Car Audio Setup.

[FormulaNERD]

so here's the deal, in most of my cars i usually keep the stock head unit for a stock look, and just add an amp and some subs.


anyways, i finally found a good HU that matches my interior (Kenwood Excelon KDC-X990 )

so yea, it has 3 outputs for amps, and i'm wondering whats the best way to hook up a 4 ch for 4 soundstream 6.5"s. or would i be better off with 2 2ch amps? and then what do i do about my tweets? let the stock system power them? (front and rears both have tweets)

so do i run a 5v out to each amp or what?

also whats the best way to get the most out of a DVC sub?


if mikegett or someone with a little knowledge could chime in it would be helpful.

[FormulaNERD]

oh, its also gonna be a pain ebcause i have a stock monsoon system (not an alero though)

[Cliff8928]

Well, if you're adding amps for all the speakers it should be the same install monsoon or not. The only place the monsoon becomes a little of a headache is if you're looking to use the headunit to power any of the speakers. In that case you'd just need to bypalss the amp. Sometimes plug-in harnesses are made for this purpose, for the others you just have to disconnect the plug(s) on the amp(s) and just route the input wires to the output wires and all should be well and good. Unelss you want to run new wires that is. I'm sure replacing that Monsoon setup would be easier than dealing with the Mach 1000 system in my dad's mustang (2 10s stock! it's crazy).

I don't really think that a 4ch amp makes a difference over 2x2ch amps, the 4ch amp usually just has two separate 2ch amps in it, just do whatever fits better in your car.

As for getting the most out of a DVC sub, it TOTALLY depends on what amp you are using to power it. For the most flexibility, I would get a dual 2 ohm sub, that way you have the option to wire it as 4 ohm x 1, 2 ohm x 2, or 1 ohm x 1. Since any decent amp should be able to drive 2 x 2 ohm, and better ones 1 x 1 ohm.

Someone may have better insight, but that's just how i interpret it.

[TheSoundDemon]

Don't forget on the sub...the less resistance you have the sloppier the bass is going to sound. The bass WILL be louder, but if your looking for cleaner bass...stick around 4 ohms. Some of the old school rockford amps will even handle an 8 ohm load for a sub. Again it won't be as loud, but it'll be super clean sounding.

[violentrapture]

Originally posted by FormulaNERD@Apr 27 2006, 08:31 AM
so yea, it has 3 outputs for amps, and i'm wondering whats the best way to hook up a 4 ch for 4 soundstream 6.5"s. or would i be better off with 2 2ch amps? and then what do i do about my tweets? let the stock system power them? (front and rears both have tweets)
so do i run a 5v out to each amp or what?


So you're running fronts, rears and a sub, right? Seems to match up pretty well to me with the 3 outs from the deck :P - Front/Rear/Non-f usually... just run 2 RCA runs from the HU to the 4 channel (Front/Rear out to Front/Rear in on the amp) then 1 RCA run from the Non-f out on the HU to the sub amp.

As far as your tweets, unless you're biamping or running an active soundstage, they should wire straight out of the passive crossover.

As far as the sub wiring - all depends on the RMS rating of the sub and the amp - figure out what your VC config is, what the RMS rating is, and what your amp will do at different loads, then wire appropriately - also if you haven't bought a sub or amp yet or only have one or the other, match them up when buying.

Cheers,
~vR

[jabartram]

i sent you a pm formula.

[FormulaNERD]

thanks everyone, i'm going to add a little more here and see what i get.


i completely forgot about passive crossovers with component systems, so yea. basically i want to power 4 speakers 150w each at 2 ohms, and two subs, DVC, at 200w per sub at either 2 or 4 ohms, i listen to mostly rock and would prefer 4 ohms, but i dont want to spend an arm and a leg, so i may have to step down to 2ohms to get something that pounds and is affordable.

i hope this clears some things up, i realize now that i dont have ot worry about the stock amp, i can pull it out, because all of my sound will come from pre-outs and into 2 or 3 amps.

