Need to rethink stereo upgrades
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 771
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati
My elf has been sent back twice. They guy sent me a new each time. I have polk 6.5" marine grade and love em and the sound quality is very clear at high volumes. My head unit is a Kenwood kiv700 and its awesome.
Thread Starter
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
I think I'm going to try this first.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 512
Likes: 6
From: Minnesota
Bought one of the Elf amps from ebay, it didn't come with any wiring. So I'm assuming I have to get a good power cable to battery, and a good ground close, the shorter the better. How should I connect input wires from stock head unit? Not sure if there are RCA plugs on unit or if I should solder some on. Or should I find the plug that fits the 5 pin input plug on the amp? Any help would be great.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 638
Likes: 132
You will need about 8 ft of 8 or 10 gauge wire for your power and ground.
You need to put an inline fuse in, at least the same amps as the fuse in your amp.
The inline fuse should be close to the battery, no more than 18 inches.
The ground should also be short, ground to your triple tree, you'll see two other wires grounded there.
As far as your speaker wires go, cut your existing speaker wires as close to the amp as you can. The wires from the stereo should go to your input, the other side should go to your output.
Hope this helps.
Bob
You need to put an inline fuse in, at least the same amps as the fuse in your amp.
The inline fuse should be close to the battery, no more than 18 inches.
The ground should also be short, ground to your triple tree, you'll see two other wires grounded there.
As far as your speaker wires go, cut your existing speaker wires as close to the amp as you can. The wires from the stereo should go to your input, the other side should go to your output.
Hope this helps.
Bob
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 512
Likes: 6
From: Minnesota
Thanks Bob, When you say cut the speaker wires close to the amp do you mean close to the HK head unit? I guess I need to find a female plug for the speakers that mates with the speaker input on the amp. One more question, do I need to run a separate ground from the amp input? It has a right +,- and a left +,- and a ground.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,449
Likes: 46
From: Roswell, GA
This is Elf's owner's manual for the amp:
http://www.elfaudio.com/images/support/mtAmpManual.pdf
You can also go to Arc's website for the 125.2 amp's installation instructions which are a bit more specific.
Most of the amps that supply speaker harnesses don't cut the OEM speaker wiring (HK head unit to speakers). Instead, they include wiring from the amp's inputs to the OEM speaker connectors that are removed from the speaker and connected to male spade connectors to provide the amp's inputs. And wiring from the amp's outputs to the speakers with female spade connectors to attach to the speakers + and - terminals.
The ground wire included with the speaker wire inputs can go to the same ground as the amp's main ground wire; the ground stud on the triple tree is good and easily accessed by removing the fairing cap.
Good luck with your installation.
Carl
http://www.elfaudio.com/images/support/mtAmpManual.pdf
You can also go to Arc's website for the 125.2 amp's installation instructions which are a bit more specific.
Most of the amps that supply speaker harnesses don't cut the OEM speaker wiring (HK head unit to speakers). Instead, they include wiring from the amp's inputs to the OEM speaker connectors that are removed from the speaker and connected to male spade connectors to provide the amp's inputs. And wiring from the amp's outputs to the speakers with female spade connectors to attach to the speakers + and - terminals.
The ground wire included with the speaker wire inputs can go to the same ground as the amp's main ground wire; the ground stud on the triple tree is good and easily accessed by removing the fairing cap.
Good luck with your installation.
Carl
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 638
Likes: 132
Brick, it's probably best to follow the owners manual for your amp.
The way I described is the way I did mine.
I meant close the the amp. That way you can pull a little slack and put your connectors on the speaker wire coming from the HK and the wires coming from your speakers without having to use new speaker wire.
I would listen to the stereo gurus on this site. With a little research you can figure out who they are.
The way I described is the way I did mine.
I meant close the the amp. That way you can pull a little slack and put your connectors on the speaker wire coming from the HK and the wires coming from your speakers without having to use new speaker wire.
I would listen to the stereo gurus on this site. With a little research you can figure out who they are.