Car audio how-to sites

[JHenley17]

I bought my car from one of my dad's friends. She already had subs put in, but nothing else. I didn't really look much at it until I started adding other things to it, and I thought it looked a little weird how it was hooked up. I've only helped on sub installs, so I don't know entirely how it all is supposed to look, but I'm pretty sure the signal to the amp shouldn't come from the right rear speaker? Anyways, I've added a Pioneer DEH-P2600 and a Terk XM kit. I left everything the same, just hooking the existing setup into the new head unit.

Anyhow, to the point, that's not hooked up right, is it? I want to do it right.

Also, I just got a cheap adapter for my smaller head unit from Wal-Mart that sticks about an inch out of the dash... it looks really dumb and the unit hangs kind of loose. Are there any better adapters out there? Preferably something that fits well... I don't have many special tools, and I had to cut and file the mounting tabs on this one for about an hour to get it to fit.

And when I get around to upgrading the speakers (need it bad), should I just buy some lower-powered upgrades or go big and buy some that need amps? Is it worth the extra money to go that way?

[John2005]

you should have rca outputs from ur headunit if its an aftermarket and u ran that to the amp. if its stock u need a line level converter to make it into a rca output. running power from the back speaker can ruin the speaker over time.

[JHenley17]

So I just run an RCA line from the head unit to the amp? Simpler than I thought it would be...

[John2005]

u also have to run the power from the front to the back and have a place for the amp to get power to turn on from and u have to have a ground also. u also need to have wire from the amp to the subs, i recommend bridging it 2 positives together and two negatives together never touch the two together(pos & neg) or u can cause a short. it normally hits harder with it being bridged, and you amp should show u where to put the positives and negatives if u bridge it.

[JHenley17]

Oh, I know all that, I just mean to get the signal to it. And I've been told to bridge it, I just never knew what it meant. I'll probably try that as well. Should have done it when I was fixing the remote...