Changing the audio in my IS200

[Acallys]

A few months back I bought a 1999 Lexus IS200. The whole sound system was stock and the rear speakers started to break so it was time for a replacement. I bought some JVC 6x9's for the back (I don't have the model number handy at the moment), and when I took the stock ones out of the back I discovered they were a double speaker setup. The connections to the head unit had 2 positive and 2 negative wires, and the new speakers only have 1 of each. I tried doubling them up and putting both of the head unit wires of each type to the single positive and negative of the speakers and that sounded horrible and just didn't work.

Can someone please help and explain what I need to do to sort this out and make the car sound awesome? Thanks in advance!

[Zangetsu]

Well as you've probably realised you've got six speakers from factory in the IS200. What you might not know is that the IS200 also has a factory amplifier. Each set of rear speakers (Speaker 1 and Speaker 2) have a different impedence and one acts as a tweeter and one acts a mini subwoofer. Wiring your aftermarket speakers into either of these will either give you no bass, or no high range. You don't really have many options with the stock Amp/HU setup.

1. Wire it into the tweeter wires (and have no bass)
2. Replace the factory head unit and wire the speakers into that
3. Go whole hog and replace the lot

This might help you in future: http://i.imgur.com/GcToyD3.jpg

Also since you're in NZ, how dare you get an IS200. Should've got an Altezza for that beams power.

[Acallys]

Cool, thanks for the info! I'm not very experienced with car audio, so yea I had a look and saw the amp behind the glovebox. Now if I were to get a new headunit which is a good start, what do I need to do about that amp? Do I just ignore it altogether, or would that be a waste? I'm fine with the speakers in the front and the new ones in the back, but I would look into getting a new headunit.

To be honest, I didn't even look at Altezzas. I just assumed the Lexus version would be better due to the luxury nature of the brand. I mainly got this car as a replacement after my E46 was in a crash and just wanted a car that would work. Looking into changing things up again once I get my new job.

[Zangetsu]

Remove the factory headunit and amplifier. Buy a 4 channel head unit suitable for the task and wire all four speakers into it.

The Altezza has a substantially different engine to the IS200. Altezza has a 3S-GE, which is a 2l 4 cylinder engine making 154kW while the IS200 has a 1G-FE, which is a 2l 6 cylinder engine making 119kW.

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Yup, what he said. If you need to buy a head unit, get it off of sonicelectronix and have it shipped to nz, will probably be cheaper than a local market one, and come with a harness/dash piece if you need it. If you just want a cheap aftermarket hu, buy local. Just depends on what you want to spend.

[Acallys]

Alright that sounds easy enough. I asked elsewhere too and I got a response saying that I need an bypass cable or something?

I'll look into that sonicelectronix website and see what costs are like, thanks for that.

[Zangetsu]

Alright that sounds easy enough. I asked elsewhere too and I got a response saying that I need an bypass cable or something?

I'll look into that sonicelectronix website and see what costs are like, thanks for that.

You shouldn't need the bypass cable if you remove the factory headunit and AMP.

Wouldn't bother dicking around with international. If you're in Auckland give Rapid Radio a shot, they're normally damn cheap and only stock good brands.

[phoenx]

commodore............ right?

[Acallys]

Would getting a bypass cable and using the amp sound better? Or would it just be more worthwhile either not using an amp or getting a cheap amp off trademe? I'm in Wellington.

I don't know what you mean phoenx.