Amplifiers.

[Balmoral Green]

Can I ask a numpty question of the I.C.E. bods please? about amps.

My car has four big speakers, one in each door, as well as a pair of medium sized speakers in the front doors, a pair of tweeters in the rear doors and also a pair of tweeters on the dash. Ten in total. So how does one amp drive all ten?

What is the difference between a 2, 4, 5/6/7 or whatever channel amp?

Asking because I have picked a new head unit, CD autochanger, replacement speakers/tweeters etc, but I am lost as to how I select an amp and/or multiple amps, how does that bit work then to each pair of speakers?

[thebluemonkey]

There will either be a digital or passive crossover which splits the audio so that each speaker is receiving its preferred frequency i.e. the sub only receives the lows and the tweeters only receive the highs. With an active crossover the audio is split after it comes out of the head unit so there are 10 amplifier channels (one for each cone). With a passive crossover the audio is split after it is amplified so there will be 4 amplifier channels ( one for each side front and back). I don't know what your system has, though if it's anything like most high end cars it will be active.

Edited to add that I didn't really read the question properly.

There should be a crossover with the speakers that you have bought . This is connected between one channel on the amp and the speakers for one door. You need one channel on each door and a separate channel (or two bridged) if you have a seperate subwoofer.

>> Edited by thebluemonkey on Thursday 12th January 20:52

[Balmoral Green]

So one channel for the large and medium sized speakers in the front n's door, same for the o's, one channel for the large speaker and tweeter in the rear n's door and ditto the o's. So a 4 channel amp? where do the dash tweeters come in?

At the moment there is just one amp in the boot that drives the lot, presumably this is a 4 channel? cant check the sytem out physically as I havent got the car at home at the moment.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

[thebluemonkey]

The front crossovers should have 3 outputs on them, one for the tweeter, one for the mid, and one for the woofer.
I'm not sure if it will be a 4 channel amp in the boot of whether it will be a rather more complicated 10 channel set up with digital signal processing and the like, which would probably be easier to remove rather than interfacing with if you wanted to upgrade.
I'm assuming that this is going in BG ?

[DennisTheMenace]

It should be a 4 channel in the boot with either passive crossovers , or a dividing network , more than likely passive crossovers ,as the base system in bentleys/rolls are Alpine systems and there wasnt the technologgy for 10 channel amps in the late 80's 90's

[Balmoral Green]

Thanks, i've been farting about over this for yonks, whilst the car is in bits is a good time to replace everything.

So keeping it simple, I will require:-

Head unit
CD autochanger
2 pairs 125mm speakers
1 pair 75mm speakers
2 pairs tweeters
A four channel amp (passive crossover)

any recommendations?

[DennisTheMenace]

can you post up some pics of the interior , so i can see what speakers are located where , would be easier if i could see whats in it ,although i did get a glimpse of the rather tastey sony/daewoo wireless at pistonfest

[celticpilgrim]

Sorry, thought this was about guitar amps.......

Mine is always turned up to 11..........

Who mentioned spinal tap?

[DennisTheMenace]

ahh the old 11 setting

[Balmoral Green]

DennisTheMenace said:

can you post up some pics of the interior , so i can see what speakers are located where

Was thinking of buying this set up (dont laugh )

Alpine pack 053RB, comprising TDM-9505RB radio/cassette (no sniggering) and CHM-S630 6 disc autochanger.

MRV-F545 Amplifier.

I need some help with the speaker choice,

Front doors, 1 pair 125mm / 5" (I assume 13cm will be OK?)
Front doors, 1 pair 75mm / 3"
Rear doors, 1 pair 125mm / 5" (same as front doors)
Rear doors, 1 pair tweeters (aperture/mounting size 75mm / 3" same as front door smaller speakers)
Dashboard top, 1 pair tweeters (size/mounting unknown at the moment)

presumably 2 way coaxial speakers of around 100-150w will do?


>> Edited by Balmoral Green on Friday 13th January 22:19

[mondeoman]

You are opening yourself up to a world of hurt!!!

All the fun you're gonna have chasing earth loops, setting gains, dealing with rattles that weren't there before oooooooooooh the list goes on!

[DennisTheMenace]

You could fit a couple of Cerwin Vega! 15" strokers in the boot powered off 2 Genisis monoblocks for a smidge extra bass

[Balmoral Green]

Sorry to drag this up again, I have bought some stuff, still dont know if I have bought the right stuff though. Now I am worrying about how it all goes together.

I have bought a decent head unit and CD autochanger.
A 600 watt 4 channel amp.
A pair of 6 1/2" component speakers for the front doors, these come with tweeters and a crossover with low/mid/high terminals.
A pair of 5 1/4" component speakers for the rear doors, these come with tweeters and a crossover with low/mid/high terminals.
A pair of 3 1/2" two way co-axial speakers.

