94' Sedan Deville Stereo Questions

Ppppp333 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-18-08, 02:40 AM

Hello everyone! I'm new to the forums and in desperate need of audio help with my cadillac. I bought a '94 sedan deville about 2 years ago and its been great, but im looking to stick some new speakers and a cd player in it. I bought a new cd player about 3 months ago and couldnt figure out how to hook it up so I took it to a shop and they told me that the tuner was in the back and I would need to get a tuner bypass kit for it. I looked in the back and I saw what I think was an amp with a ton of speaker wires running to it (most amps I see have about 2 speakers running to it with ground and power lines running out etc.) which was kind of odd...and what im assuming was the tuner was mounted over by the power antenna. I found tuner bypass kits on the web for my car, but im wondering how well that will work with that amp in there?

What I really need is a kind of explanation of what all I'm working with back there as information on this car's stereo is kinda nil everywhere I look. I know it has 6x9s in the trunk an a tweet and smaller speaker in the door..is there a center speaker hidden in there somewhere too? Any help to my electrical mess would be greatly appreciated and would be a big welcome to a new member!

poetassium · #2 (**permalink**) 06-18-08, 08:59 AM

That bypass wirering harness is to bypass that amp in the back and use the recivers amp. Do you know if you have the bose system?

Ppppp333 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-18-08, 05:05 PM

I'm pretty sure its not the bose system, I haven't seen bose on any of the speakers, amp, tuner, or the stereo head itself so I assume its not the bose system.

dirt_cheap_fleetwood · #4 (**permalink**) 06-19-08, 08:43 PM

Cadillac didn't call it the Bose system for these years. They called it the Active Audio system. If I'm not mistaken, the factory radio had a CD player right? The non-active audio DeVilles had no amp and only 4 speakers. I don't see why you would need a bypass, especially if you want to keep the factory amp. Go get another opinion from another place and see what they say. If all else fails, call Crutchfield and get their opinion. They really know their stuff there.

Ppppp333 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-21-08, 04:20 AM

It doesn't say active audio on it anywhere either and yes it has a cd and tape deck. However I do know I got at least a speaker in each door, a center up front and 2 6x9s in the back. I don't want to use the factory amp I just want to bypass the amp and tuner in the back so I can hook up an actual aftermarket stereo in my car. The head unit is just a controller while the actual setup is in the trunk which makes it impossible to put in an aftermarket stereo without rewiring all the stuff in the back to the front with a bypass harness.My friend has the same year and make of car without the factory amp or tuner, so he could hook up an aftermarket stereo if he wanted with ease. I was just wondering if anyone else has done this sort of thing or has heard of this? I will try giving some auto websites a call and see what I should do, but any immediate help from you guys is awesome too!

Ppppp333 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-25-08, 02:42 AM

Ok I'm wrong it does actually say active audio on the head...its kinda scratched off as are some of the other labels so I didn't notice it very readily lol. So would bypassing the bose amp and tuner be ok to do with a harness kit and would I still be able to use the factory speakers?

Boomer1292 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-12-08, 04:58 PM

Hello My Name is Boomer. I recently bought a 1994 sedan deville and the radio works just fine, but for some reason i can't get the cd player to work or even turn on. Can anyone help?

sgeneral44 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-16-09, 02:37 PM

Is there any way to integrate the amp in the trunk. I like the idea of having a 5.1 surround in my car. If you bypass the amp you lose the center channel right?
I saw some wire harnesses on installer,com that clam to do this has anyone tried one of these harnesses before?