# Sub & Amp Install with Factory Head Unit



## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

Just like the title says, im looking to add just a 10" sub for my cruze, but dont want buy an aftermarket head unit. how extensive is this project? i have the standard speakers, btw. thanks


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Its not that bad of a job. You need a good sub, sub box, amplifier, a pac line out converter, power wiring, and an rca cable. What's your total budget? Do you already have a sub picked out already?

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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

budget is not a problem, was just more concerned with removing the radio since this car is so new. a friend of mine installed his own set up on his grand am with the stock unit but wanted to know of any extra precautions with the cruze and if the install would be about the same amount of work


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

but to answer your question directly, i know which sub i am getting and which pac line. not sure as to the amp or box, and just the standard cables i will get. 

Pac Line: Amazon.com: PAC AA-GM44 Amplifier Integration Interface for Select 2010 and Up GM Vehicles: Automotive

Sub: VIBE Audio SLICK 10-V2 10" Single 4 ohm Slick Series Subwoofer

as you can see, nothing over powering. my wife has the same sub in her tC and i love the sound, even though hers is a hatchback.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

The install is very straightforward if you get the aa-gm44 pac loc. It plugs in drectly between the radio and harness. Pulling the radio is not difficult.

I design sub boxes for free if you want to build it yourself, and I also build them for cheap (for a custom high end box with lots of bracing). See the first link in my signature.

I would go with knukonceptz power wire.

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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

awesome, thanks for the great info!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> awesome, thanks for the great info!


Sure thing. If you have any other questions, let me know.


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## bubby2411 (Sep 3, 2011)

it took me about 20min to run 0 gauge power wire, rca cables, and the remote power wire. It is probably one of the easiest installs that i have done. Only thing i did not like was pulling off the panels to run the wires, pulling them off for the first time is always scary.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

bubby2411 said:


> it took me about 20min to run 0 gauge power wire, rca cables, and the remote power wire. It is probably one of the easiest installs that i have done. Only thing i did not like was pulling off the panels to run the wires, pulling them off for the first time is always scary.


Better now than in several years when the plastics become brittle, right?


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Better now than in several years when the plastics become brittle, right?


Very true. I just busted a friend's door panel, today, on his 2002 Chevy 1500 helping change out his door speakers.

Luckily it's just an old work truck so he wasn't too upset. His son blew the speaker on the driver's side, so he was just happy to have decent sounding tunes again.


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## bubby2411 (Sep 3, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Better now than in several years when the plastics become brittle, right?


yeah i did a install on a 1999 s10 once that dash was ridiclous to get apart i broke one but then i got the second one in there nice and easy like haha


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

bubby2411 said:


> it took me about 20min to run 0 gauge power wire, rca cables, and the remote power wire. It is probably one of the easiest installs that i have done. Only thing i did not like was pulling off the panels to run the wires, pulling them off for the first time is always scary.


that is what i like to hear.

can anyone recommend a quality amp to use with that sub?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> that is what i like to hear.
> 
> can anyone recommend a quality amp to use with that sub?


Which one, the vibe audio sub?


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Which one, the vibe audio sub?


yes


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> yes


Boston Acoustics GT-2125 (gt2125) GT Reference 2-Channel Amplifier


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

Picture 9 of 9 for VIBE Audio Black Box Stereo 2 (BBSTEREO2)

would this amp work? only considering since its the same brand...


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> Picture 9 of 9 for VIBE Audio Black Box Stereo 2 (BBSTEREO2)
> 
> would this amp work? only considering since its the same brand...


Probably. I don't like that it's not CEA Certified. Sure, it's only a certification, but it proves that the amp can deliver its rated power. Some companies like Image Dynamics, Sundown Audio, and Incriminator Audio have a reputation for providing highly underrated specs on their amps so they don't really need a CEA Certification as their reputation is worth a whole lot more, but Vibe Audio isn't really one of those companies in my book.

