Car Audio 101

antennahead · 07-01-2009, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rreign

I have messed around with and personally owned quite a bit of subs. Car audio has been in my life for about 10 years. Personally I like 10's for the quick tight bass in comparison to 12's or bigger that are mainly for heavy bass and picking up lower frequencies. Here are a few that I usually recommend for my customers... (not in any particular order)

10" MTX TR75-22 (400W RMS, DVC, great style, wide range of bass/music, great SQ, good price)

10" MTX TS85-22 (600W RMS, DVC, square design, decent price)

10"/12" Cerwin Vega stroker/pro (2000W RMS, DVC, very crazy bass, a little pricey)

10" JL W7 (750W RMS, odd 3ohm impedence can be hard to judge different adjustments, amps, etc. a little pricey and over rated. IMO)

Are you stationed in Beaufort?

John

rreign · 07-01-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antennahead

Are you stationed in Beaufort?

John

Yep. Came from Camp Lejeune to here 2 years ago.

antennahead · 07-01-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rreign

Yep. Came from Camp Lejeune to here 2 years ago.

Cool, I'm in Charleston.

John

rreign · 07-01-2009, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antennahead

Cool, I'm in Charleston.

John

I've been waiting to get my hands on a Z so if you want a great custom install with amazing SQ hit me up sometime.

antennahead · 07-01-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rreign

I've been waiting to get my hands on a Z so if you want a great custom install with amazing SQ hit me up sometime.

Just sent a PM PRIOR to this post lol

rreign · 07-01-2009, 06:27 PM

PM'd back

rreign · 07-01-2009, 07:08 PM

Hey Matt, I got one for you.... Carputers?!?! Never done them and don't know how. Got any ideas?

bigaudiofanat · 07-01-2009, 08:22 PM

Yep pm coming your way!

Also for those that only use yahoo messenger I have just made a name on there it is the same as on aim reimermatt

bigaudiofanat · 07-05-2009, 06:05 PM

Well I start my next class for college tomorrow so I want to get this done tonight. Today we are going to talk about wire size, fuse ratings, and the difference between coaxial and component speakers.

Wire Size
So power wire is used to send power to your amp. Usually the rule is the bigger the wire the less resistance the power has going threw the wire. The normal size is usually 8 gauge or 4 gauge, the lower the number the bigger the wire....don't ask LOL. 8 gauge wire can carry power up to around 400 watts that is total from whatever your amp is putting out. If you are going to have more than that or 2 amps I would step up to 4 gauge wire. 4 Gauge is good up until 1000 watts. After that you will have to step up to 2 gauge or even the big 0 gauge. Now when you run any of these other than 8 gauge, you can use something called a distribution block. this allows you to hook up multiple amps to the same wire which is completely fine. Most of them will step down the size like 4 gauge in and 4 outputs of 8 gauge.

Ground Wire
This is a huge thing for your amp. Believe it or not DC "Direct Current" flows from negative to positive. SO your ground wire is as if not more important than your power wire. Now your ground should be on a solid piece of metal preferably on a main beam or brace of the car. Not saying that you can not use just any piece of metal just these are the better places. A lot of people like me do not like to drill holes and all so we look for bolts that we can place the wire under it. Before just drilling a hole make sure to check under were you are drilling you do not want to drill into a fuel line!!!. After you drill your hole sand or grind the paint off so your ground is a real nice ground. Before i go and install my ground I put some di-electric grease on there.

Fuse Rating
These little babies help from you starting a fire on your nice car! LOL DON'T GO RUNNING AWAY. Fuses are simply to protect the wire and the electronics from shorts weather it be on accident by touching a wire to ground or a wire slipping out of an amp. The easiest way to find out what kind of fuse you need for your amps is look at the fuses on your amp add them up and that will give you the correct fuse. Most people just run what fuse comes with the wiring kit which is fine.

Speaker Types
Let us start with component, a component setup usually consists of crossovers, a tweeter, and a woofer. This makes for the best you can get. The reason for this is because of the first component. The crossover, before that power even gets to your speakers the crossover filters the frequency's of the music and makes sure that only those frequency's that the speaker can reproduce, gets to them. The next part the tweeter, this takes car of all your high frequency's. Having it not actually on the woofer means that you can install it almost anywhere giving you the very best sound angle. Look at ti this way are you looking down at the ground at a concert is that were the music is coming from NO of cores not. That is why tweeters that can be mounted anywhere are better you can put them as if you were at a concert giving you a more true experience with your music. Coaxial, there cheaper and easier to install but not better. These are made for rear fill, or for someone who wants to do a quick and easy install. The tweeters are built right into them. This causes loss of power from the woofer as it can not move as far as one without the tweeter built in. Also it can not sound as good because there is resistance to the movement of the woofer the tweeter being right in the way is what dose this. Also there is usually no crossover to take car of the sound that calls for you to use your high pass on your amp and set it by ear.

Next time.... Well let me hear some suggestions from you!
Enjoy!!

bigaudiofanat · 07-06-2009, 02:35 PM

Already here

bigaudiofanat · 07-10-2009, 02:50 PM

If anyone is looking for specific info just let me know. I would be happy to do a write up on more stuff.

bigaudiofanat · 07-20-2009, 01:49 AM

Any new suggestions for what to do a write up on?

37Z · 07-21-2009, 08:21 PM

I have a pair of Alpine model #6117 tweeters. Size is 3 5/8" x 5" x 7/8" W/L/D. Would that fit in the front speakers located in the dash?

bigaudiofanat · 07-21-2009, 08:41 PM

You actually may have to buy some plastic sheets and make an adapter ring to hold it in it maybe be smaller than the opening. It should fit though if you make a adapter plate and use the tweeter pods. Sort of like this notice it is cut almost like a stop sign to fit in there but this is in a porsche.

