2020 86 Stock Amp Specs & Stereo Upgrade

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by blueskiesgreenlights

Yes, I'm a bit overwhelmed by all I have to learn. Although I had hoped to get this done right a way I'm finding that, like anything else, there is a learning curve and this one might take a little time.


My immediate concern is to find a set of 3.5" or 4" coaxial speakers for the back seat as well as a sub amp for about $100 each. I don't have an enclosed garage so I might end up spending the winter making my way along the learning curve. I'd much prefer to get it done quickly and well. We'll see.


It occurred to me that the center console might provide an easy "tunnel" to the front dash. So I'll mark this problem as solved until proven otherwise.


AudioControl checked in by pointing out that the HU keys off the factory amp so the white/grey wires should be prioritized over the green/purple wires. According to AudioControl support, failure to use the white/grey wires could result in the HU volume control not working. See below reply to soundman98 for full details.


I plan to search the web tonight for a set of 4" coaxials that will neither break the bank nor the outstanding sound I expect from the Sony es speakers. I'll do the same for a sub amp so I'll mark this as question one.


1. Is it possible to buy a sub amp for about $100 that would work well with an AudioControl D-6.1200 amp and, if so, what is it?


2. Is it possible to retain the surround sound offered by the factory stereo by installing either 3.5" or 4" coaxials that will uphold the high standard set by the Sony XS 162es component speakers?

Answer #1) check out Williston Audio Labs YouTube channel here:

https://m.youtube.com/c/bigdwiz/videos

Big D's main topic is amplifier dynos and he usually shows you the purchase price of the amp that he's testing. He's done A LOT of them, so be prepared to spend some time watching.

Right off the top of my head though, I can't think of an amp for $100 that will compliment the Audio Control amp that you've already got. You would probably need between 300 to 500 watts RMS of subwoofer power to match your other speakers.

Answer #2) There are so many speaker manufacturers out there, I'm sure you should be able to find a coaxial that will work in the rear. However, I would suggest not purchasing a coaxial but rather a midrange-only driver. Let your front Sony separates create your front stage and let the rears be your rear fill. The front speakers are the most important. Here's a suggestion, amplify the stock rear speakers for the time being, get them time aligned and equalized through the Audio Control DSP amp, THEN if you don't like how it sounds, or if they can't keep up with your Sony's, find a replacement. I will end this answer with a question: When you go to a concert, do you stand and listen with your back to the band?

[blueskiesgreenlights]

Originally Posted by soundman98

firstly, i would recommend considering shifting the install to the springtime with the in-between time used to better understand the materials and components you'll be using.

This will likely be what I end up doing. So far, I've fabricated a mount for the D-12.000, confirmed that the Basser box fits and can be secured as alphasaur instructed.

[blueskiesgreenlights]

Originally Posted by soundman98

also critical, adding an amp will require increasing your power wiring size, as well as adding a power splitter, generally recommended to be a fused splitter. you'll also need double the grounding stuff as well. 2 amps make for 2 times the complexity.

I purchased an installer kit that has a 4 awg power line. I was planning on powering the sub amp by serially linking it to the amp at the trunk. Is a 4 awg wire sufficient for this? If not, what size power wire would be appropriate?


I wasn't aware of power splitters. I'll look for one with a fuse.

[blueskiesgreenlights]

Originally Posted by soundman98

my current install with the amp under the passenger seat does in fact use the center console to route my custom rca interconnects down to just behind the front edge of the seat. because it falls within the seat/console area, notching the plastic and the carpet bulge is invisible.

i would suggest routing the power cable through the door sill, and run the speaker wires through the center area. speaker cables are smaller, and will be easier to conceal.

This is a great idea. I'll plan to to secure the sub amp under the passenger's seat and route the right and left speakers down the center console.

[blueskiesgreenlights]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

Right off the top of my head though, I can't think of an amp for $100 that will compliment the Audio Control amp that you've already got. You would probably need between 300 to 500 watts RMS of subwoofer power to match your other speakers.

