Alright, I need to know what gauge speaker wire is recommended. I've got a 100 watt Rockwood amp that I want to hook up to the cab speakers. The two door speakers are stock but the two rear speakers are Pioneer 120 watt max speakers (5x7s; like model 5713 but I don't remember exactly). My headunit is a Clarion DRX6575z CD player. What gauge speaker wire should run from the amp to the speakers? I'm just going to run new speaker wire rather than tap into the stock wiring.

Also, what's a good 150 watt sub amp for a Kicker comp 10 inch sub? The reason for 150 watts you ask? Well the sub is used and I took it to a local shop. They said it's still got some good life left but they recommended using no more than 150 watts thru it. What gauge speaker wire would I need in that application? Thanks.

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1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019

 

A small 2 channel amp running bridged would work well. An MTX 6000 series 37.5wx2 will give you 150w bridged. Kenwood, Pioneer and others.
For the amount of power you are running 16-18 ga wire is plenty.
Also suggestion, put you Pioneers in the doors and run the amp to them. The system will sound much better with the majority of the sound coming from in front of you.

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97 F-150XL 4.2V6, 5 spd, 2wdlb, Kenwood cd, MTX 4ch amp, MTX 12"sub, MTX components in doors

Future 16x8 Daytona wheels, 265/75 tires, rhinoliner, perf stuff

 

Are you saying to put the 5x7 Pioneers in place of the 6.5 inch round door speakers, and would that be enough high and mid range? They won't fit in that hole cause it's the same size as the 6.5" speaker, right? It's been a few weeks since I"ve had the door panels off. I'm not cutting up the door either.

What does bridged mean? I'm not all that knowledgable in the stereo stuff. Such as bridged and other terms I have no idea about. Crossovers, ohms, watts per channel at such and such ohms, etc. What does all of this stuff mean? I know electronics fairly well but not the stereo stuff yet.

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1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019

[This message has been edited by MO4x4 (edited 06-18-2001).]

 

Sorry, didn't pay attention to the year of your truck. Since you have the Pioneers in the back, leave them there. What I would recommend is replacing the door speakrs w/ a new pair and powering them with your amp. Think of a concert. Most of the sound is from the front right? So it makes sense to have most of your volume coming from in front of you in your truck.
Bridging is the ability to run a 2 ch amp in 1ch mode. Usually the left + and right -. This is the same as feeding the amp a 2ohm load on each ch. Your sub is more than likely a 4ohm model and this is the load it will place on the amp when bridged. This basically doubles the power (in theory) from the amp. Ex. an MTX amp rated at 37.5w x2 at 4ohms makes 75w x2 and 2 ohms and 150w x1 at 4ohms.
Hope this helps and makes sense. I probably shouldn't post when I'm tired!

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97 F-150XL 4.2V6, 5 spd, 2wdlb, Kenwood cd, MTX 4ch amp, MTX 12"sub, MTX components in doors

Future 16x8 Daytona wheels, 265/75 tires, rhinoliner, perf stuff

 

Thanks for the help, Chuck. I'm kinda getting it but still a little confused. How does one bridge an amp like you are saying to do to my sub? Oh, I went and looked the the sub is a Kicker Competition C-10 8 ohms.

Also the amp I'm going to use on the cab speakers is a Rockwood max power output 100W @ 2 ohm 2 channel power amplifier. Power output: 40W @ 2 ohm, 30W @ 4 ohm. What does all this mean in English, lol? I plan on replacing the door speakers but they will be stock for a little while. The Pioneers are 4 ohm. I'm almost positive they are.

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1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019

 

No prob man. As far as the power ratings, with less load (ohms) an amp can deliver more power. When speakers are connected in parralell (+ to +, - to -) they actually give less ohms to the amp. 2 4 ohm speakers would be 2ohms. In series the load doubles 8ohm (+ to -)
As far as the sub, I would honestly dump it due to its 8 ohm rating. In order to get 150 watts to it, you will need an amp rated at least 300w at 4ohms. Probably not worth the hassle. the reason the guy had 2 was that would give a 4ohm load to a bridged amp.

