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Help me decide on a sub&amp combo!

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Old July-22nd-2003, 10:10 PM
  #241  
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I got my amp... I haven't opened it yet though. I don't feel like opening it yet - after all this ****....

I've been trying to do the speaker cables for about an hour now. This cable...



... is a MAJOR PAIN IN THE ***! There are two layers of insulation and the inner layer sticks to the outer layer. It is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to separate them... Donkey work... damn...

UPDATE: WELL, it took me an hour to do two ends like that ^^^
Then I got the hang of it and did the third end (one end of the second cable) in less than 5 minutes... damn... What's funny though, is that when I cut the cable it looks just like when they cut some person open on the Discovery channel ... The cut spreads exactly like the cut on human flesh under the scalpel. It makes me feel like a surgeon.

At first, I used to cut the insulation around... This way I cut the internal insulation as well, and then I had to carefully clear the outer insulation - a pain in the a-fingerz... You don't wanna do that.

Now I cut right between the two wires from the top down, and then I cut away the outer insulation. I still have to be careful, and it's tricky, but it's much faster... *sigh*

Last edited by Intruder; July-22nd-2003 at 10:31 PM.
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Old July-22nd-2003, 11:23 PM
  #242  
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My left hand hurts A LOT...

Since you guys might miss a question I'll compile a short list here:

- I can't find "quick disconnects" for 10 gauge wire (speaker to terminal plate - on the inside of the box). knukonceptz has 12 gauge.. but I don't know if it will be cool with my 10 gauge wire.



- okay, that's all right now - no more questions!

Last edited by Intruder; July-22nd-2003 at 11:25 PM.
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Old July-22nd-2003, 11:49 PM
  #243  
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Well, I decided to finally unpack the amp. It looks sweeet.. I hope it sounds as sweet as it looks...

The amp does not accept power connectors - only bare wire. The wire is secured in place with hex screws.... There are three 30AMP fuses on the amp and 3 in the package (spares). For some reason they sent me some phone cable!?

Nah, it's the cable for the remote. The amp has a remote GAIN control. I don't know if I'm gonna be installing it though....

First impressions are excellent. I can't wait to test it!

Now, MisterT, I want to install the amp just like you did (now you see it, now you don't type of install). Can you give me some guidelines or a tutorial? Thanks man...




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Old July-23rd-2003, 02:50 PM
  #244  
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okay, I'm gonna solder the wires...

yes, that's the knukonceptz cable. this picture is from their website. mine is blue - just like yours.
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Old July-23rd-2003, 02:54 PM
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Originally posted by blue LEDz
solder the speaker wires to the terminal on the box. it's the best way i've found to secure it, and get a good connection is that the knukonceptz speaker cable? i've got some that i haven't used yet, but it looks more blue
any tips on the amp rack?
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Old July-23rd-2003, 07:09 PM
  #246  
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Originally posted by blue LEDz


i personally wound't use a rack like misterT, cause it stops a **** ton of air and sound flow from reaching the cabin of the car. he does have the rear speakers removed, which make a big difference, though it's really not hard to build, and misterT would be able to give you better advice on that than me
I don't have rear speakers removed, just not hooked up. And you are making fuss about my rack?!!?!?! i don't know but with a rack like the woman in your pic, you can't beat! But back to the question, if you don't plan on removing the sub box at all, just mount the amp on that or you can do behind the rear seat. I don't know the dimensions of the Tsunami, but I have heard of people on this forum mounting them under the seat which is a pretty "cool" idea (amps like AC vents). Low sound wavs can penetrate a custom rack enough not to take any thing away from your listening pleasure, but I am sure it does obstruct some sound flow. The best hitting subs was when I had a pair of SoundStream SPL12s in a hatchback. The way hatches are designed can dramatically increase the bass response that can make you feel it more as well as hear it.

As for my rack, I used cheap 1/2 inch cheap plywood and made a lip for top and sides and carpeted it black. You can see the ugly L brackets that I nailed in to the concrete to get that custom contour look (eh hem) :P Typical DIYer job here! I could always paint it black to blend in. I measured the distance between the opening of the back seat as well as the height. I could always get another piece of wood, cut out some squares and use plexiglass and neon to show off the amp, but then I would need some fans to keep them cool, and that all will probably never happened. The main reason for using the amp rack was so that I could remove the sub box and get to the spare and have it for extra trunk space if ever needed. Also, I can fold seats down for amps to get ventilation and access my xover which is mounted to the back of the rear seat.

Glad you like.

MisterT

Last edited by MisterT; July-23rd-2003 at 07:16 PM.
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Old July-23rd-2003, 07:20 PM
  #247  
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Originally posted by Intruder
My left hand hurts A LOT...

I guess you can't use that hand any more. You will have to switch hands! LMAO

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Old July-24th-2003, 12:30 AM
  #248  
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Originally posted by MisterT

Glad you like.

MisterT
I really like man....
blue LEDz just broke my heart....

I do want to be able to remove the box. I would definitely have to remove it sometimes. The reason for me to want an amp rack like yours is because I want to hide the amp, and I like how you did it.... But now that blue said that this stops sound waves... ugh...

