2020 86 Stereo Info

[FR-S2GT86]

There's a wiring diagram for the front stage speakers in this thread also for you to look at.

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145467

[Sasquachulator]

So i ripped some old CD's (old electronic/trance CDs from long ago ) for MP3's at 320kbps quality and it seems like im getting a good amount of bass from them vs the MP3's i had converted from youtube (i guess at 128kbps quality?). Seems like audio quality is making a difference whether im getting good amounts of bass or not.

but it could just be the genre of music thats making the difference......

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by Sasquachulator

So i ripped some old CD's (old electronic/trance CDs from long ago ) for MP3's at 320kbps quality and it seems like im getting a good amount of bass from them vs the MP3's i had converted from youtube (i guess at 128kbps quality?). Seems like audio quality is making a difference whether im getting good amounts of bass or not.

but it could just be the genre of music thats making the difference......

So for clarification purposes, are these results with the factory amp re-connected to the door speakers, or are you trying to play your system using the head units' internal front speaker outputs powering the door speakers and dash components together?

I'm wondering if they used a head unit that is capable of powering drivers with impedances lower than the normal 4-ohms. If they didn't, it would partly explain why the system sounds bad to some members here since the OEM door speakers are all 2-ohm.

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

So for clarification purposes, are these results with the factory amp re-connected to the door speakers, or are you trying to play your system using the head units' internal front speaker outputs powering the door speakers and dash components together?

I'm wondering if they used a head unit that is capable of powering drivers with impedances lower than the normal 4-ohms. If they didn't, it would partly explain why the system sounds bad to some members here since the OEM door speakers are all 2-ohm.

Ive done absolutely no physical tinkering with the head unit so im guessing the amp is bypassed. (didnt even look in the trunk to check out the amp). Its just the head unit itself.

Other songs i played had SOME bass but it was pretty weak and almost disappears when the car is in motion, gives it a tinny sound. The equalizer is set to +5 bass and 0 treble which didnt really change the sound all that much (it was slightly less "echoey" than treble at +5)
The sound quality difference is very noticeable compared to the pioneer unit in my scion iM (not sure if that car was ever configured differently than the twins but the head unit was the same). That car could pump out some good bass with those same tracks.

But yeah these electronic tracks ive ripped from the CD is giving me some good bass.

So i will say the quality of the mp3 (or the genre?) is making a noticeable difference in bass with the stock 2020 head unit.

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by Sasquachulator

Ive done absolutely no physical tinkering with the head unit so im guessing the amp is bypassed. (didnt even look in the trunk to check out the amp). Its just the head unit itself.

Other songs i played had SOME bass but it was pretty weak and almost disappears when the car is in motion, gives it a tinny sound. The equalizer is set to +5 bass and 0 treble which didnt really change the sound all that much (it was slightly less "echoey" than treble at +5)
The sound quality difference is very noticeable compared to the pioneer unit in my scion iM (not sure if that car was ever configured differently than the twins but the head unit was the same). That car could pump out some good bass with those same tracks.

But yeah these electronic tracks ive ripped from the CD is giving me some good bass.

So i will say the quality of the mp3 (or the genre?) is making a noticeable difference in bass with the stock 2020 head unit.

Your amp is probably bypassed. It would only take you a minute to lift the trunk floor panel to verify this. The amp will be towards the rear seat back on your left. Normally there are two molex plugs that plug into it: the ten-pin connector on the left, and the six-pin connector on the right. If the ten-pin connector is unplugged from the amp and a bypass plug installed (with yellow wires looping back into it), your amp is bypassed.

[oddrelic]

Jumping in here. I'm gonna look into getting the amp working for my 2020 Hakone.



does anyone know of a wiring diag for the backup camera. would love to get that to the head unit too.

[Wally86]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

Your amp is probably bypassed. It would only take you a minute to lift the trunk floor panel to verify this. The amp will be towards the rear seat back on your left. Normally there are two molex plugs that plug into it: the ten-pin connector on the left, and the six-pin connector on the right. If the ten-pin connector is unplugged from the amp and a bypass plug installed (with yellow wires looping back into it), your amp is bypassed.

