Thread: How to wire subs?

with the info provided nothing can be helped.

you need a amp install kit, 20 bucks or so at walmart. ( theres different kits for more or less power amps) a set of rca cables, amp to sub box.

depending on your radio stock or not you need to tap for the sound. either more longer rca cables, radio to amp, or one of them level line out put things.

heres a vid for a stock radio, the guy in the vid is slow and boring, but this is what you need to make it work.

amp install kits come with everything you need, rca cables from the radio to amp, ground wire, power wire, and remote wire.


the rca cable will need to run from the amp in the trunk to the radio along with the remote wire. then the power cable need to run from the battery to the amp.

most run the power wire through the rubber floor gromit on the pass side floor, but i took my windshield cowl off and drilled a hole under the frame work of the windshield and dropped it in the hole, the wire came out from the dash and came right to the floor for me, then ran it down the side of the carpet to the trunk, back seat needed to come out, and the door sill trim. and the front carpet pulled up some.

Originally Posted by Yamahakid88

I have a newer sony radio. So i dont think ill need that box and what not. Ho should I run the wires to the back? Ill need the 12V red power cable and the black ground correct?

You'll need to run the amp turn on (remote wire) as well along with the rca's and run them all to the back... i usually run my power wire down the driver side and my rca/remote wire down the passenger to avoid any problems... the ground wire can just stay back by the sub box... if you mount to a painted surface, make sure its sanded to bare metal to get a good ground..

I'd say either 0, 2, or 4awg... but no higher then 4...

At least 4 gauge wire connected directly to battery. I ran mine sorta like Scott did but through the blower box, and ran down the passenger side of the car. I ran the RCA and remote wire down the driver side of the car. Use a ground less than 1.5ft from the amplifier, and most mount it to the strut tower mount. Be sure to properly clean the surface of any paint when applying your ground. After you have firmly tightened the ground down throw some vaseline on it and the bare metal. This will help to prevent rust as that seems to be a common place for rust.

I'm running 4 gauge wire now pushing 1000W RMS/3000W PK, and haven't had any major issues. I have however thought about upgrading to a 0 gauge as I may add another amp of the same range for another sub.

Very simple

Run power wire from positive with a fuse block within about 10-12 inches from the battery. How much rms is your amp pushing not peak? The bigger the wire the safer you are. You can buy cheap kits at walmart that are more than sufficient for the entry level person. Just dont use a compacitor, they are useless and can be dangerous. An extra battery in trunk the the correct way if you need more juice. If you running say 400-600 rms run a 2-6 gauge, ide say go all out and just get 0 but your gonna need a distribution block to drop the wire to a gauge that can fit your amp and they are kind of pricey. Ok now that you have wire run from your battery to your trunk your going to want to run a remote and rcas. Run your remote and rcas down the other side of your car because the power from your power cable have been know to cause interruption.Hook your remote wire ( only need to be like 18-22 gauge btw) from your interior lights or your sunroof so that when the car is on your remote is on.
And obviously your rcas are hooked up to the back of your deck. Now that that is all said and done all you need now is a good ground. You can probly get away with just puching a hole in any metal in your trunk and scraping the paint away and wrapping a, again 2-6 gauge wire around a sheet metal screw and putting it in there. But the correct way to go about it is to use a grounding block so you have more surface of ground and a much more solid connection. If your wondering how to wire your subs when you have everything hooked up for the most punch and stability there is this great site.
http://knowledge.sonicelectronix.com...woofer-wiring/

Once your all wired and ready to go there are correct ways to go about tuning in your amp and subs so that you can get the most punch and do it safely. Honestly though for your first install just turn everything down on amp. Then put your radio on to a good song and blast it to max volume without distorting your speakers. Now tuen up your gain untill your subs start distorting then turn down a slight bit (usually about 3/4). Do not use bass boost as a method to get more bass unless your amp is maxxed out and your subs can handle a **** load more.

lmk if you need anymore help

Why bother doing all of that with the remote wire as opposed to simply connecting it to the harness of his aftermarket headunit?

Why not use a seatbelt bolt with paint removed around the contact area as a ground point?

Why use distribution blocks when gauge reducers are readily available?

Why would he set his system up for the most "stability" and "punch" and then tune it by ear?

Idk, just seems odd to me. I don't understand you bass-heads anyway.

OP, do yourself a favor www.knukonceptz.com awesome wire for great prices.
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Originally Posted by Fatboy501

Why bother doing all of that with the remote wire as opposed to simply connecting it to the harness of his aftermarket headunit?

Why not use a seatbelt bolt with paint removed around the contact area as a ground point?

Why use distribution blocks when gauge reducers are readily available?

Why would he set his system up for the most "stability" and "punch" and then tune it by ear?

Idk, just seems odd to me. I don't understand you bass-heads anyway.

OP, do yourself a favor www.knukonceptz.com awesome wire for great prices.
Sent from my A200 using Tapatalk 4

Go threw trouble of running it into fuse box? cus thats hard....

Seatbelt bolt, sheet metal screw, strut mount wtf ever, there are better ways though

Hack. The correct way would be a block with a fuse reducing the wire down because the wire can corrode like you see on your battery terminals. Fact is you dont want to put it directly into the amp by trimming wire like i have seen many do.

Because his first setup i dont think hes going to pull out a multimeter and what not to tune his car when he hardly knows how to setup in the first place.

anything else?

Originally Posted by Ginseng

Go threw trouble of running it into fuse box? cus thats hard....

Seatbelt bolt, sheet metal screw, strut mount wtf ever, there are better ways though

Hack. The correct way would be a block with a fuse reducing the wire down because the wire can corrode like you see on your battery terminals. Fact is you dont want to put it directly into the amp by trimming wire like i have seen many do.

Because his first setup i dont think hes going to pull out a multimeter and what not to tune his car when he hardly knows how to setup in the first place.

anything else?

Easier to go to the back of the headunit with the RCAs since he will already be back there.

Seatbelt bolt is easier than making a new hole.

Lmao gauge reducers are a hack? I guess ring terminals are bad to be on wire too then. Come to think of it, those pesky dual input blocks for amplifiers must be a hack too. Lmao. Distribution blocks are only NEEDED to distribute the power from one run to multiple runs, thus the name. I didn't suggest trimming it and shoving it in. Fuses are debatable, but I tend to use them. I don't fancy burning my car down.

How about pointing him to a source telling him how to set his amp with a DMM instead of assuming what he will and won't do? DMM is simple, and they're cheap... not as expensive or unusual as an oscilloscope. Why not attempt to educate someone who is new to audio on ways to have their equipment last long? "Usually 3/4 gain" is an incredibly ignorant statement, especially since not all headunits have the same RCA output voltage. Kudos for at least advising against bass boost.

OP, I suggest you do a little reading on an audio forum and educate yourself just a bit on how to set the amps and read a bit about clipping if you haven't already. I recommend www.caraudioclassifieds.org, or get in touch with 1800COLLECT here on the forums. He's pretty knowledgeable.

That about covers it Mr. Audio Knowledge lmao.


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an amp kit? you meen a wiring kit or an actual amp? If you talking about an amp look forsomething with 500+ rms class d amp. As far as a wiring kit i just explained everything there.

heres some options for you. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-DDz7JPU...iring_kit.html

that should do it.