This is, without a doubt, the best overview I've found on the best way to install an aftermarket sub, LOC, remote, and amp in a 10th gen civic hatchback. I finally have some semblance of knowing what I need and how I might do the job in my own setup. I also really appreciate that you didn't just explain what you're doing, but WHY you're doing it THAT way. Thank you so much for this very thorough and high quality breakdown!
I'm glad you liked this video! I did indeed put some thought and time into explaining things. RUclips often shows people just "doing" things without proper context. The purpose of my channel is not to entertain but to teach and I'd be a terrible teacher if I didn't explain the "whys" to everything I do :). Thanks for coming by!
I've literally watched this video 50+ times. I watched it piece by piece as I did my own install. Very helpful. Thank you very much sir, I would not known what to do without your help
I am pretty confident you would’ve been able to figure things out. Just takes a bit longer when you’re not shown :). In any case thanks for the kind words and glad you now fully understand how to do the install!
I am a man of my word. When my fans ask I will try my hardest to fulfill what you want :). The bonus is my stereo sounds so much better with an amp in it. Share my video to anyone you know that would be interested my vid.
@@arthurhughlett2292 The line output converter is the LC2i and I've back fed the wires back into the subwoofer box where I snipped the connections from the factory sub. The reason why I did this is to ensure I don't compromise the factory connector in the event I want to put EVERYTHING back to stock form that I'd have no problems doing so. If you watch the install video again I go into detail on how and why I did it.
Great tips. I've been wiring amplifiers in all of my vehicles for many years, and still took away some great info that not only helped with this install, but for many more to come. Thanks
Thanks for carefully showing us how to install this so clean and neatly. It definitely demonstrated that I need some patience when doing this. Also, it kinda scared me into not wanting to really do it, but I wouldn't trust anyone to do it as careful and extensive as you have.
Great idea to use the grommet for the hood release, however, right above it is a capped half inch hole that you can use for up to a 0 gauge power wire. Pull away the insulation padding about a half inch above the hood release grommet and you will see it.
Super clean install! Taking the time to wrap and secure all the cables is a great way to keep it neat/tidy. I liked the way you incorporated the bass boost nob into the existing pop-out panel on the far left lower side. Perfect spot to blend it into the lower dash. Great hack to make it fit into a tight spot too. I’m applying this to my 2017 Accord! Well done, sir!👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Awesome Video!!! Very clean and professionally done. Unfortunately I had my system installed by a professional because I found this video afterwards. But I enjoyed watching it. It was very clear and step by step DIY and it was informative. Thank you for the time and effort you put in to make this happen.
I was able to fit the PCB from the ACR-1 into the switch blank vertically with a dremmel and a few attachments. Came out super clean... never would've even thought of it if it weren't for you. Thanks man!
This is the best install video i have ever seen... i watched this for the ACR-1 and LC2i install portion but fount all of it very useful. I drive an Accord and it pretty much all applies.
One of the best videos I've seen so far on youtube for sub/amp installation using a LC2i. Very well explained and professional. I'm preparing to do an install on my 2013 accord EX-L and this will help me a lot. Thanks so much !
I personally don't have a civic, but I was looking for a quality explanation on the LC2i and this video was of tremendous help to me. Thanks for the high quality content. Liked, and Subbed.
I set up the same amp and LC2i in my F-150. I’m pushing two punch p3 10’s and it is amazing. I like that you set the gain on the amp to zero. I will have to play with that. I am still tuning mine. Great video.
Hey just a tip, if you don’t want your power wire to run behind the front fender, you can find another grommet behind the battery that leads behind the clutch pedal. Nice video!
Also a note, if you are using 4gauge or larger wire it won't fit through the grommet with the hood release cable. Luckily, directly above the hood release cable like roughly 1" above there is plastic plug you can remove that provides another hole to route your power wire through. Just need a grommet or to drill out the plastic plug you remove from the hole.
That's a good point. I never actually have seen the larger 1" plug but if I ever upgrade my power cable from the small gauge that I used to a larger one I will consider that option. Thanks for sharing that knowledge.
Thank you very much for the thorough breakdown and run through of putting in your system. I can’t wait to get my subs and amp in since I already have my LC2i here by its lonesome. All internals we’re already upgraded in my 20 Accord Sport as well. Cheers!
glad you liked the video. I'm thinking of upgrading the front speakers next on my car as I find the tweeters harsh and sound like their clipping when driving to reference audio levels. I need to save up for a nice set of focals for my car but those are big $$$$.
Definitely not a bad install but I noticed a few things that should be done differently. 1) Power wires should realistically be run through the firewall and bundled with other wiring harnesses versus run through the fenderwell grommets which can allow moisture into the vehicle as the fender is not sealed off from rain in the same way the firewall is, considering the hood and cowl both have seals to prevent water ingress in the engine bay. 2) Power wires should be attached directly to the positive battery terminal. As it stands, you are powering the LC2i and that Rockford off the factory 8 or 10 gauge wiring from the battery to the fuse box, and it's not designed to handle the extra 15-20A nominal power you might be pulling on normal use. Connecting directly to the battery eliminates the possibility of stressing the stock power wire and it also eliminates the possibility of confusing the car's Electronic Load Detection and causing a fault. 3) While your LC2i is definitely a nice piece and has bass rolloff capabilities, your Rockford amp has the ability to accept speaker-level inputs and do its own signal step down, thereby almost completely eliminating the need for the LC2i. The LC2i can definitely be used as a signal clean-up and re-level if that's what you're looking for, but it was not entirely necessary and omitting it may have saved some time and effort, not to mention cost. Overall quite good, everything should work beautifully. and considering the significantly higher quality of the components used versus stock, it probably sounds pretty good too.
All great tips indeed and in my other installations I've done points #1 and #2 but for the Type R I decided to go a slightly different route to spare me the pain of feeding a wire through a grommet in the firewall. So far after all these years I've had no moisture issues but then again my car is a sunny day, summer with no change of rain type of car. I won't drive it in the rain if I can avoid it (yes I'm crazy). With respect to the battery cable. I actually did a current draw test on the amp before installing everything and I wasn't pulling all the much power with the volume and bass levels I was listening at. At most about 7-8 amps which the stock power cable would be able to manage. You're definitely right though, if anyone runs a larger amp then that CAN pose a problem. I wanted the cleanest install I could possibly have with my setup without having to rejig the power connector on the battery. The LC2i does do a better job of restoring bass rolloff but yes many amps have that built in and probably could've made do without it. Thanks for watching the vid and again, I appreciate the comments as it is definitely something to consider for others.
Outstanding video. Detailed and quite comprehensive. I'm doing a similar install on a Ram 1500 and you gave me the idea of using the double-sided tape to help mount the LC2i and the amplifier. Thanks!
Glad you liked the video. I did an install in a civic sport touring and had to mount the amp on the tire jack cover so that it didn't impede the use of the spare tire Thanks for watching!
thanks! I'm pretty OCD about things so tidy and neat is important. I mean there is extra wires and such underneath the amps but I sadly can't customize certain cables so I'm relegated to shoving them underneath where its out of sight and out of mind.
Glad you enjoyed the video. There are more Type R how to vids but been super busy with "life" that I haven't been able to post some of my DIY work on my car.
I recommend changing that gain control out, for an RCA level input knob. I personally run SPL cartel, because they're linear voltage, but you don't want gain control, because they're more prone to causing equipment damage. Also, move that power lead, to a better spot, you're going to cut through the shielding, opening and closing your hood.
Interesting advice. Although my gain control isn't via RCA the gain is still managed via the LC2i which is somewhat like RCA gain control but limited to the what the main gains are set on the output converter. As for the power cable I can assure you it won't cut through. I've wrapped it in split loom, foam tape and then ty wrapped them to the chassis and I've done lots of clearance checks to make sure it wouldn't pinch. But as you've said it could cut through the insulation but I usually check things like that regularly to make sure wires aren't chafing anywhere. Great advice nonetheless.
@@piercedasian I just do this competitively and I'm installing an lc2 in my daily build. I have a little bit of experience and try to give advice where I can.
Yooo, thanks so much for this vid, man. Was looking specifically for a clean way to connect power to battery and BOOM! Props. I can’t wait to be boomin’!
Glad the pen idea worked. I actually got the idea from a CivicX forum member called "CTRMOFO". The credit all goes to him for coming up with that hack.
great vid! exactly the info i was looking for.. if i make one recommendation.. I'd probably use Tessa tape to wrap the plastic loom in, would add a nice layer that would prevent wire rattle and in warmer climates hold up better (coming from texas here). again great vid!
