Wiring A System/Need help with an amp

http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~nsheikh1/diagram.JPG

sub is a 10 incher

questions:

 

1. what amp would fit?

i'm a newb at wiring...I'm not sure how getting a 4 channel amp vs a 2 channel amp would work. If i get a 2 channel amp for the front speakers how would the stock rears work? If i get a 4 channel amp, wouldn't that be too much power for the stock rears? I heard I could bridge the 4 channel amp to get more power for the fronts but i don't know what bridging really means? How many watts should the amp be (the speakers are 100w rms each and the tweeters are 50 w rms each)?

 

1a. how does the sub connect to the cleansweep. The cleansweep has 2 sets of RCAs, one set labeled fronts and one set labeled rears. So would the amp used to power the front speakers be plugged into the fronts and the sub amp into the rear output?

 

2. I need to power my amps. how do i do it? What guage wiring do I use at each point in the setup (batt to amp, amp to speaker, etc.) How do I split the power from the battery (is that what a distribution block is for?) to power 2 amps and the cleansweep? What kind of fuses?

 

3. Setup. Does it look like this setup has everything I need to go (besides the raammat)

 

i'll probably get it installed by someone professionally but i would like to know whats going on just for my reference in case something stops working i can diagnose the problem....although i am still entertaining the possibility of doing it myself (i'll learn a lot about my car, but at what cost:lol:).

1. depending upon the amount of power of the 4channel.. you may or may not be able to run ur stock speakers with an amp... i wouldnt recommend it... you should really change all the speakers to wire it to a 4channel... the rears should be inexpesive since they are not components..

1a. I am not familiar with the cleansweep product for JL, however it seems to be a more advanced form of a high-to-low converter. Make sure they dont sell one with 3 sets of inputs, cus that would be gravy if they did..

2. 4-Gauge wiring kit should be enough for the 2 amps, just try to run a capacitor, perhaps just 1farad should be just fine. Get a distribution block to run the 4gauge to the block and either 2 8's to each amp or 2 4's... (gauges of wire)... (depending upon the amps specs, but splitting the 4 guage off the block into 2 8-guage wires should be fine.. as for the battery, you may use the conventional fuse that comes with the kit or a circuit breaker, either is sufficient..

3. Professional setup is def a good idea, this car could be tricky using the cleansweep and all (wiring crossovers, rca's, cap, etc)..

Whatever it may be.. GOOD LUCK .. Hope it sounds great

First off, this will be a tricky install - you're cramming in a lot of gear, some of it is complex (the cleansweep) and while I'm all for DIY & learning, it probably wouldn't be worth it in this instance. You'd spend the first 6 weeks chasing bugs & tweaking it all trying to get it right. Save yourself the hassle & have the pros do it. It's worth it.

 

Next, usually I'd say just use a capacitor as a distro block, but you don't have one & don't really need one unless you find your headlights dimmng with the bass among other things. Don't bother, use a distro block. Assuming you're using a 300/4 or equiv front end amp & putting the amps in the trunk, use 4g wire to a distro block, then 8g to each amp. Wire the cleansweep off the distro block.

 

Def replace the rear speakers with some coax's, nothing pricy, but the stock speaks will cook first time you turn it up, so might as well do it now. If you use the CS, everything will have to be amped after the signal leaves that piece - meaning you can't use the stock deck to do it. Four channel amp's the way to go. Bridging means conecting 2 amp channels into 1 channel & usually doubling that channel's output (2 50w channels = 1 100w channel). It doesn't apply here. With 500w of sub power, I'd use at least 50wx4, 75 is better for your fronts. Best would be a staggered setup with 100w x2 to the front, 50w or so to the rear (maybe even 35w). You can't really feed those components too much juice, and the more you give them, the better your midbass response.

 

I think a custom FG sub box will cost you a lot more than $150. Good luck.

just got back from my installer. Its a little more than I expected but i dont want to cheap out on one of the more important parts, the install.

 

Save yourself the hassle & have the pros do it. It's worth it.

 

agreed

 

Next, usually I'd say just use a capacitor as a distro block, but you don't have one & don't really need one

 

i actually do have one lying around so let me see if i can put any good use to it

 

use 4g wire to a distro block

 

if i use 0 guage is it overkill?

 

Def replace the rear speakers with some coax's, nothing pricy, but the stock speaks will cook first time you turn it up, so might as well do it now.

 

i would replace them but $$ is already coming up short as it is. Can i just leave the gains for the rear 2 channels of the amp turned down. Also, if i keep the rear stocks how do they wire to the rcas of the amp (is there a converter?)

 

I think a custom FG sub box will cost you a lot more than $150

 

pricing error. but i do have a FG sub box. it might be for sale if someones interested (it might not fit the w6v2)

 

although after all this i'm still not sure how the sub amp connects to the clean sweep?

 

Thanks batchips and boulderguy for all the help!

Not sure if the CS has a sub out, if not you can just split it off the front or rear channels or use the sub out pass-thru (an RCA-out) on the front amp. Either way, it connects thru RCA's from the CS.

 

You can try to use the stock rear speaks, turn them way down, they may last. The installers will have to run new wires from the amp to the fr & rr doors anyway, that's how they connect. If you upgrade those speakers it's just plug & play.

 

Yes, 0g wire is very overkill & a waste of cash. Here's a tip - pre-purchase your wiring from Partsexpress.com & take it to the shop - you'll save $150 or more. You can get distro blocks, rcas (13'), 4g wire (20' red, 5' black plus ring connectors (not gold)), spkr wire, just about anything cheap. don't insult the shop, just say you prefer to use your own stuff. You'll probably save enough to buy the rear speakers.

 

If you use a cap you'll probably want a 1f, don't let anyone try to sell you something more - you don't need it & it won't help anything.

one more tip - on the fr tweeters, have the installers angle them either directly at the opposite side or better, just a bit forward. You'll probably want to set them at -1.5 or -3db on the x-over, but the image won't be so in-your-face & will sound much better at volume. If possible, tell them you want to audition tweeter angles before the install is done - this will make a HUGE difference in the sound quality & your enjoyment of it all.

+1 for what boulderguy said

And one more final final thought - so 2 outputs on the CS with a fader, right? If so, rig up the fr & rr amps to the front output on the CS (use splitters), then adjust the amp gains for your fade. Then wire the rear CS output to the sub amp - then the CS fader control that will be on your dash somewhere will be your sub level control - you're more likely to be adjusting that than the fr to rr fader.