Finnally getting around to my system.

[AdironRider]

So Ill be installing my system within the next week or so and Ive got a few qeustions. Ive been rolling around with only a boombox running on D cell batteries for 6 months. Batteries finnally died so now its time to install.

What is the best route to run the wires to the rear of my car? Ill be running an external amp and then powering my speakers off of that. Should I run the return wires down each side of the car or loop it around the front through the dash?

How do I wire up the amp? Should I just run the respective speaker channels to the amp? Where should I ground everything?

Any other tips I should know? This will be my first install.

[AdironRider]

To add for any thats interested, here are the components Im running.

Kenwood KCD X569 head unit
Infinity Kappa 5x7 2 ways in the rear
Kenwood 300 watt 4 way amp
still trying to source out front 5 1/4's.

[DrMcDave]

easiest way is to run them under the carpet and through the center console and through the dash. This way you don't have to get those stupid door sill type deals off. What are you looking at for the front. I saw some morel speakers for a good price.

[parkerbink]

I ran my RCA's down the center and the power down the driver's side & front speaker wires down the passenger side. My logic was keeping the potentially noise inducing power cable away from the speaker/signal cables, Luke?

[Eric Giles]

I ran my RCA's down the center and the power down the driver's side & front speaker wires down the passenger side. My logic was keeping the potentially noise inducing power cable away from the speaker/signal cables, Luke?

Actually, you should have run the power down the passenger side and the speaker wire down the driver's side as the main power wire from the battery runs along the passenger side. But if you don't get any noise, then you should be ok!

[StereoInstaller1]

I run speaker wires up both sides, RCA and Data cables up the drivers side, then connect power to the battery in the trunk. If I were running a 4 banger with the front battery, I would run everything up the passenger side. RCA's and power do not generally cause noise, unless you use non-sheilded cables.

Luke

[AdironRider]

318is has the battery in the back. So Ill be grounding/ drawing power? from there.

[StereoInstaller1]

yes, you already have power in the trunk. RCA's and speakers up the drivers side. Do it right, pull the seatbelt slider thingie.

Run 3 sets of RCA's even if you aren't gonna run that many amps. Run 4 pair of speaker wire so you can put the crossovers in the trunk, or upgrade to tri-amp power.

Luke

[AdironRider]

Ok so I need to run a set of speaker wire for each channel and rca cables for each channel, or are the rca's a serperate entity. Should I ground to the car or just the battery ground? I dont want any alternator whine.

[parkerbink]

Cabbie has the battery in the front.

[NC325iC]

...i ran all mine together and i have no interference that i can tell

[netcsk]

yes, you'll need a set of speaker wires for each set of speakers. For the fronts, if you're running components, you will need to run a set of wires into the crossover and then from there you'll run a set of wires to the tweeter and a set to the woofer.

RCAs. Depending on your headunit in the car, you will either need one or two sets. If your headunit has two preamp outputs for front and rear, then you can run two. If it only has one set, you will need to run one set of RCAs back and buy a splitter to hook up the front and rear channels of your 4 channel amp.

[parkerbink]

Like Luke said it is best to run all the wires once even if not using all the connections than to need to reopen & re run later if/when you want to upgrade.

I was running four channels plus two sub rcas so I did it all because I used it all but I'd hate to have needed to go back in there later to run another set of rcs/speakers because I had not thought ahead.

[AdironRider]

Alright cool. My headunit comes in on thursday and Ive already got my amp and 5x7 Infinity Kappas. Found out the specs on the amp as well, Kenwood KAC 842 4X40 watts or something or 2x80 at 4 ohms. Nothing to brag about but I just want soemthing decent. Cant find a deal on 5 1/4's for the front yet so I think Im just going to rewire everything and leave the fronts stock for a couple weeks. I dont give a fuck if they blow, theyre getting replaced anyways.