Then again, the sub probably won't take 350W RMS of thermal power before melting anyway, so it would probably be a good match.

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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Probably. I don't like that it's not CEA Certified. Sure, it's only a certification, but it proves that the amp can deliver its rated power. Some companies like Image Dynamics, Sundown Audio, and Incriminator Audio have a reputation for providing highly underrated specs on their amps so they don't really need a CEA Certification as their reputation is worth a whole lot more, but Vibe Audio isn't really one of those companies in my book.
> 
> Sent from my Bulletproof_Doubleshot using AutoGuide.Com Free App


thats all i needed to hear, thanks!

Also, i got that PAC AA-GM44 and i am very confused. anything you can shed some light on, installation wise? like i've stated before, a friend of mine plans on installing this set-up for me, but this looks pretty advanced and not sure if he's familiar with this.


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

The PAC AA-GM44 is easy, the hardest part is fitting it behind the dash.

This is how it should look before install.









Connect the yellow wire (power) coming from the output to the yellow wire that goes to the radio. Connect the blue with black stripe wire (ground) to the black wire that goes to the radio. This will power the PAC. Cap off the additional black wires these don't get used. Finally the blue wire is for the remote to the amp.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

SkullCruzeRS said:


> The PAC AA-GM44 is easy, the hardest part is fitting it behind the dash.
> 
> This is how it should look before install.
> 
> ...


oh i see now, it came shipped to me with the attachment for just speaker wires. i just needed to unplug that attachment and plug in the "factory harness" attachment, thanks for the pic and quick reply!


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

No problem, that's how I got it too. Just an installation tip the best place for this is in the area above the glove box. It is a very tight fit so add extra length to the power and ground wires. There is no room at all behind the factory stereo. Also turn all the levels on the PAC to max (clockwise).


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

where do you suggest i tap power and use for the ground?


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

You tie into the power and ground wires in the actual harness.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

well heres the final product. my buddy who was suppose to do the install had his first son born on saturday, so i thought i would tackle this myself (first time installing a system by myself). the hardest part was definately finding a place for the PAC. whoever said it was really tight behind the radio wasn't kidding! anyways, on with the pics.


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## myselfalex (Jun 13, 2012)

I am interested in this kind of install as well, I took apart my old Saturn Vue's dash to install an aftermarket deck and amp/sub. The Vue's dash was relatively easy compared to the information I've found on how to get the Cruze's open and apart, despite being somewhat similar in design. My Cruze is brand new as well and I sure don't want to flub any of the interior up, but finding out about this PAC thing sure is helpful, thanks!


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

The dash is very easy to take apart, there is just a lot of pieces to take apart lol. If you have trim removal tools the two silver pieces snap out easy and the rest is just unscrewing. Like I said in a previous post the hardest part about the whole thing is finding the home for the PAC.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

soo im having problems with this amp. it never works in the afternoon. it throws the amber blinking led, meaning its in "thermal lockdown" im assuming its from the heat (been in the 90's here in central iowa). i have all 4 sides of the amp exposed to air, and the two systems i've had before, not once have i had this problem. in the mornings and at night when its a bit cooler, it works no problem. anybody have any ideas on what i can do besides getting a different amp?!?!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> soo im having problems with this amp. it never works in the afternoon. it throws the amber blinking led, meaning its in "thermal lockdown" im assuming its from the heat (been in the 90's here in central iowa). i have all 4 sides of the amp exposed to air, and the two systems i've had before, not once have i had this problem. in the mornings and at night when its a bit cooler, it works no problem. anybody have any ideas on what i can do besides getting a different amp?!?!


How do you have it wired up? Those amps generally run pretty cool. I would know, I've used and installed several of them. You sure you didn't short it out somehow or wire it incorrectly? Personally, I wouldn't have mounted it where you did and how you did, especially considering its designed to be mounted any way you prefer (e.g. underneath the rear deck).

Considering you're even running this at a 4ohm load and the amp is capable of a 2ohm bridged load, I'd say you're either doing something wrong if it's thermally shutting down on you, or you have a defective unit.


