Need help adding an amp (2 or 4 chan)

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

I have a 2008 Pathfinder, I replaced the front dash tweeters with some Memphis audio tweeters that came with a crossover, i was told to just hook it up and stuff it under the dash... so i did. Man did they make a difference, but i assume they are wired in parallel to the front door speakers.

Couple days ago i came across some new front door speakers (Polk db691 6x9's) ($20, BNIB!)

Installed the Polk 6x9's and everything still sounds about the same, they are 4ohm compared to the factory speakers which are 2ohm. I'm guessing I am not seeing any performance because of the power loss between 2 and 4 ohm loads and them begin wired in parallel with the dash tweets.

Question is i want o amp those 4 speakers. Do I buy a 2 channel amp and keep the tweets wired in parallel with the front door speakers, or do I get a 4 channel amp and separate the tweets from the door speakers?

I know this is a noob question, and i have no idea what ohm load the tweets are but i know putting two 4 ohm speakers in parallel results in a 2 ohm load presented at amp.

So, what do i do? And, would i keep the front tweets crossover box if i were to amp them (I assume I would.)

I have a simple 1000/1 watt sub stage as well.

Also, as far as keeping control of them fro the HU, do I run an RCA from the back of it to my new (undecided amp.) or can I jump from my JL 1000 from my sub stage.

I just want to get the most out of these new 6x9's in my doors, actually i have lost some of my mid-bass, i'm guessing they are seeing about 10-15 watts maybe from the HU.

What is the correct thing to do.

Current HU is a Kenwood DDX 370

Amp I am looking at is the JX 360/4, as i stated earlier i already have a JL sub amp so why not keep it the same.

If there are better amp options please tell me, i'm in no way a fan boy of the main stream sheit, lemme know.

Last question is, and this will be answered from my current question, but if i were to get a 4 channel amp could i amp my rear door speakers?

Long question, I know. Appreciate any input. Won't be back online until late this evening.

Click to read more...

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

Get a 4 channel. Amp the 6x9s and your rears tune the tweets off the deck power as they don't take much power. Also rcas from the back of the deck is best

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

Get a 4 channel. Amp the 6x9s and your rears tune the tweets off the deck power as they don't take much power. Also rcas from the back of the deck is best

Man are you right about the tweets, those dudes scream and are probably one of the best purchases (of wasted money) I have made.
Explain in detail how to do this, down to the wire connections. I'm not a complete idiot (aeronautical engineer) I just want to know how to do it right and i can't remember how the back of my HU looked when installed it 6 months ago. tsm

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

If your deck has 3 sets of rcas then your good. 2 sets of rcas from the deck in the frt and rear RCA outputs on the back of the deck to the 4 channel amp. Run wires from the wire harness from the behind the deck ( the harness that connects between the deck and cars harness) then those wires to the amps speaker output

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

If your deck has 3 sets of rcas then your good. 2 sets of rcas from the deck in the frt and rear RCA outputs on the back of the deck to the 4 channel amp. Run wires from the wire harness from the behind the deck ( the harness that connects between the deck and cars harness) then those wires to the amps speaker output

Hey, i'm sorry but you completely lost me here. I thought that if i was to run the front door speakers and he rear door speakers off the amp then the speaker wires would come out of the 4 chan amp, then the tweets would be ran out of the HU... Explain this in more detail please, i really appreciate it...
Are you meaning just run the RCA's out of the deck to the amp? My HU is capable of that...

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

You'll need to check the deck for 3 sets of RCA outputs. If you have 3 sets. Then 1 set is for the sub amp. The others are for frt and rear , so that you can add an amp for them. Now the speaker wire from the amp has to go to the speakers. The easiest way is to tap into the stock wires behind the deck by using the wiring harness you had to get for the deck to be installed. If you don't run the wires this way then you'll have to go thru the door jambs and boots which can be a pita The only other wire is the remote which you can jump from the other amps remote location Then jus split the power wire with a distro block and each amp will have their own ground

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

Sounds legit, thanks. Although i have a separate run of 4ga from the battery to new amp ready, thought this was a must?

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

the HU is listed in the first post

Kenwood DDX370 DVD receiver at Crutchfield.com

*3-band parametric equalizer with 8 preset EQ curves

*high- and low-pass filters

*subwoofer controls

*speaker type setting

*outputs: rear A/V output, 6-channel preamp outputs (4-volt front, rear, subwoofer)

you don't need separate power runs but isn't hurting anything.

you'll need six RCA cables to take advantage of the HU's outputs.

what do you have for rear door speakers? stock or aftermarket?

the main advantage of using the four channel amp to power the tweeters and 6x9's separately is for level control to help them blend. putting the tweeters (with included crossovers) on the same amp channel as the 6x9 will still result in them being too loud. running the tweeters off teh front HU channels may work out, but you'll live with more distortion from the HU.

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

^Thanks for the reply,

The rear door speakers are stock. I follow you on the 4 channel but I'm lost at 6 RCA cables. I thought I would only need 2 sets (front & rear)... but now thinking about that it does not make sense because I am not amping the rear doors, just the tweets and the front doors.

Man if you could explain what outputs on the back of the HU I am going to exactly need to plug into for this I wold greatly appreciate it. The sub stage is already done (was that 1 of the sets you were inculuding in the 6?) And another noob question, when you say six you mean sets that each have 2 ends on them like the set for my sub right? I had no idea I would need all that but it sounds great giving I can take more control of the speakers from the HU (which is what I want.)

Just in conclusion, I am wanting to amp the front dash tweets and front door 6x9's. Somewhere I have read that after running a lot of RCA's out of the HU it will lose power... Will my rear speakers still be able to run off the HU? Thanks a lot KHA.

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

Bump for little more help

 

[calebkhill 10+ year member]

Ok.....

You have rcas coming from back of the hu.

You also have speaker wire cunning from back of the hu.

Run the front rcas to your 6x9 amp.

Run the front speaker wires on the wiring harness to your tweets.

Done

It is different if you want to amp your tweets.

I think your making this complicated.

If i were you, is go ahead and start installing, and if you run into trouble, cone on here.

If you can hook up your head unit, or even advd player to a tv, you should be able to do this.

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

^Completely agree, I can install anything, I've just so happened to never have done a 4chan (or anything other than a mono) amp install. KHA mentioned I would need 6 runs of RCA's, I don't see how... I am doing what you are telling me to do as we type. Front doors off front chan on amp rear doors off rear chan on amp and teets off front chan from the HU. Done.

Anything i am missing? I still want to know where the 6 sets of RCA's came from?

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

Bump for anymore input, appreciate in advance...

 

[Staynlean 10+ year member]

Bump guys...

Since my rear door speakers are stock should i just go with a 2chan amp?

Meaning front dash tweets will be run off front chan HU power, 6x9 front door speakers will be run off amp ad rear door speakers will be run off HU as well...

Is this logical?

 

[calebkhill 10+ year member]

Idk, depends.

Honestly I'd forget about those rear speakers, leave them unplugged.

If i was you, I'd either find a power 4 channel for future upgrades, or a power 2 channel.

Unplug the rears.

Run tweets off hu, mids off amp.

Have yourself a nice 2 way front stage to tune