speaker and amp install

[MiguelACA]

ok, so i just got my sony 4 channel amp in the mail today, ive got my speakers, my amp, and wiring kit, just need a day to take apart my car and get everything installed

da_bull, ever worked on an mk4 jetta? i know the speakers are riveted onto the doors and stuff, so i dont think this will bee too easy, i know im gonna have to drill some holes to run some wires, so yea, any tips are appreciated

all ive ever installed are head units, subs, and 1 or 2 channel amps for said subs, never done a multi speaker install...theres gonna be so much wiring running all over the place... :sigh:

in case your wondering

the head unit is sony CDX-GT710
the amp is a Sony XM-4060GTX, 600 watt, 4 channel
and the speakers are Sony XS-R1641 4-way car speakers, 220 watts peak power

in the trunk i have DEI Xtreme 500 watt amp powering 2 10'' kicker comps in a sealed box (thinking of getting a ported box, dunno if it would make much of a difference)

[da_bull]

Hello there Green-VW-dude,

I'm sure I have at one time or another. My first tip, since I'm not driving to TX, is have a digital camera ready :lol . Secondly, pick a day where you can walk away and leave it for an hour or so if you get frustrated. These German cars will test your patience for sure and make you wonder why in the world they did this or that.

If you could find out where all the speaker wires meet (behind headunit if there isnt any sort of factory amp). Run all four new speaker wires from the amp to behind the headunit and let them V-Dub peoples run the wires from there to the factory speaker locations (if thats what you are doing, replacing the factory locations). The factory wiring will be ok for that amplifier. That'll save you a lot of time, not having to run a wire into each door panel etc.

As far as the box goes, the Comps will run either way. A sealed box is a little smoother covering the whole bass spectrum, and a ported box will play the lower frequencies louder but drop off a little at the higher bass frequencies. It's really a personal choice there. A sealed box you can be 10-20% off in box size and you wont notice (like if the speaker called for 1 cu. ft., and all you had room for is a 0.8 cu. ft. box). A ported box is more precise, 2-5% off is about all you can get away with.

Holla if you need some help...

Bill

[MiguelACA]

o ok, i know what ur saying (i think) run the speaker wires from the amp to behind the HU and join them with the speaker wire already going to the stock speakers. you said the stock wiring is good enough for the amp, did u check out the specs on it? is it really wise thou, to use the stock wiring? its really thin..?

also, on my amp for the subs im using 8 gauge wire i believe for power and ground havent had a problem

a friend of mine gave me an amp instal kit supposedly for up to 750 watts, but its 10 gauge for power and ground, can i use it for the 4 channel amp or should i get thicker cable

im not too worried about running the wires, im worried about teh damn speakers, having to drill out the rivets and stuff, and ive read in a few sites that some speakers need spacers or else the window will get stuck to the speakers magnet!

one more thing, im assuming the stock sound system in the car consists of components seeing as how theres a speaker and tweeter in every door, should i leave the stock tweeters working, or should i unplug them and jsut use the new sony 4 ways?

sorry for all the reading material! ur alot of help with these things!

do u have aim or some other faster form of communication?

[da_bull]

Originally Posted by MiguelACA

o ok, i know what ur saying (i think) run the speaker wires from the amp to behind the HU and join them with the speaker wire already going to the stock speakers. you said the stock wiring is good enough for the amp, did u check out the specs on it? is it really wise thou, to use the stock wiring? its really thin..?

also, on my amp for the subs im using 8 gauge wire i believe for power and ground havent had a problem

a friend of mine gave me an amp instal kit supposedly for up to 750 watts, but its 10 gauge for power and ground, can i use it for the 4 channel amp or should i get thicker cable

im not too worried about running the wires, im worried about teh damn speakers, having to drill out the rivets and stuff, and ive read in a few sites that some speakers need spacers or else the window will get stuck to the speakers magnet!

one more thing, im assuming the stock sound system in the car consists of components seeing as how theres a speaker and tweeter in every door, should i leave the stock tweeters working, or should i unplug them and jsut use the new sony 4 ways?

sorry for all the reading material! ur alot of help with these things!

do u have aim or some other faster form of communication?

The wire is probably 16-18 ga. and that is fine because your not running a lot of current through those wires, so the bigger wire isnt really neccessary. Just run 16ga or bigger from the amp to the headunit area. Make sure you disconnect the wires from the headunit and tape them off so they wont touch anything.

Your midrange amp wont draw very much current, 10ga will be fine. If you decide you want any bigger amp, you might want to go to 8ga.

Yeah the speakers may be goofy. After you get your stockers outta there, you may have to space them not because the magnets will stick to the window track, but the window wont roll up/down if it hangs on it, or if its close enough, the speaker wont physically fit in the door because the magnet hits the window before the mounting flange hits the door panel.

I would probably unplug the tweeters. You already have four tweeters in your new coaxials, and having 8 will be a little tinny sounding I would think. Try it both ways, and see what you think. Audio is a very personal thing. I wouldnt like 8 but some people might.

No problem, I enjoy stuff like this, jllphan wouldnt have suggested me for da_audio_mod if he didnt think I could do it.

I probably do have AIM or messenger installed on here, but my biggest problem is like yesterday, I worked 15 hours, didnt get home til around 10pm and was up again at 4:30 this morning to do it again today. I read your post last night, and knew my answer would be quite lengthy and I couldnt focus my eyes long enough to get started Holla if you need anything else...

Laterz...
Bill

[MiguelACA]

alright bull! thanks for the info, i guess im all set with the wiring! i took a look at the coaxials i bought, they dont look too fat, so i think they should be fine ill probably do the amp and wiring today or tomorrow just to make sure everything is working fine, give my stock speakers a little boost, sunday if i can find my drills battery charger, ill take on the factory speakers!

thanks for help again, im sure ill be back asking something again thou

[da_bull]

no problem I'm here, I may be asleep, but I'm here, I just got home from another 16 hour day...

[MiguelACA]

Originally Posted by da_bull

no problem I'm here, I may be asleep, but I'm here, I just got home from another 16 hour day...

damn, 16 hour day, those suck...i went through those in my last job, the pay was good, but still

one more question, (not a promise thou), i can use the remote wire that im already using for my sub amp and just tap into it to use on the other amp right?

ok, off to bed now, good night mr bull

[da_bull]

Yup sure can. 2 components are fine, any more than that, you will want to add a relay in because the remote lead isnt really designed to handle more than that. If you ever need to, its a simple thing to do.

[MiguelACA]

Originally Posted by da_bull

Yup sure can. 2 components are fine, any more than that, you will want to add a relay in because the remote lead isnt really designed to handle more than that. If you ever need to, its a simple thing to do.

cool, i dont think ill be adding more, just the 2 amps i have already, ok, guess im all set for the amp install, off to school for now, ill probably install the amp when i get home in an hour or so,

[MiguelACA]

woot! amp install was successful! a small pain in the ass because theres was hardly any space to run the rca's and speaker wires on one side, i could have used both side of the car, but didnt want to have the power and rca wires togetehr and get taht alternator whine

but all in all, it all went well

my half blown stock speakers sound better too, cant wait to install the new speakers now

just wish i knew how to set all those gain and other options on the stereo and amp, dunno much about the whole high, mid, and low frequencies and what will kill what speakers, but for now they sound great i guess, i wonder how much an audio place would charge to tune everything? oh well

thanks for the help da bull!