CR's stereo Install Thread

I have deabilitating ADHD that challenges me to keep up on things and follow through, but I am going to try and attempt to document my stereo install here..


I am starting to gather parts now and i am stuck with what amp i need for the subwoofer(s).

I have a 300watt Xtreme 2300X 2 Channel Amplifier with 2 Xtreme 10" subs but I also have a rockford fosgate T110D2 10" sub that , I am not sure of, but I am guessing this single 10" is going to be be better than both Xtreme 10"s together?, . The RF says it's dual 2 ohm 600 watt RMS, 1200 watt peak. I think the Xtremes are 200 RMS and 500 peak each.

What does this watt rating mean for RMS and peak and what kind of amp should be I looking for to get max potential from the T110D2? I dont think the 300watt Xtreme amp will be up for the challenge of pushing the T110D2? Would you agree to not even test them both and just go straight for the TT110D2 and forget about the xtreme amp and two 10"?

RMS rating is continuous power handling (watts). Peak is the maximum wattage the sub can handle before you blow it up. Peak is also a rating of wattage in short spurts. Throwing 600W continuously at a sub that's 600W max will inevitably fry it.

That Rockford is a 2 ohm Dual Voice Coil, meaning that it has 2 voice coils rated at 2 ohms. If you buy a single channel sub amp, you need to be sure that it's 1 Ohm stable. Wiring two 2 ohm voice coils in parallel make a 1 ohm load.

You'll be MUCH happier with the single Rockford

Thanks, Scott. Would this be a good amp to match with the sub?

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_25132_Rockford-Fosgate-T1000-1bdCP.html



Here is the area I am installing my receiver and HPtuners USB port hub.


Here is the mock up of getting everything ready for install


The cig port will be used for HPtuners USB hub but I am not sure what to do with the old ash tray window..yet...

I like this one better

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/p_19335_Rockford_Fosgate_Punch_P1000-1bd.aspx

Abaddon wrote:

I like this one better

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/p_19335_Rockford_Fosgate_Punch_P1000-1bd.aspx

Whys that?

Agree with Scott mostly. I wouldn't entirely rule out the Xtremes, though. My .02...

It's usually not the best good idea to mix sub size or brand. Just use the single RF as Scott suggests, or use the two Xtremes (are these Orion Xtremes?), but not all of them together. Depending how you install and wire them, using the different subs can give you different sound.

Here's one option: run a mono RCA signal to your 300 x 2 amp, then wire each coil of the RF with one of the amp's outputs. At 2 ohms, you'll actually be sending more than the rated 600 watts to the sub, BUT you can turn down the gains on the amp to make it work. The thing about having a 600 watt amp is you are almost never using that much power when listening to music, and when you are it's for short bursts, which the RF sub will tolerate. Be sure to use RF's recommended enclosure volumes, and if the sub sounds nasty and distorted (from the trunk) when you pump up the volume, turn down the gains on the amp.

Another option: run a stereo signal to your 300 x 2 amp, then wire each Xtreme sub to one of the amp's outputs. Assuming the Xtremes are single 4 ohm coils, they will pull the rated 300 watts per channel. But again, turning down the gains will easily turn that into 200 watts per sub. Listen for bad sounds from the trunk and adjust the gains - your subs will be happy.

What you'll probably get with a single RF sub and ~600 watts RMS mono is decent SPL level and good sound quality, depending on the enclosure type you choose. You'll also have more unused space in your trunk.

What you'll probably get using both Xtremes and ~400 watts RMS stereo is slightly higher SPL, good sound quality, and slightly deeper bass - even though you're using less power, having two 10"s offers more cone area and will play more efficiently than a single 10". Again, it will ultimately depend on which enclosure you choose. The box will take up more trunk space, too.

Something to consider: running the two Xtremes will be less stressful on the subs and the amp for the same bass output compared to the single RF set-up. With a single 10", the sub needs to be pushed harder, and the amp will run hotter to achieve the same output compared to a pair of 10"s.

AA hit it on the head. He went way more in depth....

You will certainly get more SPL with 2 subs, but I think the DVC Rockford will sound better overall and have tighter bass. The link to the Amp I posted for you is plenty to run that sub. Plus, look at the price. Onlinecarstereo.com is amazing.

I will tell you too (from experience) that having the extra weight in the trunk from a dual sub box sucks. When I take mine out occasionally, it almost seems like a different car. I might sell this box and subs I have, and buy a single 12" Kappa Perfect just to cut weight.

Thanks, AA. Thanks, Scott.

The weight is definitely a factor. I found an amp on CL to drive the RF sub so I think I am going to pick that up and go with the single 10" RF.

Since I will have 2 boxes with subs n amps. I might just test them both to hear the differences and see what sounds better. the RF sub is fuggin heavy! but I am sure the RF box will be a little lighter than the Xtreme dual sub box.

I have ordered the receiver wiring harness and amp wiring kit so when I get those I will be able to hook it all up. Once that is done and working, it will be time to move on to the droid tablet dash install and use the AUX input on the receiver to integrate it to the stereo.

I ran a single 8" for years and loved it. If you don't need an obscene amount of bass, a single 10" is enough. Testing is a good idea, though. I've done that before and it's well worth it. Be sure to aim the subs facing different directions, too.

AA wrote:

I ran a single 8" for years and loved it. If you don't need an obscene amount of bass, a single 10" is enough. Testing is a good idea, though. I've done that before and it's well worth it. Be sure to aim the subs facing different directions, too.

