Stereo/Amp question

[HighwayProwlerz]

I don't want to spend a lot of money, but I'd like a nice sound from my stereo. Currently I have an AIWA 52x4 MP3/CD player with a JL 12W0 sub and front and rear 100w pioneer speakers (whatever the stock size is... 3x5s and 4x6s I guess). My old 200w Pioneer amp bit the dust and I'd like to upgrade. Can someone suggest an amp for around or under $200 that would work for what I have? Looking for around 400 - 500w. Need to be able to hook up my front speakers and my sub to it.

When it comes to car audio, I'm a dummy.

Maybe you have one you want to sell that will work for me???

Also, how would I hook it all up to be right and sound good?

[PontiacGT]

So...you are planning to amp your speakers and your sub as well. If it were me, I'd get 2 separate amps; one for the speakers and one for the sub.

The JL 12W0 is rated at 125w RMS, (SVC @ 4ohm) which is fairly small so you could get a cheap amp for that pretty easily.

So...do you plan to amp 4 speakers in the cabin or just the front 2? I am a bit confused by your post.

Like I said, if it were me I'd get 2 separate amps, just because 2 or 4 speakers plus a single sub on one amp seems odd to me. Maybe someone else can give you a better suggestion.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by HighwayProwlerz
I don't want to spend a lot of money, but I'd like a nice sound from my stereo. Currently I have an AIWA 52x4 MP3/CD player with a JL 12W0 sub and front and rear 100w pioneer speakers (whatever the stock size is... 3x5s and 4x6s I guess).
Unless you're talking about the Porsche, they should be 4x6 up front and 6x9 in the rear ;)

Originally posted by HighwayProwlerz
My old 200w Pioneer amp bit the dust and I'd like to upgrade. Can someone suggest an amp for around or under $200 that would work for what I have? Looking for around 400 - 500w. Need to be able to hook up my front speakers and my sub to it.
Hmm if you have a W0, I thought those were only rated for like 150W RMS or so, no? So you probably won't need as much power as 500W, even for the entire system. 200W RMS should be plenty for that sub (probably too much)... You'll easily burn the coils on nearly any 4x6s with any more than 35W RMS as well... 6x9s may take a little more power but I'd keep those under 50W RMS too (personally I'd disconnect them altogether but that's just me).

What impedance is your W0? I'm assuming it's 4-ohms?

The easiest way to do it would be to get a 4-channel amp and drive either the front or rear speakers with two channels (your choice really but keep in mind the 4x6s aren't going to take much power), and bridge the other two channels to drive your sub (if it's 4 ohms this will work out nicely).

If you want to drive all 4 speakers and the sub with one amp you're going to have to find a 5-ch amp, those of which are more expensive and not many are made; plus the power levels for most of them these days is well beyond what you need.

Lightning Audio used to make some very nice unequal power amps that worked quite nicely for a situation like yours but not any longer. :(

Something like a Kicker ZX200.4 or ZX350.4 would probably do the job pretty good for you. The ZX200.4 is "only" rated to do 35Wx4 into 4-ohms and bridged, one side will do 100W for the sub, but keep in mind the amp will do more than that (as you'll see if you look at some Kicker birthsheets). ZX350.4 is 60Wx4 into 4 I believe, with bridging two channels giving 175W (though iit'll be closer to 200W in reality). Problem with that amp is that the 60W driving the 4x6s is going to be a little bit much for them. You could just keep the gain low perhaps...

Also there's the MTX TC4001 which is probably a little more powerful than the Kicker ZX350.4 which is looking like it's more power than you need already.

There's lots of other amps out there but those are just a few suggestions for you. Those run between $100 and $200.