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

Have this exact amp and have had zero issues. Used 4 gauge wire for the power and ground which is what is recommended from Boston and we have had some hot days here in WI as well.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

i would assume if i wired incorrectly, it wouldn't work at all, all the time. the fact that it works in the morning, then 9 hours later in the afternoon when im off work and it all of a sudden doesn't work, im looking at the variable which is the temperature. i guess it makes sense to me lol. as far as mounting, i guess i saw others on the forum that mounted it in that location, and was under the impression if i wanted to mount it under the rear deck, i would need to make a rack because installing the amp up-side-down is bad? as far as the 2-ohm / 4-ohm i have no idea what you're talking about ha maybe elaborate? and i also am running a 4 gauge kit from stinger


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> i would assume if i wired incorrectly, it wouldn't work at all, all the time. the fact that it works in the morning, then 9 hours later in the afternoon when im off work and it all of a sudden doesn't work, im looking at the variable which is the temperature. i guess it makes sense to me lol. as far as mounting, i guess i saw others on the forum that mounted it in that location, and was under the impression if i wanted to mount it under the rear deck, i would need to make a rack because installing the amp up-side-down is bad? as far as the 2-ohm / 4-ohm i have no idea what you're talking about ha maybe elaborate? and i also am running a 4 gauge kit from stinger


In order for the amp to shut down due to a thermal issue, you'd be able to cook an egg on it. 120 degrees isn't that temperature, lol. 

Take a picture of how you wired it and where you connected all the wires. I simply don't see the ambient heat as being an issue. Try touching the amp on those times when it doesn't run. If it's scalding hot, there's an issue somewhere.

Did you buy this sub brand new, or did you have it lying around from before? Do you know 100% sure that the sub is good?


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> In order for the amp to shut down due to a thermal issue, you'd be able to cook an egg on it. 120 degrees isn't that temperature, lol.
> 
> Take a picture of how you wired it and where you connected all the wires. I simply don't see the ambient heat as being an issue. Try touching the amp on those times when it doesn't run. If it's scalding hot, there's an issue somewhere.
> 
> Did you buy this sub brand new, or did you have it lying around from before? Do you know 100% sure that the sub is good?


yes, bought the sub brand new from sonicelectronix.com, same as the amp and wiring kit. i'll go out and take a picture now


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> yes, bought the sub brand new from sonicelectronix.com, same as the amp and wiring kit. i'll go out and take a picture now


Do you have a multimeter? If so, can you measure the leads on the sub box for impedance?

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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

welllll ****. went out to take a pic, turned the car over, went to the trunk, amp was working, but the sub is blown. took it to the car audio shop in town and they confirmed it was blown. this is my third system so i know all about breaking in a brand new audio system, had all the settings turned down to basically their lowest point, and did not turn the volume of the radio up. what do i do now?!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> welllll ****. went out to take a pic, turned the car over, went to the trunk, amp was working, but the sub is blown. took it to the car audio shop in town and they confirmed it was blown. this is my third system so i know all about breaking in a brand new audio system, had all the settings turned down to basically their lowest point, and did not turn the volume of the radio up. what do i do now?!


Well, I'd tell you to return the sub, but chances are it won't be very light and shipping alone will cost you $20-$30 to get it there, and in the end, you'd still have a cheap sub, so...

I'd grab something of a bit higher quality. That amp can put out a lot of power so you can keep that. It all depends on what your budget it is. In car audio, you generally get what you pay for, and this is certainly a good example of that.

