Whose got subs?

[carySE406]

I'm looking at getting some subs for my truck and I had a few questions for anybody that knows about wiring and what not.  If I just hook up the subs without a new amp, will it work with the factory unit?  Or what if I do put in a new amp, will the factory speakers survive?  I'm not sure how many ohms they are but I'm guessing 2 and the new amp would be for 4 ohms right?  Any help? Or recommendations for the subs?  I'm border-line clueless. lol

[tipptruck1]

I have had many sets of subs in my lfe. No the subs will not work with out a amp period. The amp will not afect your factory speakers. You only hook up a sub or subs to them. The subs and amp will not work with a factory head unit. you will have to get a converter to get it to work with it. But after you get done spending money on them you could have got a nice aftermarket cd player. Not all amps are 4 ohms. And from what I heard two ohms are better. Pm lbh about that stuff. If you have never hooked up a amp before go to a place that sells car audio. But I repeat do not go to best buy or any of them places. Bring in the owners books for amp. They might be able to help you with the wiring. If they can do it let them hook up the amp. One more thing make sure your amp and subs are matched. What I mean by that dont go and buy a 1,500 watt amp and 300 watt subs. Make sure your subs or sub can handle half of the power at peak power. Check out jl audio stuff. Cost a little more but well worth it.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

A. No, you cannot hook subs directly to factory H/U.  If you add an amp, an adapter ($10-25) will be needed to match the wiring harnesses.

B.  Yes, the speakers CAN survive but be careful, most external amps are stronger than the internal amp that comes from the factory.  Start with your gains on zero and creep them up while the volume knob is at 4/5.  Stop and back off a hair when distortion begins.

C.  Different amps have different functions, therefor, they come in different Ohms.  Some are 1 ohm stable but I do not recommend running your gear at 1ohm, just because you can.  It's like driving with the gas pedal on the floor any time the car is started, it will not last as long as if you baby it.  The ohms are determined by how your speakers are wired if they are subs or what the rating is, if the amp is for full range speakers. (the speaker set will be rated, 4ohm, 8ohm,etc.  4 ohm is most common)

I highly recommend you take some time to go learn on a few of the forum boards out there.  Sounddomain and caraudioforums.com are great ones.  Very much like BR is for fishing, they are for car audio.  The guys will make you feel right at home and not make you feel stupid for asking the basics.

If you choose not to, please have a certified shop do the work.  There is much to know regarding safety, not just sound.  When you add amps, you run power wires down the length of your car.  If not protected for surge, you can wipe out the brain in your car or even light the whole thing on fire.  EASILY. (these are just 2 examples of what can happen)

Just some advice.  Good luck and feel free to ask more questions but I HIGHLY recommend those sites.

This is the FRONT STAGE going in my 4runner this week,lol,......you should see/hear what's going in the back!!  We are aiming for a strictly "Stealth" install, nothing will be visible, the car will appear stock.  There's ALOT to hide but the boys have come up with a couple trick app.'s already.  Can't wait to hear this one.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

The system will also include a processer built by THX.  It's a neural surround processor (exactly like in the movie theaters)

The sound in this car should prove to be phenomenal.  Much of this equipment was used in the previous Jetta install which took prizes in the Sound Quality classes all over New England.  Mean and clean.  Not built to be loud, a "Sound Quality" car gets judged on a 300 pt scorecard with such categories as Tonal balalnce, harmonic distortion, staging, imaging, etc.

THIS system will be all that PLUS dvd, THX and most of all, the 3800 watts of power from the jetta will be run at 2/5 the voltage instead of 1/5 the voltage like in the previous app and you can ask anyone who sat in that car,...1/5 was plenty "loud"

This will also be the 1srt time I work with this shape of a sound chamber.  I always owned cars with trunks.  I used the trunk to isolate frequencies regarding the mid bass and sub bass.  I like my cars to hit stiff, not muddy or boomy.  I'm curious, from what I've heard in other SUV's, I think I will be very happy with how this one impresses itself physically upon you.  Music you feel, nothing like it if you love your music like I do.

Oops, sorry, got carried away,lol.

[CFFF 1.5]

I used to be into car audio, but have not had any subs in my truck for the past 2.5 years. I do have a couple words of advice. Don't go out and buy a cheap amp that states it has an enormous amount of power. Buy a quality brand and you will be much happier. If you aren't looking to spend too much I highly recommend getting kicker competition subs 10" or 12" and a kicker amp to go with it. You won't be disappionted unless you want to win some sound competitions.

LBH have you ever used kicker? Do you like their products?

[TruflShufl]

LBH are those infinity 6.5's?

Ugghhh I want a system again so bad.

[Bassboy15]

I see LBH bumpin...!!!!

