speaker install advice

[RossM09]

right im on holiday as of today for a week or so and im gunna have a crack at my install, iv got a 51 plate clio im installing a ktp 445 alpine mini amp, 6.5inch focall access components and i have some small dynamat sheets also to sound proof around the speakers now iv been given a rough guide as of how to do all this as its a first time install of this size for me but im not payin 100+ quid for a local audio company to do as i know they will put in minimal effort and will probs do a s**t job as i havnt bought the equipment from them. so im taking a crack myself i know im going to have to take the dash and door cards off and make some mdf baffles as im puting in bigger speakers in the doors just wanting any extra advice/suggestions from members who have done this before where to mount the crossovers, put the small amp (which is about half the size of a headunit) where to thread cables etc
cheers much apreciated

 

[oliver.james]

I have my crossovers under my front passenger seat, then the amplifier mounted in the boot. It won't be staying there permanently, but does the job nicely for now and is out the way

I find it best to apply the dynamat in strips too, as it's easier to work with that way

 

[RossM09]

cheers buddy, the amp will probs go behind the glove box if theres room coz its only a small plug in amp rather niffty little thing does require a power input just plugs into any 05> alpine headunit and doubles the power to 45w rms 100w max per channel

 

[James28]

If your laying new wiring for the components the trickiest thing I found is getting it from the crossovers through to the door woofers.

 

[Lyons]

How easy is it to make new door pods to accommodate 6.5inch comps? I thought that would be the only mildly difficult part.

 

[Goodj]

Ross.

I was looking at one of those Amps but a friend of mine told me not to bother. Mind, he's VERY into his ICE.
Once you've got everything fitted, could you let us know how it all sounds, is it really a substitute for a "proper" amp?

Finally, my Alpine HU says 4x45w, is this RMS or peak, as if it's RMS it'd make the ktp 445 fairly redundant surely?

Good luck fella

 

[RossM09]

went to the local car audio specialists today which i really dont wunna use due to treating customers like s**t and iv herd f**king up jobs but was curious of how much they would charge, now im no audio expert but 250 quid and would take 5 and a half hours when there experts :S now taking the dash and door cards off, filing away some plastic and making some mdf baffles poping some new wirling in and puting the dash back on surely doesnt take 5.5 hours! and 46 quid a hour wtf?

 

[Goodj]

the amp part should be a 5-minute (HU out, plug amp in, shove wires behind dash, HU in) job.

I think the fitting of Comps may well take a while though, I remember it did on my old MX-5, and that was built like a kids lunchbox compared to the Clio (now THAT's saying something).

 

[MT AUDIO]

id say thats fair buddy

goodj your alpine unit is 4x45w max,generally alpine 18w rms

the ktp is a vast improvement over standard and is a good medium between no amp and full install

 

[st3ve]

You'll be surprised how long it takes pal.

It's much easier to put 6x9's in a stealth shelf and a sub and amp under a false floor in the boot. Then uprate the door speakers but staying with the same size, amping up the rears.

 

[Goodj]

How to use a KTP-445

http://www.crutchfield.com/Learn/videos/amplifiers/alpine_ktp-445.html

Thanks MT, nice to know. Here's a q for you. Using this amp would the Hertz comps filters fit in near the HU end? If so that'd be far easier than using JBL's or whatever?

Can't find many of these amps about, eBay has them from US but that's it.

 

[RossM09]

mt has some at 125 quid! apparently they are hard to get hold of! will be taking lots of pics of this install throughout the proccess to put up here for a guild oh btw mt worth buying better cable for off the crossovers to the woofer as the speakers didnt come with any extra wireing, also the guy told me today that the clio's power supply to the headunit is crap and wont handle the extra drain for the mini amp and it would have to be replaced right off the battery?

 

[MT AUDIO]

im running exactly the same setup as that jeep

you just hook the filters up straight after the tweeter or woofer,so the oem wiring to tweeter,cut off the plug,wire in the filter and the tweeter,then the woofer disconnect the old one and cut off plug,wire in the filter and connect the new woofer,jobs a good'n

no need to butcher the harness to add the crossover

i have 5 of these in stock currently.the OP bought his one from me

the brief instructions on the unit explains all you have to do

just turn it on max volume,if it cuts out set to low gain although that will mean you wont be using it to its best,you would be best of running separate feed however you wouldnt need to go to the battery,just the main fusebox

wiring wise it would be adviseable however it'll be a big job to take it through the doors

whats the name of the company by the way

 

[RossM09]

flying sparks they do good orion, genisis, focal, alpine, jl audio. other guys in there are decent but the older guy who i believe is the owner always seams a bit "im mr know it all" of course he knows way more than me and whats best but even if ur rather knowledgeable on what u want and have researched it he always seams to try and put you down and make you look like a idiot and kinda doubts you if you dont choose the best of the best

 

[Goodj]

final qs.
would the filters be ok stuck to the inside of the door card? either via sticky pad or velcro?

oh, and are these any good? thinking they'd go well in the rear holes?
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/phonocar-pro-tech-2-634.html

 

[MT AUDIO]

theyd be fine there,they are sealed unitsso long as they arent swimming in the door panel theyll be fine

the phono car speakers i cant comment on, never used,seen,heard or know of anyone using them,however for the "spec" they seem rather cheap

 

[Goodj]

UPDATE:

the more you read, the worse a deal this little amp looks. Now word is that it's only good for 4x22w RMS, which makes it little better than the head-unit!

for 130 quid, that's a lot of money for conenience

 

[RossM09]

where did you read that? if so thats f**king ridiculous and i might aswell sell it buy a second hand normal amp at like half the price and put the rest of the money towards getting it installed

 

[James28]

Installing a proper amp isn't hard you could do it yourself and second hand you can get them cheap

Plus you'll be able to get more powerful ones than the little box thing and upgrade in the future if you need

 

[MT AUDIO]

UPDATE:

the more you read, the worse a deal this little amp looks. Now word is that it's only good for 4x22w RMS, which makes it little better than the head-unit!

for 130 quid, that's a lot of money for conenience

wrong

4x100w max
4x45w rms

Ross read your packaging

 

[RossM09]

i know it says it on the packet so i was highly unbelieving of it only being 22w a massive company such as alpine surely arnt gunna lie about something being twice as powerful as it really is.

 

[Goodj]

Ross, what's the final word on the amp then?

does it have the full 45w, or just 22w?

either way, would you recommend it?

 

[MistaT]

RMS is the DC equivalent output of an AC source. That is the heating value as such so it's ability to actually melt voice coils

45w RMS is actually perfectly fine for some normal door speakers in a clio. Plus even if the output was the same as the head unit, it having a seperate power supply means that the head unit will be under much less strain without having to power both it's internal amp and the preamp and cd units, meaning that the SQ will be far better.

 

[Goodj]

you got one of these mini-amps then?

 

[RossM09]

yea all installed running the focal access 6.5inch components. sounds good crisp and mid bass sounds really good only thing now is that i need a decent sub to finish the overall sound. good little amp and powers the speakers well. saves the hassle of extra wiring and finding somewhere to put an amp so to your own opinion really. but im pleased