easiest way to run RCAs under the carpet?

[robspeed325i]

I have a four door ('91), and am putting an EQ under the driver's seat (Audio Control EQL). I have mounted my coustic XM6 inside the trunk on the driver's side side panel, behind the carpet. From there the signal is just going to a sub amp for now, but eventually ima add some more amps to run the front components and some front midbasses. I want to run all the wire now, however.

Anyway, what is the easiest way to run the RCAs to the under-driver's-seat area? The most-direct route down the tunnel, then under the carpet to the slit for the heating ducts under the seat, looks pretty tough to do due to the stiffness of the carpet.

The other option is running the RCAs over to the kick panel area, then down the side to the under seat area. I also have to go from there to the trunk.

How do you get the sill trim pieces (that hold the carpet down) off? Do they come straight up, or slide back or forwards first?

TIA!

[TexasTerp]

I would avoid running any of your signal wires near the transmission tunnel so that you don't pick up any white noise interference. The door sills are attached with clips, they're a pain to take off but that is the best place to run the wires. I used needle nose pliers to pull the clips out.

[StereoInstaller1]

See if you can find a plastic prybar set. I use Snap-On PBN500 set, like this:



Harbor freight sell a similar set, but with these you can pull the side trim fairly easily. The clips are an absolute bitch, but they pull straight up.

Generally, I run all wires the same way that the factory does, I even use the factory wire channels and lockdowns.

If your car is a coupe, you might want to put your crossover and EQ behind the rear "door card" (since it isn't a door...) on an MDF panel, just to make it easier access than under the seat.

Since you are using an EQL, which is a 2 channel EQ, you will either have no EQ on the mids and highs or none on bass should you decide you want to use the fader/sub output on the deck...so 1 2 channel RCA to the EQL then 1 more to the crossover, then off to the amps.

Kind of a bummer that the EQL isn't 6 channels.

The XM6 is capable of handling 1 input to make 6 channels, either bi-amp with front and rear outputs or true 3 way tri-amp, both setups with sub output.

If you are gonna do tri-amp, you will want to run 4 pair of speaker wires to the front, and long enough to allow speaker placement wherever you decide to put them.

You also are gonna want to put your sub level controller somewhere in that mix, since you can't use the sub output in your deck with the EQL.

GL!
Luke

[Mless5]

As always, Luke has layed it out perfectly!
AC always made some weird products if you ask me when it comes to number of inputs or outputs. Smart from the marketing stand point though.

[robspeed325i]

Thanks! I have one of these Lisle clip tools, just wanted to make sure I should pull straight up:

http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=568

And yea, the EQL will be my total-system EQ eventually. I have no use for a fader as i only run front stage.

For now the plan is to go HU-->EQL--> XM6 --> sub amp, with the front stage running off the head unit and only the sub being powered externally. The sub amp is going to be a single channel of my ANCIENT (1985 vintage) PPI-2125, for 125w on a cheap-ass Pyle red-cone 12" sub.

Eventually Im going to get another bass amp with a built-in crossover, and probably a sub. I have no expectations about the Pyle as I paid $23 for it, including shipping. I just want SOME bass now, as ive been without for a long-ass time.

Once I get the 500w mono sub amp with crossover, I will run the signal from the HU through the EQL, to the bass amp to run the sub below 50-60hz. Then the highpass from the sub amp crossover will go through the XM6, which will split the midbass, midrange, and treble out for seperate tri-amp operation.

The sub amp will be powering the single 12" and the 8" midbasses (up high in the front doors) will see 125w each (2x125). The mids and tweets will see 75w each (4x75), and im going to keep the stock premium drivers for this role. I realize the tweeters especially wont take 75w, but just because the power is there doesnt mean i have to use it. The 4x75 amp is an almost-as-old crutchfield-branded, PPI-made SQ amp from the 80s. So at that point I'll have 550w of Old Skool PPI up front and another 500 or so of modern class-D in the trunk.

