Last weekend I decided it was time to get my hands dirty with CirueloGTI’s audio system. The plan was simple, make the sound more decent, fix the speakers that were not working properly, and install the amplifier and subwoofer while I was at it.
I did not go in alone. Kei joined me, a trusted friend and occasional victim of my mechanical adventures.
Spoiler alert, we only made it halfway.
A Cable Nightmare and a Multimeter to the Rescue
As soon as we opened the trunk and started inspecting the amplifier wiring, we found a complete mess of tangled and poorly connected cables. Nothing made sense.
But with a multimeter, some logic, and a lot of patience, we slowly started identifying each line, power, ground, remote, and RCA.
Little by little, chaos began to turn into something understandable.
The Head Unit and Speakers, Half Right, Half Not So Much
Next, we pulled out the head unit to check the RCA outputs and properly understand how the speakers were wired. We reorganized the connections and, well, it kind of worked.
We identified the cable going to the front right speakers, but they still would not play. Everything points to blown speakers.
Front left works perfectly.
Rear left and rear right now work as well, and they are no longer crossed like before.
So at the moment, sound comes out of three out of four speakers, which is an improvement, even if not the ideal setup.
Amplifier and Subwoofer, Finally Some Bass
After dealing with the speakers, we connected the amplifier and the subwoofer. The result, solid bass and a much fuller sound. The wiring is not pretty, it is a bit improvised, but it works, and for now that is what matters.
That said, we are still missing 6×9 speakers on the rear deck, which are currently not installed.
Current Status of CirueloGTI’s Audio System
- ✅Subwoofer working
- ✅Amplifier connected
- ✅Three speakers active, front left and both rears
- ❌ Front right speaker dead, most likely blown
- ❌ No 6×9 speakers on the rear deck
- ❌ Wiring with a strong Frankenstein vibe
What Comes Next
The next step is to get the missing components, a front right speaker, a decent pair of 6x9s, and maybe a head unit upgrade in the future. As for the wiring, it will probably be time to hand it over to a professional so it can be clean and reliable.
Little by little, Ciruelo is not only running better, it is starting to sound better too.
And credit where it is due, thanks to Kei for all the help during this part of the adventure, even though he almost got electrocuted while we were disconnecting the battery.