New to car audio! PLEASE HELP!!!

[pete88]

So I had someone give me a 12" 400w sub (w/box) a while back and finally decided to put it in my '04 Nissan Sentra. I have a 500w amp and I picked up a 680w wiring kit at walmart. While I was there, I grabbed 4 6" 1/2 200w kicker speakers. I found the installation for a sub to be confusing so I decided I'd throw in my new speakers so I'd at least have something better than stock. Got them in, they look great, they work, but there's no bass to them. I checked online and it sounds like I need to connect them to an amp but I'm trying to figure out how to do it and I'm overwhelmed.

So some questions I have are:

1. How the heck do I wire 4 speakers to an amp correctly??? (please put it in the simplest terms possible)

2. It sounds like I need a 4 channel amp for the speakers? Is that correct? If I got 2 more speakers at some point, would it be possible to wire all 6 to a 4 channel amp?

3. Can anyone explain to me in a not-so-confusing way how to install a sub?

4. If I get 2 more subs (12" 500w) what size amp would I need for everything?

5. Lets say 6 200w speakers, 2 500w subs, and my 400w sub. That's 2600w total, right? (maybe throw in a couple extra tweeters or small subs and round it up to 3000w) would it be better to have 1 3000w amp or 2 1500w amps?

6. The 4 kickers I installed, are the stock wires going to be okay or will I have to replace them with something of better quality?

Anything you can tell me would be a great help. I've been trying to find stuff online to explain everything but I can't make heads or tails of any of it.

Also, I'm going to be getting a new stereo as well. Will that effect anything? (does it have watts that have to be factored in someplace?)

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[Jepalan]

You have asked a bunch of open-ended questions that would require someone to write a book to respond. You need to decide exactly what you want to accomplish and be specific as possible with the help you ask for.

First: Do you want a really LOUD system (SPL?) or a really accurate system (SQ?)

Second: What is your total budget to upgrade your car? (Budget for the entire upgrade project, even if you are going to do a little at a time)

What model, year and make of car do you have? What special factory audio options does it have (premium audio, factory sub, etc)

What are the *exact* makes and model numbers for all the aftermarket audio equipment you already own. List them out.

Provide links to the owners manuals for speakers, headunits, etc if you can.

We can help you plan out your system with the above info, but it is going to be a complicated process. The simple/easy instructions you are looking for may not exist. Each vehicle and combination of speakers/amps/headunits has differences in how the wiring goes in and how the components get matched properly - this is a complicated and detailed process. Take your time in planning, reading, and asking questions before you start ripping these apart and you will be fine.

I highly suggest you read everything at the following link. Especially the pages on amps, speakers, wiring, soldering, etc... Look down the right side of page for topics.

Basic Car Audio Electronics

 

[pickup1 5,000+ posts]

They should have some bass though,did you make sure all speakers have the correct "positive to positive " & "negative to negative "?

 

[DoesDad 10+ year member]

This Forum, Google, Youtube and other info. sources are your friend right now. I'd take one thing at a time and install to your liking and move onto the next thing. Caraudio was confusing to all of us at one time or another but you get a lot more satisfaction installing your own equipment and when you find out it's not that difficult. And as said above, it's way too many questions! You've got to do some research on your own because most people don't like spoon feeding someone information they could've gotten by looking themselves. Good luck!

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

They should have some bass though,did you make sure all speakers have the correct "positive to positive " & "negative to negative "?

HAHAHAHAHA, this... My cheapo Craigslist Kenwoods actually have great bass just running straight off the HU, no sound deadener either. They're nothing compared to the sub, but they sound great for what they are.

 

[StrygwyrBS]

I'll be nice...

Power Supply:

Run your positive cable from the battery to the amp.

Find a spot in your car with a good ground (metal chasi)

Drill a hole in that area for a screw to fasten down your ground wire.

Hook both up to your amp to check if the amp is working.

Disconnect Both wires

Sound:

DO NOT install your subwoofer until you buy your stereo.

Install Stereo.

Connect the positive and negative RCA cables into your stereo and run the wires through the car (on opposite side that you ran your power supply).

Connect the RCA cables into your amp.

next i want you to google "subwoofer wiring diagrams"

use the crutchfield .com diagrams to determine how to wire your subwoofer.

Wire the subwoofer and drill it into the box.

Connect your positive and negative wires from your sub box into your positive and negative receptors on the amp.

Reconnect your power supply wires

Done

^That's just basic installation, but to answer more of your questions....

There's different types of amplifiers. Some of them have several channels.

You can get a 3 channel amp

1)Front

1)Back

1)Sub

Or you can get 2 amps

Mono amp for subwoofer

2 channel amp for smaller speakers

You kinda need to come up with a game plan of what you really want cuz there can be a few ways to do it. You didn't give us any important information as to what kind of subs you have. Are they dual or single voice coil? What's the impedence in ohms? All of that determines how you wire it.

 

[Ahmed Johnson]

Whatever you do, take that wire back to walmart. If they rate it at 680 watts than it is probably 8 gauge which wont last long running an amp.