Upgrades, which first.

**Corvin** · 04-18-2005, 01:32 PM

I just got a 94 Explorer Limited. As far as I can tell everything in it is stock except the head unit, it's a Kenwood deck, can't recall the exact model number. The stock stereo was the "Premium" model with the factory sub in the rear cargo area.

I'm going to install a carputer in the near future. I've been reading lots and have learned a few things. I've got a bid in on a service manual for my truck so I'll be doing as much of the work as I can on my own.

Now, the question that I have is which should I upgrade first assuming that I can only afford one or the other right now. New speakers or install an amp? The kenwood HU puts out 4 x 50 watts. The factory sub/amp is in the back and sounds like it's still working and I'd like to keep that until I can afford to replace that as well.

And I already did

and

the manual on for the kenwood deck.

**lgbr** · 04-18-2005, 08:10 PM

Amplifier. You don't want to underpower any speakers.

**Mad Ad** · 04-18-2005, 08:33 PM

both - you dont want to blow up your puny stock speakers and that 50w a channel is only max power, youd be lucky if thats 20w rms

**mbuchman** · 04-18-2005, 10:16 PM

The way I look at it is you want to do whatever takes the most work first. Like when I get my next car, I will be doing wires and deadening first, along with the door and rear speakers (which will be a good $1,000 for the items listed above), and then when I can afford to put the amps, carputer, and head unit in, itll be plug and play.

So with that said, do the speakers first, because its the most work.

Matt

**WhiteRabbit** · 04-18-2005, 10:36 PM

the way I see it, I rank everything I could do to my car in how much benefit itll actually improve the fidelity of my sound. I'm sure in your own car, purchasing an EQ is pretty low on the list of things to do!

So if I were in your shoes, I would purchase speakers first.

**scott_fx** · 04-18-2005, 10:52 PM

speakers first, no questions about it.

**Corvin** · 04-19-2005, 10:48 AM

Ok, so I'm going to install new speakers shortly.

But that brings a new question, do I need to replace the wire from the HU to the speaker as well, or can I just reuse the existing wiring?

**Frankino** · 04-19-2005, 10:56 AM

mah, I noticed a big difference with the stock speakers, adding ad amplifier. forget your 50*4w, if you try to check the power drawn by your HU under load you'll probably see not more than 2 amps, roughly 25w. Obviusly you have to split these 25W for each channel... this speaks for all

**seanshine** · 04-19-2005, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Corvin

Ok, so I'm going to install new speakers shortly.

But that brings a new question, do I need to replace the wire from the HU to the speaker as well, or can I just reuse the existing wiring?

Depends on if you want to sell the vehicle sometime in the future.....if you run new speaker wires alongside your stock ones,it makes it easy to reinstall your stock speakers.
Hopefully,whoever installed the head unit used a harness adapter,so you could reinstall the stock radio as well.

**WhiteRabbit** · 04-19-2005, 11:43 AM

I wouldnt bother at this time adding new wiring. Despite what some people may say here, you can run a true 50 watt amplifier through your stock wiring. 50 watts to each corner just fine. In fact, shops do it all the time! faster to reuse stock wiring rather than rewire the vehicle from scratch.

do you plan to run a 100x4 amp in your car? Id probably think about rewiring the car. 50 watt four channel amp? youll be fine reusing your stock wiring.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooorrrr

feel free to rewire your car. but theres no point as long as you are running off deck power, for sure. When you buy your amplifier, and have to have the car torn apart anyways to run power wire and RCA cabling, THATS the time I would consider rewiring the car

why have your car apart twice if you dont need to?