How much can you spend on a new sub and box?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

This thread comes to mind:

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/20-c...-vibe-audio-black-air-10-subs-never-used.html

I've had a lot of good talks with this guy, he's honest. He's also local, about an hour away from me.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Well, I'd tell you to return the sub, but chances are it won't be very light and shipping alone will cost you $20-$30 to get it there, and in the end, you'd still have a cheap sub, so...
> 
> I'd grab something of a bit higher quality. That amp can put out a lot of power so you can keep that. It all depends on what your budget it is. *In car audio, you generally get what you pay for, and this is certainly a good example of that.
> *
> How much can you spend on a new sub and box?


yeah, i hear you there! i've had kickers in the past, but had a 2 year drought of not having a system. in that time my fiance had her system and she had a Vibe sub and has never had any problems so thats why i went that route. so i'll probably just get a 10" kicker. my goal is to have bass, but nothing big, like a dual 10" or dual 12". i would spend no more than $200 for the sub/box


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> yeah, i hear you there! i've had kickers in the past, but had a 2 year drought of not having a system. in that time my fiance had her system and she had a Vibe sub and has never had any problems so thats why i went that route. so i'll probably just get a 10" kicker. my goal is to have bass, but nothing big, like a dual 10" or dual 12". i would spend no more than $200 for the sub/box


Stay away from kicker if you want a good bang for the buck and some decent sound quality. Kicker stuff is only there to impress your friends with a brand name. They're generally crap. There's much better stuff out there for the money. 

With that budget, I'd highly recommend you learn how to build your own sub box and buy a decent sub. Either that, or keep saving for a while until you have enough money to get something better.


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

Xtreme,

Would that amp handle one of those Alpine 8" Type-R sub/enclosures, or would 2 ohms leave it unstable?


515cruze, 

If you're interested, let me know via PM.

I just posted a second review of the sub, then I read your unfortunate news and I'd like to help you out if I can.

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/36-e...-type-r-w-enclosure-back-sale.html#post102261

BTW, I'm the guy he's talking about in this post, and I didn't even pay him to say it!!! 




XtremeRevolution said:


> This thread comes to mind:
> 
> http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/20-c...-vibe-audio-black-air-10-subs-never-used.html
> 
> I've had a lot of good talks with this guy, he's honest. He's also local, about an hour away from me.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

well this is whats going on now. originally i bought just the plain vibe 10" sub. after looking around some more i saw that they had a matching enclosure. after searching and searching i couldn't find that enclosure by itself, but instead it had an already mounted vibe 10" sub with it. so i said what the heck and ordered it. so i had the vibe enclosure/sub combo, aswell as the standalone sub i had bought originally. after talking with sonic electronix, they said i could submit an RMA for the original sub order, switch subs, and send back the defective woofer.

now i found this interesting. as i was taking the blown woofer out of the enclosure and putting the other one in (realize they both look identical) i realize they have different cones. the unused sub had a rubber deal around the cone, whereas the blown sub cone was, bare? im not sure if maybe because the enclosure comes with its own sub, they decided to throw in a cruddy sub or what. anyways, so i hooked up the new one, put it all back in the trunk, tuned the amp to what the guy online said, and works just fine. so we'll see what happens from here.

as far as the amp problem i was having. it was going into protection mode. i need to find a wire/metal brush and get rid of the paint on that stud im using for my ground, and find a way to mount the amp so that it sits flat, rather than horizontally.


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

What model amplifier is that?

I can't see how having it mounted vertically would limit its cooling effectiveness that much. I would suggest not mounting the box so close to it, though, as the confined space will limit the heat's ability to disperse away from the amp. As Xtreme pointed out, 120* ambient air temp won't cause the amp to overheat much more than 60* air will. 

It's amplifier's ability to get rid of the heat it creates that will determine if it overheats or not.

As far as the sub goes, and it's rubber boot around the magnet, it's strictly cosmetic. It serves no other purpose than to look cool. As you noted, since the prefabbed box/sub combo was built by them, and the rear of the sub isn't visible, why would they waste the money adding any cosmetic enhancements to a woofer you're never "supposed" to see the back of?


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

The amp is a Boston Acoustics GT2125. I have this same amp with the 8" Alpine Type R in a box made by Xtreme and it sounds awesome!


