Can anyone recommend a good line level converter? 2017 Hatchback Sport Touring

[tenshiro]

Hey guys, planning on removing my current setup in my RVR (will be giving this car to my dad, he has no need for a good sound system) and into my sport touring. Current set up is an Alpine MRV-M500 and 2 12" Clarion subs. The shop I'm having it done at said I would also need a line level converter since I want to keep the stock infotainment system. After doing a bit of research, I still have no idea what I'm looking for. Can any of you audiophiles recommend a good line level converter that hopefully...isn't too expensive?

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[SUMSUM]

Hey guys, planning on removing my current setup in my RVR (will be giving this car to my dad, he has no need for a good sound system) and into my sport touring. Current set up is an Alpine MRV-M500 and 2 12" Clarion subs. The shop I'm having it done at said I would also need a line level converter since I want to keep the stock infotainment system. After doing a bit of research, I still have no idea what I'm looking for. Can any of you audiophiles recommend a good line level converter that hopefully...isn't too expensive?

I just got my subs and amp installed on my Sport by geek squad and the installer recommended Metra's TC-LOC2 which they carry for 15 bucks! Sounds great too

 

[Trey]

Can't beat the quality of audiocontrol.

http://www.audiocontrol.com/car-audio/factory-system-upgrade/lc2i/

 

[SSGCoxie]

Can't beat the quality of audiocontrol.

http://www.audiocontrol.com/car-audio/factory-system-upgrade/lc2i/

Looking at the online manual brings one question: Does the Line Output Converter BRIDGE onto the channels from the head unit to the speakers or TERMINATE the head unit output and replace those speakers ?

 

[Trey]

Looking at the online manual brings one question: Does the Line Output Converter BRIDGE onto the channels from the head unit to the speakers or TERMINATE the head unit output and replace those speakers ?

The LC2 takes the speaker wires from the factory headunit and converts it to RCAs. No Wattage/Voltage/Ohms involved. You can then use RCA cables to connect to an amp or other signal processing equipment.

If you want to get fancy...

 

[SSGCoxie]

The LC2 takes the speaker wires from the factory headunit and converts it to RCAs. No Wattage/Voltage/Ohms involved. You can then use RCA cables to connect to an amp or other signal processing equipment.

If you want to get fancy...

Thank you for the assistance, but in a Sub-only application like OP's, is the 2 channel LC2i that feeds the subwoofer amp tapped off of a speaker set or replacing a speaker set?

 

[Trey]

Thank you for the assistance, but in a Sub-only application like OP's, is the 2 channel LC2i that feeds the subwoofer amp tapped off of a speaker set or replacing a speaker set?

Ahh, you would cut the speaker wire from the headunit and connect them to the LC2i. You would then connect the LC2i to an amp and then connect to the speakers. Not sure if you can tap into the rear speaker wire to run a sub amp and OEM rear speakers.

 

[SSGCoxie]

ah. Looks like a quick bass package will be more involved than I thought!

 

[BarracksSi]

Current set up is an Alpine MRV-M500 and 2 12" Clarion subs. The shop I'm having it done at said I would also need a line level converter since I want to keep the stock infotainment system.

Is this an accurate page for your amp?
https://www.amazon.com/MRV-M500-1-Channel-Amplifier-Absolute-Complete/dp/B01LWDH6L9

It says it's got speaker-level inputs -- is that right?

What I'd try for a quick-n'-dirty install is to just take out the Sport Touring's sub and hook its speaker wires into the Alpine amp, then run the Clarion subs just like before.

You're already getting a low-pass signal from the stock HU, right? Run your sub-and-amp combo with this audio source and see what it sounds like.

It might be good enough to not need a line-level convertor. If the Clarions play too loud, you can turn down the Alpine's gain anyway (I hope).

 

[Trey]

Is this an accurate page for your amp?
https://www.amazon.com/MRV-M500-1-Channel-Amplifier-Absolute-Complete/dp/B01LWDH6L9

It says it's got speaker-level inputs -- is that right?

What I'd try for a quick-n'-dirty install is to just take out the Sport Touring's sub and hook its speaker wires into the Alpine amp, then run the Clarion subs just like before.

You're already getting a low-pass signal from the stock HU, right? Run your sub-and-amp combo with this audio source and see what it sounds like.

It might be good enough to not need a line-level convertor. If the Clarions play too loud, you can turn down the Alpine's gain anyway (I hope).

Spot on! Here is the wiring guide:

 

[tenshiro]

Thanks everyone for your input and advice.

Is this an accurate page for your amp?
https://www.amazon.com/MRV-M500-1-Channel-Amplifier-Absolute-Complete/dp/B01LWDH6L9

It says it's got speaker-level inputs -- is that right?
What I'd try for a quick-n'-dirty install is to just take out the Sport Touring's sub and hook its speaker wires into the Alpine amp, then run the Clarion subs just like before.
You're already getting a low-pass signal from the stock HU, right? Run your sub-and-amp combo with this audio source and see what it sounds like.
It might be good enough to not need a line-level convertor. If the Clarions play too loud, you can turn down the Alpine's gain anyway (I hope).

Yea that's my current amp. I'll definitely give that a try when I have time. I'm overseas for work and I'm itching to get back to driving her again

 

[BarracksSi]

The last time I did any audio stuff to my car was.. holy crap, almost thirty years ago.

When I added a sub and amp, I got a 2x50W amp, ran the front mains normally from the amp, bridged the sub across both amp outputs, and did the high- and low-pass bit without an extra controller box. I put high-pass caps on the main speakers and a low-pass coil on the sub. The cheap-ass setup fooled a lot of people into thinking I had spent more money than I really did.

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