Interesting. I don’t actually know what Tessa tape is. Is it a fabric type tape? I wrapped all my wiring quite thoroughly even after I finished this vid. So far it has been holding up well but then again I drive like 3000 miles a year :)
yes I did :) I had to as the amp makes the sub so much better in ways that I can't even describe. The Type R is easy to install in since it has that foam tire blank tray that you can put things into vs. other civics that have a spare tire in its place. I'll be doing a sport touring soon so we'll see how that pans out.
piercedasian fantastic! I will do this once my 2019 Type R arrives this spring. I already have the amp and sub speaker - just need the car Your video has helped me so much! I own you a big thanks Love how you took your time and did a professional job - I will do the same Cheers!!!
glad you loved the video. Yes, take your time and do things right and you'll be rewarded with a nice looking and nice sounding system that is super reliable. Good luck on the car purchase.
Hi David, I actually did have a sound demo but the dynamic range of my mic is pretty crappy and my iPhone and gopro wasn't much better so i opted to not bothering showing a before and after sound as my viewers would probably tell me it sounds the same which it certainly doesn't. Maybe when I get more subscribers and views I can actually afford to buy a better wide dynamic range mic :)
Just wanna say I personally never remove the center panel or seat belt on four doors. Just run a wire hanger or glow rod and tape your wire to it and fish it to opening once back panel is off. Saves time! I like working like a short, lazy, fat man. Smarter not harder. ;)
That's a great tip. While it wasn't difficult to remove the seat belt bolt from the centre trim that I opted to do so to show the audience what is behind everything. You're absolutely right that it doesn't need to be pulled to save some time and the potential to incorrectly retorque the seatbelt anchor bolt (critical in a collision).
Hey bro not being racist but this video is why I love Asians, I worked with them when I was a sushi chef at a 5 star restaurant lol now turned automotive technician, but the detail of your install and everything is fantastic
Not racist at all! I've heard LOTS of people tell me that and while I am not one to discriminate, that I think culturally we are conditioned to work a little differently. I'm not saying I am perfect (far from it) but the mindset on how we approach problems might be different - perceived to be perhaps perfectionistic? Either way, the devil is in the details and those that care would WANT to see ALL the info so they get it right the first time. Thanks for watching!
@@piercedasian can confirm, my wife is Asian (Japanese) and she is like a tank. Nothing stops her, she's adorable, yet strong as an ox mentally. Always seeks to be the best at whatever she is doing.
@@crazytech5755 Yep, that doesn't surprise me to hear that. In the end, I was raised at least, to do things right and treat any work you're doing as if it was your own.
lol yes, it is indeed a factory mint CRX Si that rarely leaves the garage. It's old and it's new if that makes any sense and I'd hate to get into an accident or have someone try to steal my little car.
I ripped out the entire stock sub housing and trunk liner. Bought a non R liner which fits OEM without a sub being there. Then bought a skar audio stealth box with JL 10TW3 sub.
do i need an lci2? i just got a new car and i took out my old sub and amp but they never installed an lci2, should i get one for my new installation? what exactly does it help with/do?
Aw man an E350 is super easy to install in b/c of the proximity of the battery. Just make sure you do not compromise the battery box if it is sealed and you wouldn't want a buildup of hydrogen gas in your trunk.
I'm here for the LC2i shown in the thumbnail as I'm considering one. My '19 WRX needs LOTS of help in the audio department thanks to poor, unbalanced audio tuning on Subaru's part.
Just curious, I saw you tapped a positive wire into the engine bay's fuse junction box (near where the megafuse is located). Assuming you didn't blow the megafuse itself, did you ever come into problems with an electrical parasitic drain/ abnormal key-off load?
Hi Benito, the short answer - no I do not have any electrical issues or parasitic drain. Why would it if my equipment and setup is working properly? What people DON'T understand (and I've had some snarky comments) is that I'm technically piggybacking my amp off the main positive battery feed BEFORE the fuse box and I've done electrical load calculations based off of my amp and the factory wire from battery to fuse box will be able to handle the added load without much issue. I don't blast my music so the amp would draw VERY little current (I've hooked up an ammeter to the amp when it was cranked and it wasn't pulling much current so at low to moderate volumes it would be barely anything). I still fused the amp power cable close to the fuse box (as how one SHOULD do it if it were wired direct to the battery) so there is still short circuit protection for the amp. As for the mega fuse, my amp is wired BEFORE that. The reason why I went the route that I did is because the install is cleaner looking and the safety risk to the car and audio system won't realistically be much of a problem for my particular application. I would NOT do it this way if I were running more amps or a larger load as you could literally melt the main wire if you were pulling huge amounts of current. While I'm not an engineer or an electrician by trade, I do know more than the average cat when it comes to anything electrical which is why I'm 100% confident in my work.
@@piercedasian I genuinely hope my comments don't come off snarky. You did a good job and your setup is clean. It's more that I'm just talking shop since I'm pondering about an amplifier in my Civic too. Rockford Fosgate does make high efficiency gear so I'm pretty positive you won't run into issues with excessive power draw, especially with a fuse setup. No relay though? I'd figure this circuit would be a key-on only function. Might help protect the amplifier integrity. Then again, would you have to recalibrate any of the amp settings manually if it was so? Might not even be worth installing a relay at that point.
@@benitoloco899 No not snarky at all! I'm just saying my install according to some is controversial b/c it is technically NOT good practice other than to wire directly off the positive terminal on the battery. The issue really comes down to pulling power through the car's main positive cable that feeds ALL power to the car when an amp SHOULD have its own dedicated feed without piggybacking off other wires which is what I did. The wire from the fuse box to the battery is plenty thick, is less than 12" long so I'd rather have a clean install than a janky looking one. Call me vain :) No need for a relay b/c its built into the amp. The power cable is full time on but that's why the LC2i has a "remote" out terminal to feed 12v+ trigger into the amp's "remote" trigger to turn the amp on. This is why I don't have any parasitic draw on my audio system. It behaves exactly like stock with no funky hacks to make it work right.
@@piercedasian Cool 😎. Those LC2i output converters from AudioControl really come in handy like that. Will possibly consider it when I do mine on my Civic. Any reason you went with a 2 channel converter instead of 4? Don't get me wrong, AudioControl is a good brand. Me, I'd personally go with Rockford Fosgate's RF-HLC4 version if it's compatible.
@@benitoloco899 it was out of convenience b/c someone was selling a mint condition one on the cheap and I knew the LC2i is a great product. The Rockford RF-HLC4 issue that is purely a hi level input to low level RCA output converter and lacks and re-eq signal restoration back to the RCA outs. So in fact, the LC2i is a much better unit b/c it has the built in algorithm to take the messed up EQing from the factory head unit and restore the signal in such a way that "audibly" makes sense to an amplifier. What is really funky about modern head units is they do some weird signal processing and send a narrow range of signals to each speaker which is how honda makes the claim "500watt output" premium audio. They do so by fudging how the output is measured. That being said, an amplifier works best when a full spectrum signal is fed to it so the build in crossover in the amp can properly "tune" the low pass signal so the sound is predictable and there is no "suck out" or over emphasis on certain frequencies. The LC2i's unique trick up its sleeve is that it has intelligence built into it to re-eq the signal curve and restore the signal response. A line out converter does NOT do that which is why I went audio control. My next big project is a Helix DSP process/amp combo to drive al the speakers in the Type R along with a pretty high end focal front stage upgrade. Big money to me which is why it isn't happened yet. I have the speakers and the custom built break out harness from the stock amp connector but the amp/dsp combo unit is so so so expensive.
Amazing Video Very Detailed But Quick Question... I Love How The Amp & LC2i is Hidden Under The Trunk Lid This Wouldn’t Cause Them To Overheat? I Just Ask This Since There’s No Airway There I Suppose...
while they do get warm on really long extended drives that due to the efficient nature of class D amps that they don't get really hot at all. Warm yes - but no warmer than normal operating temps. I did a 10 hour long road trip listening to music at fairly loud listening levels and while the amp was extremely warm that it was far from hot and certainly not a fire hazard by any stretch of the imagination.
Great walk though, thank you! Quick question of ya'll don't mind. Since the line converter accepts 2 qty sets of high level inputs and the sub factory only has 1 qty set of high level, do you just run it to either the left or right or twist the 2 positive together & the 2 negative together?
nope, I just fed the stock sub signal cable into the left channel inputs of the LC2i. No need to feed both left and right in b/c there is only a mono feed.
Great video, so I'm wondering if you only hook up one set of speaker wires to your LOC (looks like you did the left channel), does the signal come out of both RCA's to go to the amp? I'm going to tap into my sub on my 2019 civic SI with a LCi1, to add 2 10s and have a mono amp, but not sure if you need both RCA's? Or to hook up both channels to LOC to get both RCA's to output to the amp?
