How to wire DB675 to an amp

[99greensc1]

A quick intro...I bought a new car 2 months ago...99 Saturn SC1...I have a multiple amp wiring kit that I'm going to install in the next couple days...I will be running a Kenwood KAC-728S to the speakers for now. I have a JL 10W0 (recommended 125 watts, but can handle more) that I will be running off of a cheap Lightning Audio B250.1 (puts out 150 @ 4). In the future I will be upgrading to a pair of IDQ10's and a Memphis amp.


I just bought a pair of DB675's and I don't have money right now for a decent amp for the speakers. But that's where the Kenwood comes into play. It is 100 x 2 @ 4 Ohms which is a bit more than the speakers are rated at (I think they are rated for only 60 watts).

My questions are as follows:

1) What would be a good amp to get for them when I have the money to do so?

2) How do I wire them up (I'm used to doing amps and subs, but for the speaker wire from the amp to the speakers, how do i do it? is it supposed to be kept away from the power wire [like you do with the RCA's on other side of power cable] to keep the interference down or does it matter? any tips would be helpful).

3) Lastly, how do I keep from blowing the speakers with too much power...will turning the gain down on the Kenwood amp do it or would your recommend I don't use an amp for right now until i get one that is either 60 or 75 watts @ 4 Ohms per channel?

Thanks for your time.

Michael

BTW...I'm running these speakers in my front soundstage...I am somewhat of an audiophile, but not enough that I need components right now...maybe in the future I will get some and throw these speakers in the back or something...who knows.

Thanks again.

[neomagus00]

2) wiring for speakers is even easier than subs, cause you don't usually have to worry about impedances. i personally put my speaker wire down the same side as my rca's, but with the voltage running through them compared to anywhere else, noise pickup is rarely an issue in speaker wires.

3) gains setup (http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/dhuston/audioindex.html)
real easy, and keeps you from blowing your speakers, but gets you maximum sound besides.

[99greensc1]

thanks for all your help. I just want to make sure though, more wattage for the speakers won't hurt them as long as i set it up like the page you linked?

in other words, can't blow them as long as they don't get too much power and distort?

thanks again.

[exalted512]

right
and as far as question 1 goes---id go with memphis so you wont have 2 difft amps
-Cody

[Joelsbass]

the 2 different amps thing is purely a cosmetic issue... it realy depends on how much you can see yourself spending and if you want headroom for future upgrades...

[neomagus00]

Originally posted by 99greensc1
thanks for all your help. I just want to make sure though, more wattage for the speakers won't hurt them as long as i set it up like the page you linked?

in other words, can't blow them as long as they don't get too much power and distort?

thanks again.
right - follow those directions properly and you will be fine.

[99greensc1]

All right, so I received the Polk DB675's in the mail today. I hooked up my sub and everything and got that running fine. Now today all I have to do is mount the Kenwood amp on the back of the seat. Hook it up and then run the speaker wire to the speakers (along with actually installing the speakers). My only other question is how does the Remote turn-on lead work with 2 amps?

Right now I have my mono amp hooked up (power wire on driver's side, rca's and turn-on on pass side, turn-on goes from HU to amp)...so can I just run a wire from one amp to the other for the turn-on lead?

Thanks again.
Michael

[exalted512]

just get a butt connector and have 1 wire from your hu coming in, and then 2 coming out, one for each amp
-Cody

[neomagus00]

or do exactly as you suggested - run a single wire into one amp, and into the same port clamp a second wire to go to the second amp.

[MacLeod]

Or do it the old fashioned way. Run one wire from the remote then splice two more onto the end of it and voila!

[neomagus00]

man, mac, get with the times... that's so ten years ago.. :D

[MacLeod]

Yeah but it shore does work.

Hell I dont even use a distro block for my power wire. Ive got 4 gauge running from the battery then I stripped off about 8" of wire and took my two 8 gauge, stripped off about 6" of wire on each and then wrapped them good and tight and then taped the shit out of em with duct tape and theyve worked like a charm ever since. In fact, in the 14 years Ive been piddling in this stuff Ive never used a distro block.

Im a splicin' type of guy!

[99greensc1]

Well I'd like to thank everyone for their input. I should have replied a few days ago. I used a little advice from each of you here and there and it seems to have worked out well. It sounds so much better having the front soundstage amped. I love the way that A Perfect Circle's "Killing Sheep to The Rhythm of The War Drums" sounds.

I can't wait to upgrade to my Memphis amp and IDQ10's when I get more money.

The single JL sounds awesome though. Now I may have to invest in some sound deadening. Any suggestions for places to get it or brands to go with that are cheaper than Dynamat and just as decent (although I don't think Dynamat is the greatest, I have seen better)?

Thanks again everyone.

Michael

[spwuinmk67]

Two alternatives are secondskin (http://secondskinaudio.com/) and fatmat (http://www.fatmat.com) . I haven't had experience with either, so I can't tell you which is better.

[exalted512]

second skin is better but fat mat is cheaper
you might want to try looking on ebay
dynamat extreme is good stuff and sometimes can be found for really cheap on ebay
-Cody

[Joelsbass]

Originally posted by 99greensc1
I love the way that A Perfect Circle's "Killing Sheep to The Rhythm of The War Drums" sounds.
Michael


I have to comment on this seeing as how i have the song quoted in my sig and all...

The first version of that song was called 'Pet' and appeared on the cd "The Thirteenth Step" the second version appears on their latest release and is called 'Count Bodies Like Sheep To The Rythem Of The War Drums'

sorry man but you butchered the title so much i just had to comment :p

[99greensc1]

I know I messed it up. I'm sorry, after posting I looked it up and realized I messed up but didn't want to fix my post. I will have to get their other 2 cd's. That is what they have right? only 2 others or do they have more?

Anyway, yeah.

[Joelsbass]

yeah, just the three counting the new release... you should look into 'tool' as well if you haven't yet, they're the group that 'a perfect circle' sprung from