Aligning Wires.

April 2, 2018

I had to send my TWK-88 DSP to JL Audio for some service, and since I had to pull the passenger seat to get to it, I decided to start an audio “refresh” project I had in mind for awhile now. Since I knew I’d have some waiting time for my DSP to come back, I could take my time with everything I had planned to do. For this first day I did the following:

  • Pull TWK-88 DSP for service
  • Remove the Kenwood KAC-M3004 amp
  • Pull out the amplifier and DSP platforms
  • Refresh and organize some A/V cables
  • Temporarily bypass the DSP so I have some driving music

Obviously, the first thing I did was pull the interior:

I’m a certified expert at pulling my interior out.

<

After removing the right-side processor/rear amp platform, I temporarily bypassed the DSP by using some RCA connectors.

RCA Spaghetti and temporary wiring.

Next the driver’s side, I removed the Alpine PDX-V9 amp, pulled the amplifier platform, then temporarily reconnected the amp – I did this and the DSP bypass so I could still have some music for my commute.

Main amp under the driver’s seat, without the amp platform.

Before I even started I did what I usually do – I printed out diagrams of the wiring changes I had planned to keep from forgetting something:

Wires and cables everywhere!
Revised A/V cable diagram.

To explain the above:

  • Cables “A” and “B”: Cable A is a USB cable that comes from the single USB port on the center console. Cable B is a USB-to-USB Type-B cable that connects to my JL Audio TWK-88 DSP. This lets me plug my laptop into the center console USB port when I want to configure and tune the DSP, without having to try to plug directly into the DSP which is normally hard to get to under the passenger seat.
  • Cables “C” and “D”: Cable C is a USB cable connected to the second USB port on the back of my Kenwood DNX-892 head unit. Cable D is a USB-to-Micro USB cable connected to the SNES Classic. The SNES Classic is getting power directly from my head unit, and it turns on/off automatically with the head unit.
  • Cables “E” and “F”: Cable E is an HDMI cable connected to the HDMI input on the back of my Kenwood DNX-892 head unit. Cable F is another HDMI cable connected. To the SNES Classic. This sends the video signal to the DNX-892.

The whole point of using the couplers (instead of running a single longer cable) was to bring the ports from the back of my head unit to somewhere more accessible, so that I wouldn’t have to remove the center dash every time I wanted to change something. As a solution I decided to position the couplers in a place that isn’t seen normally, yet I can get to it in seconds with no tools – and that place was right under the cup holders:

Every plug adapter is in place.
Easy access under the cup holders, if needed.

So after getting the A/V cables sorted out, I reinstalled my interior since it’s my daily driver and I have to drive it to the office.