car subwoofers

xxxalpinexxx80

xxxalpinexxx80

New Member
Today i was in walmart and saw car subwoofers and i saw for $20 300watt roadmaster something subwoofers and they were either 10 or 12", perhaps i gt them what are the other things i would need to buy and how do they connect to the cars audio?
 
what are the other things i would need to buy and how do they connect to the cars audio?
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You will need a amp. Then will need power +&- power cables for the amp (Positive from car batt wiv FUSE! running to the amp then a ground some where on the chassis). Also cable running from the head unit to the amp (audio and signal cables). Then from the amp cables +&- to the sub.

Think thats about it for a basic setup.
 
Yea everything ghost mentioned. RCA cables for signal output to amp, but your head unit must have the outputs. If not you can convert your speaker outputs into rca leads for about 20 bucks, then to amp. Some amps have direct imputs for the speaker leads too, if you dont want to replace your head unit thats another option. I would probably stay away from those subs.

Call best buy and ask em what their install rates are, tell em what ya want and they should give you an esimate.
 
Ignore the cheap subs, they'll sound awful and die quickly.

I like my 10" Kenwood Tsunamis. Have them for a year, and they've survived a brutal upstate NY winter and a blazing summer, no damage.

I also like Rockford Fosgate amps, I use 1000W (same as my computer's PSU...hmmm). But really I would also give Kenwood's amps a listen.

Install at Best Buy will be good. I do mine myself, but if that's not an option for you (it can get a little tricky and time-consuming, and rather uncomfortable if you want to do it now, in the cold), BB is a good bet. I've seen some pretty gnarly "professional" installations. My first paid-for install was what convinced me to do all my electronics stuff myself.
 
For the above you would get away with out a amp because the RMS is only 60W. Save your money mate, summin like that is not worth it.
 
xxxalpinexxx80 said:
http://www.roadmasterusa.com/manuals/rts3000t_eng.pdf

there is the link to the subwoofers that were only 20 bucks, my question is, do i need a amplifier and if not how do these get powered up
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You'll need an amp to power any sub woofer otherwise its not even worth putting it in. you'll barely even hear it running unless you put your ear right up to it.

I'd scrap those subs. Invest between 150-200 and get yaself a decent single 10" kicker, that would kick the crap outa those subs ^ I've always been a fan of kicker. they have from entry level right up to serious competition components. Then find a small high current quality amp. us , kicker or fosgate or phenix gold are a few solid choices that come to mind. You can find them used on ebay etc for alot better prices if your on a tight budget.
 
An amp is absolutly necessary. Dont run a sub off the head unit!
The amp needs to be powered directly off your battery.
You should probably get an after-market head unit because stock head units don't have preamp outs. The amp connects to your headunit's preamp output via RCA cables. You also have to wire in a remote wire so your amp turns on with the head unit. Then you can connect the sub to the amp.
It's somewhat involved and can be expensive if you buy everything retail. A decent head unit is $130 off ebay, decent amp is about $150, and get a decent sub for $100 plus a sub box for around $70. If you buy off ebay and look around for good deals on craigslist you can get a good setup for around $250.

And don't go cheap! If you are going to put in subs, do it right! Here's a good website for car audio crutchfield.com
 
An amp is absolutly necessary.
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The sub he linked is 60W RMS! now adays head units can put out a 50W signal on a single chanel(PEAK)! So yeah you could run it off the head unit and yes you could hear it, it would just be crap though!
 
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ghost said:
The sub he linked is 60W RMS! now adays head units can put out a 50W signal on a single chanel! So yeah you could run it off the head unit and yes you could hear it, it would just be crap though!
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You are right most headunits now put out about 50W/channel, but that is peak power not RMS. Most headunits run around 18W RMS.
 
^ Indeed, just to sayin that a amp is absolutly not necessary. I dont care about the quality and how loud etc its gonna be, sure it will suck but it is doable!

but that is peak power not RMS
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Yup, post edited.
 
ghost said:
The sub he linked is 60W RMS! now adays head units can put out a 50W signal on a single chanel(PEAK)! So yeah you could run it off the head unit and yes you could hear it, it would just be crap though!
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Why in gods green earth would you run a sub off the head unit? You want the amp to be able to over power the sub. It just amazes me how people who don't know what they are talking about insist that they are right and give people bad info.
 
^ lol
Why in gods green earth would you run a sub off the head unit?
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God knows but you can!

you want the amp to be able to over power the sub.
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Agree

It just amazes me how people who don't know what they are talking about insist that they are right and give people bad info.
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Oh but I made it clear that I do know what im on about, your the one who said "amp is absolutly necessary".
I agree to an extent but you made it sound like it wasnt possible. If you read my 1st reply I gave him all the info he needed to get started. That is "bad info" huh??
 
ghost said:
^ lol

God knows but you can!


Agree


Oh but I made it clear that I do know what im on about, your the one who said "amp is absolutly necessary".
I agree to an extent but you made it sound like it wasnt possible. If you read my 1st reply I gave him all the info he needed to get started. That is "bad info" huh??
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If you ever say it's ok to run a sub off a head unit, you dont know wtf you are talking about. It's like running a gaming rig off a 200w psu, sure you could do it but it would run like utter shit.
 
And where did I say it was ok, read the PDF dumb ass! its clearly shows you that you can run it directly from the head unit. Its not a mega sub so its possible to do so!!!

you dont know wtf you are talking about.
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heh and it sounds like you do...
Well come on expert wanna see pix n vids of the systems you have fitted!
 
ghost said:
And where did I say it was ok, read the PDF dumb ass! its clearly shows you that you can run it directly from the head unit. Its not a mega sub so its possible to do so!!!

heh and it sounds like you do...
Well come on expert wanna see pix n vids of the systems you have fitted!
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Pics-
IMG_0469.jpg

IMG_0467.jpg

Vid-http://youtube.com/watch?v=LCuowu0-CCc
Happy?
 
^ haha my sister could have done a better job than that mate. Sony xplods.... and your moaning about the sub in the PDF... ur a joke.

Fitted Audio systems 1250w sub RMS! front components @ 100w RMS installed in a Fiesta ST... Won a Single sub brive by event at Sound off 2006, then after that got a in car reading of 143.1db. Will post pics, vids later.
 
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