Anyone used an in line converter?

[Sti mayhew]

As above trying to sort the girlfriends corsa out with some componant speakers, all wired in and got the amp wired up today. So because the factory head unit doesn't have pre-outs you have to use one of these so that you can amp them until we can afford the double din that she wants. Has anyone wired one in before, bought speakers, amp, converter dynamat from huets and was told it was 'easy'! Famous last words that, I have fitted loads of set ups in my previous cars but this is by far the worst car I have ever done. Nothing is easy or straightforward everything I try and do I get confronted with a problem all the time. You should jus plug the amp pre-out in the top and connect the speakers to the designated wires which I have tried but get no sound, i tried everything I can think of including punching the garage door a couple of times which didn't help a lot either. Has anyone any ideas, I'm beaten!!
P.s the speakers do actually work off the headunit itself.

[Granby]

Assuming you have wired the speaker wires correctly does the amp actually switch on?

[Sti mayhew]

Yep amp turns on, all ready to go. I did wonder if the earth wasn't good enough as that can cut sound output can't it?
This is becoming a regular Sunday meeting!

[Granby]

Originally Posted by Sti mayhew

Yep amp turns on, all ready to go. I did wonder if the earth wasn't good enough as that can cut sound output can't it?
This is becoming a regular Sunday meeting!

lol, just out of interest how are you switching the amp on?

[Sti mayhew]

Power connected with in line fuse, earth via seat bolt and amp being switched on via remote wire into permanent live from back of the head unit, will find a switch live once its all working properly as the headunit doesn't have its own switch live so I will use the cig lighter or headlight switch but most of them used to have a seperate feed for the remote didn't they?

[Granby]

Yeah most should have a switched live, have you adjusted all the gains on the above unit and amp, does the amp have any hi pass or low pass switches

[Sti mayhew]

I did think that so I turned them half way on the amp to make sure I wasn't being a numpty, also turned them up on the above unit aswel it's got to be something simple again I'm overlooking like last week. It does have lo and hi pass switches actually you saying that, on the wrong setting would that mute completely then?

[Granby]

Shouldn't completely mute but you never know, how many inputs does the amp have?

[Sti mayhew]

It's a jl audio jx360/4

[Granby]

On that you could of used your speaker outputs from the headunit as it has hi level input

Filter mode should be in the centre (off)
Make sure whichever channel your using 1&2 or 3&4 your speakers are connected to the correct speaker outputs on the other side of the amp

[Sti mayhew]

Oh really how would i go about that (if the answers not to long or complicated i dont want you wasting to much of your time on this) never been down this route before as I've always used the normal pre-outs. Yep speakers are in the right channels on the other side of the amp not sure on the filter though I will go and check in a minute.

[SpecB]

Plug the speaker wires straight into the high input sockets on the inputs side.

[Granby]

There should be a connector (which has wires comming out of it) that plugs into the hi level input (the 2 whte inputs at the top of the unit)

[Sti mayhew]

Ah yes I have the white connector in the box so that's what it's for!! Just looked and the channel I'm using for the speakers was on high pass not off.
So I can still do it that way then can't I as the speaker wires are already run so I could do it and not use the converter, is that right??

[Granby]

If it was set to hi pass you should of still got sound as it was only blocking the bass
Yes you can still do that but you should still be getting sound using the convertor
Are you using just 2 speakers and what inputs are you using on the amp (1&2 or 3&4)

[Granby]

Just thought, on the headunit have you got the fader set to front or rear or in the middle

[Sti mayhew]

Yes im just using the fronts which are components, off the headunit there are only wires for speakers not tweeters so I'm assuming they split in the door to then go to the tweeter.
I'm using input 1+2 and have the amp switched over to 2 channel.

[Granby]

Strange as it all seems correct

[Sti mayhew]

Thanks for all your help and advice, I'm going out to have another go as its bugging me.
So just to check
Connect speaker wire I have run straight to front speaker wire off the headunit
At the amp run the wires to the high level plug and pug it in job done??

[Sti mayhew]

No I still have to use the converters don't I to plug the pre-out in?

[Granby]

The speaker wires from the headunit go to the hi level input on the amp

The speaker wires from the amp (on the other side of amp) go to the speakers in the doors

[Sti mayhew]

Right I'm off to double check my self, thankyou granby. Will report back.

[Sti mayhew]

Ok been out, still brain dead!
See if you can stick with me on this again (sorry)
Pre-out from amp plugged into pre-out on converter
Converter wires L-/L+ 'spliced' into L-/L+ at the headunit
Converter wires R-/R+ 'spliced' into R-/R+ at the headunit

I was thinking you cut them at the headunit and connect the box straight to speaker wires going to the speakers themselves as if the amp was doing it independently but you don't do you as that won't complete the circuit.
Also the bloke in huets said run the speaker wire ready for when the headunit is in, which I have but this isn't being used until then is it? Hope that makes some sort of sense.

[Granby]

Preout from converter should be plugged into either of the low level inputs (1&2 or 3&4) on the amp

[Sti mayhew]

Originally Posted by Granby

Preout from converter should be plugged into either of the low level inputs (1&2 or 3&4) on the amp

Yep ok that's fine, am I right with the wires spliced into to complete the circuit rather than cut as if you we're running them independently like we will be when the headunits in?

[Granby]

Originally Posted by Sti mayhew

Yep ok that's fine, am I right with the wires spliced into to complete the circuit rather than cut as if you we're running them independently like we will be when the headunits in?

You've lost me

[Sti mayhew]

I've totally lost myself aswell, just had another go with no luck so I don't know what it is I'm not doing. You have a think about it then just when you think you've got it you try your theory and bam another brick wall. I'm going to call it a day tonight mate, I'm thick at the best of times but the more I think the worse its getting.
Thanks for trying to help me, I know I'm not the best at explaining things but you done well understanding what I was trying to get at.
You free tomorrow night same time?
Just kidding, thanks again for your time i appreciate it

[Granby]

No problem mate, maybe a clear head in the morning you will be able to sort it, and no i'm def going out tomorrow night lol

[SpecB]

I guess the converter has RCA sockets on the output side, if you plan to use the converter then connect the wires to the speaker outputs on the H/U before any crossovers etc.
The outputs using RCA's then go to the amp on the low level inputs section (channels 1 & 2), effectively fitting the converter 'inline'.

Or if you are not using the converter run speaker cables from the H/U speaker outputs to the amp, use the white connector block you should have got with the amp to connect these to the Amp, again channels 1 & 2.

The speaker leads go straight from the output side to the speakers/crossover. If you're not running a sub make sure you set filters to off.

[riiidaa]

My sub amp has a 'speaker level input' - I think many do these days. Therefore I have no need for an in-line converter

[riiidaa]

I just piggy-back from the rear speakers and run leads as per my previous post.

[Sti mayhew]

Cheers all, got it sorted in the end. Was me being a t*at, well to be fair I've never used these before so I have an excuse!

[Granby]

Good news, but come on you've got to tell us the problem

[Sti mayhew]

I was wiring the converter straight to the speaker wires thinking the amp would run them! Didn't cross my mind the converter goes to the wires from the headunit and the speaker wires I ran from the amp go to the speakers