Sound System Advice Please Help

[tswannnlk]

I am currently in the process of ordering all of the components for my up and coming sound system for my Ram 1500. My truck has the stock 6 speaker system with the 8.4 screen.
Here are the components I am going to use.
1. Kenwood front door and dash speaker kit.
2. Kicker Key 200.4 amp bi-amped to the front door and dash speakers.
3. KnuKonceptz Konfuzed power distribution block (fused at 30A for the Kicker and 300 or 400 for the Sundown amp)
4. Audiocontrol LC2I Pro line out converter.
4. Sundown 2500D Subwoofer amp
5. Foxbox sub box
6. 2 Sundown SA 12 Classics 4 ohm subs wired down to 1 ohm.
7. 1/0 Subwoofer wiring kit
8. 1/0 big 3 upgrade
9. Some 10 gauge power wire to run to the kicker key amp
10. Netaudio T harness

The main thing that I am getting confused on is the wiring aspect of things regarding the amps. I believe I have it mostly sorted out. Here is my current plan:
1. Run one 1/0 power wire through the firewall and to the back cab wall where my subwoofer amp and distribution block will be.
2. Connect the positive 1/0 wire from the battery to the positive input in the distribution block. Connect the ground from the distribution block to either the cab pinch weld or the frame. (which one should it be? Am I drawing enough current to where I need to drill a hole in the bottom of the cab to ground it directly to the frame?) Then connect the sundown sub amp to one pair of outputs on the distribution block and the kicker amp to the other pair.
3. I would then run both the positive and negative power wires for the kicker amp down the passenger cab floor sill all the way to where the kicker amp is mounted behind the head unit. Im planning to mount it behind the HVAC climate control panel.
4. I would then tap the power for the LC2I from the 10 gauge wire powering the kicker amp. I would get the inputs for the LC2I from the front speaker wire on the NetAudio T harness. I also believe I need to connect a 2 amp fuse to the power wire that the LC2I will be using. The LC2I would mount somewhere behind the dash as well. After that id run the outputs from the LC2I all the way back to the sundown amp on the passenger side. The remote wire and the bass knob wire would also be ran down the passenger side of the cab.

Am I missing anything? I'm a little unsure If I have the wiring for the kicker and the LC2I figured out properly. Is it ok to have both the ground and power wires running all the way down the passenger side of the truck back to the distribution block? What is the best way to tap into the 10 gauge power wire to tap 16 gauge power wire for the LC2I? I was going to use Wago connectors or just military splice it.

Any information would be appectiated!

 

[RamDiver]

@CanuckRam1313 has had a couple of 1500s outfitted. I'm confident he has solutions.

.

 

[seems fishy]

Don't forget the sound deadner to keep your vibrations in the truck down. Otherwise your sound will make your truck have annoying rattles with the sub. When doing anything near your back window,be careful of the solder joints for the electric grid and/or slider window.They are delicate and easily fail.Don't go near them.Make a detailed DIAGRAM of your system and associated wiring and show it to someone in the area where you live,who does this for a living,and get advice from them.(your description of what your wiring plans are is good but to be safe,because somebody online may not visualize what your saying correctly)....a complete diagram of everything and it's placement is important.It is your blueprint and will save you alot of grief.Remember you are doing a custom system while using a variety of interconnected different components from different manufacturers.
You should do a Big 3 upgrade while you are at it to compliment the power distribution for your amps,on your truck.Use connectors.

 

[tswannnlk]

Don't forget the sound deadner to keep your vibrations in the truck down. Otherwise your sound will make your truck have annoying rattles with the sub. When doing anything near your back window,be careful of the solder joints for the electric grid and/or slider window.They are delicate and easily fail.Don't go near them.Make a detailed DIAGRAM of your system and associated wiring and show it to someone in the area where you live,who does this for a living,and get advice from them.(your description of what your wiring plans are is good but to be safe,because somebody online may not visualize what your saying correctly)....a complete diagram of everything and it's placement is important.It is your blueprint and will save you alot of grief.Remember you are doing a custom system while using a variety of interconnected different components from different manufacturers.
You should do a Big 3 upgrade while you are at it to compliment the power distribution for your amps,on your truck.Use connectors.

