adding some base- how to help needed

I have an 06 zx4 in which I am redoing. I need to some advise on how to add some base to my sounds. I am not sure if I should add some amps or what. I could use some advise. Also I would need to know how to install them.

I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks

cheryl

First off its bass. Seond you would need to know how much you want just some thump, or do want to rattle windows. What do you listen to, how much are you willing to spend. You will either need some nice mid range drivers if you just want a little bass, or sub woofers for more thump. Its all dependant on what you want. Theres a lot of variables, its not just throwing some amps, and a sub in the back and calling it a day, you need some good, comps or 2-3 ways to make a good balance between bass and sound quality.

Thanks for the correction and advice. I listen to a bunch of different kinds of music. I want the thump but dont need to have the windows rattling. I also dont want to spend alot of money because a friend of mine did and his stuff was almost stolen. So i dont want to put alot into it incase the same happens to me. ya know????

thanks for the advice
cheryl

You could probably go with a nice 10" or 12" sub. Maybe Alpine or Infinity to keep it cheap.

Heres an example: http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2535

This would give you some nice, clean bass.

Thanks I will look into it. If I go with the subs do I need an amp as well? Or will the subs do me good. And any ideas on where I would install them?

Again thanks for the infor
cheryl

yeah, youll need an amp to run your subwoofer. i think you can take your stuff to a local install place or somewhere like Circuit City or Best Buy and they will install it for you while charging you too much.

I think they charge like $60 or something but im not sure. The amp you need depends on the sub(s).

The sub will install in the trunk. It will probably look something like this. Hopefully a little better looking though.
http://leif.cx/photos/fiberglass/trunk1.jpg

You also might want to consider a "bass package" Best Buy and Circuit City have packages that include the sub, amp and box and you need to buy an amp kit (wires) The downside to this is usually lower quality, especially with the amp.

Decide how much you want to spend total. I think a decent setup would be:

10" Alpine Type S sub: $100
Hifonics Titan amp: $200
Knukonceptz RCA cables: $40
Knukonceptz 4 ga. power/ground: $30

This would sounds pretty good for $450 or so. If you buy all this then bring it somewhere the cost will be much lower to install then if they were to use their own products (and much higher quality.)

ok you want cheap system right. do not get lightining audio, please
go to best buy and get 1 sony p5 10' or 12' and a xm2000gtx amp and you will have your thump and your only looking at maybe 240.00 then you can get a amp wire kit for cheap probably 40.00 to 60.00 for a good one anyone

do NOT get sony.

Hahahahahahaha sony. I hate how their Xplod subs are rated...what real world amp pushes 125 rms and then can peak at over 1200 watts...honestly...don't get sony it's just a waste the terminals don't grab wires that well. my ex had a 10 inch xplod and it was in maybe 1.25 cube sealed and it would shake the wires from the terminals...not good.

I am always afraid sony xplode will live up to it's name

Thanks guys. I was thinking 10 inch subs, probally two like the ones you sent the link to above. Then I guess I need the amp. THe web page you sent me to has it all. So I probally will get it there. Look like decent quality. I dont want to go cheap cheap as I am turning her into a show car. You can see my pic on myspace. :lol: For my first tricked out car I think I did a damn good job. :lol: at least thats what everyone is telling me.

Okay if I get the two subs, amp and a wire kit will it come with decent instructions. Electrical is not my thing. I am more into body work.

thanks again
chow
cheryl

Yeah my #1 rule is 'do it right the first time' Alpine is pretty good for mid level stuff on a budget.

Wiring a car is self explanatory, make sure the the RCA interconnects and the main power wire are on opposite sides, its usually easier to keep the wire down the side where the battery is and the rca's down the center.

And as stated dont anything with the word SONY on it unless its one of there fancy $1000 HU.

Just wondering do you have an aftermarket HU or is it still the stock one.

Since you didn want something expensive, hard to install, and just some bump, i was going to say the infinity basslink system works nice. It already has an amp, and it uses a 10" driver and a passive radiator. I installed one in my moms kia sportage puts out a decent amount of bass, for how smal it is and it was easy to cover with a pantera flag doesnt even look like something is there. I think it would be a nice setup for a budget. I know its not looked at as a NICE setup but for someone on a budget it has the sub, and amp for under 200 on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-INFINITY-BASSLINK-10-200WATT-POWERED-SUBWOOFER_W0QQitemZ110013826550QQihZ001QQcategoryZ 32822QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

But id rather have a 2-12" setup only cause i like some serious bass when i need and some low end bass when i dont feel like having my head pounded.

You could also make an enclosure that fit into the spare tire well, i made on for 2-10"s for my accord looks sweet il get some pics up after i finish the install and get some subs for it. It really depends on how much your willing to spend on a setup.

and alphalanos is right alpine makes good stuff for entry level systems on a budget.

I dont mind putting money into it. Just not alot. I dont a $4000 unit to where someone is going to want to still it.

