Let's see those Amps and where you mounted them!!

I loke this alot, what mount setup is that?

 

Homemade. 1/4” ABS, cut it to rough shape with a jigsaw, round the corners and pretty it up with a router if you’re so inclined. I made a cardboard template then transferred it to ABS.

The two big holes are for the seat bolts to pass through, and the legs have Z bends in them (heat up with a heat gun till flexible, bend, it’ll hold its shape when it cools) so the AC/Heat vent can pass underneath it.

 

taco tunes makes one for an exorbitant sum of money if your fabrication-adverse, as well.

 

I encourage anyone to try it. I’d never messed with ABS before (built plenty of subwoofer boxes, woodworking, riveting, mig welding) and I watched some YouTube University and jumped. Turned out okay, and I learned a new skill.

 

i would as well!

abs is a lot more forgiving than the acrylic i use for the same purpose(because the scraps are on-hand from other projects most times). in some ways this method is easier than woodworking. really only need a hand saw for shaping, and a butane lighter to bend it.

 

I like watching 5 star car audio on you tube. Those guys do some serious audio installation on there and it gives me ideas of where to mount things.

 

Just installed a Kenwood KAC-M1814 behind the factory head unit with minimal cramming. Gains maxed with no distortion on Hertz 6x9 front, oem rear and a 12” powered Rockford. Sounds good. Sorry no pic. The unit sat flat in the cavity below the back rear of the radio. I used the factory ground in the driver side kick panel.

 

gains should really never be set above 3/4's full. any higher indicates improper input level setup, also an extremely high risk of the amp clipping, which can significantly shorten the life of the amp, and any attached speakers.

 

Re: gain setting
True, I used a DD-1 Distortion Detector to set my amp gains and, to my amazement, it had me at 1/4 full gain for cleanest possible response (no gain overlap). The amp shipped to me with gain pre set at 1/2 full. It sounds great at 1/4 full setting.

I suppose the Sony HU’s healthy 5 volt low-level outputs have something to do with it.

 

I agree. However, during tuning I had no distortion and any level below 3/4 was quieter than no amp. I believe it has something to do with oem output being so pitifully low and the amp’s input auto-detect feature. I will report back if/when the amp fails, but for now I’m enjoying how good it sounds.

Some info I found that better describes why my set up isn’t “wrong” or damaging to the amp or speakers in my system:

“If you set your gain to properly match your input signal then having your gain set higher or lower doesn't change the workload on the amplifier. Having to set the gain nearly to its highest setting is not any more stress on the amp than if you had to set it near its minimum setting. The whole point of setting your gain correctly is to make sure the amp is only doing as much work as it's intended to do. Having your gain higher won't hurt your amp as long as it's necessary to get the amp's rated RMS power output.

Saying your gain is set "at a quarter" or that it's "not very high" means absolutely nothing by itself. Similar to the previous point, without knowing the input signal to the amp, knowing where the knob is physically set is meaningless. If you have a particularly weak input signal then setting the amp gain to max may not even let the amp make its rated power.” This is exactly my specific case.

I hope this helps for anyone thinking about a behind the head mini amp installation.

 

Stuffed a Kenwood Excelon XR901-5,

$290 Alpine KTP-445U Universal Power Pack

Alpine KTP-445U and a Helix DSP.3S on a board and then under driver seat of my 22 Tacoma

 

THAT is crazy. Very nice work.

 

where are you guys grounding behind the back seat?

 

Thanks!

It's not the prettiest thing, but it was originally setup as a "temporary" setup. Ended up jumping the 4 gauge to power the DSP and the mini amp, used 9 wire for the factory speaker locations AND had to run an additional pair of speaker wires for the tweeter. EVERY speaker wire is harnessed at original amp location behind passenger rear. ZERO splicing/cutting into any OEM wires!

I may buy a pair of seat jackers for additional clearance. seat harness does rub and now has some scratched up electrical tape.

 

Small amp is small. Want to get the 4 channel version and put them both there but the thing is $250 bucks and I ain't about that.

 

I made this lil guy for my access cab. It’s definitely not art, but it’s my first time doing all this myself!

 

How is it mounted to the wall

 

Screws and sheet metal plates..