Noobie stereo install help
06-20-2005, 05:21 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Danbury, CT \ Rochester, NY
Posts: 2,598
Noobie stereo install help
Over the past 6 months, I built myself a nice enclosure for a single sub. I recently just picked up and Rockford Fosgate 10" Punch sub, and a very cheap American Legacy 400 Watt amp. (Let me say this, I wasn't looking for a LOT of power, just something I'm going to hear when cruising w/ the windows down.)
Being that I have never installed any components before, I feel confident I can hook it up correctly. The only thing: it is a FOUR channel amp, and I only have one sub, so I was told to "bridge" it? Any tutorial for that?
Also, the other stumbling block I have is hiding the wires throughout the car. Does anyone have any pics of where they ran their wires? I'm just looking for some ideas.
Thanks in advance.
Being that I have never installed any components before, I feel confident I can hook it up correctly. The only thing: it is a FOUR channel amp, and I only have one sub, so I was told to "bridge" it? Any tutorial for that?
Also, the other stumbling block I have is hiding the wires throughout the car. Does anyone have any pics of where they ran their wires? I'm just looking for some ideas.
Thanks in advance.
06-20-2005, 07:05 AM
#2
Question:
How do I bridge my amp?
Response:
Bridging a stereo amplifier essentially turns two channels into one mono channel with greater power output. In order to bridge an amplifier it must have at least two channels and it must be capable of being bridged. Check your amplifier''s manual to determine if you can bridge your amp''s channels. If you do not have a manual, check your amplifier''s back panel for a bridging switch. Amplifiers capable of bridging will have a switch somewhere on the rear panel labeled ''bridge'' or ''bridge mode'' or ''mono'' or something similar.
Once you have established that your amplifier is capable of bridging consider the speaker load you will present to it. By bridging an amplifier you essentially halve the impedance it sees from a given speaker so an 8 ohm speaker looks like a 4 ohm speaker to the bridged amp. Be sure your amplifier is capable of delivering consistent power into the lower impedance without overheating or distorting before going through with the bridging process. In most cases you are better off to have a single more powerful amplifier than two bridged amps due to the excess heat and strain that can be induced.
Assuming your amplifier is capable of being bridged and you have decided it will work with your equipment, the actual process of bridging your amp is fairly simple. Turn off the power to your amplifier and disconnect your speakers. Most amplifiers will use the left input as the bridged mode input. Check the back of your amp for this information - the input to use for bridged operation should be marked in some fashion. Connect a single RCA cable from your pre-amp to this input. Run a strand of speaker wire from the positive (red in almost all cases) input on your speaker to the positive speaker-level output on your amplifier corresponding to the bridged input you just connected. Connect the negative (black in almost all cases) input on your speaker to the second POSITIVE (red in almost all cases) output on your amplifier. In most cases the wiring will work like this: a speaker wire connection will run from the positive (red) output on your amplifier''s left channel to the positive (red) input on your speaker and a speaker wire will connect the positive (red) output on your amplifier''s right channel to the negative (black) input on your speaker. Once you have made your connections, flip the bridging switch from stereo mode to bridged or mono mode and power the amplifier back up.
The important points to remember in bridging an amplifier are to switch the amp to bridged mode, use ONLY the amp''s positive speaker outputs, and be sure your amplifier and speaker will work well in bridged mode based on the speaker''s nominal and minimum impedance (halved) and your amp''s capability to operate into low ohm loads
How do I bridge my amp?
Response:
Bridging a stereo amplifier essentially turns two channels into one mono channel with greater power output. In order to bridge an amplifier it must have at least two channels and it must be capable of being bridged. Check your amplifier''s manual to determine if you can bridge your amp''s channels. If you do not have a manual, check your amplifier''s back panel for a bridging switch. Amplifiers capable of bridging will have a switch somewhere on the rear panel labeled ''bridge'' or ''bridge mode'' or ''mono'' or something similar.