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> as far as the amp problem i was having. it was going into protection mode. i need to find a wire/metal brush and get rid of the paint on that stud im using for my ground, and find a way to mount the amp so that it sits flat, rather than horizontally.


Read the manual for the amp. It's specifically designed to be mounted in any direction or orientation due to it's cooling system design. It's one of the reasons I recommend it so frequently. Mounting orientation is not your problem. Amps also go into protect mode for reasons that are not thermal related. If you've got a bad subwoofer that you fried and shorted the voice coils on, you'll basically give the amplifier a shorted signal and it will go into a protect mode because of that as well. This is why I asked you to check the leads with a multimeter. 

Adam, this is the amp I recommended for others (such as SkullCruzeRS above) for use with the Alpine Type-R subwoofer. In fact, if I remember correctly, they were out of stock of the Dual 2 ohm version of the Alpine sub when SkullCruzeRS was buying his, and he bought the Dual 4 ohm version and has it wired to 2 ohms right now. The amplifier is taking it like a champ, just as I suspected it would as it is 2 ohm stable, and delivers quite some power at that impedance as well.


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Read the manual for the amp. It's specifically designed to be mounted in any direction or orientation due to it's cooling system design. It's one of the reasons I recommend it so frequently. Mounting orientation is not your problem. Amps also go into protect mode for reasons that are not thermal related. If you've got a bad subwoofer that you fried and shorted the voice coils on, you'll basically give the amplifier a shorted signal and it will go into a protect mode because of that as well. This is why I asked you to check the leads with a multimeter.
> 
> Adam, this is the amp I recommended for others (such as SkullCruzeRS above) for use with the Alpine Type-R subwoofer. In fact, if I remember correctly, they were out of stock of the Dual 2 ohm version of the Alpine sub when SkullCruzeRS was buying his, and he bought the Dual 4 ohm version and has it wired to 2 ohms right now. The amplifier is taking it like a champ, just as I suspected it would as it is 2 ohm stable, and delivers quite some power at that impedance as well.


Yep correct dual 4 ohm down to 2 ohm with zero issues and sounds great. Thinking I will be doing CDL tiles in the trunk though as there is some panel vibration on the sides.


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Adam, this is the amp I recommended for others (such as SkullCruzeRS above) for use with the Alpine Type-R subwoofer. In fact, if I remember correctly, they were out of stock of the Dual 2 ohm version of the Alpine sub when SkullCruzeRS was buying his, and he bought the Dual 4 ohm version and has it wired to 2 ohms right now. The amplifier is taking it like a champ, just as I suspected it would as it is 2 ohm stable, and delivers quite some power at that impedance as well.


Ok. I was just more curious if it was a Class D amp more-so than what specific model it was. I couldn't quite read the little numbers and letters in the pics. 

That's one thing I've noticed about Boston amps. They're extremely under rated. I want to get a GT-22 but I already have an abundance of amplifiers. The last I need is the wife even more upset. 

It's so sad they chose to end their car audio line.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

amalmer71 said:


> Ok. I was just more curious if it was a Class D amp more-so than what specific model it was. I couldn't quite read the little numbers and letters in the pics.
> 
> That's one thing I've noticed about Boston amps. They're extremely under rated. I want to get a GT-22 but I already have an abundance of amplifiers. The last I need is the wife even more upset.
> 
> It's so sad they chose to end their car audio line.


Yeah, it is sad. I got my two Boston Acoustics amps really cheap. I bought my GT-50 for ~$180 and my GT-40 for ~$125 from their online outlet store as refurbished last year.


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

Yes. Good point, Andrei.

For anyone interested, go here and then enter the coupon code BA25OFF for 25% off of the refurbished amps.

High-End Discount Speakers | Best Discount Speakers and Subwoofers | Outlet Store

E.G., someone can pick a GT-42 for ~$150 shipped. Good for up to 450 watts RMS x 2 channels @ 2 ohms with 14.4VDC, 350 watts x 2 @ 2 ohms with 12.6VDC.

That's one heck of a deal.

