what do I need

[rowlers]

I'm planning to run an amp powering a 10'' sub. What kind of wattages should I be looking at?

I donlt want anything too loud just a bit of extra weight to the tunes.

Also what do I need to buy as a direct replacement for the standard speakers that are in there front and back. I have some Alpine tweeters mounted on the inside of the wing mirror do these need to come out?

Also what sort of cabling do I need to get to a, power the amp, and b, power the sub from the amp.


Cheers!

[Len]

Just my opinion - about 80 watts minimum and I am talking RMS not the peak figures! as a minimum. Plus you dont want the amp rated much higher than the speaker. Thats how you blow them!

Yes change the door speakers for better ones. Infinity are good but there are loads.

[Judderi]

Plus you dont want the amp rated much higher than the speaker. Thats how you blow them!

Sorry mate but i gotta disagree with you there. The more powerful the amp the better. You should never run an amp with the gain turned up fully anyway. This will just make it overheat and clip causing distortion and it to blow eventually. The bigger the amp you can afford the better and run it at half gain or volume, this way you will never be putting a strain on it and will have very good quality sound reproduction.

I think dizzie had a very good illustration. Its like driving an underpowered mini at 100 mph for 100 miles. It might be able to do it but would make nasty noises and is most likely to break. But if you run a ferari at 100 mph for 100 miles it will sound sweet as and take it in its stride without breaking.

As for your cabling for the amp you will not need anything too flash as your only going to be running 1 small ish amp, so a 8awg amp wiring kit from chavfords or alike will do you fine. For the wire to the sub use some chunky speaker wire.

[rowlers]

the power cabling for the amp then will require a run of positive (with in-line fuse) from battery and a run of ground to the chassis? what amp fuse would I need? I can get all this sort of stuff from work rather than get ripped off by halfrauds!
Running the cable direct from that battery would mean the amp is always powered right? would this not drain the battery?

so how about 100 watt sub and 200 watt amp?

any particular type of front speaker - what these coaxials and components business?

I'm getting there!!
cheers

[Judderi]

Your amp has 3 power connectors. Earth, Live and Rem or Remote. This remote wire goes to the blue wire on the back of your stereo, this wire tells the amp to come on when you turn your stereo on. This means your amp is not on all the time, only when y stereo is.

Co-axia speakers are basicly speakers that have mare than one cone on them, usually a midrange and a tweeter. Like this



Components are seperate i.e a midrange speaker and seperate tweeter which can be mounted higher up on the dash.



Have you got perticular amps and subs in mind? Tell us what your thinking of buying and we can advise.

[rowlers]

I am going to have to check to see what is already in there! I think there are components alreay installed - it ahs apline tweeters mounter in the corner of the windows - there would point mounting them with co-axials in the door pods would there?

The tweeter have there own crossovers.

I used to have a set of MAC Audio midrange (mounted in door panel) and tweeter (mounted under the air vent in the corner of the dash and windscreen) set in my last golf - got them second hand cheap and they were great!

I basically don't want anything fancy or costly cheap as possible if I get the bug I'll invest at a later date!
Currently scouring ebay for something cheap!

[rowlers]

had a look and there area a set of components mounted up front the tweeters are alpine, but there dosen't appear to be any branding on the door pocket speakers. Standard VAG in the back!
I used the fader/balance to get an idea of waht the speakers sounded like seperatley up front is was mid to trebley and at back it was full range/bassy.

If I put the sub in the boot will it over power everything at the front? Should I disconnect the standard VAG co-axials?? in the back and use the components and sub only??

Up to press I've got a Lightning Audio S2.200 amp, and when I get round to picking it up a 10'' VRX sub.

Hope they work together OK

[j_s]

I would leave the rears connected but fade the headunit to the front so they are barely on in the rear, if you amp your components as well as the sub and put some sound deadening in you should improve it a lot mate.

[rowlers]

cheers for that - good idea never thought of it

[golfpro]

< look left mate, Id take it to a car audio place, tell them what u want, how much u want to spend and get a demo before u buy it. But whatevey you do dont pay them to fit it coz they will without doubt rip your pants off, and its much more rewardin doin it on your own!