Copy that. I have already installed sound deadening throughout all of my doors. The next step is to do the back cab wall and potentially the floor or the roof. A big 3 upgrade is definitely something I will order. I’m currently communicating with NetAudio to get me a T harness that allows me to have my rear door speakers powered off if the head unit. I’m also hoping that they are able to add two extra front door speaker output wires that I can plug directly into my LC2I so I don’t have to tap into any wires for that. I’m guessing that the way I will tap power to the LC2I will just be a military splice with solder from the kicker key amp power wires.

 

[SitKneelBend]

I am currently in the process of ordering all of the components for my up and coming sound system for my Ram 1500. My truck has the stock 6 speaker system with the 8.4 screen.
Here are the components I am going to use.
1. Kenwood front door and dash speaker kit.
2. Kicker Key 200.4 amp bi-amped to the front door and dash speakers.
3. KnuKonceptz Konfuzed power distribution block (fused at 30A for the Kicker and 300 or 400 for the Sundown amp)
4. Audiocontrol LC2I Pro line out converter.
4. Sundown 2500D Subwoofer amp
5. Foxbox sub box
6. 2 Sundown SA 12 Classics 4 ohm subs wired down to 1 ohm.
7. 1/0 Subwoofer wiring kit
8. 1/0 big 3 upgrade
9. Some 10 gauge power wire to run to the kicker key amp
10. Netaudio T harness

The main thing that I am getting confused on is the wiring aspect of things regarding the amps. I believe I have it mostly sorted out. Here is my current plan:
1. Run one 1/0 power wire through the firewall and to the back cab wall where my subwoofer amp and distribution block will be.
2. Connect the positive 1/0 wire from the battery to the positive input in the distribution block. Connect the ground from the distribution block to either the cab pinch weld or the frame. (which one should it be? Am I drawing enough current to where I need to drill a hole in the bottom of the cab to ground it direct
ly to the frame?) Then connect the sundown sub amp to one pair of outputs on the distribution block and the kicker amp to the other pair.
3. I would then run both the positive and negative power wires for the kicker amp down the passenger cab floor sill all the way to where the kicker amp is mounted behind the head unit. Im planning to mount it behind the HVAC climate control panel.
4. I would then tap the power for the LC2I from the 10 gauge wire powering the kicker amp. I would get the inputs for the LC2I from the front speaker wire on the NetAudio T harness. I also believe I need to connect a 2 amp fuse to the power wire that the LC2I will be using. The LC2I would mount somewhere behind the dash as well. After that id run the outputs from the LC2I all the way back to the sundown amp on the passenger side. The remote wire and the bass knob wire would also be ran down the passenger side of the cab.

Am I missing anything? I'm a little unsure If I have the wiring for the kicker and the LC2I figured out properly. Is it ok to have both the ground and power wires running all the way down the passenger side of the truck back to the distribution block? What is the best way to tap into the 10 gauge power wire to tap 16 gauge power wire for the LC2I? I was going to use Wago connectors or just military splice it.

Any information would be appectiated!

1. This needs to be fused, preferably in the engine bay within 12-18" of the battery.

2. Is the distribution block separated into ground and 12v? If not, needs to be two separate distribution blocks discretely for power and ground.

3. I'd mount the amp back with the other amp as close to the distribution block as possible and instead run speaker wires instead of power wires.

4. I'm not sure how the LC2i operates, but if it needs power I'd consider an ACC source in the dash (like tapping the cigar lighter port)

 

[tswannnlk]

1. This needs to be fused, preferably in the engine bay within 12-18" of the battery.

2. Is the distribution block separated into ground and 12v? If not, needs to be two separate distribution blocks discretely for power and ground.

3. I'd mount the amp back with the other amp as close to the distribution block as possible and instead run speaker wires instead of power wires.

