Hyundai Santa Cruz Owners Registry: Add Your Info Here!

Upgraded audio! 4 channel + speakers! 😀

21899 Views 81 Replies 30 Participants Last post by wolfeprop9599, 3 d ago

Ingkel

Discussion Starter · Jan 14, 2022

Hello cruzers,new member here, just wanted to let everyone one know it’s pretty easy to upgrade the audio in the Santa Cruz. I replaced all the speakers and added a 4 channel amplifier. I didn’t take out the factory head unit, all signal wires were located in the kickpanels ( I am using amp with high level inputs). The sound is like night and day from the underpowered factory system. I’ve been in the car audio field for 25+ years and have plenty of experience. If anyone needs any help upgrading their factory system, I’m here to help! BTW this was done in the non Bose SEL vehicle.

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Ingkel

Discussion Starter · #21 · Jan 15, 2022

No problem Justin, the colors for each speaker are listed above in the attachment, so there should be no guessing, once u get the drivers side kick panel off u should clearly see them. Oh btw to get the hood release off, push in an 8 mm socket to release the clips while u pry from the back of the handle, makes it so much easier than trying to push in each of the 4 individual clips.
Also your welcome Kayak. Just trying to help everyone get better sound.

kiheiman

· #22 · Jan 18, 2022

Ingkel said:
Pull the kick panel on either side there will be several white molex connectors, the speaker wires r twisted and the colors r listed above in the attachment. Cut rhe speaker wire according to the color noted, make sure u leave enough room to attach new wires, ie don’t cut the wires too close to the connector or too high on the harness. The output from the radio comes down from the top of harness and the signal to the speaker goes into the molex. Cut that pair in the middle so u have room to splice. The speaker wires r bigger than some of the other wires in the harness and are twisted. U can be verify u have the right wires by ohming the wires with a multimeter, the factory speakers r 4 ohm, u will get that ohm load at the molex not at the other end of the cut wire, since it goes to the head unit.
As far as adding a sub with the non Blows, I mean Bose system, u will have to tap into a door speaker to get signal. Use 2 speakers to tap into, left and right, not front and rear. That’s why LOCs have 4 input wires, for 2 speakers, more signal for the amp low level input (RCAs). Hope this helps.

How did you remove the kick panel? Where did you run all of the new wires for the amp?

Clint
AZ

Ingkel

Discussion Starter · #23 · Jan 18, 2022

First remove the rubber weather stripping on the sill panel and the kick panel, u don’t have to remove all of it just where you’re going to remove the panels. Then with the weatherstripping out of the way, pry the door sill panel out starting from where the weatherstripping was attached, u should see I think 3 clips, then the panel should come off. The kick panel comes off by releasing one clip at the top of the panel and a couple of plastic push clips in the middle and back. Take your time and look for the clips, it’s not that that bad.
As far as running the wires, I ran them under the carpet closest to the door.

Reactions: 3

CvPec

· #24 · Jan 20, 2022

Ingkel said:
First remove the rubber weather stripping on the sill panel and the kick panel, u don’t have to remove all of it just where you’re going to remove the panels. Then with the weatherstripping out of the way, pry the door sill panel out starting from where the weatherstripping was attached, u should see I think 3 clips, then the panel should come off. The kick panel comes off by releasing one clip at the top of the panel and a couple of plastic push clips in the middle and back. Take your time and look for the clips, it’s not that that bad.
As far as running the wires, I ran them under the carpet closest to the door.

Very nice of you to share your information and experience. Very Informative. Thank you

yak

· #25 · Jan 22, 2022

Ingkel said:
First remove the rubber weather stripping on the sill panel and the kick panel, u don’t have to remove all of it just where you’re going to remove the panels. Then with the weatherstripping out of the way, pry the door sill panel out starting from where the weatherstripping was attached, u should see I think 3 clips, then the panel should come off. The kick panel comes off by releasing one clip at the top of the panel and a couple of plastic push clips in the middle and back. Take your time and look for the clips, it’s not that that bad.
As far as running the wires, I ran them under the carpet closest to the door.