Cliff Notes:
i need a 4ch capable of 150w (X4) at 2 ohms (4 ohms if thats too expensive) and the best setup (as far as running the coils in series, parallel, etc) to get the most power out of 2 eclipse dvc subs and an eclipse amp that puts out 200wrms at 2 ohms

[violentrapture]

http://forum.elitecaraudio.com/showthread....threadid=129959 (http://forum.elitecaraudio.com/showthread.php?threadid=129959)

Arc amps = :pimp:

80x4@4/160x4@2 + 320x2@4 bridged.

That'd run your entire system and you could save space/wiring with a single amp

~vR

[FormulaNERD]

how would i wire that amp to connect 6 speakers total? i dont think i understand.

[violentrapture]

Originally posted by FormulaNERD@Apr 28 2006, 07:14 AM
how would i wire that amp to connect 6 speakers total? i dont think i understand.
Quoted post


Ah hell, I read "& 320x2" as "+ 320x2" - the 320x2 is a bridged output, my mistake. I was thinking along the lines of the 5150XXK, which has a sub out also. The 4150 will still run your cabin speakers like a gem though - and I did see a 5150 go for around $500 not too long ago.

~vR

http://i3.tinypic.com/wlyul1.jpg

[FormulaNERD]

that picture helps and all, but it just shows a single sub with a single voice coil... i've hooked all those up no problem, and when you first showed me the 4150, i saw the 5150 on the site, but that's pretty underpowered for what i want, and i dont think it'll work well with the two dvc subs.

[FormulaNERD]

i just need 1 4 channel for the fronts, and a guide about how to hook up the 2ch i have with the dual voice coils and having it all run at 2 ohms. like the coils in series, but the subs in parallel. i think.

[violentrapture]

The cheat sheets of wiring: http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=145

[FormulaNERD]

thanks man, it helps a lot to see pictures :P now i've got a better idea of how it works.


would you recommend a distro block or something to "split" the ground and the power in this picture? this is the setup i need.

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/graphics/Support/Tutorials/wiring_images/DVC_Series_2.gif


in that picture would that amp be running bridged? it says wired like that that 2 4ohm subs would run at 4ohms, i thought that it would bring it down to 2 ohms?

[violentrapture]

Those are speaker wires you see, not power and ground. You just hook the wires up with caps or solder or however you want to do it when running series/parallel.

With two amps though, you will want a distro block.

Actually just got finished taking some pictures - here's my distro:

http://www.collind.com/pikshures/distro.jpg

[FormulaNERD]

well i know they're speaker wires, but ones hot and one is still ground, i meant, where the red "speaker wire" splits, how do you go about that?

[FormulaNERD]

i think i understand now, basicall the amps they show are mono's.

so with 4ohm dvc in parallel, one sub on one channel, at 2ohms, and the other sub on another channel at 2ohms, (the ohms stay at 2 on both channels because the channels are seperate?) because it's not possible to wire both subs to a single channel at something other than 1 or 4 ohms.

is this right?

[violentrapture]

If you're talking about a 2 channel then yes, wiring single 4ohm DVC drivers each in parallel and connected to discrete channels on the amp will put the amp at a 2ohm load per channel

With 2 4ohm DVC drivers, you can wire to 4 or 1 ohm when powering with a monoblock.

Originally posted by FormulaNERD@Apr 28 2006, 02:55 PM
i think i understand now, basicall the amps they show are mono's.

so with 4ohm dvc in parallel, one sub on one channel, at 2ohms, and the other sub on another channel at 2ohms, (the ohms stay at 2 on both channels because the channels are seperate?) because it's not possible to wire both subs to a single channel at something other than 1 or 4 ohms.

is this right?
Quoted post

[FormulaNERD]

k, cool, i get it now. so i need a 2ch amp with 200rms at 2 ohms on each channel.

