Car Audio and Subs

[RedSN]

Audio gurus please school me.
Mods please move if wrong forums.

I know about as much about car audio as I do about quantum physics. I know it exists and only have a rudimentary understanding of how it works.

So I have this collection of parts and need some help sorting it out. The Mustang currently has a system in it (came with it), the Frontier does not have a system, and I need to clear the extra system parts off my parts shelf. So please direct me what I need and what I should swap (if anything). Goal is to make room on my storage shelf and not spend any money, LOL. I also rarely (never) listen to music in the Mustang.

Mustang:
Pioneer DEH-P3100UB head unit https://www.crutchfield.ca/S-wSy8M5I...g&awug=9000829
Kenwood KAC-729S amp. https://www.crutchfield.com/S-bkQJLC...-KAC-729S.html
Kenwood KFC-W3003 12” sub. https://www.crutchfield.com/S-wHCtkt...KFC-W3003.html
OEM (?) speakers.

Frontier:
OEM head unit (no pre-amp outs)
OEM rear speakers and dash tweeters
Infiniti Reference 6x9 front speakers. https://www.crutchfield.ca/S-7rD5SAA...ce-9633cf.html

On the Shelf:
Alpine MRP-F200 amp. https://www.crutchfield.com/S-eocoAl...-MRP-F200.html
Sony XS-L101P5 10” sub. https://www.crutchfield.com/S-xFO11m...XS-L101P5.html

[RedSN]

For the Frontier, I was thinking I could run a power line to one of the amps, use the speaker wire line in, build a box, and plug in one of the subs.

With the Alpine amp, would I then be able to power some better rear door speakers in addition to the sub?

[Rino]

Sounds good,just run the Kenwwod amp "bridged"( it's marked on the amp) single channel,to get the full power,if the sub can handle it.

[True Blue]

To do this setup a la cheap... If you don't listen to music in the Stang, pull out the amp and sub get rid of the extra unneeded weight. Remove the amp's wiring kit and re-use it in the Frontier. Tap the rear speaker wires at the back of the deck, run wires to the level inputs on the Kenwood amp. Use the 10" sub, smaller enclosure footprint, hook it up in bridge mode. Done...
Keep the rear OEM speakers as is. Don't bother upgrading or adding more juice especially in a small cabin, wont be noticeable.

Sell the Alpine Amp and 12" sub.

[RedSN]

Thanks for the opinions and advice Reno and TB.

All the google advice I was finding involved installing a line-out-converter. But if I understand correctly now, both these amps have a built-in converter if I use the speaker wire inputs.

So I lighten up the Mustang, add bass to the Frontier, and make a few bucks in the process.


...any tips or links to building a box?
Was thinking something like this https://www.thesubboxshop.com/Nissan...ab05single.htm

[True Blue]

Yes, both amps have speaker level inputs, no need for a line out converter.

Do you have any room behind the rear seats to fit a wedge style enclosure?

[SlipperyVic]

What are your overall audio goals for the Frontier? What types of music do you listen to, and what kind of volumes?

How much space are you willing to sacrifice for a box?

How much labour are you willing to put into this project?

[RedSN]

Don’t really have a goal. Basically just trying to utilize and make the best of the bits and pieces I already have so I can clear off my shelf and sell the rest.
Listen to mostly old rock, 90’s alt., and some trip-hop.
Don’t want to sacrifice too much space as it’s at a premium in a king cab, but I don’t mind losing one of the jump-seats.
Willing to put in some labour building a good looking and good sounding box. But since I’ve never designed or built one, looking for some tutorials.

[True Blue]

Don, I've used this site to help me calculate and build various enclosures over the years. You'll need to get the sub's specs, for the correct tuning and enclosure size.

[SlipperyVic]

Don’t really have a goal. Basically just trying to utilize and make the best of the bits and pieces I already have so I can clear off my shelf and sell the rest.
Listen to mostly old rock, 90’s alt., and some trip-hop.
Don’t want to sacrifice too much space as it’s at a premium in a king cab, but I don’t mind losing one of the jump-seats.
Willing to put in some labour building a good looking and good sounding box. But since I’ve never designed or built one, looking for some tutorials.

If you are content with the features of the Frontier's head unit then I would do the following with what you have

Take the Kenwood amp from the Mustang and use the 10" Sony sub in a sealed box. The Sony requires a much smaller volume sealed box, so generally speaking easier to install.
Also install the Alpine amp and run it bridged into the Infinity 6x9's. I would take the feed for the sub from the rear channels and the feed for the 6x9's from the front channels. This way you can have some control over the level of the sub in relation to the front stage.

I wouldn't run rear fill speakers at all. It throws off the sound stage. I know it sounds odd, but when done properly having a front stage only provides a much richer, complete sound. Also, make sure the 6x9's are installed properly. That means solid base, and having the back of the speaker as isolated as possible from the front of the speaker. Also having some sort of a seal between the front of the speaker and the back of the door panel makes a massive difference in performance.

Installation is 75% of the end product in car audio.

Building a sealed sub box is very simple, and are much more tolerant to being a bit off of premium size as compared with a vented box. A vented box is also much larger in size. The two main things that need to be kept in mind about a sealed box is that it needs to be sturdy, and all the seams tight and sealed.

Your Sony requires a 0.75 cubic foot box according to Crutchfield. There are lots of websites and online calculators to help work out box details.

Check out www.diymobileaudio.com It's the sister site to the one @True Blue linked, but it is dedicated to car audio rather than home audio. Lots of information on there from the very basic, to the very advanced. There are some threads stickied at the top of most of the forums that outline the basics and lead from there.

If you want to change out the head unit in the Frontier I have one that's collecting dust on my shelf that is a couple steps up the line from the Pioneer that you have in the Mustang that I would be happy to donate to the cause. I should have thrown it out long ago, but it still works.. you know how that goes.