Sound System

[VCWGN]

Well the time has come to start collecting stereo gear for the car. Ive never really been a stereo person, so this is pretty new for me. Im looking to do it right the first time round.

Anyways im looking at putting a DVD headunit in, screens in the rear of the headrests, 6.5 inch splits in the front doors and 6x9's in the rear tail gate area. Im also looking at putting two 10 inch subs in the back also. The 6x9's will be run on a 600watt amp and the subs off a 1000 watt amp. Then i come to a complete hault.

I cant get any sense from any car audio places and every place tries to lead to all different brands and says that other places ive been know shit.

My questions are:
Am i on the right path on with how i want to set it up?
What are the best brands to buy? (im looking at Punch subs, Alpine Type R speakers and Alpine amps, i dunno with the screens and headunit just yet)
And whats the best amp kits to buy and the thickness of the guages recommended i get? (ive been told 8 guage will do both fine, but i was thinking of using 8 guage for the amp thats for the speakers, and 4 guage for the amp that will run the subs)
Oh and one last question, what would be the best speaker wire to use?

Ive also looked into batterys aswell. Ive been told the Optima Yellow Top is good, with a better alternator, will this battery be good enough to run it all? or will i have to run a second battery? (more things will be added to the car like alarm, central locking, maybe an electric sunroof - if i can, LED's, guages and engine conversion - carby to efi etc.)

Any help would be great.....ps i know these are dumb questions but i need to make sure im going along the right path

Cheers
John

[WOODY]

alpine subs, amps and speakers, pioneer head deck, all speakers ran of a 800 watt 4 channel amp, subs ran of the monoblock, also a cap would help to keep power levels up, any think else feel free to ask

[danskee]

im running:- Sony Explode Headset
MTX 6" Thunder splits for the front
MTX 6" normal speakersfor the back
MTX 12" Sub
MTX X300D 300 watts ClassD Amplifier - running the sub
MTX X704 280 watts 4 Channel Amplifier - running the speakers

out of mine, i bought the set up ofr my old car a honda civic. sounds soo much better in the wagon. As for batterys im still using the one that was in her when i bought her.

[Sly]

Anyways im looking at putting a DVD headunit in, screens in the rear of the headrests, 6.5 inch splits in the front doors and 6x9's in the rear tail gate area. Im also looking at putting two 10 inch subs in the back also. The 6x9's will be run on a 600watt amp and the subs off a 1000 watt amp. Then i come to a complete hault.

My questions are:
Am i on the right path on with how i want to set it up?
What are the best brands to buy? (im looking at Punch subs, Alpine Type R speakers and Alpine amps, i dunno with the screens and headunit just yet)
And whats the best amp kits to buy and the thickness of the guages recommended i get? (ive been told 8 guage will do both fine, but i was thinking of using 8 guage for the amp thats for the speakers, and 4 guage for the amp that will run the subs)
Oh and one last question, what would be the best speaker wire to use?

Ive also looked into batterys aswell. Ive been told the Optima Yellow Top is good, with a better alternator, will this battery be good enough to run it all? or will i have to run a second battery? (more things will be added to the car like alarm, central locking, maybe an electric sunroof - if i can, LED's, guages and engine conversion - carby to efi etc.)

Any help would be great.....ps i know these are dumb questions but i need to make sure im going along the right path

Cheers
John

To start with Pioneer would be a great choice for a head unit and screens.
as far as speakers go and depending on how serious you want to get i've always liked the kevlar coned pioneer range that are competition rated for 6x9 and 6 inch splits. The subs I would go with a set of Fusions or JBL's along with the amps Fusion tend to do the job pretty well.
Coming from an auto electricians perspective with the wiring for the speakers i'd go a an oxygen free speaker cable that can be found at dick smiths or jaycar. The wiring for the amps and speakers it's always good to go bigger then what you will ever need or if you may want to upgrade in the fuuture it will be already setup, doing this will also stop voltage drop and heat on any wires running from the front of the car to the back especially for the amps or dual Battery.
Depending on what engine is going in i would look at getting a 180 amp alternator along with setting up a dual battery systems and a continueous duty solenoid so the subs and amp do not drain your engine and starting battery but will alow the alternator to charge both batteries without either being connected when the car is switched off.
The optime yellow top will do the job but try a dual system setup along with a capacitor for the subs not only will this alow for a better sound from the subs but will also help your alternator with charging and stop the head lights flickering everytime the beat hits.
But as i said it depends how serious you want to get with it if you were going to start building a nice fuel injected engine for it i would probably go for a seven inch screen for the head unit along with a vehicle dynamics module, this will alow for GPS, rearview camera, USB ports for MP3 players and a whole range of different things.
With the vehicle dynamics module installed you can check to see how the vehicle is running at all times and if installed correctly with certain setups you can do a live change of how your car can handle and run.

