GOING IT SOLO, NEED SOME GUIDANCE PLS...

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CRACKLES-4130

CarAudio.com Newbie
Hi guys, this is my first post so I guess it's my intro thread, too!
Name's, Craig, I'm from Melbourne, Australia and I'm attempting my first "full blown" install without help. Just me. My general approach to all things in life are to measure twice and cut once so as you'd expect I've been using the Google Machine like a madman, soaking up as much knowledge and free info as I can.
I've kinda found myself here by accident, tbh...
It all began with my missus asking me to take a look at the factory head unit in her car - it had apparently eaten a CD and refused to give it up...
One thing led to another and before I knew it the dash was apart and said culprit h/u was in my hands, no CD in it's gob... 🤔
Turns out one of those micro ribbon thingys had come a guts, rendering the unit unable to give back any discs that had been swapped in.
Lucky it was empty.
I mentioned to her that aftermarket h/u's are reasonably priced and far better than the factory stock units and that we should look into it. She loves her music (Green Day, U2, Mazzy Star, Pixies etc etc...) so I thought it fitting we get some nicer sounds in her whip!
Oh, it's a 2004 Toyota Celica ZR aka "GTS" to the rest of the world. It's got the horny 2zz 1.8lt 8500rpm 4-pot screamer donk in it...
I temporarily removed a JVC single din h/u from my car to make sure there was no other "surprises" after spending money on a new head unit for her and yup, one of her speakers had a torn rubber surround and another had a loose wire where it attaches to the cone so I recommended that we replace the speakers, too.
She gave me that "ugh-huh" look, which we all know means how much is this going to cost lol 😂
I told her to relax and she'll be right! 😊
One thing led to another and basically here we are...
I've got her interior completely stripped of the front & rear seats and door trims/rear trims and dash panels. I'm going to be adding new wiring.
I found some stuff in my garage from past stereo installs (not by me - I'm new to this) and friends/family pre-loved bits & pieces.
First I found a ported sub box to suit a 12", then I found the sub. Next I came across a Pioneer 2-CH amp followed by an Altec Lansing 2-CH amp followed by yet another amp! A Boss Audio 500w rms 4-CH...
Then I came across a pair of JL AUDIO 5x7" 2-way speakers. Geeze I was starting to build a stereo!!
I took a look at eBay and found a brand new (2004 vintage) Sony X-plod 6.5" co-axials for a great price and now, apart from speaker and hook up wiring, it was looking like the missus was going to have a nice little upgrade stereo system in her pocket rocket for very little outlay! And my garage got some appreciated free space back, too!
Oops, forgot the head unit!
Unfortunately the popular brands of double din head units that were on offer (especially here, in Australia) were just too far out of our price range so I went Chinese. I know, I know...
It's the first thing I'll be replacing after I save the cash!
Then I found out about "THE BIG 3"...🤔
Right, down to the local electronics store...
I got a few meters of each black & red 2-gauge ofc wire cable, a 100A fusable link, some lug things, shrink tube, protective shield stuff and some "decent" battery terminals are in the post...
I think I'm on the right track!

So much for removing a stuck CD...

I'll post pics of everything I've got and my question is, which out of all of it should I use and what size wire should I use for amp hook-up (I'm not very good at working out the amps and limits that will be placed on the system as a whole)
Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure I've got to throw another fuseable link or two at the system and some bits & pieces in missing I'm sure...
Capacitors??
Anyway, my apologies for the long-winded intro, I tend to ramble on a bit lol...

This is what I thought...
Sony 6.5's - fr. doors - driven by a 2-CH amp
JL AUDIO 5x7's - rear panels - driven by channels 3 & 4 of the 4-CH amp
12" Clarion sub in box - in boot/rear cargo area - driven by bridged channels 1 & 2 of said 4-CH amp...

Am I on the right track??

Also, stupid head unit only has ONE pair of RCA outs... 🤔
I've got a couple of "Y" harnesses...
Hmm...

As I said, any guidance on connecting all of this plus what gauge wire I should be using would be most appreciated. I want to do this correctly the first time.

Thanks so much!

Crackles.
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It was too much reading
Where did you store that stuff, in a sandbox ;)
Ok what your trying do do will work but how well is a whole different subject.
You have 1 RCA out and by the time you split it into 3 the voltage on it will be no different than use the high level inputs.
You want to run 200 watts into the sub which I'm guessing it what its RMS is since they only give peak however in the condition it is in you will probably tear it apart really quickly.
That's if the box doesn't crumble apart first.
You should always have the sub/s on their own amp not sharing a side of a 4 channel.
My suggestion is to just put the new HU in, and have it run the 4 speakers for now
When you can get a new sub, box, and a mono amp to run it.
That sub doesn't look like its going to last long and then your going to have a bit a bass and then loose it which is worse then never having it at all.
When you get the new stuff then you can wire in one of the 4 channels to run the front speakers.
No need to re wire everything, you can just splice into the speaker wire behind the HU and then run it back to the amp
 
Too much reading..?