Originally posted by HighwayProwlerz
Also, how would I hook it all up to be right and sound good?
Well considering you have the sub and amp there already (?) it'll be pretty simple. Just unhook the old amp and hook up the new one really. If you have 8 gauge wire or larger from the battery already, you're good to go. You will have to run new speaker wires to whatever speakers you plan to power, but other than that everything should be pretty much plug and play. Just put the amp in, connect it up (make sure you disconnect the battery or mainline fuse when you do this), set your crossovers and gains and everything should work out nicely. :)

[Pte Socks]

Hehehe Katlyn, didnt we just set you up with a stereo like last year, or was that 2 years ago now? sheesh, I guess time flies when your having fun. As for idea for a new amp, again a pioneer amp isnt bad as they are quite cheap. But id definatly recommend a nice 4 channel amp that is making around 200 to 250 W rms. 400 - 500 is just gonna hurt you nice little W0. If your running front 4x6's, then chances are they can handle between 25W and 50 W rms, though I cant remember what ones your running again. Either way, id recommend a 250W amp. Also, does it matter to you where you buy it? I know ebay/internet prices are quite a bit cheaper than store prices, but then you have to worry about the person your buying it off of. Oh, I just looked on the alpine site and found one for ya.
MRP-F250
4/3/2 Channel Power Amplifier
Per channel into 4 ohms: 40W x 4 (0.08% THD)
• Per channel into 2 ohms: 50W x 4
• Brigded 4 ohms: 180W x 2
Something like that which runs for 200$ US from alpine would make a good little system. Hope that helps

[HighwayProwlerz]

Yes, but I was hoping to get a little more wattage. I'm really asking because the 200w Pioneer amp bit the dust (not sure why). I want to amp the front two and the sub, the rear is connected directly to the stereo.

So you all are recommending another 200w amp like the one I had before? Maybe I can upgrade the sub too?

Alright... so say I am going to change the sub and the amp... with a nice 350-500w amp what size sub should I get and with what amp? I have a box for a 12". I want to shop on eBay for the stuff but would like to have an idea ahead of time. Like to spend under $350 for both items.

Thank you guys.

[Pte Socks]

How bout a Nice JL 12W3 V2 and a JL 450/4 amp. The main problem is the price, a 450/4 will likely cost you a bit. You could also look at Alpine subs like a Type S, or Eclipse, but your W0, while not that powerful, is definatly a good sub for cheap. You could look at Alpine amps, JL, Kicker or even Clarion has some nice amps. Sorry, those are the brands im most familiar with and would recommend.

[HighwayProwlerz]

Yeah, my JL is nice and I got a deal on it.

Let me look on eBay and post over here and get opinions on what I find.

[HighwayProwlerz]

And I would assume I could go with a 1 or 2 channel amp which would save me some $$ and just power the sub?

[HighwayProwlerz]

Okay... here is AMP #1.

A Rockford Fosgate 450.4 for $150 & $165 (2 auctions)

Number of Channels 4
Rated Power 60 W x 4 @ 4 Ohms RMS
110 W x 4 @ 2 Ohms RMS
225 W x 2 @ 4 Ohms bridged RMS
Total Power 450 Watts
Bridgeable Yes
Crossover Controls High-Pass (HP): 40-400Hz 12dB/octave Butterworth
Low-Pass (LP): 40-400Hz 12dB/octave Butterworth
Tone Controls Bass: 0dB to +18dB @ 45Hz
Signal Input Low level: 2 RCA pair
Input switch: 2/4 ch.
Signal Output Low level: 1 RCA pair
Power Input Connector Block
Power Wire Gauge 4 AWG
Speaker Output Connector Screw terminal barrier strip
Speaker Wire Gauge 8 AWG to 18 AWG
Heat Sink Type Cast aluminum
Cooling Convection
Remote Controls Punch Bass EQ (included with cable)
Visual Indicators Power On
Signal Level
Thermal Status
Speaker Protection
Circuit Topology Class Class A/B
Frequency Response 20Hz to 20kHz +/- 0.5 dB
Dimensions 2.1 x 11 x 16.4 (in)
5.3 x 27.9 x 41.6 (cm)

[HighwayProwlerz]

AMP #2

A Kicker 450.2 for $195

2006 KICKER ZX450.2 2-CH 450 WATTS AMPLIFIER

Specifications :

# RMS Power @ 2 ohm stereo: 225Wx2
# RMS Power @ 4 ohm bridged mono: 450Wx1
# Frequency Response: 20-20k Hz
# S/N Ratio: >95dB
# Input Sensitivity: 125mV-5V(Low Level) / 250mV-10V(High Level)
# KICKEQ Bass Boost Variable to +18dB, centered @ 40Hz
# Crossover: Active @ 50-200Hz (variable), High/Low/All Pass (selectable), 12dB/octave Slope
# Dimension: 9-5/8"W x 2-1/8"H x 16-3/4"L
# Remote Bass Control
# Includes Mounting Hardware and Wiring Acessory Pack

[HighwayProwlerz]

So #1 or #2 with a JL 12W3 sub? Found them for $130 on eBay.