4. I'm not sure how the LC2i operates, but if it needs power I'd consider an ACC source in the dash (like tapping the cigar lighter port)

Yes the wiring kit I will be buying includes a fuse for the 1/0 power wire hooked up to the battery. The distribution block is separated into both ground and 12v. The reason I would like to mount the Kicker right behind the dash near the radio is because the T harness for the Kicker Amp will pretty much plug right into the Kicker so I won't have to run 8+ wires down and back the side of my truck. I have to run new dash wires as well in order to bi-amp it so I figured it would be easier to have it as close to the radio as possible. Is there a risk to running power wires down the length of the truck instead of speaker wires? I talked with the NetAudio guys and they said that running a long ground and power wire down the length of the truck back to the distribution block shouldn't create any issues. I was considering just grounding the Kicker somewhere behind the dash but I'm not really sure where to do it and won't that introduce the risk of creating a ground loop since the two amps will be grounded in separate locations? Regarding the LC2I, that seems like a good call tapping it off of the cigar lighter rather than military splicing it from the Kicker power wires.

 

[SitKneelBend]

Yes the wiring kit I will be buying includes a fuse for the 1/0 power wire hooked up to the battery. The distribution block is separated into both ground and 12v. The reason I would like to mount the Kicker right behind the dash near the radio is because the T harness for the Kicker Amp will pretty much plug right into the Kicker so I won't have to run 8+ wires down and back the side of my truck. I have to run new dash wires as well in order to bi-amp it so I figured it would be easier to have it as close to the radio as possible. Is there a risk to running power wires down the length of the truck instead of speaker wires? I talked with the NetAudio guys and they said that running a long ground and power wire down the length of the truck back to the distribution block shouldn't create any issues. I was considering just grounding the Kicker somewhere behind the dash but I'm not really sure where to do it and won't that introduce the risk of creating a ground loop since the two amps will be grounded in separate locations? Regarding the LC2I, that seems like a good call tapping it off of the cigar lighter rather than military splicing it from the Kicker power wires.

I would run the distribution block for power to the dash then. I'd also use a fused distribution block. . Then run power from it to both amps (power wire is more expensive and this will accomplish the same thing). Conversely, just run power to both separately from the battery.

You can use a distribution block for ground, but I'd just ground the kicker to the stud under the steering wheel or at the parking brake. I have three amps grounded in two locations without ground looping. Ground the sub amp to any of the rear seat bolts (they contact a lot of metal in the threads, I use one in the middle but any should do).

 

[tswannnlk]

I would run the distribution block for power to the dash then. I'd also use a fused distribution block. . Then run power from it to both amps (power wire is more expensive and this will accomplish the same thing). Conversely, just run power to both separately from the battery.

You can use a distribution block for ground, but I'd just ground the kicker to the stud under the steering wheel or at the parking brake. I have three amps grounded in two locations without ground looping. Ground the sub amp to any of the rear seat bolts (they contact a lot of metal in the threads, I use one in the middle but any should do).

Thanks for your insight. After pondering it for the last few hours I think you're right and it would actually be easier to just extend all the wires from the T harness and run them down the length of the truck to the Kicker mounted in the back. That way all of the amps and power parts stay in one place and can be easily accessible. What amps are you running? I initially was going to get the Kicker because of how well like it is and how many people have installed it but now I'm questioning whether or not it will have enough power to properly match the amount of bass I'll be having with these subs. With the Kenwood speakers I already have installed, it is to my knowledge that they'll do 100 watts RMS. Is that per side? Is there any point in going with a larger speaker amp or am I mainly limited by my speakers at the moment. I understand that a doubling in power on the speakers will only result in about a 3 db increase in sound. I'm not opposed to upgrading my door and dash speakers in the future along with the speaker amp if they're not loud enough from the get go.

Lastly, does anyone who has installed a Kicker Key amp know if I need load resistors or not? After emailing with NetAudio they recommend load resistors built into their T harness and claim that some of their customers have reported that the internal load setting on the Kicker amp is not enough for the Ram radio. I've also heard from others that they have installed the Key and did not need load resistors. I'm not really sure how to determine if I need them or not.

