My first self install!!

[Wigzter]

Hey PP, I'm Ken and I've had the pleasure of talking to a few of you already and I already love being a part of this forum!

Ok so this the current state of my first self install....it's nothing special yet and after looking it over, I'm going to re-run the RCA's similar to how I did the speaker wires.

08 Honda Accord Sedan
Stock 6-speaker Premium System w/ Line Out Converter
Stinger 4ga Power/Ground Wires
Phoenix Gold Ti21300.1 Amplifier with (2) PG Ti212D4's Subwoofers wired to a 1 ohm load

I love it!!!

Comments and constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated! Just be gentle, I'm a car audio noob but I'm trying to research and learn as much as I can!

[ttocs]

I can be pretty critical but I see nothing in there that I would say to do differently. Looks nice and clean and I bet it pounds like hell too!

[NOT 2 OLD YET]

Looks good for a first timer! Nice and clean, 1 thing I see in the pics it looks like your running 12 gauge to your subs. I would go a little bigger so your not starving power to the subs and making that sweet ass amp work harder! JMO

[Wigzter]

Damn guys thanks for all the love!

I've been surfing the forums for a couple weeks now and I've seen some of the sweet installs you guys have put together. It was pretty intimidating lol.

I think the amp terminals for the speakers is 12ga. Is there a trick to get bigger wire connected?

[ttocs]

12 is plenty especially with a short run.

[mndevil]

Looks clean and loud.

10awg is min for that sub

[ttocs]

subs do not normally have wire requirements

[NOT 2 OLD YET]

subs do not normally have wire requirements

True! I like to overkill a little on the wiring myself, I run 8 to my subs!

[ttocs]

it looks good and all but if anyone here can hear the difference they are an amazing listener and I don't see the wire getting hot/melting from too much power. If he had some extra, sure I would say use it but I am not going to say that going out and buying some 8 awg to run as its not going to really get him anything.

[Wigzter]

So the speaker terminals on the amp are 12ga terminals...

How would I be able to fit a larger speaker wire in there?

[NOT 2 OLD YET]

So the speaker terminals on the amp are 12ga terminals...

How would I be able to fit a larger speaker wire in there?

I am using the gold spade adaptors.

[Audiophiliac]

12AWG is more than adequate. Leave it be and do not worry about a thing.

[Wigzter]

Haha ok, we'll yeah so far with a lot of help from PP, I've been able to tune my amp almost perfectly. It's pretty loud right now and the bass is crystal clear. My 20oz can of Red Bull just dances in the cupholder and I can't see through my mirrors anymore.

I'm still in the break in period with these subs, so maybe in a few weeks I'll bump it up a little more.

[vwdude]

Nice clean install you have there. You still content with your factory speakers and that much bass?

I've gotta respect how clean your install is, especially for a newbie. Glad to hear that you are getting that amp dialed in. Did the phase control help you at all?

[Wigzter]

Yeah actually after testing with a buddy earlier today I decided to keep the phase at 0.

If money was no issue I would upgrade from factory speakers just for sound quality. Right now it sounds pretty good with volume at 28 of 40. Anything past volume 30 my factory speakers start to distort. But 28 is a good and loud and shakes all the little things.

I'm being ever sooo careful because when I pop my trunk it's almost quiet. Then as soon as I shut the trunk it's like 10x louder. My buddy says the sound waves bounce off the back of my trunk so I guess that makes sense

[vwdude]

Yup. And you should get even more bass if you open your windows. With them closed the waves bounce off and cancel themselves a little.

[Corty75]

Nice and clean!

Im running exact same sub setup ( 2 x 12" TiD4 ) And when windows are down, im gain´n 3 DB

The break in procedure takes time, but sure is gonna be way more punchie.

Thats my Ti bould in a Ford mondeo ( European model )..

8 gauge is overkill, even though im using it in my chevy install. your install is perfect with the 12g in a short line.
when u upgrade from factory speakers, to what ever you like... please give some info about the sound quality ( Before and after )

[brenzbmr@sb]

Looks clean and loud.

10awg is min for that sub

nice and very clean install for a noob(lol). at least you used proper size wiring and made it look clean.

as far as the speaker wire goes 12awg is fine, if you think about it anything bigger wouldn't really make a difference due to your short run and the fact that its going through a speaker cup terminal and then back to what ever is in the box. hopefully its 12 awg also, I am not saying that you need to change anything but I find a lot of times that the boxes will have like 16 awg inside and then everyone wants to run big wire to the sub box terminal cup.

if you wanted to be picky about it you could do a single run into box with no breaks but then you wont have the ease of removing the box from car.

give these subs some time to break in and then play with the phase after words.

aloha

[ttocs]

you can probably gain some sound and save your stock speakers by adding some passive bass blockers to take from them what the subs play. By doing this the cross over will eat a little of the signal power but by taking the bass out you will get the mids/highs much cleaner/clearer.

Now to get technical. Is the box mounted down?

[LowandLoud]

Great gear, clean install. Good job. It doesnt leave you much trunk space though, lol

LL

[Wigzter]

Thanks and nah it's not mounted down but I have little L brackets in the front corners so that it doesn't move around

[ttocs]

if you have the L-brackets why not throw the screws into them? I know its a big heavy box and it should not go anywhere but with a big enough impact almost anything can happen. Great install, don't get lazy in the last detail. If not for the safety aspect then for the anti-theft aspect. Either way its more then just a good idea.

[Wigzter]

Ok so I got the box mounted down now, thanks for that. I didn't even think about theft, the way the trunk is I know it wasn't going to go anywhere but making sure it doesn't get stolen is pretty paramount so good call.

Yesterday I installed some LED light in the trunk to kind of light it up a little bit but it's still a work in progress. I have 2 out of 4 installed so far. I'll have pics up in a bit

[Wigzter]

Ok so I have the first LED tied into the license plate light that's above the amp, so when I unlock or lock the doors, they flash twice and also when I have the parking lights or headlights on, they also stay on.

The second LED is above the box which is tied into the trunk light, I took the yellow light out and replaced it with an LED and it turns on and off by just opening and closing the trunk.

I have 2 more I'm going to put in today. one at the bottom front of the trunk to light up the subs and I haven't decided where to put the 4th LED yet, they come in packs of 2.

I don't want anything in the cabin because its my DD and my girlfriend uses my car to go to work and pick up the kids etc, so I don't want anything that will distract her from driving.

EDIT: Disclaimer: The pictures do not show the LED's justice as it looks way better in person.