mrkwats

sorry to hassle you again, but i'm going to install my PNP speaker kit over the next 2 days (it just arrived today)... should i leave the battery connected as you did ? i have the Porsche Sound Pack so i think the same becker amp, and want to make sure i don't damage it accidentally... Thanks in advance! From my own experience, I would leave the battery connected, but I did this: ensured that radio was fully powered down (even if it is off, it is still powered-up as you see radio button illumination and a yellow/amber light can also be seen in the amp). With both doors closed (obviously bonnet/trunk open), ff you wait for a few mins after opening/closing door/bonnet the radio automatically shuts down proper, and you hear amp relay switching off.

Great news, I now have a fully working sound system, including the PNP Rear Speakers! A worthy installation too! Knowing that the Boxster's sound system is well below par (Porsche should honestly be ashamed of themselves), I am relatively impressed with the addition of these new rear speakers. (With the front/windscreen soundstage emphasis now balanced to the rear, the overall acoustics are much much better). I fade the fronts to setting 4 (as they are too loud compared to the base door and rear speakers, this seems to work just great). I might now look at upgrading the stock front speakers, we'll see... Followed Harvey's PNP instructions pretty much to the letter, all went according to plan, took my time and no real dramas. Notable points: - did not disconnect battery - did not disconnnect amp - did not remove radio head unit - ensured that radio was fully powered down (even if it is off, it is still powered-up as you see radio button illumination and a yellow/amber light can also be seen in the amp). If you wait for a few mins after opening door/bonnet the radio automatically shuts down proper, and you hear amp relay switching off - was very careful with sidetrim (given side airbag sensors are supposedly nearby and battery still connected), and simply tucked cable down side, not through main trunking where it might have got complicated and more of a need to remove carpet/trim, upset sensors etc) - did not move battery, as firewall grommet (which amp wiring harness passes through) was easily accessible Thanks for everyone's help (inc Harvey Peck), and if anyone is considering a Rear Speaker upgrade with a similar config (i.e. CDR23, MOST system and DSP M490/Becker 660 amp) then I'll be more than happy to provide any advice. (Those amps are very susceptible to spiking, so I was extremely careful, hence not disconnecting battery and amp, and always ensuring all was powered down...) Happy New Year to all.

With a MY03 onwards 986 with the fibre MOST system, the base door speakers are powered from the head unit (seems to be based from my experience), and not the 6 channel amp. (When my amp was blown I was actually getting low-freq output to the door speakers only). Now I have a full working system, I can also confirm that the fade has no effect on the door speakers, but I have found that by fading the fronts (setting the front to rear fade to 4) I get the best out of the relatively quiet door speakers, as I can crank the volume up a little more, as the fronts are not as loud with them faded slightly. Also, I have tested the PNP rear speaker kit with my new amp (wires loosely connected to back of amp), and all is fine. I'm so pleased, so just need to hardwire everything in now and tackle the cable routing through the firewall! Thanks to all those who have helped. I'll let you all know how I get on.

OK, cheers. Actually, my system is all working. From what I understand, the stock door base speakers are very quiet indeed (can anyone confirm this?). My new amp (same as blown one) actually is a Becker 6 Channel amp. I just need to connect the new PNP rear speakers to it and look forward to sound behind me...

Got my new amp yesterday, which cost me a lot less (£200 total) as the dealer took my "blown" amp in part exchange, which knocked £130 off the new price. Plugged new amp in (with keys out of ignition and radio off) and all works fine!!!!! So now to re-attempt Harvey's PNP Rear Speaker upgrade! (I plan to very carefully, with keys out of ignition and radio off, feed the speaker wires into the appropriate terminals at the back of the amp adaptor plug housing, and then give that a try to see if I actually get output to the new rear speakers. This way I am not unplugging amp and committing to fitting the molex connectors into the amp plug housing before I know the system will work. Plus I'm not disconnecting/re-connecting power to the surge-susceptible amp itself!) On another note, now that my sound system is restored, if I fade sound to the rear, the front speakers go silent (OK), and the fade function doesn't seem to affect the base door speakers (OK I think). My question is, though, even with the volume turned up to say 20 (which is loud for me), the base output from the door speakers is just audible. (This is the case always, regardless of fader settings). The front speaker volume is fine, loud and clear from the fronts. So do I have a problem with the base door speakers, or are they inherently quiet? Any comments/advice would be appreciated.

