Video: Amplifier Wiring Kits
Good amplifier wiring is an essential part in making your amplifier — and your music — sound its best. In this video, we describe what you can expect in a wiring kit and what else you'll need for a basic amplifier installation. We'll also tell you about how Crutchfield helps you budget your system.
When you add an amplifier to your car audio system the wiring plays an integral part in how well the amp performs; and since amplifiers don't come with any wiring it helps to know a little about the topic. Your amp depends on a steady supply of power to operate at its peak.
If you use wiring that's too thin you'll starve the amp of the power it needs to do its work. That's why kits are available with different sizes of power and ground wire. More powerful amplifiers require larger wires.
Amp wiring kits typically contain a power wire, a ground wire, an amp turn-on wire, a fuse and a fuse holder, and assorted hardware for the installation. Some kits include an RCA patch cable for getting the audio signal from the stereo to your amp.
Kits are also available without a patch cable in case you don't need it, like when you're connecting the amp to a factory stereo. I should also mention that most amp wiring kits don't include speaker wire, so you'll need to purchase that separately.
A wiring kit and some speaker wire are usually all you'll need for a typical amplifier set up, but if you're installing two amplifiers, get a multi-amp wiring kit. It'll have everything you need except for the speaker wire. One of the key things you need in a multi-amp set up is a distribution block for the power wire.
A distribution block lets you run a single power cable from your battery to the block then branch out from there with a separate wire to each amp. This is much easier than trying to run two separate wires through the car and into the engine compartment.
When you purchase your amplifier and wiring kit from Crutchfield, if the amp is priced $250.00 or more, we'll cover half the cost of the wiring kit. We do this for a number of reasons besides just helping you save money. One reason is that we want to help you get what you need for a proper installation, but another reason is that we really want to help you budget for a bigger, more powerful amplifier. That's because in the end, the extra power will make your music sound even better.
Additionally, some of the amplifier brands we carry offer an extra year on the amp's warranty if you buy the same-brand wiring kit. This offer will be displayed on the qualifying amplifiers.
To learn more about installing an amplifier, watch our amplifier installation video at crutchfield.com/ampvideo. If you have any questions, call us at 1-800-555-9408.
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