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rca cables for an amp..how long?

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Old 03-15-2006 | 04:52 PM
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fireteacher's Avatar
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rca cables for an amp..how long?

going to get the basslink for my 99 4runner. for all you guys with amps installed in your rigs, how long of rca cables did you get? how long power/remote power? i am thinking maybe 25 ft??????????

thanks alot!

this ? is for third gen 4runner
Old 03-15-2006 | 04:54 PM
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moved to audio section.

where will you put your amp? that will determine how long of a cable you will need. typically, rcas are run down the center of the vehicle and to the amp. so get yourself a tape measurer and then you will have your answer when you figure out where youre going to put the amp.
Old 03-15-2006 | 05:19 PM
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I have some 10ft cables I'm selling. PM me if you're interested .
Old 03-15-2006 | 05:31 PM
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if you have the powered basslink, and are mounting against back seat, 20 will be enough, probably less will do, if you are buying a separate amp, id suggest putting it under DS seat, and a 10ft would be plenty...

if you do mount in back, give yourself enough room to be able to move it around, it may sound better to you in diff corners, facing differnt directions
Old 03-15-2006 | 05:39 PM
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right now i am planing on mounting the bass link to the ds rear carge area next to the fender well...if it will fit! anyone know if it will? i would like to mount it to the ps rear but the cargo space houses my jumper cables and my reciever.
did you guys run through the center for 20 or along the door jam? i think it will be easier along the jam.
Old 03-15-2006 | 05:40 PM
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will mount the amp for doors when i get them under the drivers seat.....good idea!
Old 03-15-2006 | 05:43 PM
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oh crap, my bad. the basslink is already powered.

but the advice is the same: run along the center away from the power wire. you can easily measure this distance with a tape measurer

bob
Old 03-15-2006 | 05:56 PM
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wouldnt i have to pull p the carpet to achive this, i want it clean!! and dont want to yank the carpet up!!!
Old 03-15-2006 | 06:03 PM
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if you want it clean and dont want noise distortion, you have to run the power cable and the rcas far enough away from each other. thus, you need to run that cable in the center.

and dude, chill. pulling up the carpet is not a huge endeavor. unbolting the seats is very easy. just go look at the corners of the seats and it will be self-evident. and running the cables under the carpet is just a matter of lifting the carpet up. it is not glued on.
Old 03-15-2006 | 06:05 PM
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imo i think youll be fine running it along your power wires to create less hassle. im using streetwires zero noise 2 series an theyre running along a 4g and 8g wire and theyre fine. i think u should just run it along the door jamb things. just a few screws n ur done
Old 03-15-2006 | 06:10 PM
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im thinkin that also hioracerboy84

bob, will the cable be felt/visible when ran through the carpet?

do you loose quality whith longer rca's like HDMI cables????
Old 03-15-2006 | 06:19 PM
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yeah, if you arent pushing a ton of power... ie 1000s of watts, you shouldnt have an issue with running both together... tons of people avoid it, but even more people run them together, as an installer, I'll admit I used to do it to about 75% of the cars, a way of cutting costs for the customer upon their approval... and never had any bad results...

your signals for high frequency = your doors, should be separate though, run the wires through the center console and under a little carpet to a small slit in carpet under the DS seat... when you get to it

dont worry about any wires under 25-28 feet or so, shouldnt lose any quality there

sometimes the wires can be seen under carpet if its rushed, but they can always be routed in corners and bends where its not apparent if you do it right, you dont want them where people put their feet all the time anyway

and when you route your wires along the side, under the plastic pieces, take good care to make sure they lay flat as possible, and avoid covering the holes the plastic needs to attach back together, (screw holes, clips, and such)

PS, dont forget to run a remote wire too when you run power and RCAs

Last edited by wjwerdna; 03-15-2006 at 06:22 PM.
Old 03-15-2006 | 06:20 PM
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you really wont see it unless you *really* look. get your hands on a pair at your local car audio store to get an idea of how thick they are.

my main concern would be to make sure that, wherever you decide to run your rcas, that they are not pinched.
Old 03-15-2006 | 06:36 PM
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thanks fellas for the tips here! i guess it all comes down to cost and ease of mind really, thanks for the post wjwerdna. you install for a living? i love to do this kinda stuff but AM IN NO WAY a pro!!! just like to tinker nowa days. wj..ever hear a basslink in a third gen? where was it and where do you suggest to stick it to get best sound? i was thinking it dosnt matter really becouse i have an "open" cab to speak?
Old 03-15-2006 | 06:58 PM
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general rule, you want the subwoofers waves to "hit" something a few feet away, ie your rear hatch. This makes the other object (larger window, roof, panel, whatever) reverberate a little creating more waves, technically this could also create negative interference, but not really a problem in this case. i would mount it against back seat, DS, facing the rear, since the waves will more likely "bounce" off the rear window... really though, yes, you have an open cab, but there can still be differences.

I used to install a lot of stuff throughout high school, and also used to sell and install it under a business I started, I've had experience with tons of different situations. I'd say, however, that I'm more into the technical aspects of circuitry, design, and acoustics (as a minor), than in the occupation as a "audio installer." Car audio is one of the simplest forms of electricity they're pretty much all the same. You'll get the hang of it
Old 03-15-2006 | 07:21 PM
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I kinda scanned through the posts...

Buy 25' rca's or the longest ones you can buy. It's a LOT easier dealing with excess RCA instead of not enough of it.

For bass applications you can indeed run the RCAs with the power wire, so long as the rest of the installation is solid. (Remember alternator whine is what about 800hz and up? How often are you playing anything above 150hz though any kind of sub? )

However if you ever try to use those RCAs for a mids and highs amp and you will have the proverbial "audible tachometer" through your speakers...lol And that is irrelevant of the number of filters and sheilding the RCAs have...

Having said all of this, Bob is correct, the 100% correct way to install this setup is to run the RCAs away from the power line regardless of what its feeding. However in this one case you dont have to.

Last edited by Bumpin' Yota; 03-15-2006 at 07:24 PM.
Old 03-15-2006 | 07:23 PM
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x'actly
Old 03-15-2006 | 07:27 PM
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Originally Posted by fireteacher
wouldnt i have to pull p the carpet to achive this, i want it clean!! and dont want to yank the carpet up!!!
I've been doing this stuff as a hobby and a profession for the past 6 years. If you figure out how to have a "clean" install and not pull up the carpet, please I beg of you to let me know!

(Seats are easy to pull - I can have mine out of the truck in about 30 seconds per seat - literally. All you need is just a 15mm (or 14?) on a drill adapter and pretend you are changing the tires on a nascar in the pits at daytona...)

Last edited by Bumpin' Yota; 03-15-2006 at 07:33 PM.
Old 03-15-2006 | 07:38 PM
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awesome bumpin yota...yeah i think for sure when i finally get the doors and amp for them i will go with the center rcs under the ds. for this i will stick to the door jam and watch for the holes and for pinch's
Old 03-18-2006 | 07:39 AM
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bumpin yota get my pm?



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