ok..i've never done any audio work on my car at all. I bought a $300 kenwood cd/mp3 headunit from circuit city and they installed it for free..so i've never tried to do anything with my audio. Well on my computer I have a really nice stereo system and I like how it sounds with my computer's 10" sub. What i'm asking is, is it easy to hook up subs? I want to buy maybe 2 10s or 1 12".. i use my eclipse to commute to and from college 7 hours away so I have to pack all my shit in my small car. IF i do decide to put in subs i'm taking out the back seats. However, with subs and the back seat removed people will be able to see that I have subs and i have a larger chance of my car gettinb broken into. Anyways, Is it easy to hook up subs/amp or should I just pay like circuity city or someone to do it. I want something small and light that has some bass to it. My car is a performance car not a show car. I do have a viper alarm system though.

Mark

'95 Eclipse GST - gone
'00 Jetta GLS

subs are not hard to hook up at all. everyone in my town was blown away that i installed my own system and i dont understand why....its easy. just get an amp kit from your audio store and that should have everythig you need.....might buy some speaker wire while your at it. all you gotta do is hook up the big main power supply to your battery, run the cable back to your trunk, find a suitable ground, connect your ground wire, find your remote power wire commin from your headunit (it comes on when the radio comes on.....also controls power antennas too!). hook up the remote power wire to the correct port on your amp. for connectig the HU to the amp you can go 2 routes. you can either use RCA jacks (if your amp has it which it probably will) or you can tap into your back speakers and run wire from there to your amp (you might not have a connection for this, but mine did) as far as ease of installation, RCA's are the easiest. after you have it all hooked up and make sure your amp is working, take some of your speaker wire and hook up your subs. the directions are usually very helpfull (mine were) and it shouldent take very long to install. umm, i guess thats pretty much it....turn on your radio and check all your connections and listen to the bump-in-the-trunk. oh, and speaking of which, i always just haul my stuff in my back seat since my box takes up my entire trunk (basically). but i believe i might convert her to a 2 seater tho...but im leavin the subs in the trunk still so they dont get jacked.

as far as amps go...get what suits you. me personally i have a $100 pioneer 200W amp and it hits harder than my friends 300W x-plode. i have it powering 2 MTX 4000 10" subs. it hits plenty hard for me. many people like a 450W or so...but it all depends on the preferences of the owner

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2011 Nissan Xterra Pro-4x

2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650R

1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS-NX 75 shot, AEM CAI, P&P t/b and intake mani-SOLD

1964 Buick Electra 225-all original, all power options, 325hp, 445ft/lbs tq

agreed, installing an amp isnt difficult at all. might i suggest you get one of the "all in one" systems (like a bazooka tube or similar), that way it doesnt take up a lot of room or add too much wieght.

heres some hints:

1) DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL FROM THE BATTERY BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING!!!! (sorry, cant stress that enough).

2) when running the power wire from the battery to the trunk, use the large grommet located on the passengers side of the firewall, about 8" up from the floor (you cant miss it). theres plenty of room here to poke a new hole and you dont have to worry about drilling or anything. next, pop off the trim that runs along the bottom of the door jam and remove the kickpanel. fold back the carpet a little and lay the wire down in this area. corbins fuel-pum rewire page has good photos of how to run wires like this. after this, you just need to fish the wire through the panel behind the backseat and it will be in the trunk!

3) for the ground wire, terminate it under a seatbelt bolt. make sure to sand off the area to insure the best contact with the metal.

4) run the RCAs and remote turn-on wire from the headunit to the trunk on the opposite side of the car (drivers side), but you can use the same method as with the power wire.

5) make sure you fuse the power wire as close to the battery as possible. as long as the fuse holder is less than about 1.25" tall, you can sit it on top of the battery and use velcro to hold it in place. that hump IS useful, lol.

6) if you have any problems, post them here, we will help you through it. trust me when i say that after you get this done youll say "wow, that wasnt too bad". plus, youll know that the job was done right and youll save money at the same time.

the hardest part of this for you will probably be getting to the headunit to tap the remote turn-on wire and plug in the RCAs. it *might* be possible to do this by simply removing the panels located to the left and right of the center console area (like the one your right leg is by when you sit in the driver seat and the one your left leg is by when you sit on the passengers side).

good luck to you

:shhh: i do cocaine :/shhh:

if you don't wanna lose a lot of trunk space get one've the JL stealth boxes. it comes loaded with 1 JL 10w3v2 sub.. the enclosure fits in the space on the left side of your trunk (if you're looking forward). i haven't heard one in person but it's supposed to soudn pretty good from what i heard. check the jl site for more info. www.jlaudio. com (i think). i guess it depends how much bass you want. i'm pretty sure i'm gonna go with the stealth box when i get my audio. it looks clean and lets you keep your trunk.

http://www.jlaudio.com/stealthbox/eclipse.html

-marc

='95 RS 5spd Red=
Matrix CAI
A'pexi Turbo N1
Hanabi 8000k HID
SPAL Deluxe Power Windows
Nakayama GT5 17's
GSX Calipers
AEM Rotors

255 is fricken short

i really like them stealth boxes also but i heard they are pretty expensive. about how much do they run?

performance: K&N intake, 2.5 piping w/ magnaflow, msd wires, pacesetter header, ported tb, custom short shifter
suspension: 1.5 tenzo drop, rear strut bar.
looks: stock skirts, stock 16s, leather interior
future: rear disc, star stage 1

I am getting a stealth box for my new system. I am goin from 2 12in eclipse aluminum dvc's to 1 jl 10w3v2. hehe, im guessin it will be a big difference. alot quieter and maybe some better sound. They run for about 500, but im gettin mine for about 425, since im spending so much damn money at this shop. to help with the low tones im gonna be running a jl 6w0 in each kick. gonna have fun with this install. gonna total 9 channels of amplification.

sorry for rambling
G

I remember when I didn't know how to hook up stereo stuff... trust me when I say, do it yourself. It's incredibly easy and saves you a LOT of money. I've slowly worked my way up to my current system (way too loud, like, excessively stupid loud) of 2 JL 15-W3's with a JL 500/1 on each, Eclipse 6x9's in the rear pods and 5 1/4's in the doors powered by an Eclipse 3640 amp, and a Kenwood Excelon 715 head unit. I've spent way too much on this stuff, but once you get used to the bass, you just want more and more... kinda like horsepower.


1996 Eclipse RS / 5-Speed / Body Components by Aerogear / Coated in Magnetic Red Metallic v2 - More at http://home.insightbb.com/~mgalyan/
Mark Galyan - Greenwood, Indiana

I do all my own installation and about half of this towns stuff. all the kids come to me for installs. most the time i just fix stupid screw ups. I decided to buy from the shop because i know the guy well and he shoots me deals. we respect each others knowledge. i prolly could have save 300 or so gettin stuff of the net. to let u all in on my install plans, i am gonna be running a huge front stage ( 6in sub, 6 1/2 mid, and 2 tweets on each side), 6x9s in the the rear and 1 10 in the stealth box, i am getting rid of my rear seats and will be building a deck area there. I will prolly be mounting amps and eqs there. i am also runnin a top of the line eclipse dead head. if anyone has any suggestions or thoughts lemme know

G