[violentrapture]

:beerchug:

[FormulaNERD]

anyone disagree with this?

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/6273/amp6qd.jpg

[FormulaNERD]

ok, well right now there is a 00g power running to the trunk on the driver side, and ground at the seat belt bolt.

you recommend running the three 5v(fr/rr/sub) preouts on the pass side for a cleaner signal? then use a distro block to split the 00 and ground to 2 2g or 4g wires? that sound good?

now i just need to find an affordable 4ch amp that puts out 150X4rms at 4 ohms. lol. that's gonna be difficult (if its afordable)

what about biamping? how exactly does that work, if the speakers are set for 3 ohms, and you're putting out 4 ohms, how do you get it to 3? i think i read something about taking out the passive crossover for the tweeters to increase impedance, but i dont know if that sounds right.

[violentrapture]

Originally posted by FormulaNERD@Apr 29 2006, 06:36 AM
ok, well right now there is a 00g power running to the trunk on the driver side, and ground at the seat belt bolt.

you recommend running the three 5v(fr/rr/sub) preouts on the pass side for a cleaner signal? then use a distro block to split the 00 and ground to 2 2g or 4g wires? that sound good?

now i just need to find an affordable 4ch amp that puts out 150X4rms at 4 ohms. lol. that's gonna be difficult (if its afordable)

what about biamping? how exactly does that work, if the speakers are set for 3 ohms, and you're putting out 4 ohms, how do you get it to 3? i think i read something about taking out the passive crossover for the tweeters to increase impedance, but i dont know if that sounds right.
Quoted post


Yeah, run the 3 RCAs down under the passenger side (I'd loom and zip tie them just to make it cleaner and easier to route). Distro to split the power/ground to the amps - you can use either 2 or 4, it's up to you. I'm running 4 everywhere right now, with about 2,000w RMS and haven't had any problems, but am probably going to upgrade to 0/1 -> 2.

The 150x4@4 is going to be fun. ;) I'll keep my eyes open, can't think of anything off the top of my head though (Cadence ZRS-4 might, it's somewhere around 125x4@4 I think)

Biamping is a whole kettle of fish that you could have all sorts of fun with - running them off of a solid 4 channel and their passive crossovers would probably be your best bet for right now. If you did not use the passive crossovers you'd be running active, and that yet again is an even hairer set of pit hair which would leave you looking for a better head unit, and quite honestly, unless you're doing a DIY stage, the component set manufacturers know where their drivers need to be crossed over and a lot of time and money is put into R&D on the crossovers.

- Sub wiring looks a-ok :)

~vR

[FormulaNERD]

ok, thanks man, i looked into biamping a little more, and i'm not interested in it really. i was thinking of going with 3ohm components so i could biamp them, but i think i'll just stick with 4ohm.

and isnt the zrs-4 like 800-900 bucks? hehe.

i dont think i'm going to be able to afford to completely power these speakers.

[violentrapture]

You can get the ZRS-4 in the ~$500 range (I saw one a guy let go for just under $200). Cheapest bet would probably be a couple of two channels - if you wanted to do it up really nice, assuming you don't already have the 2 channel for your subs, I'd buy 3 matching amps - like (2) JL 300/2 and a 500/1 (just for example - I do have a 500/1 I could sell also) ;). I don't know if you're wanting to stealth your install or build it for show, but it always looks nicer when the amps match if you do show it.

~vR

[FormulaNERD]

i'm having a custom enclosure made, and i'm still not sure if i want to stealth the amps.


for the eclipse subs i have an eclipse amp (PA4212) (* 200W 2 Channel 0.1% THD at 2 Stereo @ 13.8v)

that amp puts out 130rms at 4ohms. i i could get two more of those i suppose.

the only problem is that i planned for the subs and amp to be temp, evenually i want to get some higher end eclipse subs, or maybe some g5's and then i'd throw that little setup in my wifes car or something.

it's hard to plan everything out and leave room for the future.