And lastly... how would I wire all this up? If I have the 2 channel amp would I just power the sub and could I power the two front speakers? If I go with the 4 channel amp ?? I'm so confused.

[MantaGreen97]

^LOL I'm confused too. #1 is a 4ch amp, #2 is a 2ch amp... Are you planning on buying both? One for speakers and the other for the sub? Or did you make a mistake, or... ?

You'll need a 4 channel amp if you want to power the speakers as well. Technically speaking you could tri-mode the 2 channel amp to drive two speakers and the sub but this is a complicated way of doing things (you'll either have to buy or build a tri-mode crossover network) and you'll have no control over the power split between the two really and therefore no level control :( Furthermore no one ever actually tri-modes an amp in this day and age, lol.

Sooo.... Stick with a 4ch amp :) (Unless you want to buy a 2ch for the speakers and a mono for the sub or something.)

Since you are going to be upgrading the sub though, I would really recommend you upgrade your front speakers to a 5.25" or 6.5" component set as well--it will handle a lot more power than the 4x6s you have (so it will be a better match for the amplifier output), it will sound better, and it will blend better with the sub's output. Personally if I had to choose one or the other, I would actually upgrade the front stage before the sub. IMO the weakest part in your system (besides having no amp at present, lol) is the front 4x6 speaker set.

[HighwayProwlerz]

No, I wanted one or the other. So okay.... go with the Rockford 4 channel amp, get a JL 12W3 sub, and upgrade the front speakers? I would hook the sub up to channel 1 and the front two speakers to channels 2 and 3. Then maybe later I can get another sub to hook up to the fourth channel?

Almost there.....

Found the install information for 5.25's in the front of the GA.

Any recommendations?

Thanks all. Tired of my stereo sounding like crap.

Here is my list so far...

Rockford Fosgate 450.4 amp
JL 12w3 sub
5.25" adaptors
5.25" speakers (brand?)

[HighwayProwlerz]

What about these for the 5.25's?

http://cgi.ebay.com/TWO-NEW-PYLE-5-25-400-W-CAR-AUDIO-SPEAKER-SPEAKERS_W0QQitemZ150047817209QQihZ005QQcategoryZ1 4941QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150047817209

And this for the sub?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Slightly-Used-JL-Audio-12W3-V2-D2-allmost-new_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38647QQhashZitem130 037757446QQihZ003QQitemZ130037757446QQrdZ1QQsspage nameZWDVW

[HighwayProwlerz]

And found this amp on craigslist

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/ele/220831480.html

It's a 600.4 Rockford Fosgate for $150. I'll probably need a bigger sub than a 12w3 though huh?

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by HighwayProwlerz
No, I wanted one or the other. So okay.... go with the Rockford 4 channel amp, get a JL 12W3 sub, and upgrade the front speakers? I would hook the sub up to channel 1 and the front two speakers to channels 2 and 3. Then maybe later I can get another sub to hook up to the fourth channel?
No no, that's not exactly how it works... What you'll be doing is using 2 channels for the speakers and 2 channels bridged to drive the one sub. Bridging the channels gives you more power (approximately 2x the 2-ohm stereo power). You will need a 4-ohm sub to do this, so either get a 4-ohm SVC or a dual 2-ohm DVC sub (I'm not sure what the 12W3 is available in).


Originally posted by HighwayProwlerz
Almost there.....

Found the install information for 5.25's in the front of the GA.

Any recommendations?
...

What about these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/TWO-NEW-PYLE-5-25-400-W-CAR-AUDIO-SPEAKER-SPEAKERS_W0QQitemZ150047817209QQihZ005QQcategoryZ1 4941QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150047817209
Okay definitely do not get Pyle speakers, lol. Especially when you're going to be running a JL sub and a Fosgate amp. Pyle is a definite bargain basement/flea-market type brand so you'll want to get something a little better.

