Shopping list
Car Audio Build Shopping List
71 distinct parts across 6 builds. Updated .
How to use this
Find the build closest to what you are doing and work down its list. Every line is a link and every group carries its own subtotal, so you can see what each part of the system costs before committing to the whole thing. Nothing here is padding: if you buy a build's list, you can finish the install.
The one item on every list that people are tempted to skip is the main fuse and its holder. Do not. It goes within 18 inches of the battery positive terminal, it protects the wire rather than the equipment, and the cable between the battery and the fuse is the only unprotected part of the whole system.
A First Bass System, Done Properly
Read the full build, which explains what to skip and what to upgrade first. A complete first subwoofer system for a car with a factory head unit: one sealed 12, a monoblock, a line output converter and every wiring part needed to finish the job.
Bass
Under $200-
CT SoundsCT Sounds Tropo 12 D4
A dual 4 ohm 12, which wires to 2 ohms on its own and keeps the amplifier choice open.
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Q PowerQPower HD112 sealed 12
A sealed 12 box. Check its stated internal volume against what your driver manufacturer publishes before buying either one.
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Price varies Check price
Signal from a factory head unit
Under $50-
KICKERKicker 46KISLOC2
Converts speaker level to RCA and provides the remote turn-on signal, which is the half people forget.
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RECOILRecoil PCI217 2 channel, 17 ft
Seventeen feet of shielded twisted pair, run down the opposite side of the car from the power wire.
Power and protection
Under $100-
CT SoundsCT Sounds 4 gauge CCA kit
A 4 gauge kit with power, ground, remote and a fuse holder. Enough for an 800 watt class D amplifier on a normal run.
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BOJACKBOJACK ANL holder with 300A fuse
A spare ANL holder and fuse. Fit the main fuse within 18 inches of the battery positive terminal.
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SanukeSanuke 1/0 to 3/8 lugs, 10 pack
Proper crimped lugs. A twisted joint under a battery clamp is the first thing to fail.
Tools you will actually need
Under $100-
AstroAIAstroAI true RMS multimeter
True RMS, which is what lets you set the gain with a number instead of by ear.
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TresaltoTresalto trim removal set, 5 piece
Nylon pry tools, cheaper than one broken door card clip.
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Build budget
Under $40011 lines across 4 groups. 1 item returned no price from the catalog and is not included in this band, so the real total is higher.
Amazon shows the items and asks you to confirm before anything is added. Affiliate link.
Loud on a Budget: A Ported Bass Build
Read the full build, which explains what to skip and what to upgrade first. The cheapest route to genuinely loud bass: a ported 12, a 1,000 watt monoblock, a 1/0 gauge run and the big 3 upgrade that stops the lights dimming.
Bass
Under $300-
Skar AudioSkar Audio SDR-12 D4
A dual 4 ohm 12 with a 2.5 inch four layer coil and published response data.
Price varies Check price -
Q PowerQPower QBOMB12VL
A long running vented design. Check its stated internal volume against what your driver publishes.
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CT SoundsCT Sounds CT-1000.1D
A published 1,000 watt RMS monoblock rather than a peak figure, in a compact chassis.
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GS PowerGS Power 12 inch bar grille
A bar grille. Cheaper than replacing a cone someone put a foot through.
Signal
Under $100-
CT SoundsCT Sounds CT-LC2 with BassLift
Restores the low end that factory head units roll off as volume rises, which is why an amplified factory system sounds thin.
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EHOPHNAUniversal bass control knob
A remote level control, so the subwoofer can be trimmed per track rather than left at one setting.
Power, properly
Under $150-
CT SoundsCT Sounds 1/0 CCA kit
A 1/0 gauge kit. At 1,000 watts RMS the draw is around 87 amps, and 1/0 keeps the voltage drop low over a trunk run.
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Sky High Car AudioSky High E-Series big 3, CCA
The big 3 upgrade. This is the item that stops the lights dimming, and it costs less than a capacitor.
- BOJACK
BOJACK ANL holder with 250A fuse
A 250 amp ANL fuse and holder, fitted within 18 inches of the battery positive terminal.
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Tools
Under $100- AstroAI
AstroAI true RMS multimeter
True RMS, for setting the gain to a voltage rather than to an impression.
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IWISSiCrimp battery lug crimper
A ratcheting crimper for 8 through 1/0, with a cable shear built in.
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Build budget
Under $60014 lines across 4 groups. 1 item returned no price from the catalog and is not included in this band, so the real total is higher.
Amazon shows the items and asks you to confirm before anything is added. Affiliate link.
A Full System Rebuild: Doors, Subwoofer and One Amplifier
Read the full build, which explains what to skip and what to upgrade first. A complete system on a single five channel amplifier: component front stage, coaxial rears, a ported 12, deadened doors and one power run to do all of it.
Front stage
Under $200-
Rockford FosgateRockford Fosgate Prime R165-S
A component set with real external crossovers, which is where imaging comes from.
