Amp Base.

May 27, 2017

The extended Memorial Day weekend gave me some time to do some stuff to the truck. I was having a weird issue with the DRC-200 control knob on my JL Audio TwK-88 DSP but the always excellent customer service from JL Audio came through with a replacement unit for free. Since I had to remove the center console and passenger seat to swap out the knob and cables, I decided to use this opportunity to also get some work done on the under-seat platforms.

I added a rear-channel amplifier to round out the audio system.

But first, about the Kenwood amp: When I upgraded the rear speakers to the Hertz DCX-165.3’s I also needed 2 more channels of rear-fill amplification in order to have full control of the entire system through the TwK-88. I needed to find a two channel amp that could do at least 100-watts RMS and was small enough to fit next to the TwK-88 underneath the passenger seat area. I actually found what I needed in the Kenwood KAC-M3004 Class-D marine amplifier which has a bridged rating of 150w x 2. This matched up great with the 120w maximum rating of the DCX-165.3’s, and the amp’s small size (6-1/2″ x 1-3/4″ x 3-7/8″) would easily fit underneath the passenger seat.

Okay – back to the under-seat platforms in progress:

Wood and stuff.
Lots of wires to run.

For the passenger side, I arranged the DSP and Kenwood rear-fill amp like so:

Positioning just above the OEM Bluetooth module.

After debating on how to finish the platforms, I decided to keep it simple – primer and then a couple coats of satin black:

Outside on a sunny day? That means one thing.
It means time to paint something.

While waiting for the paint to dry I got a lot of small things done. Along with swapping out the DRC-200, I also gave the truck a wash, did some spot cleaning on the front carpet area, vacuumed the interior, wiped down all the interior plastics, and checked all the fluids under the hood. By the time I was done, the paint was dry and the panels were ready to install back into the truck. First, the main “amp rack” underneath the driver’s side front seat for the Alpine PDX-V9 amp:

Black finish for now.

Next, the “processor rack” underneath the passenger’s side front seat; The TwK-88 was bolted in place and I connected all the cables:

TwK-88 goes in first;

…followed by the Kenwood MAC-M3004 amplifier:

…and the Kenwood amp fits right beside it.

So with that done, I no longer have bare wooden panels sitting under the seats. The only thing left to do was re-install the front seats and center console, and I was done. I still have the accent lights underneath the seats, this is what the passenger side looks like now (with the red LEDs on):

Not bad for an afternoon of work .

UPDATE 04.05.18: Upgraded rear amp to a Soundstream ST2.1000D.