Worry-free Wiring!
An audio system in a car will draw quite a lot of current from the vehicle’s electrical system. There is a direct correlation between current, voltage and heat and this alone puts DIY installation out of reach for most!
You may have noticed as you read through the features in Driving Sounds that we don't like to burden the reader with too much technical information. However, in order to explain some of the highly complex issues surrounding good audio install it is sometimes unavoidable. As a general rule, if you do not know how electricity works, you should not go near it! It can be dangerous stuff.
An audio system can require a lot of power in order to run. As we are pretty much stuck with 12 Volt systems in our cars, to increase the power available we have to draw more current, which means we have to use power cables that can handle it. The thickness of wire used to connect things together is determined by the amount of current and voltage it has to handle therefore, more current means larger cables!
A FOUR MASTER lives with such calculations every day and is able to quickly assess the power requirements of the equipment he installs. This is just as well as if the cable selected is too small then it will quickly begin to heat up when it’s maximum power capability is exceeded and it is not unknown for DIY audio installs to actually catch fire due to guesswork, ignorance or poor installation. It is also vital that when running a power cable it’s external protective covering is capable of resisting any chaffing or friction wear. After all, your vehicle when on the move will be transmitting all sorts of vibrations through the vehicle and it’s components. Where wires are run through a hole in a bulkhead, a grommet of the correct size must be used to avoid wear and eventual short circuit, which once again can cause fire damage. Grommets should also be sealed against water ingress.
But it is not only power wires that require the knowledge and skill of a FOUR MASTER to select and install. Signal cables, although not as dangerous, are affected by the same science as power cables. Any loss in long runs of cables can distort sound and affect the signals coming from amplifiers for instance. Furthermore, the car audio environment, or any 12V installation, is complex and requires deep knowledge of its operating conditions. Vibration, dust, extreme heat, humidity and chemical substances can all physically damage interconnecting cables.
The biggest challenge however, is the elimination of electrical disturbances and electro-magnetic fields created by modern electronics found in today's vehicles. This radiated noise can infiltrate and affect the performance of some cable resulting in diminished system performance.
Connection is a range of cables and accessories available from all FOUR MASTERS. Everything in the range is manufactured to the highest standards and is designed for purpose. Far from assembling a bunch of strands of copper and twisting them together, Connection cables are complex with many strands twisted in groups and wound in differing ways in order to reduce cross talk and to help reject outside interference from other on-vehicle electrics. Connection power, signal and speaker wire is coated with a protective insulation which not only resists other electrical signals but also offers physical protection as well as being self-extinguishing in the event of a rare catastrophic failure.
Amplifiers installed into a vehicle require a separate, clean power feed. This is usually run directly from the battery to the amplifier via a suitable fuse or in the case of a multiple amp install, a number of fuses. Connection applies the same quality standards to the design of these as they do to cable. Experience and knowledge gained over years has led to a comprehensive range of connectors and fuse holders that ensure this is carried out in as safe a manner as possible. By providing professional installers with products which make their work safer, Connection has a vital part to play in the FOUR MASTERS strategy and it’s notoriety for supplying the best and safest products available has led it to become the nation’s longest serving and best loved cable and accessory brand.
Installers like Connection because it is easy to work with and you will like it because it delivers clean signals and pure power to the equipment it connects to ensuring you get the very best performance possible.
Find out what our partner, The FOUR MASTER Network, can do to bring Hi-Fi quality to your car. Simply put some brief details into the form below.
Not ready for that yet? You can use the same form to book a demonstration at your home, place of work or with your local FOUR MASTER
