Hey all, I've finally purchased all of my gear and it's time to get started with the install. Now I've been doing a good amount of research, but this will be my first time installing any type of system. I have a pretty good idea of what to do, but I'm still unsure of some things. Here's the equipment I'll be using:

Polk MM6501 components for front
PDX 4.150 Amp
JL Audio 10W0v2 Sub
Stock rear speakers
head unit- Pioneer Avic- X910BT (already installed)

My first question is about the amp settings. There are two crossover ***** on the amp. What should this be set at? Also, there is a high/low frequency pass switch on the amp, should this be used? I'll be sending channels one and two to the front speakers, and channel 3 to the sub.

My next question is how many RCA cables do I need? My install kit only came with one. Since I'll be keeping the stock rear speakers, do I only need to run one set of RCAs from the head unit to amp? Also, I have the pac roem-10 bose adapter installed since I've been using the Pioneer head unit with the bose speakers until now. Should I remove it?

Sorry, these may seem like dumb questions, but I'm still pretty much a noob when it comes to car audio. Looking forward to learning a lot during this install, but also want to do it right the first time. Any help is appreciated.

 

Run 2 sets of rcas one will feed sub one fronts. In theory you can leave the fliters turned off and do it all right from the headunit. you can leave the pac adapter or take it out and put a standard gm harness in. personally i would unhook the rears alltogether the stock rears could really kill your sound

also c5 or c6

 

Thanks for the info. It's a C5 Z06. Should the RCA cables for the sub be run from the subwoofer output of the head unit, or the rear speaker output?

 

Are you planning on running the amp for both the front speakers and the sub? If so that will work fine. Just run channel 1 to the left front and channel 2 to the right front. Then combine channels 3 and 4 (also called bridging) to the sub. The easiest way to run the rca's is right and left front outputs on the deck to channels 1 and 2 respectively. Now when it comes to running the sub rca you can go about it 2 ways. Either run 1 rca from the rca sub output on the deck to the amp then use a y cable to split the signal to channels 3 and 4. Or I believe there is a switch on the amp that will allow you to eliminate the y cable by running the rca to channel 3 and the amp will automatically transfer the signal to channel 4 as well. The y cable method would be easier though and I'm not entirely sure if there is that switch on that amp without looking at it.

No you won't necessarily need that bose adapter. It would be far easier to eliminate it all together. Just run the rca's to the amp then speaker wire from the amp to the speakers. I'm not sure if your going to lose anything other than the bose amp signal and possibly the chimes by doing this. Someone else may be able to answer that better than I can.

Now the amp gains and crossovers should be set appropriately. Set the crossovers for channels 1 and 2 to HP and probably 80-100hz. Set the rear to LP and probably 80 Hz as well. Those are good starting points and you can adjust them to your liking. Now the gains. To be honest there are many ways to go about this. You can do it the technical way or by ear. I'll tell you the way I do it. It may not be 100% right but its worked for me many, many times. First turn the volume up on the deck to where it is at the max that you will ever listen to it. Not the max that it will go however. Now with everything playing start turning up the gain slowly to where your happy with the output of the speakers. Be careful not to go too far or you will start clipping. Most times I never have to go any farther than half way on the gains. You may be happier with it far less. Now when you have that set where you want; turn it back down just a hair. It will be just a little bit of insurance for the speakers. Like I said this is how I have done it many times and never had an issue. Sometimes you'll have an amp that has numbers written around the gain dial. I never trust this. I prefer to fit the gain to my setup and not just trust what the amp says.

As far as the rear speakers I would either eliminate them or just run speaker wire from the deck directly to them. To be honest with the fronts being of MUCH higher quality, amplified, with such a small cabin space in our cars, and with the road noise our cars have I wouldn't even bother hooking them up at all. I promise you won't even noticed they aren't on. Besides I personally hate having sound come from behind me. Look at this way; when was the last time you went to a concert and turned your back to the band.

Any other questions let us know. I'm sure we can help. Everyone has to start somewhere. I've been there and I'm more than happy to share my experience to help someone else out like others have helped me.

 

To get from where your current setup is to where it's going isn't very hard.

Mount new amp, run power to battery, find local ground point, run trigger wire from AVIC blue/white 'remote amp turn on'.

Run a pair of RCA's from HU front signals to ch 1&2 on amp. Set filter switch to HP (allows High frequencies to P*** through). Adjust pot to about 100.

Run another pair of RCA's from HU sub output to ch 3&4 on amp. Set filter switch to LP, pot adjusted to about 150. Input switch selector should be set to 3/4. Frequency cutoffs can be fine tuned later, put them where YOU like the way it sounds.

Run new speaker wires from amp ch 1&2 to each of the door speaker crossovers, new wires from crossovers to speakers (probably came with speakers).

Run new speaker wire from amp ch 3 (+) and ch 4 (-) to sub. Check install manual of amp to verify polarity for bridged output.

Disconnect FRONT speaker level wires from AVIC (not used any more). Leave rear speaker level wires connected to see how it sounds, you can remove them later if you choose (can be done at speakers if you don't want to pull dash apart again).

Everything else on your current interface should be OK as is.

Piece of cake

 

Thanks for all the valuable help guys, it's exactly what I needed. I'm feeling pretty good about this install, just have to find the time to do it.

One last question, my Sub is rated at 300 watts RMS. My amp is rated at 150w per channel, but the build sheet that came with the amp states an actual output of 176w per channel. Should I bridge two channels to the sub or just use one? According to instruction manual for the sub, sending more than about 250w to the sub voids the warranty. Thoughts?

 

Run ch 3+4 bridged to the sub. Once it's installed, use the gain **** to set the input properly and it will be fine. Unless you listen to it at max volume all the time the sub will probably never even see the rms rating.

For the info I've found the sub is rated at 100-300 rms, 600 max and the amp is 300 rms bridged, that's perfect

 

Great advice guys

The gain setup is spot on but I do one thing just a bit differently. I turn the HU all the way up then back just a little so maybe higher than the method listed here. Then I set the amp gains. I do this in case somebody cranks it up all the way, I have a bit more insurance they will not overdrive the speakers.

Another reason we sets gains like this is the higher up you run the HU volume control and the lower the gains on the amp the better signal you are feeding the amp, higher voltage is always best, as long as not clipping the HU.

I run 2-3 times the rated power on subs most of the time, more power is always better. Quad amped, 900 watts per side in my old comp system was not for getting loud, it would of course, it was for dynamics.

Rick

 

Thanks again, guys. Looks like bridging is the way to go. Any special equipment needed for bridging, or do I just insert a positive wire into channel 3 and negative into channel 4 and send to sub?

 

yep

Check the installation manual for your amp to be sure (if it isn't written on the amp itself), but that's what it normally is.