Boom up your rides 2

How to have your own ICE?  Here is a do it yourself In-Car-Entertainment.

Boom up your rides 2 is all about how to install an audio system in your car.

Things you should consider before installing several devices in your system:   ae car is a powered by 12volt current with a (+) positive and (-)  negative body ground.  Do not mess up your wires, specially open wires, cut them at the tip if not used with a high quality tape to cover.

Your alternator is the main supplier of power, and your battery stores it.   A voltage meter should  always show 12volts to 13.8 or higher, lower than this voltage like 11 volts may affect your system specially your amplifiers and head units.  Additional capacitors, an extra battery and dry cells can also be a big help to restore more amount of power you will need.

Eventually, louder  music or booming with bass  use more energy and you need to restore the power instantly by replenishing  your power to 12 volts up is at first hand one of the main requirement in setting your audio system.

What do we need for a simple set up?

Not to expensive yet not to cheap equipments, of course we do not want our installation to last only a week or so. Yet our budget is our concern , a friend with an audio experience should be of great help.

The primary to place is a a head unit or stereo.   This will be our main source of signal.   A good type of head unit  (branded) will probably produce much clear quality sound.   Its your choice if you prefer to have a CD or DVD with USBs and SD slots.   Thus if you want to add monitors in the future for video use,   see to it that at the back of your unit there is an Aux Out terminal.

The  next  thing we need are the speakers.  A simple set up requires to hear vocals from the front and bass from the rear.  Thats why we mostly see installs of subwoofers always at the back not on the front.  We  need separates, or coax and subfoower.  Separates consist of 2 midbass, 2 tweeters and an active crossover. While a coax is 2 way midrange and tweeter no active crossovers.  You can buy them in sets and sizes depends on the brand you prefer- comes in 5 and 6 inches.  The  subwoofers also comes in several sizes and watts.  For old school cars I prefer sound quality with just the moderate bass.  A single 10 or 12 incher would do with a 300 to 600 watts . There are also single coil and dual coils available.  I prefer to use the dual coil , they are mostly good subwoofers and at good pressure levels .

Next are are the wirings, you can buy these also by set.  It is termed as ”Wiring Kit” consists of the power  wire speaker wire remote wires etc.  This also comes with a fuse holder and grounding wire.

Next, you need a Subwoofer box, which also comes on several designs and sizes depending on your subwoofer.  The measurement are mostly indicated on the leaflets inserts on the box of the subwoofers you will buy.  Try to follow the design and it will make good bass for you.  If you prefer DIY you need to buy an ( Medium Density Fiber ) MDF ¾ or 1-inch thick for your box.

Lastly you need a four channel  amplifier or if you want a mono and a 4 channel, you can also see various brands at the local stores mainly at web or installer shops nationwide.

First step is connecting the power cable from the front battery to your rear amplifier.  Remember to connect the fuse box near the battery.   Connect it to the positive terminal without the fuse first.  If your battery is in the left side run the power cable on the left side of your car.  Connect it to the positive terminal of your amp and place a ground wire on the negative ground or body chassis.  Try to run the wire through the the matting of your car going towards your rear amplifier.  Connect the RCA wire from the  aux out of the head unit to the aux in terminal of the amplifier.  This will be run in the opposite side, thus power line and signal line will not touch each other along the way to prevent static noise .

Then if you can see a control wire on the head unit connect it also going to the control  of the amplifier. Your separates can be placed at the front door panels with the tweeters and active crossover directions for installation is indicated at their boxes.  Connect them to the front out channel of your amplifier.  This will be your high pass, vocals and mid range will be coming out from here.  Place your subwoofer in the sub box and place it in the rear area of your car.  Connect it also to the rear channel out of your amplifier, this will be your low pass.  All bass sounds will be coming out from here.

Please also take note that these speakers have a positive and negative terminals, they must be connected with the same terminals indicated in your amplifier.  If everything is connected try to double check the positive wires.  They shouldn’t touch any negative grounds or body of your vehicle or short circuit may occur.  Place the fuse on the fuse box near the battery  positive terminal.  Push on your head unit and see your amplifier turned on the same time.  Push your volume up slightly and you must hear the music more loudly and better.  If you need some adjustments see the leaflet inserts of your amplifier . You can adjust the gain , db,  high, and low pass.

Happy listening  and have fun!  I hope this will be a great addition to our old school ride…lets boom up those cars.