This is my first install so I have an idea what I want, bit I’m not sure how to do it.

If my wallet will let me, I’d like to go 1000+ watts (500+ watts each for left and right). Is this way too much? What is the best "boom for your buck" amp out there?

What would be the best way to get a power wire, control wire (head unit remote), and audio to the trunk? Should I use a 30-conductor cable and make the audio and control 4 wires then put the rest of the wires in to one big power cable so I have one cable to run? If I do run separate wires what gauge should I use for each for the above wattage ? Would I be better off with a pre-made kit or something? Do I need a bigger, better alternator than the ~70 amp one I have now? Would I need a second battery? A stiffening capacitor(s)?

Ground isn’t a problem; just use the body. Having said that do I need to get \ make a better grounding wire that goes from the battery to the body? The one now is about 10 gauge, 8 at the biggest.

What size \ type speakers should I use? Speakers or subs? If subs, self powered, speaker-type, or tube? If speakers what ohms are best? Is 4 ohm better \ more stable than 2 ohm? I’d like to have one for each channel (500 watts each for left and right) I’m playing mostly techno, rap, R&B, heavy metal, and misalanious(?) like movie themes.

Should I use crossovers, equalizers, or other audio processing? I'm also building a carputer (correct spelling) a decaded gaming, DVD player, and MP3 player for the car, would I be better off with software or hardware audio processing? Is a tape adapter or a FM modulator better?

I realize this is allot of questions and a lot of info., but if I do this I want to do it right the first time so i'm open for all sugestions.

 

So many questions.. i dont know where to start.. Start slow buying a nice HU and maybe changing your stock speakers.. and work from there.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JC18 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This is my first install so I have an idea what I want, bit I’m not sure how to do it.

What would be the best way to get a power wire, control wire (head unit remote), and audio to the trunk? Should I use a 30-conductor cable and make the audio and control 4 wires then put the rest of the wires in to one big power cable so I have one cable to run? If I do run separate wires what gauge should I use for each for the above wattage ? Would I be better off with a pre-made kit or something?</TD></TR></TABLE>

one of the most important things when installing stuff in a car is to keep your power wire and signal wire separated by running them down opposite sides of the car or one down teh side and one down teh middle. Pre-made kits are nice but not really necessary. all you need is some power wire to the back with a fuse at the battery, a fused distribution block and some wire to ground the amp.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ground isn’t a problem; just use the body. Having said that do I need to get \ make a better grounding wire that goes from the battery to the body? The one now is about 10 gauge, 8 at the biggest. </TD></TR></TABLE>

It wouldnt be a bad idea to upgrade teh big 3.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
What size \ type speakers should I use? Speakers or subs? If subs, self powered, speaker-type, or tube? If speakers what ohms are best? Is 4 ohm better \ more stable than 2 ohm? I’d like to have one for each channel (500 watts each for left and right) I’m playing mostly techno, rap, R&B, heavy metal, and misalanious(?) like movie themes. </TD></TR></TABLE>

This is something we can't really answer for you. You'd have to go to an audio shop and demo the products yourself and find the speakers you like the best and fit in your budget. As for the impedence question, that depends on the amp you're using. an amp will make more power at 2ohms than it will at 4ohms but then other factors come into play like are you running multiple speakers in parallel, is the amp stable at 2ohms mono.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Should I use crossovers, equalizers, or other audio processing?</TD></TR></TABLE>

crossovers will be supplied with the component speakers and the amp should also have high/lowpass filters on them. I'd only suggest gettting an EQ if you know how to properly tune your system using one.

 

First of all, I have a 91 Honda civic LX sedan

I don’t have the equipment, time, ambition, or money for sound deadening. :-( I live in an apartment) I would like something loud enough to get their attention but not to annoy anyone.

I had a friend in High School and when he turned up the volume in his car and turned on the amps, WOW! The ground vibrated and you could hear it on the other side of campus. He had a 1200 watt and an 800 watt with four subs. At the time I thought "who would ever drive a car down the road with it up that loud?" but it's for show / competition. Anyway I digress, that's where I got the 2000 watts from and i'd like somthing about half that. Again I don’t have the equipment, time, ambition, or money for engine mods like an upgraded alternator. I can put a second battery in if necessary.

I have $ 400 saved up for a project like this. My dad bought a used Civic with a "1/2 system" installed. It has maybe 20 feet of 4 gauge wire, control wire, signal wire, a AutoZone bought 300 watt speaker box and a blown out 40 watt amp. It’s a nice unit but the amp has a amp IC; in other words, the whole amp is nothing more than a integrated circuits would this be a good starting point? 300 watts a channel instead of 1000? What difference would 1400 watts make? I would like to get a MOFFET (?) amp. I hear these are really good and sound better at higher volume. Is that true? I call it a "1/2 system" because the parts were there but it needed desperate repair.