The Official Double-Din Monsoon Aftermarket Amp+Sub(s) Install Guide

[user name unknown]

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Question on the remote wire?? I have the in dash 6 disc changer, so the changer harness in the rear is not hooked up, therefore the grey wire will not work as a remote wire.. Is there a remote wire to the amp?? OR, is there anything else in the rear that I can use as a remote for the amp?? Thanks ahead of time..

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Even though you do not have the 6 cd-changer in the rear, you can still use the grey with in the harness for your remote turn on (unless the rear 6 cd-changer harness has been taken out of the headunit and replaced with the in-dash harness).

[mattylmbr]

Exactly.. To hook up the in dash changer, you have to unhook the harness from the HU, and hook the one from the in dash unit to the HU.. SO, I have no remote from the grey wire.. Any suggestions on what to use since there is nothing to the grey?? (like can one of the monsoon amp wires be used??)

Also, if there is nothing else back there, what color wire is the remote that I can tap from the back of the HU (single din)..


[Modified by mattylmbr, 2:22 AM 2-12-2003]

[user name unknown]

OK, since the rear cd-changer has been disconnected and the in-dash cd-changer harness has been connected, is there a grey wire in the in-dash cd-changer harness? I am assuming there has to be because the HU has to tell the in-dash cd-changer that its on. If there isn't, then I would suggest to use an ignition wire. I haven't really done too much investigation as to if there is a remote turn on wire that goes to the monsoon amp. All I know is the four wires that need to be tapped into for the LOC.

[xtemperedx]

this may sound stupid, but whats an automotive relay, and how much are they? thanks.

[user name unknown]

An automotive relay is like the black box in the picture (the white boxes are also relays, but in our VW's, we have black ones).

The point of a relay is to use a small amount of power to move an armature that is able to switch a much larger amount of power.

HOW A RELAY WORKS

[xtemperedx]

is there a way to run the +12v power for the amp from the fuse panel? i would like to avoid having to go through the firewall.
also, what about running a wire from the +12v that powers either the monsoon amp or head in parallel to the amp i am installing for my sub? would there be enough current?

[user name unknown]

If you take out the fuse panel, there is a power wire that runs from the battery to it. You could just unscrew that, and attach the power wire that goes to the amp to it. I dont advise you do because you don't want to draw too much current from that wire. It might cause the whole fuse panel to go "kapooie"!

[cujogti]

I have a 2003 gti 1.8t, awesome car........however it lacks in the sound dept! I read your post, very informative. Have u heard if the wiring harness and sequence is the same as in your '02 VR6?? If so, I may proceed with a similar setup. I have a 4 channel amp and a JL 10" sub in a box I want to add for more bass. Anywhere else to buy those wire taps and Line out converters??? Thx 4 the help, CUJO

[user name unknown]

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I have a 2003 gti 1.8t, awesome car........however it lacks in the sound dept! I read your post, very informative. Have u heard if the wiring harness and sequence is the same as in your '02 VR6?? If so, I may proceed with a similar setup. I have a 4 channel amp and a JL 10" sub in a box I want to add for more bass. Anywhere else to buy those wire taps and Line out converters??? Thx 4 the help, CUJO

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I just turned in my 2002 GTI VR6 yesterday and I got a 2003 Golf 2.0 2-door. I checked all the wiring harness's and they are exactly the same...so yeah...it will work with 2003 Monsoon system's.

[cujogti]

thx for the help....i will be doing this mod. asap....i just need to find some wire taps and a LOC. -CUJO

[user name unknown]

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thx for the help....i will be doing this mod. asap....i just need to find some wire taps and a LOC. -CUJO

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Wire taps...Radio Shack

LOC...I got mine at Radio Shack, but from what I understand, they don't carry them anymore. Go to your local audio shop and get one there, or get one from Best Buy. Just make sure it has ONLY 4 wires.

[xtemperedx]

any idea where to get through the firewall on an '03 GTI ?

thanks
mike

[user name unknown]

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any idea where to get through the firewall on an '03 GTI ?

thanks
mike

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[Trevor57]

That is not a very good place for a ground. while it may work fine, if somebody happens to be using a little more powerful amp, it could be problematic. you should always ground direct to chassis with no paint. otherwise good stuff.