In all honesty I probably would've went with the Rockford knob instead since it was so much smaller than the ACR1. The ACR1's advantage is that it decouples the dependency on the brand of amp you use. The challenge when using a bass knob with your amp is that say you fry your amp, then the matching bass knob for it may not work on another brand. When you use the ACR1 it will always control the source signal going to the amp. I guess in the long run it doesn't really matter much but I went with the ACR1 route b/c I got my Audio Control gear for cheap.
Thanks for the video! Could you please provide a link or description for the white plastic power wire holder you installed to hold the power wire under the hood near the hood latch cable?
Nice setup, very good information, I just hooked mine up today and I did not know that you need a fuse holder from the power cable to the amp. Can you tell me where you got the fuse holder and are the wiring 12 gauge? I used some 12 gauge sting ofc wire for my power and ground to my tap from the amp. I don’t want any fires in my car. Will an inline fuse work from the auto parts store. Let me know where you got yours. I used ofc wire for all my wireing and the 12 guage worked great for the lc2i, I know that is overkill, lol.i have to use the best wires.
A few things to clarify first. 1. You need a fuse for the main power cable as close to the battery's + terminal as possible. The reason for that is to protect the battery in case your main power feeder cable shorts to chassis ground. The main power feed cable for my amp from the battery is a large 8 gauge cable. 2. The power cable to power the LC2i is tapped off the +ve terminal of the amplifier and that needs to be fused with a 1AMP to protect the LC2i in the event of an internal fault of the LC2i. I got the wiring and large cable fuse from my local stereo shop. The smaller LC2i inline fuse was purchased from my local auto parts store.
Wish I could use the same mounting location for the amp in my Sport Touring, but we have a spare tire instead. Only thing holding me back is not being able to conceal the amp as I don’t want it to be visible, or interfere with the cargo area. Maybe I’ll take the spare out!? Nevertheless, I appreciate the in depth guide! It’ll be the blueprint for my upgrade!
Yeah, I actually did an install in the sport touring and the only logical place I could mount it was the spare tire jack cover of all places! While you'd think it would be a terrible place to mount it that it has surprisingly held up there very good. I had to do some mods to the inside of the truck cover but we've retained the spare tire and the trunk deck had to be only slightly modified.
quick question... for the lc2i, did you plug into the left or right speaker input? or both? im planning on tapping into my sub just as you did but wasnt sure where to plug it in. AWESOME videos btw
Going completely off of memory here but I believe the sub output wiring went to the left channel in on the LC2i. Glad you like my channel. You should consider subscribing as I do try to regularly post new content pertaining to all sorts of things.
Hey man, great video. I know I'm late to the party but I'm finally going to pull the trigger on my 2017 Type R with this build. I wanted to ask two things: how's it holding up and problems with it after a few years? And how come your didn't use a distribution block instead of the 1 amp inline daisy you did? When I used to do stereos in college we used distribution blocks regularly and I used them for my ground and power for my comp cars all the time? I am not familiar with the LC2i so I am not sure if it was because of that? Thanks man, hope to hear back from you in a few days because I should be installing this in the next week. Happy new year!
Type R has held up perfectly. Granted I don't drive it in the winter and our summers are relatively short its hard to say. I worked for Honda as a mechanic a while ago and the Type R is a solid car b/c of its no-frill approach to its engineering. Not much to really go wrong especially the 2017-2019 years b/c the lacked any of the honda safety sense stuff. I didn't bother with the distro block for a few reasons: 1. It isn't necessary when you've only got one amp that is super efficient and doesn't draw a lot of juice like the old class A/B ones do. 2. I don't plan to add any more amps to the car. 3. The in line 1AMP to the LC2i is negligible as far as current draw is concerned. Given the wire is so thin to power the unit that it doesn't make sense to install a distro block for it. Same with the ground. There is a single grounding point in the back so the LC2i and the amp can ground there. 4. Cost and clutter - in MY specific installation less is more. I don't need to spend additional money on splices and blocks (more points of failure) and I know what my future plans are for the car which is nothing in the foreseeable future. IF I decide to add another amp one day then I can simply upgrade the feeder cable and install a distro block then. Hope that helps and enjoy your new ride!
This makes sense. I keep forgetting not to treat the LC2I as not an amp haha. Just one last question man, what gauge wire did you end up running for the inline 1amp fuse and the remote wire? They both seem thick, like 12 gauge? Why that thick for the remote wire or was it more of you just had wire to use because I've been there as well. Anyways thanks man, will be installing this exact build next week.
Hey Kenny, apologies for taking so long to reply. The wire I used for the LC2i is something like a 14 gauge wire. It draws barely anything. I used that wire just because that was what I had in the garage not because it was necessary. Stay tuned... I'm going to be doing a comprehensive video (permitted I have time and resources to do this) installing a set of top end Focal KX2 speakers, sound deadening and a Helix V Eight DSP/Amp combo. The Type's R's sound won't even be the same after I do that crazy upgrade. 8 channels of amplification of power with a top tier DSP to change a stereo that is "meh" to one that is WOW. Big project with big costs but I think it will be well worth it.
The only way to tell if the kicker comp 8” will fit will depend on the depth of the kicker. If you look at my description it will show the exact Ideal of Rockford sub I used. Look the specs up for that and compare them against the kicker you want to put in. Another sub had asked me to do a sound comparison video but I have been super busy that I have not been able to do a full fledged comparison of before and after. I promise I will get to that soon and post when I can. Stay tuned and don’t forget to click the little bell to be notified of new videos.
Thanks! At this point probably not since I find it difficult to justify the cost to replace the speakers and installing an amp and all the related items (LC7i). The effort and cost just isn't worth it for my application. When I'm driving my car I like to listen to the road and engine and even if I wanted to listen to a nice stereo that the road noise will drown out pretty much everything anyways.
So I’m confused because... well I’m kind of slow at times. You simply took the speaker that ran into the factory sub, and plugged it into the LC2i? Also do these cars come with a factory amp? If so, it is ok that the factory amplified audio is being amplified again by the new amp? Tell me if I sound like an idiot or not please.
Hey Sugar_milk. I'm not sure if I replied to your original question or not but I figured better late than never. You're not slow - why would you say that about yourself? It can be confusing for folks that don't do these things all day long. The signal of the stock sub is fed into the LC2i and then the LC2i uses RCA outs to go into the amplifier's RCA in. From the amp's speaker outputs is where you hook the sub up to. The reason why you use the LC2i is to "process" the signal from the stock head unit so that it can generate a properly amplified signal into your amp. The reason why I wired my system the way I did was to eliminate any cutting of the factory wires. Rather than splicing and hacking away at my car's expensive wiring that I'd rather run the cables the way I did so that if I want to revert back to full stock (for example when selling the car) that you'd never be able to tell I ever had an amp or aftermarket sub in there. Does that make sense?
First off awesome videos and very clean install. Two questions I have for you is 1) Do you hear or notice any rattling noises considering that you mounted the sub into a factory, plastic enclosure? I’ve always used MDF sub enclosures but I was considering this option to save space in the trunk and not have a box. And 2) Does the bass from the sub sound evenly throughout the car even though the sub is mounted on the right side of the car?
glad you liked the vid! I honestly can't say that I really hear any buzzing from the rear. Totally agree that MDF is the way to go but for the sake of factory look and fit that I went the route that I did and I don't regret it. It isn't going to shake my fillings out but it is a DRASTIC improvement over the factory sub. Yes the bass is fairly even throughout the car. Only thing that is wonky is the sub sounds "poppy" when you've got the hatch open and you're in front of it - similar to being almost overdriven but yet when you're sitting in the car with the doors and hatch closed that it seems okay. Not the best description for you but that's the only way I can describe it.
Very cool. I understand this all. But what i must do with radio? Also for chinch signal ( radio/amplifier) 😊 pls help. I dont understand how to get the radio removed 🙈
You never have to remove the radio b/c there is nothing you can tap off from it that you can't get from the back. If you watch my other subwoofer upgrade video and this amp video that it is all you need to get the sub and amp in (for the sub only). If you want to do the other speakers then you have to tap into the factory amp which is in the right front kick panel and even that requires some detailed understanding on how to do it right.
I'm a dummy. A stoned out of my mind, engineer. I take pride in my work. I've learned to always NASA standards for soldering and never tap your power into your main fuse block. always use or circut breaker mounted on the firewall with shortest minimum 4ga OFC connected to positive terminal. wire is also must for OEM look
Final question, thank you for answering the other questions, where did you put the ground for the lc2i, did you use the same bolt or the black cable, and where did you get the power cable from the lc2i to the amp
Yep, I grounded the LC2i to the same ground as the amplifier. The black cable for the LC2i is plain old twisted copper wire you can buy at any automotive parts store.
