Focal iBus 2.1 to Discover headunit via SOT lead.

[Chris Spurr]

Hi all. I've done well so far with my conversion, but now I'm struggling.

I've laid down and powered a Focal iBus 2.1 under the drivers seat, and retro fitted Focal speakers and tweeters into the doors and top of the A pillars (left original tweeters in place). I've also laid speaker cable from rear to head unit thinking this is where it should go. I've also added long speaker cable to the new front speakers so I can either connect these into the SOT lead somewhere or re-route to the iBus amp.

Apparently the 2.1 amp also allows for 2x55w output, so um trying to power the new speakers from the amp. So....

1. do I need to consider LOW or HIGH inputs? What's the difference?
2. Where do I connect the front speaker cables? Do I cut into the SOT lead anywhere?
3. Where do I connect the rear speakers?
4. How do i get the amp to shut down when the ignition is off (conversly ON where ignition is ON)?
5. Do i leave the existing tweeters in place with existing cables, or say goodbye to them?
6. What is a 'power antena'?

A few questions there but I guess to someone who knows maybe straightforward. Attached are a few photos too.

I'd really appreciate anyones advise here....

Many thanks all... Chris

 

[Absolut5]

Low level is rca you are using speaker level so it’s high level

That amp should switch itself off after a while as it’s searching for a signal

Run the speaker outputs from the headunit to amp and back from the amp to the sot lead, as in picture

White-front left
Grey-front right
Green-rear left
Purple- rear right

Plain is positive

You can rein the rear speaker wires straight to the amp, or patch them into the Sot lead

Disconnect the tweeters in the pillar, but personally I would have put the Focal ones there

Power antenna is a switch on feed for the aerial, don’t worry about it

 

[Chris Spurr]

Hi Absolut5. Many thanks for your advice...

Ok. I'll ignore the low level outputs.

If I understood you correctly, I can splice in both the front and rear cables up at the SOT lead end (per White-front left/Grey-front right/Green-rear left/Purple- rear right), and I leave the Focal gtry/white lead as is (that goes from headunit to amp back to SOT lead?

I think this is making sense now. Can you just tell me I got that right?

Should have thought more about the tweeters, but hey I'll live with that now...

Cheers. Chris

 

[Absolut5]

 

[Absolut5]

It’s a 2 channel amp, so take the grey/white wires from the headunit marked amp input down to the the grey.white wires marked input, then the grey/white wires from the amp output to the white/grey wires marked output in the pic

The rear speaker wires connect to the pic marked input on the picture, green/purple

 

[Chris Spurr]

Ok. All coming together now.

I'm getting a whiring/humming noise behind the music, and more prominent when theres no music. Is there any sort of issue? Perhaps I need another bit of electronics to cancel it out? Any thoughts?

 

[Chris Spurr]

(And thanks for your advice by the way, much appreciated).....

 

[Absolut5]

You need to set the gain controls correctly.

 

[Chris Spurr]

Hi. Gain controls made a huge difference, thank you.

Unfortunately now when all connected, I cannot get sound out of the right speaker / tweeter. As a check, I directly wired the speakers back to the head unit and all seems perfect (the balance slider on the headunit now works), but when connected back through the iBus I only get sound from the left (and muffled base on the sub).

I'm thinking the supplied iBus lead may need replacing? Or could there be any other issues? Any thoughts?

 

[Absolut5]

It’s not a product we install. But it’s more than likely a input wiring fault ..

 

[Chris Spurr]

Many thanks. Looks like I'll be taking the seats out again. Thanks for all your help...