Component setup in car

[11110111]

Hey Folks!

Dissapointed massively with the standard 04 civic type r (ep3) audio set up and so have bought these gaybay:

Focal 165 V2 Woofer, tweeter and crossover's, I am not changing the HU for the moment.

Now will running these without an amp be a bad idea? I have read various threads on t'net and some seem to say that running with an additional amp is a 'must' whilst others say its ok without. I appreciate that the standard HU somewhat lacks power, I am not after massive loud sounds, just better quality!

Any advice from you guys?

[allgonepetetong]

There are quite a few factors to consider before giving a full answer. Can you give us some more details?

Why have you decided not to replace your head unit?
Does your existing head unit have line outs?
Do you intend to change your head unit in time?

[defblade]

Your HU's amp will be nowhere near as powerful as an external amp, nor as clean in its work.

The single most important thing is to find out where your current HU amp clips (that is, reaches its maximum amplification and cuts the soundwave off square). Make a test tone CD and play a 1KHz tone, starting at zero volume (all equalizer/tone settings at zero, too). Raise the volume, until you hear the tone suddenly change (usually get harsher). Turn it down a bit until the harshness has gone. Make a note of the number your volume is at and NEVER turn it above there. If you increase any of your tone settings, you'll have to decrease your max volume.

Clipping kills speakers - and it kills nice speakers faster than cheap/rubbish/OE ones!

Then go buy an amp

[TommyBuoy]

I run focal components in my e36 cabrio (really bad standard sound, esp. with the roof down!).

In my case I upgraded the HU first with a 4 channel amp, bridged for Sub and then running the standard components in the door.

I have to say I was very impressed with how the amp lifted the sound quality of the standard speakers and decreased the distortion (mostly down to the filtering out of the low frequencies taken by the sub).

I would suggest that you upgrade the Head Unit as it can play a very important role, not just by uping the power (but only by a small amount) but also clearing up the signal form the media source.

An amp will increase the quality of the sound and the volume, but if you went down this route you may as well get a cheap sub and take all the low frequencies from the components off - allowing them to operate in their optimum range.

To summerise my essay - you can run them without an amp and you will notice the difference, but an amp will lift them, as will an upgraded HU and ultimately you will want a sub to get proper quality sound.

[11110111]

Why have you decided not to replace your head unit? - I thought changing the speakers would be the best thing to do first, the HU does what i need at the moment (works with IPod through line out cable)

Does your existing head unit have line outs? - I believe so but am not sure

Do you intend to change your head unit in time? - Probably but on a budget so not yet a while

Thanks for the help!

[allgonepetetong]

11110111 said:

Why have you decided not to replace your head unit? - I thought changing the speakers would be the best thing to do first, the HU does what i need at the moment (works with IPod through line out cable)

Does your existing head unit have line outs? - I believe so but am not sure

Do you intend to change your head unit in time? - Probably but on a budget so not yet a while

Thanks for the help!

OK, we can do things in the right order now we know what your intentions are rather than telling you to do something totaly different and not answer your original question.

Buying new front speakers probably wasn't the best purchase you could have made at this stage, but as you have them we can work with them. We do need to know though if your head unit has line-outs.

Have you considered a subwoofer / would you be averse to installing one?

FYI, subwoofers add a tremendous amount to the sound of a car stereo, they are not just for chavs and Halfords fanboys. They add depth and a fullness to music and do not need to be making youor mirrors shake and heard from 100yrds away. I have a 10" in my Maserati to emphasis this point. (an 8" would be large enough)

[y2blade]

CALLYMAN

he is the I.C.E king, he knows the lot from tweakers to woofers and Neon lights......and everything in-between



he will be able to help you I'm sure of it

Edit for spelling

Edited by y2blade on Tuesday 12th October 16:09

[TommyBuoy]

allgonepetetong said:

11110111 said:

Why have you decided not to replace your head unit? - I thought changing the speakers would be the best thing to do first, the HU does what i need at the moment (works with IPod through line out cable)

Does your existing head unit have line outs? - I believe so but am not sure

Do you intend to change your head unit in time? - Probably but on a budget so not yet a while

Thanks for the help!

OK, we can do things in the right order now we know what your intentions are rather than telling you to do something totaly different and not answer your original question.

Buying new front speakers probably wasn't the best purchase you could have made at this stage, but as you have them we can work with them. We do need to know though if your head unit has line-outs.

Have you considered a subwoofer / would you be averse to installing one?

FYI, subwoofers add a tremendous amount to the sound of a car stereo, they are not just for chavs and Halfords fanboys. They add depth and a fullness to music and do not need to be making youor mirrors shake and heard from 100yrds away. I have a 10" in my Maserati to emphasis this point. (an 8" would be large enough)

^^This - the sub would take a lot off load from the components and give a much richer sound. An 8" in a hatchback should be more than adequate if your not going for mirror shaking.

[Plotloss]

Your best bet would be to consider the acoustic properties of the listening environment.

Once that's as good as it can be (which is not very good, cars are universally crap) then start adding speakers and amps and all the rest.

[11110111]

allgonepetetong said:

11110111 said:

Why have you decided not to replace your head unit? - I thought changing the speakers would be the best thing to do first, the HU does what i need at the moment (works with IPod through line out cable)

Does your existing head unit have line outs? - I believe so but am not sure

Do you intend to change your head unit in time? - Probably but on a budget so not yet a while

Thanks for the help!