[user name unknown]

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That is not a very good place for a ground. while it may work fine, if somebody happens to be using a little more powerful amp, it could be problematic. you should always ground direct to chassis with no paint. otherwise good stuff.

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In this picture where do you see paint? The ground's connect to the screw and that screw screws into the frame behind it. If you were looking at the picture right above your post...that is a picture of where I ran my power wire through the firewall.

[Trevor57]

I was looking at the correct picture. That is a tie down in the hatch area. take a dremel to the bolt, and tell me if it is painted.

[user name unknown]

Sorry, that bolt isn't painted. Just because it is black doesn't mean that it is painted. I tested that bolt for a good ground with a tester...and it tested great.

[Mike VR6]

hey username.....great write up. I do have a couple questions for you though.

1) You used an external amp correct? Did you simply completely disconnect the monsoon amp....or just disconnect the grey harness?

2) Can the 12V power source in the trunk be used instead of the battery?

3) what sub/amp combo did you buy?

4) My deck (Kenwood 2019V) has RCA out/in, so how can that be used to my advantage.

[user name unknown]

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hey username.....great write up. I do have a couple questions for you though.

1) You used an external amp correct? Did you simply completely disconnect the monsoon amp....or just disconnect the grey harness?

2) Can the 12V power source in the trunk be used instead of the battery?

3) what sub/amp combo did you buy?

4) My deck (Kenwood 2019V) has RCA out/in, so how can that be used to my advantage.

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1) I still use the Monsoon amp for the Monsoon system. I just use the aftermarket amp that I have hooked up for my subs.

2) I wouldn't use the 12V power source in the truck due to the fact that I would be leary of blowing some fuse or something. It is just safer to run the power wire right to the battery.

3) I have a MTX 4250D Mono-block amp with 2 10inch MTX Thunder 6000's in a sealed MTX box that was made for the subs my MTX.

4) Since you already have RCA outs on the back of your headunit, then you will not need to buy the line-out converter that I bought and splice into the grey harness.

You will not need to do that step.

All you will need to do is run an RCA cable from the back of your headunit...to your aftermarket amp that you are using to power your subs.

NOTE: make sure that you run the RCA cable and the power wire on opposite sides of the center console.

[Mike VR6]

wow...so that should be really easy then. Let me just ask you a couple more things:

1) on the back of my deck....i have what are called PreAmp outputs. I have a total of 4.....2 front and 2 back. I assume I would use the rear two, run those to the amp? correct?

2) Say i got a standard amp...and not a MONO amp designed for subs. It would look something like this:

Would I connect the subs to the left or right connectors? I assume it wouldnt matter...but I better ask. Then the system control is just the trigger wire from the CD changer harness correct? Thanks a lot pal, I really appreciate this.

[xtemperedx]

About running the power wire / remote wire.
in the back of my 2003 GTI there is an unused harness for the CD changer. Using a probe, i figured out which pins are the remote and +12V pins, and i used those for my amp. i then grounded my amp AND crossover to a bolt (no paint) that is bolted to the body. i put an in-line fuse (20amps) inbetween the harness and my amp, so that if something didnt work, i would blow the fuse and not my HU.

Everything has worked out fine so far (2 days.) This saved alot of trouble; no running the power wire through the firewall and all around my car!

hope this helps

mike

[Mike VR6]

cool thanks!

couple more things

1) how are you guys mounting the subs so they are not rolling around the trunk?

2) how do you access the spare tire/tools from the trunk.....do you just give that up...or does the floor still lift up?

[xtemperedx]

i have a bass tube, i stapled the plastic side of a strip of velcro on the bottom of the sub, actually two strips of velcro. it doesnt completely secure the sub, but it doesn't slide around at all. and if i need to get to the tire, i can just pull the tube right out.

[Jack0423]

I'm assuming that you cannot simply attach rca connections onto the output wires from the HU. Is the voltage output too high? What is the wattage output, olm load, of the outputs. I planned to install a cadence z9000 (800 watts bridged) into a polk audio mm12 and run the line out back to the monsoon amp or hook up a ppi a200 (old art series amp rated at 50 watts per channel with a very low thd). My past exp. with loc is somethimes they are not the cleanest methods of hooking up an amp.

