No Bass!!! factory unit???

Hello, i just bought some speakers 3 days ago brand new. 2 kicker 12" with a kicker 350.2 amp. I have a 2001 ford explorer sport with a factory pioneer 6 disc changer. I don't have the hook ups for rca on the back of my factory unit so i had to buy a step down. I wired it up and my factory sub was louder than the new subs. I hooked some rca wires from my amp to another aftermarket unit in a vehicle next to mine and it sounded awesome. I don't know if i wired the step down wrong or if it is my factory unit?!?! also i turned the bass up on my amp and the stepdown? Please help or i will have to pay to get them reinstalled for $60(not even knowing if its my unit or wiring)

jol102001 wrote:

Hello, i just bought some speakers 3 days ago brand new. 2 kicker 12" with a kicker 350.2 amp. I have a 2001 ford explorer sport with a factory pioneer 6 disc changer. I don't have the hook ups for rca on the back of my factory unit so i had to buy a step down. I wired it up and my factory sub was louder than the new subs. I hooked some rca wires from my amp to another aftermarket unit in a vehicle next to mine and it sounded awesome. I don't know if i wired the step down wrong or if it is my factory unit?!?! also i turned the bass up on my amp and the stepdown? Please help or i will have to pay to get them reinstalled for $60(not even knowing if its my unit or wiring)

unplug one of the speaker wires. Did it get louder? if so one of your speakers is wired wrong.
if not, then unplug just 1 of your Rca's. do you notice a big difference in volume? if so, then you're Hi/Lo converter is wired out of phase, so both speakers cancel eachother out.

i had a 2001 escape with the factory 6 disc changer for a radio..i believe i bought a line in/out convertor or some crap like that, all i know is my bass made it shake so much that it basically broke...then i bought a new head unit and it was a lot louder than my factory sub..i dont even have the factory sub in there anymore. :-\

Does the speaker level to RCA converter have variable resistors on them, one per channel? If so, did you turn them up (back off the amplifier gain first).
what ADDICTED2ICELED stated may also be your case, check the wiring closely and do the troubleshooting tips he gave.

Actuall now that I re-read what you posted.. it sounds like a wiring problem as Addicted stated.

Well thanks guys, but ... this morning i found out that i have a factory amp for my factory sub so i'm not getting enough watts to my kicker amp.... i called circuit city and they said to install the step down on wires after the factory amp...
I did so ... and great news.... it works!!!!! It sounds awesome, but i hope to be gettin some bigger speakers and bigger amp....

Thanks again!!!

Factory = ****...get a real amp ASAP!

i have a real amp, but i want bigger speakers and a bigger amp