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View Full Version : Car audio for dummies?



Samckitt
07-23-2009, 05:44 AM
LOL Is there such a thing? When is an amp required, what size speakers to run with an amp, bass blockers, crossovers, bla bla bla?

Samckitt
07-23-2009, 06:22 AM
LOL there is such a thing:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

JamesJ
07-23-2009, 07:39 AM
If you just list a few question i will be happy to answer then with basic true answers.

Samckitt
08-02-2009, 12:31 PM
Well today I replaced the head unit & wala my crappy sounding speakers aren't so crappy.

Bill Howell
08-02-2009, 01:02 PM
If you just list a few question i will be happy to answer then with basic true answers.

Can I just fly you here and you do my stereo? I think it would save time and be cheaper....lol

thedodgeboys
08-02-2009, 04:32 PM
How do you get bass in a convertible without putting sub woofers in the trunk?

andrewb70
08-02-2009, 05:00 PM
How do you get bass in a convertible without putting sub woofers in the trunk?

Use the biggest speakers possible inside the car, either in the doors, or kick panels. A good set of 6.5" drivers works OK, but here is something even better:

http://www.woofersetc.com/p4753/ELATE-9-2W--Morel-9"-Elate-SW-2-Way-Component-System.htm

Space becomes an issue when you start mounting big speakers in the front.

Andrew

badbu68
08-03-2009, 02:59 PM
Head unit has more rms watts that factory causing speakers to sound better. If you want more bass response from your door speakers, use sound dampner inside the door and then cover all the holes you can on the outside of the door (behind the door panel) to make the door act like a ported box. Really wakes up speakers no matter how craptastical they are.

Samckitt
08-03-2009, 05:48 PM
Other head unit was an old Pioneer unit that I have had for about 15 years or so. I'm gonna have to make some kind of box for the rear speakers to push the bass inside. Or get some woofers for the trunk. Can hardly hear the bass over the 3" duals & flowmasters.

andrewb70
08-03-2009, 06:47 PM
Other head unit was an old Pioneer unit that I have had for about 15 years or so. I'm gonna have to make some kind of box for the rear speakers to push the bass inside. Or get some woofers for the trunk. Can hardly hear the bass over the 3" duals & flowmasters.

Getting good bass in a car is very hard. There is nothing wrong with using older equipment. There were some companies back in the early and mid 90s that were making killer stuff. Orion, ADS, Rockford Fosgate, all had great products. Not so much these days, but others have taken their place.

Andrew

Ash
08-07-2009, 04:34 PM
In a nutshell....Aftermarket car stereos have "pre-outs" for expandability. Normally front & sub on entry level ones and front, rear and subwoofer on mid grade to high end ones. they look like female RCA plugs. They are ran to the amp via RCA wires to supply the signal/music. Each speaker is a channel. hence 2 channel, four channel, 5 channel, etc. amps. Then speaker wire is ran from the amp to the speakers. 75-100 watts per channel is more than enough for the cabin speakers (and would keep the amp costs down). Same principle for the sub-woofer: RCA's to amp, amp to subs. The amps are grounded and ran to the battery for power and a "remote" wire is ran to the headunit so they will turn on/off with the headunit.

When are amps needed?: After market headunits only put out 15-35 watts per speaker/channel. If you want to run component speakers (when the woofer and tweeter are separate, but linked by a "crossover" to separate the highs and low frequencies for sound quality) or more powerful coaxial speakers (where the tweeter is mounted on the woofer) then you need a amp of appropriate wattage to push them. You also need and amp whenever you're installing subwoofers as well.


If your just accustomed to a stock system, and don't need the "best", then you can have a killer system for very little coin. how much are you looking to spend? how complete do you want it? are you willing to modify the stock speaker locations (i.e. 4" to 5-1/4" or 6") or want them factory sized?

Here are the specs on your car
Front speakers
Dash: 3-1/2
Front Door: 4" Rear speakers Rear Deck: 4x10"
My advise, 6" or 6-1/2" components and a amp for the front stage. let the headunit power the rear stage, and decide what subs, size, and how many will best suit your needs for what you listen to most.

86regalss
08-08-2009, 06:17 PM
Don't do the 4x10 or 6x9s in the rear. Take the rear speakers out, and put a sub on that shelf in the trunk. And put speakers in the rear panel below the window You can fit 6.5'' round speakers there. Thats my plan once I get to it. I still haven't made up my mind about cutting the door panels for components. I want to see what ppl have done first.

Samckitt
08-08-2009, 07:05 PM
Hmm. I'll take a look at that. I wonder if anyone makes that panel for putting a speaker behind it? Maybe win holes in it or fabric so it looks stock.

MonzaRacer
08-24-2009, 12:48 AM
Aura Base Shakers

Samckitt
08-24-2009, 03:41 AM
Is it possible that the music sounds bad while motor running? Seems like it is that way, maybe some noise interference or something. Granted the exhaust is LOUD but seems like the sound is clearer while motor is off.

Radlark
08-24-2009, 03:58 AM
You have the exhaust sound resonating in your vehicle, there could be the possibility of a slight whining noise but normally this occurs when you have added an amplifier (which in turns amplifies the whining) which is caused by a "ground loop" (central grounding is suggested), but the engine running normally has no effect on the music.
In fact if you were running an amplifier it would sound somewhat cleaner due to the fact the vehicle was running and keeping the amplifier supplied with ample current/voltage to the power supply, which would mean the amplifier is putting out the advertised amount of watts

Samckitt
08-24-2009, 04:31 AM
I figured that is what it was from. I like the Flowmaster sound, but don't like the resonating. I guess I will have to change mufflers.

nekkidhillbilly
08-24-2009, 05:02 AM
Can I just fly you here and you do my stereo? I think it would save time and be cheaper....lol


i will drive there if you make it worth my wild

terryr
09-01-2009, 02:49 PM
All the basics.

http://www.bcae1.com/

jkwalkercchs
11-12-2009, 12:28 AM
Can I just fly you here and you do my stereo? I think it would save time and be cheaper....lol
why when im just 30minutes away lol if your still interested pm me

mc84_zz4
11-13-2009, 02:30 PM
If you add some Dynamat, or Rammat, etc it will bring the noise level in the car down significantly.

Check out DixieMontecarlo, or MikeMontes for speaker panels.
Here is one example:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
http://www.dixiemontecarlodepot.com/items/DM03041.html
They have others too.
Check out www.crutchfield.com , they are a great source for car audio gear, and have some excellent
service, their site has all kinds of tips.