How much is too much? (install question)

[Pl8er 5,000+ posts]

I agree totally. I want to get high enough that I don't get anything extra from the wires *read hum or extra noise* but I understand that beyond that there is not much to gain. I'm looking at stinger, monster, knu for my stuff. I want the knu but I don't want to pay sales tax and they are in ohio //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

Can someone check out my thread on subs getting power from an amp? I want to purchase this stuff tonight but don't have an answer yet.

Thanks!

Justin

I used over 15' in my Neon. 17' RCAs were just long enough. Buy a longer length than you need and cut it to length (leaving about an extra foot or two in case you want/need to make a change later). You don't want to try to splice 1/0 to add more length...
As far as RCAs go, avoid the super cheap Wally World unshielded cables, but there is no reason whatsoever to even think about spending more that $20-25 per cable. I use the Stinger Bullet series myself, and noise is not an issue. Unless you have done something wrong or have a bad component in the signal chain, you will not have noise in a system and I do not know of a single instance where swapping a basic shielded RCA that wasn't damaged for a high dollar gucci cable that costs a ton to pay for its marketing has solved a noise problem in a system. High-end cables are kinda like a ROLEX in my eyes. They look nice and are basically a status symbol. You are not getting any more function for the money than my $30 Timex. If you MUST have the high $ cables, go ahead and go completely stupid and wire the whole car with Kimber pure silver litz speaker wire and get the little rubber feet for your amps to keep the fidelity of the transistors from getting affected by the vibration and get a wooden volume knob because the metal to metal vibration of the stock knob introduces spurrious sound into the signal chain. It's your money, if you want to waste it go ahead. The money would be better spent IMO on higher quality amps and speakers.

 

[GCAdidas13 10+ year member]

Honestly, though...

Radioshack has a cable that's given me no problems. I can't tell if there is any "added" noise but I have never experienced extreme high quality cables either.

Does anyone have a bad review of the Radioshack cable? (20', black with gold interconnects)

 

[Pl8er 5,000+ posts]

Maybe I will stop in after work this week and pick those up. Your talking about the one that is in the plaza with Kmart right? How much were they, do you remember?

 

[GCAdidas13 10+ year member]

Yeah - They are something around $23 or so, if i remember correctly

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Forget about Monster Cable. The price cannot be justified unless you just want bragging rights or something.

Hum doesn't come from the cable, it comes from a bad ground somewhere else in the system or a noisy component in the system. Radiated noise isn't the problem that the cable marketing departments would have you believe it is in the car environment. Radiated noise requires a fluctuating current (AC or heavily pulsating DC) and the resultant expanding and collapsing magnetic field that it generates. Unless you wrap the cheapest unshielded cable you can find around your ignition module, ECU or ABS module there is not anything in the car that is going to cause radiated noise. Honestly the only reason I bought the Bullets over the most basic Phoenix Gold or Stinger shielded RCAs was I liked the way they looked. The PG are flat ugly IMO (though I have used them before and still have a set laying around) and the blue Stingers would not look right in my install (I still used a set of the blue Y cables on the outputs of my EQTs where they couldn't be seen though).

 

[Pl8er 5,000+ posts]

Forget about Monster Cable. The price cannot be justified unless you just want bragging rights or something.
Hum doesn't come from the cable, it comes from a bad ground somewhere else in the system or a noisy component in the system. Radiated noise isn't the problem that the cable marketing departments would have you believe it is in the car environment. Radiated noise requires a fluctuating current (AC or heavily pulsating DC) and the resultant expanding and collapsing magnetic field that it generates. Unless you wrap the cheapest unshielded cable you can find around your ignition module, ECU or ABS module there is not anything in the car that is going to cause radiated noise. Honestly the only reason I bought the Bullets over the most basic Phoenix Gold or Stinger shielded RCAs was I liked the way they looked. The PG are flat ugly IMO (though I have used them before and still have a set laying around) and the blue Stingers would not look right in my install (I still used a set of the blue Y cables on the outputs of my EQTs where they couldn't be seen though).

Interesting, I must have had something grounded wrong then. That system was doomed from the start. I had such high hopes for it and ended up leaving the amps mounted on a metal rack and wires everywhere, and I do mean EVERYWHERE. This time its going to be right. I want everything tucked away properly and a nice clean install with plenty of trunk space left.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

leaving the amps mounted on a metal rack and wires everywhere, and I do mean EVERYWHERE.

Those were probably 99% of your problems.

 

[Pl8er 5,000+ posts]

Those were probably 99% of your problems.

Looking back, I'm sure you were right. Funny how a great idea was left and turned into my main problem. Oh well...live and learn //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[GCAdidas13 10+ year member]

Wow pl8er you own the forums. You've been here almost constantly the entire night on your thread //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Looks as if you're going to be good - are you going to grab up some 0awg or stick with 2? It really depends on how much further you intend on taking the system in the future, be it another sub, a crossover/eq setup, going active, etc etc

 

[Pl8er 5,000+ posts]

Wow pl8er you own the forums. You've been here almost constantly the entire night on your thread //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
Looks as if you're going to be good - are you going to grab up some 0awg or stick with 2? It really depends on how much further you intend on taking the system in the future, be it another sub, a crossover/eq setup, going active, etc etc

Yeah all I've done tonight is a college paper and dropped off a bill LOL...I was supposed to work out and everything. I'm all about my car right now. My gf ordered the 11Ov.2's from ed and a nine.1. I'm going to go 0 awg. Unless you think I can make it with 4 or 2.

My gf just said "how many times have you posted on there tonight" LOL

 

[Pyro_By_Nature 5,000+ posts]

I recommend spending some good money on RCAs rather than the probability of hunting down noises that are simply associated to crappy cheap signal cables.

I am sorry, but you are an idiot.I have done COUNTLESS installs, including my own, with "cheap" RCA's and I have yet to encounter ANY noise.

I have yet to actually hear a difference between a $10 set and a $200 set of RCA's.

If you install something right in the first place, there is no need for a cable with 1,000 coats of shielding.

I vote 1/0 as well.

 

[Pyro_By_Nature 5,000+ posts]

BTW: Anyone that says they can hear a difference btween wal-mart cables and monster cables, just took away from their credibility on this forum.

Wire is ****ing wire, if it's installed properly you won't get noise.

 

[GCAdidas13 10+ year member]

lol. yeah man go for 0. and get a distro that has 4awg outputs

honestly, if you can, send off a PM to johnecon2001 on the boards for a quote on the following:

16' 0awg (15' main power, 1' for ground)

12' 4awg (for two lines distro to amps, then two lines amps to ground distro)

PG fused distro (includes 4 fuses of your choice)

PG unfused distro (for ground)

ANL Fuse holder and fuse of your choice

2 0awg ring terminals

It will probably be a pretty penny for the above... but it will have you set 100% for now and the future

 

[Pl8er 5,000+ posts]

what kinda price you thinking for that list you sent me?

 

[GCAdidas13 10+ year member]

lol. yeah man go for 0. and get a distro that has 4awg outputs
honestly, if you can, send off a PM to johnecon2001 on the boards for a quote on the following:

16' 0awg (15' main power, 1' for ground)

12' 4awg (for two lines distro to amps, then two lines amps to ground distro)

PG fused distro (includes 4 fuses of your choice)

PG unfused distro (for ground)

ANL Fuse holder and fuse of your choice

2 0awg ring terminals

It will probably be a pretty penny for the above... but it will have you set 100% for now and the future

I had a similar purchase for around $85 shipped. :-/