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josh
Registered User Joined: 03 December 2006 Status: Offline Points: 682 |
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Posted: 05 March 2007 at 3:05pm |
Hi, i know quite a bit about pa systems so im not a compleate no hoper but a couple of mates have come up to me asking me if i can help them install a 'sub' in thier cars, one allready has the driver the other is yet to buy it, i was just wondering if you could help me out as i am quite a newcomer to the car audio scene.
Obviously them being students they are going to want to do this on the cheap and basicly are just looking for bass, so what do i need:
i presume im going to need some sort of filter for the sub a wiring kit an amp? or will it run off the headunit, an enclosure for the box which can be designed depending on the driver what else and do you know of any good websites to buy these kin dof things from
anyhelp is much appreciated
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Jay Lawless
Old Croc Joined: 22 August 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1702 |
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well to begin with, ofcourse, got know to know the power range. generaly speaking if it's just a small settup, say not much more then 600watt or so then there shouldn't be much to it.
Head unit needs to have some sort of RCA pre-amp/non pre-amp outputs meant for an addon amplifier. second, main power cables from battery to amp should be the right guage and when grounding, the ground should be no longer then 1 meter or 3 feet and should be bolted to the metal body/ frame work of the vehicle on a ground down and sanded raw metal point for optimum grounding. you want to find out the system power once again to determin the fuse to use on the main cables connected to the nearest battery. so for instance a total 600watt capable amplifier should have a 50-75amp fuse about 1 meter or 3 feet from the nearest battery on the possitive side of the main power cables.
when running your cables. main power should be ran on the compelete opisite side of the vehicle to that of the RCA signal cables. the RCA signal cables should also be of high sheild quality to insure there wil be minumal signal noise through the cable *ie Monster Cable or even better, Mogami*.
there is no use for capacitors on thier system since they wont be doing SPL compititions. also, most installs you should sound deaden any ratteling areas so that it doesn't overwhelm the overall quality of the sound recreation. Amplifier should have it's on highpass and lowpass *generaly speaking*. if they are low power woofers that are meant more for sound quality, i would have them in a sealed enclosure with atleast a 20-30hz highpass and lowpass at 70-75hz. main full range system in the doors should be highpassed at about 70-75hz depending on the lowpass of the woofers. placement of the woofers is sometimes critical depending on the vehicle they are being installed in. some vehicles have whats know as a "bass trap" which kills bass rather then enhancing it and other vehicles are just born to have deep lows being blared through them *ie the Toyota Scion xB*.
if you have any questions then by all means .
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Previously known as NeverWinter
Background: Automotive, Live and Home Custom Design. mid/high level based design and feild experience. Bass specialist |
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josh
Registered User Joined: 03 December 2006 Status: Offline Points: 682 |
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Thanks a lot thats cleared most stuff up, again do you know of any good websites which sell car audio equipment
thanks |
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Jay Lawless
Old Croc Joined: 22 August 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1702 |
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www.cardomain.com
not sure about thier availability across seas if thats where you are located but it's worth a shot.
has some stuff there too but cardomain would have more.
theres other places like www.carmedia1.com and also Ebay is your freind when it comes to car audio alot of the time if you know what you are looking for.
brand wise, theres a few that i know have that have some NICE sound quality. JBL, Kicker, JL though i don't care for thier stuff and then i've heard through the Toyota Scion Enthusists that Elemental Designs make some nice drivers. you can find Elemental Designs at www.edesignaudio.com. Infinity is good too, but Infinity "IS" JBL so... same quality, diffrent name but same people. Eclipse and Pioneer make some nice head units, others may have others they like but with personaly experience i would say that Eclipse and Pioneer are pretty nice. i would say soundstream but it's been proven that both Eclipse and Pioneer beat them hands down and that JBL carries a better sound quality in thier most recent GTi and Power series drivers.
Amplifier wise, i don't believe you'll find much better quality then JBL's PX and BPX lines. both are designed and engineered by Crown and sound wonderful. Memphis Audio also has some nice amps along with Kicker though so theres other choices but i still go with JBL's. Edited by Jay Lawless - 06 March 2007 at 2:18pm |
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Previously known as NeverWinter
Background: Automotive, Live and Home Custom Design. mid/high level based design and feild experience. Bass specialist |
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Jay Lawless
Old Croc Joined: 22 August 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1702 |
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something i just noticed, Carmedia1.com doesn't have all of JBL's PX and BPX models.
px300.4
px600.2
bpx500.1
bpx1100.1
bpx2200.1
you should be able to find them all on cardomain.com
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Previously known as NeverWinter
Background: Automotive, Live and Home Custom Design. mid/high level based design and feild experience. Bass specialist |
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josh
Registered User Joined: 03 December 2006 Status: Offline Points: 682 |
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thanks again....im from the UK by the way
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Jay Lawless
Old Croc Joined: 22 August 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1702 |
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partsexpress.com will deffinetly ship to you. they carry MTX too which isn't bad. i'm not sure about cardomain.com on thier shipping limits.
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Previously known as NeverWinter
Background: Automotive, Live and Home Custom Design. mid/high level based design and feild experience. Bass specialist |
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remix808
Registered User Joined: 06 April 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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Very detailed post... I wish i read it when i installed my sub...
Oh and as for powering it off the car battery directly... thats what i used to do.. now i run the power cable to the head unit which has a link out for powering amps... another link out for auto on/off and a grounding terminal... wish i seen all that the first time. Anyway good luck.. Dave |
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Jay Lawless
Old Croc Joined: 22 August 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1702 |
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running it from your main battery is basicly all that you are doing. replace the main so that the car's main is capable of handling the car and the system at the same time. the alternator goes to your main, and then from there you parallel your extra batteries in the back with your main in the front, making it one whole chain so that all batteries are kept charged and ready at all times.
just know, the stronger the alternator, the better. after te initial start of the vehicel, no juice from the battery is being used, it's all from the alternator. the batteries whilest driving are mainly backup for voltage drops and shorts, they keep everything at a bare minimum voltage for you while on the road assuming your alternator works fine. so if you get your alternator upgraded or modified to pump out alot more juice then what you've got going now, you can make some serious adjustments to the system and how much power you can limit your self to.
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Previously known as NeverWinter
Background: Automotive, Live and Home Custom Design. mid/high level based design and feild experience. Bass specialist |
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