What cables for a standard install?

[Hyun]

hi, i plan to go to JK Audio at Choa Chu Kang tomorrow to install an amp and sub in the boot of my hatchback. what should I be looking out for to make sure he at least matches the standard of most other installers? if he wants to charge a bit more for using these cables, i dont mind the extra cost. i just dont want to end up using unacceptable stuff and saving those few pennies.

 

e.g. what kind of power cable, RCA cable, speaker cables etc?

if some1 could mention a few sizes and models, i could just ask him to use those and let him charge a bit more.

 

all i'm hoping for is a reasonable install at least up to the standard of most installers around. i ask this cos he gave a quote lower than most installers so i'm suspecting he'll cut corners .. i'm going to him not cos he's cheaper, but because every1 else is tied up with chinese new year.

[Eddy216]

Hello,

 

I am no ICE expert myself, but I'll try to help so here goes...

 

1) A fuse must be installed along the power cable that runs from your battery positive terminal to your amplifier. Also, this fuse must be installed as near as possible to the battery. The fuse should be sized in relation to the thickness of the power cable used, and be secured firmly.

 

2) The power cable should be at least 8 gauge thickness. 8 gauge wires can carry upto 60A of current.

 

3) Your amplifier must be grounded to the car's chasis. The thickness of the ground cable should be the same as the power cable. Good points of grounding include the floor pan. Often, a ring terminal is fixed to one end of the ground cable and secured to a fixture on the floor pan.

 

4) A remote turn on wire that connects from your head unit to your amplifier. You can use a thin wire here as the current flowing through is very small, from 0.5A to 1A.

 

5) RCA cables, OFC types. Decent ones normally cost around $50 onwards for a pair. I am using Stinger Helix RCA cables. No complains about them.

 

6) Speaker cables. From your description, I assume you will be using the amp to drive the sub? If driving sub, then you should use thick cables (at least 11 gauge, but I'd go for 8 gauge ones). Brand wise, IMHO don't need to bother! (No offense to all bros using branded cables k?)

 

7) Power cables and speaker cables can run along one side of your car. RCA cables should be run along the other side. This is to reduce interference to the signals carried by the RCA cables.

 

That's about all I can think of right now. Hope everything goes well for your ICE install!

[Stepper]

he is definitly one of the cheapest around(if not the cheapest). but you will not get spectacular workmanship. The thinnest wire will be used if you didnt insist of better grade once.

 

Lot of air force personnel utilise him(near tengah air base). I ord 1.5 years back, have not visited him since, maybe quality has improve.

[Hyun]

i've planned out what thicknesses to use .. it's a hatchback, estimate maybe 8 metres of 4-gauge power cables, 1 RCA cable (only one output from HU) to the boot splitting into 2, minimum 16gauge from boot to front crossovers at kickwell, short 8 or 12 gauge less than 2 metres to sub, 120A fuse x 1 for front, 1 fusebox just before amp with 2 x 60A fuse feeding 2 power inputs into the amp, one MDF board same size as half a rear hatchback seat panel. velcro stick the sub onto floor of boot.

 

i hope when i request for these sizes, the brands he carries are reasonable. would be real sayang if have to rewire if the job is bad.

 

given this setup, what prices would u guys stomach? it's just installing/cabelling 1 sub 1 amp connect to HU. fronts are installed already.

[Hyun]

went shopping at sim lim tower yesterday and bought $91 of cables. now hoping the installers wun charge too high for labour costs, now that they cant earn $$ from selling me cables ...

 

we were looking for a fusebox that can accept a 4 gauge input and split into 2 fuses and 2 outputs each 4 gauge. couldn't find in sim lim. any1 came across such a thing b4? (not expensive branded types, but more OEM designs) ..

[Kwongwing]

Should have at Sim Lim Tower on levels B1, 1 and 2 wat I thot I saw a few yesterday!

You can also try Sim Lim Sq Level 2 (or 3?) Avit Link.

[Hyun]

those we found were all 4 gauge into fusebox and 2 or more 8 gauge outputs. couldn't find 4 gauge output. unless very beautiful branded salivating ones :) hehe but beyond my budget. anyway this one can do later .. some shows said they used to carry but out of stock liao, so can wait for them to bring in again.

[Hyun]

over last meetup, someone mentioned i can get some nice cables from M.A.U., e.g. $50odd soundstream RCA, or $70odd for ... is it audison or cant remember what brand.

then some others mentioned sim lim custom made cables are just as good, cheaper, and sometimes even better ... so i thought maybe i pay a trip down to simlim and make some 5-metre RCA cables ...

 

but problem is, i dont know what materials to ask for in order to match the $70 cable quality sold by M.A.U. what materials of cable, and plugs should i use?

 

thanks!

[Slonez]

You can go down to LHS (SLT) or AVIT-Link (SLS) to get customised cables.

Standard microphone cables (Canare, Belden) works well as RCA cables.

[Hyun]

hi andrew, u mentioned the $70 cables at M.A.U. really good. in your opinion, more worthwhile to get the $70 cables instead of custom good cables at sim lim?

[Headshok]

hey.. it all boils down to ur budget.. for $70, u can get stinger expert series RCA cables liao..

[Kwongwing]

Hyun,

Different cables actually have add their own "signature" to the sound - though theoretically the "best" cables are supposed to be totally neutral and not add/take away anything from the signal passing thru them.

Now the only way to test cables which are more suited to your set-up is to actually try them out on your system itself.

You now know how much the cables would cost at the installer you would be going to - go to SL and ask the shop for recommendations and if the price is more rite just get a pair (after all it is an extra run.)

As Slonez had earlier suggested to you when you do your installtion try out the various pairs you have available then and make a final decision on which cable run would be used in your actual set-up.

 

P.S. Why I said which cables are more suitable or dependent on your set-up is that previously I had used cables to "tune" set-ups. If your system is dull, "brighter" cables can help to make the sound more bright and the converse is also true to mute the system if the sound is too bright. But some people don't subscribe to such "tactics" and would prefer other options like EQ, etc.

[Branong]

butusually how much are the cables for a normal saloon car?

[Kwongwing]

For passive set-up, you should budget around $60 - 100 for RCAs and speaker cables for a standard regular set-up.

About 40 - 50% more for an active 2-way set-up.

[Hyun]

i went down to SLS to Avit Link 2nd floor to ask about their DIY RCA cables, which was recommended in the forum. wow, not cheap, minimum about S$80. not sure about the quality but should be quite decent for that kinda money. for me, i'll stick to the cheap audiobank $20 ones ...

[Kwongwing]

Remember, Slonez recommnded Avit Link - middle to upper class!

Wat was the brand of cable reccomended at $80? Remember price alone does not mean that the cables are good or bad!

[Hyun]

i believe it might have been QED d-i-y cables. they also carry some $70 ready-made cables which the boss recommended, can't remember the name .. they have many brands there. and the expensive Monster cables $150. think this cable game is beyond my budget. i'll just keep in mind what AutoS once posted - that cables didn't seem to make a difference to him! hehehehe. i'll go do the A-B test when i go down to M.A.U. and see if i can hear a difference.

[Kwongwing]

Trust me - cables DO make a difference.

QED is not cheap - British I think - their QED Silver Anniversary sprk cable is highly recommended - but abt $11/mtr.