OK so I finally carved out a few hours from my ridiculous schedule to work on my system. Got the following done over the weekend:

1. New run of 4-gauge from battery to trunk
2. New RCA's from HU to trunk (two sets, Rockford Fosgate twisted-pair)
3. Ran speaker wire from trunk to doors
4. Two new 4-gauge ground wires on a new grounding point for the two amps

Hooked it all up, got some crazy alternator whine. Did the RCA-grounding trick (Pioneer FTL) but now the front amp won't play anything, and the sub amp keeps going into protect. Gotta do some more troubleshooting. When the car was off, though, it sounded bloody insane, and I don't even have the horns in yet...

I gotta get this wiring problem fixed first though. It's pissin' me off. I've never had so many wiring-related issues / noise issues in any of my installs EVER.

(and before you ask, power wire ran down drivers' side, RCA's under passenger seat and speaker wires down right side)

Sorry, no pics...was lazy. (and it's not pretty right now...function before form...once it's working, then I'll pretty it up and take pix)

To troubleshoot the amp issues I've got I removed the RCA grounds, and the front amp is playing again (with the alternator whine) but the sub amp is still going into protect after a few seconds (with a huge pop). I hope I haven't blown the sub amp... At any rate, it seems that the sub amp only goes into protect when the car is: On -or- when the car is OFF, but the volume is adjusted to a 'healthy' level.

I REEEEALLY want to avoid introducing any type of filter into my system, so a ground-loop isolator is out of the question (for now). Properly wired, there should be no noise in any system. I've done MANY installs in the past, and had noise issues with a couple, but they were just bad grounds. This one, however is VERY different. I'm thinking I might have to run a battery ground to the trunk. That's gonna suck if I have to do it, but might be my only recourse.

I should mention that my HU is grounded to the dash frame, not the ground in the stock wiring harness. Time to break out the iPod and see where this ground loop is coming from...noise issues **** me right the hell off.

If anyone's got any suggestions, that would be great.

 

I was having a ques for my mitsubishi spyder audio system upgrade. I am having all my factory audio system installed and i want to kick a upgrade. I think, i am not willing to put a sub as i am not able to find the right spot to put it. I am tryin to find some speakers which gives very well bass plus clarity. I am not very good on audio components. Please guide me what speaker selection i should go for.