Wiring and suggestions?

mbdyer12 · April 2004

I have a few questions that I havn't been able to find specific answers to through searching this forum.

First: How exactly do I wire up a distribution block? Lets say I run 4guage from the battery to the block. Should/does it have to be 12-16 inches from the battery like a regular fuse holder should be? If so, I'd have to run 2 separate lengths of cable from the outputs on the block to the back of the car? This seems like a waste of cable.

Would it be possible to just run 4 guage to somewhere near the amps (2 in this case) then connect the block there? Wiring kits that have blocks seem to come with a very long length of the thick cable and no lower guage.. (ex. 17ft 4 guage only) I'm sure your answer for the above questions will answer that one though.

On to question number two:
I'm purchasing db6500 components and db690 for the back. Now I need to decide which amp I want to get. I'm considering Profile, Hifonics or an amplifier i have here. I hear Profile amps are reasonably clean and live up to their power ratings. Now just how clean are they? Clean enough for these speakers? I hear more positive information about Hifonics amps. I dont think I've heard anything bad about them actually. Lastly the amp I have (not accessable right now so I dont know the name of it) but it says 85x4 which I'm assuming is 85x4 max @ 4 ohms cause that seems to be the most common number...? Well I know these speakers can handle 100wrms.

This leads into the last question:
What % of the 100wrms would you reccomend me putting into the amp with plenty of overhead for the speakers at a somewhat loud volume? These speakers plus the two 7.2" screens I'm putting in my sunvisor are putting a big dent in my wallet and I'd like to stay as cheap as possible while getting near full potential from these speakers.. Just incase there's any curiosity: I have a Pioneer DEH-P740MP head unit (4/5V preout- cant remember), Kappa Perfect 10.1D running off a Profile CA400m (320wrms x 1)

Thanks for any replies.

MacLeod · April 2004

#1
No, a dist block does not have to be within 18" of the battery, only the fuse. It will be just fine to put the dist block near the amps just dont put em too close to the signal cable.

2#
Profile is an entry level amp. It has good power and is pretty clean and since you already have a Profile running your sub you may want to get one for your highs for looks. You wont go wrong with the Profile but you would be better off with the Hifonics. Ive never heard one myself but everybody on here swears by em and Ive been on here long enough to trust their opinions (except on MB Quart and JL Audio

). Plus I have read quite a good bit of press on em recently in various magazines and websites.

Some of my favorite amps are Kicker, JL Audio, Orion, Alpine V12, and Xtant. Kicker is probalby the best all around offering good power and clean sound for a reasonable price. The others are gonna sound a smidge better but can get a little pricey with Xtant getting into the $1000 range! From a budget standpoint though Id say the Hifonics ZX6400 (85x4) for $370 at SoundDomain.com is a pretty good deal.

3#
The more the better. If the speaker can handle 100 rms then give em as close to that as you can. It will sound better, cleaner and more detailed and will play like the designers had in mind. 85 rms will be fine for those. It will push the speakers fine and play strong at any volume you choose.

mbdyer12 · April 2004

Hrrrm.... The decisions are so tough. Profile would be half the price for the CA640 (75wrms x 4). But since I've also heard that they're sworn by on this forum, its awefully hard to rule out the Hifonics amp

Plus it would have 10wrms per channel more. Would 10 watts make all that much of a difference?

Also, has anyone else had any real experience with Profile? I had that CA400M amp with my 2 gnx12's (?). It worked so well that I decided to get another one after I sold the subs and amp for my Infinity sub. I havn't had any troubles with either the amp or sub and I've beaten them to hell. Not only beaten to hell by playing music obscenely loud but my box for the 10" that had the amp on top came unsecured and went sliding amp-first into the wall of my trunk and hit so hard it put a gash in the metal. Luckily and surprisingly, nothing happened to the amp. So, if someone else can support that they're clean enough to play the db6500 components and db960's, I think I'm going to get the Profile. Any other comments on this would be great.

Oh by the way, the amp I mentioned was 85 x 4 max, not rms. <sigh> I dont think (aprox) 40wrms wouldn't be even close to enough now that I think about it (not that I didn't, I was just hoping it would be).

exalted512 · April 2004

i like the hifonics amp he listed...
profile is a very good company as well
if you like their amps...go with them!
you WILL NOT be disappointed
if you want to go extremely cheap, us acoustics is good as well, theyre connectors are kinda cheap, but they put out solid clean power and come with a 3 yr warranty
as close as 100 watts as you can get is going to be your best bet
85 is not shabby at all
and u do need to have a fuse no more than 18" from the battery, but you can put the distro block as close as you can to the amps
-Cody

mbdyer12 · April 2004

Thanks a bunch for the feedback. I think I've made up my mind to get the Profile amp based on what you've said. If some respectable people say Profile is good, then I'm pretty sure I can trust your word. One last thing, 75 wrms x4 should be enough to get clean, clear and just overall decent to drive 100wrms speakers? Thanks for dealing with me and being cool.

neomagus00 · April 2004

hey macleod, what are your opinions on mbquart and jl? i think you're the one who says mbquart is extremely faithful to the original signal, w/o coloration. what the forum as a whole sez, i dunno. on jl, the consensus is generally that it's good but overpriced. what u sez, i dunno.

