Installing Amp
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 871
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From: Coleman, Wisconsin
Installing Amp
Just got my sub box built, got all that stuff installed. Now I need help installing the amp. I can't understand the directions because the only thing they describe how to install is dual amps. I bought an amp installation kit that should help me out a little bit but there's so many wires and inputs/outputs on the amp I am sooooo confused. I don't even know where to hook the big power cable to or where on the radio to hook the amp to. Can someone help me?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,555
Likes: 40
From: Concord, NC
What kind of amp do you have?
The big red wire goes from + battery to the + on the amp. The big black wire goes from - on the amp to a good solid chassis ground, i.e. a seatbelt mount or seat mount.
There are a couple different ways to connect the head unit to the amp - one is to use the RCA input on the amp and RCA output on the head (if your head has pre-amp outs)
If you only have speaker outputs, you will have to use the speaker inputs on the amp, provided the amp is so equipped.
You will need to run a turn on power wire to the REM or turn on post on the amp. Again, if the head doesn't have one of these, you will need to find switched power to run to this, so your amp doesn't stay on all the time.
Then speaker outputs should be fairly simple. How many speakers do you have? Again, I can try to be more specific if I know what amp it is as well.
Good luck!
The big red wire goes from + battery to the + on the amp. The big black wire goes from - on the amp to a good solid chassis ground, i.e. a seatbelt mount or seat mount.
There are a couple different ways to connect the head unit to the amp - one is to use the RCA input on the amp and RCA output on the head (if your head has pre-amp outs)
If you only have speaker outputs, you will have to use the speaker inputs on the amp, provided the amp is so equipped.
You will need to run a turn on power wire to the REM or turn on post on the amp. Again, if the head doesn't have one of these, you will need to find switched power to run to this, so your amp doesn't stay on all the time.
Then speaker outputs should be fairly simple. How many speakers do you have? Again, I can try to be more specific if I know what amp it is as well.
Good luck!
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 871
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From: Coleman, Wisconsin
I'm not sure what kind of amp it is exactly. It's a hand-me-down from my brother and all I know about it is that it's a Kenwood 600watt, stereo/bridgeable. Is there someplace on the amp I can look to see how many channels it is?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,555
Likes: 40
From: Concord, NC
If you can find a model number, you can get a lot of info online. If it's stereo/bridgeable, it is a 2 or 1 channel amp. Also, find the speaker outputs - if there are 4 posts, it is a 2 channel, and if only 2 posts, it is 1 channel (you can bridge the 2 channels of a stereo amp into one channel, so don't let that confuse you). How many subs?
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 871
Likes: 0
From: Coleman, Wisconsin
It's a 2 channel then. I started throwing wires together tonight wherever I thought they looked like they belonged, and I think I might have it. I'm only hooking up a single 10 inch though. When I ran the speaker wire to the amp, I hooked the positive wire to the Left side output of the amp and the negative wire to the Right side output. Is this what you mean by bridgeing? Is this better than if I stuck to one side?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,555
Likes: 40
From: Concord, NC
Yes, for a single speaker on a 2 channel amp, I would definitely bridge it. Different manufacturers do things differently - some you have to flip a switch to get bridged, others do it automatically. The way you have it is usually how it works, so you should be set. You will send more power to the speaker in bridged mode than you will running off one stereo channel.