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Cliff- I have done installs using kicker (solo-B's, some comps, amps, etc)

A very STABLE (which is the key in this biz) product but the company as a whole is more geared towards SPL (sound pressure level) audio than towards SQ (sound quality)  Not saying they don't sound good, but they don't (or didn't) make Sound Q specific products (like the audiobahn Aluminum Q)

Go to any SPL or DB comp and they do VERY well, with consistent results.  People who own Kicker, love kicker,...in car audio, that means a lot, especially coming from installers who have to deal with "return" issues.  Think about the "return" issues in the retail world of fishing, akll the different warranties, etc.  Now imagine you are in the retail biz of a product used highly by teen agers and is an electrical component.    There are MANY ways to ruin your gear when trying to save $$ and do it yourself, without properly educating yourself first. (popular with teen agers)

Truf- Yes, those are Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.5's, there are 4 sets of those all together (2 up front, 1 in the middle, one in the rear), PHENOMENAL component set.  Look at the mid bass driver,....it's built like a mini sub.  Huge, thick basket, rubber surround, etc.  LOVE THOSE!!!  (the mid-bass response is sweet too,....dialed in correctly, the mid bass lays down a nice base for the sub bass to compliment.

[cart7t]

I installed stereo's for about a year and a half for a company called CMC stereo back in the late 70's.  I'll admit that I did put in a number of 8-tracks though those were fading and being replaced by....

Cassettes.....  {crickets chirping}

Back then they didn't have quite the equipment available that they have now.  A really great system (even by todays standards) would be a Top of the line Clarion or Alpine indash with a Fosgate Punch 20watt per channel amp fed into Pioneer 6" 3 way door speakers and 3 way 6x9's in the back.  Those Fosgates had incredible distortion numbers that nearly matched the stereo equipment that was being sold up on the main sales floor.

I kinda liked the job. My hands were cut up all the time but it was a great way to meet chicks.  I quit because it just didn't seem like a long term job.  I mean,  I couldn't imagine myself being 30 years old and crawling around inside the trunk of a Toyota or Datsun.  

[Jake P]

I had 2 alpine type e 12' subs, a 400 W alpine amp and a flip screen alpine deck. I just sold it all in a garage sale because i bought a new single cab truck and didnt think i would have room. I wish i had of kept them i could of got a new box built and had them installed......I really really miss them. Car toys is running a sale here for two diamond 10's and a 400 watt amp installed for 750$, im thinking about getting them.

[Chad.]

My dad has been into car audio for years right now it's 2 12" Hertz Hi- energy (made in Italy Baller!) Up front component 6.5" zapco competition   speakers. In the back 2 5.25" Hertz hi energy speakers 1 Zapco competition 375:4 watts and 1100:1. An alpine 9887 deck and audio control three to one. He is trying to sell 13" focal utopia subs

[Daiwa]

I cant drive yet so no.

[guitarkid]

I have a killer sub in my car, it was $5 and about a foot long. I think it had pepperoni too.

                          -searoach

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

My dad has been into car audio for years right now it's 2 12" Hertz Hi- energy (made in Italy Baller!) Up front component 6.5" zapco competition   speakers. In the back 2 5.25" Hertz hi energy speakers 1 Zapco competition 375:4 watts and 1100:1. An alpine 9887 deck and audio control three to one. He is trying to sell 13" focal utopia subs

Dad knows sound Q.  Sounds like the kind of set up I would do in a redlinerobert car.  All super clean (yet super expensive) componenrs right there.  The Utopias are a great speaker but not hundreds of dollars better than a high end component set IMO.  Never heard the hertz stuff but that zapco 1100/1 is in high demand on the used market if it's the old school white one.

Cart7- the words "super-Tuner" ring a bell?  lol...I bet you did a few vans with Crager rims also.    I was young, but my bicycle had a reailer hitch with a battery some house speakers an amp and the "Bye Bye miss American Pie" 8 track, crankin' in the hood,lol.

ps Cart, those 20 watt amps from the day,....they now are the same amps, but rated at probably 100-300watts.  people don't realize that it doesn't take thousands of watts to have lots of sound.  Those old sony 50 watt amps (no,.......... Waaaaaay before there was any product line called Xplod from Sony -never understood the marketing behind that one,lol) were a very clean, strong amp for low money compared to todays stuff.  Todays specs are so blown out of proportion, companies targeting the youth with numbers.  It's handy that there is no mathematic equation or measuring device for "wattage",lol  The closest thing you'll come to truer ratings from the lines that really target the younger crowd, are the rockford fosgate stuff.  Amps are factory tested and the results are presented with the birth cert. of the amp.  They calculate an appx wattage capability that actually hits where it says. (according to the experts, again,...there's no equation.

[Chad.]

My dad has been into car audio for years right now it's 2 12" Hertz Hi- energy (made in Italy Baller!) Up front component 6.5" zapco competition   speakers. In the back 2 5.25" Hertz hi energy speakers 1 Zapco competition 375:4 watts and 1100:1. An alpine 9887 deck and audio control three to one. He is trying to sell 13" focal utopia subs

Dad knows sound Q.  Sounds like the kind of set up I would do in a redlinerobert car.  All super clean (yet super expensive) componenrs right there.  The Utopias are a great speaker but not hundreds of dollars better than a high end component set IMO.  Never heard the hertz stuff but that zapco 1100/1 is in high demand on the used market if it's the old school white one.

Hertz, check out the (top of the line) mille series very good stuff.  http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/default_en.htm