Once you have established that your amplifier is capable of bridging consider the speaker load you will present to it. By bridging an amplifier you essentially halve the impedance it sees from a given speaker so an 8 ohm speaker looks like a 4 ohm speaker to the bridged amp. Be sure your amplifier is capable of delivering consistent power into the lower impedance without overheating or distorting before going through with the bridging process. In most cases you are better off to have a single more powerful amplifier than two bridged amps due to the excess heat and strain that can be induced.
Assuming your amplifier is capable of being bridged and you have decided it will work with your equipment, the actual process of bridging your amp is fairly simple. Turn off the power to your amplifier and disconnect your speakers. Most amplifiers will use the left input as the bridged mode input. Check the back of your amp for this information - the input to use for bridged operation should be marked in some fashion. Connect a single RCA cable from your pre-amp to this input. Run a strand of speaker wire from the positive (red in almost all cases) input on your speaker to the positive speaker-level output on your amplifier corresponding to the bridged input you just connected. Connect the negative (black in almost all cases) input on your speaker to the second POSITIVE (red in almost all cases) output on your amplifier. In most cases the wiring will work like this: a speaker wire connection will run from the positive (red) output on your amplifier''s left channel to the positive (red) input on your speaker and a speaker wire will connect the positive (red) output on your amplifier''s right channel to the negative (black) input on your speaker. Once you have made your connections, flip the bridging switch from stereo mode to bridged or mono mode and power the amplifier back up.
The important points to remember in bridging an amplifier are to switch the amp to bridged mode, use ONLY the amp''s positive speaker outputs, and be sure your amplifier and speaker will work well in bridged mode based on the speaker''s nominal and minimum impedance (halved) and your amp''s capability to operate into low ohm loads
06-20-2005, 11:29 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 128
sorry, I don't have any pics. but I did my wiring last week and its very simple. start from the Head Unit, what I did I ran the power wires by the left side (drivers) and the RCA by the (right) (I Read some where to keep them separate). get a flat screw driver and lift the stepping panel on the front door, its clipped to the floor but it comes out easy, then go to center post between the front door and back door, that one is more tricky because it has 4 clips (try not to break them) 2 on the bottom and 2 on the top. with the same flat push on the clips and pull the cover away. remove the back stepping thing, and lift up the carpet, the wire fits under the carpet close to the side wall. I took out the seat and found a hole in the lower right hand that I was able to run the RCA to the trunk.
06-20-2005, 08:07 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Danbury, CT \ Rochester, NY
Posts: 2,598
Originally Posted by tigerxp17
sorry, I don't have any pics. but I did my wiring last week and its very simple. start from the Head Unit, what I did I ran the power wires by the left side (drivers) and the RCA by the (right) (I Read some where to keep them separate). get a flat screw driver and lift the stepping panel on the front door, its clipped to the floor but it comes out easy, then go to center post between the front door and back door, that one is more tricky because it has 4 clips (try not to break them) 2 on the bottom and 2 on the top. with the same flat push on the clips and pull the cover away. remove the back stepping thing, and lift up the carpet, the wire fits under the carpet close to the side wall. I took out the seat and found a hole in the lower right hand that I was able to run the RCA to the trunk.
Can anyone elaborate on running the RCA wires on one side of the car, and the power on the other? I heard that you should keep them seperate, but have also heard someone quote a "reputable stereo installer" on the org saying that it wasn't necessary.
06-21-2005, 05:17 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: BFE, UT
Posts: 3,194
It depends upon the quality of your RCA cables. Some are designed quite well, and have sheilding to help prevent the charging the system from whining... or your sub from whining because of the charging system.
It's a safer bet just to run them on seperate sides to save a headache.
It's a safer bet just to run them on seperate sides to save a headache.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
MaxLife17
8th Generation Maxima (2016-)
43
06-27-2019 01:37 PM
Violator
4th Generation Classifieds (1995-1999)
1
09-09-2015 10:14 AM