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I got a new Kenwood deck with two 6.5" Rockford Fosgate for the doors, two tweeters and someRF for the rears. All my factory wiring is still present. I am thinking why should I use my factory wiring and sacrifice sound quality. The kid at Bestbuy said that my factory wiring is rated for at least 100 RMS, and my deck is rated at 22 RMS.
Opinions, questions, concerns?
Thanks guys!

 
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Its not about the fact that the factory wiring cant handle the power and provide clarity, its that the power and clarity aren't being supplied. It depends on the RMS rating of your speakers but odds are you're severely under powering them since the headunit puts out such little power. The only way to get more power to the speakers is through an amplifier. This will mean running all new speaker leads. So the power handling capabilities of the stock wiring is irrelevant.

 
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Let's put it this way, I have an Alpine PDX 4.100 bridged to a set of Boston Pro 6.5" components run off the stock wiring of a 94. (200 watts to each speaker)
Never once had it cut out due to the resistance of the wiring.

 
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You're pushing upwards of 200RMS through factory speaker wiring that's likely a mere 20-22GA wire? I am surprised you haven't melted the factory wiring by having them see (likely over) double the power it was meant to handle. You really should be using 14GA if you are in fact sending that much power to the speakers. Granted, I doubt you actually crank the volume up to levels to where the amp is really sending 200RMS with the music you're playing to the speakers. Given how dynamic music is and unless you are listening at ear bleeding levels, I could see your factory wiring handling the power, but I don't believe it to be the wisest choice. I'd honestly run new wire of no less than 16GA to the speakers from the amp.

But hey, it's your ride and ultimately your choice.

 
Rep Power: 195

I've been wiring high power stereos in my cars since the early 80's. I have run my own oxygen free 14 ga wire to the speakers and I have used stock wiring. Never has an issue with either.
I do have to say though if your car has 22 or 24 ga wire running your speakers you have bigger issues than I do. My stock wiring is 18 ga. which is standard lamp cord. It's more than adequate for the levels I am pushing.
And true, my gain is set below 50% and I rarely turn the volume over 60%, so I am not pushing an actual 200 watts.

 
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Never truly gauged the OEM wiring in any of my cars, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were 20GA wire. As of now, my car is a 92 Cutlass Ciera and I'm running a set of Pioneer TS-A6964R speakers in the back and Polk DXi350 up front powered off a Sony DSX-S200X using the factory wiring. Also got a 12" Polk MM1240D in a .75 downward firing sealed enclosure powered by an Alpine MRP-M501.

Only time I ran an amp for my full-range (thus far), I ran an ARC Audio KAR-400.4 and it was in an 94 Corsica (my second car). Wiring in it might have been 18GA, but with the amp mounted in the trunk it was easier to just run new wiring to the rear speakers a couple feet away and then new wiring all the way up to the kick panels up front. Amp had it's gains set for 50RMS to both the front and rear speakers using a dMM and test tones and given how I was with the volume ****, I'd imagine my speakers never saw more than 25RMS, which my OEM wiring would have easily carried. If i recall, the wire I used was 18GA Streetwires, which seemed larger then the OEM wire, but was probably just thicker insulation.

The Cutlass is my 3rd ride, but I hate it with a passion. I joined this forum to inquire about a Civic I have an interest in possibly acquiring, but now I'm way off topic, so I'll just shut up.

 
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Factory wiring will not sacrifice any quality that you'll be able to hear distinctively in a civic.
Focus on the source.

In other words:
Get an amp.

That way,
1. You'll have enough power to push the speakers to their full potential.
2. You'll have to wire the speakers to the amp, forcing you to replace the wires in the first place.

 
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Well guys I sold my Blue Civic that we were discussing above

I ended up buying another Civic! But this time a Coupe.
Both are DX 5-Speeds
Here's my new Civic.


Now I've got to take all the stock speakers out of it and cut the clips then wire in my speakers... It never ends...

 
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I think I threw up in my mouth a little.

 
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