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Audio system up grade big project

20K views 52 replies 12 participants last post by  stevenD 
#1 ·
I have an Ex-L and am looking to retain the factory head unit. I also would like to bypass the factory amp and install a 6 channel I have. has anyone else looked into doing this?
 
#2 ·
I use an AudioControl LC2i and tap off the front speakers to get line level. You could use an LC6i if you wanted to retain front/rear/sub control. Just remember to disable the ANC when you have the glovebox assembly out to run the power wire through the firewall.
 
#3 ·
I have an audio control d6.1200. did you then run right to the doors I am looking for a way to use the factory wiring dont wanna splice any wires. I purchased a Axxess ax-dsp-hon2 t harness to grab signal to the amp then i wanted to get ax-ab-hn1 to bypass the factor amp.
 
#5 ·
Any updates on your progress?
 
#6 ·
I pulled the whole passenger side rear apart to get to the tuner but the harness didn't fit. I'm gonna pull it apart again and head to best buy to see if one of the older harnesses fit. I'll keep you posted, plan on posting some pics of the build when it comes around.
 
#8 ·
Wow, you are certainly getting closer, what speakers are you going with? And where?
 
#10 ·
Nice, can't wait to hear it, say I saw Crutchfield has some Focal coaxials on sale for huge discounts ($150 or so per pair) unless you plan on staying with alpines (front & rear)...
 
#12 ·
The project is close to complete.

red
white -----sub

brown
light grey -----passenger door tweeter

green
red -------driver door and tweeter

brown
grey --------drivers rear door

blue
pink ------passenger rear door
from my testing all wires listed at the top of each group should be positive.


Just need to clean up the wiring in my somewhat rack.
5062

This is the storage area next to the spare.
5063

I mounted me breaker next to the air box which had a factory nut not being used and worked out perfect for me.
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5066

I then ran the power wire near the radiator and to the firewall where a grommet was. that grommet came in behind the HVAC unit on the passenger side footwell.
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The factory sub is junk get rid of it!!!! When you do add polyfill in the box helps with the rattle.
5069

I tuned the audio coming from the factory amp which is wild to get it to hondas "good". Need to add some more bass to to drivers door in the upcoming days.
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All doors have 3 screws in them and the doors just pop off. honda speaker and wire adaptors work great for our vehicle.
5071

When you are removing the A pilar be very careful the plastic is thin and it will damage easy and the plug thing on the back will break I know first hand.
 
#13 ·
Great shots, and great work, thanks for keeping us updated...!

Rock on...
 
#14 ·
Quick questions: The input side of the amplifier is where you're grabbing the signal correct? Isn't that controlled via can bus from the head unit? If so, the volume control will be off. I could definitely be wrong but Honda/Acura usually does this so installers grab the signal post amplifier and modify it accordingly.
 
#18 ·
Please don't get me wrong, I love the idea of not cutting wires and using harnesses. I've done this on several Honda vehicles and it can work like a charm. But on the Passports with the "premium" audio system, that's actually the input side to the amplifier, not the output. I've been told, though I don't know for sure, that if you use the input side it will provide a signal but the volume doesn't work correctly since it's can-bus, not regular. Does the Audiocontrol convert the can-bus signal then?
 
#19 ·
No I grabbed the signal coming from the amp which would normally go right to the speakers. I took the speaker level inputs and the audio control has line level input which I then used the dsp and made it sound better. The premium audio is not so premium. If you look at the wiring we truly only have 5 sets of speaker wires coming from the amp. My volume knob works perfect and yes you are correct it is a can bus system from the deck to the amp but it is back to normal old car audio after that.
 
#20 ·
Okay, just so I’m clear: You did not end up using the harnesses in the pictures. You instead grabbed the other harness (amp out) and spliced into that correct? If you did use those harnesses to make a T-harness on the input side of the amp, and the volume works, that would be awesome. The only harnesses I’ve ever found are for the input side, which would explain your findings of just a simple front/rear setup. It’s after the amp processes those signals that it splits it into ten channels.
 
#23 ·
I love the tech-savvy-ness of you guys!
 
#28 ·
I love the questions wouldn't be on a fourm posting things not expecting questions. I'm using the factory speaker wire for the doors. Ran new wire for the tweeters and sub. I'm not throwing crazy power this was more to have cleaner sound. In the picture I'm using that to feed my speakers from my audio control amp. I'll see if I can grab a picture of the "t harness" I made and how it's setup when I have the car apart again to clean the wires up.
 
#25 ·
Oh, I know the answer of what SHOULD be done: if you are running a high powered amp, I would definitely run new (thicker) speaker wires, I'm sure the OEM wire is wimpy thin stuff...
 
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