Audio System Install Amp

[frapjap]

Okay, well a week ago I said I'd write an install for an amplifier and speakers. It turns out that when I got behind my dash, my Head Unit (HU) wiring was a mess, so I bought a new one- thus, the delay. Here it is, step by step for those who aren't inclined but dont want to spend the cash to get it done by a shop or Best Buy.

PLEASE STICKY THIS AND ADD IT AS AN ARTICLE GREG OR ROSS!!!!!! THANKS! In this article I'm installing a set of speakers (6x9's), a 4 channel amplifier, and a head unit. Everything will be hidden as well/ as stock as possible so as not to get stolen and to look clean. On with the show!!

You're going to need some basic tools.

Speaker wire (shielded and decent gauge (width). Cutters/crimpers, Needle nose pliers, electrical tape, butt clamps, and fork clamps/round clamps (dependent on amp). I buy it all to be safe that sorry and just return what I don't use. You'll also need an amp, speakers (or subs), HU with preouts, and a wiring kit.

Here are the basics. Stripping wire:

I used a heavy gauge for my speaker wire (12-14) you don't have to, but I like to. Select that size on the stripping side of the tool and spin in circle while holding the handles shut. Tug on the tool and the casing for the wire should pop off. Discard (hopefully NOT in your car!) Twist the wire into a point while it is still fresh. Twist the other side too.

Insert one side (make sure it is the positive to positive and neg to neg) into the butt connector and then insert the other side (of the same polarity) into it. Crimp with the front end of the tool with the "waves." Make 2 good crimps, tug lightly on each side of the wire independently to be sure that they are indeed crimped.

Now that the basics are covered, on with the installation! Disconnect your negative and positive battery wire. You're going to crimp a loop connector from the positive amplifier wires into the bolt that holds the battery connection.(ignore the extra loop for my MSD box)

Wire in your fuse. If you don't you'll be REALLY sorry. Just cut the power wire, insert the fuse, and connect the wire again at the entry and exit of the fuse.

Run those wires through an existing hold in your firewall. I didn't take a picture because yours WILL be on a different side as mine. The best place is usually where the engine harness goes through to the ECU.

Next, disassemble your kick panels, door sils, and any other body panel that will allow you to conceal your wiring through the car. Again, I would take pictures, but everyones is different. LEAVE THE PARTS UNDONE, YOU'LL NEED THEM APART AGAIN!

Next is how to connect the RCA cables for the amp to the Head Unit (HU). Plug in the RCA to your corresponding colors. Strip the small wire in the middle of its casing. It is VERY VERY important. You will butt-connect it to the wite BLUE WITH WHITE STRIPE in your HU harness. Run the RCA and signal wire the same path as the amplifier power wire. Again, no pictures because yours WILL be different than mine.

Now that you've run the power wire, RCA, and signal to where you're going to locate the amplifier, you can be SURE they have enough slack to hide even better. You can always tuck the excess somewhere.

Next, match the RCA's to the proper color on your amp:

After that, connect the power wire, ground wire, and signal wire to fork or circle connectors (whichever fits your amp) and then back out the screw for the connection, insert the connection, and tighten again. For the ground (not pictured, because yours WILL be different) find a SOLID, UNPAINTED piece of the chassis to bolt another circle or fork connector to, along with another bit of larger gauge wire. Put another connector on the end and "plug" it into the amp in the same manner as written above. MAKE SURE your wires are correct with the amp's labeling!!

Next, take that spool of speaker wire and run it to the speakers. Mine was a PITA because I had to remove back seats and reinstall them to do it, but I'm a perfectionist. Leave slack (extra wire) in the wire, it can always be tucked in later. Remove the old speakers ( I like Crutchfield's manuals) and cut the OEM wires. Tape the exposed part off with electrical tape so there is no arching or shorting of your HU. Connect your new wire to the speaker and reinstall the speaker. Unscrew the terminal on your amp and clamp another O or H connector and screw it back down to the proper polarity amplifier terminal. Cut the OEM

Tape off old so no electricity is conducted.

