4 Channel Amp.

[ggrsteven]

Hi Guys,

My name is Kris and please don't laugh too much. I am 22 and trying to show my brother & friends I can install my own system. I have a 2003 Tiburon. I have replaced the head unit with an Alpine 7897 sounds awesome. It has 3 sets of outputs. 1 for front 1 for rear 1 for sub. My car has a factory amp installed that I would like to take out. I have a Kenwood KAC-749S 4 channel 500W and a 200W for my 10" Fosgate Sub.

First question. If I just cut the power to the built in amp and use RCA Cables back to my amps from the HU, do I have to rewire the speakers.

Second. Is this a decent amp. Should I run it in Tri-mode without the other amp?

Thanks in advance.

KG

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[pimpedoutblazer 10+ year member]

your goin to have to run sound wire from the amp to the speakers... easily done by runnin them to the h/u instead of to each speaker itself.

it'll work if your not bumpin to impress. if you run in tri - mode... your goin to need a crossover which would make it sound cleaner. i'd just use both amps since you have them... so much easier.

 

[CarAudioAddict 10+ year member]

I agree with pimpedoutblazer

Except that you will have to run speakers wires directly to each speaker (or at least to where the factory amp was) and splice into the factory wiring.

I suggest using both amps. Since your deck has a subwoofer output (has a built in X-over), you don't need an external X-over. Another bonus - you can control the X-over point from the deck (if the decks supports it)

One question though. Are you installing the stereo for yourself, or just to impress your brother/friends.

If it's the latter, I suggest you develop a real interest in car audio, and make the sound of your car your own. Every install reflects the owner. An "impression system" (made up term) sounds just like that, trying to impress others.

A Stereo should reflect your attitude and personality - only then will it sound like it should.

 

[CarAudioAddict 10+ year member]

I really don't recommend that. Most factory amps aren't bridgable.

 

[Rockman 10+ year member]

Originally posted by Jmac Yeah, I hate those "only bought it to impress. Check out my bandpass box, neon, pimp deck, huge 15" subwoofers, Rockford amp, stock speakers, dimming lights, and rattling door panels" systems ...

 

Then they go into a car that sounds good and all they care about is that the bass isn't loud enough. I tend to call people like that morons, but I guess that's just what they want out of an audio system. They like brute force, I like finesse ...

 

Anyways, about the amp ...

 

Here's my reviews of the Kenwood KAC-929

 

CarAudio.com Review

 

SoundDomain.com Review

 

I'd use the factory amp to power the rear speakers and then use the Kenwood to power the front speakers and the sub.

 

So ...

 

Take the factory amp (I'm assuming it's also a 4-channel) and bridge each of the speakers off of it (Left speaker off channels 1 and 2 combined, right speaker off channels 3 and 4 combined.)

 

Then, use channels 1 and 2 on the Kenwood amplifier to run the front speakers and bridge channels 3 and 4 together to run a 4 ohm subwoofer.

How is he going to get signal to the factory amp. Are they low level in or speaker level inputs.

 

[lamontjersey 10+ year member]

i dont mean to be rude but, why are you guys giving this man advice w hen you dont even know what kind of factory amp he has in his car, the rating of that factory amp, and most of all, how this stuff is wired up???

here is my advice to you, first of all, you need to tell us, what kind of factory amp it has. tell us how many channels, how many watts, into how many ohms, is it bridgeable. does it have high or low level inputs or both. how many.

true what that other guy said, most factory car amps arent bridgeable. Im going to make some assumptions about this amp, then give you my opinion based on those assumptions.

number one, i assume this factory amp has 4 channels, driving four speakers. high level inputs only. this means you are going to have to run low level wires from the unit to the trunk.

how many wires will you have to run? well, assuming your are going to be driving four speakers and one subwoofer, i would say run 6 channels of rca wires, run one big fat wire for the amp's power , run two wires for remote turn on leads ( incase you want to be able to turn the sub off seperately for some reason)

the wires for the speakers will all be found at the old amplifier just reuse them.

there's a lot more to say and a few more tricks i can tell you to do to save money and how to reuse the factory wiring that's already there. but, you have to tell us exactly what you have in your car and how its wired.

 

[F.A.M. 10+ year member]

Originally posted by CarAudioAddict I agree with pimpedoutblazer

 

Except that you will have to run speakers wires directly to each speaker (or at least to where the factory amp was) and splice into the factory wiring.

 

I suggest using both amps. Since your deck has a subwoofer output (has a built in X-over), you don't need an external X-over. Another bonus - you can control the X-over point from the deck (if the decks supports it)

 

One question though. Are you installing the stereo for yourself, or just to impress your brother/friends.

 

If it's the latter, I suggest you develop a real interest in car audio, and make the sound of your car your own. Every install reflects the owner. An "impression system" (made up term) sounds just like that, trying to impress others.

 

A Stereo should reflect your attitude and personality - only then will it sound like it should.

Someone who sounds like they konw what they are talking about!

Anyways, he pretty much hit it on the dot. If you have 2 amps, run them, they will be better then any factory amps that you might have in your car.