Audio upgrade questions

[Philip]

Just purchased some Jl audio goodies ( speakers/amp) and want to hook to existing Polk unit ( 2016 242 LSE) I see there are 4 rca out put jacks and looking to hook up a 8ch amp , I have 6 6.5, 2 tower 8”, 10 inch sub. Do I double the out put leads to eight with adaptors ? Also any speaker wire recommendations?

 

[Julian]

I'd run 4 of the 6.5s in series off 2 channels. Run the 8" off 2 channels and bridge the sub on 2 channels.....or get a 7 or 8 channel amp.

 

[Philip]

I bought a 8ch Jl amp

 

[Dixie Highway]

What do the amp inputs look like? The text of your head unit manual didn’t blow up enough for me to see it, but it looks like maybe you have a front and rear preamp out from the head unit? I see another pair of RCA, is that an input? I would say you could use the front and rear outs to separate your “zones” giving you the ability to fade between 2 zones from the head unit. The amp should also have an input switching option where you can just use one or 2 inputs to feed all 8 channels.

 

[Philip]

It’s the stock Polk unit on the 16 located in battery compartment.

 

[Dixie Highway]

Yeah ok. So you can use the 4 channel input mode on the amp, and just run 2 RCA cables from HU to amp. You’d have to see how the amp dishes out the channels from there to set up which speakers go to which channel. I’m not an expert in this (@Julian is) but I think that’s correct. If you didn’t care to fade the speakers from the HU you could even get away with running a single RCA cable from there to the amp, running the amp in 2 channel input mode.

 

[F.M.]

Yeah ok. So you can use the 4 channel input mode on the amp, and just run 2 RCA cables from HU to amp. You’d have to see how the amp dishes out the channels from there to set up which speakers go to which channel. I’m not an expert in this (@Julian is) but I think that’s correct. If you didn’t care to fade the speakers from the HU you could even get away with running a single RCA cable from there to the amp, running the amp in 2 channel input mode.

I was in the middle of typing the same thing.

 

[Philip]

Thanks very much for info, @Dixie Highway

 

[Philip]

@Julian any suggestions on which speakers (6.5) to run in parallel ?

Should I ditch tower tweeters? Appreciate all the info.

 

[captainhook]

Knukonceptz makes good RCA cables. I think I used 14 gauge Amazon Basics speaker cable on mine. I temporarily used some cheap RCA cables but ordered some from KnuKonceptz because I have some buzzing at zero volume and it aggravates me. Haven’t tried them yet but they look nice.

 

[Philip]

@captainhook thanks. I’ll check those rcas out.
I’m going to use 14g but not sure if it matters in the OFC or CCA type ? Probably thinking to much into this as I’m sure stock wire is crap. Lol

 

[captainhook]

The stock wire is crap yeah, looked like 18 gauge but I didn't pay much attention. I'm not sure it makes much difference with a stock head unit RMS power anyway.

I used CCA and it's worked fine. I noticed a little bit of "weathering" on the stripped ends, not really corrosion but it was on the copper coating anyway so not like OFC would've made much difference. I'm sure many will disagree and if the price isn't significant, might as well go for OFC but no issues for me so far.

 

[Julian]

@Julian any suggestions on which speakers (6.5) to run in parallel ?

Should I ditch tower tweeters? Appreciate all the info.

Sorry....didn't notice you said you had an 8 channel amp....then no need to run them in series or parallel.

Then hook up is relatively simple. The first question you need to answer is how many RCA outputs are free on the head unit. If all you have front and rear, then you need to decide if you want to be able to fade front to back on the channels you'll have on the 8 channel amp. Answer will probably be YES (if you have the outputs open).

So you run 2 pairs of RCAs to the amp and set the amp into 4 channel mode. Then the amp will (likely) send input channels 1&2 to amp outputs on 1,2,3&4, and input channels 3&4 to Output channels 5,6,7&8 (read the manual on how it splits them). Then you just need to decide which speakers you want to group in the 2 groupings (which will be front and read fader in the head unit).

 

[Julian]

If this is the AMP you have, it shows right on top what it feeds:



So you want to connect RCAs to Inputs 1&2, and 5&6 and leave inputs 3&4 and 7&8 unused.

 

[Philip]

@Julian thanks for all the help , I do have 9 speakers total so I’m assuming I’m going to have to run two pair together to have two channels to bridge for amp ? So speakers (1-4) on 2channels , speakers 4-8 independent channels and bridge woofer on 2 that’s total of 8ch. Or am I missing something.

 

[Julian]

@Julian thanks for all the help , I do have 9 speakers total so I’m assuming I’m going to have to run two pair together to have two channels to bridge for amp ? So speakers (1-4) on 2channels , speakers 4-8 independent channels and bridge woofer on 2 that’s total of 8ch. Or am I missing something.

Yup!

Or just buy one of these:

M600/1

Monoblock Class D Marine Subwoofer Amplifier, 600 W x 1 @ 2 Ω / 400 W x 1 @ 4 Ω - 14.4VThis potent monoblock amplifier employs our high-speed NexD™ switching design to achieve unprecedented efficiency and amazing power output in a very compact chassis. Don't let the small size fool you...

www.jlaudio.com

and another sub! LOL

 

[mark_m]

Knukonceptz makes good RCA cables. I think I used 14 gauge Amazon Basics speaker cable on mine. I temporarily used some cheap RCA cables but ordered some from KnuKonceptz because I have some buzzing at zero volume and it aggravates me. Haven’t tried them yet but they look nice.

Which RCAs did you wind up choosing from KnuKonceptz? I've got the cheapies still hooked up and I really should address that. I run the amp in 8 channel mode and have it in the helm compartment so the shorter the run the better.

 

[Philip]

Yup!

Or just buy one of these:

M600/1

Monoblock Class D Marine Subwoofer Amplifier, 600 W x 1 @ 2 Ω / 400 W x 1 @ 4 Ω - 14.4VThis potent monoblock amplifier employs our high-speed NexD™ switching design to achieve unprecedented efficiency and amazing power output in a very compact chassis. Don't let the small size fool you...

www.jlaudio.com

and another sub! LOL

Lol. I’m trying to keep it simple. Lol

 

[captainhook]

Which RCAs did you wind up choosing from KnuKonceptz? I've got the cheapies still hooked up and I really should address that. I run the amp in 8 channel mode and have it in the helm compartment so the shorter the run the better.

I wanted to go with some on Amazon but some of the reviews said the ends were breaking in the amps. I would rarely unplug but I would be pretty pissed if one broke off in my JL amp.

I went with these in one meter. Funny you mention length, I wanted the shortest I could get too as my run is very close but when I got them I was thinking they looked really short. ?

Shop

www.knukonceptz.com

 

[Philip]

Wow those are inexpensive, hows the quality ?