Considering an audio upgrade. Anyone know if load resistors are necessary?

[unclejunebug]

I am looking for a project and I'm considering upgrading the audio in my 2016 3.8. Based on what I can see inside the cabin I believe I have the 7 speaker sound system and I would be looking to add a 5-channel amp and some kind of sound processor or LOC. I have come across several great threads that describe how to add an amp/sub to the existing system and one thread details a full overhaul.

What I'm curious about is if anyone knows if the amps in these cars require a load in order to output a signal? Load resistors wouldn't be necessary in the "adding a sub" case but could be necessary if I replace all the speakers and send the amp outputs to a processor/LOC. The thread I found that shows the complete system overhaul doesn't mention load resistors at all.

Anyone know the answer?

 

[unclejunebug]

I spoke to a support rep at a very well known car audio website and they didn't see any reference within their documentation for the 2016 Hyundai Genesis that suggested load resistors were necessary in these cars. The complete overhaul thread I found is here (pics only seem to work in IE) and from what I can see there aren't any load resistors anywhere, nor is there any mention of them so I'm going with the assumption that they are not needed.

There don't seem to be very many resources online for doing an install that adds a 5 channel amp and replaces all the door speakers. What I have seen is that replacing the speakers in the Lexicon system isn't really recommended due to the quality of what's already there. I have the 7 speaker system and I find it to be quite lacking.

I'm currently trying to figure out how far to take an install. Since I can't replace the head unit I'll have to pull signal from the existing amp and one thing I try at all costs to avoid is cutting into any factory harness. I did some digging and I have found what I believe to be the 12 and 26pin female connectors that plug into the amp. I have ordered a few 12pin connectors along with some female terminals to do a test fit. If they fit like I think they will I can make a new harness for the 12pin connector to pull all the speaker connections. I can't really do the same with the 26pin connector to pull the subwoofer connections so I'm hoping I can "de-pin" the sub wires from the existing connector and replace them with four new wires/terminals.

Once I get the parts and test them out I'll report back in case someone else out there is looking for a similar resource.

 

[unclejunebug]

I got the parts the other day and did a comparison and test fit. The connector I ordered looks to be a little different of a pin style as far as how the pins snap into the connector but they look very similar. I was originally planning to try and de-pin the subwoofer connectors from the 26 pin harness but the female terminals that work with the connector I ordered likely won't work with the OEM 26 pin connector. OEM connector is on the left...


The connector I ordered snaps into the amp just fine...

 

[unclejunebug]

Ultimately, I decided against this route. The only mating parts to these male connectors is the through-hole part that's meant to be soldered onto a PCB (i.e. the connector inside the amp). That through-hole part is one single part with multiple groups of pins that accept the separate 12 and 26 pin harnesses. The through-hole part could have been modified to make it work but it wouldn't have been ideal. If there were female harness connectors available that would have made the idea work much better/easier.

The easier route is just to have someone else do it which is what I ended up doing. Infinitely easier for me!