The cost of installation products alone is insane.

[goku87]

I've never really paid attention to how much I spent on wiring/terminals for past installations because it was always peice by peice. With this install I've got planned the purchasing happens all at once, and holy crap. I think tomorrow I am going to see if I can find a suitable "installation kit" that may be a tad cheaper and include some of the things I want.

/rant

[The Architect]

good price on the optima at least lol.

[goku87]

yeah. partstrain.com is usually nice to my wallet. i think it said free s&h, but whether or not it's free to ak is another story all together lol.

[BailOut]

The metals in those components took billions of years to form and were likely mined and refined in South America, then shipped to Taiwan where it was spun and wound and fabricated into wires and other components. These processes involve hundreds of people's time, most of who work in poor conditions and at exploitative wages.

The plastics in those components were made from oil that took billions of years to form and was likely mined and refined in South America, the Balkans or the Middle East, then shipped to China or eastern Europe where it was converted into plastic, then shipped between China and Taiwan for manufacturing. These processes involve hundreds of people's time, most of who work in poor conditions and at exploitative wages.

The final products were then shipped to either coast of the U.S., then sent by rail and/or truck to your purchase point, burning fuel in mass quantities along the way.

And you think these things cost too much? :rolleyes:

[dccurrent]

You shouldn't be paying that much for speaker wire or the power or ground wire. 84 bucks for speaker wire? That's insane. Don't believe the hype and gimmicks when it comes to cables.

[IllusionX]

60 feet of speaker wires???!

[bdc87]

I used knukonceptz for my Install, and Great Stuff, I get no interference or any of that other jazz some do with radioshack wires, but it never cost me that much and I have a 4way amp and a mono hooked up. I think you've order too much wire but what are you installing?

[goku87]

12 gauge 2 conductor:
5' x 4 = From amp to x-overs.

12 gauge 4 conductor:
20' x 2 = From x-overs to front speakers
10' x 2 = From x-overs to rear speakers

I'm not sure where I will be putting the crossovers nor the amps, so just to play it safe I got a little extra. Maybe a little too much extra? :biggrin:

[Spades]

*cough*partsexpress*cough*frys*cough*

seriously....there are places out there with good stuff for reasonable prices. and good luck getting a whole system from any one shop. you will get raped. my car stereo set up was purchased from about 8 differant online stores and retail locations nearby to ensure i recived the best possible price. you buy in one place, they may have 2 or 3 killer deals, but they make up for those deals with higher than average prices on the rest of their junk...retail 101 FTW!

[goku87]

*cough*partsexpress*cough*frys*cough*

seriously....there are places out there with good stuff for reasonable prices. and good luck getting a whole system from any one shop. you will get raped. my car stereo set up was purchased from about 8 differant online stores and retail locations nearby to ensure i recived the best possible price. you buy in one place, they may have 2 or 3 killer deals, but they make up for those deals with higher than average prices on the rest of their junk...retail 101 FTW!

this is why this forum is awesome. :w00t: thank you.

[talnlnky]

go to a welding supply store for anything 4awg or bigger... just make sure that it has a lot of strands... if the wire only has 20 or so strands stay away.. if it has more than you can count (talking hundreds/thousands) than you're good to go.

If you're an online guy and don't mind paying/waiting for the mail... here's a good place

https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?Next::1:UNDEF:OR:terms::PA#A1 (https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?Next::1:UNDEF:OR:terms::PA#A1)

price of 1/0awg is like $2 a foot.
Bout 5 years ago I picked up a gang of 2/0awg for like $1.50 a foot.
Welding cable is actually MUCH SAFER than normal car audio wire because it is UL tested, and has to survive in much harsher conditions. The only thing is that it doesn't look as pretty.

[06vitzRS]

12 gauge 2 conductor:
5' x 4 = From amp to x-overs.

