Amplifier Installation
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 689
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From: South suburb of Chicago
Amplifier Installation
Who here has installed an amplifier in their newer model trucks?
I talked toBestBuy and CircuitCity and they both want around $200 to install the amp. So, I am in the process of trying to install a four channel amp to power my door speakers right now. I know the basics of how to run the power wires to the battery and head unit, and how to run the RCAs from the headunit to the amplifer.
My problem lies in how do I run the output wires from the amplifier to the speakers? Do I have to run wires to the actual speakers themselves? Or can I run the speaker wire back to the wiring harness behind the head unit?
Or am I going in a total wrong direction?
--Mods please don't move this to the Audio section. I think I will hopefully be able to generate more responses in this forum.
I talked toBestBuy and CircuitCity and they both want around $200 to install the amp. So, I am in the process of trying to install a four channel amp to power my door speakers right now. I know the basics of how to run the power wires to the battery and head unit, and how to run the RCAs from the headunit to the amplifer.
My problem lies in how do I run the output wires from the amplifier to the speakers? Do I have to run wires to the actual speakers themselves? Or can I run the speaker wire back to the wiring harness behind the head unit?
Or am I going in a total wrong direction?
--Mods please don't move this to the Audio section. I think I will hopefully be able to generate more responses in this forum.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 210
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From: Angelica, NY
I haven't done anything with my F-150 stereo because it sounds pretty good as is. But I am currently putting an amp, sub, and new speakers in my Taurus. Are you changing the speakers first? How much RMS power will your amp be putting out to each channel? Since I haven't touched the truck radio, I don't know much about it. Does it have the RCA outputs on it for an amp? If so, that part is easy. If not(like my Taurus) you'll need a convertor or an amp that excepts high level input. As far as your question about connecting the speaker wires, you'll just hook the wires that go to your speakers directly to the output of the amp. You might be able to find a after market wiring harness to save cutting the wires. Otherwise you'll need to know which wires (colors) go to which speakers, so you can hook them to the amp.
New User
Joined: Jan 2007
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I have 4 10's in my supercab and i put an amp to my mids and highs. the amp is mounted under the seat, i had to run the the rca's to the amp, and the speaker wire from the amp to the stereo. It makes a hella difference on the stock speakers. Also, along with the 4 10's it makes for an optimal sound system.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Kzoo
Originally Posted by lonestarsfinest_512
I have 4 10's in my supercab and i put an amp to my mids and highs. the amp is mounted under the seat, i had to run the the rca's to the amp, and the speaker wire from the amp to the stereo. It makes a hella difference on the stock speakers. Also, along with the 4 10's it makes for an optimal sound system.
-Matt
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 968
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From: Greenville, SC
as far as the rca inputs you will need. if you are using the factory head unit the easiest way to do in my opinion is to find your 4 speaker leads behind the radio. you will then cut them. on the radio side you will hook a line output converter to the radio side wires and that will change your speaker leads to rca outputs for your rcas. then on the car side of the speaker leads behind the radio will run to your speaker terminals on the amp. if you are using an aftermarket radio run the rcas from the sub out on the back of the radio and find the speaker leads. cut them and only use the car side of them. if you tap into these wires it will not work correctly. you need to cut them. i usually use the aftermarket harness to cut if i ever want to put the factory radio back in. if you are using the factory radio you can still hook it back up by just connecting the factory wires back together. oh yea, you will need a 4channel line output converter or 2 2channel ones. sorry if this is confusing. i will try and find a diagram.
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 968
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From: Greenville, SC
http://www.crutchfield.com/learningcenter/car/amplifiers_wiring.html
that is the best diagram i could find. it is for hooking up 2 amps. in your case only look at the 4 channel one. patch cables = rcas. and the 4 channel speaker wires will run back up to the radio, not to the speakers. i find this way easier. but as for the factory speaker wires, be sure to cut them. you cannot tap in to them, it wont work correctly.
that is the best diagram i could find. it is for hooking up 2 amps. in your case only look at the 4 channel one. patch cables = rcas. and the 4 channel speaker wires will run back up to the radio, not to the speakers. i find this way easier. but as for the factory speaker wires, be sure to cut them. you cannot tap in to them, it wont work correctly.
