ok so ive decided that im going to replace my mach460 system with all aftermarket stuff. im getting new speakers, subs, amps and a new head unit. my question is, what else will i need besides those things and wire to hook this all up? if i need somethingbesides the stuff ive already said then i need to know what it is and what it is used for. also im asking for some opinions on what you all think would be a good head unit, amp, and speaker combo. ive already got the subs taken care of. right now my budget is pretty much open, but i wanna keep it to a minimum for a good system(as does everyone else). it doesnt have to be cheap but not too over the top expensive either.

also any links to sites that will help me hook this up would be nice. i am somewhat ok with car audio, but im no expert (ive installed a bunch of subs, aftermarket head units and speakers but ive never redone the entire system). anything helps.

 

For your wiring, you need the following:

-Power wire from your battery to your trunk (no smaller than 4AWG)
-Inline fuse holder within 3-6' of your battery
-Power wire distribution block (I really like barrier strips if you can find some big enough for your power wire) so you can split the one output from the battery to each of your amp(s)
-RCAs; You need one 2ch set for each pair of outputs you plan to use from your amplifiers (3 sets if you want to do front speakers, rear speakers, and a sub)
-Speaker wire if you want to run new wire from stock locations to your amps (the best way, IMO, to cut away from the stock stereo)

If you're working with stock 5x7 locations (such as in your doors) and want to save some money, I suggest these speakers:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshow...26&scqty=2

They look like junk, but I promise you, they aren't. I have 20 pairs sitting in my garage (I'm not even kidding). They're 5 1/4" plate components and are actually Ford speakers (LMAO). They're very, very nice.

As for the other stuff, I'll let others make their suggestions. That's all I had for you. :>

IMO, if you want to cut out the entire Mach system, your best bet is to run new wire from the speaker locations to your amps (you can splice in to the factory wiring if need be). That's how both my Mustang and my Expedition are done, and it saved me a lot of headache on having to try to bypass stock amps and whatnot.

Good luck!

-Jordan

 

Oh, and http://www.the12volt.com is your friend when it comes to all things to do with car audio installation.

 

I got a wallet steve!

Ford has NEVER madeaGOOD speaker, they are all cheap!

If you want recomendations for gear you would be better off telling us yer misic tastes and the budget.

Other then the deck, speakers, amps and subs you will need to keep wiring in mind. You do not want to go the cheapest and also not the most expensive but depending on what kind of gear you are going to run it can get pretty expensive.

 

First of all, they're not made by FORD. They're made by Pioneer. And you can bash Pioneer all you want, but I'd like to see the basis of your point..

I don't feel like typing everything again to defend these speakers, but let's just say that they keep up (EASILY) with the 15" sub I have in my truck, vented @ 40hz (powered by my Arc Audio 2500CXL--1050x1@4ohm), and I'm only sending 50W per driver (50W per mid, 50W per tweet).

You're welcome to not buy them--I don't really care. I just thought I'd forward the information on to him so he could possibly focus on other points of the system.

If you want to have him waste $150 on a sub-par "name-brand" set of components, have at it.

-Jordan

 

two small things... If he is replacing EVERYTHING, why wouldn't he replace all the wiring? There wouldn't be a need to cut into factory wiring if it is all gutted. Second, maybe i have read wrong, but shouldn't the inline fuse be within the first 18" of the power wire from the battery?

Also, there is no real need for rear speakers unless you really prefer to have them. Just a way to save money, power and time and improve your front stage.

Also, i have heard of overpowering speakers, but 9 times the RMS rating? I have trouble believing that, not that i don't, just hard to believe. Your friend is a lucky man.

 

He doesn't have to replace *all* of the wiring, but I wouldn't use anything past the door jamb. If he wants to splice into that and run it to his trunk, that's fine. I know it's a real PITA to route the new wire through the boot, so tapping into the factory wiring isn't the worst idea in the world.

You're correct on the inline fuse. That was a miskey on my part. Within 18" is where the fuse should be.

Rear fill is essentially worthless, especially in a Mustang. I'm not running any in my Expedition and it's fine. The only benefit from rear fill (IMO) is for a large SUV if you want some speakers near the rear passengers.

As for overpowering speakers, you can, but you have to grossly overpower them for it to be an issue. Typically, 9x the RMS would be "grossly" overpowered, but I'm not sure. In this case, it's not a big deal. Do keep in mind, however, that my friend has his plates highpassed at 250hz. They're intended to be midrange/tweet components, NOT midbass. I've got mine crossed at 100hz-4000hz for the mids and 4000hz on up for the tweets, with 50W per driver, and it sounds just fine.

I personally wouldn't cross them under 80hz, though. They can do as low as 50hz (if you have a low power setup), but they're not really intended for lower than 100hz.

I had a very hard time buying into the notion that the speakers were any good, and now I couldn't be any happier that I bought them. *shrug*

-Jordan

 

Following up with my previous post about overpowering, the key (IMO) to that whole debate is whether or not your power is "clean". If you're clipping the bejesus out of your amp, then yeah, overpowering is a BAD call.

If you have clean power and are not clipping your amp, you're safe with "overpowering" a speaker if you cross it over properly.

 

to tell you the truth i really enjoy all kinds of music. i mostly listen to classic rock, country, and rap (more so on the classic rock and country). thanks for all the input everyone. i have one quick question though, why does the power wire have to run all the way to the trunk?other than forinstalling subs ive never heard that before.

 

You have to run the power wire from the battery to wherever you intend to place your amps. If you're not putting them in the trunk, then you clearly don't need to run power wire there.

As for listening to all kinds of music, I'm the same way. My ipod (the only thing I use in my truck) switches between the likes of Queen (my favorite band) to Elton John to Eminem to Tech N9ne to Three Doors Down to Coheed & Cambria (you get the idea).. It all sounds good in my setup, but there's definitely a bit of loss between CD's and mp3's. *shrug*

-Jordan