+1 on the 8"   . It puts out plenty of bass for me and I don't even have it turned up even halfway. I tried it all the way once and it shook everything without distorting (probably because AA bought nice stuff to sell to me).

Well.... i've gone and done it now...

Just picked up two 12" Rockford Fosgate T112D2s and a RF 1000-1bdCP amplifier.

time to start looking for component speakers now..

How are you going to mount them? Since you're doing 2 I would recommend making 2 boxes that fit into the corners behind the wheel wells. I don't think anyone has done it in our car and if done right it should look awesome. You could probably do an even better job than Chrysler did with theirs.

Funny thing is that it looks like I have a normal sized trunk now. I have the same amount of space that I typically utilize so, my only downside I see is weight gain  for my already heavy girl..

Matt, I got them mounted in a box that fits pretty dang well in the back of the trunk. The fuel hump on the drivers side is the only thing from a perfect fit. My first idea was to mod the box to cover the hump but it really fits well the way it is. I plan on leaving them like that for the time being. Who knows what the future holds for this car and the configurations of things. Certainly not me but I am excited to find out.


Now for some more noob questions:
Does anyone have a voltmeter installed in there car? Is there any use in one? If volts drop below 12 is there auto failure thus no need for a voltmeter? Do I need a supplemental battery for the amp or will my yellow top handle the load fine without sacrificing headlight strength? For those running amplified component speakers; do you guys use an amplified receiver or did you install an amp for those speakers? If you did, what kind of amp and where did you mount it?

matt270avian wrote:

Since you're doing 2 I would recommend making 2 boxes that fit into the corners behind the wheel wells. I don't think anyone has done it in our car and if done right it should look awesome.

My next design will go in the rear quarters that way. I built the enclosure in CAD for two 8"s. There's no where near the required space for the 12"s charlie has. After you build the box and account for the driver displacement, you're left with about .5 cu ft per side. The RF subs require 1.0-2.5 cu ft each, and the 1 cu ft version is an SPL box, so it won't sound very good.

charlieRoninson wrote:

Does anyone have a voltmeter installed in there car? Is there any use in one? If volts drop below 12 is there auto failure thus no need for a voltmeter? Do I need a supplemental battery for the amp or will my yellow top handle the load fine without sacrificing headlight strength?

Yes, I have one. It's built into the Aeroforce gauge. I don't use it a lot, but when my battery was on the outs, and when my alternator died, it came in very handy. It's one of those things you don't use on a regular basis, but it's nice to have for troubleshooting.

Your Yellow Top is designed to play until dead with the engine off, then recharged and still function. It won't magically produce extra amps. If you find the headlamps dimming, you'll want to upgrade to a Stinger (or similar) alternator with high Amp output. A large stiffening cap will also help if the dimming is very slight.

There's no auto off or low voltage protection built into our cars, but you can buy a product that does this. It cuts off the battery output at around 10v.

charlieRobinson wrote:

For those running amplified component speakers; do you guys use an amplified receiver or did you install an amp for those speakers? If you did, what kind of amp and where did you mount it?

Powering component separates direct from a receiver is like powering a SC Riv with 87 octane gas - you can do it, but... I power my 5.25" components with an a/d/s powerplate amp 50 x 2 RMS, mounted in the trunk. This amp will easily double its peak power to 100 x 2 when the music demands it. Good components are made to take real power. In my other car I have a bridged RF punch 40 sending 100 x 1 to each channel. Cliff Notes: don't skimp on front end component power. Try to equal or slightly exceed RMS power specs for the set. You won't be disappointed.

I bought a 150A Alternator from NAPA to help with the stereo. It's a direct upgrade from stock that they offer. I noticed the other day that the case of it actually says AC Delco on it. So it's even a GM part.

Yeah, they build 'new' alternators from older cores. I bet a lot of them say AC delco on the casting. I think the amp rating is based on swapping the diode size (regulator) and the wire winding ratio.

Any idea if these 'upgraded' alternators will assist in a gen V blower install? or do they need to be grinded to fit the SC as well?

Thank you


And AA, check it out. PLENTY of room for my groceries and whatever else with the two 12"s!   

How does the spare tire work again?

There's a spare tire in there? I wouldn't know   

At least you have room on top of the box as well. Mine goes from the floor right up to the 6x9's. I assume that box is super deep (<-------  )

AA wrote:

How does the spare tire work again?

It's called AAA

That's 1 more A than AA   

hahaha....

The two rf 12 inchers and box are like 100 pounds. I'd love to push air but I just can't do the extra weight. I am going with the two 10" extremes and 300w amp for now. So far, it's doing what I wanted and is giving me the amount of bass I was looking for. Not extreme at all. I want to experiment with the 10" RF sub I have and see what I can do with it but I definitely dont plan on using the two RF 12"ers.

The stereo relocation came out easier than I anticipated. Everything is in place and working great. I just need to make a few more tweaks to make to insure everything is rock solid. I wired up a 10w USB charger for where the tablet will go. There's an aux cable awaiting the tablet also. In the meantime, they are both servicing my s4. Streaming radio at 256k sounds great with the new receiver and subs.

wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...................

Can't wait to see it all fiberglassed and painted. Throw a woodgrain kit on there with black paint and it will look mint.

What tablet are you using? The way I'm set up now is I have my phone mirroring to my headunit for GPS and music and what not (in today's case it was a laptop playing south park but you get the picture) with my Kindle Fire wedged in the cupholders for the Torque app. It works great minus the lack of cupholders. Speaking of which, does your headunit stick out to far to use them? I would almost be worried about condensation getting into it and making for a bad day.