Where is the groment you ran the power wire through? TY for all the advice just waiting weather. Might put the amp in and run some of the wires. I see there is 2 bolts under the divers seat sticking up could bolt the amp to them. Also where to you run your ground too? Thanks

Ingkel

Discussion Starter · #26 · Jan 23, 2022

yak said:
Where is the groment you ran the power wire through? TY for all the advice just waiting weather. Might put the amp in and run some of the wires. I see there is 2 bolts under the divers seat sticking up could bolt the amp to them. Also where to you run your ground too? Thanks

I drilled a new hole with a uni bit above the grommet for the hood release, make sure to use a new grommet. As far as mounting and grounding the amp, the amp I used is so small I mounted it beside those bolts under the seat. I grounded the amp to the crossbar where the front drivers seat is mounted to, not to the seat itself or to the mounting bolts for the seat, make sure to grind off the paint.

Reactions: 1

yak

· #27 · Jan 23, 2022

Ingkel said:
I drilled a new hole with a uni bit above the grommet for the hood release, make sure to use a new grommet. As far as mounting and grounding the amp, the amp I used is so small I mounted it beside those bolts under the seat. I grounded the amp to the crossbar where the front drivers seat is mounted to, not to the seat itself or to the mounting bolts for the seat, make sure to grind off the paint.

Thank You

yak

· #28 · Jan 23, 2022

yak said:
Thank You

Mines small too Im useing a kicker key amp 180.4 they replaced that amp with the 200.4 think it only has 5 more watts per channel

Spiff

· #29 · Jan 25, 2022

I've replaced quite a few car speakers and several head units, but never added an inline amp. Did you need to use a wire for the power signal to the amp, or does it get that from the speaker level inputs? Aftermarket head units always have an signal output wire (blue if I remember correctly, it's been a few years).

Ingkel

Discussion Starter · #30 · Jan 25, 2022

Spiff said:
I've replaced quite a few car speakers and several head units, but never added an inline amp. Did you need to use a wire for the power signal to the amp, or does it get that from the speaker level inputs? Aftermarket head units always have an signal output wire (blue if I remember correctly, it's been a few years).

Yes u have to run a new power wire from the battery to any aftermarket amp and u must make sure it is sized correctly and fused for the amp draw of the amp used. Don’t use any other power wire in the vehicle for the main power wire for the amp, run a new one. As far as the blue wire from the headunit, that is usually the power antenna turn on wire,most aftermarket units use a blue/white wire, that is the wire to turn the amp on and off. That is the wire u run to the remote in on the amp. Some amps turn on and off via signal sensing on the high level speaker inputs, so u wouldn’t need the blue, blue/white wire, check the owners manual that came with the amp. If u are using an LOC (line output converter) for signal, then u must use the blue/white from the headunit to turn the amp on/off. Hope this helps.

Reactions: 1

Spiff

· #31 · Jan 25, 2022

Yeah, I knew I'd need a new fused power wire coming in from the battery, the blue/white was the one I wasn't sure on (for being several years I guess my memory wasn't that bad).

I might go with one of the Sony mini amps if there is a decent place to put it under the dash. Under the seat I've got a small lockbox that I don't really want to give up.

yak

· #32 · Jan 25, 2022

Spiff said:
Yeah, I knew I'd need a new fused power wire coming in from the battery, the blue/white was the one I wasn't sure on (for being several years I guess my memory wasn't that bad).

I might go with one of the Sony mini amps if there is a decent place to put it under the dash. Under the seat I've got a small lockbox that I don't really want to give up.

Crutchfield has good prices and all the support you will need. Look at their site.

Reactions: 3

JMII

· #33 · Jan 25, 2022

When installing an amp remember the fuse protects the wiring not the amp itself, so put the fuse as close to the battery as possible.