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97 F-150XL 4.2V6, 5 spd, 2wdlb, Kenwood cd, MTX 4ch amp, MTX 12"sub, MTX components in doors

Future 16x8 Daytona wheels, 265/75 tires, rhinoliner, perf stuff

 

So the Rockwood that I'm wanting to hook up to the two Pioneer 5x7s and the two 6.5" door speakers should put out 100 watts to them if hooked up (+,+ and -,-) correct? Or is it just 40 watts? I don't know what the ohm rating is of the factory door speakers by I'm pretty sure the Pioneers are 4 ohm.

And if I want the Kicker to receive at least 150 watts I'll need an amp of at least 300 watts @ 4ohm? I understand that. Hmmm....now if I could just catch on to the other one. lol.

I'm thinking aloud now. So if I hook up the Rockwood to the 4 cab speakers the two Pioneers that are 4 ohm, if hooked up pos to pos and neg to neg from the amp, will receive only 40 watts of power. Is this correct? How much would the factory speakers get? Hopefully they are not 8 ohm because then they would only get about 30 watts, right? I hope I'm getting this. It kinda makes sense yet not. Takes a while to sink in.

Also, the Rockwood has speaker outlets for right (+,-) and left (+,-). Like just for two speakers but I'm guessing you just run wires from the right outlet to the two on the right side of the cab and vice versa for the left? Yeah, I'm really dumb in this area. Or would you run the two Pioneers off of one, either right or left outlet, and the door speakers off of the other? Give me a motor or tranny and I can go to town on it, but stereos are Espanol to me. LOL.

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1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019

[This message has been edited by MO4x4 (edited 06-20-2001).]

 

The speakers will each get about 20w each if they are all rated for 4ohms. They have to share the power that the amp is able to provide. The 100 watt rating of the amp is probably its "peak" output. It will deliver 100 watt for a nano-second basically.
Run the left side speakers off of one side of the amp, and the right off the otherside

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97 F-150XL 4.2V6, 5 spd, 2wdlb, Kenwood cd, MTX 4ch amp, MTX 12"sub, MTX components in doors

Future 16x8 Daytona wheels, 265/75 tires, rhinoliner, perf stuff

 

Thanks, Chuck. Is it worth hooking this amp up to the cab speakers? I got it free so I don't have money in it (well actually on trade for a stereo I had. I got the Kicker sub and the Pioneers and the amp on the trade with a friend of mine.). 20W doesn't seem like too much but maybe it is. The Clarion head unit is a 40Wx4. What do you think? Oh and what is nominal watt rating (I think that's what it's called) on speakers?

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1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019

[This message has been edited by MO4x4 (edited 06-23-2001).]

 

The stock speakers probably won't last too long under the power of the amp, but then again they might. If you are willing to risk it (might have to uprgrade them - Oh Darn). 20w doesn't seem like much and to a sub its not, but to the Pioneers and stock its not bad at all. They will seem loud actually because they are producing the sounds that we are most atuned too - midrange and highs Voices and cymbals, etc. You may want to check into a crossover as well. This will seperate the frequencies so that each amp and speaker get the music/sound that they are capable of handling and producing cleanly. This will also allow the doors and pioneers to handle more power cleanly becuase they aren't trying to produce bass that they can't handle.

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97 F-150XL 4.2V6, 5 spd, 2wdlb, Kenwood cd, MTX 4ch amp, MTX 12"sub, MTX components in doors

Future 16x8 Daytona wheels, 265/75 tires, rhinoliner, perf stuff

 

Thanks for the help. I plan on upgrading the door speakers sometime (probably after I blow the stock ones) but maybe sooner. I'll look into a crossover. Is there any particular one I need or are they all basically the same?

Now I just need to decide what to do about the sub. I think I might know where I can get a good deal on a 300W@4ohm sub amp so I might go ahead and use the Kicker. Maybe, maybe not. Something to think about for sure. Thanks again.

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1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019

[This message has been edited by MO4x4 (edited 06-24-2001).]