I'm a newbie to car audio, and i've got a hopefully easy question for you guys. I have 4x amp that I am going to use for my mids, and i'm getting another dedicated sub amp pretty soon. Now to wire both of them up at the same time, do I need to run two separate power cables? What about capacitors, are those applicable here cause i'm not 100% sure on what they do


Thanks

 

You need to get a distribution box. Basically the main line goes into one end and the other side splits it up into several.

Hold off on the cap for now. Wait and see if you really need it first.

 

Make sure your power wire coming off the battery is at least 4 gauge (you may need thicker wire depending on the current demands of your amps). Then split the wires in the manner Vtec_INSIDE described.

Also a cap will help the overall dynamics of your system. What you'll notice is tighter, more defined bass coming from your subs. Your mids and highs will improve too - better transient response and cleaner output at higher volumes. However, all of this depends on the rest of the components you have (speakers, head unit, EQ, etc.) and the installation quality.

 

yeah a dist. block is the way to go and if you're gonna be running 2 amps and at least decent subs you should probally get a cap.

 

You can use a single cable and split them with a distribution block at the amps or you can use two smaller wires and run them directly to each amp.

A capacitor is used in the 12V line to hold voltage for short periods of time. It can can charge and discharge quickly, if your amps suddenly need more power, such as when the bass hits or during musical peaks. A general rule is 1 farad for every 1000 watts of amplifier power. Amps have caps inside too, but sometimes they aren't big enough. What are you running for amps?

 

a 50x4 V12, and about a 200x1 something for the sub (haven't gotten it yet). i guess i dont need a cap just yet

 

You'll want to run a 4 gauge wire from your battery though the firewall to the back of the car into a power distribution block, splitting it into two 8 gauge wires. You can ground them at the same point. There is a thread near the rear right seat belt you can use as a ground for the amps. If you want to do it right, you'll want to pull the seats and carpet out of the car.