Okay not to sound stupid but what is a HU? Like I said electrical is not my thing. Have a dent or need body work no problem. Need graphics put on or your dash and interior dyed, no problem. Connecting electrical things PROBLEM. :lol: I am assuming I wll have a ground and a positve wire that I would need to connect. Beyond that I am clueless.

thanks again for the hints and webs to check out. I appreciate it.
cheryl

HU stands for head unit ... normally a CD player

There is stuff in the noob thread .... if it's not helpful or not enough, let me know and I will add some more stuff to it.

Well, you have 2 of the 4 wires. There is also a remote and some RCA cables that need to be ran.

I like the viper RCA's i got a few years back for my first install. They had the remote running through the center of the RCA's i liked it made for an easier install. Im sure other brands have done it to.

Just thought id throw that in, i like installs as smooth as possible, even though i do them in my driveway with usually pliers, a socket set, screwdrivers, drill and a soldering iron and some shrink tubing.

Thanks for the info. I guess I have some research to do. I have the stock radio/cd in the car. It has a nice sound right now but I want to add some bass to it. I dont know what a rca is but I suspect it comes with decent directions and I will be able to follow them. hopefully that is. :lol:

I will check out ebay and see what they have. thanks again. cheryl

cheryl all you have to do is after your you have your power and ground wire ran, do not hook up the positive wire yet, on the back of your cd player there is a remote wire, usually blue, hook a wire to it and run it to your amp, then run your RCA wires back to your amp as well but do not run your remote and RCA wires near each other or there will be a slight buzzing noise. after all of your wires are ran hook the power wire to the battery and you can fix all the amp levels and filters to the way it sounds best to you

she has a stock radio ...... it will NOT have RCA's or an amp turn-on wire

i take back my current statement run the amp on highs then... sorry paul you tell em peace people

thanks guys. I am hoping to do this next week when i am on vacation. :lol:

thanks again
cheryl

If you're amp has hi level inputs, you can use the rear speaker leads and run a wire (pair) off of both of them - and run it to the amp inputs. Use the amps crossover to block out the mids and highs from the bass amp. You will also need to run a wire from the front where the radio is to the amp that has 12V ONLY when the car is turned on. Connect that wire to the amp turn on lead.

Dbfreak the remote wire doesnt carry enough current to interfere that and there 4 inches from each other on the back of the HU, or cause buzzing and subs usually wont pick up a constant buzz like mids and highs will because the frequency range is lower, hence the Low Pass filter on many amps.

Cheryl JL sells a line out converter (dont qoute me ive only installed one but i think that whats its called) so you can use your factory HU with an amp. It uses the speaker wires to pick up the signal and convert it to an rca connection. These arent really useful for a sub setup since they have limits on how much voltage they can supply for the signal. Im sure paul might know something better, or correct me on anything LOL, 2 days with no sleep, wow.

But good luck on the install another thing look for a kit it makes life so much easier, 4 gauge should be enough for that setup and rca's are what you use in either home audio/video setups there usually white, red, yellow wires used to send signal from like a dvd player to a TV. But in the car it sends the signal from the HU to the amp.

okay thanks. Maybe I am getting in over my head on this one. :lol: Hopefully everything comes with very very very good directions. Maybe I may want to look into replacing the factory radio/cd player with something new. I dont want to put subs and a amp in just to find out it wont put out a decent bass. What do you two think?

1. Is it something that I can do? with no experience in electrical. Like I said in earlier posts this is the first car I doing as a show car. I am more into the body work of things. :lol:

2. Should I consider replacing the factory radio/cd player before the amp and subs are put in?

3. Is one sub enough or would I need two?

thanks
cheryl :)

from how I see it, the poster wants a simple way to add a little bass and low frequencies. I'd recommend a powered sub, such as a bazooka or the like. It is small, has a built in amp, clean looking, not too many wires around, and fairly simple to install. It will provide decent bass, not anything to shake the ground, but will get the job done. Just buy one of those and pay whoever at best buy or circuit city to install it for 50 or so bucks. If your head unit has RCA outputs stock, it would be much easier, some of the newer cars have them, if not, buy a new head unit (cd player), maybe a snazzy one with CDRW and MP3 capabilities, put hundreds of songs on a single CDr. One of those can be had for around 70-100 dollars including shipping on ebay.

Good luck on your setup.

guy ... NO OEM unit has ever had RCA outs (that I am aware of) .... they are too arrogant to think their stereo can be improved. Mostly you find a bewildering array of cable and bus types, none of which are compatible.

guy ... NO OEM unit has ever had RCA outs (that I am aware of) .... they are too arrogant to think their stereo can be improved. Mostly you find a bewildering array of cable and bus types, none of which are compatible.

so should I replace the oem? I dont want to put a sub and amp in and it not perform.

thanks
chow
cheryl

get a new cd player is the simpleist road to take make sure it has rca hook-ups in the rear of it though

Okay thanks for the info....

cheryl