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Old 01-19-2017, 12:07 PM   #1
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Dash Stereo Wiring Question

My '06 Endeavor has 3 sets of stereo speakers for the dash radio... One set right over the driver/passenger heads, another set about 1/2-way back (in the kitchen area), and the 3rd set in the bedroom.

The front and midway speakers are paralleled together to the dash fader as 'front' while the bedroom set is controlled as the 'rear' on the fader. Behind the dash, I have the usual 2 sets of wires: 'front' and 'rear'.

We never use the bedroom set, and I'd like to disconnect them and wire the midway speakers as the 'rear' set from the fader to balance the sound But I can't find where the front and midway ones come together in the coach.

Any suggestions or wiring diagrams?
Thanks!


On edit - I forgot to add that my dash radio system is completely separate from the home theater system - different speakers, different locations, etc. I've seen some setup diagrams here that show the dash and home theater systems going thru a common speaker selector switch - mine isn't one of them.
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Old 01-19-2017, 01:20 PM   #2
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Easiest place to deal with your set up is right behind the radio, under the dash. The radio has 4 outputs, two for left, two for right. As you've found, the center and front speakers are wired together. I'd drop the speakers in the back and unplug the wires from the speakers, taping up the connections.

Back under the dash, connect the middle right and left speakers to the L & R rear output pair. The front L & R should be connected to the L & R front output.

You didn't mention radio make and model, look it up on the internet and I'm sure you'll find an installation manual with colors of the various wire connections.

Often the colors are logically laid out, example, perhaps green & green/ black stripe are for right front, blue and blue/black stripe for left front. The solid color is usually (+) and the striped wire (-).
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Old 01-19-2017, 01:38 PM   #3
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Always appreciate your input, Bob. We had a GulfStream too, a few years back - terrific coach. But I got a bad case of "2-foot-itis" and had to move up.


Unfortunately, this wiring isn't as easy as it seems - the split between front and mid doesn't occur behind the dash, it's somewhere else in the harness. I was hoping someone could pinpoint where that place was, rather than me tracing wire-bundles ad nauseum and up into walls (had to do that with a 12vdc lighting short, not fun).

If it helps, the radio itself is one of the common Monaco Magnadyne AM/FM/CD/WB boxes with very simple outputs: Front-rear & left-right.
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Old 01-19-2017, 02:17 PM   #4
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I couldn't find a Magnadyne stereo wiring diagram with the info you provided. Here, is however a Magnadyne wiring diagram for a different model.



As you can see in the diagram, in this case white and grey is used for the front speakers, Violet and green for rear speakers. (black striped of each color used for (-)

If you can't find a separate run to the mid speakers, you may have to run your own to the dash. I'd start by dropping the front speakers and see what wires you can see there.
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Old 01-19-2017, 02:25 PM   #5
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Have you tried to get into the fader control on the radio? On mine, I can just adjust it forward and shut off the rear speakers.
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Old 01-19-2017, 03:53 PM   #6
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I'm beginning to think I'd have to do just that - run more wires. I can't find any junctions anywhere. And i don't think my coach wiring is a Magnadyne configuration, but more of a Monaco idea.

Good point, vito, but my front and middle speakers are wired together 'somewhere' in the coach wiring harness, and that's what I'm trying to find so's I can separate them.

Interestingly enough, that center channel speaker idea dates from wayyy back. Dynaco was one of the mfgrs that was really pushing the center channel before all the hoopla with 5.1, 7.2.1, etc, sounds. It was simply a way to capture the in-phase and out-of-phase sounds. Sure do miss it all, now that I'm more 'mature' and coming to grips that I may have been too close to big & loud speakers for too long in my past.
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Old 01-19-2017, 04:01 PM   #7
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Off topic warning:
My first exposure to center channel circuitry goes way back, way back to the David Hafler "Hafler Circuit". I built many car stereos using this circuit. Later Jim Fosgate (pre Rockford Fosgate) built a car processor using this circuit and some other processing called the "Gavotte". I had one of these, too. Those were fun days.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafler_circuit

I wish I could help you out, I'm one of those that has the "car" radio and the surround system tied to the same speakers, with a switch controlling whether the car radio plays or the surround stereo.

