Where to Install 5 Channel Amp?

[DiGiornoRisingCrust]

Not sure if this belongs here or in Audio & Navigation, but since it's mainly 4th gen specific stuff, I put it here.

Here's my system:
-Kenwood 2DIN HU (built in 20 watt amp)
-4 Kicker 6x8's (75 watt rms)
-Stock sub and amp

My sub recently quit working, so I'm looking to upgrade to a kicker 8" sub rated at 300 watts RMS. Rather than just get a mono amp, I thought I'd look into getting a 5 channel amp. I haven't gotten an amp yet, but it would have to be rated at somewhere around 40-60 x4 watts RMS and 250 watts RMS.


I think I know how to install and wire an aftermarket amp to my HU, but I don't know where to put it. I was thinking that since I leave my third row seats down constantly I could mount in the third row foot well, but that isn't the best option if I ever need to use my third row seats. Anyone have any good places?

Also, did you guys run RCA's from HU to the amp, then back to the harness behind the receiver, or wires to each individual speaker? There would be about 70 amps RMS going to each speaker, so are the stock speaker wires up to the task? The sub would have to have a new wire since the old wire probably wasn't made for 250 amps.

One more question: where did you guys run all the wires to the amp? (Power wire, RCA's, turn on lead)

Thank you!

 

[MotorCityFats13]

are you running a stock HU or after market... if you are doing aftermarket then RCA's but if you use a stock HU you will either need an amp that takes high level or use a line out converter ... the power must be grabbed from the battery and ground from a clean metal surface with a bolt.... if you want to be able to mount it then look into the smaller amps like the mini punch or kicker amps that way after you set it up you can mount them behind the rear panels or under front seat which keeps the power, rca's and other wires short..... i would do a 4ch and a mono and you tie the speaker wires back into the dash... you cant use the existing power wires from the stock sub amp but depending in the size amp you might get away with 8awg or 10awg with a good micro amp.... if you plan on using the stock sub enclosure I would just replace the sub with something that can work with the box volume that the stock sub used you cant just drop in any sub you want just because it fits

its not a simple job and I delt with alot of space limitations when I started my build and I ended up with this

 

[DiGiornoRisingCrust]

Thanks for the help!

Your setup looks good, by the way. Looks like it could knock down a building with that bass.

I'm not looking to cause small earthquakes with my system, so I'm just looking to drop an aftermarket sub in the stock enclosure. Do you have any idea what the cubic volume of the stock enclosure is?

If I did go with a 4 channel and a mono, would the mono be able to fit in the rear panel next to the sub?

I've got an aftermarket Kenwood HU. If the HU has a built-in 20 watt amp, using a 40 watt amp with that would bring the total up to 60 watt, right?

 

[MotorCityFats13]

this was my first revision on my design with my first port design the one in the picture is box version 2 port revision 3 and ive added a double din pioneer AVH-4800BS




when you use an add-on amp it by passes the built in "fake" amp inside the HU thats why you either use the RCA "low level" inputs or convert the signal with a line out converter and an amp the accepts "high level" output simply has a built in high to low level converter

I believe the stock box is .5 cuft

if you add a low wattage replacement sub you wont need alot of power so a CEA-2006 compliant mini amp would fit virtually anywhere

you could do this amp rated for 250watts @ 2 ohm and pair it with this sub and wire the 2 4ohm voice coils down to 2 ohm
Kicker 43DXA2501 250W Max (125W RMS) 2016 DX-Series Monoblock Subwoofer Amplifier + Belva BAK82 8 Gauge Amp Wire Kit
Kicker CompC CWCD84 200W RMS 8" CompC Dual 4-Ohm Car Subwoofer

or

this amp is good for 300watts @ 1ohm and dual 2ohm voice coil sub wired down to 1 ohm
Rockford Fosgate PBR300X1 Punch 300W Boosted Rail Monoblock Amplifier
Rockford Fosgate P2D2-8 500W 8" Punch P2 Series Dual 2-Ohm Car Subwoofer (Newest Model)

you have to check the forum for the mounting depth so you can pick a sub the will mount inside the box but I imagine it has room to spare since there is a thread on here where someone made a 10" fit inside the box after cutting a bigger hole

but what I would do is remove the whole stock box and see if something like this would fit inside the space and find a way to securely mount it
Soundstream PSB.10A (psb10a) 500W Max Picasso Series Single 12"

headunits dont really have amps its more like dc/ac inverters that's why they all claim 52 watts X 4 they convert the 14.4vdc to 14.4vac and the math reads 14.4 X 14.4 divided by 4 ohm for 51.84 watts and that is a guaranteed clipped signal "square wave" that is why even a CEA2006 4 channel that only puts out 50 watts RMS will really wake up even a set of stock door speakers so yeah I recommend adding a 4 channel if you can fit it and then upgrade the door speakers later on