I'd recommend you go with a component set as well, though coaxials aren't bad.

As a suggestion for a low-cost but decent speaker set, I'd recommend either the Polk Audio dB components or coaxials in that size (model DB5250 and DB525 respectively, IIRC). Coaxial set will be around $70, the comp set perhaps $120.

As for the other Fosgate amp, $150 sounds alright for it, depending on condition. Seller does state the end caps are missing though, so it won't look as nice :( I'm guessing that's a local sale though? What's the power handling on a 12W3 anyway?

[HighwayProwlerz]

Okay, gotcha.

If I get the 600.4 RF amp I found on craigslist I found this sub to go with it... not sure if that it would work though... I am a car stereo dummy like I said before.

Yes, it's a local sale so no shipping (the 600w amp and the JL Audio 12" w6v2 sub here--

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ele/220659664.html

[MantaGreen97]

Wow yeah you're like upgrading with each post, haha! ;)

Well it's a lot better to "upgrade" like this than to do it the "hard way" buying and selling things for years, changing up this and that, before you get what you want LOL...

The W6v2 is a really nice driver in it's class. And worth about $300 US on it's own--$200 with the box is really a good deal. However note now you've got one little complication (if you get that W6). I believe the 12W6 is only made in dual 4-ohm coil configuration (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

Seller doesn't mention it's coil configuration but from JLs site they only list a dual-4 version of it.

What this means is you can't bridge 2 channels to drive that because with dual 4-ohm coils you can only wire it for 2-ohms or 8-ohms total impedance. So you're either going to have to use an amp that is 1-ohm stable in stereo (harder to find, not really worth looking for) or get a 2ch amp to run the speakers and a separate [preferrably class D mono] amp to run the sub.

I.e. The impedance you're going to be driving plays an important role in amp selection.

Hopefully this isn't too confusing!...

[HighwayProwlerz]

Yes, it is a 4 ohm dual.

And yes, I want to do it right this time.

I'm learning.... and not totally confused, no.

Alright.... this is what I am going to go with.... I don't need the larger amp or sub. I was just looking around.

I am going to get the 12w3v2 which is a 2 ohm dual voice coil sub (they are between $60 and $130 on eBay)

I am going to get the 450.4 Rockford Fosgate amp ($150 on eBay)

And a nice set of 5.25 component speakers as suggested.

Sound good??

Now just tell me how to wire it all up to my HU.

[MantaGreen97]

Yeah that amp would be alright for that sub. The 12W6 says 400W RMS but if I'm not mistaken it can handle a bit more than that. If you want a little more power to it, other amps I would suggest off the top of my head would be:
Infinity 611a
Kicker ZX400.1
MTX TC4001
Alpine MRD-M605 (if you like Alpine)
And of course JL's own 500/1 (though it ain't cheap, lol)

But yeah anything 400-600W RMS is apparently a good fit for that sub and the Alpine you linked to that's around $150 isn't bad.

[HighwayProwlerz]

Sounds like way more $$ than I care to spend. But I do appreciate your help.

Everything I found on eBay includes...

450.4 Rockford Fosgate amp - $175 shipped
12w3 v2 JL sub - $75 shipped
Polk Audio component speakers - $123 shipped
for a total around $400 -- I can afford that!!

[MantaGreen97]

LOL I think you edited that post while I was typing mine Katlyn :lol:

Okay if we're back to the W3 and a set of front components, wiring is pretty simple, particularly since you had an amp in there before.

First of all, I should ask what size wire is in there right now? If it's 8ga or larger you'll be fine. If not you'll want to upgrade it to at least 8 gauge. Did you install the first amp yourself or did someone do it for you?

Since you had/have that amp in there already, almost all the work is done for you already. The hardest part will be to run the speaker wire for the front speakers, which isn't hard. You'll need about 30-40ft of speaker wire, 16 gauge or larger will do (I'd recommend 12ga). Running that wire is as easy as going down the side channels of the carpet, all you have to do is unscrew the door sills, lift the carpet and run your wire under there.

