Stereo help!

[Bryson]

Ok guys I want to add just a little something to my truck. I'm satisfied with my stock speakers, but just looking for some more base in my truck. So heres the deal. I have a friend with a JL Audio 10 inch sub, in a box, with wires, and he wants to sell it to me for 50 bucks. Sounds good I think. Then a amp, I'm thinking about looking at my local pawn shop for a cheapy one, or even wally world, but not shure what to get for just a cheap little more something. A guy I work with wants to sell me 2 Rockford Fosgate F150's or something like that, 150 true watt amps, but he wants 200 bucks which is a little more then id like to spend, but I was thinking I could carry these over to my next truck when I get it. So what I'm trying to acomplish is more base, with out using the stock speakers. To do this I think I'm going to wire the amp, directly to my sub, so that way all the amp's are going to it and not my stocker's. Would this work, can it be done? I dont want to screw up my stock speakers, just want to add some bump you know. Any help would be apreciated beings have no clue what I'm talking about in electronics lol.

Bryson

 

[HeartBreak]

Depends if you have a factory stereo. If you have an aftermarket head unit, it should have Sub outputs. Simply run an RCA stereo cable from the Sub outs to the amp. Then run a lead from your battery positive (for that wattage, 8 gauge ought to be more than enough, although I'd recommend 6 gauge), one to ground, and one from the head units' amp-turn-on lead (typically a blue wire). Make sure you fuse the positive lead near the battery, to protect your battery in case of malfunction.

Now, if you still have the factory head unit, you'll still run the positive lead from your battery and one to ground (both 6 gauge). However, here's where the install will differ; you will use a high-level input on the amp, and run a lead from your ignition's RUN/ACC position to turn the amp on.

From there, connect your subs to the amps' outputs, and you're set.

 

[Z400]

you can still run an amp and a sub with factory units.

you just have to track down a harness.

and I'm not sure how to wire more then 1 amp up to 1 sub.
never had that problem.

 

[joneser4u]

since we are talkin bass? 6 guage? never heard of? 10/8/4/0. is all I've seen. you will want to route the positive,remote(blue) and ground wire as mentioned, with an appropriate fuse for your wattage 100watts/10amp 400watts/40amp so on. I also use a 10amp on the remote wire myself. you only want to run one amp to a sub unless they are class d digital amps meant to be used in parelell. And since we are talkin sub woofers your gonna need either an headunit or amp with a built in lowpass filter or a seperate crossover will be needed to filter out high frequencies. And NO do not use an amp on factory speakers! factory speakers are junk. If you just want alittle more bass,not window rattlin boom, just replacing factory headunit and speakers is a good option. No wally world stuff! I like crutchfield,been doin business with them for over a decade,excellent products and customer support outof this world! If you buy a headunit from them, you get all wireing and installation hardware free! And they will sit and talk you through step by step how to install it on the phone while you are working on it.

 

[beason]

both jl and fosgate are good subs. it all boils down to how much bass you want, how much you want to spend, and how much room you have. the jl is a killer deal if the sub hasnt been abused. i currently run 2 fosgate hx2 12's in my car. they hold 1000w a peice and is more then enough bass for the average listener.

the single sub would be the easyer install, the dual sub you have to check ohm's and wiring setups to get the ohm load right for the amp you buy.

i am running 2 dual voice coil subs, each coil is 2 ohms and they are wired in series to 4 ohms per speaker. then the subs are bridged to the amp for a 2 ohm load.

also if your still running the stock radio you will need a line converter or an amp that has high level inputs.

i would advise changing the head unit first, a good head unit alone will make a big difference in the sound of the system.

i run a mid priced pioneer unit and i havent had any complaints at all with it. 45w per channel and all the bells and whistles you need. you can get one for about 120-150 bux

one last thing, if you change the head unit or have an aftermarket one, be sure to run the RCA lines on the opposite side of the rig from the power and remote.

 

[joneser4u]

one last thing, if you change the head unit or have an aftermarket one, be sure to run the RCA lines on the opposite side of the rig from the power and remote.

very good point.