OK, thanks guys I'll try adjusting (as the hardtop's been on the car for a few weeks almost). I'll also purchase some new plastic wedges too for the front tabs. I'm still wondering about the lack of resistance on the front latch/lock though. As having already tried many adjustments (using rear adjustment fixings), the latch (when activated) has no resistance. Anyone experienced this, or should I be expecting some resistance, like I do on the softtop front lock?

I installed my hardtop spinlocks Friday night, took an an hour and so easy, following the brilliant 'Preparing for and Installing a Boxster Hardtop' DIY article on this site! Picked up hardtop Saturday and it fitted straight on. After spending quite a bit of time adjusting it, I still have what I think to be too big a gap between the front of the hardtop and the top of the windscreen. When fitting the hardtop (and after much adjustment) I noticed that the front latch has virtually no resistance when enaging it in its locked position. This is unlike my softtop, which has quite a bit resistance and, as a result, pulls the front of the softtop to be flush with the top of the windscreen. Is the hardtop locking/latch lever adjustable? (I've tried many adjustment combinations with the plates at the rear of the hardtop which house the locking spindles, but just cannot close the gap at the front!) Can anyone provide any insight?

Cheers mate, but ordered and already on it's way!

I've just got back from my Porsche dealer, and after spending 2 hrs labour (costing me £189) they have confirmed it is the amp. (They took one out of another car, and also put my defective one in the other car. The results were conclusive). I've had to order a new amp at £300!!!!!

If it's of any use, here's my Becker amplifier details: Type: DSP-Amplifier, Model No: BE 6600, Porsche PartNo: 996.645.331.03

I've contacted Harvey Peck (PNP) and he tells me that everything I have done is right. I'd still like to have confirmation that amplifier pins 3,4,12 and 13 are indeed correct. So, are there any UK Boxster owners out there (with CDR23 and Becker 6880 Digital amp) who have successfully connected rear speakers to the amp?

The thing that perplexes me the most, is that everything (config-wise) is back to stock (how it was pre-rear speaker hook-up). The exception being the four new speaker wire terminals now fixed into the back of the amplifier plug housing (pins 3, 4, 12 and 13 as specd in PNP's instructions). But these speaker wires have nothing connected to them, are not crossed-over etc, and are going absolutely nowhere! If I could remove them easily I would, but with them being snap-in molex connectors they're not easy to remove from the amp housing plug! But could the very presence of these wires into these terminals be my problem!? (Especially, if the UK pinout is different, and the pins I've connected to are inputs, but again there's nothing connected to them!?) (The amplifier is located under the bonnet, or front trunk as it's referred to State-side, right of the battery/centre). (Not all CDR23s come equipped with the digital amp, as its an option - code M490 or M680).

Just disconnected battery (with ignition on), and took opportunity to check all fuses (1 in CDR23 head unit itself, 2 inline fuses feeding head unit, 2 radio/sound package fuses in main fuse area), and all fine. Checked and re-checked all connections too and wires themselves for anything obvious. (I even opened-up amp to check for a fuse in there, and also for any signs of damage!) Reconnected battery (after for being off for about 30 mins), and still have same problem! No sound to dash speakers!!! Next step is audio electrical specialist or maybe Porsche dealer. I'm thinking problem could be wiring (maybe optical cable) or the amp itself. You never know, Porsche might just need to reset head unit or something... Does the amp actually power the base door speakers (as I get sound from these, although a little muffled, but I guess this is the nature of base frequency). I got the rear speaker kit from PNP (Harvey Peck) via eBay.

Called my local Porsche dealer today, and they said turn-on ignition, leave for 20 seconds, then disconnect battery negative terminal. (Battery can be reconnected without ignition on afterwards).

When disconnecting the battery (negative terminal) , I've been told that you leave the ignition on (all dashboard lights, trip computer on etc), obviously without the car actually running! Is this correct, does anyone have any advice here?