By the way, I'm right there with you. I have really bad tinnitus myself.
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Old 01-19-2017, 04:49 PM   #8
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My Gulf Stream had ceiling speakers just behind driver's seat and another pair in the bedroom. The sound was pretty weak when driving. I added a pair of good speakers under the dashboard and wired them to the "rear" wires, the overhead is still connected to "Rear." A Carling DPDT switch to match the rest of my dash switches selects between the the bedroom speakers and the new under dash speakers. Now I get good, 4 speaker sound in front and the bedroom is silent. I just have to remember the fader control is reversed, the overhead speaker is 'front' and the under dash "rear." When parked and the radio on house batteries, my wife enjoys the quiet in the bedroom while I can listen to news or weather in front.
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Old 01-19-2017, 04:50 PM   #9
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WHAT?

Yeah, didn't want to get too far off-topic with my question but there's a lot of fond memories from back then. I knew most of the mover & shakers of the emerging audio industry, but that's another story for another time {sighhh}.
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Old 01-19-2017, 05:20 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BFlinn181 View Post
My Gulf Stream had ceiling speakers just behind driver's seat and another pair in the bedroom. The sound was pretty weak when driving. I added a pair of good speakers under the dashboard and wired them to the "rear" wires
I like this idea. Even though I just replaced the head unit in our RV, the sound is still extremely weak. I may have to do this too.
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Old 01-20-2017, 01:41 PM   #11
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RustyTools-

Sheet 2 of the enclosed diagram set may apply.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 38080188c ('08 HOME THEATER).pdf (457.5 KB, 82 views)
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Old 01-20-2017, 01:56 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1 View Post
RustyTools-

Sheet 2 of the enclosed diagram set may apply.
Hey this is very helpful. Is this something I can find online for my coach, or something that you might have access to? I literally ripped all the original stuff out of mine and started from scratch using the existing wires, figuring out where each went as I went along. What I have works perfectly, but with something like this I will know how to make further upgrades.

This explains why the front speakers sound so bad when using the head unit, the sub's crossover is cutting the low frequencies out.

By the way, I found that half the speakers on the surround system were wired out of polarity once I put my new receiver in. The factory does not seem to pay attention to polarity while they are splicing the speaker harness to the receiver's connectors.
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Old 01-20-2017, 02:21 PM   #13
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Hmmmm, thanks Mark! A lot of good info in that diagram (and likely a roadmap to where I'm heading next) but it doesn't quite match up with my configuration. I don't have that selector box, as speaker sets are separate. More and more, I think I'm going to have to start running fishtape thru walls .


Oddly enough, I have one lite in the atrium that pops the fuse whenver it's turned-on (I've isolated it to a short in the wall) but that doesn't bother me nearly as much as this speaker issue .


Got thinking, it might be interesting to start a thread or poll to see what real 'hardcore' audio (and A/V) mods folks have made in their coaches. Might be fun.
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Old 01-20-2017, 02:27 PM   #14
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RobbieH-

This file was included on a DVD specific to my coach that I got from Monaco Tech Support (877-466-6226). I also received a DVD for a similar coach, a Safari Simba. It had many more diagrams on it than the one for the HR Admiral. Give them a call and see what they may have to send to you. You may want to have your VIN handy when you call.

One caution: The diagrams I received don't always match what's in the coach- not because the OPs changed things, but probably because:

1) Some drawings represent multiple models, and/or
2) Some drawings represent options my coach doesn't have, and/or
3) the factory made mid-stream production changes, and/or
4) the drawing control process was somewhat loosey-goosey, and/or
5) the post-bankruptcy (2009) transition/consolidation was bumpy

In any case, take the info with a grain of salt.

Now, I've modified a bunch of wiring, and have made diagrams to match, so the next owner won't be totally confused- well, maybe somewhat confused.
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