If you get a component set you'll have to wire the speaker wire to the crossovers and then wire the speakers from there. Easiest way to do this is to just hide the xovers in the kick panels on each side and run the wires to the tweeter and midrange to the door (through the little rubber hose/conduit that already exists for factory wiring).

[HighwayProwlerz]

Yeah, I did.

It's an 8 gauge yes... might even be a 6 gauge. I did the install myself. The wires for the front speakers are already ran. I would assume I could just pull out the existing front speakers and use the same wires for the component speakers yes? Hmm.... may have to get the stuff then have you help me. I'm just confused on the crossover stuff and bridging the amp. I don't know how to do that sorta stuff.

[sudden_impulse]

That $123 for the Polks are pretty good, $179.99 for them at Crutchfield. Is there anywhere else to get them for a low price other than eBay? I'm not wanting to start a PayPal account but I want something better than the stocks, and in the future an HU to fit.

[HighwayProwlerz]

You don't have to use paypal to pay for stuff on eBay.

[sudden_impulse]

Depends on the seller. I've seen a few sellers refuse any type of payment other than paypal.

[HighwayProwlerz]

This is true.

[HighwayProwlerz]

Okay, found a local seller that has a Rockford 500.2 amp. That's what I am going to get. He wants $130 for it. I assume the 12w3 will work with this as well as 5.25" component speakers? I won't have to do any bridging on the amp. Let me know.

[MantaGreen97]

^An alright price for a 500.2, however the 500.2 is a 2-channel amp, and you're looking for a 4-channel as described previously.

You would have to bridge it to run the 12W3 on that but then you'd only be able to run the sub and not the speakers. (Unless you tri-mode it but as I said before it's more hassle than anything to bother attempting that.)

You might have to keep the search going for the right amp...

[HighwayProwlerz]

My 200w was a 2 channel and I had it on tri-mode with no trouble...at least I think I had it hooked up right. Maybe I'll find a seperate amp for just the speakers. Any suggestions on that one?

[MantaGreen97]

Did you have a tri-mode crossover or were you just hooking up the sub bridged and then the speakers to the L/R +/- terminals :eek: ?

Anyway yeah if you want to go with a separate speaker amp, that's another way to go...

As for suggestions for that, you seem to be doing pretty good so far. ;) If you get the Fosgate amp to run the sub first and you like that, you might try to find a matching one, but lower power of course, for the speakers.

I mean you could tri-mode the amp if you already have a tri-mode crossover but something about tri-moding always annoyed me, lol. As I mentioned before you have no control of the sound levels and power levels and it's more of a round-about way of doing things. Honestly I'm surprised you had the old 2ch amp powering your subs and speakers... Though using tri-mode configuration is indeed possible, I've never seen anyone ever bother with trying that, lol.

[HighwayProwlerz]

I don't know. And that stupid guy never showed up yesterday. I am going to look at that one you sent me.

[MantaGreen97]

^ :( Unfortunately I think the auction ended already. I didn't expect it to last long with a BuyItNow price like that for a brand new in box amp like that...

But there's lots of amps out there, maybe try going for a new Fosgate 450.4 on eBay like you mentioned before? There's also lots of factory refurbished Kicker gear on eBay it seems--that would net you an amp that's like new but at a reduced price...

[HighwayProwlerz]

I'm going to keep looking. I want to get the right one for the right price.

[HighwayProwlerz]

Here is one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/KICKER-KX350-4-4-CH-AMP-350-W-BEST-DEAL-SIM-ZX350-4_W0QQitemZ180041600853QQihZ008QQcategoryZ79823QQr dZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And another..

http://cgi.ebay.com/KICKER-SX700-4-DSP-4-Channel-Amplifier-04SX700-4-NEW_W0QQitemZ220040059522QQihZ012QQcategoryZ79823Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And another..

http://cgi.ebay.com/KICKER-KX650-4-4-CHANNEL-AMPLIFIER-650-WATTS-AMP_W0QQitemZ180040318730QQihZ008QQcategoryZ4950QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Which would you pick and with what sub?

[MantaGreen97]

First one is a refurb KX350.4. Similar to this year's ZX350.4 but with different cosmetics. But yeah those are among some of the refurbs I was taking about. Price is pretty good anyway.