Incidentally, .... http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...nnections.html

[StereoInstaller1]

Figure the EQL or the EQS, or even the EQX as the new frontier in 1985 or so, when car audio was going totally purist, when lots of guys were just getting started building their own crossovers and such, then add in the cost of tooling a small niche market product like that here in america...I find the new stuff (starting with the 6XS) to be amazing that it is still made at all!

One of these days I am gonna get busy putting the EQQ in my van. I already have sub level control from the amp, so I can keep the fader at least.

[Schnitzer318is]

I always wanted an EQX, but never wanted to take the time/money to RTA a system.

[StereoInstaller1]

Back in IASCAs glory days, I did about 40 cars a year for the "IASCA curve".

None of them sounded good set up like that. Too much high end, too much bass....ears are better.

Are you trying to impress your ears or a microphone?

[robspeed325i]

im halfway through this install, and man i hate this shit. it was fun when i was 18 but notanymore! =p

at least i am running EVERYTHING now, wires wise, so this will be the last time i have to go under the carpet...

[StereoInstaller1]

Try this shit at 45!

I live for it...but my arms and shoulders burn everyday, my right arm was totally numb for 2 years, my back is fried, my hands and forearms hurt so bad after 20 or 30 crimps (especially remote starts, one of the things I do best) that I will have tears rolling down my face...but still have to finish the job.

Obviously I will have to change careers at some point. 45 is just too damn old to be an installer. If I did things the lazy way, I might be OK. I just can't do that, though.

Worse that that, I love this stuff.

Hang in there, man.

Luke

[Schnitzer318is]

Back in IASCAs glory days, I did about 40 cars a year for the "IASCA curve".

None of them sounded good set up like that. Too much high end, too much bass....ears are better.

Are you trying to impress your ears or a microphone?

Interesting... maybe I'll do that EQX after all :) I always wondered if a "flat" response really sounded great to everyone. After all audio is highly subjective. So what you say definitely makes more sense than tuning to a mic.

[robspeed325i]

Try this shit at 45!

I live for it...but my arms and shoulders burn everyday, my right arm was totally numb for 2 years, my back is fried, my hands and forearms hurt so bad after 20 or 30 crimps (especially remote starts, one of the things I do best) that I will have tears rolling down my face...but still have to finish the job.

Obviously I will have to change careers at some point. 45 is just too damn old to be an installer. If I did things the lazy way, I might be OK. I just can't do that, though.

Worse that that, I love this stuff.

Hang in there, man.

Luke

almost done, got all the seats back in, the wires are all run, now just hooking stuff up and putting it all back together. BTW im right behind you at 40! i hope my ancient amp and EQL still work. They got exposed to some moisture in my old car (leaky 1969 2002)....

[StereoInstaller1]

I think doing this stuff at 40 might be worse than doing it daily at 45.

2 words of advice: Sodium Naproxin!

Do some stretches before you crash tonight, you will appreciate it tomorrow

[robspeed325i]

after 12 hours on it (with a couple of breaks), its all in and working. I need to clean up some wiring but im not worried about it since this is stage 2 of a three-stage install. For a rusty, 24-year-old amplifier and a $23 (with shipping!) subwoofer, it sounds pretty good. I didnt play with it much but there will be time for that later.... I have a nine-hour road trip on tuesday to break in the sub and mess with the various EQs (HU, EQL, and XM6 parametric, not to mention the crossover point, pre/amp gain, etc.......)

[robspeed325i]

Interesting... maybe I'll do that EQX after all :) I always wondered if a "flat" response really sounded great to everyone. After all audio is highly subjective. So what you say definitely makes more sense than tuning to a mic.

Going for a flat "baseline" is good to start out with via a system EQ, that way you can then use the HU tone controls to boost overall bass or treble to your individual tastes. But the basic response curve is free of peaks/valleys etc. The ears method also works if you just go with what sounds good... who can argue with that? :)