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Finally got amp. Some more quetions

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:04 pm
by ooober60
I haven't run any wires yet but to me it seems like I didn't get enough speaker wire. The speaker wire that came with it was 16 and i have a roll of 18. Is there a big difference? Will that effect the sound quality?

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:12 pm
by Bfowler
Welcome to the phorum!

what car?

the PG RSD's ARE a great starter speaker.

PG doesn't really authorize internet sales, so ebay is your best bet.


they work great on a large variety of power. any amp 50x2 all the way to 150x2 would be a great match for it.

PG currently offers a RSD 250.2 that is great. the ryval V752 and 1502. are great matches also.


you can also find xs2300 and tantrum 300.2's on ebay used for pretty cheap and both are rock solid amps.

you can't really go wrong to be honest. just avoid bargain basement amps.

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:16 pm
by ooober60
Thanks for the quick reply. I have a 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue. I got it for free so who wouldn't take it? What do you think the speakers and amp together would cost me around?


Edit: People before have told me that these 2 are also good for the RSD's.

Hifonics ZXi 6006 or Profile California 600 Watt Amp.

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:24 pm
by Bfowler
you should have 5.25's in the door, and 6x9's in the back then.

is there a visible spot for a separate tweeter? (this will determine if you should go with a coax or component, which will effect price) unless you are up for some cutting/fabrication, in which case components are the way to go

do you already have an aftermarket head unit?


here's a nice find on an used amp that should go fairly cheap:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Phoenix-Gold-Tantru ... dZViewItem

a refurbished PG amp (refurbished by PG i should say) is almost as good as a new amp. they are very through.

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:29 pm
by ooober60
yeah I picked up a an Alpine - 45W x 4 CDE-9874 and installed it myself a while ago. There is no spot for the tweeters but would it be hard to make one?

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:21 am
by ooober60
How hard is it to buy stuff online? I've never done it before..

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:47 am
by Bfowler
its pretty easy.

that guy has good feed back (over 150 transactions) and uses paypal which can help protect you.

you could always look at local craigslist ads if you are comfortable buying online

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:17 am
by ooober60
so what amp is good. anyone thats has 2 x 100+rms ? also, is that a good amp on the site you gave me? it seems pretty good for the 70$

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:32 am
by Bfowler
basically any decent brand that is rated for 2 x 50 to 2 x 150 will be perfect.

the one in the link i posted is 2 x 75

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:59 am
by Rold Gold
Why don't ya look in the "for sale" here? Ya might find a good deal on an amp and speaks. I'd say this cus it was said to me way back when...."Buy good gear the first time. Don't waste $$ on low end bargin gear cus you'll only UPGRADE to the gear you should have bought in the first place."

I'd say $500 is a great start since you already have a HU. That should buy you new speaks for the corners, 4-chn amp and install goodies ie wire/connectors/fuses and whatnot.

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:44 am
by ooober60
i dont really want to spend 500$ just on speakers

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:51 am
by Bfowler
no, you should be fine one well under that.

that amp i posted shouldn't go for more the 90, the speakers shouldn't be more then 90 either.

an wire kit for it is about 25 from knukonseptz.

you can run the back speakers off the deck if you really wanted to, but i would skip them for now


did you determine if you had a spot for a separate tweet?

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:07 pm
by stipud
Do you want to add a subwoofer? Now would be the time to decide. If you do, get a 4 channel amp instead, and bridge the two rear channels together to power it.

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:40 pm
by Rold Gold
RSD 6X9'S $30-40
http://cgi.ebay.com/Phoenix-Gold-RSd-69 ... 286.c0.m14

RSD 5.25'S $90
http://cgi.ebay.com/PHOENIX-GOLD-RSd-5c ... .m20.l1116

RSD 500.4 $200
http://cgi.ebay.com/PHOENIX-GOLD-RSD500 ... 286.c0.m14


This is what I was thinking............for starters that is.....
But if ya add a sub/box/amp, good rca's, dynamat and anything else to complete the system then yer breaking the $500 mark.

Just remember that buying cheap shit isn't the same as buying shit cheap....

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:44 pm
by Bfowler
winner - http://cgi.ebay.com/Phoenix-Gold-Tantru ... dZViewItem

same as the above seller. more power for a sub and you can use an lpl!

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:00 pm
by Rold Gold
That's what I have in my car and it's running my 5.25's and a 15" Xmax sub. :D Does the trick for my DD.

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:35 pm
by ooober60
i actually have 2 12's in my trunk right now... they are on the low end and after i get speakers i was hoping to upgrade them next

about the tweeters... There isnt a specific spot for them in my car so im guessing i would have to make a spot.

A whole set of new questions.

1) How would I wire this all since I would have 2 amps running?
2) What is the ideal amp to go along with the Phoenix Gold RSd5cs.

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:53 am
by Bfowler
1: you would need another run of power wire for the new amp, and a new set of RCA's to carry signal to it. basically treat it like there wasn't another amp already there. (you could get a distribution block and some other accessories...but that would be more trouble then its worth at this point)

2: if all you want to power is a single set of speakers, that first link i posted is perfect

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:13 am
by ooober60
So pretty much I would run two cables from my battery to my trunk? Then I would split the remote wire I have to go to the new amp. Run another set of RCA cables to my deck. Finally speaker wire from the amp to my speakers?

Is this all correct?

Also, what would I do with the current wires that go to my speakers now? I would obviously leave the back speaker wires but what about the front ones?

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:33 am
by stipud
Bingo!

If your wires are run through a basic rubber loom, leave the stock ones in place and stuff your new speaker wire through into the door to power the components.

If your stock wires are run through some sort of a connector into the door, it will be very difficult to run speaker wire through... so I usually splice into the factory wire instead.

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:35 am
by ooober60
Ok so what aboutthe tweeter and the crossover? ( i think thats what its called.) the box looking thing in allthe pictures haha. How do i set those up?

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:37 am
by ooober60
Image



is this right?

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:41 am
by Bfowler
^that all looks good.

the speaker wires are surprisingly simple.

the passive crossover has 1 input section, and 2 separate output sections, on for the mid and one for the tweet.

all youy have to do is run 1 length of speaker wire to the passive crossover, then from that, one length to the mid, and 1 length to the tweet.

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:43 am
by ooober60
oh thats not that bad.. where do I put that crossover? Should it be close to the speaker?

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 8:45 am
by fuzzysnuggleduck
ooober60 wrote:oh thats not that bad.. where do I put that crossover? Should it be close to the speaker?
Doesn't have to be close, but the closer it is, the less wire you're going to run because the crossover->speaker run requires two wires and the amp->crossover wire only requires one.