Harman Kardon Upgrade Questions

[Jolbaru_LGT]

So, I just got a Harman Kardon speaker upgrade for my Legacy GT Wagon, off of someone from fb. All except I'm pretty sure this setup is from a Legacy GT Sedan. The Dual Voice "sub" is what looks like goes in the rear deck of the sedan.

So, what came from the seller is the HK front door tweeters and brackets, the HK front door Mids, the rear door mids and tweeters, and that useless to me sedan Sub. 

I have an aftermarket Alpine Dual DIN with the factory under the seat sub. So, it has a harness that plugs in between the Alpine radio and factory wiring harness and under the seat sub.

My questions are: Do I need to get this HK rear sub and grille for the wagon? Also, do I need an HK amp?

Just trying to get everything together that I need before I attempt this. I'm pretty sure everything is unplug/plug and play, but I want to make sure I'm getting full use of this system. I know I can get 3rd party speakers and stuff, but I'd like to just keep it simple with this. Unless of course that HK rear sub is completely useless in anyone's opinion. Thanks in advance!

Edited August 30, 2022 by Jolbaru_LGT
Just because

[m sprank]

IIRC the HK system had an amp under the passenger front seat.  I could be wrong, so few cars I serviced had the system.  Chances are you can make it work, but maybe not with the OEM under-seat sub.   With the aftermarket head unit already installed, I am a little confused as to why you want to add an OEM 'upgrade" sound system now.  The HK system was nothing to brag about.  Honestly, I tore out more OEM and installed full aftermarket systems than I did modifying the OEM system. 

[Jolbaru_LGT]

I wanted an upgrade, but still liked the stock look of everything. I didn’t want to cut this and mount that kind of a look.

I went  with the HK bracket and grille in the rear trunk area and I might get an aftermarket mono amp and shallow 8” sub to replace the HK sub. In a perfect world I’d find a cheap signal processor and get a proper sound stage. But I like where the speakers are and the potential it has. I actually liked the stock sound and the HK tweeters and speakers I think will be a nice upgrade from that. Really looking for a little more clarity and I think that should do it.

[m sprank]

No "cut this and mount that".  Just pure musical bliss and enough bass to shake your teeth loose (or maybe induce a brown note). 

[Jolbaru_LGT]

That's definetly great work, but a little more than I want. The HK speakers all around are fine for my Alpine ILX-207 w/50w x 4 and the stock rear sub that's going in with the factory 09 outback grille, I'm going to replace with a 8" aftermarket shallow sub and little mono amp. I'm just looking to retain practicality and gas mileage. I got a good deal on the HK speakers and the quality of the components are similar to popular aftermarket speakers I've had in the past. Going to save up for eventual repairs on this 274,000 car. 

[jaylew]

So i retrofitted the HK into my LGT wagon, and I use the sub under the seat since the HK sub is all the way in the trunk. I repined a second 'floor sub' harness to run to and from the amp under the passenger seat. This way I only had to run wiring from the head unit area to the front doors and through the door connectors to drive the tweeters separately since the HK drives the mids and tweeters separately up front.

The amp will need a power line run directly from the battery, but luckily for us subaru already ran that from the engine bay fuse box. It is labeled 'audio' and runs to the connector in the right front foot well near the door harness connection. The wire terminates there and isn't used so you just need to finish the wiring the last foot or so to the amp under the passenger seat.

Last (off the top of my head) I advise that you source a HK headunit. I tried one that had the SRS sound thing but the pre-amp in those is too powerful that I would keep volume at like level 1 or 2. With the headunit meant for the HK amp, there is far more fidelity to the volume control.

[Jolbaru_LGT]

Interesting. I’ve got a double DIn Alpine, I don’t really want the HK stock headunit. I’m also using the under the seat sub, but I need a little more bass. I don’t have the HK amp, but I’m not opposed to struggling with it, I just don’t think it’ll be useful at this point. I feel the Alpine has good power(for me at least) and a nice programmable sound stage. I could be wrong but it seems pretty solid.

now all I’d like is that rear stock Hk sub with an aftermarket shallow 8” sub and the stock grille. I have the grill ready.

In regards to putting in the stock HK subwoofer, where the cubby is… for anyone who knows of it.

So, I’ve got the outer HK speaker cover for it. Now I’m wondering if all I’ll need is the bracket for that speaker. The subwoofer itself isn’t available, and I’m going to replace it anyways with a shallow 8”.. do you know(since you said you’ve replaced these before) if that’s true? Basically I’m wondering if I just need part 86301AG92A or if I’ll also need 86315AG06A as well?

they’re both obsolete parts that are hard to find, I’m just wondering because I have the grill, if it’s worth tracking down. 
 

also, does anyone have access to those parts? I’m at a loss trying to find them. Thanks! 

 

[jaylew]

so to make sure it is clear, I am running the sub under the seat in addition to the dual voice coil HK sub in the rear.

The rear trim will need to be trimmed to remove the cubby and open it for the speaker. the trim already has the correct spots for the grill but the grill mounts at the top to the sub mounting bracket with a trim pop thing (no clue what it is called)

You might be able to correct the pre-out level of the Alpine to make it work with the HK amp, but not sure.

[Tehnation]

On 8/31/2022 at 12:16 PM, m sprank said:

No "cut this and mount that".  Just pure musical bliss and enough bass to shake your teeth loose (or maybe induce a brown note). 

 

 

What kind of car is that? An LGT or WRX wagon? Or is that a later gen? I'm so confused LOL. USB in the ashtray, me likey! 

[m sprank]

That was my HIGHLY modified (probably 1 of a kind) 03 Forester XS.  Top display (Nav) was removed from my 08 SpecB and integrated into the afternarket system.  I built three seperate systems in my 4th gen LGT's.  I started a 5th build, but never completed, it became the Forester. 

[Tehnation]

I can see that LOL!! That box is serious shit! 4x10" subs? Very impressive, I love the 2 screens, one navigation and the other for media! 

[m sprank]

An old thread detailing the stereo system build:

 

 

OEM Nav screen worked as NAV and external media source when I was done.  Kenwood double DIN also had NAV, so two NAVs and two media screens. Choices.   Was able to keep the Subaru logo at start up too. 

10's are JL Audio 10W3V3's powered by the  Zapco Reference 1000.

Edited September 19, 2022 by m sprank

[Jolbaru_LGT]

Has anyone ever added a front center speaker in an older model that didn’t come with one?

[m sprank]

Why?  Easy enough to set a sound stage without one.  No room in dash in 4th gen models.  Could possibly use small defrost vents for tweets. If wanting to use a 5.1 or 7.1 dsp buy a house, not a car.