Boston Acoustics GT-42

Here's the owner's manual. They have it typed wrong (One extra "PDFs" in the link)

http://www.bostonacoustics.com/PDFs/GT42Man.pdf


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

i guess i just dont understand why it's so inconsistant. works fine in the morning and evening, just not in the afternoon. if it were the sub, i would assume it would not work at all, *all* the time...


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> i guess i just dont understand why it's so inconsistant. works fine in the morning and evening, just not in the afternoon. if it were the sub, i would assume it would not work at all, *all* the time...


I already explained this, and asked you to go check the amp to see if it is physically hot to the touch. I also asked you to check the impedance with a multimeter. If the sub is damaged to the point where the voice coils are shorting out, you're effectively shorting out the leads on the amplifier and causing it to overheat and go into protect mode. 

If you disconnect the sub from the amp, does the amp still go into protect mode?


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## coinneach (Apr 10, 2012)

515cruze said:


> i guess i just dont understand why it's so inconsistant. works fine in the morning and evening, just not in the afternoon. if it were the sub, i would assume it would not work at all, *all* the time...


Electronics just don't work like that.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I already explained this, and asked you to go check the amp to see if it is physically hot to the touch. I also asked you to check the impedance with a multimeter. If the sub is damaged to the point where the voice coils are shorting out, you're effectively shorting out the leads on the amplifier and causing it to overheat and go into protect mode.
> 
> If you disconnect the sub from the amp, does the amp still go into protect mode?


no the amp is not hot to the touch, and do not have a multimeter to check the leads (nor would i know what im doing/looking for. not a huge car audio guy). the stud i connected the ground to, i had the amp wire first, then the two pre-existing wires on top of that. when i got home (it currently had been in protect mode) i took off that nut and did one pre-existing wire, the amp wire, then the other pre-existing wire and fastened the nut. turned the car over and was working. i'll let you know tomorrow afternoon if anything changes.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

515cruze said:


> no the amp is not hot to the touch, and do not have a multimeter to check the leads (nor would i know what im doing/looking for. not a huge car audio guy). the stud i connected the ground to, i had the amp wire first, then the two pre-existing wires on top of that. when i got home (it currently had been in protect mode) i took off that nut and did one pre-existing wire, the amp wire, then the other pre-existing wire and fastened the nut. turned the car over and was working. i'll let you know tomorrow afternoon if anything changes.


If it's not hot to the touch, you may just have a short somewhere or some improper wiring. You may also have set the gains on the PAC harness too high. Check those settings as well.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

> If it's not hot to the touch, you may just have a short somewhere or some improper wiring. You may also have set the gains on the PAC harness too high. Check those settings as well.


so i should not have done what he said?




SkullCruzeRS said:


> No problem, that's how I got it too. Just an installation tip the best place for this is in the area above the glove box. It is a very tight fit so add extra length to the power and ground wires. There is no room at all behind the factory stereo. *Also turn all the levels on the PAC to max (clockwise). *


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Didn't notice he said that. I'm still in progress on my own build using that PAC harness. If he's able to run his just fine, chances are you have a different problem.


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## SkullCruzeRS (Nov 3, 2011)

I had turned all 4 dials on the PAC all the way clockwise and I have not had any issues. How is your wiring from the sub to the amp? It should look like this:

http://m.seimg.net/product/img/subwoofer_wiring/1_sub_DVC_4_ohm_mono.jpg


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

OK. Time to get back to the basics of installation. Don't take offense to any of these questions. Just quote me, then fill in each answer next to the question. It's the only way we're going to be able to help you pinpoint the problem.

