Big project in small Civic package

This is my first install so I have an idea what I want, bit I’m not sure how to do it.

If my wallet will let me, I’d like to go 2000+ watts (1000+ watts each for left and right). Is this way too much? What is the best "boom for your buck" amp out there?

What would be the best way to get a power wire, control wire (head unit remote), and audio to the trunk? Should I use a 30-conductor cable and make the audio and control 4 wires then put the rest of the wires in to one big power cable so I have one cable to run? If I do run separate wires what gauge should I use for each for the above wattage ? Would I be better off with a pre-made kit or something? Do I need a bigger, better alternator than the ~70 amp one I have now? Would I need a second battery? A stiffening capacitor(s)?

Ground isn’t a problem; just use the body. Having said that do I need to get \ make a better grounding wire that goes from the battery to the body? The one now is about 10 gauge, 8 at the biggest.

What size \ type speakers should I use? Speakers or subs? If subs, self powered, speaker-type, or tube? If speakers what ohms are best? Is 4 ohm better \ more stable than 2 ohm? I’d like to have one for each channel (1000 watts each for left and right) I’m playing mostly techno, rap, R&B, heavy metal, and misalanious(?) like movie themes.

Should I use crossovers, equalizers, or other audio processing? I'm also building a carputer (correct spelling) a decaded gaming, DVD player, and MP3 player for the car, would I be better off with software or hardware audio processing? Is a tape adapter or a FM modulator better?

I realize this is allot of questions and a lot of info., but if I do this I want to do it right the first time so i'm open for all sugestions.

Come up with a game plan first. This means to post up your vehicle, year, model etc. Next have a budget (endless is nice but I don't think that is what you want). This way we can recommend things within the budget and no where we must concentrate the dollars first. How capable of installing are you (no offence)? Are you trying to annoy the neighbourhood or do you want good sound for you that plays to a good volume level. A loud stereo will permanently damage your hearing, keep this in mind. Are you going to compete or is it just for you?

Doing it right the first time is the best thing in the world to do, and not to knock the new guys in the industry but they still have much to learn about how equipment matches together and what works for certain vehicle types. My friend has this in his car and I like how it sounds so I'm getting this myself for my car or recommending this for your car does not quite cut it, especially if you want to do it right the first time. This is where experience counts most. Anyone can put junk in their trunk and get loud, but very few people take the time to do it right. Follow up with your game plan and let's see which direction you are headed in.

way bigger alt, adire brahmas are loud and still sound good, eclipse titanium are good loud clean subs.  but like ^ said...everyone will post there favs. choice is your own to what sounds good. Same applies to speakers.  Lets put it this way, you get what you pay for.

Also sound deadening will have to be done. 

Definalty a great alarm.

First of all, I have a 91 Honda civic LX sedan

 I don’t have the equipment, time, ambition, or money for sound deadening. :-( I live in an apartment) I would like something loud enough to get their attention but not to annoy anyone.

Can I take it that 2000 watts is too much? I had a friend in High School and when he turned up the volume in his car and turned on the amps, WOW! The ground vibrated and you could hear it on the other side of campus. He had a 1200 watt and an 800 watt with four subs. At the time I thought "who would ever drive a car down the road with it up that loud?" but it's for show / competition. Anyway I digress, that's where I got the 2000 watts from. Again I don’t have the equipment, time, ambition, or money for engine mods like an upgraded alternator. I can put a second battery in if necessary.

I have $ 400 saved up for a project like this. My dad bought a used Civic with a "1/2 system" installed. It has maybe 20 feet of 4 gauge wire, control wire, signal wire, a AutoZone bought 300 watt speaker box and a blown out 40 watt amp. It’s a nice unit but the amp has a amp IC; in other words, the whole amp is nothing more than a integrated circuits would this be a good starting point? 300 watts a channel instead of 1000? What difference would 1400 watts make? I would like to get a MOFFET (?) amp. I hear these are really good and sound better at higher volume. Is that true? I call it a "1/2 system" because the parts were there but it needed desperate repair.

First of all, I have a 91 Honda civic LX sedan

 I don’t have the equipment, time, ambition, or money for sound deadening. :-( I live in an apartment) I would like something loud enough to get their attention but not to annoy anyone.

Can I take it that 2000 watts is too much? I had a friend in High School and when he turned up the volume in his car and turned on the amps, WOW! The ground vibrated and you could hear it on the other side of campus. He had a 1200 watt and an 800 watt with four subs. At the time I thought "who would ever drive a car down the road with it up that loud?" but it's for show / competition. Anyway I digress, that's where I got the 2000 watts from. Again I don’t have the equipment, time, ambition, or money for engine mods like an upgraded alternator. I can put a second battery in if necessary.

thapimpfromchi wrote:

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Unless u get bitten by the bug. then ur screwed. (like me) lol. good luck man.

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what do you mean? Are the pieces I have good watt wise or just ho-hum?

Ok, i can see that 2000 watts is WAY to expenive and do demanding (bigger alt., big power wires, expensive subs, etc...). I'll use the parts I have now. Can you tell me a good 600 watt MOFFET amp for < $300. Is 8 gauge wire big enough or shuld i use 6 gauge? The 4 gauge is too short and frayed to use.

If you buy from pawn shops say good buy to your warranty and tech support. Who knows if it will even work. Also you might not even get a manual and who knows how much abuse the last people have put on the product. Its ilke buying a demo product from Best Buy( I swear people hit those products with baseball bats with the abuse they get).

the lower the gauge of wire the thicker it is. If you have a 600 watts RMS (continuous power) amp then you will definitely need 4 gauge. If you have a 600 watt max power amp then you will probobly need anywhere from 8 to 10 gauge wire. To figure out the current draw of an amp take the total amount of RMS power of your amp or amps and multiply it by two which would give you 1200 watts if your amp is 600 watts continuous. Then take 1200 and divide it by the average current of your alternator(13.8 volts). This would give you around 86 amps of current draw. This would probobly too much for your honda alternator(it probobly is around 60 or 50 amps). You dont need a 600 watt amp to get some good bass though. If you bought two 10" or 12" JL audio W0 subs (which cost only about $125 each) and give them 250 to 300 watts RMS and you would bump pretty good for not that bad of a price.