Install advice please :)

[Hailz]

Allrighty so after spending a decent wad of cash over the weekend this is what I have.....

(all pioneer)

TSA1702C 260wat components

TS-D1602R 260wat 6inch rears

GM5400T 760wat amp (Sub)

GM3300T 300wat amp (front speakers)

1200 wat 12inch sub

DEHP7150UB Headunit

and box of course

Now this all cost an arm and a leg so hopefully I've got some decent bits

What I need to know now is what size amp wiring I need to be using? The two amps will be mounted in the boot together.

Now I know that you not meant to run RCA's beside the amp power cable but seeing as the amp for powering the front components will have to be mounted in the boot if I had to, where am I better to run the speaker cable going back to the front? Beside RCA's or beside power lead? or neither?

I'm going to be running oxygen free cable ect and was wondering seeing as I'm not amping the rear speakers would there be any gain in running new O.F.C cable from the headunit to them?

Once again thanks heaps for any advice!!

[Scoobydoo]

Run speaker cable along with the RCA's, not with the power. if you do need to cross either over at any point, try and do it at right angles to minimise any possible interference. In my installs, I run power cable down the outside of the passenger side of the car, and the RCA's down the transmission tunnel side of the car. With the amps in the boot, doing it this way, you may need to lift the back seat out to access the RCA's, but then at least you'll know you've done a good job.

That gear should be all pretty sweet sounding and I'm sure you'll be happy with it. Just be very careful when you are plugging and unplugging any RCA's into amps, making sure that nothing is powered up and no music is playing. If the positive pins touch the negative shields then a circuit inside the headunit can blow, causing major interference, and you'll have no idea what it is.

My advice would be get a 4ga cable kit which will run from the battery to the boot (assuming your battery is in the engine bay), then get a splitter box which can convert a single 4ga input into multiple 8ga outputs, one of which will go to the power of each amp. The grounds will then just be 8ga which you can attach to seat / seatbelt bolts, or some other part of the car's metal chassis. Be sure to sand down any paint from points that you are using as grounds.

You can probably get away with using the factory cable for the rear speakers, but since you are going to all this trouble for a really nice system, would you really want to skimp on this final part?

[ODB]

take seats and carpet out of car.

Run power down left side and out through the bung to battery (or do you have a cap?)

Run RCA and speakers on the other side. Spend a lot of time taping the wiring down and make sure it isnt bent anywhere. If it craps out its a pain to get it all out again.

Personally id invest in a good set of cables and importantly a screw set up for your sub box. This is important as it is easily taken out. You were gonna solder the connections right?????

[Hailz]

thanks for the advice guys - i should be good to go!

Soldering the wires? Which ones?

[Scoobydoo]

How many subs these days have solder connections? None that I've ever bought, they all have push or screw-down type connections.

Plugs of some description are key if you want to have things removable, you will need them on power, earth, remote wires, and speaker cables. You don't actually make any mention of wanting / needing your sub / amps to be removable so I didn't bother to give such advice.

[Hailz]

 Scoobydoo said:

How many subs these days have solder connections? None that I've ever bought, they all have push or screw-down type connections.

Plugs of some description are key if you want to have things removable, you will need them on power, earth, remote wires, and speaker cables. You don't actually make any mention of wanting / needing your sub / amps to be removable so I didn't bother to give such advice.

yea the sub iv got is just a screw on setup afaik, im planing on mounting the amps on the rear of the seats, and i very rarely need al the space of the wagon so its no big dramas

[legacy666]

battery,Fuse,4 Gauge,boot,distrabution block,8 gauge,amps

[Hailz]

Any ideas whether or not it will make any difference mounting the front component crossover boxes under the front seats and extending the wires or do these things have to mounted as close to speaker as possible? Just that those pioneer ones are bloody massive!! and I cant fit them inside the door panel anywhere...........

Also is there much to be gained by just sealing up the holes in the door with dynamat rather than doing the entire door as that seems like one hell of a mission as the face of it is faaar from flat!

Sorry for all the questions guys just that I now have $2150 worth of stereo gear sitting in my garage (minus wiring ect) so I just want to make sure I'm doing everything right as this is the first time I've had a go at it lol

[Timmah]

 Hailz said:

Also is there much to be gained by just sealing up the holes in the door with dynamat rather than doing the entire door as that seems like one hell of a mission as the face of it is faaar from flat!

You'd get better mid-bass from dynamatting the doors. But you could just cut to size some MDF to plug up the holes. That will help

[igkgunn]

Another thing to think about is how your sub box is going to sit. You'll need to mount it down somehow (I just use a bungee cord), other wise the box can shift around and damage your interior and/or your wiring setup. I'd also pick up some lugs when you get the wiring for a good connection to the amp and ground.

[Scoobydoo]

You can put the crossovers wherever you like, it doesn't matter. Put them in the boot if you want to! Just means you'll have longer speaker cable runs, but it doesn't affect the sound at all. Just keep them away from power wires if possible.

Plug up the holes with some MDF and you'll be right. Dynamat is good but can be costly. In mine I'm going to use plastic which I think is about 2-3mm thick. Easier to work with than MDF and lighter. If you're not sure what I mean, think "plastic trays from MacDonalds, KFC etc"

[Hailz]

Sweet sweet and sweet, I think I might give the carpet underlay in doors trick a go actually, sounds a bit easier than custom cutting bits and pieces of wood up

A workmate said to me today that I shouldn't be mounting an amp to a sub box as this can wreck them due to the vibrations - is there any truth to this?

[luvmaforzzy]

yea, it aint that good for it ae plus if a thief decides to steal your sub then amps easy picking to, i put mine on top of the spare wheel tray just to hide it away from eyes, an run wires down both or 1 side(which ever ways easier) of the doors under the plastic is the easiest way cause it just pops off an back on no dramas, dont have to be pro just gets the job done or you better off taking it to a shop, also underlayz awsme.

[Guest vf20/21bg5]

wish i wad that setup

[johnny5]

dont forget fuses for the amps should be no more than 300mm from the battery or else you just create a fire hazard all the rest of the info is spot on Sccobdu sounds like a guru

[Scoobydoo]

 johnny5 said:

dont forget fuses for the amps should be no more than 300mm from the battery or else you just create a fire hazard all the rest of the info is spot on Sccobdu sounds like a guru

Haha just experienced... it's something I love is my sounds and audio.. have worked on many Subaru's, both mine and other's. Always happy to share advice and experience, although I don't know everything!

I try to learn from everything I have done, to help people in the future.