Complete Stereo Overhaul

[GregLCA]

Running all grounds back to the battery is one of those "urban legends" for car audio...

It's a lot more work, isn't necessary...and can actually lead to ground loops and "alternator whine" through the speakers when the music is playing.

A good ground spot can usually be found very close to the amp mounting location.


Congrats on the new tunes! I just installed a new set of front door speakers to get myself started....and loads of Dynamat Xtreme in those doors, and some Dynaliner too. HUGE DIFFERENCE in sound quality even with the stock head unit and amp. Can't wait to do the rear doors, amps and more extensive sound deadening everywhere. The LC is a great environment for nice tunes.

-G

 

[PabloCruise]

So the time has come for me to completely redo my sound system. A few of you may know I accidentally submerged my hundy about 8 months ago and that included both passenger and passenger-rear door speakers, the stock amp under the passenger seat, and the 6 disc changer. By some miracle I got everything dried out great and it all works but definitely shows its 15yr old age plus the added wear-and-tear of being underwater for a good 20 minutes. I am a ways out from doing this renovation - I'm looking at early May right now - but that will come sooner than expected so I have started to piece together the components I want (sourcing via Crutchfield). After doing a lot of research here is what I have put together as of now, I am still on the fence about a few items indicated by the "/".

- Kenwood DDX-371 Double-Din HU
- JL Audio CP110-W0v3 10" sub in a ported enclosure
- Kenwood KFC-1665S / Pioneer TS-G1644R 2-way door speakers for both front and rear.
- Sound Ordnance M-4075 4 channel amp running 75w RMS x 4 @ 4ohms (120w RMS x 4 @ 2ohms) to power the door speakers
- Kenwood Excelon X500-1 / Alpine MRV-M500 both are mono amps running 500w RMS x 1 @ 2 ohms to just power the sub alone

For those who ask why I went with the Sound Ordnance amp to power the door speakers, that is because I don't see any reason to go top dollar on an amp that only needs to power so little plus it has excellent reviews through Crutchfield. I am not looking for navigation in my HU but will probably install a license plate backup camera. My main concern is compatibility, I want to be 100% sure that everything will work together BEFORE I drop the money on this new system. I am open to any and all input/criticism/helpful tips from audiophiles or rookies like myself!

EDIT: For the door speakers I want to clarify that I would purchase a quantity of 4 of each brand, not have the Kenwoods in the front and Pioneers in the rear.

Looks like some good detail here, can't wait to read!