There's actually another eBay seller (hifisoundconnection) that is Kicker authorised even for their refurb gear. Still only a 90-day warranty (compared to 1yr for new stuff), but at least with them you know for sure the amp was refurbed by Kicker themselves or by the third-party Kicker uses to refurb them, and I believe the warranty is through Kicker... (Hifisoundconnection's logo appears on the Kicker authorised dealer list on Kicker.com as well.)

Second one is an SX700.4... It might have started low but it's a brand new amp and it's an SX (Kicker's higher line with built-in DSP) so don't expect that auction to end too cheap. They're around $350, new on eBay.

KX650.4 is a good fit too, the refurbs aren't too pricey and it has a good amount of power. Again, it's last year's model to this years ZX650.4. Perhaps a little too much for the front speakers actually, lol; but two channels bridged on this amp are rated for 325W which would be good with the 12W3 you were thinking about before...

[HighwayProwlerz]

Okay, found that 350.4 via that eBay ID you recommended. Would that work for the 12w3 and the component speakers? He also has the 650.4 Kicker for $142.50. If I went with that and the 12w3 bridged on two channels what would I do with the other two channels if that amp is too much for the front component speakers?

[MantaGreen97]

Yeah the KX350.4 will be alright. It's rated for 175W for 2 channels bridged, so a little less output than the KX650.4 (meaning the sub won't be as loud of course). The W3 is rated for around 300W though so 175W will still be good to run it :)

The 650.4 is rated for something like 90Wx4 into 4-ohms and the birthsheets (not sure if you get those with refurb amps but...) are usually going to be over 110Wx4 easy.

At first I thought that was a little much for the Polk db5250s but apparently (and I didn't realise this at first) Polk recommends up to 100W RMS on them. So that amp is actually a really good match for both the Polk speakers and the JL 12W3 sub :)

[HighwayProwlerz]

alright... then I would assume you think I should go with the 650.4 Kicker with the 12w3 and the Polk DB5250s? Sounds good to me. Hope it sounds awesome together.

[MantaGreen97]

^Yep that looks good to me too :)

Once you have it all together, I doubt you'll be disappointed!

[HighwayProwlerz]

ALRIGHT! Bought the 650.4 Kicker. Anything else I need to get? Now how do I wire this bad boy up?

[HighwayProwlerz]

Here are the specs:

Brand: Kicker
Condition: Factory Renewed
RMS Power Output: 170W x 4 @ 2 Ohm
Peak Power Output: 340W x 4 @ 2 Ohm
Birdged Output: 325W x 2 @ 4 Ohm
Frequency Response: 20-20,000Hz
Input Sensitivity: 13.8V
Bass Boost: 18dB
Built-In Crossovers: Variable 12dB
Ohm Load Stability: 2 Ohm
Low Level Input: Yes
Built in Cooling Fan: Yes
Bass Control Knob: Yes
Dimensions: 22-1/2"W x 2-1/2"H x 9-13/16"D

I've got a bid on the 12w3 and I am going to get the DB5250's you suggested. But what do I do with the tweeters? Do they go where the stock ones are now?

When I get all this stuff I'll need help hooking it all up. I want to get this done right this time.

Thanks.

[HighwayProwlerz]

Will an 8 ga power wire be enough for this larger amp? That's what I have in the car now.

[Pte Socks]

Id recommend 6 gauge or 4 is better. Im running 4 right now and its a mono amp @ 500W. hehehe Katlyn, its a good thing Roland was here to help on all this, your looking at a good setup there.

[HighwayProwlerz]

Yeah, everything should be here and installed within the next couple weeks. I am making a custom deck to install the amp in the trunk.

I ask because I think I have 8 (it might be 6) already in the car from my previous amp and I want to know if I would be okay using it.

I can't wait to get it all hooked up. I miss good sounding tunes in my car.

[MantaGreen97]

Kicker recommends 4 gauge wire as a minimum for that amplifier with at least 80A of fusing. If your 8 gauge is not that long, you could just squeeze by with the 8 gauge. I don't know how long it is from the battery to your trunk but around 14ft should be the maximum for 8 gauge and that amp.

6 gauge is pretty uncommon so it would be unlikely (though not impossible) that you have 6 gauge wire in there already.