There is no need b/c the LC2i has signal sensing and will provide the 12 volt trigger from the LC2i to the amp so no additional wiring back to the head unit required :)
Very detailed vid man! Just waiting on my stuffs. Question, what size did you use for the foam tape? And what do you call that clip zip for the wire going through the fender? Thanks in advance!
The zip clip was actually sourced from Honda. They had them as part of their block heater kits. I don't know if they formally have a name to them but you CAN buy them. They're used in various spots of cars to attached air conditioning condenser fan wiring harnesses to the fan shroud. Just pull up any Honda's part diagram and pick one. They all work the same.
@@piercedasian yeah I got a new sub once again and now it works like is supposed to work, last one was probably defective product. Thanks for the vid man help me a lot cheers
yep, the process is more or the same except instead of "back wiring" the sub output back to the stock sub box that you just wire it your aftermarket sub box.
Hey great informative install I'm doing mostly the same ...but I just wanted to know what kind of window visors ur using ...I wanted weather tech but it's not avail for the type r..
Glad you liked my video. The window visors I'm using are the genuine Honda ones. I actually have the full detailed installation video on my youtube channel if you want to know part #'s are how to exactly install them properly.
Where did you get the remote for amp? From head unit? I see you are feeding the LC2i remote from amp but I couldn`t figure out where was the amp remote from? I was trying to figure out is there a way not to remove head unit in order to get remote.
The remote to turn the amp on is in fact from the LC2i itself. When the LC2i detects a signal it will trigger a 12 volt output to the remote terminal on the amp to turn it on. You do not ever have to remove the head unit for anything since there is nothing to tap into.
Hello. It's me again. I just got an LC7i. After doing a lot of reading, I see why this is necessary for multiple channels. No short cuts here. I am wondering something. The input signal to the Lc7i. Can I use the factory wires which are 22 AWG and tap into them and use that, or do I need to run new thicker wires like 16 or 18 gauge to the input starting from the head unit? I wasn't sure. I was thinking if this is just a signal, but again, not knowing how thick it needs to be to send a good signal to the LC7i. The good thing is, that I am learning. Thank you. Also, I see you have quite a few videos on Honda Civic, that's good. Furthermore, I like to thank you for your reply's. A+ in my book. A lot of channels advertise and give advice, but few respond.
No need to beef up the wiring in the car anywhere except making sure you size the power cable correctly for the amp. You don' need to change the wires for the door speakers or the signal wires. My advice is to not splice @ the headunit. You can buy an amplifier breakout harness online (there was a guy in civicX selling them) and that saves you from ever having to hack up your factory harness. www.civicx.com/forum/threads/amp-out-harnesses.60037/ The link I provided is to the thread where I purchased the harness from. Not sure if he's still making them or not but this is a GREAT way to NOT screw your car. If you sell the car, you can pull out the harness adapter and call it day :). Feel free to reach out anytime as I try my best to stay in touch with my viewers. Don't forget to "like" the videos as it does help my channel a lot!
Great job on the amp install very professional looking. None of my business but should look into getting your lungs checked out brother you are out of breath the entire video.
lol glad you liked my video. Yes I sound like I'm outta breath all the time for the following reasons: 1. I'm narrating AND bending and lifting and moving the camera and related gear around on my own with no help. That can be exhausting and doing multiple takes is brutally tiring especially when you have to put everything you take apart back together to do another shoot. 2. I am carrying about 45 lbs more than I should be and yes I'm working on losing it. Far too much holiday cheer for me and the fact that I haven't worked a full time job since the past summer is also taking its toll on my health. If you'd believe it that just a year and a half ago I was a pretty die hard runner that ran and ran and ran each day. To this day I can actually still outrun most folks in endurance runs :)
Terrific and extremely helpful video! Just to confirm, a 12V connection somewhere in the vehicle must be also run to the "remote in" on the LC2i correct. Fuse box, 12V plug input, etc?
no need for remote in on the LC2i. Just piggy back power (but fused for 1amp) from the 12 volt amp feed that you ran from the battery to the back. The LC2i will use signal detect to turn itself on and then you wire the amplifier remote trigger to the LC2i remote out. The LC2i will sense the signal from the head unit, turn it on and then conversely the amp will turn on when the LC2i comes on.
@@piercedasian That's great!! Saves me from pulling my interior apart again lol. My local store only has 3A fuses, will that work for inline fuse or must it be 1A? Also, can I still use my JL's current bass attenuator knob instead of the AC?
A 3A fuse will work though I still prefer a 1A. In the event of a dead short either fuse will blow. The wiring used to wire the LC2i will most certainly be able to handle up to a 10A fuse safely but I like to err on the cautious side and put in the smallest value possible to protect the wiring AND the equipment.
Thank you so much for making this! I plan on attempting it with the same sub. I was wondering if you’ve had any issues with the sub bouncing on the factory grill at higher volumes? I read somewhere on a forum of someone having that issue with the Rockford setup.
no bouncing off the factory grill whatsoever. This could very well happen if you're over driving the sub b/c the rockford sub definitely has more "excursion" travel than the factory sub has. I don't push my sub to its limits so I can't speak to whether or not that would happen.
This is, without a doubt, the best overview I've found on the best way to install an aftermarket sub, LOC, remote, and amp in a 10th gen civic hatchback. I finally have some semblance of knowing what I need and how I might do the job in my own setup. I also really appreciate that you didn't just explain what you're doing, but WHY you're doing it THAT way. Thank you so much for this very thorough and high quality breakdown!
I'm glad you liked this video! I did indeed put some thought and time into explaining things. RUclips often shows people just "doing" things without proper context. The purpose of my channel is not to entertain but to teach and I'd be a terrible teacher if I didn't explain the "whys" to everything I do :). Thanks for coming by!
I've literally watched this video 50+ times. I watched it piece by piece as I did my own install. Very helpful. Thank you very much sir, I would not known what to do without your help
I am pretty confident you would’ve been able to figure things out. Just takes a bit longer when you’re not shown :). In any case thanks for the kind words and glad you now fully understand how to do the install!
Thank you. I followed this video along with another RUclipsr and finally got my amp and subs installed today, it took me 5 hrs.
You delivered your promise... Kudos to you. Will definitely make this my blueprint installation. Very well done. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I am a man of my word. When my fans ask I will try my hardest to fulfill what you want :). The bonus is my stereo sounds so much better with an amp in it. Share my video to anyone you know that would be interested my vid.
You're *
@@piercedasian I realize it’s years later ,but where are the speaker wires you used for the line output converter?
@@arthurhughlett2292 The line output converter is the LC2i and I've back fed the wires back into the subwoofer box where I snipped the connections from the factory sub. The reason why I did this is to ensure I don't compromise the factory connector in the event I want to put EVERYTHING back to stock form that I'd have no problems doing so. If you watch the install video again I go into detail on how and why I did it.
Not sure if you are an expert but man you taught like a teacher. Very nice
Great tips. I've been wiring amplifiers in all of my vehicles for many years, and still took away some great info that not only helped with this install, but for many more to come. Thanks
Glad to help
Hats off to you, best walk through I have seen in a long time. Sub and liked!
glad you liked my video. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for carefully showing us how to install this so clean and neatly. It definitely demonstrated that I need some patience when doing this. Also, it kinda scared me into not wanting to really do it, but I wouldn't trust anyone to do it as careful and extensive as you have.
Glad it was helpful!
Great idea to use the grommet for the hood release, however, right above it is a capped half inch hole that you can use for up to a 0 gauge power wire. Pull away the insulation padding about a half inch above the hood release grommet and you will see it.
That's a good tip. I probably won't take mine apart now but for future installs I will consider that spot. Thanks for sharing!
Super clean install! Taking the time to wrap and secure all the cables is a great way to keep it neat/tidy. I liked the way you incorporated the bass boost nob into the existing pop-out panel on the far left lower side. Perfect spot to blend it into the lower dash. Great hack to make it fit into a tight spot too. I’m applying this to my 2017 Accord! Well done, sir!👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome Video!!! Very clean and professionally done. Unfortunately I had my system installed by a professional because I found this video afterwards. But I enjoyed watching it. It was very clear and step by step DIY and it was informative. Thank you for the time and effort you put in to make this happen.
I was able to fit the PCB from the ACR-1 into the switch blank vertically with a dremmel and a few attachments. Came out super clean... never would've even thought of it if it weren't for you. Thanks man!
Very nice!
This is the best install video i have ever seen... i watched this for the ACR-1 and LC2i install portion but fount all of it very useful. I drive an Accord and it pretty much all applies.
Glad you liked the vid! Thanks for watching!
One of the best videos I've seen so far on youtube for sub/amp installation using a LC2i. Very well explained and professional. I'm preparing to do an install on my 2013 accord EX-L and this will help me a lot. Thanks so much !
