Budget Audio Build - I Know Nothing About Audio :)

[Bishop]

Thanks Jean, I'll PM you back in a second. Thanks for that though. If I can get my friend to maybe help today, I'll start yanking the car apart since I don't have class.

[z31maniac]

^That is a GREAT little image for you to start with.

Good luck with the hook-up and post up if you have more questions. It's been awhile since I've done this stuff, but I'll help where I can.

[Farbin Kaiber]

I like that image too. Wonderful to get a visual idea of what the system really looks like if you don't have a mind's eye for it.

[Bishop]

^That is a GREAT little image for you to start with.

Good luck with the hook-up and post up if you have more questions. It's been awhile since I've done this stuff, but I'll help where I can.

I like that image too. Wonderful to get a visual idea of what the system really looks like if you don't have a mind's eye for it.

I will post up, hopefully I can get it done smoothly and I'm hesitant for no reason... As soon as I start pulling panels, if it all clicks, awesome...

I'll post up if I have any snags, or of it installed... Battery in the back, suggestions on where / how to mount the amp? I was gonna just mount it to the back of the box.... If I remove the box to go autocross / track will I have to not use the stereo since I'm planning on running 2 channels to the front speakers?

[z31maniac]

Yeah, you could just label the wires. Disconnect the fuse in the fuse block so now power and ground wires are live flopping around and it shouldn't be a big deal.

But in reality, 45-50lbs isn't going to make a big difference at Auto-X or track. Especially considering the E30 doesn't have a class it's competitive in.

I'd just mount it super securely so you don't have to worry about taking it out, since taking it in and out will require removing the rear seat.

[Atreus]

weird question here. primarily directed at jean and stereo installer:

hooking up a 4 channel amp to power the two fronts and the subwoofer: how??

do you have to bridge the last to channels to a mono/single channel for the woofer? my friend was talking about ohms/channels/blowing speakers if you don't do it right. is that true? theoretically in my head, that picture is exactly what I would run. but what i am getting from this thread is

deck powers rear 5.25 speakers
4 channel amp powers 2 front 5.25, and a woofer in the back.

where does that other channel go?

[Jean]

If the amp is bridgable then yes, you take the rear two channels and use them for a sub. You can even bridge the fronts two and end up with a 2 channel amplifier (if you needed more power for the front speakers or for subs). Usually lets say you have an amp that is capable of running speakers in stereo mode (front/rear pairs) in 4ohm at 75 watts per channel RMS, or maybe even 150 watts into 2 ohm. When you bridge it, you may get 250 or 300 watts into 1 channel (sub) and it may only be stable into 4 ohm...but some better amps can handle 2 ohm or even 1 ohm loads.

It all depends on the amplifier you have.

It's very common to use 1 four channel amplifier and use the front two channels to power front speakers/components and rear channels either bridged into a sub or subs. There are lots of different ways you can wire subs/speakers....some subs are Single Voice Coil and some are Dual Voice Coil (SVC or DVC).

Let's for example assume you have a dual voice coil 4 ohm subwoofer, that means it's got two pairs of connectors on it's back, each one being a voice coil at 4 ohms. If you wire both of them in series (plus to minus) you'll end up with a 8ohm load. If you wire the coils in parallel (plus to plus, minus to minus) you'll get a 2 ohm load. You would normally not wire stuff for 8 ohm if you have just one sub, but if you have a pair you can do the following - wire each DVC in series to get 8 ohms, then wire both subs in parallel to get a total of 4 ohms. This is if lets say you have a sub amplifier that can't handle 2 ohm load so you are forced to wire sub(s) into 4 ohms. If you wire only one coil on the DVC sub it changes it's power rating and other parameters that I am not going to get into to not make it more complicated, so basically use both coils or use a single voice coil sub.

You basically want to figure out what your amp is capable of running, so you can choose the right speakers / subs.

To keep it simple, if you are just going to run 1 subwoofer you would want a single voice coil 4 ohm UNLESS your amplifier can handle 2 ohm bridged (mono mode) then get a single voice coil 2 ohm OR dual voice coil 4 (to run coils in parallel and get 2 ohm). You match the amp to your speakers or speakers to your amp :)

Bi-amping is another thing you can do with a 4 channel amplifier. Basically would use all four channels (or even 6 sometimes) to run the front components. You would use two channels for the mids, and two for the tweeters.... OR two channels for the mids/tweeters and two for the woofers (there are 3 way component speakers and some allow bi-amping). If the crossovers that come with the speakers don't allow bi-amping you can still do it by doing a fully active system, meaning you do not use the passive crossovers that come with your component speakers (that box with coils/capacitors) and you wire the tweeters/mids and/or woofers DIRECTLY to your amplifier. You would need to make sure you choose a quality amplifier that allows a very wide range of crossover slopes/points AND DOES NOT HAVE A TURN ON/OFF thump or it will blow your tweeters the very first time you turn it on/off lol. One way to protect the tweeters from this is to wire an inline capacitor of a value high enough to not affect your crossover point, it will basically protect the tweeter from DC (or direct current) from the amp. Anyway, this is probably more than you wanted to know and I am just rambling on....

[Bishop]

Everything is in. Plenty of hiccups and speed bumps, but the car sounds great, I got all the tar out of the trunk, and I didn't get to really listen to it cause I had to get back inside to do some homework before I froze. I'll take some pics tomorrow and post here, the Luke box thread, and another one of his threads probably. The install isn't the cleanest, but I don't care. I'm gonna tuck what I can, how I can, then in the spring / summer I'll go back in and do it "properly" to keep the hounds at bay...

[Cha Ching]

It's not that complicated...take it slow and and it will all makes sense. Your amplifier / headunit should also have wiring instructions.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-LnNioGc9y9o/learn/learningcenter/car/amplifiers_install_tips.html

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-lYQjat6XDE5/learn/learningcenter/car/amplifiers_wiring.html

http://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/FAQ/Wiring/

http://www.ehow.com/how_5829_wire-car-stereo.html

Jean, this is a great diagram, thanks for posting this!

[SoEm0]

I would check out Hertz for your mids/highs. Their entry level sounds amazing powered off your head unit. As for the subs there are a few companies that make some good quality 8' subs that put down a ton of bass for little weight. Check out Digital Designs or Hertz also makes a sweet 8.