 

[Bryson]

Man I'm geting into it now lol. I wanted to try to keep this on the cheap side seeing as to how I'm geting a new truck at the end of this year, and didnt want to drop a bunch of money on this one. But oh well! So here goes. My friend works for al and eds, and said he could get me this amp for 125 or so, http://www.al-eds.com/product.php?productid=16134&cat=251&page=1, which seems to be a deal, and I figuar I could use it in my next truck as well. I really didnt want to get a new head unit. That is one thing I didnt want to endulge in. I'm geting a little over whelmed by all this lol. Starting to think it would be easyer to go to a shop and say this is what I want hook it up lol. I'm just not looking forward to wireing this sucker.

Bryson

 

[beason]

a few places have 1$ installs, go buy the stuff there and they will install it for a buck

 

[joneser4u]

Man I'm geting into it now lol. I wanted to try to keep this on the cheap side seeing as to how I'm geting a new truck at the end of this year, and didnt want to drop a bunch of money on this one. But oh well! So here goes. My friend works for al and eds, and said he could get me this amp for 125 or so, http://www.al-eds.com/product.php?productid=16134&cat=251&page=1, which seems to be a deal, and I figuar I could use it in my next truck as well. I really didnt want to get a new head unit. That is one thing I didnt want to endulge in. I'm geting a little over whelmed by all this lol. Starting to think it would be easyer to go to a shop and say this is what I want hook it up lol. I'm just not looking forward to wireing this sucker.

Bryson

Alpine is topend audio stuff! However that amp is really made for mids/highs or coaxle 2/3 way fullrange speakers at 4 channels.Even bridged 100watts/rms really isnt enough power unless its a small pair of say 8" subs with a low power rateing.It does have the lowpass filter and a good octive crossover slope @ 12db. Under powering a sub isnt good for it,causes alot of distortion which ruins the motor structure(voicecoil). Id go for the next model up or see if they have a mono sub amp. look at the crutchfield web site. even call them and explain what you want,they dont try to sell you high price stuff,they get you the best they have to offer on YOUR budget! They even have combo deals where you buy a sub and get an appropriate amp free,or a pair of subs with a free amp and sometimes the subs are already in a enclosure. crutchfield.com. Not advertising just letting poeple know how good the folks there are.

 

[Rolex]

I'm not into the 'boom box' thing for my car, but a few months ago I decided it was time to swap out my Pioneer tape deck for another Pioneer with CD. Remote controlled and MP3 wireless capable, but not much improvement over the previous one.
Well, 2 days later I went back and had a set of 4 Alpine 3-way speakers installed.
HOLY SCREAMING EAGLE DROPPINGS, Batman!!! Suddenly it sounded like a system that would be impressive in a Maserati. Alpine rocks!

Almost forgot to mention....a few days later I left the faceplate and case on the roof of the car while taking out the groceries, and since I'm in an apartment parking lot....well, it dissappeared. Cost me another $136 for a new one, without a case, and a 3 week wait.

 

[joneser4u]

I'm not into the 'boom box' thing for my car, but a few months ago I decided it was time to swap out my Pioneer tape deck for another Pioneer with CD. Remote controlled and MP3 wireless capable, but not much improvement over the previous one.
Well, 2 days later I went back and had a set of 4 Alpine 3-way speakers installed.
HOLY SCREAMING EAGLE DROPPINGS, Batman!!! Suddenly it sounded like a system that would be impressive in a Maserati. Alpine rocks!

Almost forgot to mention....a few days later I left the faceplate and case on the roof of the car while taking out the groceries, and since I'm in an apartment parking lot....well, it dissappeared. Cost me another $136 for a new one, without a case, and a 3 week wait.

Factory speakers are junk,with a new headunit(other than stock) and replacing factory speakers with coaxle (means it has a cone for bass and tweeter for highs) makes a world of differance. And if you add a sub to the mix its like front row at a concert!

sucks about your face plate though!

 

[beason]

i just installed the stuff in my new car, i got the pioneer cd head unit with flip down face and remote, a set of pioneer 1in tweeters mounted up on the doors and a set of nakamichi 2way 6x9's in the back deck. I havent mounted upt he amp for the subs yet though.. man I'm needin some bass right about now!!