*1.) You mentioned a Stinger 4 gauge wire kit. Did it come with a fuse and did you mount it near the battery/front of the car.*

*2.) Where did you hook the power wire to the amp, exactly. Did you hook it to the positive terminal on the battery? Or on the post on the fuse box on top of the battery?*

*3.) You said you grounded it to an existing bolt. I would assume that's the stud I also found in my car. Driver's side under the carpet? Removed the nut, then used a ring terminal to attach it to the post, the existing wires on top, then tighten the nut down, correct?*

*4.) Did you scrape away the paint near the base of the stud yet? If not, duit!! Sand paper, wire brush, paint scraper, whatever. Get that paint out of the way.*

*5.) How exactly do you have to amp mounted? Is it screwed down using all four mounting points? Is it secure and doesn't "jiggle" or vibrate while driving the car?*

*6.) Is there anything in the car that is being left on while it sits? A GPS device or a Radar Detector, or anything of the sort? The reason I ask, if the car senses the battery is low, and if you have the power wire mounted on the fuse box after the battery, the car will over-ride all accessories until the battery is completely charged. I found this out on my wife's 2006 Montana. It was ~100* F outside, we walked up to the gate at the junk yard where they told us my 12 yr old son couldn't enter. I gave him the keys and told him to wait in the van and turn on the A/C. When we returned to the van, he never started it, but was watching a movie and had the blower motor up all the way. We're lucky he didn't pass out.

Anyway, my older son and I were looking forward to sitting in the nice cool van after sweating our tails off, but the van wouldn't turn on the A/C. The dash kept saying "Battery Voltage Low Accessories Disabled" or something to that effect. It took 12 miles of the 15 mile trip for it to finally turn the A/C on.

But again, that all would depend on where you attached the power wire.*


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

amalmer71 said:


> OK. Time to get back to the basics of installation. Don't take offense to any of these questions. Just quote me, then fill in each answer next to the question. It's the only way we're going to be able to help you pinpoint the problem.
> 
> *1.) You mentioned a Stinger 4 gauge wire kit. Did it come with a fuse and did you mount it near the battery/front of the car.*
> 
> ...


haha, not offended at all.

1.) yes it came with a fuse, and its attached to the power wire so whatever the length is from the battery terminal to the fuse, thats where it is located. i beleive it is right by the firewall inlet i used to run it through.

2.) I hooked the positive/power wire from the amp to the actual positive battery post. 

3.) All correct.

4.) I have not yet done this, planning on doing it tomorrow

5.) Yes i am using all 4 mounting points. hopefully this weekend i plan on adding some wood behind the carpet to give the screws extra gripping. (see pics of install to see where i mounted the amp)

6.) the only thing that gets left on after the car is turned off, is the ipod in the center console. other than that, no gps or radar detector or anything of that sort


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

Well, looks like the ground wire is the only culprit I can figure.

After I asked about any devices in the car that may be on, I found it's irrelevant. I guess none of the accessory ports work with the car off, anyway.

Is it doing it every day, or just really hot days?

Regardless, try this...

When you get in the car after it's been sitting all day at work, turn the accessory switch on and see if the amp works with the car off. If you have to turn the key to "Run" to get everything to turn on, that's fine, just don't start the car. I'm curious if it could be as simple as the battery losing voltage for some odd reason, as it sits at your work.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

amalmer71 said:


> When you get in the car after it's been sitting all day at work, turn the accessory switch on and see if the amp works with the car off. If you have to turn the key to "Run" to get everything to turn on, that's fine, just don't start the car. I'm curious if it could be as simple as the battery losing voltage for some odd reason, as it sits at your work.


Voltage drop shouldn't make a difference. The amp is rated for a 12.6V load. My Cruze never goes below 12.2V.


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

Actually, I want to take the alternator out of the equation. Eliminating variables is the only way to pinpoint the problem.

As odd as it sounds, I had a problem with a cell phone when I was at work. The battery, while there, would drain entirely. Everywhere else it was fine. I couldn't figure it out. Someone thought it was because it was having trouble getting a signal in the building, but I even left it out in my car a couple of times where the signal was excellent and by the time I got in my car to go home, it was dead.

There was just something about that place that drained the battery.

I'm hoping 515's problem is something simple, but it isn't looking good.


