What cables to buy for amp install and how to run them ?

[toyopl 10+ year member]

I just bought Sundown sax-50.4 4 channel amp and wanted to buy amp install kit and enough speaker wire to run it from back of the car where amp will be to the front 2 channels and to the back 2 channels aswell. I never in my life installed audio in the car so I'm not really sure If I'm thinking the right way.

Do I run 4 gauge from battery to amp, ground anywhere to a ground point, then speaker wire from amp to the speakers and the rca cables will go to radio ? Do u have to run speaker wire to amp only or to the HU aswell ?

I read a bit on this forum and I see knukoncept being very popular, the 4 gauge 4 chanel kit which I think is the one I need, but I'm not sure, comes only with 20' of speaker wire, I guess I will need more ?

4 Gauge Amplifier Installation Kit

Click to read more...

 

[peterweiner]

Do I run 4 gauge (FUSED) from battery to amp, ground anywhere to a ground point, then speaker wire from amp to the speakers and the rca cables will go to radio?

this is all correct.

Do u have to run speaker wire to amp only or to the HU aswell ?

amp only. your RCAs will give you that signal you need.

that kit looks like everything youll need besides extra speaker wire like you mentioned.

good luck with the install.

sounds as if you have the basic idea. im sure youll be just fine

 

[toyopl 10+ year member]

thank you, just wanted to make sure I got the right picture in my head...

 

[toyopl 10+ year member]

One more thing, what if I wanted to add another amp for subs ? like sundown 125.2 ? How would the wiring work then and which things extra would I have buy for wiring ?

 

[peterweiner]

distribution block (to split the power wire between the two amps), and pretty much everything else that would come in a wiring kit, small bit of power wire to run from the distibution block to the other amp, ground wire, RCAs,remote wire and speaker wire.

 

[toyopl 10+ year member]

So distribution block is a splitter ? You can run one power wire to the amps location and the use the distribution block to split the wire between the two amps ?

I saw the Battery terminals on their site and I thought I would have to run two separate power wires for each amp.

And ground goes from each eamp to a different ground point on the car ?

Would this one be ok ?2 Way Distribution System

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

You're not going to need 4g for just that 4ch amp unless you plan on upgrading down the road.

Something like this will work fine.

Distribution Block, Ground Distribution Block

You have the idea. Run the 4g power run to this, then two small 8g runs to the amps.

You can run a short RCA from the outputs of the 4ch to the inputs of the sub amp if you don't want to run another RCA cable down the side.

 

[peterweiner]

You're not going to need 4g for just that 4ch amp unless you plan on upgrading down the road.
Something like this will work fine.

Distribution Block, Ground Distribution Block

You have the idea. Run the 4g power run to this, then two small 8g runs to the amps.

You can run a short RCA from the outputs of the 4ch to the inputs of the sub amp if you don't want to run another RCA cable down the side.

agreed except one thing, i would personally snag the 4 gauge.

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

4 or even a 1/0 to a distro then split to each amp would be the best bet.. Considering you are thinking about adding a 125.2 which is 4awg power/ground inputs anyway.

If this were my setup I'd do a run of 1/0 to a distro block and then 8awg to the 50.4 and 4awg to the 125.2.. You could get away with the 4awg though.

Also would be a good idea to run four channel RCA's to the 50.4 then run a set of 2 channel to the 125.2. If your head unit allows you to control the sub level , running the dedicated sub RCA's to the 125.2 will allow you to do this. Doing installs for people, many of them prefer to be able to adjust the bass level by turning the sub up or down from the head unit unit rather than running a seperate gain knob.

 

[toyopl 10+ year member]

The RCA running from 125.2 powering 2 8'', would it be 2 channel RCA ?

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

The RCA running from 125.2 powering 2 8'', would it be 2 channel RCA ?

Yes, something like this

Knukonceptz product detail for NEW KARMA SS 2 CHANNEL 6 METER RCA CABLE

From the head unit subwoofer out, to the inputs of the 125.2.

 

[peterweiner]

4 or even a 1/0 to a distro then split to each amp would be the best bet.. Considering you are thinking about adding a 125.2 which is 4awg power/ground inputs anyway.
If this were my setup I'd do a run of 1/0 to a distro block and then 8awg to the 50.4 and 4awg to the 125.2.. You could get away with the 4awg though.

Also would be a good idea to run four channel RCA's to the 50.4 then run a set of 2 channel to the 125.2. If your head unit allows you to control the sub level , running the dedicated sub RCA's to the 125.2 will allow you to do this. Doing installs for people, many of them prefer to be able to adjust the bass level by turning the sub up or down from the head unit unit rather than running a seperate gain knob.

i would agree to this as well.

if you only have one set of outputs on your head unit, then run the first set going from the head unit to the rear, into the sub amp, the the output on the sub amp to the input on the high amp. hope you got that. lol

 

[toyopl 10+ year member]

I'm undecided on HU yet, but for sure it will have 3 sets of RCA's out, front/rear/sub

I'm thinking either Pioneer 7100BT or Pioneer 4200dvd, second would be my choice but once I add all of audio up it gets pretty scary price wise.

 

[Fosgate 10+ year member]

Are you looking for a touch screen HU? I'm running the DEH 4100UB and it has 3 sets of rcas. I love it. Looks slick too, and it's around 180$.

 

[toyopl 10+ year member]

I'm looking at double din dvd player, at this 4200 pioneer just released and has great reviews so far, I might bite the bullet and actually get one. I don't wanna spend $300 for hu and then regret not spendin only $100-150 more to get a double din dvd plaer. Also it's extendable with navigation, bluetooth, sat radio and many more.