12 gauge 4 conductor:
20' x 2 = From x-overs to front speakers
10' x 2 = From x-overs to rear speakers

I'm not sure where I will be putting the crossovers nor the amps, so just to play it safe I got a little extra. Maybe a little too much extra? :biggrin:


I mounted my crossovers in the top right glove box. They amps are going on the floor behind the pass and driver seats. I never have people back there so it's not an issue.

[goku87]

go to a welding supply store for anything 4awg or bigger... just make sure that it has a lot of strands... if the wire only has 20 or so strands stay away.. if it has more than you can count (talking hundreds/thousands) than you're good to go.

If you're an online guy and don't mind paying/waiting for the mail... here's a good place

https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?Next::1:UNDEF:OR:terms::PA#A1 (https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?Next::1:UNDEF:OR:terms::PA#A1)

price of 1/0awg is like $2 a foot.
Bout 5 years ago I picked up a gang of 2/0awg for like $1.50 a foot.
Welding cable is actually MUCH SAFER than normal car audio wire because it is UL tested, and has to survive in much harsher conditions. The only thing is that it doesn't look as pretty.

wow. crazy cheap. excellent find! thank you. :thumbup:

I mounted my crossovers in the top right glove box. They amps are going on the floor behind the pass and driver seats. I never have people back there so it's not an issue.

yeah. i probably wont be sure untill i start putting things in. things sometimes take a little longer that way, but its those last-minute decisions that make things so interesting. :wink:

[bzinn 1]

go to a welding supply store for anything 4awg or bigger... just make sure that it has a lot of strands... if the wire only has 20 or so strands stay away.. if it has more than you can count (talking hundreds/thousands) than you're good to go.

If you're an online guy and don't mind paying/waiting for the mail... here's a good place

https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?Next::1:UNDEF:OR:terms::PA#A1 (https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/einstein.pl?Next::1:UNDEF:OR:terms::PA#A1)

price of 1/0awg is like $2 a foot.
Bout 5 years ago I picked up a gang of 2/0awg for like $1.50 a foot.
Welding cable is actually MUCH SAFER than normal car audio wire because it is UL tested, and has to survive in much harsher conditions. The only thing is that it doesn't look as pretty.

for power wire this does work extremly well,but do make sure it has lots of strands,the more the better for DC currant to ride on.And if you run your wires right you will not see them and pretty is not needed....lol.....

I have a Knu wires as well and spent nearly $200 to do my tC,but no feedback at all from the wires and if I am lucky I can use them for years to come.

I would like to start making my own RCAs as it is way cheaper and you can make top quality ones fr cheap compared to buying premade,I busted one of my Knu RCAs and it took me 30 minutes to fix,what a pain to do.....lol

[sqcomp]

To add to what Spades and Taln are saying, also look at madisound.com

[talnlnky]

To add to what Spades and Taln are saying, also look at madisound.com

I bet i've been to madisound's site about 60 times... yet have never actually bought anything from them. I came close to buying about 24 eight inch subs once tho.... awesome subs that were liquidated.... going for like $9 a pop and were T/S wise the same as the TB8 740 (within like 10% +/- on all the specs)

[sqcomp]

You're so crazy with that idea! I love it! The only thing might be cancellation and maybe depending on your loading...

I think you should do it!

Madisound has good service, all my orders have been great.

[firemachine69]

I got some stuff from Knu Koncepts.


Still a crap-load cheaper as opposed to Future Shop, Best Buy, or an other local dealer!!! :eek:

[talnlnky]

You're so crazy with that idea! I love it! The only thing might be cancellation and maybe depending on your loading...

I think you should do it!

Madisound has good service, all my orders have been great.

dude... cancelation isn't an issue below 100hz in a car... just think about it... 100hz.. isn't the quater wave like 10ft? So... put the x-over at 60-70 and you're gravy.

oh... that was like 3-4 years ago... and they ran out fairly quickly after I figured out that they were a great buy.... Seems people on the net figured it out and started buying them up. They were on madisound for probably 6-12months tho.