Installing A Sub/Amp with Parrot Or AfterMarket Radio

gatf777

Guest
Hi.
This is my guide on how to install a Subwoofer or Amplifier into a mk5 Ibiza.
Any better ideas on how to do it, or helpful hints are greatly appreciated.
I do apologise for some blurry pictures.

Parrot kit install, You will need:
Speaker wire, enough to go twice from radio to amp, and a bit more.
Crimpers
Bullet Connectors
Connection Blocks
Patience
A Sub and Amp
Power, ground and remote cable ( may be supplied with amp )
Access to the back of the radio

AfterMarket install, You will need:
RCA cable (may be supplied with amp)
Power, ground and remote cable ( may be supplied with amp )


Step 1. Installing the power. Locate the battery, mine was in the engine bay, but some can be in the boot. I then took my power from the positive extenders on the top, if you have no room, you can take it directly from the terminal.
OO9lWaI.jpg


Step 2. Fuse for wire. Close to the battery, less than 30cm away. This will stop a surge going through the wire and causing it to melt.
ZCgsgZt.jpg


Step 3. Through the firewall. I found an unused grommet down behind the air filter. This may not be the same on all Ibizas, and not the same on facelift ones. Remove the grommet, cut a hole in it big enough for the wire (mine was 10 or 12 gauge) and push through back into hole.
RyNGAF2.jpg

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Step 4. Finding the wire on the other side. It should come out in the passenger footwell, behind the carpet. Pull the carpet towards you and you'll find foam, move the foam out of the way to find the hole. It's easier to push the wire straight thought from the engine side first so that you have something to find on the interior side. Once found, gently pull through. (the red glare is from my LED footwell lights, if you want to know about them, just ask)
IxVq4Aw.jpg


Step 5. Take the power wire and run it down under the door sill trim on the passenger side. Try not to remove the it as I did and still haven't been able to get it back in.

Step 6. When you get to the back seats, try and place the wire with the other wires under the seats, at least there were wires on my ibiza there. Then run it through into the boot.

Step 7. Neatly hide the power wire under the boot carpet, and allow enough to come out where you will have your sub. I have mine on the right hand side for the grounding purpose.
wpbIJ4E.jpg

(Yes, that is a blow up pink guitar. No, it is not for sale)

Step 8. Grounding. Under the boot carpet, there is a nut.
CCoc4Ml.jpg

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(My ibiza has no spare wheel, so it could be different)

Step 9. Remote amp turn on. For Parrot, find the fuse box and with a multimeter, find one which turns on with the ignition. Or, find a permanent one and use a switch. I think mine is 27.
huN7fRJ.jpg


For AfterMarket, use the blue wire out of the back of the radio, and wire down to the amp.

Step 10. Signal connections. For Parrot, On the harness, cut the speaker wires for the front or rear, front is easier, and split them into two. e.g. the signal comes from the parrot kit, and goes into the connection blocks. On the other side of the connection block, you have the wire going back into the harness for the front speakers, and the wires coming out for the amp. Then run these wires down the drivers side as not to get interference from the power cable.
jZ0Qv9z.jpg

XmGPxq4.jpg


AfterMarket, you've got it easy. Plug the RCA connections into the back on the radio, and run them down the drivers side.

Step 11. Amp connections. Whether you're using speaker input or RCA input, they'll need to go to the boot. RCA - plug straight in. Speaker level input, I recommend bullet connectors to go from speaker wire to the connector block
7bvnKro.jpg


Step 12. Ease of use. I have a Vibe fast plug as I need to take my sub in and out. Because I also have a rear view camera running off of it, I found it easier to do it like this, than lose a sub and a camera together.
0yd5OLK.jpg


Step 13. I currently have a pioneer app radio in my Ibiza, but did have the parrot kit.
There are so many benefits with upgrading it's untrue.. but if you want to keep it as factory fitted as possible, but still have a sub, then this guide should help.
TsXHpRm.jpg

(The reflections in the radio are my LED interior lights, which are also better than the standard filament)
 

Pyrres

Ibiza Cupra -14
May 2, 2014
299
0
Finland
Hey just thought of one thing. Could you add a wiring diagram with wire colors or placements in the harness. I would be interrested in front speaker wire colors and I would think some of us would be interrested in rear speaker wire colors. Just to be sure what to cut/solder when I get the car as I probably will be doing the installation within the first hours that I get the car so dont want to cut the wrong wires as I hurry trying to get the car back to drivable state :rolleyes:.
 
Last edited:

shnazzle

Glass-Half-Full Member
Sep 9, 2011
3,483
6
Northumberland
I also have a question about the harness split:
So I split the front and rear speakers both to the amp? Or just front?
And as it's split, does that mean I need to put a filter on the speakers AFTER the split so that they don't bother with low frequencies?
 

Pyrres

Ibiza Cupra -14
May 2, 2014
299
0
Finland
Well you can do it without a filter but its better to have filters if you have room for good ones. And what you split depends on your needs. I for example dont plan to use rear speakers but want them to be working when I need them to so I have to take the subwoofer signal from the front speaker wires so I can use fader to silence rear speakers. If i didn't want the rear speakers at all I would just wire the amp to the rear speaker wires and leave the rear speakers unwired so I could use the head unit's fader as a subwoofer volume control. Those are just a few different ways.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 

Pyrres

Ibiza Cupra -14
May 2, 2014
299
0
Finland
And yes, filter after the split. And if you want to add an amp to front speakers it goes to the same place as the filters.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 

shnazzle

Glass-Half-Full Member
Sep 9, 2011
3,483
6
Northumberland
hmm...
Ok so if I wanted to keep all 4 speakers, but filtered, I would need to do:
re7a2y6e.jpg


Sorry, googlee drive is a pile of sh1t for sharing
 
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Pyrres

Ibiza Cupra -14
May 2, 2014
299
0
Finland
And you need 2-4 filters to keep te system as more than mono sound. Unless your filter has 4in an 4 outputs

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

shnazzle

Glass-Half-Full Member
Sep 9, 2011
3,483
6
Northumberland
Thought so! It's just because the woofer I have now is active so wasn't sure :)
Actually, I'd probably get the same woofer for my Leon. In Phase USW10. Simpel, but works a treat for the size of it
 

gatf777

Guest
Hey just thought of one thing. Could you add a wiring diagram with wire colors or placements in the harness. I would be interrested in front speaker wire colors and I would think some of us would be interrested in rear speaker wire colors. Just to be sure what to cut/solder when I get the car as I probably will be doing the installation within the first hours that I get the car so dont want to cut the wrong wires as I hurry trying to get the car back to drivable state :rolleyes:.

Sorry for the late reply.
The wiring diagram I believe is on the factory HU..
If it's not, then I'll try and get a photo to you by tomorrow evening
 

Pyrres

Ibiza Cupra -14
May 2, 2014
299
0
Finland
Sorry for the late reply.
The wiring diagram I believe is on the factory HU..
If it's not, then I'll try and get a photo to you by tomorrow evening
Ok. Will check when I get the car sometime in july.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 
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