How to tell if you have the Active System?

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DotNetter

How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by DotNetter »

sorry for the noob question but I've done a search and haven't found any real answer other than someone saying that if you have a speaker behind the passenger seat then you have the Active System?!

I do have a speaker but it's the sub woofer thing...is this the "speaker" in question?

I don't have the standard head unit anymore.

I do have an amp fitted under the passenger seat which from memory is a Kenwood amp - not sure this was fitted from new though as I believe the previous owner had this fitted upon import.

Any help much appreciated - tbh, suprised that this type of question isn't already a sticky???

Cheers


Wayne
DannyW
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Location: Leicestershire

Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by DannyW »

as far as i remember, if you have the speaker in the box behind your seat then yes you have the active system.
DotNetter

Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by DotNetter »

okay...u can probably tell what's coming next :)

What IS the Active System :-s

Does it mean extra speakers (if so where) or does it mean amps (again, where) etc, etc

Cheers


Wayne
JustJJ
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Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by JustJJ »

I believe (and may be corrected) that the active sound system was simply two extra speakers ( the two subs behind the seats in the boxes) whereas the standard sound system only had six.
MartG
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Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by MartG »

My G-Limited has the speaker behind the passenger seat so I presume its the Active System, but being an import the original head unit is long gone so I don't think its working anymore.
G-LimitedGav

Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by G-LimitedGav »

Any ideas what head units work best with the mr2 set up and stock amp? I had a panasonic which kind of worked but the bass was always distorted if you put the volume up, this recently decided to stop working so i put the stock unit back in but i get this awful techno bass (which is really loud) but is not deep bass its more like 80's dance music bass. :-s
paul port
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Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by paul port »

The Passive sysem drove two front speakers and two rear speakers directly from the headunit. It had no subs.

The Active system comes in three flavours.
None of them had amps in the head unit...
They all had small external amplifiers (to be found behind the side panels near the seat belt retractors)
Early systems had only one sub, later units had two.

The final flavour was the full on DSP version.

If you are fitting an aftermarket stereo, you are best off bypassing the stock amps if you have them. Serious noise issues are likely.


Wiring Kits... Are available from Autoleads (all car hifi shops and halfords)
Passive system = available
Normal Active System = available, but I suggest you only use it for power.
DSP system - Not Available, you will have to run your own power and ign wires!! You will find the DSP unit if you remove the centre storage bin.

Paul
DannyW
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Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by DannyW »

Are the amps on both sides Paul? as i'm looking at removing mine this weekend and don't want to rip apart the interior if i don't need to :)
Tommetalmonkey

Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by Tommetalmonkey »

Upon dismantling my system I found an amp on each side for each sub and main amp on passenger side for the rest of the speakers, however, disconnecting this main amp seems to cut power to head unit so you need to bypass it if you want it out. I was recommended that I should take a line off the cigarette lighter for ignition power. In the end i just left the old amp in!
DannyW
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Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 5:41 pm
Location: Leicestershire

Re: How to tell if you have the Active System?

Post by DannyW »

Tommetalmonkey wrote:Upon dismantling my system I found an amp on each side for each sub and main amp on passenger side for the rest of the speakers, however, disconnecting this main amp seems to cut power to head unit so you need to bypass it if you want it out. I was recommended that I should take a line off the cigarette lighter for ignition power. In the end i just left the old amp in!


That's great thanks. Loss of the power supply to the headunit isn't really an issue as i don't have a headunit anymore! :D


cheers!

DannyW
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