[heydude]

Hello all,<P>I have a 2001 V40, and am dying to upgrade the subwoofer system. However, I am a large fan of the interior aesthetics of the car, and do not want to replace the head (in-dash)unit to ease the addition of a new amplifier with RCA inputs. Is the existing amplifier something standard, which could power a different set of speakers as the subwoofer, or am I facing a larger project?<P>Thanks,<P>Zach

 

[pyaap]

I've been trying to do exactly the same and have got nowhere. It might be possible to tap some RCA convertors onto one of the wires going to the stock sub and feed this to an amp though a crossover.<P>I've only just got the wiring diagrams for the audio in the car and will try to work out how we might overcome this problem

 

[heydude]

Still after it. I decided today, since I had the day off, to peel off all the coverings on the side and rear hatch space in my V40. Looks like the amplifier might be mounted behind the subwoofers in the back? Is this true, because if that is the case then it will be a snap to take this out and replace with a different amp/sub combo that will deliver more sound. Anyone have any experience or knowledge to share?

 

[JayEm]

Though I have never worked on a V40, it is more than likely the amp will be in the back as close to the existing sub as they could get it. The reason for this is the shorter the distance between the amp and sub, the less distortion will be present. After removing the paneling, did you notice if the amp was there? Check on the right and left side above the wheel well locations. <P>If you want more output, I say replace both the amp and sub. Since you dont want to replace the indash, purchase a speaker level amp. This will tap into the left and right rear speakers and use their signal. These amps should have a decent lp filter. Once the new amp is installed, simply run a short length of speaker cable to your new box. <P>Hope this helped, I own an '01 S40 and im assuming the basic organization is the same.<P>Be careful though, There is also a seperate amp somewhere in your car (probably under the steering column) that powers your rear speakers. This is because of the 6 speaker setup. <P>Good Luck, if u need any help drop a line and i'll see what i can do.<P>Jay Em<P>'01 S40: smooth bore throttle body, HID fog lights, and neon galore <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/smile.gif">

 

[AnonYMise]

Be careful. The resistance in the head unit, speakers, and amps must be matched. Most (if not all) of the stuff you can buy at stores for comsumer use is 4 ohm. Volvo may use a 1- or 2-ohm setup from the factory. Mismatching these can lead to damaged equipment. This will not always be the case, but it is best to match them.