Glad you like my video. Install in a 2013 Accord? Sweet. It will be a significant improvement over stock. Good luck with your install.
One of the best?
You should watch other videos
Nice job. Its good to see someone actually take the time to do a clean install and give a amazing step by step on how to do it! Hats off to you sir!
thanks for watching my vid!
@@piercedasian no problem friend!!! Keep up the good videosm
I personally don't have a civic, but I was looking for a quality explanation on the LC2i and this video was of tremendous help to me. Thanks for the high quality content. Liked, and Subbed.
Thanks for liking and subscribing to my channel.
I set up the same amp and LC2i in my F-150. I’m pushing two punch p3 10’s and it is amazing. I like that you set the gain on the amp to zero. I will have to play with that. I am still tuning mine. Great video.
Glad you liked my video. Thanks for watching!
Hey just a tip, if you don’t want your power wire to run behind the front fender, you can find another grommet behind the battery that leads behind the clutch pedal. Nice video!
Man... your setup looks if it factory OEM setup, so professional. Best video...
Wow, thanks!
Thanks for all the hook up information.Today I will get an inline fuse for my new LC2i.I almost forgot about that.I got a 50 fuse for my amp.
Glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching.
Also a note, if you are using 4gauge or larger wire it won't fit through the grommet with the hood release cable. Luckily, directly above the hood release cable like roughly 1" above there is plastic plug you can remove that provides another hole to route your power wire through. Just need a grommet or to drill out the plastic plug you remove from the hole.
That's a good point. I never actually have seen the larger 1" plug but if I ever upgrade my power cable from the small gauge that I used to a larger one I will consider that option. Thanks for sharing that knowledge.
Thank you very much for the thorough breakdown and run through of putting in your system. I can’t wait to get my subs and amp in since I already have my LC2i here by its lonesome. All internals we’re already upgraded in my 20 Accord Sport as well. Cheers!
glad you liked the video. I'm thinking of upgrading the front speakers next on my car as I find the tweeters harsh and sound like their clipping when driving to reference audio levels. I need to save up for a nice set of focals for my car but those are big $$$$.
Definitely not a bad install but I noticed a few things that should be done differently.
1) Power wires should realistically be run through the firewall and bundled with other wiring harnesses versus run through the fenderwell grommets which can allow moisture into the vehicle as the fender is not sealed off from rain in the same way the firewall is, considering the hood and cowl both have seals to prevent water ingress in the engine bay.
2) Power wires should be attached directly to the positive battery terminal. As it stands, you are powering the LC2i and that Rockford off the factory 8 or 10 gauge wiring from the battery to the fuse box, and it's not designed to handle the extra 15-20A nominal power you might be pulling on normal use. Connecting directly to the battery eliminates the possibility of stressing the stock power wire and it also eliminates the possibility of confusing the car's Electronic Load Detection and causing a fault.
3) While your LC2i is definitely a nice piece and has bass rolloff capabilities, your Rockford amp has the ability to accept speaker-level inputs and do its own signal step down, thereby almost completely eliminating the need for the LC2i. The LC2i can definitely be used as a signal clean-up and re-level if that's what you're looking for, but it was not entirely necessary and omitting it may have saved some time and effort, not to mention cost.
Overall quite good, everything should work beautifully. and considering the significantly higher quality of the components used versus stock, it probably sounds pretty good too.
All great tips indeed and in my other installations I've done points #1 and #2 but for the Type R I decided to go a slightly different route to spare me the pain of feeding a wire through a grommet in the firewall. So far after all these years I've had no moisture issues but then again my car is a sunny day, summer with no change of rain type of car. I won't drive it in the rain if I can avoid it (yes I'm crazy). With respect to the battery cable. I actually did a current draw test on the amp before installing everything and I wasn't pulling all the much power with the volume and bass levels I was listening at. At most about 7-8 amps which the stock power cable would be able to manage. You're definitely right though, if anyone runs a larger amp then that CAN pose a problem. I wanted the cleanest install I could possibly have with my setup without having to rejig the power connector on the battery. The LC2i does do a better job of restoring bass rolloff but yes many amps have that built in and probably could've made do without it.
Thanks for watching the vid and again, I appreciate the comments as it is definitely something to consider for others.
Outstanding video. Detailed and quite comprehensive. I'm doing a similar install on a Ram 1500 and you gave me the idea of using the double-sided tape to help mount the LC2i and the amplifier. Thanks!
Great to hear!
Plan on doing the same to my sport. Very easy to follow along tutorial. I really appreciate the diagram you drew up.
Glad you liked the video. I did an install in a civic sport touring and had to mount the amp on the tire jack cover so that it didn't impede the use of the spare tire Thanks for watching!
piercedasian thanks for the heads up!
This is a very great video. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this.
You're very welcome!
Wow best amp install ever. Super clean and very detailed
Thanks! I plan to do a DSP amplifier/processor install soon as I plan to do a big audio upgrade to my R soon.
Well done, boyou. You did it much cleaner than I did.
thanks! I'm pretty OCD about things so tidy and neat is important. I mean there is extra wires and such underneath the amps but I sadly can't customize certain cables so I'm relegated to shoving them underneath where its out of sight and out of mind.
I'm impressed. Clean install and and precision tutorial.
Glad you liked my video! Thanks for stopping by.
Nice 👌🏼 very professional installation thank you for explaining everything everything so detailed 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Holy crap you're going to save me a ton of work thanks!
Glad my video is going to help you with your install!
I'm gonna learn a lot from these walkthroughs you do cos mine is gonna spend plenty of time being worked on when I get it 🙂.
Glad you enjoyed the video. There are more Type R how to vids but been super busy with "life" that I haven't been able to post some of my DIY work on my car.
Great install! I’m really thinking of doing my own install on my 17 civic
do it! So worth it!
Great job! Perfect explanation and easy to follow! Big thumbs up. I subscribed to your channel. Look forward to more videos. 👍
Glad you loved the video. I will try my best to keep making videos that hopefully cater to your likes.
Excellent video, thank you for posting and i love the clean setup...
You're most welcome. Thanks for watching.
I recommend changing that gain control out, for an RCA level input knob. I personally run SPL cartel, because they're linear voltage, but you don't want gain control, because they're more prone to causing equipment damage. Also, move that power lead, to a better spot, you're going to cut through the shielding, opening and closing your hood.
Interesting advice. Although my gain control isn't via RCA the gain is still managed via the LC2i which is somewhat like RCA gain control but limited to the what the main gains are set on the output converter. As for the power cable I can assure you it won't cut through. I've wrapped it in split loom, foam tape and then ty wrapped them to the chassis and I've done lots of clearance checks to make sure it wouldn't pinch. But as you've said it could cut through the insulation but I usually check things like that regularly to make sure wires aren't chafing anywhere. Great advice nonetheless.
@@piercedasian I just do this competitively and I'm installing an lc2 in my daily build. I have a little bit of experience and try to give advice where I can.
Great video! Literally doing this on my 24 Pilot Elite!
Excellent clean and safe install, very well done video... thank you
Glad you like the video. Thanks for watching!
Yooo, thanks so much for this vid, man. Was looking specifically for a clean way to connect power to battery and BOOM! Props. I can’t wait to be boomin’!
I'm about to order one myself for my maxima I have 2 w6 12 and a 500/1
Glad I could help!
The Bic pen 🖋 trick saved me so much time great idear thanks for this aw install video my sy looks better than a professional job
Glad the pen idea worked. I actually got the idea from a CivicX forum member called "CTRMOFO". The credit all goes to him for coming up with that hack.
You obviously havent seen any reputable work done before
Thanks for making this video. Great video 👍👍
glad you liked it! Thanks for watching :)
great vid! exactly the info i was looking for.. if i make one recommendation.. I'd probably use Tessa tape to wrap the plastic loom in, would add a nice layer that would prevent wire rattle and in warmer climates hold up better (coming from texas here).
again great vid!
Interesting. I don’t actually know what Tessa tape is. Is it a fabric type tape? I wrapped all my wiring quite thoroughly even after I finished this vid. So far it has been holding up well but then again I drive like 3000 miles a year :)
You did it! Thanks for sharing! ❤️
yes I did :) I had to as the amp makes the sub so much better in ways that I can't even describe. The Type R is easy to install in since it has that foam tire blank tray that you can put things into vs. other civics that have a spare tire in its place. I'll be doing a sport touring soon so we'll see how that pans out.
piercedasian fantastic! I will do this once my 2019 Type R arrives this spring. I already have the amp and sub speaker - just need the car
Your video has helped me so much! I own you a big thanks
Love how you took your time and did a professional job - I will do the same
Cheers!!!
glad you loved the video. Yes, take your time and do things right and you'll be rewarded with a nice looking and nice sounding system that is super reliable. Good luck on the car purchase.