PoweredByDodge · April 2004

The only thing i've been "swearing by" is mtx blue thunder and thunder amps...

I believe they deserve the motto... "Many amplifiers can be thrown off a small building and still function, run over by a semi truck and still put out phat beats, left out in the rain but keep pouring out sound... but only one can be left in the hands of a 16 year old who failed algaebra and thinks he can plug his playstation audio outputs right into the RCA line inputs of the amplifier and then run the 2 channel amp bridged at 1 ohm with the bass boost at +18db and the gain at full throttle and STILL (with a little help from the 'Angel of Amplifier Salvation') work -- and still do more than their rated RMS... ---- MTX Blue Thunder: IDIOT PROOF."

-- the preceeding announcement was based on a TRUE story.

mbdyer12 · April 2004

LOL. Good motto! I wish I could afford an MTX or other higher-end amp. The reason I'm getting a new car is because my truck sucks up $70-140 a week in gas and I cant afford that making minimum wage. I'm sure you know that when you get a new car, it comes with a stock stereo system, and a stock stereo system doesn't sound good. Therefore one must purchase all new speakers. I'm sure this is the feeling girls get when they go to the mall and buy a new outfit. The only problem is, I'm close to spending more money than I have on all of this. If I had a few bucks more laying around, there'd definately be a possibility I'd go with a better one with a more solid background. I'm still looking at the bright side: I get a new stereo system that'll sound a hellovalot better than whats in it right now:D

exalted512 · April 2004

how much do you drive and what kind of mileage do you get!?
i thought my truck sucked up gas ($20 a week)
-Cody

mbdyer12 · April 2004

Full time student to a school 20 miles away (40 miles round trip) and i go 4 days a week, and I drive another 20-30 miles a day to random places and then on weekends I drive 110 miles round trip up north to visit my mom. Somehow I throw in some enormous trip or two somewhere that adds a crapload of miles. I drive a 92 gmc sierra 2500 extended cab long bed (w/ a 350).. That thing weighs a ton and I dont drive slow, haha. I think I average 1600-1900 miles a month and I get about 8-9mpg considering 80% of my driving is on streets or in traffic. Gas here was $2.15 a gallon for a while. It sucks, but I love the way my truck sounds =D Its going to be a shame going to a 6 cylinder.

exalted512 · April 2004

you have an awesome truck!
i have a 96 gmc 3/4 ton(extended cab, short bed)
i get about 12
gas is like 1.57 here though...
-Cody

mbdyer12 · April 2004

I love it. I got a magnaflow muffler and got the exhaust dumped right after the muffler.. Ooh it sounds good. You're lucky with those gas prices. They just closed a refinery up north about 70 miles which is going to create a gas shortage for us So. Cal people, at least in my area. I wouldn't doubt gas going up to 2.75+ a gallon

Is this off topic? Should I stop posting on this? Haha...

MacLeod · April 2004

Originally posted by neomagus00
hey macleod, what are your opinions on mbquart and jl? i think you're the one who says mbquart is extremely faithful to the original signal, w/o coloration. what the forum as a whole sez, i dunno. on jl, the consensus is generally that it's good but overpriced. what u sez, i dunno.

I happen to think that MB Quart are just about the best speakers you can buy and that JL makes awesome subs and speakers but even better amps. If I were going to build a system using one brand exclusively it would be JL. They are the only company, in my opinion, that makes excellent everything. However I think Im alone in this opinion, at least on this forum. MB Quart is poo-pooed every once and a while and JL is trashed all the time and even once got compared to Pyle!!!! Yikes!

I guess Im the red headed step child of the forum!! LOL

Dont get me wrong, its not some blood feud or anything, its just that my genius is sometimes unappreciated!!! Ive learned to live with it over the years!

exalted512 · April 2004

Originally posted by mbdyer12
I love it. I got a magnaflow muffler and got the exhaust dumped right after the muffler.. Ooh it sounds good. You're lucky with those gas prices. They just closed a refinery up north about 70 miles which is going to create a gas shortage for us So. Cal people, at least in my area. I wouldn't doubt gas going up to 2.75+ a gallon

Is this off topic? Should I stop posting on this? Haha...

off topic?
ha...there is no off topic in this forum...
as far as JL
if i wanted to spend all my money needlessly on an overpriced brand, id go JL
no comment on MQ Quart b/c ive never had experience with them
they get mixed reviews from different people
-Cody

neomagus00 · April 2004

Originally posted by MacLeod
my genius is sometimes unappreciated!!!

i feel your pain, bro

and cody, at least it's not wasted money... they do, after all, make music, which has to count for something. i mean, isnt that why we're all here?

exalted512 · April 2004

no
were here to bash JL
and fosgate
they suck too
and while im at it...sony, pyramid, legacy, pyle...egh...i could go on...but whats the point...i need to do my h/w
-Cody

neomagus00 · April 2004

hehe... someone feeling a little vindictive at the moment? then again, i'd have to concur with the ****-suckage of most of who you named. i will refrain from passing judgement on jl till ive heard it.

MacLeod · April 2004

Originally posted by exalted512
no
were here to bash JL
and fosgate
they suck too
and while im at it...sony, pyramid, legacy, pyle...egh...i could go on...but whats the point...i need to do my h/w
-Cody

ROFLMAO!!!!!!

Wiring and suggestions?

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