenwood Doesn't use a digital signal to turn on the amp...then where do I connect it?
Old 07-12-14 | 06:32 PM
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Originally Posted by bornking
Just left Number 1 Audio in downtown Toronto. They said there is no way to turn on the amp because it needs a digital signal.

I called another audio place and they also said the same thing.

Bah.

The owner at Number 1 Audio said he will ask his specialist if he can make something turn on my amp but I am really stuck.

I don't want to spend $$$ on a whole new amp because I'd have to replace other stuff.

Ugh

I really need help

I wish I could see which wires go to which so I could just solder them myself.

The wiring diagram i have for the 2000 nakamichi is very confusing.
The responses you are getting from installers is patently ridiculous. I'm not the only person who has had an aftermarket head unit installed using the Nakamichi amp. There have been threads in the past in the audio forum.

Did you show the installer the Nakamichi diagram? Do these guys just want to sell you their stuff? It took my installer maybe five minutes of reviewing the Nak diagram I provided him to figure out how to do it.

I can't figure this out for you but I can tell you that my Kenwood DDX470 worked wonderfully well with the Nakamichi amp in the 2000 LS400 I sold in April. Damn, maybe that's why my grandfather bailed out of Ontario (London area) and emigrated to the U.S. - he couldn't find a decent audio installer! LOL.

No wire cutting, splicing or soldering was necessary to use the OEM Nak amp with my Kenwood. The original Nak head unit could be reinstalled in a few minutes by just unplugging the Kenwood from the Nak amp connectors and plugging the Nak head unit connectors back into the Nak amp connector.

Last edited by Kansas; 07-12-14 at 06:42 PM.
Old 07-12-14 | 06:57 PM
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What one user did on his 95:
Take the Pink wire with blue line (i think it was a blue line, just look at the pin location on the plug) from pin 11 plug B and solder that wire to the "REMOTE" or "SYSTEM REMOTE CONTROL" lead on your new head unit. This will turn on the factory amplifier.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...995-ls400.html

Seems to correspond to pin 11 on the A plug in your model.
Old 07-12-14 | 07:57 PM
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Originally Posted by aptoslexus
What one user did on his 95:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...995-ls400.html

Seems to correspond to pin 11 on the A plug in your model.
Looks like on the NAK diagram the AMP+ wire is pink with a blue stripe. its on pin 6 on the A plug though. I read through that thread. Its for the Pioneer system unfortunately. Doubt it will work but worth mentioning I guess.

And i wholeheartedly agree with Kansas. Your AUDIO installer can't figure out an AUDIO wiring diagram? Take it to best buy. Seems they have more qualified installers. -__-

Last edited by RugbyDad; 07-12-14 at 08:03 PM.
Old 07-12-14 | 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by RugbyDad
Looks like on the NAK diagram the AMP+ wire is pink with a blue stripe. its on pin 6 on the A plug though. I read through that thread. Its for the Pioneer system unfortunately.

And i wholeheartedly agree with Kansas. Your AUDIO installer can't figure out an AUDIO wiring diagram? Take it to best buy. Seems they have more qualified installers. -__-
The AMP+ wire is labeled "PNK/BLK" on the 98-00 LS400 Nakamichi diagram which I think is pink/black instead of pink/blue.
Old 07-12-14 | 08:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Kansas
The AMP+ wire is labeled "PNK/BLK" on the 98-00 LS400 Nakamichi diagram which I think is pink/black instead of pink/blue.
look on the amp side of that same wire. It says pink/blue. weird? yes.



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