Just finished installing my MTX Thunder 895 5 channel amp. I mounted it to a piece of MDF that was then screwed to the rear wall behind the seat. The ground is also screwed to the rear wall behind the seat. Power wires run in through the firewall on the right side down the right door channel to the amp. I ran the 3 RCA's and 4 speaker wires right down the middle under the center console then under the carpet on top of the transmission hump. You can't see or really feel them under there. All in all it was a pretty easy install.

The head unit is a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X689 and I have Alpine Type-S SPS171A (6.5") components in the front and the stockers in the rear. I have a 10" sub on the way, which I will build a box for. It sounds a lot better now than with the head unit alone. I am disappointed in the sound quality of the Alpines in the front, however. They sound kinda flat with out much bottom end. The stock rear speakers sound better in that respect. Any ideas on improving the fronts?

Here is a pic of the install. It looks like a jumble of wires with all the RCA's in there. They ended up being a little long so I coiled them up.

[img]images/7102-10287-147009.jpg[/img]

 

How did you get the wires under the carpet? I got the dreded redx for your pic.

 

I unbolted the center console so I could move it around, then fished the wires onm the floor above the carpet to the rear of the console. At the back side of the console there is a hole already in the carpet. I just fished them under the carpet from there to come out behind the seat. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was.

Dave

 

If you right click on the red X, you can often get the address where the picture is hosted:

images/7102-10287-147009.jpg

deeve: You may want to cover that board in carpet, or even paint it black to match a little better. I'm not criticizing, just offering a detail that will finish up the project.

 

Yeah covering the board would make it look good, especially if you can find matching carpet. I'd also say re-ground to a seat bolt as opposed to the back wall.

Looks good. The 6.5"s are too small to really reproduce bass, that's why you don't hear it. My dad has 4x6"s in his truck and it sounds kinda weak on any bassy music just because of that, not good bass reproducers. I bet your back speakers are 6x8"s or so, they are better at low deep sounds, but won't reproduce the highs as clearly. Nothing you can really help. The sub will fill in nicely where those Alpines left off. Where do you plan on putting the sub?

 

The sub is going under the driver's side rear seat. I thought about covering the board, and still might, but once it is behind the seatback it will be out of sight out of mind, but I hear ya.

I also considered mounting the ground to the seat bolt, but I knew for sure that I would have a metal to metal contact on the rear wall, and was not sure if the seatbelt bolt has paint in the hole or under the bracket. I "tested" the ground on both places and got the same reading so I figure I am okay there.

Dave

 

As long as you scraped the paint off the back ground you should be aight. What 10" do you have on the way? Outta sound real nice once ya get 'er all done.

Oh duh, it's behind the rear seats. Only reason I'd say carpet it then (other than just fun...) is if you plan on showing it off to people.

 

The sub is an inexpensive Audiobahn AW1051SE. It has pretty good all around specs and has a shallow mounting depth. I think it will sound pretty good with the system I have. I am just looking for decent sound.

(I will progably end up covering the board to make it look nicer...you guys guilted me into it.)

Dave

 

lol. Covering is easy. One of my friend's trucks, we put two 12"s in the back and an amp, and we were worried it'd get stolen in the HS parking lot (my radio did...) so we covered the whole thing, subs, amp, and all in automotive carpet, then put two cooling fans in lol. Works nicely still sounds great.

 

lol RP that's one of the most ghetto things I've heard of in a while.

 

Hey hey whatever works. Lemme take my camera to school Monday and I'll show you some of the ghetto cars (and the cooler ones) in the parking lot.

 

lol Do it.

 

You know...I ended up covering that board with some carpeting tonight...damn near made me late for work, but once you all said something about it I had to fix it.

 

Sounds like someone's a little OCD

Doesn't it look better now though?

 

hell, i have a garfield blanket my grandma made me when i was a child covering my subs and amp

Matt