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KILMATKilmat 80 mil, 36 sq ft
Butyl damper for the doors. About 25 percent coverage on the outer skin does most of the work.
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SilessSiless Liner 4 mm, 36 sq ft
Closed cell foam at full coverage, to decouple the trim and seal the inner skin.
Rear fill
Under $100-
PIONEERPioneer TS-A1671F 6.5
Three way A series coaxials. Rear fill should support the front stage, not compete with it.
Bass
Under $100-
Skar AudioSkar Audio SVR-12 D4
A step up in motor and excursion from the entry drivers at the same coil configuration.
Price varies Check price -
Q PowerQPower HD112VL side ported
A side ported box, which packages into a trunk corner better than a front ported one.
Amplification and signal
Under $400-
CT SoundsCT Sounds CT-800.5D
A published 1,000 watt RMS across five channels, so the subwoofer channel is a real one.
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AudioControlAudioControl LC2i with AccuBASS
AccuBASS restores factory bass rolloff automatically, which is what makes a retained factory head unit sound right at volume.
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RECOILRecoil RCI617 6 channel, 17 ft
Six channels of shielded twisted pair, so front, rear and subwoofer all run from one cable.
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GEARitGearIT 16 gauge, 100 ft
A hundred feet of 16 gauge speaker wire, which covers four doors and a rear deck with spare.
Power
Under $150-
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HiFindTrue Spec oversized 1/0 OFC big 3
Oxygen free copper big 3. With a full system on one amplifier the charging path matters more, not less.
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Tools
Under $150-
KLEIN TOOLSKlein MM420 auto-ranging TRMS
Auto-ranging true RMS with real current ranges, which makes measuring an actual draw practical.
- Poraxy
Poraxy 19 piece trim tool kit
Clip pliers included, which is the tool that saves brittle door card clips.
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Build budget
Under $1,00016 lines across 6 groups. 1 item returned no price from the catalog and is not included in this band, so the real total is higher.
Amazon shows the items and asks you to confirm before anything is added. Affiliate link.
A Sound Quality Front Stage with DSP
Read the full build, which explains what to skip and what to upgrade first. The build for imaging rather than output: a real head unit, a component set, an active DSP with time alignment, treated doors and a sealed subwoofer that stays out of the way.
Source
Under $150-
KenwoodKenwood KMM-BT332U
Three preout pairs and a detachable face. A real source unit rather than a converted factory signal.
Processing
Under $200-
Dayton AudioDayton Audio DSP-408
Four in, eight out, with time alignment, crossovers and input mixing. This is the component that makes the build.
Front stage
Under $200-
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PIONEERPioneer TS-A301TW
A spare tweeter pair for a pillar build, matched to a known crossover point.
Treatment, which is not optional here
Under $150-
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SilessSiless LinerPRO 5 mm, 36 sq ft
Five millimetre closed cell foam, as thick as most door cards will clear.
Amplification
Under $400-
AudioControlAudioControl EpicFive
AudioControl publishes real specifications and supports its products for years, which is what the price buys.
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Elite AudioElite Audio premium 17 ft
Double shielded oxygen free copper, for a system where the noise floor is now audible.
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SINUS LIVESinus Live 16 to 18 AWG OFC, 50 ft
Oxygen free copper speaker wire for the long run to the rear deck.
Bass that stays out of the way
Under $150-
KICKERKicker Comp 10
A 10 rather than a 12. This build wants the subwoofer to disappear, not to announce itself.
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BELVABelva MDFS10, 0.77 cu ft
A stated 0.77 cubic feet sealed. Check it against what your driver publishes.
Tools
Under $200-
FlukeFluke 17B+ multimeter
A Fluke will still be accurate in ten years. Nothing else here can make that claim.
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TOPTESTopTes TS-501B sound level meter
A 30 to 130 dB A and C weighted meter, for knowing what the system actually does.
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Build budget
Under $1,50014 lines across 7 groups. The band rounds the catalog total up and is a guide, not a quote; Amazon's price at checkout is the one that counts.
Amazon shows the items and asks you to confirm before anything is added. Affiliate link.
A Pickup Truck Bass Build
Read the full build, which explains what to skip and what to upgrade first. A bass build for a cab with no floor space: a vehicle shaped enclosure under the rear seat, a shallow or standard driver, and the wiring that a truck run actually needs.
Enclosure and driver
Under $300-
American Sound ConnectionASC dual 12 for 2007 to 2013 GM ext cab
A dual 12 box shaped for a specific extended cab. CHECK THE FITMENT LIST against your own truck before ordering.
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Skar AudioSkar Audio VS-12 D2 shallow
A shallow mount dual 2 ohm 12, for a cab that will not take a full depth motor.
Price varies Check price -
PIONEERPioneer TS-A3000LS4 shallow 12
An alternative shallow 12 from a manufacturer that publishes a mounting depth and a recommended volume.
