New here, help me brush up my audiophile skills..

JamesD

Local Gun Nut
So I didn't see a spot for introductions... I used to wire up stereos for friends on a regular basis, but I quit doing so around the time I was 17 for reasons we aren't going to get into.

Anyway, here I am today with a new to me Lincoln Town Car and a new system to install.

A friend bought a car with a full system already installed by the PO and had transmission trouble, so he's pulled everything from the vehicle in order to sell to me.

What I've got:

Sony Xplod head unit (do not know model number, but have used it and am not unimpressed by it)

Pioneer 6x9's (unsure of model number)

Four Sony Xplod Amps (will be trying to sell these)

And two Alpine Type X 10" subs in a box (unsure if it is sealed or ported)

Now, everything in the car was wired and worked well. He's not real attached to any of it as he has a young daughter and doesn't want to risk damaging her hearing with a hefty system, so I'm getting all this fairly cheap ($400 for the lot cheap). It's 90% complete, down to the wiring, but he called and told me that he wasn't able to remove all the wiring as the PO ran the wiring rather well under the carpet and, well... My friend isn't so good with this kind of thing.

So, I come to you today to ask questions I do not know the answers to, in hopes of learning how to do this right without ending up with some ghettofried stereo system.

I've been lost on what kind of amps to run for a while (let me first say that I am working with little to no money), but a friend of mine who runs an audio installation joint recommended PowerBass amplifiers to me. He told me to go for the ASA1500D and said he could cut some off the $359 sticker price.

I honestly do not remember how to wire these things together anymore, especially dealing with such nice subs as the Alpines I'm scoring. He told me to run them on a 1 ohm load, as both subs are 4 ohm DVC.

Apparently, alpine engineered some little jumper pins for these subs, and I don't even know if Sam knows what they are, where they are, or if they're even in the car. No way of finding the PO either.

I'm also lost on what kind of box to run. I'd like some clean, clear bass from these little 10's, I'm not trying to be the loudest Lincoln on the block by any means. I just want some nice, hard hitting, crisp low tones. So I'm pretty sure that leaves me using a sealed box.

God knows I have more truck space than I need, so box size isn't a real big issue either. I can build just about anything if I know internal and external dimensions. I just don't know the mathematical equations used to determine all the fine line details of building this box.

Anyway, Any help given is well appreciated! And since every one likes pics, I'll whõre a little bit.

The project

0616100907.jpg


What we have to work with

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Dont buy sony xplod amps... The Type X's aren't bad its the best think=g worth mentioning on your list... you could buy those Type X's and get a amp to power them but if your looking to run 2000 watts to those you will need to look into electrical upgrades.

 
I'm running a Ford 3G 130 amp alternator, there's no reason to upgrade my electrical anything. And the deal is a package deal for $400. Either way you look it, that's the total valued cost of used alpine type x subs, plus a box, plus a head unit, plus amps, wiring, and components.

I really don't see anything wrong with the package as it stands. I can sell everything but the subs for more than $400 without problem if I so desire.

 
I'm running a Ford 3G 130 amp alternator, there's no reason to upgrade my electrical anything. And the deal is a package deal for $400. Either way you look it, that's the total valued cost of used alpine type x subs, plus a box, plus a head unit, plus amps, wiring, and components.
I really don't see anything wrong with the package as it stands. I can sell everything but the subs for more than $400 without problem if I so desire.
In theory 10 amps=100 watts.. so you would only be running 1300 watts before needed to upgrade but you still can't run 1300 because your car has other accessories that run off the battery.... Why i say don't buy that amp is because XPlod is complete garbage.... so good luck reselling that amp unless some retard on craigslist gets suckered into buying it...

 
If your gear says sony on it, you're messing up. The type x's are ok. I've heard a couple get nasty before. They won't take a real 2000 watts for a pair despite what everyone says. If you're actually giving them 1000 watts each they will not last. There are some inexpensive 1500w amps out there that do rated power. MB quart discuss was big, audiopipe, aq, soundigital, the list goes on and on. Get your electrical up where you don't get any voltage drop at full tilt with your 1500 watt amp and you will be MUCH happier than with a 2000w amp and voltage drop. So will your subs.

 
Out of curiosity, did you do the big 3 when the new alt was put in? Also, I hope it isn't a stock or cheapo battery.

I guess you could always install a capacitor, ftl.

I agree about xplode. No offense to you, but good luck selling it. Any of the amplifier brands listed above will out perform and out last the xplodes.

 
Normally, I would agree that the price is steep... but given the situation that a good friend of mine could use the money, and that he's allowing me to pay him on a consignment basis. I really can't complain too much.

I agree that sony is total trash. And believe me, I don't want to buy it either, but i really don't see how I'm losing over the speakers, subs, and box.

I could probably make 150,175, or 200 dollars off the sale of the sony amplifiers, and maybe another 75 to 100 for the head unit.

I'm not building a competition system, I'm not trying to spend a lot of money. I just want to be able to enjoy the music in my car without it sounding like trash. There will be no SPL competitions, and I doubt I'll be cranking this thing up very high, I value my hearing after a year of active duty spent on firing ranges and around artillery.

I'll be getting a replacement battery with something in the 800-1000 CCA range. The alternator functions fine, and a capacitor isn't necessarily needed but probably wouldn't hurt. Regardless of what's said about the addition of a capacitor, I personally do not think it's a bad idea.

As far as the "Big 3" goes, The car is bone stock right now. I'll end up re grounding the engine bay and chassis at multiple points when I make my installation. As far as power cables go, I will end up with 1 or 0 gauge wiring all across the board. I will probably run a ground cable under the vehicle, and ground it in two or three places around the truck area of the car.

Maybe I'm in the wrong place, I'm just a guy looking for a little help to wire up something a little louder. Not someone trying to achieve 150db levels.

 
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If you plan on driving this thing around i would suggest that you don't "run a ground cable under the vehicle"

I don't see why not? Brake and fuel lines are run UNDER THE VEHICLE, without problem. What the hell dictates that I cannot run a ground wire against the frame rail all the way back, just like the fuel and brake lines?

I would think that with all the wiring you folks do on your systems you would have learned there's more than one way to skin a cat.

The underside of my car is mint, no rust, anywhere. I'm sure I could get away with simply upgrading my current electrical grounds and run whatever the hell I want. But there's absolutely no reason why I couldn't run a grounding strap from the negative terminal to the rear of the vehicle, and DRIVE IT!

So far, all I've seen in this thread is flaming.

Anyone care to answer the questions I had in regard to wiring without throwing a little bìtchy flame fit?

 
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JamesD

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