I apologise in that I think I made two small mistakes :( One is that the 650.4 actually outputs 120x4 into 4-ohms, not 90x4 (I think an auction on eBay gave the wrong info). That's actually a good thing though, lol. The other thing was that I overlooked considering if you needed larger power wire or not...

4 gauge would actually be ideal, especially if you ever plan on running anything else on that power wire. If you have 8 gauge in there already and want to try to use that, I'd try to make sure the run is as short as is at all possible. Personally I'd fuse a good 8 gauge wire at 80A if it were less than 14ft. and be fine with it; however I wouldn't recommend it to others immediately because that is kind of "pushing it" depending on a few things. It does depend on the brand of wire too as some are underrated and others overrated (yes it unfortunately happens with power wire too). Kicker also says to use 2 gauge for their even larger amps fused at 120A, but I've been running 4 gauge for ages with a 120A fuse on there (and with amplification draw as much as that), lol.

Two options you have (other than keeping the single 8) would be that you could throw a second 8 gauge in there (connecting both to the amp or block) or just replace it with 4 gauge. The ground wire would not even need to be changed really as it's much shorter and can handle more current. 4 gauge complete kits are relatively cheap, however, so it may not be that big a deal. 6 gauge would be fine as well, but note that it isn't easy to find and will probably cost more than 4 gauge because of that. However if 6 is what you have in there already, you'll be fine.

Check the following three things and post back here:
1. What wire gauge size is currently in the car.
2. What brand the wire is.
3. The length of the wire from the battery to the trunk.

[HighwayProwlerz]

I am going to have to replace it anyway because it's not going to be long enough for where the new amp is going to be (in the corner of the trunk near the driver's side taillight). I will go with the 4ga kit, know where I could get one for a decent price? Maybe someone on here has use for an 8ga power wire with a fuse for an amp??? Sell it to ya real cheap. :)

[HighwayProwlerz]

This is what the specs say...

RMS Power Output: 170W x 4 @ 2 Ohm
Peak Power Output: 340W x 4 @ 2 Ohm
Bridged Output: 325W x 2 @ 4 Ohm

Will the paperwork tell me how to hook all this stuff up? The amp will be here tomorrow, the sub will be here Saturday or Monday and the components you recommended will be here before the end of next week. My custom mounting unit for the amp will be done by the weekend.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by HighwayProwlerz
I will go with the 4ga kit, know where I could get one for a decent price?

Hmm, since you seem to require only the power/ground wire, fuse holder and perhaps one more set of RCAs, the KnuKonceptz eKo series 4 gauge kit would probably be a good bet. It includes those things mentioned, and think it's around $30 US shipped (either from eBay or try their website directly).

[HighwayProwlerz]

Thanks. Or maybe I can find one at Best Buy or Frys or something?

[MantaGreen97]

Frys I'm not too familiar with, being Canadian :P However I'm almost certain Best Lie is going to be waaay overpriced, unless it's a big sale (which I've never seen for "accessories" in Canada, though it may happen state-side).

Believe it or not you can get decent stuff at Wal-Mart for good prices. If you go to Wal-Mart look for the Scosche kits they should have. The Scosche 4 gauge wire is alright. I doubt you can just buy the wire on it's own there, so it'll have to be a kit. Alternately you could check out local car audio shops to see how much they want per foot for whatever brand 4 gauge they sell.

Note: If you somehow come across "Raptor" branded wire, do NOT purchase it! Raptor, a sub-brand of Metra, is a really poor economy line--Raptor 4 gauge is pretty much 8 gauge wire with a thick jacket :roll2: I'd say the same for other unknown brands as you may end up getting wire that is labelled as 4 gauge but is actually a lot smaller in reality.

[HighwayProwlerz]

Fry's is the ultimate electronics superstore.... it's like Disneyland for adults!!! They'll probably have the stuff at a decent price. I'll check Wal-Mart too. And thanks for the heads up about the bad stuff. I'll get some feedback from the car audio guys at Fry's and see what I can get. I'll have a gazillion things to choose from no doubt.

OH!! I have to get you photos of my custom box/mount I made that fits in the trunk for my amp. Turned out really good. Should have the stereo done by next weekend (I hope).

Thanks for all your help.