Location: Indianapolis (In Panama City for a few years)
Posts: 1,506
Quote:
Originally Posted by chet_magnum
those line out converters are general poor quality and will cause "road" noise feed to your back speakers and amp.
IF you must go that route, any reputable shop will try to pawn of a "noise filter" as well.
another potential issue is that the amp will draw too much power and cause distortion (sound) to your front speakers.
sooooo, that leaves you with a "ghetto" system that will sound like crap.
www.crutchfield.com is a great source for after market parts. no splicing, plug & play for your ride (assuming it's not an 08 / 09).
my advise is to get a quality AFTER MARKET deck first! sell your factory radio on ebay or here to offset the cost.
the deck is the brains of the operation, you will have a better signal to the amp (i prefer 4 volt pre-amp outputs) and a better sound through your speakers and subs.
good luck to you
Yea, I know all about road noise. My first TV I put in one of my old cars was horrible. Yea, noise filters do work though. And I wouldn't have a crappy ghetto system in my truck.
I was considering selling my stock radio, or trading it to someone for an aftermarket. I do have the CD player with the MP3 hookup. I'm all about bartering. Especially in todays economy, everyone seems to prefer it.
While most of those points are spot on, I dont completely agree that a line level converter is a ghetto way hook up a sub. Any amp has the potential to draw more power and hurt your speakers... Thats all on how the amplifier is set up.
You might not even need to buy anything, since some older amps had a high level input right on them... just splice in the speaker wire and run it back.
as for the pre out voltrage... I prefer a clean 2 volt pre out that I am amplify in my signal processor. I am running 8 volts into my amp, from my signal processors line driver. I know for a fact my 2 volt outputs from my alpine, sound better than the old 4 volt outputs did from my last Alpine...
i had a jetta that required high inputs, due to the way their factory radios / speakers are "straight" wired in (no harness).
i thought i knew it all back then - lol
so i wanted a "stealth system" that looked factory. -it didn't work out. i finally took a bite of the bullet and replaced the head unit, a crap load of soldering and shrink-wrapping later, my system was 2000% better!
fast forward, I had a Dodge 2002 Stratus SE, I put Alpine 6x9's all around with an Alpine Head unit, Alpine Amp and JL Audio 12" subs.
now THAT was a system!
i'm not knocking those who choose to install via high input; my personal experience is that the head unit is the MOST important item in any after market sterio system.
amp and speakers can be negotiated...
i recall, i could cut the sounds below 80hz to the 6x9's and had the pre-outs cutting anything off above 100hz. it was clean!
i was younger back then, so EVERYBODY need to hear me coming up the street!
I agree that a clean signal is a must for a great sound system. but subs dont really need that great of a signal to do their job. I have installed a lot of amp/subs without an aftermarket, and I never had an issue with them not working as they should. You wont win any SQ comps, but it will work for a DD system for a little bass....
Thats all I'm sayin', not that a good head unit wont sound better, just that if he is only amplifying subs, he should be OK...
Location: Indianapolis (In Panama City for a few years)
Posts: 1,506
Quote:
Originally Posted by chet_magnum
I had a Dodge 2002 Stratus SE, I put Alpine 6x9's all around with an Alpine Head unit, Alpine Amp and JL Audio 12" subs.
now THAT was a system!
I had 3 12" kicker comp VRs, bose surround, tv and a playstation in my '95 eclipse, back in the day when I was working my ass off, wasn't married and no kids