OK, we can do things in the right order now we know what your intentions are rather than telling you to do something totaly different and not answer your original question.

Buying new front speakers probably wasn't the best purchase you could have made at this stage, but as you have them we can work with them. We do need to know though if your head unit has line-outs.

Have you considered a subwoofer / would you be averse to installing one?

FYI, subwoofers add a tremendous amount to the sound of a car stereo, they are not just for chavs and Halfords fanboys. They add depth and a fullness to music and do not need to be making youor mirrors shake and heard from 100yrds away. I have a 10" in my Maserati to emphasis this point. (an 8" would be large enough)

I wouldn't mind a sub woofer but I wasn't hoping to spend a lot, I guess this will also require an amp! Also, I use the car quite a bit for lugging stuff around so wasn't soo keen on anything that would take up boot space. Wouldn't mind if i could get a sub to fit under the front passenger seat though?

ETA - I believe that my ipod is plugged up to the cd-changer port using a 3.5mm to phono cable but not sure about lineout ports

Edited by 11110111 on Tuesday 12th October 16:02

[11110111]

Plotloss said:

Your best bet would be to consider the acoustic properties of the listening environment.

Once that's as good as it can be (which is not very good, cars are universally crap) then start adding speakers and amps and all the rest.

I do know that the car inherently has no sound deadening in the door panels. My biggest gripe, i suppose, is that coming from an audi a3, i really miss the sound quality!

[Plotloss]

Then have a look at dynamat and the like.

It will never be great but acoustic management can help a lot.

[allgonepetetong]

11110111 said:

allgonepetetong said:

11110111 said:

Why have you decided not to replace your head unit? - I thought changing the speakers would be the best thing to do first, the HU does what i need at the moment (works with IPod through line out cable)

Does your existing head unit have line outs? - I believe so but am not sure

Do you intend to change your head unit in time? - Probably but on a budget so not yet a while

Thanks for the help!

OK, we can do things in the right order now we know what your intentions are rather than telling you to do something totaly different and not answer your original question.

Buying new front speakers probably wasn't the best purchase you could have made at this stage, but as you have them we can work with them. We do need to know though if your head unit has line-outs.

Have you considered a subwoofer / would you be averse to installing one?

FYI, subwoofers add a tremendous amount to the sound of a car stereo, they are not just for chavs and Halfords fanboys. They add depth and a fullness to music and do not need to be making youor mirrors shake and heard from 100yrds away. I have a 10" in my Maserati to emphasis this point. (an 8" would be large enough)

I wouldn't mind a sub woofer but I wasn't hoping to spend a lot, I guess this will also require an amp! Also, I use the car quite a bit for lugging stuff around so wasn't soo keen on anything that would take up boot space. Wouldn't mind if i could get a sub to fit under the front passenger seat though?

I will try and find out if the HU has line outs though

There are ways around this; simplest way is to just disconnect a sub enclosure and take it out. Alternatively, and what I have done, is to fabricate an enclosure from fiber glass that fits into a cavity in the side of your boot space (if you have a cavity of course).

As you are willing to fit a sub ,and you are 100% correct to consider this option, and yes it will require an amp you have 2 options available to you:

If your head unit has preouts
Then I would suggest buying a 4 chanel amp from ebay and using 2 chanels to power your sub and 2 to power your new speakers.

If your head unit does NOT have preouts
Then I would suggest ugrading your head unit to one with preouts and a bit of power and running your new fronts from this. Later you can add an amp and sub when funds allow.

I should caveat this though by saying that the addition of a sub is the point where you are going to start feeling like you have some good sounds, hence my ealier comment that buying the front speakers wasn't the best purchase you could have made right now. (best improvement for minimum outlay)

[T84]

What about the IMPRINT system that Alpine use? Would that help?

[allgonepetetong]

Plotloss said:

Then have a look at dynamat and the like.

It will never be great but acoustic management can help a lot.

Also this is good advice, it stops your door skins resonating and does make a huge difference.

Let's start with the subwoofer and pre out points though first.

[E30M3SE]

11110111 said:

Why have you decided not to replace your head unit? - I thought changing the speakers would be the best thing to do first, the HU does what i need at the moment (works with IPod through line out cable)

Does your existing head unit have line outs? - I believe so but am not sure

Do you intend to change your head unit in time? - Probably but on a budget so not yet a while

Thanks for the help!

Don't think that that hu does have RCA out's.

[frosted]

I had jl audio 8" sub in my type r , it could start alarms off . I asked at the shop for something small,decent and they gave me a little monster

[11110111]

OKEY DOKEY!

I will get the speakers fitted as I have them and will take your advice on board, next step - HU - then AMP

gonna have to be a wait though - lack of funds she is gonna go nuts if I bought an AMP and sub hhahah

[Plotloss]

allgonepetetong said:

Plotloss said:

Then have a look at dynamat and the like.

It will never be great but acoustic management can help a lot.

Also this is good advice, it stops your door skins resonating and does make a huge difference.

Let's start with the subwoofer and pre out points though first.

Why would you add more sound pressure to an environment that's acoustically awful?

That will simply exacerbate the acoustic problem.

[11110111]

frosted said:

I had jl audio 8" sub in my type r , it could start alarms off . I asked at the shop for something small,decent and they gave me a little monster

frosted - do you know if the standard stereo has line outs so I can plug up an amp?