I included pictures, too!! hahaaa!!

Yep, handwriting is all but gone into the realms of lost artforms and it seems our will (ability..?) to read is going top follow the same demise...

Such a shame....

Firstly, thanks man for taking the time to reply. Very much appreciated and I kept the sh1t on my backporch for about 15 years lol
Like I said, I came across it hehe...
Not worth running that sub?
Done. I'll get rid of it straight away. You reinforced my initial thoughts on the box as well... They're meant to be super air tight, correct? It looks a disgrace (which I would of "prettied" in the end lol) so would you think it a good idea to perhaps, on the proviso that the box is sound, I replace the sub and (I'm just tossing ideas around, not contradicting, btw....) use one of the 2-CH amps for the X-Plods up front and splitting the channel (or use another hook-up method??) to use another one of the amps to power the replacement sub in refreshed (or replaced) enclosure..? Not worry about the rear speakers at all, even? I took a chance on that bloody h/u and the fkr bit me dammit haha! Only one pre-out wtf!!?

Borderline hilarious, ehhhhhhh.....

Or just use the best amp to somehow drive all 4 speakers and call it a day? We don't "have" to have a sub, but they are nice. Especially when the tunes turn punk or thrashy...

It's dark here so in the morning I'll pull the sub, check over and report back on the condition of the box, and have a re-think on layout...

Cheers man and thankyou for your informative response. You could of just said that all this stuff is **** and to go kick stones, I guess...
 
I would find a 3-way or 4-way electronic crossover. 1 Pair of RCA's in, 3 or 4 pairs out. That way you can have a decent voltage going to each amplifier you use.

Rear speakers are ok, but not needed. Running just the front speakers will simplify the install. "usually"

I'd re-carpet the sub box. If the sub works, cool, if not, replace the sub.
 
I would find a 3-way or 4-way electronic crossover. 1 Pair of RCA's in, 3 or 4 pairs out. That way you can have a decent voltage going to each amplifier you use.

Rear speakers are ok, but not needed. Running just the front speakers will simplify the install. "usually"

I'd re-carpet the sub box. If the sub works, cool, if not, replace the sub.
Hi there and cheers for the response 👍🏼😊
I have actually just finished looking into a 4-CH 150 watt line out converter in the hopes that it could sort out my (lack of) RCA's... 🤔
So you think something like this would be a good idea?
What I can see happening is over capitalising on, essentially, a piece of sh1t, when instead, I could of thrown a better used chunk of coin at a "decent" head unit, doing away the need for bandaid fixes and potential disappointments...
I saw "4x45 watt rms output" & "1080p display" and thought that it would be an OK h/u... Oh well, live and learn...
I came across a 12" Kicker sub in box with a matched Rockford Fosgate mono amp for very affordable money this afternoon in town. I sent the seller an offer. If they accept I'll be collecting it as soon as I can. If it wasn't for this bloody double din arrangement on the misso's car I'd be home free, pretty much! I've got a really good Alpine single din h/u and also the afore mentioned JVC that I would of happily donated to the cause...
She's seen the touchscreen display of the Chinese double din I got her so the excitement levels are up there lol...
I also considered (yep, my brain is going overtime on this damn install!) running two 6.5" or 8" drivers in the rear side panels off one of the amps and do away with the sub box. I'm just not sure the bass would be adequate as the difference between 8" & 12" is quite a bit, well, in terms of home Hi-Fi it is. I did some testing this morning on my home set up with a few different speaker size configurations and one of my speaker sets has dual 8" drivers. They sound good, but the 3-ways with 12" woofer sound far superior. Especially at low levels. I guess I could just get to installing what I've got and see how it sounds. I'm not trying to impress an audiophile nutter so there's no pressure to deliver an epic listening experience. She's just happy that I'm willing to dig in and have a crack at something I know nothing about.
I'm about to go and suss that sub box out, see if it can actually be used. I can get a "decent" 12" sub (new) and mono amp (used) for affordable (around $110 all up) money if my box is up to it...
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Hi there and cheers for the response 👍🏼😊
I have actually just finished looking into a 4-CH 150 watt line out converter in the hopes that it could sort out my (lack of) RCA's... 🤔
So you think something like this would be a good idea?
What I can see happening is over capitalising on, essentially, a piece of sh1t, when instead, I could of thrown a better used chunk of coin at a "decent" head unit, doing away the need for bandaid fixes and potential disappointments...
I saw "4x45 watt rms output" & "1080p display" and thought that it would be an OK h/u... Oh well, live and learn...
I came across a 12" Kicker sub in box with a matched Rockford Fosgate mono amp for very affordable money this afternoon in town. I sent the seller an offer. If they accept I'll be collecting it as soon as I can. If it wasn't for this bloody double din arrangement on the misso's car I'd be home free, pretty much! I've got a really good Alpine single din h/u and also the afore mentioned JVC that I would of happily donated to the cause...
She's seen the touchscreen display of the Chinese double din I got her so the excitement levels are up there lol...
I also considered (yep, my brain is going overtime on this damn install!) running two 6.5" or 8" drivers in the rear side panels off one of the amps and do away with the sub box. I'm just not sure the bass would be adequate as the difference between 8" & 12" is quite a bit, well, in terms of home Hi-Fi it is. I did some testing this morning on my home set up with a few different speaker size configurations and one of my speaker sets has dual 8" drivers. They sound good, but the 3-ways with 12" woofer sound far superior. Especially at low levels. I guess I could just get to installing what I've got and see how it sounds. I'm not trying to impress an audiophile nutter so there's no pressure to deliver an epic listening experience. She's just happy that I'm willing to dig in and have a crack at something I know nothing about.
I'm about to go and suss that sub box out, see if it can actually be used. I can get a "decent" 12" sub (new) and mono amp (used) for affordable (around $110 all up) money if my box is up to it... View attachment 28045
I think a line output converter can be a pain to get the gains right.