All that watching and no sound demo 😑
Hi David, I actually did have a sound demo but the dynamic range of my mic is pretty crappy and my iPhone and gopro wasn't much better so i opted to not bothering showing a before and after sound as my viewers would probably tell me it sounds the same which it certainly doesn't. Maybe when I get more subscribers and views I can actually afford to buy a better wide dynamic range mic :)
piercedasian 10-4 wasn’t trying to be a dick, I was gonna use my headphones and get better sound that way.
There’s no point buddy.
Just wanna say I personally never remove the center panel or seat belt on four doors. Just run a wire hanger or glow rod and tape your wire to it and fish it to opening once back panel is off. Saves time! I like working like a short, lazy, fat man. Smarter not harder. ;)
That's a great tip. While it wasn't difficult to remove the seat belt bolt from the centre trim that I opted to do so to show the audience what is behind everything. You're absolutely right that it doesn't need to be pulled to save some time and the potential to incorrectly retorque the seatbelt anchor bolt (critical in a collision).
Hey bro not being racist but this video is why I love Asians, I worked with them when I was a sushi chef at a 5 star restaurant lol now turned automotive technician, but the detail of your install and everything is fantastic
Not racist at all! I've heard LOTS of people tell me that and while I am not one to discriminate, that I think culturally we are conditioned to work a little differently. I'm not saying I am perfect (far from it) but the mindset on how we approach problems might be different - perceived to be perhaps perfectionistic? Either way, the devil is in the details and those that care would WANT to see ALL the info so they get it right the first time. Thanks for watching!
@@piercedasian can confirm, my wife is Asian (Japanese) and she is like a tank. Nothing stops her, she's adorable, yet strong as an ox mentally.
Always seeks to be the best at whatever she is doing.
@@crazytech5755 Yep, that doesn't surprise me to hear that. In the end, I was raised at least, to do things right and treat any work you're doing as if it was your own.
That Crx si tho 🔥👍🏼👍🏼 good video btw! Subscribed bro
lol yes, it is indeed a factory mint CRX Si that rarely leaves the garage. It's old and it's new if that makes any sense and I'd hate to get into an accident or have someone try to steal my little car.
piercedasian you should do a tweeter installation! I need help doing that to my civic Hatchback
I ripped out the entire stock sub housing and trunk liner. Bought a non R liner which fits OEM without a sub being there. Then bought a skar audio stealth box with JL 10TW3 sub.
helped with my remote thanks! I wish I would have ran through that outside gusset instead of the inside the engine bay one
Glad it helped
do i need an lci2? i just got a new car and i took out my old sub and amp but they never installed an lci2, should i get one for my new installation? what exactly does it help with/do?
loved ur work bro... its super neat and clean.... keep it up
Thank you! Cheers!
Well done trying this on my 07 e350. Good thing my battery is in the trunk
Aw man an E350 is super easy to install in b/c of the proximity of the battery. Just make sure you do not compromise the battery box if it is sealed and you wouldn't want a buildup of hydrogen gas in your trunk.
Nice clean install for a diy project 👍
Thanks!
Incredible walkthrough... thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Really nicely done...clean and safe!
Glad you liked the install. Thanks for watching.
I liked this video. Well done, and thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
awesome video very useful! im just coming to this i was wondering if these steps would work on a 2021 hatchback?
I'm here for the LC2i shown in the thumbnail as I'm considering one. My '19 WRX needs LOTS of help in the audio department thanks to poor, unbalanced audio tuning on Subaru's part.
Good luck!
I missed the part where you got the RCA audio source out from the Factory stereo unit to the LC2i. Thanks
you're welcome!
Just curious, I saw you tapped a positive wire into the engine bay's fuse junction box (near where the megafuse is located). Assuming you didn't blow the megafuse itself, did you ever come into problems with an electrical parasitic drain/ abnormal key-off load?
Hi Benito, the short answer - no I do not have any electrical issues or parasitic drain. Why would it if my equipment and setup is working properly? What people DON'T understand (and I've had some snarky comments) is that I'm technically piggybacking my amp off the main positive battery feed BEFORE the fuse box and I've done electrical load calculations based off of my amp and the factory wire from battery to fuse box will be able to handle the added load without much issue. I don't blast my music so the amp would draw VERY little current (I've hooked up an ammeter to the amp when it was cranked and it wasn't pulling much current so at low to moderate volumes it would be barely anything). I still fused the amp power cable close to the fuse box (as how one SHOULD do it if it were wired direct to the battery) so there is still short circuit protection for the amp. As for the mega fuse, my amp is wired BEFORE that. The reason why I went the route that I did is because the install is cleaner looking and the safety risk to the car and audio system won't realistically be much of a problem for my particular application. I would NOT do it this way if I were running more amps or a larger load as you could literally melt the main wire if you were pulling huge amounts of current. While I'm not an engineer or an electrician by trade, I do know more than the average cat when it comes to anything electrical which is why I'm 100% confident in my work.
@@piercedasian I genuinely hope my comments don't come off snarky. You did a good job and your setup is clean. It's more that I'm just talking shop since I'm pondering about an amplifier in my Civic too. Rockford Fosgate does make high efficiency gear so I'm pretty positive you won't run into issues with excessive power draw, especially with a fuse setup. No relay though? I'd figure this circuit would be a key-on only function. Might help protect the amplifier integrity. Then again, would you have to recalibrate any of the amp settings manually if it was so? Might not even be worth installing a relay at that point.
@@benitoloco899 No not snarky at all! I'm just saying my install according to some is controversial b/c it is technically NOT good practice other than to wire directly off the positive terminal on the battery. The issue really comes down to pulling power through the car's main positive cable that feeds ALL power to the car when an amp SHOULD have its own dedicated feed without piggybacking off other wires which is what I did. The wire from the fuse box to the battery is plenty thick, is less than 12" long so I'd rather have a clean install than a janky looking one. Call me vain :) No need for a relay b/c its built into the amp. The power cable is full time on but that's why the LC2i has a "remote" out terminal to feed 12v+ trigger into the amp's "remote" trigger to turn the amp on. This is why I don't have any parasitic draw on my audio system. It behaves exactly like stock with no funky hacks to make it work right.
@@piercedasian Cool 😎. Those LC2i output converters from AudioControl really come in handy like that. Will possibly consider it when I do mine on my Civic. Any reason you went with a 2 channel converter instead of 4? Don't get me wrong, AudioControl is a good brand. Me, I'd personally go with Rockford Fosgate's RF-HLC4 version if it's compatible.
@@benitoloco899 it was out of convenience b/c someone was selling a mint condition one on the cheap and I knew the LC2i is a great product. The Rockford RF-HLC4 issue that is purely a hi level input to low level RCA output converter and lacks and re-eq signal restoration back to the RCA outs. So in fact, the LC2i is a much better unit b/c it has the built in algorithm to take the messed up EQing from the factory head unit and restore the signal in such a way that "audibly" makes sense to an amplifier. What is really funky about modern head units is they do some weird signal processing and send a narrow range of signals to each speaker which is how honda makes the claim "500watt output" premium audio. They do so by fudging how the output is measured. That being said, an amplifier works best when a full spectrum signal is fed to it so the build in crossover in the amp can properly "tune" the low pass signal so the sound is predictable and there is no "suck out" or over emphasis on certain frequencies. The LC2i's unique trick up its sleeve is that it has intelligence built into it to re-eq the signal curve and restore the signal response. A line out converter does NOT do that which is why I went audio control. My next big project is a Helix DSP process/amp combo to drive al the speakers in the Type R along with a pretty high end focal front stage upgrade. Big money to me which is why it isn't happened yet. I have the speakers and the custom built break out harness from the stock amp connector but the amp/dsp combo unit is so so so expensive.
Good videos man very detailed. Thumbs up
Thanks!
that looks like a tough job! appreciate your video editing and sharing this with others!
It really isn't too bad to do. Patience and having the right tools and using a common sense approach to taking the car apart really made a difference.
Great job.....but I don't have the type R...any suggestions on where I can tap power from speakers on my SI coupe
Perfect explanation of installing, but ive got a question... With audiocontrol unit, there was not presented alternator noises?
nope, none in my car.
Very clean install
Thanks!