 

[SitKneelBend]

Thanks for your insight. After pondering it for the last few hours I think you're right and it would actually be easier to just extend all the wires from the T harness and run them down the length of the truck to the Kicker mounted in the back. That way all of the amps and power parts stay in one place and can be easily accessible. What amps are you running? I initially was going to get the Kicker because of how well like it is and how many people have installed it but now I'm questioning whether or not it will have enough power to properly match the amount of bass I'll be having with these subs. With the Kenwood speakers I already have installed, it is to my knowledge that they'll do 100 watts RMS. Is that per side? Is there any point in going with a larger speaker amp or am I mainly limited by my speakers at the moment. I understand that a doubling in power on the speakers will only result in about a 3 db increase in sound. I'm not opposed to upgrading my door and dash speakers in the future along with the speaker amp if they're not loud enough from the get go.

Lastly, does anyone who has installed a Kicker Key amp know if I need load resistors or not? After emailing with NetAudio they recommend load resistors built into their T harness and claim that some of their customers have reported that the internal load setting on the Kicker amp is not enough for the Ram radio. I've also heard from others that they have installed the Key and did not need load resistors. I'm not really sure how to determine if I need them or not.

I use this to power a KICKER 48CWRT84 in the factory Ram Alpine sub enclosure.

Amazon.com: Kicker PXA500.1-500-Watt Mono Subwoofer Amplifier : Electronics

Buy Kicker PXA500.1-500-Watt Mono Subwoofer Amplifier: Mono Amplifiers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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I use a Kicker 47KEY5001 to power the Kicker plug and play sub they no longer make for the drivers side SCRAMCQ09.

I use a Key 47KEY2004 to bi-amp the Kicker plug and play Ram speakers (but I swapped the kit tweeters for 51KSC3504

You don't need load resistors for the Key 200.4 It has a built in resistor BUT it must be used to not lose signal from the factory 8.4 radios (labeled radio detect on this diagram).

 

[tswannnlk]

I use this to power a KICKER 48CWRT84 in the factory Ram Alpine sub enclosure.

Amazon.com: Kicker PXA500.1-500-Watt Mono Subwoofer Amplifier : Electronics

Buy Kicker PXA500.1-500-Watt Mono Subwoofer Amplifier: Mono Amplifiers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I use a Kicker 47KEY5001 to power the Kicker plug and play sub they no longer make for the drivers side SCRAMCQ09.

I use a Key 47KEY2004 to bi-amp the Kicker plug and play Ram speakers (but I swapped the kit tweeters for 51KSC3504

You don't need load resistors for the Key 200.4 It has a built in resistor BUT it must be used to not lose signal from the factory 8.4 radios (labeled radio detect on this diagram).

View attachment 585700

That helps a ton. Thank you. NetAudio is quoting about 50 dollars extra to add the load resistors to their harness. This seems like quite a lot to me. The only reason I am considering it would be to future proof my system for if in the future I decide to add a more powerful speaker amp and a DSP unit. Since most DSP and more powerful amps don’t have built in DSP like the Kicker does, I assume I would need load resistors at that point. Are they pretty simple to install? I have also seen that AudioControl has some of their load resistors that are plug and play for their amps and DSP units.

 

[SitKneelBend]

That helps a ton. Thank you. NetAudio is quoting about 50 dollars extra to add the load resistors to their harness. This seems like quite a lot to me. The only reason I am considering it would be to future proof my system for if in the future I decide to add a more powerful speaker amp and a DSP unit. Since most DSP and more powerful amps don’t have built in DSP like the Kicker does, I assume I would need load resistors at that point. Are they pretty simple to install? I have also seen that AudioControl has some of their load resistors that are plug and play for their amps and DSP units.

I'm not sure on that, but from the Kicker instructions, maybe it's not an issue if you are using low-level inputs?

RADIO DETECT: The RCA inputs on KICKER KEY amplifiers are capable of receiving either Hi or Low level signals from your source unit. If you are using Hi-Level inputs, but your source unit cannot detect an audio system present or refuses to play audio out of one or more speakers, you may need to set Radio Detect to ON. This will activate a load resistor at the amplifier’s inputs and tell the source unit there are speakers present. Do NOT use Radio Detect if you are using a Low-Level input signal; doing so will greatly reduce the input signal.