Not bypassed (dealer forgot but the loop was literally ziptied to the wiring)









Bypassed.

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by Wally86

Not bypassed (dealer forgot but the loop was literally ziptied to the wiring)









Bypassed.

So how is the difference in sound quality with the amp connected versus the amp bypassed? Or have you not attempted to power it up to test that?

[Wally86]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

So how is the difference in sound quality with the amp connected versus the amp bypassed? Or have you not attempted to power it up to test that?

When I first got the car I actually thought the audio system was broken. The whole first week I was trying to figure out why it sounded like high pitched garbage. I found a thread on the forums about this by pass and looked and noticed mine wasn't done. Hooked it up and all of the sudden my door speakers (and probably rear speakers too) worked. Before that it seemed like I was listening to everything through tweeters.

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by Wally86

When I first got the car I actually thought the audio system was broken. The whole first week I was trying to figure out why it sounded like high pitched garbage. I found a thread on the forums about this by pass and looked and noticed mine wasn't done. Hooked it up and all of the sudden my door speakers (and probably rear speakers too) worked. Before that it seemed like I was listening to everything through tweeters.

So your door speakers weren't working because the dealer failed to install the bypass plug and left the ten-pin connector in the amp. Now, since you've installed the bypass harness, your deck is powering all six of the front stage speakers in addition to the two rear speakers. How does it sound?

I've been wondering about the difference in sound quality with how you have your system running now versus the same system with the amp running the door speakers instead, relieving the head unit from that duty and adding the benefit of the low-pass filtering that the amp would provide.

[Wally86]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

So your door speakers weren't working because the dealer failed to install the bypass plug and left the ten-pin connector in the amp. Now, since you've installed the bypass harness, your deck is powering all six of the front stage speakers in addition to the two rear speakers. How does it sound?

I've been wondering about the difference in sound quality with how you have your system running now versus the same system with the amp running the door speakers instead, relieving the head unit from that duty and adding the benefit of the low-pass filtering that the amp would provide.

I mean.... the speakers work now so there's that

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by Wally86

I mean.... the speakers work now so there's that

I realize that, but I'm suspecting that your system will sound even better than it does now by utilizing the factory amp. I don't have the newer model head unit so I can't test this theory out myself or else I would, just to satisfy my own curiosity, (as well as the curiosity of a few other members here) even though I'm going all aftermarket.

A before and after comparison would help us all out. I'll even offer to send someone a specially-made extension harness I've made for testing purposes to anyone who will volunteer to try it out.



I'll even pay the shipping.

[Wally86]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

I realize that, but I'm suspecting that your system will sound even better than it does now by utilizing the factory amp. I don't have the newer model head unit so I can't test this theory out myself or else I would, just to satisfy my own curiosity, (as well as the curiosity of a few other members here) even though I'm going all aftermarket.

A before and after comparison would help us all out. I'll even offer to send someone a specially-made extension harness I've made for testing purposes to anyone who will volunteer to try it out.

Attachment 201710

I'll even pay the shipping.

What I don't understand is why the factory amp is installed in every car but the headunit is also powered. It's weird. I missed what you posted before about what to mod to make it all work. I *think* I have an extra harness laying around that I purchased just in case I couldn't find the $75 factory one that I could modify

[WildCard600]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

I realize that, but I'm suspecting that your system will sound even better than it does now by utilizing the factory amp. I don't have the newer model head unit so I can't test this theory out myself or else I would, just to satisfy my own curiosity, (as well as the curiosity of a few other members here) even though I'm going all aftermarket.

A before and after comparison would help us all out. I'll even offer to send someone a specially-made extension harness I've made for testing purposes to anyone who will volunteer to try it out.

Attachment 201710

I'll even pay the shipping.

I think the problem is that the newer factory headunit doesn't send a signal to the factory amp to turn on. That's why the door speakers don't work unless the amp is bypassed with yellow wired plug.

I know it wouldn't be THAT big a deal to send a 12v signal to the amp to get it working but I couldn't think of one that wouldn't be pretty hackish. When I get around to installing my new headunit I'll probably spend a bit of time swapping back and forth between HU only powering the speakers and including the factory amp to see which I like better. That might be a while though.