Adding second (4 channel) amp to existing mono amp wiring setup?

[mtx65]

Ok, so currently i have a kenwood kdc-x796 head unit, along with an alpine sws-12d4, and a kenwood 8105d amp, and it all sounds great. i have a stinger 4 gauge wiring kit hooking the amp up, and installation was as much of a breeze as installing an amp could be. But i purchased the alpine type R component speakers for the rear of my vehicle, as well as another pair for the front. i didnt even bother hooking them up because even an excelon head unit cant touch the sound quality an amp would provide. thinking about it from an electrical point of view, i would need a distribution block from the 4 gauge, and to the existing mono amp, as well as the new amp. but this is where im lost. Where do i cut into the existing 4 gauge power wire for the distribution block? do i need a distribution block for grounding as well? and also, regardless of amping 2 or 4 speakers, would i need only one set of RCA cables? (a set being one single cable with positive and negative). Any help would be great guys thanks.

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[zako 10+ year member]

Ok, so currently i have a kenwood kdc-x796 head unit, along with an alpine sws-12d4, and a kenwood 8105d amp, and it all sounds great. i have a stinger 4 gauge wiring kit hooking the amp up, and installation was as much of a breeze as installing an amp could be. But i purchased the alpine type R component speakers for the rear of my vehicle, as well as another pair for the front. i didnt even bother hooking them up because even an excelon head unit cant touch the sound quality an amp would provide.

There is nothing special about excelon's internal amp. I bet it's not different from a $65 Best Buy special Kenwood/Sony head unit. These primarily sell on features other than sound quality (bluetooth, pre-amps, etc). Physically they're made as cheaply as it gets.

thinking about it from an electrical point of view, i would need a distribution block from the 4 gauge, and to the existing mono amp, as well as the new amp. but this is where im lost. Where do i cut into the existing 4 gauge power wire for the distribution block? do i need a distribution block for grounding as well? and also, regardless of amping 2 or 4 speakers, would i need only one set of RCA cables? (a set being one single cable with positive and negative). Any help would be great guys thanks.

Yes, yes. You need distribution block for power and ground. I highly recommend that you take a look at the Knukonceptz Konfused distribution blocks. They come with a variety of spare replaceable fitting rings for 0awg, 4awg, and 8awg wires, so that any connector on the block could use any possible wire size. (you'll be surprised how many otherwise solid amps will not accept a quality 4awg wire..) The power distribution block also comes with the fuses built into it (yes, you need to put a fuse on each amps wire, estimate the amount of current it will need to consume). You get to select the fuse ampere values when you order it. Excellent device.