370z Audio Install
 

Hey guys,

So I'm pretty new to the forum and am looking around and seeing all the info available, since I'm planning to get a 370z (hopefully base trim, sports package, manual) sometime soon (probably within a year), and I have a decent bit of questions, so bear with me.

One small question is regarding my equipment - I have a 12" Kenwood KFC-W3012 4-ohm sub, Infinity Reference 1600a 600W x 1 at 2 Ohms, and a Lightning Audio LDDC1 1 Farad capacitor. I actually got the capacitor free when I got my amp and sub, but I was wondering, when do car audio systems really need capacitors? Do I need one? I mean, I already have it, is there any downside to installing it?

Regarding head units, any suggestions? I really have never bought a head unit, but I've heard replacing the stock one alone makes a huge difference in sound quality. That being said, what do you guys recommend? What would be some different tiers and etc? I definitely want MP3 CD playback and AUX would be nice, but I don't really know what other features to look for in particular.

Also, I looked around and saw zenclosures is a pretty easy to install sub box, but I realized I should also add some dynamat to avoid probably rattling (I know it has a minor effect on performance, maybe you guys can tell me how significant it is on the 370z?). Now I know a bit about cars and installed the amp, sub, and cap with a friend into my current car with a friend's help, so I sorta got how it goes. That being said, how difficult is it to install dynamat? Should I just have it installed by a professional? And if I'm having that installed professionally, should I just let them also wire up my amp, sub, cap, and head unit?

Thanks everyone,

2x4

Simply put if you need a capacitor there're other things you need to be doing. So no they are not needed.

http://www.the370z.com/audio-video/6...dio-101-a.html

Dynamat or other sound absorbing material will help with noise, however if your looking to get rid of more road nice than vibration look at hush mat.

Can you elaborate a bit on it? I saw that car audio 101 stickied thread but I didn't see anything about capacitors.

I haven't heard of hush mat, and I thought both rattling and noise were related. Isn't the reason you get noise in cars due to the weight of the parts shaking at a different frequency than the sub itself? I thought the way dynamat worked was by just counteracting this by adding weight to them and changing that frequency. So then wouldn't different brands accomplish the same since it's just about the mass and not the material?

Page 3 :tiphat:

Capacitors
Before I get into this I just want to say for most of the systems I have seen, and for what the stock alternator is capable of putting out. NO ONE will even need to worry about running one of these. That being said they DO reduce or omit light dimming, but they are not a fix more like a band aid. What a capacitor dose is stores a charge of power that can be depleted very quickly, this allows some of the strain to be taken off the factory charging system. But the cap still have to be recharged over and over again. This in turn may cause damage to your charging system over time. Do not feel bad if you have run one before as even I have at one time. So if your lights do dim a lot it might be time to look for a new alternator and or a second battery that would be mounted in the trunk. The only time you will have to worry about this happening is if you are running over 1000 rms all the time.


Hush mat is a foam rather than something that just sticks to the surface like dynamat. Dynamat keeps things from moving which cause vibration. Where as a foam material usually pretty thick absorbs the sound that is transmitted through the metal.

Ok so I guess my question then would be how likely is it that it would damage the charging system?

And overall for installation, how expensive is it usually to install a system like this? I just want to compare the cost of getting it done versus the time cost of me having to research and do it myself including the risk of messing something up...

So which of the two would you recommend for a system like mine hypothetically going into a 370z base trim?

Hush Mat has both Mat and foam, if money isn't a problem you can use both...mat the car first and then a 1/8" thick foam kit over top would be sweet.

As for caps, there are pros and cons, IMHO i would run one. that being said make sure you also have run proper power AND ground wire also.

It is not a high chance you will harm something in the near future but in the far future they can damage your alternator. Again you do not need it for the Z get rid of it and save yourself money on install. For a sub, amp, and the entire car getting hush mat and dynamat your looking at around 400 because of the labor of the dynamat and hush mat.


As 90 said you can run both, as I did in a Z install 2 years ago. It takes much more time.

400 dollars for the whole installation doesn't sound terrible, I guess I might just end up paying for it to avoid the risk of breaking something. And I'll not use the cap (at least at first to see). thanks for the info.

PS:
By the way, do you perhaps know a good place to install audio in nashville?

I would save the money for something else. Installing this stuff is super easy. The hardest part and also the longest is getting everything tucked away and out of sight. The rear comes apart very easy. Nissan uses nice clips on everything so as long as you go slow you wont break anything.
Good luck

Definitely do the dynamat. Its well worth the time and effort, and if you have the coin, add the hushmat for sure.
As for Capacitors.....well, there are many that will argue both directions, but in my experience as an installer for 25+ years, they are a waste of money Unless you have a sufficient charging system behind it. They add additional strain to your charging system because they are constantly being depleted and need to recharge. Spend the money upgrading your charging system if you feel the need for it.
Just a side note, and someone correct me here if I'm wrong, but the newer cars with HID headlights will not dim like older models because they are ballast controlled.
Just my 2 cents......

Unless it's something I can start and finish on the weekend, I'd rather pay to get it done so I don't have to take days off work in order to finish it. I figure I might as well get paid and pay rather than not get paid and avoid paying. If I can get some help from a friend of mine in Atlanta who helped me set up my last system, I'd definitely do it myself.

You are correct about the HID lights not dimming.

Theres no reason you shouldnt be able to get it done in a weekend. Ive done a few myself and it only takes about 4 or 5 hours. It helps to get a lot of stuff pre-assembled. Like get the sub mounted in the box and have an idea on where to mount your amp.
I dont know how much electrical experience you have so draw up a diagram of how all of the wiring will go.
Are you using an LOC or do you have a factory sub?

I agree, no reason that could not be done in a solid day let alone 2 days.