Answer #2) There are so many speaker manufacturers out there, I'm sure you should be able to find a coaxial that will work in the rear. However, I would suggest not purchasing a coaxial but rather a midrange-only driver. Let your front Sony separates create your front stage and let the rears be your rear fill. The front speakers are the most important. Here's a suggestion, amplify the stock rear speakers for the time being, get them time aligned and equalized through the Audio Control DSP amp, THEN if you don't like how it sounds, or if they can't keep up with your Sony's, find a replacement. I will end this answer with a question: When you go to a concert, do you stand and listen with your back to the band?

I had never heard of Big D. I will, indeed, spend some time watching his reviews. I noticed he posted one recently on the CT Sounds CT-400.1D. At $119 it looks promising.


I had considered a mid range component for the rear speakers. Perhaps I'll give the stock systems a listen in this role as you suggest Thanks!

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by blueskiesgreenlights

I had never heard of Big D. I will, indeed, spend some time watching his reviews. I noticed he posted one recently on the CT Sounds CT-400.1D. At $129 it looks promising.


I had considered a mid range component for the rear speakers. Perhaps I'll give the stock systems a listen in this role as you suggest Thanks!

You're very welcome. But I want to give you one more piece of advice:

When looking for power wire for your amplifier, use only oxygen-free copper. Stay FAR AWAY from any of that cheap, crappy, copper clad aluminum (CCA) wire. Here's a video about that:

Realize that not only does aluminum carry less current than copper, it also heats up faster and begins to corrode within just a few months of installation (and sometimes weeks depending on the environment it's exposed to). So if your build requires 4 gauge copper, but you install 4 gauge copper clad aluminum instead, that aluminum wire will get hot and you can lose voltage through the wire itself and end up doing some serious damage to not only your amps, but potentially your car. We don't want to see one of our twins get destroyed in a fire due to an attempt by its owner to cheap out on amplifier power wire. Pay for the good stuff now, you'll thank me later.

[soundman98]

^very good call on watching out on CCA. it's crap.

i mostly use knukonceptz wiring, specifically, the 'Kolossus Fleks', as it's one of the few that walks that fine line between being good quality, and cheaper due to a lack of overzealous marketing wank.

Originally Posted by blueskiesgreenlights

I purchased an installer kit that has a 4 awg power line. I was planning on powering the sub amp by serially linking it to the amp at the trunk. Is a 4 awg wire sufficient for this? If not, what size power wire would be appropriate?


I wasn't aware of power splitters. I'll look for one with a fuse.

wire size is going to be entirely dependent on the sum of the power of the amplifiers used.

use this handy-dandy chart as a guideline. but if in doubt, run bigger.

[blueskiesgreenlights]

I'm having a problem with speaker input. The source of the problem is that the speaker wiring system of the 2020 Toyota 86 is not compliant with the E.I.A (Electronics Industry Association) as presented on the back of the Scosche packaging.



Questions: Is it possible to use a Scosche TA02B harness and connect it to the original factory plug that was providing speaker input to the original factory amp? If so, how do I configure the TA02B harness?



I attempted to do this and the result was that the Green and Violet wires are on a separate 4 pin TA02B plug. Consequently, I decided to follow FR-S2GT86 advice and use the wires attached to the head unit to provide speaker input for the AudioControl d-6.1200. The problem I ran into here was that there was no Green wire which according to E.I.A. is used for the left rear speaker.


An inspection of the left rear speaker shows a Violet and a Blue wire attached to the left rear speaker. This concerns me because the Blue wire is for the remote amp turn on.



I successfully completed FR-S2GT86's "Magnuson-Moss" Version.
My recollection is that this allowed for the factory amp to power the door speakers. So that is the current state of the head unit.


The Good News is that a 0/1 awg power cable has been acquired. The AudioControl amp, a sub amp, the Sony speaker crossovers, external fuses, and a power block have been mounted to secure shelf in the trunk. A Rockford Fosgate sub has been installed in a Basser Box in the right trunk cavity. The Sony XS 162ES speaker system has been successfully installed. I'm confident that the speaker output is configured correctly. The only holdups now are the above speaker input issue and the delivery of 0/1 ring terminals.


I'm considering a D.I.Y. post of this project for non-professionals interested in upgrading the 86 multi media system. Of course, this will depend on a successful completion of this endeavor.



