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Please help and audio noob!

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Old May 16, 2009 | 04:44 PM
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From: SW FLORIDA
Default Please help and audio noob!

I am pretty good at mechanical things but have never really done a amp/sub install
I have my amp wired with the 8g power and ground, and I have the sub wired to the amp but I am having trouble figureing out where I run the remote power from the amp to, and where I draw the input from? The amp has RCAs and I have a box that converts the speaker wire into RCA, so I need to figure out where to plug that into.
There is a hire harness that is not used in my drivers rear under the plastic cover w/6 wires on it. is this for the factory stereo?
My car is a 97 firebird with the factory cd player/equalizer and shitty speakers. PLEASE help me figure this out.
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Old May 16, 2009 | 07:32 PM
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Check your wiring colors at the12volt.com. If you have a "remote" wire from your head unit then use that. If not, I would probably just hook it up to a switched ignition wire so it runs when the car's on. That's not as efficient if your stereo isn't always on, but hey, it's simple.
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Old May 17, 2009 | 01:20 PM
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my manual says that there is a yellow wire from the back of the radio that is for the ignition, so I slpliced into one of them (there are 2) but I am pretty sure I got the right one, however when the amp comes on it flashed the power light green then red saying that it is in protection how do I get it to just stay green, do the inputs need to be hooked up for that?
Does anyone know if I can use the unused harness in the back fender? or should I just try to hook into some wires from the stock speakers?
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Old May 17, 2009 | 01:47 PM
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What do you have hooked up to the output and stuff?
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Old May 17, 2009 | 08:25 PM
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Originally Posted by dragonrage
What do you have hooked up to the output and stuff?
I had the outputs hoocked to the sub, the remote hooked to the ignition wire in the back of the stock HU, power and grounds are hooked up right. but I have not hooked up the wires from the stock speakers to the input on the amp,
The amp is a kicker zx400.1 Do I need to have the inputs hooked up in order to have the amp not go into protection mode?

Also what is the best method for hooking up amy stock HU that has NO RCAs to the amp that ONLY has RCAs?

Last edited by Raven97; May 17, 2009 at 08:31 PM.
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Old May 17, 2009 | 09:32 PM
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No, you shouldn't need inputs hooked up.

You use a "Line-out converter" ("LOC" for short)

What subwoofer and how's it wired?
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Old May 18, 2009 | 07:36 AM
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cool I already have an adjustable line out convertor. I just need some more wire to splice into the right and left rear speakers, I hope to do it today as long as the rain holds out. hopefully I can get it finished today.
The sub is an 8" kicker compVR in a ported box. I just ran some short wire 12g from the amp to the posts on the box. The amp and sub were from a friend who had it in his old truck and sounded pretty good.
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Old May 18, 2009 | 09:37 AM
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OKAY job done! For such a small little setup it hits pretty hard, I didn't want a crazy system and this is perfect! More than enough for my needs.
Thanks for your help Dragonrage
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