[TJMathias]

alpha mate,

i know ur the man when it come to audio, so i have another question for you!

I am currently running my sub off a jbl amp, and am just about to start upgrading my front speakers for components and a nice two channel amp.

How would I wire up the new two channel amp for the front speakers, bearing in mind I only have one RCA output on my headunit?

Also, do I need a power cap?

[Dom]

I'd leave the speakers unamped until you whack a decent headunit in there...

[theminiv]

Right, Back to front, Power Cap, no. These are gimmicks to be honest, a 1 farad power cap is a massive amount of energy about 100Amps !, not needed. However for a Sub, then you might need one to keep a power continuity. But a 0.5 or even 0.25 farad cap is sufficient.

Right This is how to do it, and dont worry bout the head unit, one step at a time cause a new head unit will run like this too.

My Amps are both in the boot, screwed to the back seats. Now, Power and earthing cable is important, use thick cable for amps, they draw so much current you wouldnt believe. So for the power, you will need either, 2 cables of 0.75CM copper thickness, or 1 cable of 1.25CM copper thickness. Directly from the battery. It is important, the thicker the better (in this case anyway!)

Then also you will need the same diameter in Earth Cable. Then, run the phonos from the HU, to the Front components Amp, then from that amp to the sub. There should be an input and output on the amp. And there is no compensating in sound, amps and Hu's are preamped for signal, so you wont lose any. But the best thing is to put Either the better quality amp first, or the one powering components, Not subs. (cause they filter signals)

For the speaker wiring, you will have to follow from the components through the door, then take the cables to the back of the car somehow!!!, wherever you feel is best! But i would advise that the most important thing would be to upgrade the backs aswell, cause then you can do the wiring job all in one! (time saving)

For the components, You will get, (and i mean this) a HK equivalent sound from a good set, For loud sound, go for Kappa Infinity fronts, these include 2 drivers and 2 tweeters, £165.00, but well worth it. You will get a very bright sound from them, plus they can take a hammering, however. . . . I did blow one of my tweeters due to a musical hitch, to replace it, it would have cost me £80, no way, so i bought a pair of caliber tweeters £50, they dont sound as good as the infinity, but can take more of a beating.

The tweeters are the most important thing, they are funny bits of equipment, they are made of a plastic material, and if you want to know how they work, ask and i will tell. But they can withstand upto 200W rms, but with amps not being able to do this, they usually blow first. The only reason the kappas are good is beacuse the tweeters, and the fact that the main drivers can take a beating, The drivers are not nessasarily (spelled wrong) the best sounding.

Hope this helps, fire away, so they say. If you have any more queries.

[TJMathias]

Neither of the amps have RCA outputs!
What can I do?!
Mikeythemini suggested a splitter for the RCA input bit on the first amp? Is that a good idea?

Nice one

[theminiv]

I tend not to use things like splitters. But if you have to you have to.

My Theory is the more connections you have, the more problems you can have, plus there will be a V small loss of signal, but if you have to use the best leads possible,

Go to a expensive home hifi company, NOT CURRYS!!!, big ones that sell Bang & olfesun etc. Get a gold plated splitter there, dont worry about thick cables, cause it is only carrying signal, nothing big.

Any more Fire Away!!!!

[TJMathias]

Are 'speaker level inputs' any use?

[theminiv]

Yes, SLI's are used for sending signal from an amplified source to an amplifier etc. So i take it you have one of them.

What you will need to do is, take a signal from a front speaker output on your head unit, but remember you cannot have stereo sound from the speakers if you do that, unless there are four inputs on the SLI eg L +/ - and R + / -.

A Speaker level input limits the power coming through the amp and turns it into a standard 2V, Signal input.

[theminiv]

Tell me what head unit you have and i will give you some advice on it.

[TJMathias]

Got a Sony CDX-L580X
for info: http://www.cel-direct.com/shop1.asp?...ProductID=2510

[theminiv]

Right ok then,

I would change the Head Unit if you can. I understand that audio is expensive, but when it is done right, it sounds right.!!!!

I dont mean anything by this but the unit is a bit basic, it has all of the features that sony supply, but is not the most solid of units.

If you like good sound, try Sony MP 70/80, £275 from the mags.
or, Alpine, but expect to pay over £250 for a good one.

Personally i wouldnt touch pioneer, too much work to get a good sound.

But if you are not ready, dont bother cause car audio needs to be done in stages. I have spent in total, £5000 to get the right system, and now my system is worth £1750, alot of dough wasted!!!! But it is worth it.
(DEAF AS HELL THOUGH, SO YOU WILL HAVE TO SHOUT).

[Dom]

take another approach...

just seen this on ebay... the sound quality of the nakamichi will destroy anything mentioned here, and it's cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...ategory=32 89

Just flog the sub and amp afterwards and you've got a stupidly cheap top quality headunit... I might do it myself and sell them all separately for a profit...

[theminiv]

Nakamichi, well. This one might be cheap, but they look very basic for the money.

[Dom]

bit of a naive thing to say ... i'll take sound quality over fancy lights any day of the week...

[theminiv]

No not really, cause at the end of the day it is only a car stereo. And there is not much difference.

Car audio is never gonna be excellent no matter what sort of money you spend. And not everyone has enough money to put nakamichi in their cars.

Plus im not being naive, i am talking from different points of view, most people go for the happy medium, a good looking stereo and good sound. You have gotta be honest, the standard £200 mark stereos sound good. Its just the amps that aint upto much, and that is where nakamich and eclipse differ. But if you are gonna add an extra amp, why spend the money?

[Dom]

why waste money on a decent amp if you're just filling it with crap sound? you can only get out of a sound system what you put into it at the end of the day. My MINI sound system was clear throughout the whole volume range, wouldn't have got that from a sony...

[theminiv]

what a load of poo, my sony set up sounds much better than the Hk, and thats without the SUB.

Speaking from a sound engineers point of view, in general Car audio is *****, and compared to pro audio will never win.

Sony is not crap at all. Get ya head out of your ass. It is a damn site better than the mini equipment.

And anyway, if it is so crap, how come it is the main line in their aftermarket options?

Look again.

[Dom]

easy tiger lol...

Where did HK come into this, and the standard mini system?

the only decent thing sony make are headunits/changers (their hexagonal subs aren't too bad but neither are anything special).

[TJMathias]

In all fairness, I am no sound engineer, but in my opinion, Sony make very decent (and good value) units for car audio. However, they are not the best, but still great for those of us who are not sound engineers!

[mikeythemini]

How come in virtually every thread miniv or alpha or whatever other names he has got, he starts with good advice but ends up getting in a strop (then changes his name again) ????????
Calm down mate

[NEMINI]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikeythemini

How come in virtually every thread miniv or alpha or whatever other names he has got, he starts with good advice but ends up getting in a strop (then changes his name again) ????????
Calm down mate

lol and I thought I was the only one who noticed