19 replies to this topic

[SleeperSaab]

All done and it sounds awesome.

However, there have been a few lessons that I have learned while installing my first ever sound system into my car. The value of these cannot be understated. If I knew then what I know now, my whole experience would be totally different.

So, to anyone who has never installed a sound system in their car before and wants to do it (or even if someone else will do it and you foot the bill) - heed this advice before doing ANYTHING.

Lesson 1: Research first.

I have been doing heaps of research, especially on car stereo forums and it's helped heaps. But, a lot of information has been useless since I found out AFTER I'd either bought stuff or tried to do things myself.

Ask first, then buy. Ask first, then do. Best rule of thumb.

Lesson 2: He doesn't know.

Never get a friend to recommend what you should do/buy. Find out for yourself. Every car is different and everyone's music taste is different. Everyone's budget is different.

There's nothing worse than an industry professional nicely asking you why you bought THAT brand, when you could have got better for cheaper.

Lesson 3: Planning.

I have 2 speakers in my car that took hours to install that I don't use. I also have a length of rca cable that isn't connected to anything. I also have various bits and pieces in my garage that I will never use.

Spending some time with a professional installer (one who sells the install, not someone who just sells products) is an excellent idea. Map it all out first, then get opinions, then buy the materials.

Lesson 4: How to undo trim clips.

You will learn how to undo clips only after breaking the majority of the clips in your car. This is unfortunate, but it will happen. I have one panel trim left on my car with clips intact. It was the last one I did.

Lesson 5: Use your head unit first.

I hate my head unit.

It does stupid things with my iPod and is really slow to load CDs. The sound is amazing and I got it on special, but I shouldn't have.

Go to a shop and play with the head unit BEFORE you buy it. Buy it online if you want, but play with it at a shop first. Or find a friend that has one. And google the model before you commit.

Lesson 6: There will be blood.

I have used a jig saw, stanley knife, screwdrivers, hole saws, all manner of sharp tools.... I got a paper cut that will scar.

Whereever you can, use gloves or take precautions. It's not cool to have blood stains on your upholstery.

Lesson 7: Electricity is scary.

Although many may disagree, I like to let the professionals handle things to do with electricty. Wire to battery, wires to ground, etc, I would recommend getting someone who knows what they're doing to do it.

If you've done it before and feel confident, go for it. I just didn't want to break the electrics, the wires or myself.

Lesson 8: Installation hours are less than the hours you would spend.

A qualified stereo installer will do in 2 hours what will take you 8 hours.

They have the tools, the experience and the random bits and pieces that make it easy. For some stuff, it's not a bad idea to get a professional to help out.

(At this point, I have to send a shout out to Marty and Dan at FHRX in Caringbah, Sydney for awesome work and advice!)

Lesson 9: Do it properly.

Don't let your wife/girlfriend/mother nag you into getting the job finished as quickly as possible. Take your time and do it properly. Cable tie everything, make it all pretty, make it last. If you have to do it again, it will kill you.

Besides, if the install is done properly, replacing components will be much easier if you decide to upgrade.

Lesson 10: You can't use too much Dynamat.

The difference in sound between using and not using Dynamat is astounding. You should use as much as you can. Where ever you can.

However, if you're on a budget, use a bit less and just do as much as you can afford. Just don't miss this step out altogether. It's VERY necessary.

Also, factor in the cost of Dynamat when you factor in the cost of the whole system.

Ignore anyone who doesn't agree that some Dynamat is better than none.


... And that's my top ten lessons learned. I hope that helps out someone out there. I wish I had know this stuff beforehand.

[~Spyne~]

great post, i particularly agree with the following;

SleeperSaab, on 03 December 2010 - 11:45 AM, said:

Lesson 1: Research first.Ask first, then buy. Ask first, then do. Best rule of thumb.

SleeperSaab, on 03 December 2010 - 11:45 AM, said:

Lesson 3: Planning.Spending some time with a professional installer (one who sells the install, not someone who just sells products) is an excellent idea. Map it all out first, then get opinions, then buy the materials.

This is, along with the point above, are probably the two best peices of advice. Research and plan. I'd often go to my installer with a full line diagram showing the system layout and how i wanted wires ran in the car, detailed instructions on how i wanted speakers installed, etc. If you can build up a good relationship with your installer first, they GREATLY appreciate the effort you go to to prevent them from guessing how you want things done.

SleeperSaab, on 03 December 2010 - 11:45 AM, said:

Lesson 4: How to undo trim clips.You will learn how to undo clips only after breaking the majority of the clips in your car. This is unfortunate, but it will happen. I have one panel trim left on my car with clips intact. It was the last one I did.

It is simply inevitable.

SleeperSaab, on 03 December 2010 - 11:45 AM, said:

Lesson 7: Electricity is scary.Although many may disagree, I like to let the professionals handle things to do with electricty. Wire to battery, wires to ground, etc, I would recommend getting someone who knows what they're doing to do it.If you've done it before and feel confident, go for it. I just didn't want to break the electrics, the wires or myself.

This i strongly agree with. Electricity has always 'concerned' me. Even though I have a physics degree, so do understand it, I don't like playing with it.
It's very easy to make a misstake if your mind is rushed or thinking about another part of the install.

SleeperSaab, on 03 December 2010 - 11:45 AM, said:

Lesson 10: You can't use too much Dynamat. ...You should use as much as you can. Where ever you can.

This i don't entirely agree with. Yes Dynamat has its place, and it DOES make an audible difference, but it IS costly and if you're using it for the wrong thing (it is not a sound 'blocker') or you start using too much, ~25-40% coverage on a panel, then you are just throwing money away.

[SleeperSaab]

~Spyne~, on 03 December 2010 - 12:16 PM, said:

Yes Dynamat has its place, and it DOES make an audible difference, but it IS costly and if you're using it for the wrong thing (it is not a sound 'blocker') or you start using too much, ~25-40% coverage on a panel, then you are just throwing money away.

I agree.

I guess the point I'm trying to get across here is that it's easy to over look this part and it's not often mentioned to people who haven't installed before. You always hear about subs, amps and head units, but never "You should see the awesome dynamat I put in my car..."

The reason I raised this point is that it can come across as something that only hardcore audiophiles would use. I have used about 5 sheets for the whole car (mostly boot area) and could have used a lot more. You don't want to spend more on the Dynamat than on the sysytem, though.

The key take away from this point is: Some Dynamat is better than none.

And it doesn't have to be Dynamat, but it's the best for price and availability.


Thanks for your comments, Spyne.

[shiny_car]

As above, excellent post.

Like most here, I started out without knowing anything about car audio. It was a steep learning curve. I might be a fast learner, but I too went through similar steps to reach the level I am currently at - and I'm still learning!



PS: will sticky this post!

[Pulse-R]

+1 on the sticky.

I think there's about 1/2 a cup of blood in my car somewhere.. mostly around the back of the dash IIRC.

[Deadeye]

I wish i saw this thread 3 years ago... +1

[Big_Valven]

Great thread. And extremely sticky worthy!

Over time people lose their fear of electricity. Especially 12v. I have made WAY too many bad things happen with 12v to be scared of it anymore.

Fantastic work, I see you being an asset to MEA already!

[arzzeee1]

~Spyne~, on 03 December 2010 - 12:16 PM, said:

great post, i particularly agree with the following;






This is, along with the point above, are probably the two best peices of advice. Research and plan. I'd often go to my installer with a full line diagram showing the system layout and how i wanted wires ran in the car, detailed instructions on how i wanted speakers installed, etc. If you can build up a good relationship with your installer first, they GREATLY appreciate the effort you go to to prevent them from guessing how you want things done.




It is simply inevitable.




This i strongly agree with. Electricity has always 'concerned' me. Even though I have a physics degree, so do understand it, I don't like playing with it.
It's very easy to make a misstake if your mind is rushed or thinking about another part of the install.





This i don't entirely agree with. Yes Dynamat has its place, and it DOES make an audible difference, but it IS costly and if you're using it for the wrong thing (it is not a sound 'blocker') or you start using too much, ~25-40% coverage on a panel, then you are just throwing money away.

iagree with this as my friend was helpin me for free and hes like a professional and done it to atleast 50 cars and these were the top pointers he said that i had to watch out for and live by when installing systems.

[SleeperSaab]

I just wanted to add to this a little and make another comment which I have learned.

When buying the equipment for your first install, you should prioritise the equipment in the order that you would install it.

1. Wiring - if you buy good wiring, you will never have to change it again. Spending a little bit extra on the wiring means that you can avoid having to take the whole car apart again to change the RCAs because of the whiney noise. Also, if you have decent power cables/speaker wire running through the car, you can always change the amps and speakers later to get a better system, but if you skimp on the wiring in the first place it may mean the extra money you spend on speakers/amps will be wasted.

2. Sound Deadening (like Dynamat) - I can't emphasise how important this is to any sound system set up. Also, how crap it is when you decide you need to put more in after you've finished the install. I had to remove my sub box, disconnect my amp (which means also disconnecting the battery), take the amp rack off, remove the carpet and trims... just to put on the Dynamat I didn't have time to do initially. Then when I'd put it on, I had to replace the trims, replace the carpet, replace the amp rack, wonder how the hell the amp was connected in the first place, reconnect the amp with fingers crossed, replace the sub box, reconnect the battery and hope for the best. In short, just put the Dynamat in first.

3. Speakers - If you put the speakers in next, you can connect them to your current head unit to test they work okay. Also make sure you have enough wire that you can pull them out again if you need to. I include the crossovers with the speakers.

4. Head Unit - From here you can connnect everything up to the new head unit (if you're going to replace your old one). Also if you get any other equipment like EQs you do them here as well.

5. Amps - once the amps are in you can connect it all up knowing that the head unit and speakers all work. If they don't, you've connected the amp wrong.

So, think of the expense in the same way as install order. For example, let's say I had $5000 to spend on a system (just to pull a number out of the air) - do it in the same order...

1. Wiring - $250 (for example), leaving $4750
2. Dynamat - $500 (for example), leaving $4250
3. Speakers - $1250 (eg), leaving $3000
4. Head Unit - $2000 (eg), leaving $1000

So, now you have $1000 left to buy the amps. If that's not enough, maybe spend less on the head unit, or speakers.

Unfortunately, most people would say - $5000 - that's $2000 for amps, $1500 for the head unit and $1500 for the speakers. DONE!

But, that's not a great idea..... (note that I've just made up stupid numbers to give you an idea, I'm just making a point, not giving cost ideas...)

[ardenteagle]

The single biggest lesson I learnt was all about the install.<div>I'm in small business so I tried to give another local small business a go and got absolutely burnt on the install, its an old thread in the install section.

Some people on the forum are familiar with it.......................If the job is going to be a little bit more than your average install please ask to see some of the installers previous work or you may end up with VERY dodgy wiring and the speakers aimed at your groin like I did with my 3 way active install and end up paying again for someone to do it properly!



LESSON LEARNED

As a counter balance though I've received some VERY valuable advise on this forum over the time I've been a member here. Which has helped me a great deal and saved me a lot of wrong turns in finding what is right for me. For this I am very grateful!!

Edited by ardenteagle, 30 December 2010 - 09:46 AM.

[xMplar]

biggest lesson learnet not on just my first install but on a few recently things arent always as they seem and sumtimes while your not looking the so called pros go an stick a knife in your kidneys and well thats j

ust not nice i beleive everyone deserves one chance to do the right thing from scratch if you bugger it from there on your head be it but dont try and deny wat is staring you blindly in the face saying (in a kit voice f

rom knight rider ) this system design dont work you need to start again

next time i hear that i will be listening

ohh and swapping trade work for audio gear is nevcer a good idea ie dont do sumones aircond install for a stereo install it will only end in tears

[xMplar]

i also agree this is a sticky worthy peice the OP i mena but one thing to add always and i mean always get invoices receipts etc etc on paper and make sure the entire deal your entering is all written down and

signed by all parties then there is no chance of getting screwd in the vennacular or litterlly and when you get the paperwork make copies as they maybe need for the lawyers later (just joking abpout that one but maybe not in a few cases we all know and love)

[ubernoob]

I'm going to add a stupid tip, if you are soldering in the car wind down the window and pass the iron through the door, that way if the wind blows your door shut it doesn't cut the lead and short out on your sill.

[Sorin-Andrei]

Or get portable butane soldering iron..

[MattKeaton]

I think the sound baffle measure (whether it be the proprietary product you mention or another one) is well worth mentioning. When I had my install done, the salesman was happy to upsell anything and everything else, but didn't say two words about Dynamat... And now the sound quality suffers big time. With this particular car, you could have $15,000 worth of gear in there and it would be useless without some sort of product in the doors. May seem logical to most, but since I had done something similar before without a hitch it didn't occur to me how necessary it was.