Last edited by black04lariat; Apr 5, 2007 at 09:55 PM.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 177
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From: Southeast Georgia
Just a little bit of info from a car audio nut here............ If you are going to go throught the trouble of adding a 4CH amp. You should really consider running NEW speaker cables to your speakers from your amp. There is a little item know as signal loss. The first part of this being; the distance that you will have to be running fron the amp back up to the factory head unit and then on to your speakers (using the factory speaker wires / which are adequate at best for the factory). Don't get me wrong here, you will notice a difference in the sound. But you will not be getting what you paid for in the amp. Take my advice, run new wires from your amp to your speakers. Use cables that are 14AWG or lower. The lower the number, the larger the wire. no need to go any lower than 10AWG, which is what you would use for something like an add on subwoofer module.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,006
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From: San Jose, CA
If I'm not mistaken, the factory power wires are 16AWG (at least that's what they looked like when I put in my amps) That's only good enough for about 100W continuous and total at 12V which is about all the factory headunit/amp will ever use.
You're obviously going to put in something a bit beefier, so bigger wires are pretty much a no-brainer.
Keep in mind how much air flow you have where you'll be putting in your amps.
I put in a JL 300/4 and 250/1 behind the backseat against the wall. The 300/4 gets pretty hot to the touch if I'm playing it a reasonably high levels for about a half-hour or more. The 250/1 runs pretty warm, but not hot since it's a class-D amp. I'm going to have to put in a thermostatically controlled fan before summer comes around...
You're obviously going to put in something a bit beefier, so bigger wires are pretty much a no-brainer.
Keep in mind how much air flow you have where you'll be putting in your amps.
I put in a JL 300/4 and 250/1 behind the backseat against the wall. The 300/4 gets pretty hot to the touch if I'm playing it a reasonably high levels for about a half-hour or more. The 250/1 runs pretty warm, but not hot since it's a class-D amp. I'm going to have to put in a thermostatically controlled fan before summer comes around...
Last edited by aquaman; Apr 8, 2007 at 12:54 PM.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52
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Has anyone ran into any excessive heat problems with mounting their amp behind the rear seat. I mounted my amp under the little flip seat where the jack goes and even there the amp is extremely hot during use. I suspect it would even be hotter behind the seat with limited to no air flow back there.
I was not happy about having to relocate the jack to the back, but considering I might just have to live with it. Has anyone else opted to mount their amp under the seat instead of behind the seat?
I was not happy about having to relocate the jack to the back, but considering I might just have to live with it. Has anyone else opted to mount their amp under the seat instead of behind the seat?
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 892
Likes: 1
From: Las Vegas
I have had no problems with having my amps behind the seat. They have only been there for two weeks, but I do live in Vegas. It get up to 118 durning the day, which means it's like 130 inside the truck. Have not had a problem yet.
I guess it depends what type of set up you are running. I guess if you have 4 speakers running off two chanels of a 400 amp and the other two channels briged to run your subwoofer.... it might get pretty hot. I have one 200x4 amp running my door speakers and 1 400x1 (Class D) amp running my sub..... So far no problems.
What are you running?
I guess it depends what type of set up you are running. I guess if you have 4 speakers running off two chanels of a 400 amp and the other two channels briged to run your subwoofer.... it might get pretty hot. I have one 200x4 amp running my door speakers and 1 400x1 (Class D) amp running my sub..... So far no problems.
What are you running?
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
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I have a single 4 channel amp. A 4X150 Pioneer amp with the factory head unit and subwoofer. I just changed out the four door speakers. I wanted to keep the six disc changer indash intact and remain as close to facory as I could.
Last edited by user 215523242; Aug 22, 2007 at 11:41 PM.