I was thinking something like this item:

 
I think a line output converter can be a pain to get the gains right.

I was thinking something like this item:

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Oh yeah nice that looks like a bit of alright!
A high level adapter came with the Blaupunkt 2-CH amp, could I use it to pick up off the front speaker wires, into the Blaupunkt to drive the X-plod's and then use the Rockford Fosgate amp (which I just picked up!) off the head unit's rca outs to power the sub and if it will allow, the rear JL AUDIO 5x10's..?

I'm hoping I don't need to spend any more money lol....

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OP has very much over-complicated this whole thing and very possibly shot himself in the foot from the get go with that bootleg Chinese head unit. Then again, I think selection of equipment is extremely limited or expensive on that side of the world.

Y splitters to all amps should function fine. #2 cable to a distro block and #8 gauge to those amps should be adequate. 100A fuse up by the battery should be OK, if you open them too often you can bump that up a bit.

I'd try to run sub off the Rockford then use the Altec 4 channel to fronts and rears. Honestly if you didn't already have that crap laying around I'd say just get a 2 channel amp and run just some better quality fronts and delete the rears.
 
The Blaupunkt has pass through RCA's that could run to another amp so does the RF amp. He may not need any splitters if he just uses the pass thru's.
Yep. Pass thru's from Blaupunkt to R/F was my initial thoughts.

I've almost completed the "BIG 3" wiring so I'll be moving onto running the power cables, RCA's & speaker wiring soon after.
Picking up yet more stuff tomorrow but not sure if it will be required on this system. My daily (Nissan Maxima) has only received a speaker replacement - R/F P1675's in front & rear doors - so whilst I'm on a roll I might as well upgrade the stereo in it!

Yeah, I'm never going to live that fkn head unit down...
 
I am going to jump in this boat soon. Those Android units look too tempting. I want the firsthand experience now. Also, I am tired of my Pioneer connect time and connection reliability.
Haha yay someone on "my side"!! 😂🤣
Mate, the fact that it's only got one set of pre-outs is about the only "fault" I can find with it...
It may not have the fastest processor or 1 million giga's of storage space but it's got a few things going for it like 1080p+ resolution, it will play ANY audio/video format, 50x4 watt output, GPS antenna input, SD card reader, USB x2, Video in & out, Bluetooth blah blah so unless it shits the bed early on I think I've done pretty well for AUD$61.00 delivered to my door (in less than 10 days, too!)
Also, I've found with Bluetooth connectivity, the connecting device has more to do with how user friendly it is and whether or not you have a frustrating time. My Samsung Galaxy S10+ shits all over my other phone, an S8+, like it's night & day so I'm hoping it will be fine for it's intended purpose. To play music. If it does a decent job of navigation then that's a bonus! 😊
I do hope it has a multi band EQ, that could be a deal breaker for me. Simple "BASS" & "TREBLE" just won't cut it...
Mind you, I might be able to tweak the crossovers and levels in the amps if the head unit doesn't have the adjustment range. Meh, I can mess with the sound output settings on my phone anyways...

I got another amp, this one is a 4x150 (rms) Audioline. Yep, a cheapy but is prolly better than the Boss... 🤔 Well, it's cleaner anyways haha! Going to pass thru RCA's from the R/F amp to it so it can power the X-plod's in the doors and the JL's in the rear panels. Nice, tight, solid speaker mounts, too. I'm going to give these speakers every opportunity to sound the best they can (with what I've got)...

Hopefully I'll have it all working in a few hours. I'm just having a bit of trouble finding a suitable place to get the power cables in from the engine compartment. I just can't get my hands anywhere near convenient spots from the engine side to under the dash. It's beginning to get hair on it real quick...

Plenty of breaks or I'll be losing my ****..!

Oh and I'll report back on what I think of this h/u.
Cheers man!
 
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CRACKLES-4130

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