Great vid man👌🏼
Badass!! I also have a type r. Looking to do some of your mods. Subscribed
Nice! What year, color and unit number is yours? I love the Type R. It was worth the 20 or so year wait for one :)
@@piercedasian 2018 aegean blue. Don't recall the # somewhere at 15000. Awesome car.
sweet! Nice color and kick as car of course :)
Amazing Video Very Detailed But Quick Question... I Love How The Amp & LC2i is Hidden Under The Trunk Lid This Wouldn’t Cause Them To Overheat? I Just Ask This Since There’s No Airway There I Suppose...
while they do get warm on really long extended drives that due to the efficient nature of class D amps that they don't get really hot at all. Warm yes - but no warmer than normal operating temps. I did a 10 hour long road trip listening to music at fairly loud listening levels and while the amp was extremely warm that it was far from hot and certainly not a fire hazard by any stretch of the imagination.
Great walk though, thank you! Quick question of ya'll don't mind. Since the line converter accepts 2 qty sets of high level inputs and the sub factory only has 1 qty set of high level, do you just run it to either the left or right or twist the 2 positive together & the 2 negative together?
nope, I just fed the stock sub signal cable into the left channel inputs of the LC2i. No need to feed both left and right in b/c there is only a mono feed.
Great video, so I'm wondering if you only hook up one set of speaker wires to your LOC (looks like you did the left channel), does the signal come out of both RCA's to go to the amp? I'm going to tap into my sub on my 2019 civic SI with a LCi1, to add 2 10s and have a mono amp, but not sure if you need both RCA's? Or to hook up both channels to LOC to get both RCA's to output to the amp?
Tremendous job! Would you recommend a different audio control than the ACR1 since that looked a little tough to get it to fit?
In all honesty I probably would've went with the Rockford knob instead since it was so much smaller than the ACR1. The ACR1's advantage is that it decouples the dependency on the brand of amp you use. The challenge when using a bass knob with your amp is that say you fry your amp, then the matching bass knob for it may not work on another brand. When you use the ACR1 it will always control the source signal going to the amp. I guess in the long run it doesn't really matter much but I went with the ACR1 route b/c I got my Audio Control gear for cheap.
The other benefit is if your LC2i is behind the dash or under a seat, it’s an easier run for the control knob wire.
I plan to do this tooo!!! but not yet not yet!!! Great video btw
Go for it! Glad you liked the video!
Thanks for the video! Could you please provide a link or description for the white plastic power wire holder you installed to hold the power wire under the hood near the hood latch cable?
Nice setup, very good information, I just hooked mine up today and I did not know that you need a fuse holder from the power cable to the amp. Can you tell me where you got the fuse holder and are the wiring 12 gauge? I used some 12 gauge sting ofc wire for my power and ground to my tap from the amp. I don’t want any fires in my car. Will an inline fuse work from the auto parts store. Let me know where you got yours. I used ofc wire for all my wireing and the 12 guage worked great for the lc2i, I know that is overkill, lol.i have to use the best wires.
A few things to clarify first. 1. You need a fuse for the main power cable as close to the battery's + terminal as possible. The reason for that is to protect the battery in case your main power feeder cable shorts to chassis ground. The main power feed cable for my amp from the battery is a large 8 gauge cable. 2. The power cable to power the LC2i is tapped off the +ve terminal of the amplifier and that needs to be fused with a 1AMP to protect the LC2i in the event of an internal fault of the LC2i. I got the wiring and large cable fuse from my local stereo shop. The smaller LC2i inline fuse was purchased from my local auto parts store.
Wish I could use the same mounting location for the amp in my Sport Touring, but we have a spare tire instead. Only thing holding me back is not being able to conceal the amp as I don’t want it to be visible, or interfere with the cargo area. Maybe I’ll take the spare out!? Nevertheless, I appreciate the in depth guide! It’ll be the blueprint for my upgrade!
Yeah, I actually did an install in the sport touring and the only logical place I could mount it was the spare tire jack cover of all places! While you'd think it would be a terrible place to mount it that it has surprisingly held up there very good. I had to do some mods to the inside of the truck cover but we've retained the spare tire and the trunk deck had to be only slightly modified.
quick question... for the lc2i, did you plug into the left or right speaker input? or both? im planning on tapping into my sub just as you did but wasnt sure where to plug it in. AWESOME videos btw
Going completely off of memory here but I believe the sub output wiring went to the left channel in on the LC2i. Glad you like my channel. You should consider subscribing as I do try to regularly post new content pertaining to all sorts of things.
piercedasian great thank you, & I just did!
awesome thanks!
@@piercedasian so do u actually get output signals from both rca's? Having only given the lc2i a single channel input? Sorry, just curious
@@TheBlackz05 @piercedasian I'm curious about this as well.
Hey man, great video. I know I'm late to the party but I'm finally going to pull the trigger on my 2017 Type R with this build. I wanted to ask two things: how's it holding up and problems with it after a few years? And how come your didn't use a distribution block instead of the 1 amp inline daisy you did? When I used to do stereos in college we used distribution blocks regularly and I used them for my ground and power for my comp cars all the time? I am not familiar with the LC2i so I am not sure if it was because of that?
Thanks man, hope to hear back from you in a few days because I should be installing this in the next week. Happy new year!
Type R has held up perfectly. Granted I don't drive it in the winter and our summers are relatively short its hard to say. I worked for Honda as a mechanic a while ago and the Type R is a solid car b/c of its no-frill approach to its engineering. Not much to really go wrong especially the 2017-2019 years b/c the lacked any of the honda safety sense stuff. I didn't bother with the distro block for a few reasons:
1. It isn't necessary when you've only got one amp that is super efficient and doesn't draw a lot of juice like the old class A/B ones do.
2. I don't plan to add any more amps to the car.
3. The in line 1AMP to the LC2i is negligible as far as current draw is concerned. Given the wire is so thin to power the unit that it doesn't make sense to install a distro block for it. Same with the ground. There is a single grounding point in the back so the LC2i and the amp can ground there.
4. Cost and clutter - in MY specific installation less is more. I don't need to spend additional money on splices and blocks (more points of failure) and I know what my future plans are for the car which is nothing in the foreseeable future. IF I decide to add another amp one day then I can simply upgrade the feeder cable and install a distro block then.
Hope that helps and enjoy your new ride!
This makes sense. I keep forgetting not to treat the LC2I as not an amp haha. Just one last question man, what gauge wire did you end up running for the inline 1amp fuse and the remote wire? They both seem thick, like 12 gauge? Why that thick for the remote wire or was it more of you just had wire to use because I've been there as well.
Anyways thanks man, will be installing this exact build next week.
Hey Kenny, apologies for taking so long to reply. The wire I used for the LC2i is something like a 14 gauge wire. It draws barely anything. I used that wire just because that was what I had in the garage not because it was necessary. Stay tuned... I'm going to be doing a comprehensive video (permitted I have time and resources to do this) installing a set of top end Focal KX2 speakers, sound deadening and a Helix V Eight DSP/Amp combo. The Type's R's sound won't even be the same after I do that crazy upgrade. 8 channels of amplification of power with a top tier DSP to change a stereo that is "meh" to one that is WOW. Big project with big costs but I think it will be well worth it.
You think 8” kicker comp R will fit? Please post a video of the sound of your set up. Thanks and good tutorial btw.
The only way to tell if the kicker comp 8” will fit will depend on the depth of the kicker. If you look at my description it will show the exact
Ideal of Rockford sub I used. Look the specs up for that and compare them against the kicker you want to put in. Another sub had asked me to do a sound comparison video but I have been super busy that I have not been able to do a full fledged comparison of before and after. I promise I will get to that soon and post when I can. Stay tuned and don’t forget to click the little bell to be notified of new videos.
Another great DIY!
Any plans on upgrading front door speaker and front tweeters?
Thanks! At this point probably not since I find it difficult to justify the cost to replace the speakers and installing an amp and all the related items (LC7i). The effort and cost just isn't worth it for my application. When I'm driving my car I like to listen to the road and engine and even if I wanted to listen to a nice stereo that the road noise will drown out pretty much everything anyways.
Hey nice install , how did you tune the sub? I have a similar setup and im wondering how you tuned yours
So I’m confused because... well I’m kind of slow at times. You simply took the speaker that ran into the factory sub, and plugged it into the LC2i? Also do these cars come with a factory amp? If so, it is ok that the factory amplified audio is being amplified again by the new amp? Tell me if I sound like an idiot or not please.
Hey Sugar_milk. I'm not sure if I replied to your original question or not but I figured better late than never. You're not slow - why would you say that about yourself? It can be confusing for folks that don't do these things all day long.
The signal of the stock sub is fed into the LC2i and then the LC2i uses RCA outs to go into the amplifier's RCA in. From the amp's speaker outputs is where you hook the sub up to. The reason why you use the LC2i is to "process" the signal from the stock head unit so that it can generate a properly amplified signal into your amp. The reason why I wired my system the way I did was to eliminate any cutting of the factory wires. Rather than splicing and hacking away at my car's expensive wiring that I'd rather run the cables the way I did so that if I want to revert back to full stock (for example when selling the car) that you'd never be able to tell I ever had an amp or aftermarket sub in there. Does that make sense?