Amplification
Under $200-
Taramp'sTaramps Bass 1200
A published 1,200 watt RMS at 1 ohm, which is the load two dual 2 ohm drivers reach easily.
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Skar AudioSkar 17 ft twisted pair
Twisted pair interconnect, run down the opposite side of the cab from the power wire.
Price varies Check price -
Taramp'sTaramps universal bass knob
Works over RCA rather than a proprietary plug, so it suits amplifiers with no dedicated remote input.
Power, and trucks need more of it
Under $400-
AUDIO360Audio360 AD0C true spec
True spec 0 AWG with a 17 foot run and two fuse values. A truck run from battery to cab is longer than it looks.
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NVXNVX True Spec 1/0 100 percent OFC
A hundred percent OFC big 3. Trucks carry heavier factory electrical loads, so the charging path is already working harder.
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XS PowerXS Power D680
A 20 amp hour deep cycle power cell. Not a starting battery: anything rated in cold cranking amps is the wrong part.
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Sky High Car AudioSky High copper lugs with heat shrink
Proper copper lugs with adhesive lined heat shrink.
Tools
Under $100-
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BrileineBrileine 10 ton hydraulic crimper
Hydraulic crimps on 1/0 are repeatable in a way hammer crimps are not, and this build has several to make.
- Poraxy
Poraxy 19 piece trim tool kit
Rear seat and sill trim comes out first on every truck install.
Build budget
Under $1,00013 lines across 4 groups. 2 items returned no price from the catalog and are not included in this band, so the real total is higher.
Amazon shows the items and asks you to confirm before anything is added. Affiliate link.
A High Output Build, and Who Should Not Build It
Read the full build, which explains what to skip and what to upgrade first. Two 15s, 4,000 watts, a 400 amp alternator and the electrical system that makes it possible. Also an honest account of what this costs and who should not attempt it.
Bass
Under $600-
NVXNVX VCW152 v3 x 2
A published 1,500 watt RMS rating rather than a peak figure, which is what an amplifier should be matched to.
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Skar AudioSkar AR1X12V kerf ported
An armor coated kerf ported box as a starting point. At this level most builds are custom, built to the drivers published parameters.
Price varies Check price -
Amplification
Under $200-
Skar AudioSkar Audio RP-2000.1D x 2
Two monoblocks rather than one, so each driver gets its own amplifier and its own load.
Price varies Check price -
STINGERStinger 17 ft Hyper-Flex
Directional shielding, which is the correct construction for a cable sharing a car with a 400 amp alternator.
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B2 AudioB2 Audio 4v 10 channel
Ten output channels with a subsonic filter per zone, which is not optional on a ported build at this power.
The electrical system, which is the actual build
Under $2,000-
Mechman AlternatorsMechman 400A for 2014 to 2018 GM trucks
A 400 amp alternator. CHECK THE FITMENT LIST: this fits only certain listed GM trucks. A shorter serpentine belt is required.
- NVX
NVX True Spec 1/0 100 percent OFC x 2
Two big 3 kits, because at this current every one of the three runs wants to be doubled.
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GEARitGearIT 1/0 OFC set, 25 ft each
Twenty five feet each of 1/0 power and ground. The ground run is the one people undersize.
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XS PowerXS Power PS1200L x 2
Two deep cycle power cells rated for a 1,500 to 3,000 watt system each. Not starting batteries.
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RECOILRecoil BDB24 six way
A six way distribution block, fused per output so each amplifier run is protected by its own conductor rating.
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Skar AudioSkar Pro Series inline ANL holder x 2
Pro series ANL holders. Fit the main fuse within 18 inches of the battery positive terminal.
Price varies Check price - Sky High Car Audio
Sky High copper lugs with heat shrink x 2
Twenty copper lugs with heat shrink. There are a great many connections in this build.
Tools, and these are not optional here
Under $200- Brileine
Brileine 10 ton hydraulic crimper
Hydraulic crimping. A hammer crimp on one of thirty connections at 300 amps is a resistance heater waiting to happen.
- Fluke
Fluke 17B+ multimeter
Accurate current and voltage measurement, because at this level guessing is expensive.
- TOPTES
TopTes TS-501B sound level meter
A sound level meter, so you know what you are exposing yourself to.
Build budget
Under $3,00016 lines across 4 groups. 3 items returned no price from the catalog and are not included in this band, so the real total is higher.
Amazon shows the items and asks you to confirm before anything is added. Affiliate link.
Researched guidance, not professional advice. Prices come from the Amazon catalog at the time this page was built and change often. Check the fitment list on any vehicle specific part against your own year, engine and body before ordering, because we cannot tell you whether a part fits your vehicle. A car battery delivers hundreds of amps into a short: fuse within 18 inches of the positive terminal, disconnect the battery before running power wire, and use a grommet through every panel.
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