Any help on this speaker input issue would be greatly appreciated.

[soundman98]

to my knowledge, no vehicle-side wiring from any mfg is EIA compliant.

that's part of the reason to use the adapter harness with a standardized color code and labels(when installing an aftermarket stereo, the aftermarket stereo colors will line up), though the best reason is to maintain the oem plugs to allow easy conversions/adaptations later, and use the adapter as a sacrificial wire loom--it's cheap and easy to aquire should something need to be changed later.

yes, as per previous outlines, the toyota speaker adapter harness will connect into the amp harness. but the significant difference is that the 'front speaker' terminals serve as the 'input from radio', and the 'rear speaker' terminals serve as the 'output to door speakers'

forewarning, there's no way to maintain front/rear fader capability using this method.

[blueskiesgreenlights]

So I plan to use the Magnuson-Moss version ("MM") as a source for speaker input wires (and amp turn on) to the AudioControl ("AC") d-6.1200. The MM will serve as the "sacrificial wire loom" and I'll make the connection at the head unit ("HU") with Positap connectors.


I plan to use these RCA "lollypop" connectors at the AC. My objective in using these connectors is to retain the HU phase control.


Before starting the AC for the first time, I'll use the AC usb cord to update the AC firmware.


I did invest in 0/1 Kolossus Fleks awg wire to the power block in the trunk at which point 4 awg wire is used to power the AC and sub amp. I did "cheap out" with the sub amp going with the Blaupunkt 1500W 1-Channel, Monoblock Amp for $55.



Does the plan to use the MM as a source for speaker input seem reasonable? Thanks in advance.

[soundman98]

the d-6.1200 has rca low-level inputs only, so those rca converters won't work. you need to connect the speaker level wires to the 'line level' plugs just to the right of the 'line level' inputs.

[blueskiesgreenlights]

Per Soundman98's suggestion, I ditched the RCA converters and tapped into the HU wires for connection to the AudioControl D-6.1200's ("AC") speaker level inputs.

The problem is that I am not getting any sound from the Right and Left front speakers (Sony tweeters in the dash and Sony woofers in the doors). I used the Magnuson-Moss ("MM") white and gray wires (and line for negatives) as tap in points to connect to the AC speaker level inputs.

Both the AC and subwoofer amp power on. The only sound is low volume from the left and right rear speakers. These speakers were id'd using the Ohm setting on a digital multi-meter.


Can the MM serve as speaker level out of HU or is the sound issue elsewhere?

[blueskiesgreenlights]

To answer my own question, yes, the MM can be used to access speaker level output for the left and right front speakers. For the 2020 86s AC LGD dongles, discussed below, are necessary.


As I stated earlier, the rear speakers are a little more difficult to access as they require one to use a digital multi meter to identify wires from the rear speakers to the head unit. These wires appear as different colors from rear speakers to HU (perhaps they merge with other wires).



AudioControl ("AC") tech support was very helpful in resolving the sound problem. They advised that I reposition the front speaker input from that outlined in the AC instruction booklet. This and by remotely operating the AC windows software (which was connected to the d-6.1200 via usb cable) the device was configured in such a way as to allow sound from all speakers.


Importantly, AC advised that many late model cars have stereo systems which somehow prevent a full level sound signal to be sent to non-factory speakers. AC is sending a set of LGD dongles designed to correct this problem.


If there is an interest, I'd be glad to post a DIY guide. Once the LGD dongles have arrived and the sound is impressive as I expect it to be I'd be willing to do so.



Now, if I can just get the reverse camera to display on the primary screen instead of the rear view mirror. I haven't yet found this listed on the DIY wish list though I suspect it is there.



I'd like to express my gratitude to Soundman98. Thank you for your patient guidance.

Also, FR-S2GT86 and Laura at AC - your contributions to this effort have been invaluable.

[Autoxer62]

Originally Posted by blueskiesgreenlights

Now, if I can just get the reverse camera to display on the primary screen instead of the rear view mirror. I haven't yet found this listed on the DIY wish list though I suspect it is there.

It's sure on my wish list. I expect in the spring I'll get around to the stereo work (currently on jackstands for more suspension mods). Is there a wish list post I missed?