[RetroGTI]

Sweet writeup, this will help me out immensely some time in the near future.

[user name unknown]

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My past exp. with loc is somethimes they are not the cleanest methods of hooking up an amp.

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Yeah, but when you are hooking up an aftermarket amp and subs to the stock Monsoon system...that is the only way to go. Thanks to VW for not putting some RCA outs on the back of the HU. I think the sound is great coming thru the LOC. There is no background noise, hissing, snapping, etc. Its like the RCA are coming from RCA outs...but really they are coming from a LOC.

As for your assuming you cant simply attach RCA connections to the output wires coming from the HU...that is exactly what the LOC is doing. That converts the signal from the wire so that you can hook up RCA cables to go from the back of the HU or Monsoon amp to the aftermarket amp.

[Mike VR6]

to those who ran the power wire straight from the battery:

Was it hard to take off all of the door sill panels? I am going to be running either 4G or 0/1G cable, so I am just trying to find the quickest way to route the wire while making it hidden in the passenger compartment.

[user name unknown]

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to those who ran the power wire straight from the battery:

Was it hard to take off all of the door sill panels? I am going to be running either 4G or 0/1G cable, so I am just trying to find the quickest way to route the wire while making it hidden in the passenger compartment.

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I ran mine under the middle console. It is easy to lift up that plastic and put the wire under there.

[Bux82]

Ok, I'm sure this question has been asked 100 times, but if I were to get a Bazooka amplified tube or an Infinity BassLink, how would these instructions be different? Any steps I wouldn't need, or steps I'd have to add? Thanks!

[user name unknown]

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Ok, I'm sure this question has been asked 100 times, but if I were to get a Bazooka amplified tube or an Infinity BassLink, how would these instructions be different? Any steps I wouldn't need, or steps I'd have to add? Thanks!

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I am not familiar with either. If I seen a pic of the connections on both...I would be able to tell you what needs to be done.

[Bux82]

Here's a pic of what i'm pretty sure it looks like....(the bazooka). Seems like there's only an input for a wiring harness. What do you think?

[Bux82]

Actually, check out this link...it's the actual manual. Page 10 of 16 has it.

http://www.sasbazooka.com/pdf/current/el_amplified_manual.pdf

Thanks a bunch, man.......

[user name unknown]

After looking at the diagram...here is the conclusion.

Yes, you will indeed need to do everything that I did.

You will only be using 5 of the 13 connections on the back of the Bazooka.

Positive, Ground, Remote, and the two RCA plugs.

Since the Bazooka already has the amp built in...you won't have to deal with mounting the amp. You will simply run the power wire from the battery to the positive terminal on the back of the Bazooka. Then, you will ground the Bazooka at the exact same place I did in the back of the car. Then you will tap the LOC into the proper wires and run your RCA cables from the LOC to the Bazooka. Then you will tap your remote wire into the specified GREY wire and run that to your Bazooka.

Once that is all done...you will be bumpin. If you have any questions, ASK!

[Prop]

Just to add a few suggestions,

Take out the back deck cover to work with the amp easier. The top has three bolts with plastic covers on (for luggage tie down or something). The covers can be popped open with a screw driver. After the bolts are removed, the top is still held on by plastic clips underneath. Get help or be careful if you don't want to snap one. (BTW these say Audi ) The amp cage is just held in by some bolts.

A lot of people don't want to use the cd changer wire, use a low voltage trigger or LVT off a speaker wire. This is the same way the Monsoon amp turns on. http://www.go2pac.com/products/trigger.htm I have seen a LVT included in a line level converter, unfortunately I can't remember the name. This was a higher priced converter that Circuit City would have had to order. Your best bet would probably be to buy separate.

[Bux82]

Thanks, man. You're a life saver! I just wanted to make sure this was possible- as the wonderful people at a certain electronics store (starts with 'circuit' wanted to charge me 90 bucks for a custom installation, and 4 to six hours! Oh well. One last thing though- She did say i'd need some pretty good cable to suppress the noise commonly heard in Bimmers, VW's, etc...I know a friend who has a '99 Z3, had the same problem. Also, are there any additional accessories I'll need to buy, like one of those switches that transfers power between 2 devices? I'll be doing the job tomorrow. Thanks for all your help.