Dash and rear speaker recommendations

[toast]

If you use the ground in the gang plug for the head unit you can wind up with a slightly different ground than you have at the amps (same is true if you just ground the headunit on an open bolt in the dash somewhere). The head unit is connected to the amps via RCA cables which also have a ground (shield). If there is a small potential difference between the head unit ground and the amp ground you will get what is called a group loop flowing on the RCA shields which will introduce (primarily) alternator noise. The best way to avoid this is to run a dedicated 10 or 12 gauge wire from the head unit back to where the amps are grounded. Connect all electronics grounds for the stereo system at the amp ground (if you use that active crossover ground it at the amp's ground as well).

[B-R-Z]

Roger, thanks for the info

[B-R-Z]

How do you go about properly setting the xover freq without any separate measurement devices? On my sub amp, the range is 40-150 IIRC, do I just guesstimate where 70 is, or can I play a 80hz test tone and adjust it until I don't hear anything? Same for the xover point for mids/highs.

[Chimera]

even with a 12db roll off if you play a 80hz 0db file you will hear it in the sub, just lighter. I usually guesstimate. someone else may have a better answer.

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

How do you go about properly setting the xover freq without any separate measurement devices? On my sub amp, the range is 40-150 IIRC, do I just guesstimate where 70 is, or can I play a 80hz test tone and adjust it until I don't hear anything? Same for the xover point for mids/highs.

[B-R-Z]

@toast I just ordered everything for this install. Does it matter exactly where the coils are placed, distance from speaker wise? I was thinking of mounting them inside the cabin somewhere then run speaker wire out to the doors from there. Is the only thing I want to avoid is placing them near the speaker magnets?

Would immediately after the amplifier work?

[toast]

Anywhere is fine. I mounted mine to a small piece of breadboard with a wiring block on it and found a spot in the dash on each side. Amp wires go to the board, wires out of the board go into the doors. There is no reason why you couldn't put the coils back where the amp is.

As far as the crossover point, as chimera said you can just eyeball it. Or listen to your favorite music and let your ear decide. If the xover is set too high the sub will sound muddy, too low and it won't output the volume of bass you want. With the range you have listed, halfway through the adjustment range would result in 95 Hz, 1/4 from low would be 67.5 Hz.

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by s30series

I have two of these in the dash, and two of them in the rear

Amazon.com : JBL GTO328 3.5-Inch 2-Way Loudspeaker : Vehicle Speakers : Car Electronics

sound great with factory system.

Amazon.com : Infinity Reference 6032cf 6.5-Inch 180-Watt High-Performance 2-Way Speakers (Pair) : Vehicle Speakers : Car Electronics

Those are in the doors....

I've got a 12 speaker system, lol

Did those Infinity's fit without and adapter or was one need for depth.

[Chimera]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

Did those Infinity's fit without and adapter or was one need for depth.

Depth is less of a concern than width. The hole is a cavernous void. A 7 could fit easily. An adapter is needed pretty much no matter what.

[B-R-Z]

@toast .. I have 2 pieces of breadboard I could use, but isn't just soldering the leads to each end of the coil equivalent? And is it ok for them to be sitting in open air as long as they don't come in contact with ground/power leads?

I have everything I need except speaker wire and RCA lines. I'm leaning towards 12 AWG for speakers and Stinger 4000 series rca. Reading up on this stuff, I'm trying to decide if buying the oxygen free copper is worth the extra $20-$40 in total. I've read it's a much better conductor and would produce less resistance. I need to check my power lines too to make sure it's not the bad stuff and maybe replace it with OFC if so. Is this a sales scheme for the car audio market or is it legit? I watched a video that showed an amp putting out 300 less watts using the crap stuff vs OFC.

[s30series]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

Did those Infinity's fit without and adapter or was one need for depth.

you need to buy the adapters.....i dont recall what they were, but if you attempt to buy them on crutchfields website, it will tell you what kit you need. It was like $8 on amazon, and it came with both sides.

My stock head unit sounds great...I just need more bass....I've got 12 speakers now, lol. I want/need a sub, but I don't want to add the weight as I track the car. Ohh well.

When you hook up a phone and use it, you can get much clearer sound. I guess the phone acts as a pre-amp?

[toast]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

@toast .. I have 2 pieces of breadboard I could use, but isn't just soldering the leads to each end of the coil equivalent? And is it ok for them to be sitting in open air as long as they don't come in contact with ground/power leads?

I have everything I need except speaker wire and RCA lines. I'm leaning towards 12 AWG for speakers and Stinger 4000 series rca. Reading up on this stuff, I'm trying to decide if buying the oxygen free copper is worth the extra $20-$40 in total. I've read it's a much better conductor and would produce less resistance. I need to check my power lines too to make sure it's not the bad stuff and maybe replace it with OFC if so. Is this a sales scheme for the car audio market or is it legit? I watched a video that showed an amp putting out 300 less watts using the crap stuff vs OFC.

I just used breadboard because it gave me a nice thing to mount both the coil for the doors and the cap for the dash speakers to. You can mount it anywhere, but yes don't let the non-insulated portion touch anything.

Oxygen free is really about corrosion resistance. Since we are talking about a moist environment (at least for the door speakers) OFC is a pretty good idea. There is no way it will cause any power or fidelity loss when new, but after many years as the copper corrodes it could.

[B-R-Z]

I just spent $50 on 100 feet of OFC 12 gauge speaker wire. Going to need 4 runs for the four front speakers, then another run using 1 lead for HU ground and the other lead for amp turn-on. I'll probably have a little leftover.

Thinking about picking up 10 sq/ft of sound deadener too for the doors and trunk. Found fatmat on eBay for about $25.

[Chimera]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

@toast .. I have 2 pieces of breadboard I could use, but isn't just soldering the leads to each end of the coil equivalent? And is it ok for them to be sitting in open air as long as they don't come in contact with ground/power leads?

I have everything I need except speaker wire and RCA lines. I'm leaning towards 12 AWG for speakers and Stinger 4000 series rca. Reading up on this stuff, I'm trying to decide if buying the oxygen free copper is worth the extra $20-$40 in total. I've read it's a much better conductor and would produce less resistance. I need to check my power lines too to make sure it's not the bad stuff and maybe replace it with OFC if so. Is this a sales scheme for the car audio market or is it legit? I watched a video that showed an amp putting out 300 less watts using the crap stuff vs OFC.

TBH if it were me I would just wire the 2 ends in the middle of a line, and electrical tape over the entire inductor (coil) making a little lump. then zip tie that or tape it to the side of something.

[B-R-Z]

I'll probably zip tie it somewhere above the driver/passenger footwell and wrap it in plastic or elec tape.

Trying to find crimp connectors for the 3" speaker terminals but can't find the ones with two different sizes, should I just solder? The 7"s have the spring terminals. I'd like to find some kind of connector for my sub woofer line as well, the wires get beat up after being disconnected/reconnected a few times. Maybe those angled banana clips?