Reactions: 3

yak

· #34 · Feb 20, 2022

Ingkel said:
The amp I am using is the Infinity Primus 6004a. Yes I know about the center speaker in the dash, I’m gonna leave in running off head unit power. Speaker wiring attached.

For the right rear speaker I think I got green for + and orange for - instead of red. Also they are in the red block cause I unpled the block and the right speakers shut off. What do you think? I also got the wiring guide from crutchfield and it is just like your. I think you said your speakers wires were in the white block

Ingkel

Discussion Starter · #35 · Feb 22, 2022

yak said:
For the right rear speaker I think I got green for + and orange for - instead of red. Also they are in the red block cause I unpled the block and the right speakers shut off. What do you think? I also got the wiring guide from crutchfield and it is just like your. I think you said your speakers wires were in the white block

You are correct, the right rear is on the red block, and the the positive is green and negative is orange not red. My wiring guide is also from crutchfield but I also have the complete vehicle wiring from Directechs.

Reactions: 2

yak

· #36 · Mar 10, 2022

Ingkel said:
You are correct, the right rear is on the red block, and the the positive is green and negative is orange not red. My wiring guide is also from crutchfield but I also have the complete vehicle wiring from Directechs.

Putting speakers in the speaker wires are red and green at the speaker, but green and orange at the block. Put my amp in the other day got it all wired and no sound. I had the input and output mixed. Works good now,lol

Ingkel

Discussion Starter · #37 · Mar 10, 2022

Make sure you’re getting the same power to each set of speakers (front and rear). I’m assuming u replaced the tweeters in the front doors along with the woofers in the front door. Play a 1000 hz test tone at low volume on repeat. Put your multimeter probes on either channel 1 or 2 ( that should be left front door and right front door) at the amp. Put your meter on AC voltage and read that number. Then do the same process on channels 3 and 4. Adjust your gain knob so that it matches the number u got on the front channels, now your gains are matched. To confirm they are matched turn volume up a little and repeat the above steps, the numbers should be the same.

Reactions: 1

yak

· #38 · Mar 14, 2022

Ingkel said:
Make sure you’re getting the same power to each set of speakers (front and rear). I’m assuming u replaced the tweeters in the front doors along with the woofers in the front door. Play a 1000 hz test tone at low volume on repeat. Put your multimeter probes on either channel 1 or 2 ( that should be left front door and right front door) at the amp. Put your meter on AC voltage and read that number. Then do the same process on channels 3 and 4. Adjust your gain knob so that it matches the number u got on the front channels, now your gains are matched. To confirm they are matched turn volume up a little and repeat the above steps, the numbers should be the same.

The kicker key amp has a dont no what you call it but it sets each speaker. You plug it into the amp and it does sound test at the driver side seat for drive. It adjust everything

Shajlovely1

· #39 · Apr 12, 2022

Ingkel said:
Hello cruzers,new member here, just wanted to let everyone one know it’s pretty easy to upgrade the audio in the Santa Cruz. I replaced all the speakers and added a 4 channel amplifier. I didn’t take out the factory head unit, all signal wires were located in the kickpanels ( I am using amp with high level inputs). The sound is like night and day from the underpowered factory system. I’ve been in the car audio field for 25+ years and have plenty of experience. If anyone needs any help upgrading their factory system, I’m here to help! BTW this was done in the non Bose SEL vehicle.

Hello, I am in the middle of replacing my system now with a 10" speaker & 4 channel 200 watt amp. Can u please tell me how to get the bottom of the screen out. I got the top part but can't get the bottom to come out

Ingkel

Discussion Starter · #40 · Apr 13, 2022

Shajlovely1 said:
Hello, I am in the middle of replacing my system now with a 10" speaker & 4 channel 200 watt amp. Can u please tell me how to get the bottom of the screen out. I got the top part but can't get the bottom to come out

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