Jeep Audio on the cheap

[woody]

I may take the plunge into car audio for my noisy, beat up XJ, and would like to get the most bang for the buck. I am NOT attempting to win any competitions or cool-points... just to drown out the mudders, squeaks & rattles. Not having a 'steal me' unit in the dash is a plus, since my Jeep won't lock.

I have a CD walkman that I'd like to use (don't listen to FM radio much) and have a patch cord with a headphone plug on one end - RCA plugs on the other. From what I understand, this will pass signal to an amplifier, if I connect the small plug to the line-out jack

For the amp & speakers, I am thinking of getting a 60w (approx) 4 channel amp and using 6x9 speakers wired to the front channels, then bridging the back two channels for a sub. (this polarity issue is where I get lost) I have an unused pair of Kicker C-8s in some old AR home boxes, but IIRC these are 8 ohm and not what I'd need for car audio (or could one be wired up some way to work) Also have the main speakers and plenty of good speaker wire so all I 'need' is is some power/ground wire, a fuse, and the amp... yes?

As for mounting/wiring etc, my plans are for dual Gel Cells in the passenger rear floorboard (have no backseat anymore) To KISS, I could build the battery box so the amp mounts atop it (hopefully up out of the water that I can't seem to stay out of) and I would put the 6x9s in boxes, mounted to the ceiling behind the front seats. The Sub(s?) and it's box could go behind the drivers' seat.
This would keep the power wires very short, and the speaker wires simply run up the pillar between the F & R doors.

Thanks for any advice or insight into this 'bridging' and Ohms issue.

 

[Boz88xj]

For the polarity, youre wondering about it for the bridging right?

I dont know about that.


In terms of bang for the buck...
Well, personally I spent way too much money on my system, but i got a JVC deck, that is super anti-theft, when its off its just a black flat panel. At best buy it came with free speakers, so its another reason i got this deck. Then I just got a couple of sony xplods 6.5"s for the front left and front right.

Not worrying about any amps or subs right now, but this system gets pretty damned loud, plenty bassy with the xplods too. Still havent put in the free speakers, but there going in the rear where the stock speakers are on the hatch.

 

[Dirk Funk]

speakers are resistors

If you wire two 8 ohm speakers in parallel, the effective load is 4 ohms. If you were to wire two 8 ohm speakers in series, the effective load is 16 ohms. The speakers act as resistors and follow ohm's law: voltage=current x resistance.

For a Series Circuit: Equivalent Resistance= R1 + R2 + R3...

For a Parallel Circuit: (1 / Equivalent Resistance)= (1/R1) + (1/R2) + (1/R3)...

If you are looking for a bargain check out www.partsexpress.com for all your audio needs. The tech crew will also tell you anything you need to know. When you wire everything together, make sure you don't put an impedance load too low on the amp (ex. wire some speakers together to get a 1 or 2 ohm load; some amps aren't stable at this low of a load.)

Hope this helps.

 

[woody]

OK it sounds like my two 8 ohm C8 Subs in paralell ought to work

Which is paralell? + to + and - to - ?

Thanks

 

[Boz88xj]

Yes that is parallel.

If my HS electronics class is still with me.

+ to - and - to + is series.

 

[Georgia Mike]

Hey Woody,just get with me and I'll draw it all out for ya at the Uwharrie get together. I used to be a car audio installer

 

[Ghost]

Hey Mike come put my New old Pioneer head unit in for me!

 

[Georgia Mike]

I may do it if you show up at Uwharrie on the 19th!

 

[Ghost]

Oh and the amps, and the speakers, and hmmmm what else could I get done that weekend?

 

[Georgia Mike]

Well,that all depends on how much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ you have to spend

 

[woody]

Ouch, that sounds $hocking! Glenn, you're better off with a boom-box in the back seat anyway!

 

[XJeacdabnow]

Yeah, Super anti-theft JVC. When they stole that thing out of my girlfriends TINTED VW golf, in broad daylight right infront of the University police station, they just ripped the whole dash out. It cost over $1000. 00 fo the new dash. Thats not even counting the stereo! Uneducated, crackhead kids are hip to those black face CD decks, word to the wise. Sell it to your friend and buy a detachable face before you can't sell it at all.

 

[Dirk Funk]

get a blaupunkt. My minidisc receiver won't work unless it has the security card inserted. When I leave, I leave the face down where it says keycard. Unless you really are on crack, you would notice the reciever won't work without the card. AND, in the off chance it does get stolen, as long as I still have both cards, Blaupunkt will send me a whole new unit.

 

[XJeacdabnow]

Do an ebay check, by somthing with a brand name, pioneer, clarion, kenwood. I just picked up a pioneer premeir cd deck for 74 bucks, its nice too. I am gonna install it this weekend to replace my kenwood. Hey come to think about it. Wanna buy a kenwood single disk cd player? It has a detachable face, remote and lots of cool features. It even tells you of traffic alerts! I am changing cd players because i need more adjustment on my duel 12" subs and other components. If interested e-mail me up. I will let it go cheap. Like 50 plus shipping? any takers?

 

[Georgia Mike]

I'm interested! Hit me @ [email protected]