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

a little update, after work (when it hasn't been working) it worked. it is about the same temperature as it has been, but it is much less humid here in central iowa. im sure that has nothing to do with it, but like you said, im looking at the variables. i'll have time tomorrow to scrape the paint off that stud so hopefully this will be the end of the problem!


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## Jaycruze (Jul 11, 2011)

If you have any bare wires floating around it could be happening when you are going over bumps, and then after the car is shut off the amp resets and it works again... until you hit that big bump again.

I didn't remove the paint on my grounds and I've also had my amp go flying across the trunk lol. never had any problems.

I have the amp and sub stuck to the trunk carpet with velcro tap for easy removal lol. 
Also I know you said that amp is meant to be mounted in all sorts of ways, but hes got the box right up against it. Couldn't that make it get hot a lot easier?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Jaycruze said:


> If you have any bare wires floating around it could be happening when you are going over bumps, and then after the car is shut off the amp resets and it works again... until you hit that big bump again.
> 
> I didn't remove the paint on my grounds and I've also had my amp go flying across the trunk lol. never had any problems.
> 
> ...


Easy removal is the thing I generally avoid, lol. 

The box against the amp isn't the issue. He's running a 4 ohm load to an overrated Vibe sub in what looked like a sealed box. You'd bottom out the sub long before you reach RMS maximum on the amp. The amp is fan cooled as well. If it was shutting down due to thermal overload, it would be very hot to the touch.

I'm betting on there being a wiring problem or a defective amp. 

To the OP, can you get us a picture of how you bridged the amp?

Sent from my Bulletproof_Doubleshot using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Easy removal is the thing I generally avoid, lol.
> 
> The box against the amp isn't the issue. He's running a 4 ohm load to an overrated Vibe sub in what looked like a sealed box. You'd bottom out the sub long before you reach RMS maximum on the amp. The amp is fan cooled as well. If it was shutting down due to thermal overload, it would be very hot to the touch.
> 
> ...


uhh...bridged????? haha ok how about i just go take a pic of the wiring into the amp, like i was suppose to do a week ago


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## 515cruze (May 9, 2012)

here ya go:


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I can't see anything wrong there. Looks like you did everything correctly. If after verifying all of your wiring is great you still have problems, call up sonicelectronix and have them replace the amp for you. These really are pretty great amps.


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## amalmer71 (Apr 5, 2012)

Update? I'm gonna guess no news is good news?


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## kyler (Aug 23, 2012)

hi mate is there an chance you would be kind enought to designe a sub box for me as im gud with my hands but just not on makein sub boxes so ! if u designed it i culd build it mate ! my sub is a solo baric kicker l5 s15 15" and my amp is legacy la588 800watt ! another question if u dont mind ? is my amp big enought for my sub ! 

if you have read this thanks very much ! for takin the time to considder


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## Gh0st (Oct 17, 2012)

SkullCruzeRS said:


> The PAC AA-GM44 is easy, the hardest part is fitting it behind the dash.
> 
> This is how it should look before install.
> 
> ...


Sorry to bump an old thread, but it looks like this requires splicing the stock power wiring? This PAC is four channel, so I'm assuming two of the RCA outputs are for rear and two are for front? Sorry, been years and years since I was in to car audio and never got the opportunity to use a PAC as I always replaced the HU.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Gh0st said:


> Sorry to bump an old thread, but it looks like this requires splicing the stock power wiring? This PAC is four channel, so I'm assuming two of the RCA outputs are for rear and two are for front? Sorry, been years and years since I was in to car audio and never got the opportunity to use a PAC as I always replaced the HU.


That's correct. No splicing involved, just hook this up between the radio and its factory harness, flip the two switches to where they need to be, hook up power, ground, and remote power, and you're good to go. 

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## Larivera (Nov 17, 2021)

I got a chevy cruze ls 2017 and just bought the skar audio 10" with 4 Guage along with 1500 w amp and a crossover plus a 10 farad capacitor. Am I good with that?


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