new headunit help--RF system with amp-- 04 sc/se

[Phillip Klingensmith]

first off i have read everything on this site i could find and still not sure what will work.OK so I have a problem with my head unit and I am trying to replace it with an aftermarket 1 & I have the Rockford fosgate system my problem is that in the back of the factory head unit has 3 plugs and I've been reading all of what I can find about the different kind of adapter that are out there, I'm trying to replace it with a pioneer DEH-16 head unit and the plug for that has the 8 wires for the speakers, a battery, a ACC, a remote wire and a ground it also has 2 RCA plugs but i think they are out only. i was able to find this page and it sholud help http://www.modifiedlife.com/2004-nissan-xterra-rockford-fosgate-stereo-wire-guide/

My questions are looking at the metra part # 70-7551 if i were to get that plug what would the RCA ends go to? should i just bypass the amp and install my own amp and sub?( which i do have)
what if i bought this plug Scosche NN-032 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Scosche-82-UP-Nissan-Car-Stereo-Connector/1863069

not sure what will work and what to do

My HU http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Pioneer-DEH-16-Car-CD-Receiver-Refurbished/1151475/product.html

i cant do much longer with NO :tunes:

 

[Prime]

OK. So. Let's start at the beginning.

The factory RF system had a separate outboard amplifier. That amplifier is fed from the stock head unit at line level. There should be two wires for every speaker. Keeping in mind that the sub in the back has 4 wires going to it because it is a dual voice coil speaker. If you are simply replacing the head unit and not the speakers, I would leave this amp in play as they are ohm matched to the amp. If you are replacing the speakers also, then you should ditch that amp as well.

The complications are brought in with your chosen head unit.

On the aftermarket head unit, the RCA connectors are known as Pre-Amp outs. They are a line level feed from the head unit to an external amp. Since your head unit only has one pair, you need to see what they are for. Most that only have one pair it is only for a subwoofer. So if you are locked into that head unit then you can't use the factory amp because it's expecting line level input and you'd have to feed it speaker level input since you don't have front and rear line level outs. If you hooked that up, you'd burn up the amp.

Your recourse is to take the factory amp out of play and replace it with an aftermarket amp that can accept speaker level input. At that point you'd wire the harness from your head unit to the speaker level input on the amplifier and your speakers would be fed out from there.

If you go that route and don't want to change the speakers make sure that the amp is 2ohm stable. Which is what the factory speakers are.

Now.

Past that, your basic wiring is the same. Constant power (yellow) , keyed power (red), & ground (black). Those are the important ones. Your wiring guide you linked to should tell you what color wires those are on the factory harness.

The remote wire on the head unit goes to the trigger on your aftermarket amp. That is what turns the amp on and off.

Moral of the story is that in order to make it easy, you need a better head unit or to replace a lot more than just the head unit.