Here is the plastic you need or may need http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1208900...t.html?tp=1114

37Z · 07-22-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 37Z

I have a pair of Alpine model #6117 tweeters. Size is 3 5/8" x 5" x 7/8" W/L/D. Would that fit in the front speakers located in the dash?

Any suggestions on a compatible crossover/EQ using these Alpine tweeters with a 6 x 9 speaker located in the doors would be appreciated.

Also, I plan to add one or two? small 6" sub located in the hatch area. I haven't decided if a DD HU would improve the sound quality or whether a amp (2 or 4 channel) would work best connected to the base stock 370Z HU. Any suggestions are welcome.

07-01-2009, 08:22 PM	#23 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	Yep pm coming your way! Also for those that only use yahoo messenger I have just made a name on there it is the same as on aim reimermatt __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/ Last edited by bigaudiofanat; 07-01-2009 at 08:35 PM.

07-05-2009, 06:05 PM	#24 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	Well I start my next class for college tomorrow so I want to get this done tonight. Today we are going to talk about wire size, fuse ratings, and the difference between coaxial and component speakers. Wire Size So power wire is used to send power to your amp. Usually the rule is the bigger the wire the less resistance the power has going threw the wire. The normal size is usually 8 gauge or 4 gauge, the lower the number the bigger the wire....don't ask LOL. 8 gauge wire can carry power up to around 400 watts that is total from whatever your amp is putting out. If you are going to have more than that or 2 amps I would step up to 4 gauge wire. 4 Gauge is good up until 1000 watts. After that you will have to step up to 2 gauge or even the big 0 gauge. Now when you run any of these other than 8 gauge, you can use something called a distribution block. this allows you to hook up multiple amps to the same wire which is completely fine. Most of them will step down the size like 4 gauge in and 4 outputs of 8 gauge. Ground Wire This is a huge thing for your amp. Believe it or not DC "Direct Current" flows from negative to positive. SO your ground wire is as if not more important than your power wire. Now your ground should be on a solid piece of metal preferably on a main beam or brace of the car. Not saying that you can not use just any piece of metal just these are the better places. A lot of people like me do not like to drill holes and all so we look for bolts that we can place the wire under it. Before just drilling a hole make sure to check under were you are drilling you do not want to drill into a fuel line!!!. After you drill your hole sand or grind the paint off so your ground is a real nice ground. Before i go and install my ground I put some di-electric grease on there. Fuse Rating These little babies help from you starting a fire on your nice car! LOL DON'T GO RUNNING AWAY. Fuses are simply to protect the wire and the electronics from shorts weather it be on accident by touching a wire to ground or a wire slipping out of an amp. The easiest way to find out what kind of fuse you need for your amps is look at the fuses on your amp add them up and that will give you the correct fuse. Most people just run what fuse comes with the wiring kit which is fine. Speaker Types Let us start with component, a component setup usually consists of crossovers, a tweeter, and a woofer. This makes for the best you can get. The reason for this is because of the first component. The crossover, before that power even gets to your speakers the crossover filters the frequency's of the music and makes sure that only those frequency's that the speaker can reproduce, gets to them. The next part the tweeter, this takes car of all your high frequency's. Having it not actually on the woofer means that you can install it almost anywhere giving you the very best sound angle. Look at ti this way are you looking down at the ground at a concert is that were the music is coming from NO of cores not. That is why tweeters that can be mounted anywhere are better you can put them as if you were at a concert giving you a more true experience with your music. Coaxial, there cheaper and easier to install but not better. These are made for rear fill, or for someone who wants to do a quick and easy install. The tweeters are built right into them. This causes loss of power from the woofer as it can not move as far as one without the tweeter built in. Also it can not sound as good because there is resistance to the movement of the woofer the tweeter being right in the way is what dose this. Also there is usually no crossover to take car of the sound that calls for you to use your high pass on your amp and set it by ear. Next time.... Well let me hear some suggestions from you! Enjoy!! __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/ Last edited by bigaudiofanat; 07-16-2010 at 11:30 AM.

07-06-2009, 02:35 PM	#25 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	Already here __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/ Last edited by bigaudiofanat; 08-10-2009 at 10:17 AM.

07-10-2009, 02:50 PM	#26 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	If anyone is looking for specific info just let me know. I would be happy to do a write up on more stuff. __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/

07-20-2009, 01:49 AM	#27 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	Any new suggestions for what to do a write up on? __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/

07-01-2009, 06:27 PM	#21 (permalink)
rreign A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Age: 41 Posts: 2,341 Drives: 03 Evo 8 Rep Power: 709	PM'd back

07-01-2009, 07:08 PM	#22 (permalink)
rreign A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Age: 41 Posts: 2,341 Drives: 03 Evo 8 Rep Power: 709	Hey Matt, I got one for you.... Carputers?!?! Never done them and don't know how. Got any ideas?

07-21-2009, 08:21 PM	#28 (permalink)
37Z Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 476 Drives: 370Z MB 6M -sold Rep Power: 263	Tweeters I have a pair of Alpine model #6117 tweeters. Size is 3 5/8" x 5" x 7/8" W/L/D. Would that fit in the front speakers located in the dash?

07-21-2009, 08:41 PM	#29 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	You actually may have to buy some plastic sheets and make an adapter ring to hold it in it maybe be smaller than the opening. It should fit though if you make a adapter plate and use the tweeter pods. Sort of like this notice it is cut almost like a stop sign to fit in there but this is in a porsche. Here is the plastic you need or may need http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1208900...t.html?tp=1114 __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/ Last edited by bigaudiofanat; 07-21-2009 at 08:48 PM.

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