Thinking of installing a sound system and could use some pointers...

[shelmeister]

I've had my 2008.5 MS3 GT for almost 4 months now , and I'm thinking about installing a sound system. The system I want to install was in my old car, so I have all the hardware etc. I'm just a little confused about how to get started, where to tap into, where to run things out of, and all that kind of stuff. I have a friend helping me out who knows about installing car systems, but he is a little stumped on the MS3. So I'm kinda posting this more for his benefit!

I will be keeping the original CD changer and Bose speakers. What I'm adding is two 12" Alpine S subwoofers and a 1400W Soundstorm amplifier to power them. I also have an extra 100W MTX amplifier that I thought I could use for another set of speakers in the car, but I'm just not sure on that one or even if it's necessary.

Anywho... any advice, tips, or tricks would be very helpful for (me and) my friend to be able to get started on this project!

 

[79535]

Start by running your power wire. There is a grommet behind the glove box to get the power wire into the cabin. Hide the wire under the carpet and get it under the back seat to the hatch area. Use an appropriately fused wire and have the fuse no further than 12" from your battery terminal.

Run a ground from a seat bolt, or use a ground block and create a new ground point.

Buy a Line Out Converter and tap into the speaker leads either from behind the head unit or coming from your amplifier. Run RCA's from LOC to amplifier location (hatch I'm assuming).

Tap into your radio ACC circuit to trigger a relay. Run a 14 or 16 gauge wire from your battery positive terminal to your relay (put a fuse inline, no larger than 2 amps, as close the battery terminal as possible). Run the output of the relay to your remote input on your amplifier. This entire step can be avoided by purchasing an LOC with auto sensing and a remote wire output. When I was ghetto, I used to just run a wire from the radio fuse to the remote turn on for the amplifier.

Wire up your amplifier, wire up your subwoofer and set your gains. Enjoy bass.

I wouldn't put anymore power to the Bose speakers as I have heard Bose like to use odd impedances and you would also have to run a passive crossover or run an active system so you send the correct frequencies to the correct speaker (IE: bass to woofer, highs to tweeter).

 

[idontliketurkey]

good write up sir

 

[mazdaspeed32007]

ill use this when i power a small sub in the hatch from the factory amp for sure. most of it anyway. thanks!

 

[79535]

Thanks guys. I was pretty hard in to audio for a while. Now I'm in to speed haha.