Crimp and connect to speaker.

Out with the old....in with the new!!! (difference much?)

Repeat on opposite side(s) and reinstall your new speakers and body panels.

Install or Reinstall your HU with the proper coresponding colors (every car is different) and turn on. When connecting the HU to the car's wires I like to strip every wire I need (from the body and radio harness) and attach one half of the butt connectors to the radio side.

If you can find them (and if they exist, I know they do on 240's), cut the stock amplifiers out and tape those bishez off so they don't arch. Tuck to the side where you don't need to worry about them. Reattach all of the panels you took off to hide wiring and fire her up!

Plug in your antenna, and RCA's to the HU. Then reinstall to you dash using the bracket your radio came with (if you bought crutchfield or audiodomain.com).

TUNING: To tune your new amp/speaker combo, turn the amplifiers gain nearly all the way down (you still want to hear a LITTLE). Turn the radio as high as it can go without distortion. I suggest some music with PERFECT sound quality such as Story of the Year or Thrice. Even if you don't listen to the bands, the quality of the recording is high, thus so will your system's sound. Back to the point, turn down almost all of the gain on the amp, and then turn up the radio as high as you can do without distortion. (you can use a friend, and remember, sound quality is different when the hatch is shut and open. This WILL take time if you have a hatch. Shut it each time you make an adjustment). Once you have the HU up loud without disortion, turn up the gain little by little until it reaches distortion and then back off a little (why it is good to have a buddy) so what you do no overdrive your new bada$$ speakers and amp. After that, adjust your HU's useage of Bass, mid, highs, and frequency to what you like. Then, repeat the above with the volume and gain.
Modified by frapjap at 10:53 PM 4/28/2007

[lofapoo]

More pics of the Trans?

[frapjap]

Doesn't really pertain to the article, but sure.

[ceningolmo]

nicely done! This should be handy for those who haven't tinkered with the audio in their car yet.

[PoorManQ45]

Nice write-up

[Touchdown038]

Good write-up man, I definitely like the idea of the gain switch on the dash.

[Crunkrich]

Nice write-up, could you elaborate a bit more on the bit with RCA cables, I couldnt quite follow how you connected everything up and tapped into the blue white wire at the same time? I've got a single ten in the trunk that would sound a lot better if I knew how to tune it right. Thanks man

[EW]

FTL!This is the best way to develop corrosion, resistance, & low voltage issues for your main power conection. The proper way to attach additional wiring to a side post battery is to buy a side post battery adapter for $4. It allows the factory connection to make full contact to the positive terminal of the battery and allows accessories to be mounted to a bolt on the end of the adapter. People with side post batteries, do not put wires or ring terminals inbetween your battery and your factory battery cable.

[frapjap]

I agree, but I haven't had any of the symptoms you've mentioned.

When this battary finally dies out, I'll get a dual post one.

[EW]

You don't even need a dual post battery, just the proper terminal.

[PoorManQ45]

You don't even need a dual post battery, just the proper terminal.

They're the same price. So if you can fit it get the dual post. That's what I did

[Gold Digger]

Nice write up, except for one thing. You shouldn't run your RCA wires along the same path as your amp power wire, expecially side by side. You can get "noise" from the power wire bleeding in to your RCAs.

I found this out once after installing an amp in my first car. Had what I thought was alternator whine. Talked to a stereo guru and he looked it over. Found the RCAs next to the power wire, re-routed the RCA's down the oposite side, and bang, no more noise.

Nice write-up, could you elaborate a bit more on the bit with RCA cables, I couldnt quite follow how you connected everything up and tapped into the blue white wire at the same time? I've got a single ten in the trunk that would sound a lot better if I knew how to tune it right. Thanks man

Some RCA cables come with a third wire connected to it for your amplifier's remote power lead. That's what turns your amp on and off with your radio so you don't have constant power to your amp. Good head units come with a remote power wire from the harness that you just splice into. Then, as you run your RCAs to the back, your remote line is already in place.

Does that help you any?