Audio control LC7i setup help

I did a major upgrade to the standard factory system on my 2020 taco:
Focal px 165 fx speakers in front
matching px 165 coaxial speakers in rear with sound dampening
Jl audio HD 900 amp
Jl audio stealthbox
Stock head unit
AC Lc7i line out converter

I am wondering how best to set up the lc71 and jl audio amp.

Is there any consensus on the best way to set up the lc7i ?

Option 1
sum the front/ rear outputs and send a single set of outputs to the HD900 then use the HD 900 crossover and level controls ( 2 input channel mode
Or
Option 2 sum the front/ rear outputs and send a single set of outputs to the HD900 for the front/ rear channels and a separate set of sub outputs from the lc7i to the amp

Or
Option 3
No summing 3 sets of rca outputs to the HD900 for the front/ rear / sub channels from the lc7i to the amp. I have it set like this now but I think it is a rather poor setup as the rear signal is so weak from the head unit and the sub outs taken from the rears in the Lc7i

Thanks to anyone who had done experience with this

 

front -> amp
rear -> amp
front/rear combined -> sub

 

Are you running front and rear speakers, using all 4 channels of your amp?

To get a front/rear/sub setup, the LC7i takes some interesting wiring

-you want to do the front channel input (from the radio) into channel 2 on the LC7i
-rear input from the radio to channel 1
-Nothing into channel 3

the reason you want the front to channel 2 is the LC7i auto mode will send the channel 2 signal over to channel 3. Our radios output virtually no bass to the rear speakers, so you don’t want to run your rear signal to channel 2 then carry that weak bass signal over to channel 3 for your sub.
so just be sure front input goes to channel 2, rear input goes to channel 1, and match up the RCA cables going to your amp also. Then channel 3 will get its signal from the front channels where all the bass actually is.

 

I just read the manual on the lc7i and destin_meeks is right, disregard what I said as it would only work with the DM-810 or DM-608.

 

Destin_meeks thanks for this advice, makes sense and I never thought of that approach.
I do have a couple questions if you don't mind.
Will the weak rear channel signal being sent to the front speakers degrade my front speaker signal into the amp . Right now I do have what sounds like a good signal to those speakers.
Is the approach you suggest better than just sending the head unit front signal or a summed signal of front / rears to the amp in 2 channel mode and use the hd900 amp crossover and level controls to set the output levels to each set of speakers ?

 

Replies in red

 

Here is what I have

 

Destin_meeks thanks again for the clarifications and agree it's nice to keep a fade control.
Will make these adjustments and report how ir works out

 

Thought I would comment on my results. I rewired as suggested above but am not really happy with the sound quality. I have very good focal speakers and jl audio amp/sub and find sound fair at best. Major upgrade over stock but that is so bad anything would be an improvement. Playing flac files from a usb I can achieve good sq on some songs but overall I think the combination of crappy Toyota head unit and lc7i doesn't really cut it.
I will continue to try and play with settings to improve overall sound balance but I think a head unit replacement is needed to get the most out of this setup.
Any way to do that and keep factory mic and steering wheel controls working ?

 

Steering wheel controls are easy. Factory mic is not. It’s not a great mic compared to aftermarket anyway (provided the new mic is properly placed in front of you, we’re your voice actually goes)

unfortunately, the factory radio is not good and the LC7i is only a LOC. No DSP or anything happening to change the audio signal. Just dropping the levels so the amp gets a lower voltage signal.

You can do a DSP to “clean up” the signal, but the time and effort and money spent doing that will buy you a good head unit. Then you’ll get CarPlay/AndroidAuto and all the other fun features

 

What about backup camera interface , can aftermarket head unit accommodate stock cameras ?

I am not too worried about the mic I guess. I have an integral one in the head unit of my 84 911 and it pics up fine and air cooled 911's are anything but quiet in the cabin

 

Backup cam is easily retained with correct adapter. However, I don’t know what that adapter is yet. The 2020’s use new wiring compared to the earlier years and no one officially makes products for it yet. It uses the 70-1765 harness for all the basics, but I’m not sure what it needs for backup cam, steering wheel controls, etc. I would personally wait until Maestro releases harnesses and firmware for the RR and RR2 modules

 

Bringing back from the dead. Planning a stereo in my '22 Sport Access Cab and considering this LC7i hooked up to a JL Audio 5 channel RD amp, JL Stealthbox w/10" and then the front door and dash tweeters. Since the Factory radio has the rear door speakers faded, is it even worth it to hook those up? Should I just get the LC2i? Or could I turn the gain up higher on the amp for the rear speakers to hear them better?

 

Pro-tip , get an aftermarket headunit and you won’t even need an Audiocontrol at all…. Factory headunit is terrible with amps

 

I'm pretty adamant on keeping the OEM headunit - too much integration within it. Should I just skip running an amp to the front speakers and get a sub only amp?

 

skip anything that has to be amplified …. I went down the same road as you brother …. I got an amp and the sound/control was terrible… forked out money for a solid headunit and finally everything worked properly as it should ….. that was with my 19 Tacoma …. My current 2023 ….. I know that if I want quality sound , it’s not happening without the headunit …. With that being said I’m just rolling around stock

 

at $270, you're also creeping into the cost of a dsp that will do the same function as well of a ton of other sound shaping options. i would suggest a dsp like the dayton dsp408, ds18 DSP4.8BTM, or minidsp 8x12.

personally, i think trying to do anything with the rear speakers beyond basic functionality is a fools errand. they're too low, too far forward, and too poorly setup to do much of anything except muck up the front sound stage of the truck. just wire the amp to do full-active to the front speakers/tweeters, and use a crossovers/dsp to control the frequencies.

 

For clarification, I started with a

$36 Add An Amp Amplifier Adapter Interface to Factory OEM Car Stereo Radio System for select Toyota Scion Subaru Vehicles- Add Subwoofer Bass Amp etc.- No Factory Premium Amp- Vehicles listed below

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CQUL240

with this my JL stealth box and JL amp just didn’t sound right ….. after I got an AVIC8500 and it lit up 10 fold ….. dustinmeeeks helped me with many stupid install questions and everything came out nice

 

Hmm, glad I found this thread. I am about to do a major upgrade for my stereo by adding a 5ch amp, Audio Control L7i, and a Kicker 10" Amp. I have upgraded all my speakers + Kicker Key 200 but I need more bass. I prefer to keep the OEM HU as well.

Questions:
- How is the aftermarket HU improve the quality of the sound? I thought I will rely on the amps to improve sound quality anyway rather than the HU? I dont care much about Android Auto or Apple Carplay
- I was under the impression that LC7i will fix the issue with bass roll off as well as getting better filtering on the sound quality thus I dont need to get an aftermarket HU?
- What features should I look at if I am getting an aftermarket HU in order to improve sound quality?
- Have you guys seen anyone installing Kicker 10" or 8" subwoofer tube?

I have no issue getting an aftermarket HU but prefer the OEM look. Thanks in advance

 

This is the way. I'm using the oem head unit, Focal RSE-165 fronts, Focal RCX-165 rears, Key 200.4, Key 500.1 and the JL Stealthbox. The sound quality is phenomenal with the dsp, but those key amps can only fix so much with the factory radio. After 6-7 months or so of rocking this setup I've found the whole system is really choked by the factory radio and it does all sorts of goofy stuff including bass roll off. Replacing the head unit with a Kenwood or Pioneer is on my list.