chachjr

Hello,

I just wanted to first say that this site has been a great resource for me in learning about this car. I am finally getting around to installing an aftermarket system but am thoroughly confused as to what I will need with the rx8 as my previous vehicle was a very straightforward matter. I have the bose system in my car and would like to add an aftermarket amplifier and component speakers in the front. I also plan on adding a subwoofer and another amp for it as well. I want to retain the stock headunit and its functionality. I plan on having my installer disconnecting all the other speakers that came with the bose system and removing the bose amplifier. I read the faq in this section of the forum regarding the loc and other solutions and am totally confused. My main question is: What do I need to make my system work in the car? Do I need a particular loc or something else. Also suggestions of products would be helpful if I do need a loc or something similar. For example im not sure if i need something like the audiocontrol LC6 or 6XS. Thanks to anyone who can give me direction in this matter and taking the time to read this long post.

WikkedOne

you DO need the LC6 - you then take the wires out of the imput of your bose amp (in the trunk) and put them into the LC6 - that will give you RCA outs for your amps. the LOC simply converts high level signal - to low level signal for your amps. You do not want to cheap out on this part either; poor signal = poor sound

chachjr

Thanks for the reply. So does that mean I need the keep the bose amp in the car or do you mean just take the speaker wire from the amp and connect it to the LC6? Also would it matter if I got an amplifier with speaker level inputs or does the LC6 take care of this issue as well? Also, does this mean i do not need the 6XS with the crossovers since im not using the bose amplifier? Thanks again for all the help.

WikkedOne

you can take it out if you would like, but there is no reason to, you may want to someday go back to stock.

and i mean take the speaker wire BEFORE it goes into the amp and plug it into the LC6. and don't worry about speaker level inputs, thats what the LC6 is for. and the crossover is if you want to have a seperate amp with subs. it will take the level signal from the LC6 and split it so only bass goes to the subs and only higher sounds go to the interior speakers.

chachjr

So with a system with two amplifiers (one for front components and one for subwoofer) do you mean that I wont need the audiocontrol 6XS and that an LC6 should be sufficient? Sorry if i seem to be catching on slow, but this is the last thing i need to plan to get my system in motion. The reason I ask is because I looked at the two products and it seems that the crossovers on the 6XS seem to be the main difference, and Im guessing that it wouldnt be needed as the components have their own crossovers and the sub could be low passed via the sub amp crossover. If im wrong please feel free to correct me. Thanks for your patience.

WikkedOne

ok well i've never actually owned either, so i may be wrong.. but from what i can tell is that you need both if you want to have the 2 seperate amps. the LC6 is the line converter for the signal, then you plug that into the 6XS for the crossover; neither can do the others job.

I personally went with the rockford fosgate 3sixty.2, but thats way more than what most people are looking for.

dondo

iTrader: (7)

one of your amps should have preouts. in that case, use the preouts from one amp to send signal to the second amp via low level rca. no need for both devices.

let us know what amps you have and we can figure it out

paulmasoner

iTrader: (1)

^ thats not right. Yes one of his amps may/should have preouts that he can send to his other amp. but what about signal from the headunit into the 1st amp then?? you still need a LOC.
this part of the debate is a very old, very proven, very mute argument.

dondo

iTrader: (7)

i was saying he doesnt need _two_ locs. bose preamp into loc/line driver (or whatever based on how much you want to spend) into first amp. then first amp preouts into second amp.

jstkilntim

Just use the 6XS. The signal to the bose amp is not a high level signal, so there is no need for the LC6 that was designed to add after the stock amps. Even if it was a high level signal, the 6XS accepts them.

I personally had the 6XS that worked great, but then switched to the CleanSweep for the aux input.

forbidden

Agreed. The 6XS is the ideal interface for this situation. Once again, it is a advanced LOC, capable of taking any type of input signal. It is also a master input level controller, next up it is a line driver, add on a signal output provider (front lo and hi, rear and subwoofer preouts), add on it comes with a subwoofer level controller and finally, yes it is also a crossover. This one device will allow you to do what 3 or more devices would normally do. It is also the one device that will take your system from alright to exceptional performance.

XLR83N

i used a cheap loc to add a sub to my system, just bought a lc6 so hopefully it will sound better now as my sub wasnt performing to my expectations before

jstkilntim

It will!

kimota

Sorry to hijack a thread but I've got a question about the 6XS will it sum the inputs for the fronts and rears giving you a output for a sub?

If not how are are 6XS users getting output for sub? I went the 3sixty.2 route but just curious about other options. Checking the audiocontrol website they only list the 6XS as a crossover they should update its specs and include LOC

P.S

jstkilntim thanks again for all the help with stereo install questions