I can't put it under the seat. I may have enough clearance, but I already bought the wire for my current design (with an amp rack). The cable isn't long enough to go from under the seat to the trunk...

I don't want to mount it on the box either. Any other ideas?
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Old July-24th-2003, 12:31 AM
  #249  
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Originally posted by MisterT


I guess you can't use that hand any more. You will have to switch hands! LMAO

MisterT
hmm...
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Old July-24th-2003, 11:50 AM
  #250  
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Originally posted by Intruder


I really like man....
blue LEDz just broke my heart....

I do want to be able to remove the box. I would definitely have to remove it sometimes. The reason for me to want an amp rack like yours is because I want to hide the amp, and I like how you did it.... But now that blue said that this stops sound waves... ugh...

I can't put it under the seat. I may have enough clearance, but I already bought the wire for my current design (with an amp rack). The cable isn't long enough to go from under the seat to the trunk...

I don't want to mount it on the box either. Any other ideas?
If there is a difference in sound pressure, it probably is barely audible or not audible enough to discard using an amp rack. Subwoofers are different than if you had say a pair of separates in the trunk. Their waves are nondirectional unlike midrange woofers and tweeters. I don't think an amp rack would hurt the performance all that much (if any). For this reason, subs sound louder facing the rear of the trunk versus firing inside the cabin of the vehicle.

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Old July-24th-2003, 01:05 PM
  #251  
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Intruder I Got a solution for you... it'll take a bit of work and I havent finished mine yet(just have to do top pieces, and carpet) but you can ge thte idea..... I take pics when I get home.... forgot the camera here at work yesterday thats why I didnt have the puics for the ground kit in the other topic... but basically I made a frame for the trunk and it raised the floor up a lil and then put felt on the bottom of the frame so the wood didnt touch the frame... then covered it in 3/4" plywood and then made some sides..... I removed all the plastic except for hte lillt bitty piece by the latch.... Then took my sub and faced it towards the seats and cut a piece of 1/4" plywood and cut 2 small strips, scrwed them on the box and hten took my 3/4" and screwd into those 1/4" (so the wires from the box could run up the box and over the edge of the wall... from the back of the trunk you cant see the sub box at all... then in the floor where the tire is.. I simply cut a chucnk out and put some hinges on it and made a brace that sits on those little mettal braces that held up that flemsy plastic floor from before... covered the brace in felt so the hatch doesnt rattle also... mounted the amp on the back side of the wall that is attatched to the sub box... so... box is still removable so i can have a bigger trunk and taht hatch lets me get the tire out.... I take pics like I said... it sounds weird I know but it works...

best of all.. with that 3/4" plywood I dint ahve to dynamat.... just make sure you cover your spare tire in like a towel or something.. tahts the only thing on my car that rattles a lil... the woods thick enough to where it blocked all teh sond in... licsence plate doesnt even rattle at all
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Old July-24th-2003, 01:09 PM
  #252  
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Originally posted by blue LEDz
you all need to keep in mind i think from an SPL point of view anything blocking the air and sound waves is a bad thing another thought would be to do half an amp rack. so there is still a nice sized "vent" so the sound can fully come through subs actually sound, and are louder (usually by 3 dB), facing the trunk because of how the sound expands through the car by reflecting off the rear. it's hard to get a good sounding sub setup facing forward. transmission line boxes, horns, sealed usually work well for facing forward. the reason why SPL competitors face everything forward is because they have a specific distance they need from the dash to the face of the sub and port. in general you want the 3 times the distance from the dash to the sub for the dash to the back of the box to the back of the sub. that's why astro vans work so well, tons of room to work with

Also remember in the VERY VERY Beginning, he said he wanted something that sounded good.... not extrememly loud.... my one 12 type R is plunty loud facing forward and too loud sometimes as is... and thast with the seats up.... I only posted this since he's not going for SPL but more for SQL.... my2 cents
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Old July-24th-2003, 01:45 PM
  #253  
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Originally posted by asylum24



Also remember in the VERY VERY Beginning, he said he wanted something that sounded good.... not extrememly loud.... my one 12 type R is plunty loud facing forward and too loud sometimes as is... and thast with the seats up.... I only posted this since he's not going for SPL but more for SQL.... my2 cents
yeah, this is correct. I am rather going for SQ..

your idea is good, I'm looking forward to seeing those pics!
actually I think my sub is going to be even louder than yours. this means that I can build the amp rack without worry of loosing too much SPL from it. I actually think that this setup is too powerfull/loud for me anyway. We'll see soon enough.
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Old July-24th-2003, 03:40 PM
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too oud eh? try listen to like classic rock and you cant hear the words cuz the bass guitar is overpowering it.... and i dont have hte gain up at all and the sub-W on the headunit is at 0.... then its too loud... then i gotta go screw with my EQ and well thats a lot of buttons to push while driving down the HWY at 85 too loud is possible.... but I will agree with you... too loud is more fun
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Old July-24th-2003, 04:09 PM
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Use your gain control

You mentioned that your Tsunami has a wired gain control, but you were not going to install, well, maybe you can go ahead and install it. Some of my CDs like Dire Straits doesn't have enough bass in it, so I have to turn the gains up while others I have to adjust down so that it isn't too bass heavy. That is a nice feature to have. I would recommend using it.

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