First off awesome videos and very clean install. Two questions I have for you is 1) Do you hear or notice any rattling noises considering that you mounted the sub into a factory, plastic enclosure? I’ve always used MDF sub enclosures but I was considering this option to save space in the trunk and not have a box. And 2) Does the bass from the sub sound evenly throughout the car even though the sub is mounted on the right side of the car?
glad you liked the vid! I honestly can't say that I really hear any buzzing from the rear. Totally agree that MDF is the way to go but for the sake of factory look and fit that I went the route that I did and I don't regret it. It isn't going to shake my fillings out but it is a DRASTIC improvement over the factory sub. Yes the bass is fairly even throughout the car. Only thing that is wonky is the sub sounds "poppy" when you've got the hatch open and you're in front of it - similar to being almost overdriven but yet when you're sitting in the car with the doors and hatch closed that it seems okay. Not the best description for you but that's the only way I can describe it.
Very cool. I understand this all. But what i must do with radio? Also for chinch signal ( radio/amplifier) 😊 pls help. I dont understand how to get the radio removed 🙈
You never have to remove the radio b/c there is nothing you can tap off from it that you can't get from the back. If you watch my other subwoofer upgrade video and this amp video that it is all you need to get the sub and amp in (for the sub only). If you want to do the other speakers then you have to tap into the factory amp which is in the right front kick panel and even that requires some detailed understanding on how to do it right.
I'm a dummy. A stoned out of my mind, engineer. I take pride in my work. I've learned to always NASA standards for soldering and never tap your power into your main fuse block. always use or circut breaker mounted on the firewall with shortest minimum 4ga OFC connected to positive terminal. wire is also must for OEM look
Final question, thank you for answering the other questions, where did you put the ground for the lc2i, did you use the same bolt or the black cable, and where did you get the power cable from the lc2i to the amp
Yep, I grounded the LC2i to the same ground as the amplifier. The black cable for the LC2i is plain old twisted copper wire you can buy at any automotive parts store.
Awesome video! Did you aftermarket install your sunroof? Looks great
Glad you liked it. Sunroof? I don't have a sunroof on my Type R. All stock and unmolested from the factory.
👍 Great video, what about the remote turn on from the LOC to the Amp did you have to do that
There is no need b/c the LC2i has signal sensing and will provide the 12 volt trigger from the LC2i to the amp so no additional wiring back to the head unit required :)
@@piercedasian ok great, thanks
Very detailed vid man! Just waiting on my stuffs. Question, what size did you use for the foam tape? And what do you call that clip zip for the wire going through the fender? Thanks in advance!
The zip clip was actually sourced from Honda. They had them as part of their block heater kits. I don't know if they formally have a name to them but you CAN buy them. They're used in various spots of cars to attached air conditioning condenser fan wiring harnesses to the fan shroud. Just pull up any Honda's part diagram and pick one. They all work the same.
Great video but my sub only lasted 10 minutes 😅, the sub got de-cone some how idk if I got a faulty one or just push it to hard
depends on the quality of the sub. Sounds like it wasn't very high quality if you weren't pushing all that hard.
@@piercedasian yeah I got a new sub once again and now it works like is supposed to work, last one was probably defective product. Thanks for the vid man help me a lot cheers
you're most welcome. Glad to "hear" your sub is working :)
I want to do this but install an aftermarket subwoofer box with 2 12” subs
yep, the process is more or the same except instead of "back wiring" the sub output back to the stock sub box that you just wire it your aftermarket sub box.
Fantastic video!!!
Thanks!
Wow really nice video with great visual and speaking voice.
Do you have a link to the amp you bought or have the suggestions on an updated model?
Check out the links In the description. Great speaking voice? I wonder what it is about it as you're not the first person to tell me that :)
Hey great informative install I'm doing mostly the same ...but I just wanted to know what kind of window visors ur using ...I wanted weather tech but it's not avail for the type r..
Glad you liked my video. The window visors I'm using are the genuine Honda ones. I actually have the full detailed installation video on my youtube channel if you want to know part #'s are how to exactly install them properly.
Where did you get the remote for amp? From head unit? I see you are feeding the LC2i remote from amp but I couldn`t figure out where was the amp remote from? I was trying to figure out is there a way not to remove head unit in order to get remote.
Ahaaa I got my answer. LC2 triggers with speaker signal and remote output goes to the amp. Thx.
The remote to turn the amp on is in fact from the LC2i itself. When the LC2i detects a signal it will trigger a 12 volt output to the remote terminal on the amp to turn it on. You do not ever have to remove the head unit for anything since there is nothing to tap into.
@@piercedasian thx man.
Hello. It's me again. I just got an LC7i. After doing a lot of reading, I see why this is necessary for multiple channels. No short cuts here. I am wondering something. The input signal to the Lc7i. Can I use the factory wires which are 22 AWG and tap into them and use that, or do I need to run new thicker wires like 16 or 18 gauge to the input starting from the head unit? I wasn't sure. I was thinking if this is just a signal, but again, not knowing how thick it needs to be to send a good signal to the LC7i. The good thing is, that I am learning. Thank you.
Also, I see you have quite a few videos on Honda Civic, that's good. Furthermore, I like to thank you for your reply's. A+ in my book. A lot of channels advertise and give advice, but few respond.
No need to beef up the wiring in the car anywhere except making sure you size the power cable correctly for the amp. You don' need to change the wires for the door speakers or the signal wires. My advice is to not splice @ the headunit. You can buy an amplifier breakout harness online (there was a guy in civicX selling them) and that saves you from ever having to hack up your factory harness.
www.civicx.com/forum/threads/amp-out-harnesses.60037/
The link I provided is to the thread where I purchased the harness from. Not sure if he's still making them or not but this is a GREAT way to NOT screw your car. If you sell the car, you can pull out the harness adapter and call it day :). Feel free to reach out anytime as I try my best to stay in touch with my viewers. Don't forget to "like" the videos as it does help my channel a lot!
@@piercedasian I seriously appreciate your advice. Note taken on the wires and will reach out to this person. Thanks again
You're very welcome. Glad I could be of SOME assistance to you :)
Great job on the amp install very professional looking. None of my business but should look into getting your lungs checked out brother you are out of breath the entire video.
lol glad you liked my video. Yes I sound like I'm outta breath all the time for the following reasons:
1. I'm narrating AND bending and lifting and moving the camera and related gear around on my own with no help. That can be exhausting and doing multiple takes is brutally tiring especially when you have to put everything you take apart back together to do another shoot.
2. I am carrying about 45 lbs more than I should be and yes I'm working on losing it. Far too much holiday cheer for me and the fact that I haven't worked a full time job since the past summer is also taking its toll on my health.
If you'd believe it that just a year and a half ago I was a pretty die hard runner that ran and ran and ran each day. To this day I can actually still outrun most folks in endurance runs :)
Sorry if I missed it but how did you connect the remote wire to the amp?
You feed the remote in from the LC2i to the remote trigger on the amp. The LC2i is what sends the 12 volt signal for the amp to turn on.
You can get high quality RCAs with an integrated line out wire. One less cable to run/fish.
Terrific and extremely helpful video! Just to confirm, a 12V connection somewhere in the vehicle must be also run to the "remote in" on the LC2i correct. Fuse box, 12V plug input, etc?
no need for remote in on the LC2i. Just piggy back power (but fused for 1amp) from the 12 volt amp feed that you ran from the battery to the back. The LC2i will use signal detect to turn itself on and then you wire the amplifier remote trigger to the LC2i remote out. The LC2i will sense the signal from the head unit, turn it on and then conversely the amp will turn on when the LC2i comes on.
@@piercedasian That's great!! Saves me from pulling my interior apart again lol. My local store only has 3A fuses, will that work for inline fuse or must it be 1A? Also, can I still use my JL's current bass attenuator knob instead of the AC?
A 3A fuse will work though I still prefer a 1A. In the event of a dead short either fuse will blow. The wiring used to wire the LC2i will most certainly be able to handle up to a 10A fuse safely but I like to err on the cautious side and put in the smallest value possible to protect the wiring AND the equipment.
@@piercedasian I actually found 1 amp so all good sir! Ty
Thank you so much for making this! I plan on attempting it with the same sub. I was wondering if you’ve had any issues with the sub bouncing on the factory grill at higher volumes? I read somewhere on a forum of someone having that issue with the Rockford setup.
no bouncing off the factory grill whatsoever. This could very well happen if you're over driving the sub b/c the rockford sub definitely has more "excursion" travel than the factory sub has. I don't push my sub to its limits so I can't speak to whether or not that would happen.
Good Job !
Thanks!