Anyway i'll stop rambling i could talk about this shit all day, i've probably left you with more questions than answers but if you do get stuck with wiring setups or alternators or anything give me a yell.
Dave

[danskee]

Im also looking at putting two 10 inch subs in the back also.

i was just reading this again, ive got one 12 inch in my wagon and ive had to turn it right down at the amp. I had two 10's in the honda the 12 sounds heaps better but as i have already said ive got it turned right down at the amp im not sure if i have to do it coz its running off its own amp or wat so yer

Dani

[VCWGN]

To start with Pioneer would be a great choice for a head unit and screens.
as far as speakers go and depending on how serious you want to get i've always liked the kevlar coned pioneer range that are competition rated for 6x9 and 6 inch splits. The subs I would go with a set of Fusions or JBL's along with the amps Fusion tend to do the job pretty well.
Coming from an auto electricians perspective with the wiring for the speakers i'd go a an oxygen free speaker cable that can be found at dick smiths or jaycar. The wiring for the amps and speakers it's always good to go bigger then what you will ever need or if you may want to upgrade in the fuuture it will be already setup, doing this will also stop voltage drop and heat on any wires running from the front of the car to the back especially for the amps or dual Battery.
Depending on what engine is going in i would look at getting a 180 amp alternator along with setting up a dual battery systems and a continueous duty solenoid so the subs and amp do not drain your engine and starting battery but will alow the alternator to charge both batteries without either being connected when the car is switched off.
The optime yellow top will do the job but try a dual system setup along with a capacitor for the subs not only will this alow for a better sound from the subs but will also help your alternator with charging and stop the head lights flickering everytime the beat hits.
But as i said it depends how serious you want to get with it if you were going to start building a nice fuel injected engine for it i would probably go for a seven inch screen for the head unit along with a vehicle dynamics module, this will alow for GPS, rearview camera, USB ports for MP3 players and a whole range of different things.
With the vehicle dynamics module installed you can check to see how the vehicle is running at all times and if installed correctly with certain setups you can do a live change of how your car can handle and run.

Anyway i'll stop rambling i could talk about this shit all day, i've probably left you with more questions than answers but if you do get stuck with wiring setups or alternators or anything give me a yell.
Dave


Wow....thanks mate, answers everything i wanted :D and basically yeah im serious about getting the stereo set up right, im looking to hit the 130db mark (dunno if it will though). Plans are to drop an LS1 in it, will this still require the 180 amp alternator or will a 120 do just fine for this? Ill also be moving the battery to the tailgate area also, what would be the best thickness of cabling to use? Would i have to use 0 guage for power and earth? There is also something else i want in it, ill pm you about that though.
Thanks :worship:

[VCWGN]

i was just reading this again, ive got one 12 inch in my wagon and ive had to turn it right down at the amp. I had two 10's in the honda the 12 sounds heaps better but as i have already said ive got it turned right down at the amp im not sure if i have to do it coz its running off its own amp or wat so yer

Dani

The whole reason im looking to run two 10s is cause of the music i listen to. Heavy metal/rock/nu metal etc where double kicker drums are used and are extremely quick. Ive been told (by an audio shop) that 10's will be the best size to use for what i want.

[WOODY]

2 10's and a 12 :D that would get ya close to 130db

[Sly]

The whole reason im looking to run two 10s is cause of the music i listen to. Heavy metal/rock/nu metal etc where double kicker drums are used and are extremely quick. Ive been told (by an audio shop) that 10's will be the best size to use for what i want.

Even with the type of music you listen to 10's are usually best for a really basic setup but if you are going with the dual battery and the capacitor this will increase both the decibel output and also the sound quality I.E. the capacitor setup will help the 12's receive the necessary power for the quick doubles kicks in the music better, hence decibel and quality.

[danskee]

The whole reason im looking to run two 10s is cause of the music i listen to. Heavy metal/rock/nu metal etc where double kicker drums are used and are extremely quick. Ive been told (by an audio shop) that 10's will be the best size to use for what i want.

i listen to doof doof cant go wrong with a bit of MOS :D and Wham!

[Vixen]

Go the Wham, Danni!! :lmao:

[VCWGN]

:lmao: Wham = Fail! :flame:

[danskee]

ohhhh dont you like a bit of wake me up before you go go??

[Vixen]

:lmao: Wham = Fail! :flame:
Well .... that was a 'Careless Whisper'!! ;)

[VCWGN]

ohhhh dont you like a bit of wake me up before you go go??

Umm no
Well .... that was a 'Careless Whisper'!! ;)

Your not the first to say that....i heard it "Last Christmas" :lmao:

[GKW]

ohhhh dont you like a bit of wake me up before you go go??

Dani, as I said before, if it's 'WHAM', don't wake me before you go, go go! :)


HDTWGN:
1332

[Vixen]

You're a couple of 'Bad Boys' .... :D

[VCWGN]

Dani, as I said before, if it's 'WHAM', don't wake me before you go, go go! :)


HDTWGN:
1332

:lmao:

[GKW]

You're a couple of 'Bad Boys' .... :D

And...loving it!

[BlackOne]

Sounds like you are 'Spinning that wheel'. :lmao: