Amp installation?

[slackerinabox]

I just got a new US Acoustics 85Wx4 amp and headed over to bestbuy to get it installed... The rep there (a seemingly nice guy) said that the amp was basically overkill for my small car (a 2002 elantra) and proceeding to give me a quote in the $300 range (for the wiring and installation).. I mentioned that circuit city (who was booked that day) charged only $65 plus around $100 in wires and he replied that they use inferior wires that would shorten the life of my car .. Any truth to this? I just called crutchfield and order $65 worth of wires and plan on getting a $65 installation - am I missing something though? Also, he tried to get me to buy a capacitor and pretty much said that I'd be screwing up my alternator if I didn't get one - is that true??

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
I just got a new US Acoustics 85Wx4 amp and headed over to bestbuy to get it installed... The rep there (a seemingly nice guy) said that the amp was basically overkill for my small car (a 2002 elantra) and proceeding to give me a quote in the $300 range (for the wiring and installation).. I mentioned that circuit city (who was booked that day) charged only $65 plus around $100 in wires and he replied that they use inferior wires that would shorten the life of my car .. Any truth to this? I just called crutchfield and order $65 worth of wires and plan on getting a $65 installation - am I missing something though? Also, he tried to get me to buy a capacitor and pretty much said that I'd be screwing up my alternator if I didn't get one - is that true??

100 bucks for wire ?
they must be smoking crack 300 for Amp installation. Purchase all the necessary wires and such yourself and take it to circuit city and get it done for 65.
Are you gonna be running a sub ? You don't really need the Capacitor. If you do plan on adding a sub, depending on the setup you should consider it.

 

[slackerinabox]

100 bucks for wire ?
they must be smoking crack 300 for Amp installation. Purchase all the necessary wires and such yourself and take it to circuit city and get it done for 65.
Are you gonna be running a sub ? You don't really need the Capacitor. If you do plan on adding a sub, depending on the setup you should consider it.

$100 would be fine -$200 is insane.. I actually do have a mono amp/sub in the back but the thing is so weak (part of a $200 mtx "power pack") that I thought a capacitor would be over kill.. I will think about it though.. The rep seemed to make a big fuss about the fuse that I had in there though.. I still didn't understand what he meant..

 

[slackerinabox]

BTW, the funniest part of the installation was his quote for RCA cables - $25 a piece x 2! I've had $40 dvd players that came with free RCAs - can't believe that they're charging $50 for $3 worth of cables..

 

[Shockwave]

Caps are, IMO, a complete waste of money. And an amp that small for DAMNED sure wouldnt need one.
Wire is wire. As long as the gauge is sufficient for the amperage, you'll be fine. Go to Radio Shack and something and get the regular cheap-o wire.
I used knukonceptz. Excellent wire, excellent price.

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They also come very. very highly recommended, not only from me but from alot of other happy customers. And if they dont have everything you need (The accessories is kinda thin) then I go to ampman.com and get the rest of the stuff. Ampman is a Stinger rep and has the entire Stinger line from what I can tell, but its a tad more expensive then knukonceptz.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
BTW, the funniest part of the installation was his quote for RCA cables - $25 a piece x 2! I've had $40 dvd players that came with free RCAs - can't believe that they're charging $50 for $3 worth of cables..

If you go to circuit city. They have Amp Kits made by Lightning audio, I think it has all the necessary cables and such including the RCA cables, it was like 65-80 bucks for it.
If not, you can check out like PC Richards or even other Large Electronic stores and they sell kits, I dont think it includes one of those Fuse block type of things that goes on the battery. ( forgot what it's called )