Audio upgrade: Infinity amp bypass?

[joel]

Looking at finally upgrading the head unit on my 03 2500 to a Pioneer 2660NEX. I've got the premium infinity sound with the infinity amp tucked up under the dash.

Should I bypass this with a modern head unit or plug the new unit into the amp?

My thinking is that if the amp will maintain or enhance the output from the new head unit, I'd run it through the amp. But if it'll make it worse, somehow, or if a modern head unit is just that much better than a 20 year old "premium" amp, I'll bypass it (and maybe even remove it, though it looks like more effort than any benefit).

Thanks.

 

[Yo Hoot]

I had a new head unit installed prob over 10 years ago. They said the Infinity was better so they just hooked it up to the infinity amp.
Also needed a module to run the steering wheel buttons.

 

[Topzide]

Is the new head unit compatible with the stock amp? When I did Live sound productions, we would be replacing the capacitors in our amps every few years do to drying out from use. A 20 year old amp that's been in an oven for its life has lost sound quality do to component age. Think of the stock turbo actuators that tend to fail around 4k hours of use do to the heat and cycles that it's subjected too. I personally wouldn't use the amp without it being serviced. If you feel like you could do the work, open up and look for swelled caps and replace as needed. The newer sound quality will be night and day!

 

[Ozymandias]

I also run my Pioneer head unit through the full infinity system.
You just need the right adapter harness for it as t needs to split channels.

 

[joel]

I also run my Pioneer head unit through the full infinity system.
You just need the right adapter harness for it as t needs to split channels.

How do I identify the correct harness? Have a model number?

And I do know I'll need the harness for the steering controls.

 

[Yo Hoot]

For steering wheel controls I believe you need something like this..
Amazon product ASIN B00B4PJC9K

 

[Ozymandias]

How do I identify the correct harness? Have a model number?

And I do know I'll need the harness for the steering controls.

Take the one from Axxess for the steering wheel control, I had another one first and it didn't work properly. Axxess gave me almost ten years of trouble free service by now.

The main harness I have to look up where it came from.

 

[joel]

Is the new head unit compatible with the stock amp? When I did Live sound productions, we would be replacing the capacitors in our amps every few years do to drying out from use. A 20 year old amp that's been in an oven for its life has lost sound quality do to component age. Think of the stock turbo actuators that tend to fail around 4k hours of use do to the heat and cycles that it's subjected too. I personally wouldn't use the amp without it being serviced. If you feel like you could do the work, open up and look for swelled caps and replace as needed. The newer sound quality will be night and day!

No, I doubt I could do the work to replace swelled caps. I'm pretty handy, in general, but I wouldn't even know what to look for.

I also read someplace that the speakers in this system have lower impedance than standard speakers. Do you (or anyone here) know the ohms of the stock speakers? That 2660 says it's 4 ohms but can do 4-8 as acceptable. So if I bypass the amp, the speakers would have to match the impedance, although I think they have also seen better days, so I'd probably replace them, too, as part of the process.

 

[Topzide]

It seems that a lot of vehicles have 4 ohm speakers. Can't recall the last time I saw 8 ohm unless someone upgraded them. Yes the toll on a speaker is probably greater the you would think do to the heat cycles. Doesn't take much for them to dry out and crack! Understand about not wanting to open up and undertake such a repair. I've been in so many electronics that I feel comfortable and also have the tools needed to repair. Has saved me $ and allowed me to have items that would've ended up trashed! Just replace the battery in a Bluetooth speaker that would last anymore. Battery was a lot cheaper the a new speaker. Do the speakers when upgrading the head unit to not find out you'll be back in replacing at later time. Do once and be done. Good luck with the upgrade.

 

[jjdiesel]

"Good sound" is so subjective. Will it sound "good" to you after all the finagling with stock stuff?....hard to know. Seems safer to ditch it all and go with good aftermarket stuff that you know will sound good.

 

[Topzide]

If you can get the amp to work with the other components, why not. It just makes it LOUD. When I used to do shows, there were only a couple of amps that were used just for the low end. Mainly do to the fact that they had big transformers and large caps! Helped for that boom boom on the low end. Now the amps use a switching tech like power supplies which makes them soooo much lighter!
Another thing would be to add sound insulation in areas to help. I'm going to add some behind the rear seat to deaden road noise. I've kicked the idea of upgrading but torn on which way to go!

 

[Ozymandias]

2.6 OHMs.
You can measure them with any Multimeter.

That's why they sound so great with a relatively week amp.

 

[Ozymandias]

If you can get the amp to work with the other components, why not. It just makes it LOUD. When I used to do shows, there were only a couple of amps that were used just for the low end. Mainly do to the fact that they had big transformers and large caps! Helped for that boom boom on the low end. Now the amps use a switching tech like power supplies which makes them soooo much lighter!
Another thing would be to add sound insulation in areas to help. I'm going to add some behind the rear seat to deaden road noise. I've kicked the idea of upgrading but torn on which way to go!

Not only loud it also directs the channels, that 7 speaker system is quite sophisticated with the center speaker.

First car for me with an INFINITY was my 98 5.9 GC and I was seriously impressed from the performance of that 10 speaker system. So much that this was the first car ever that I didn't upgrade the Stereo for my needs.

 

[joel]

If you can get the amp to work with the other components, why not. It just makes it LOUD. When I used to do shows, there were only a couple of amps that were used just for the low end. Mainly do to the fact that they had big transformers and large caps! Helped for that boom boom on the low end. Now the amps use a switching tech like power supplies which makes them soooo much lighter!
Another thing would be to add sound insulation in areas to help. I'm going to add some behind the rear seat to deaden road noise. I've kicked the idea of upgrading but torn on which way to go!

Yes, I'm going to do that, too. In fact, I ordered a kit for behind the back seats but just haven't installed it yet.