Fabrik8

If you're deadset on keeping the stock head unit, I can't see any better option than that. That's a seriously badass line output converter..

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Yeah I'm dead set on it. It won't be 100% as good as an aftermarket h/u's signal, but it should be damn close. I don't want it to look like there's an aftermarket stereo, but I want better sound.

xblindsk8erx3

you're stupid.

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Care to expand on that tasty morsel?

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I gots another question.... I got all my speakers (not sub woofer yet though). I'm ordering the CleanSweep today and I'm ready to pull the trigger on an amp. I'm looking at the Alpine PDX-5 because I'm eventually going to add a JL Audio stealthbox. The Stealth Box for my truck comes with an 8" sub so I'm thinking the 300w sub channel from the PDX-5 will be sufficient. I haven't ruled out going 4 channel and choosing something like the PDX-4.100 or PDX-4.150. They put out 100 and 150w x4 for around the same cost as the PDX-5. I'd just have to add a mono amp for the sub later. Any thoughts on any of that stuff? The speakers I bought are Kappa 60.9 and 50.9 are rated for around 90w RMS. Maybe the 4 channel amps are overkill? The PDX-5 is 75w x4 plus 300 mono. I'm not set on Alpine or anything, they just look like good amps and I've had good luck with Alpine headunits in the past.

My real question is in regard to installation though. The Clean Sweep has 4 RCA outputs. If I run a 5 channel amp or 4 channel plus a mono, where does the signal for the sub come from? Could I run a RCA splitter off one of the rear channels from the Clean Sweep? That way the sub would in effect be getting exact same signal as one of the rear channels. Is it even possible?

Fabrik8

There are a few ways to go about that. A common way is to use a crossover, in which case the crossover would take the head unit signals and then split the filtered signals to the individual amps. You could also just use a splitter and tap off the signal like you were saying. You'd want to split off of both channels though, or else you'd just get either left or right. Most subs amps have left and right inputs, and a selector switch to use one or both input, so that's an easy thing to do.
Some amps have an RCA sub output with a crossover built in, but I'm not sure if anyone is doing that anymore. I've been out of a game for a long time.

Edit: I just looked at JL's amps, some of the 4 channel models have preamp outputs. So companies still do that. That's a convenient option for a sub amp if you're already getting a 4 channel.

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Ok, I got it figured out. You're right, the amp I'm looking at has 2 subwoofer inputs. I'm running single female to dual male RCA adapters, 2 of them. Each rear channel from the Clean Sweep will also feed the subwoofer.

I've got everything now except speaker wire, the amp, and the amp's power wire. I looked into the Alpine PDX-5 some more and it looks like it's pretty underrated. It's rated for 75x4 plus 300 mono but actually makes nearly 100x4 plus 400 mono. I think that's my amp.

Fabrik8

I'm slightly surprised that the PDX-5 doesn't have a switch setting to use the rear inputs as the subwoofer inputs also (instead of using the subwoofer RCAs). That's pretty common and saves having to buy a set of splitter adapters.

Flite

Well... I'm not done amp shopping yet, so we'll see. The adapters were cheap though, so I went ahead and ordered them. The PDX-5 gets great reviews though, so I'll probably go that route. If I find an amp I like that has the internal crossover to do that with, I might still go that route. I've got 2 weeks to decide on an amp.

It looks like what you're talking about is pretty common with 4 channel amps, but not as common with 5 channels. I'm not interested in using a 4 channel for all everything though. I want to "tunability" of 4 separate channels. The 4 channel amps with the switch can be switched to run all speakers off 2 channels, and then bridge the other two to the sub. That's not for me.

Fabrik8

The PDX-5 already has a crossover (low pass filter in this case) built in for the sub channel, it just doesn't have a jumper switch to combine the rear and sub inputs. It has everything you need, you just have to use signal splitters.