Installing Mcintosh Amp in a 308

Hi guys,

Who here has put in a high end amp in their 308? My Mcintosh draws 5 amps to 20 amps at peak power. Will the stock 308 electrical system handle of this?

Where is the best place to mount this?

I was thinking in the spare tire well with some custom fabrication?

Any pics of amp installation would greatly be appreciated.

Thank you

Paul

 

Paul,

Forget the stock fuse block, if it was me i'd run a fused near the battery 8 guage wire to the amplifier and ground at the main car's grounding (by driver side front bonnet in front of the tire). Mounting the amplifier on a custom mount in the spare tire well is probably best. This way the power and ground wires are short.

 

My 308qv has a high end Kenwood amp (by PO)- it is installed behind the seats (centered- between) if you give me your email address, I'll send you a picture of it. It is flat so the top still fits back there. (GTS)- I plan to wire it to my fuse block- I added an extra fuse holder just for the power amp.
I think it is wired directly off the battery with an inline fuse. If I decide to keep it, I will probably move it to the area behind the passenger floor mat. I've only had the car 6 weeks, so I'm busy fixing and updating things right now- just finished a new fuse block (NAPA style) , replaced a broken drivers door edge lamp, wrong steering wheel etc.
Steve

 

Here you go. I grabbed this pic of my installation from the old thread at
http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/251280/222525.html
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Hi Paul,
I installed a McIntosh head unit
& mounted an Alpine amp behind the passenger seat.
But then I have a GTB.
As suggested, run a fused source from the battery and you should be fine.

Good Luck!

 

Thank you Steven,

That was my thinking as well.

Paul

 

Thank you Mike as always. great looking fabrication too!

Paul

 

I'd like to add that the 20 amp current draw will not be a problem for the stock alt. Make sure you fuse it at the battery

 

Hi Dave.


Thank you for the help as well.

I had the haltech computer behind me on the carpeted bulkhead and it was always in the way with the top off so I moved it to the rear trunk.

I cannot wait to hear the sound of this Mcintosh in the small confines of a 308. Not a big amp but .005 THD @ rated power of 100 watts x 4.

Paul

 

Do you have a subwoofer installed already?

 

I have an 4CH 850 watt amp in my 308 up front like Charness'. It takes a 1 guage wire, though. It's bigger then a garden hose.

 

not yet mike. Basically a good head unit and 6.5 inch door speakers sor far.

Need to do
1. Install Mcintosh amp
2.. Subwoofer I like your sub install! Awesome!
3. Rear speakers ( put in some shelve type cheapo speakers to do me until i found something better.

any ideas on rear speakers?

Thanks Mike

 

wow 1 gauge wire!

4 gauge wont work?

pics?

Thanks Dr. T

Paul

 

As an audiophile and ex-car audio installer and IASCA sound quality judge, i feel 8 gauge is fine for a single amplifier that needs a fuse up to 40, perhaps even 50 Amperes. Odds are the McIntosh needs only 40A max, but keep in mind it is a solid-state amplifier so will probably only need 5 to 20 Amperes MAX during normal to loud use on a standard pair of speakers (read: you are doing a std 4 Ohm load and not going down to 2 Ohms or less so current won't be at a high need per se). Besides, the protection fuse by the battery will blow first anyway and 8 gauge is fine.

If you are really anal, use fire resistant loom over the wire and tie it closed every 2 inches or so. See pic of my race, lightweight Enersys battery install below.

Hmm... i sounded very Electrical Engineer geeky there huh? DAMN!
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Strange. I've got 2 amps, 1 mounted behind each seat and have never found them in the way of the top at all.

Now I'm considering moving my haltech and MSD box out of the rear trunk into the passenger compartment with the amps...I'm having some kind of heat-soak problem the best I can tell.

 

There is also space behind the passenger footwell. My '82 had the amp mounted there and it did well. My '85 has the crossovers and other stuff there now.

 

Hi Steve, I can be a lil anal! It can be a great trait Although my wife certainly does not think so!

i love your install and info. I figured 8 gauge should be plenty. The Mcintosh MC 431 draws 20 amps @ peak power.

I will keep you posted. The amp is too big to fit in the spare tire!

Thanks guys,

Paul

 

Thanks for the tip Dave.

Paul

 

Mark,

Why is that strange? My haltech was mounted on the Firewall and was getting hit everytime the top was off.

I assume your mounting your amps on the floor?

pics?

Thanks

 

Don't mean to hijact, just have a quick question. I have some car audio stuff I'd like to sell, is there a market place around here?

 

There's FerrariAds.com, but you have to be a subscriber here at FerrariChat to post there. Otherwise, there's always eBay...

 

I just meant strange that we're doing the same things, but exactly the opposite.

My amps are right on the rear firewall. I positioned them so they sit centered side to side in the head area of the roof when it's behind the seat and it doesn't touch anything. I've never had a problem with the roof hitting them...I put the roof in so the outside faces the seats, maybe that's the difference?

 

I see your point Mark. I have had no issues with heat with the Haltech mounted in the left corner of the trunk. (yet) Although my car does not get exercised as much as yours perhaps?

This Mcintosh amp is a monster. No way it could work on the firewall. Hers a pic.

Thanks and happy Boost!
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Here is where I mounted my amp in the GTB.
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Depending on the size of the amp, see if it will fit underneath the passenger seat, I placed my amp underneath the passenger seat. I also had a custom enclosure made for the subwoofer in the passenger side footwell. The woofer did take up a bit of space, but I hardly have a passenger anyway.