When it comes to the audio world, it really seems like there are 3 options, Kinetik, Optima, Odyssey.

In the performance world, you basically want the smallest, lightest battery that is going to still have enough cranking amps to get things started.

What makes these batteries so much better than "normal" batteries?

Is it possible to run one of those tiny little batteries upfront and then one of these bigger batteries in the back?
I don't see any reason why you wouldn't just wire them in parallel.
Doing a little research, "they" say that you shouldn't mix the red top with the yellow top, IE run a red upfront and a yellow in the back unless they are wired totally seperate of each other. Something to do with the quick discharge of the red top not meshing well with the deep cycle of the yellow top.

How do you determine which battery is the best option?

I'm assuming it would be just fine to run two smaller, 800 amp batteries, in parallel, to give you a total of 1600 cranking amps, right? That's more than most normal batteries.

 

oh, i guess the set up would make a difference. lol.

1 - PDX M12 - 1200w rms
2- PDX F6 - 800w rms (400 each. 100 per channel)

 

thats just scratching the batteries available fyi..

you want to look into AH with batteries not just cca.. with 2k watts what is your alt rated at.. you aren't in need of a huge upgrade.. maybe a batcap 2000 for the audio and run the vehicle off the stock battery.. you can even wire the smaller amps off the stock battery..

 

yeah, I was seeing that there were a ton of batteries out there. But when people would ask what the best were, those three came up pretty much all of the time.

currently, in this particular build, there is no stock battery.
We were originally going to go with a lightweight braille battery given the weight savings, but when we added in the audio part of the build, things got a bit more mixed up.
The car is a 300zx. The stock alternator puts out 75 amps. But we were looking at either getting a Nissan Quest alternator for 110 amps, or even going with a corvette alternator for 140 amps. We have quite a few other electronics going on in the car to begin with, and we really don't want A) head light dim and B) to strain any of the electrical system.

with the higher amp alternator, as in the 140 amp corvette alternator, would we need anything more than a stock replacement deep cycle battery like a yellow top, or another replacement?
Seems to me, with the bit that I know, that the extra battery just covers up a weak alternator. stepping up to the 140 amp alternator ought to solve the problem, yes?

 

Batteries give the audio/electric something to pull off of so it doesn't pull directly from the alternator.. even stepping up to 140a alt I would add another.. so something small for the car and a decent sized for the audio

 

you can try two yellow tops that should do the trick..

 

while I appreciate the suggestion, that doesn't really help me. What size yellow tops? Why yellow tops? why not a Kinetik? Why not an Odyssey? All three claim to basically have the same technology, high discharge starting with deep cycle capabilities.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is why is one option more expensive than another and is it worth it?
Is the kenetik the same as a yellow top, but in a smaller package? Or is the Odyssey and bigger, heavier battery that can handle running a system with the car off for longer than other batteries?
I don't plan on having the system banging with the car off for more than a few minutes at a time, 20 min max and that's only going to be at shows and what not. It almost seems like all of these batteries are overkill, assuming there is enough power coming from the alternator to keep everything charged.
Still trying to sort through the mis-information on the net and all of the misleading marketing hype to determine the true needs.

 

keep away from odyssey..... have had several fail in audio use.
i would do as Kyleisme suggested , 2 yellows would work fine, wired in parrell,

when using 2 different type batteries, they typically all rest at different voltages, so when connected together they try to balance, which causes them to continously work and they dont last as long, now you can use a small starting battery and large kinetic and wire them with a large pac relay to seperate them when engine is off (this is really correct way of doing it, but cost more)

 

That's what I was thinking I could/would do. With the car on, the batteries wouldn't ever really be at rest, it would be a constant up and down just like normal, so it wouldn't be a problem, it seemed like the only issue came in is when the car was turned off, like you said, they will try and balance each other out.

What's the deal with mixing types/brands of batteries?
Seems like people make a big deal about mixing brands. Is that just back to the different at rest levels? Does the isolating relay fix that problem?
What about mixing types? Example, they say you shouldn't use a red top to start wired to a yellow top for the audio.
Why is that?
again, does that isolator relay fix that problem?
That's a major concern because the nice lightweight batteries that I would be using up front are those quick discharge type, like like a red top. They are smaller, lighter, and still pack a good punch for getting things started.
Can that battery be matched with a deep cycle battery in the back? if they had the relay to isolate them when the car's off? OR do they cause each other problems with the car running too?

 

yes - mixing is problem because of balancing, relay when off prevents that, when car is on the alt is always charging... so not a problem.