Help a 17 yr old BassHead?

[Guest]

lol ok man.. i will admit i don't have the personal experience. i mean im not retarded i know how to run a system.. but ur right on all the voltage coming from my alt. and blah blah shit i have no idea about. i could use some info on that.. if you could just point my in the right direction in gaining all the knowledge i need to know.. i promise you i could atleast have the knowledge maybe not the experience to pull it off correctly if its as hard as you make it seem.. but i tend to pick up on stuff fairly quick.

ill give you an honest answer on knowledge. stay on the forum, go on every day/multiple times a day. read. read. READ. READ.

it doesnt matter if you're not retarded. you still have no idea the caliber of the shit you're trying to dive into.

[stroupe79]

Big3....dual/triple alts....multiple batteries...0 gauge by the mile....BIG BUCKS!

[smokeumtires]

Start with a nice big alt or two

Add at least 3 reserve batts(4) total

Make sure all your power wires are 1/0 or bigger

I would go with at LEAST 11-12 sq inches of port per cube for the SP4s

Probably 10 cubic ft tuned to 32hz AFTER bracing and displacement.

And make sure your highs can keep up look up some pro audio speakers for mids and highs

[smokeumtires]

Oh and say goodbye to all your money, cuz you're lookin at at an easy $5k right there

[dwright27]

Smokey speaks.

[SnowDrifter]

Thanks for the suggestions. As for money.. i have a job pulling in about $400 every 2 weeks and being in highschool living with my parents i have no bills.. just gas money i use so i planned on looking into all the electrical shit to go a long with that and tbh have been looking at stuff for awhile into.. man all i want to do is be able to hair tricks and its been my dream ever since i was 15 with my first set of 12's to have atleast 2 18's.. and i finally got enough to get them. and will wait till i have enough to upgrade everything else. if someone would be kind enough to help

doesnt matter how much money you have. if you fuck up even the most minor thing in the install, your car can burn to the ground. you installed like 300w woofers and you automatically want to jump into something that has 20 times as much power. its like starting out riding on a big wheel then jumping up to a mountain bike. you just dont do that.

dont become a stubborn headed member, saying something like "i can do it, dont worry" or "i know X person and they have X years experience so they can help me", because then no one will be willing to help you in the future. if someone tells you dont do it, dont fucking do it. they're watching out for your safety and well being and making sure you dont lose all the brand new stuff you bought that we advised you not to get. then we sit and wait while said member who didnt listen comes back complaining that his stuff burned up and thats when we just point and laugh. DONT become that guy.

And that's the blunt truth.

Although, some people just have to do things anyway to find out for themselves (I am like that)

Op: here is a checklist for you...

Upgraded alt? I would suggest a mechman 270a, 2 would be better

Multiple batterys? (new ones, good ones, like xs power, kinetik, etc)

Big 3 done in 0 or 2/0 gauge?

Everything fused?

All 0 gauge amp wiring?

Volt meter installed?

Gates serpentine belt so the alt doesn't stretch/break the stock one?

Gains on amp set with dd-1 or oscilloscope? (at the sound pressure level this will generate, there is no way you can hear clipping until it's reaaallly bad. Don't even try doing it by ear)

Whole car sound deadened? (don't want any metal fatigue now do we?)

I'd say it's a MINIMUM requirement to have every single thing on this list. (except for maybe the belt)

Edit: got ninja'd

[stroupe79]

hell...beast alt upgrades are a grand...probably another 500 in mdf alone....2k in amps...1500 or more in mids/highs...500 alarm...wire ain't cheap...just keep in mind people here give great advice for 99% of the time...you will get there in time...don't rush it...

[Lbox88]

Like all the experienced guys above said, tone it back a little. Why don't you start out a little lower, like just one SP4 18, will take half the power, half the electrical... I have been here almost a year now, and the knowledge I have gained in that time... I realize that I knew NOTHING compared to what I know now. And what I know now? I can help a little here and there, I know a few things, but I also realize that I know NOTHING compared to the guys above.

So my suggestion is to start a little smaller, get some practice and knowledge beneath your belt, and then continue to grow.

EDIT: It's like this, you know that a NASCAR goes 200 MPH, so why try to run and dive into the window right away as it speeds by?

[stroupe79]

Couldn't have said it better L!

[TwinkeyMerchant]

Oh and say goodbye to all your money, cuz you're lookin at at an easy $5k right there

Thanks man, so you think im in over my head aswell? lol considering i didn't know i had to replace or add alts, i may change my mind on the subs. i figured just add a couple batteries i'd be fine.. when i had my 15's in my mustang i had 2 extra and it worked great.. which as the other guy said it is a huge difference in the amount of power im pulling. anyways.. any suggestions on a less power pulling set of 18's that will still beat my brains out? ha