Bought the Kenwood KMR-M318BT and it just does not sound very good. My hubby who isn't a wire or electronic type of guy installed it fast and impatiently but he did do it so I appreciate that. I took my car to the local rip off junction and he told me I need new tweeters new speakers for the doors new subs and a new amp. Now I don't understand how all these thing can require replacement at the same time that HU kicked that same bucket. I had very good sound before my stereo just had a sudden death. The new unit seems to have sound coming from all music holes except the small round one of the driver door. It's just doesn't sound very good. I have the new radio pulled to try and hook up my microphone. Can anyone please tell me if there's anything I can look for that might explain the low quality sound while I'm in there? Thank you
Also I have a set of navigation Cd's that came with my car the navigation user manual and my original infinity stereo.
I was wondering if I should keep it and but a used stereo like the one that quit? Or maybe ebay them off to get any of these things it seems I have to purchase to make my stereo sound good.
I recognize I lack the knowledge to figure out what's wrong and I have a learning disability so things take longer for me to do. So please if anyone has the time I appreciate it and thank you again

 

Look at the spec sheet that came with the new radio. If it states that the "pre-amp" outputs are anything less than 4 volts, then the radio speaker wires need to be wired to the amp, else you can wire to the pre-amp output jacks.
( the small round hole is the tweeter )

EDIT: I looked your new radio up on Crutchfield, it does have 4 volt preamp outputs.

 

Thank you so much for your time. My son is going to hook up the microphone for me and check the connections for me tomorrow as there seem to be a whole lot of wires on the new connector that are just tied into a clump. And I think I read that they should be kept taped and kept apart. I'm not sure if that actually matters to the quality of sound but he will check and let me know.
Thank you again

 

I'd still strongly urge her to use the speaker output leads from the Kenwood to drive the amp.

Personally, Ive not seen, at the tech days, any head unit sound right with the 4V output driving the amp.



And I'd caution anyone attempting this to be careful and slow about figuring out the color of the wires from head to amp wiring harness. As I remember it, I think it was strait-forward, but I just don't remember. I went thru two installations at one tech day, I remember sitting down with the Kenwood Manual and the Car's audio system diagram and making a "this color wire to that color wire" chart. Once I did that, sitting down in the car, it was easy to wire up the new unit. But anyone who tries to do it one wire at a time, sitting in the car, with both manuals laid all over - is probably going to get confused.

 

If your factory amp and speakers are ok ( its highly likely they are ) your new Kenwood KMR-M318BT should sound Fabulous .

You do need the the Kenwoods speaker outputs to be the input to the factory amp the correct way .

Get a pair of Audiophile grade Mundorf capacitors ,MU-ECAP-270U-63V-BR63 ( aka 6db bass blockers) put on your door speakers ,then All will be Well in Crossfire Musicland :-) i promise.

Ps ,i bought mine here : https://www.soundlabsgroup.com.au/p/...olar+Audio+Cap

Enjoy The Music, ( without spending much)

 

There is a Kenwood install thread here, would that be of use. Maybe Kenwood has a common pattern to their radio wiring..

 

I have a Clarion M303, can do a search on that for more than you ever wanted to know.

Need the VW adapter to make a stub cable to join the radio to the existing wiring & can keep ther factory wiring intact.

Unless you also replaced the antenna wiring, you will probably need the stub adapter again so you don not need to modify the factory wiring.

You did not say if you have a Limited but if you do there is a separate amplifier under the passenger seat that needs to be told to turn on (blue wire AFAIR). Also only the front speaker wires connect to the amp.

There is really a lot of information here about changing out the radios and is Much Easier than the same year SLK


ps am also HI (60 db down) & with M303 and factory amp never need more than 1/2 way on the volume.


.

 

I think you are wrong on both counts, Mr. Padgett. The amp is at the front of the passenger footwell and the amp DOES connect to the subs :

 

Yes ,your right I was there. Someone had given me a pigtail an you had told us, 2 of the wires were different on the power up.

 

Well I've never had to look at the amp but understood it was under the passenger side carpet.


OTOH my statement about the wiring was from the radio to the amp. Only the front speaker connections are used. It can be rewired to use all four but I have never bothered, just need to be sure all of the bias is to the front speakers.

 

Hi y’all thank you all for your help.
I am trying to order the Audiophile grade Mundorf capacitors ,MU-ECAP-270U-63V-BR63 but it seems the long I followed is to an a site outside the Us. Can I order from there and it still be a reasonable price? Or would there be a place in the US that would be better:: faster cheaper? I really would like to thank all of you for your time and patience with me. It’s truly a help when I have people who are encouraging and not negative with me when I haven’t got the know how to do 99% of what I attempt to. I’m still at al loss on how to run the microphone from the new stereo out of the hole to the area of the car where it will be usable. If there’s anyone who knows of a place that it will go out of I would greatly appreciate it if you could point that out to me.

I tried the area in the glove box but then I would have to run across the entire front of the car to get it over by my big mouth. I do have a loud mouth but i have an accent so I’m not very clear so I believe it may need it to be close to me.

 

From the stereo, under the dash across the steering wheel, out the side of the dash where the fuse box is. Then up an under the A piller , letting the end stick out of the top of the a piller. This will have it placed about 6 to 10 inches, from your face.

 

Okay I hadn’t thought about that way thank you very much. I will try that.
I have one more question I hope this is it anyway. Do I need the antenna that was for the navigation? Or can I take that out for someone who doesn’t have one?

 

They are not worth the trouble of removing sometimes, mine fell behind somewhere and I just left it as it would not pull out. They cost about $20 new.