Is the following possible? Dennis

I am thinking of putting the 6 1/2" in the bottom of the front doors, with the 3 1/2" in the top of the doors, and one pair of tweeters in the dash, can I run all three pairs using all three terminals (low/mid/high) on the crossovers and two channels from the amp?

The 5 1/4" will go in the rear doors with a pair of tweeters, so presumably these will use the other two channels from the amp and the low/hig or mid/high on the crossovers?

The head unit has 50 watts output too, so maybe I can run the dash tweeters off the head unit?

Help!

PS, there is also a spare decent Alpine amp left over from the old stuff in the car, will I need to use that as well do you reckon, or will the 600/4 run it all, without even getting the head unit involved?

[DennisTheMenace]

Sounds ok , are the speakers to fit the original locations ? Pity you live up Norf i would give you a hand with it , sounds likr your better off starting from scratch with it , and completely by passing the original stuff , oooorrr you could try the old bi wire thing with the 4 channel for the front and use the original for the rears but i dont think it will sound that good as the original amp is probably only around 10-15 watts RMS , What make is the amp you bought ?

[raceboy]

Balmoral Green said:

I am thinking of putting the 6 1/2" in the bottom of the front doors, with the 3 1/2" in the top of the doors, and one pair of tweeters in the dash, can I run all three pairs using all three terminals (low/mid/high) on the crossovers and two channels from the amp?

I doubt it, does it say '3 Way' or '2 Way' on the crossovers, if it says 3 way your ok, if it's 2 way then you'll have to wire it slightly different.

Balmoral Green said:

The 5 1/4" will go in the rear doors with a pair of tweeters, so presumably these will use the other two channels from the amp and the low/hig or mid/high on the crossovers?

Yes

Balmoral Green said:

The head unit has 50 watts output too, so maybe I can run the dash tweeters off the head unit?

Not a great idea as the tweeters will be getting full range sound and little speakers don't like low notes

What I'd do is run the 3.5's and the tweeters off the amp via the crossovers in the front, run the 6.5's off the headunit, and then run the 5.25's and the tweeters of the amp via the crossovers in the back
Can't help thinking the system is a little light on the base side of things but then this was the last set-up I had a hand in...
...how to make a Saxo boot useless for shopping

[Balmoral Green]

Thanks for that folks, yes it is a little light on the bass, I want to stay with the current locations/sizes for the speakers/tweeters and didnt want a dustbin or wardrobe in the boot

The crossovers are 2 way, but the spare amp is an Alpine 4/3/2 so I could use that as well.

The new amp is a Directed 600/4, the component speakers/tweeters/crossovers are Impulse Acoustics and the 3.5's are Infinity Kappa. Head unit/CD changer etc is Kenwood.

raceboy said:

What I'd do is run the 3.5's and the tweeters off the amp via the crossovers in the front, run the 6.5's off the headunit, and then run the 5.25's and the tweeters of the amp via the crossovers in the back

How about running the 3.5's off the head unit? as the 6.5's/tweeters and the 5.25's/tweeters are all the same component kit from Impulse Acoustics, complete with crossovers etc, surely it would be better to keep them all together as the manufacturer intended? I could also use the spare amp to run the 3.5's instead of the head unit, but that is over complicating it though, may as well use the head unit.

Would this be OK?

Back doors: 5.25/tweeter/crossover, power from main amp.
Front doors: 6.5 in the doors/tweeters on the dash/crossover, power from main amp.
Front doors: 3.5 in the doors, power from the head unit or the spare amp.





>> Edited by Balmoral Green on Saturday 21st January 10:29

[DennisTheMenace]

Better powering the fronts off the amps and the rears off the hu ,As you want to bring the sound focus forward , you dont listen to a radio with your back to it , you can get some very compact subs now if you fancy a bit of thump whilst visiting mcdonalds .

[V6GTO]

DennisTheMenace said:

you can get some very compact subs now .

DTM...any suggestions for the limited space in a Noble?

Martin.

PS - I NEVER listen to music on the move...too busy listening to Darth Vader in the engine bay

[Balmoral Green]

V6GTO said:

I NEVER listen to music on the move...too busy listening to Darth Vader in the engine bay

Not something I can do in my car, it's the old iron fist in the velvet glove, and silence. I'm just looking for something to drown out that blasted ticking clock

[ultimasimon]

V6GTO said:

DennisTheMenace said: you can get some very compact subs now . DTM...any suggestions for the limited space in a Noble? Martin. PS - I NEVER listen to music on the move...too busy listening to Darth Vader in the engine bay

Yes you do, you listen to alsorts of gay crap

"The Sounds of the Sixties"

Hay Martin, maybe you should sell the Noble and buy one of these?



edited to say:

Send me a mail Martin, I cannot through PH your 'Send mail' Icon is missin or mail isnt working - I have news

>> Edited by ultimasimon on Saturday 21st January 17:47