Amplifier installation

[joserobl]

Just installed a Alpine MRP-F240 but puzzled as to why it has no effect on the system. I have an 05 Vibe w/base cd system. I'm using the stock head unit. I've replaced the stock speakers w/Polk audio speakers. I've connected the speaker wires to the stock harness using squeeze connectors. The Amp powers up fine. When I started to adjust the gain levels though, they had no effect. I unplugged the speaker level imput plug on the amp and that's when I realized that the amp wasn't powering the speakers. Is there something I need to unplug from the base system in order for the amp to power the speakers? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[Mr. Poopypants]

The way it sounds is you just have the amp wired in line with the stock wiring. What you have to do is cut the wires going to the speakers from the back of the HU, leave enough space to splice both snipped ends. Run the section that goes out of the HU to the amp input, then run the amp output the the other end of the wire, yeah, it's a lot of wiring back and forth, but the way you have it now, it will never work. If i understand your setup correctly and assuming you have a 4 channel amp, if you only have a 2 channel, wire the front to one output and rear to another output.

[joserobl]

I'm a little confused. I thought that just tapping into the stock HU speaker harness would be good enough. So I should cut the speaker wire + / - and the part that goes to the speakers I should connect to the amp? what about the other end ? do I just tape it up? Sorry but it's my first time installing an amp.

[Mr. Poopypants]

OK, assuming that you know which wires are the speaker neg and pos, you need to cut the wires. From the speaker + on the wires that are coming from the back of the HU (wiring harness) run stereo cabling back to the amp and attach that wire into the High Level input + and do the same with the negative for each pairing of wires, depending on how many channels your amp has. Now, in the output of the amp, run the wires back to the other end of the wire that you snipped, these are the wires that are no longer connected to the HU, these wires go to the speakers. This way, you will have teh amp between the source and destination allowing the amplifier to........well........amplify.So HU + and - to Amp High Level + and - Amp output + and - to the other cut end of the wires + and - that go to the speakers.

[joserobl]

Now I get it . Took a better look at the amp and one end has the input and the other end has the output. Your right that's alot of wiring. Now I see how RCAs have a great advantage. What a bummer got to get another 30 ft of wire. Thank You so much for your help it's greatly appreciated

[Mr. Poopypants]

Not a problem at all. Glad I could help.