Hey, does anyone else run rear 6x9s or similar off their headunit?
Ive got a problem in that im gonna have to rewire the front speakers cos the impedance for the whole system is too low, putting too much pressure on the amp in the H.U., so im gonna rewire the circuits for the front speakers to series to increase impedance, meaning i can run rear speakers.
Just wanna see if anyone else is having trouble, or ever had trouble with this? The 6x9s ive got are designed to be HU powered, being only 30WRMS, 150W peak power.
anyone running 6x9s or similar off headunit?
I used to run a set of 6x9's at the rear and no trouble at all. Today I am running a set of 8" at the back and the standard small dash speakers at the front, of course with the power ditributed accordingly. I never had any sort of trouble. Both of these two configurations are connected directly to the HU.
I can't really figure out what do you mean by:
cos the impedance for the whole system is too low
If you have one speaker per channel and each speaker is rated 4ohms, I cannot understand how rewiring will solve the problem unless you have some sort of short circuit
I can't really figure out what do you mean by:
cos the impedance for the whole system is too low
If you have one speaker per channel and each speaker is rated 4ohms, I cannot understand how rewiring will solve the problem unless you have some sort of short circuit
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helios1
- Bronze Member
- Posts: 243
- Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:56 pm
- Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, usually in my Mk4 1.3L
Sorry, i didn't explain it properly. What i ment to say was that the head unit shuts down after a little while of being plugged into the rear speakers and all (i tested the wires ive brought through to the boot with a small house speaker). The unit shuts down because (or so me and my dad assume) because the head unit is getting too hot (my dad says that when it shuts off, it sounds like a thermal switch; he does know quite a bit about guitar amps and such).
As a low impedance is a cause of strain on the amp, we thought the first thing to do would be do increase the impedance, and see if the amp in the head unit shuts down then when rear speakers are plugged in. And because a series circuit has a higher impedance than a parallel circuit, we're gonna re-wire the front speakers to series.
Im thinking of just buying an amp instead though, not sure.
How difficult is it to wire an amp into the car? Is it a better idea to wire the whole system thru an amp, or what? I dont want my front speakers getting distorted sound-wise, while the 6x9s in the back are just getting started!
Bit of an essay there, but you get the idea. Any help, greatly appreciated!
As a low impedance is a cause of strain on the amp, we thought the first thing to do would be do increase the impedance, and see if the amp in the head unit shuts down then when rear speakers are plugged in. And because a series circuit has a higher impedance than a parallel circuit, we're gonna re-wire the front speakers to series.
Im thinking of just buying an amp instead though, not sure.
How difficult is it to wire an amp into the car? Is it a better idea to wire the whole system thru an amp, or what? I dont want my front speakers getting distorted sound-wise, while the 6x9s in the back are just getting started!
Bit of an essay there, but you get the idea. Any help, greatly appreciated!
so you mean you connected 4 speakers in 2 channels?
If yes here are the results: if you connect in parallel, impediance goes down, volume level goes up, something may go boom (in this case your hu detected the heating problem and shutdown)
If you connect in series, impediance goes up, volume level decreases and nothing goes boom, but would be a wiser option if you kept two speakers only.
In my personal opinion, I would never connect 4 speakers to 2channels on a HU. If you had an amp, that would be a different story because today, most amp support 2ohm load and some even 1ohm load. Wiring the whole system through an amp would probably give you the best result. if you can find a 4channel amp, that would be the best choice
Good Luck
If yes here are the results: if you connect in parallel, impediance goes down, volume level goes up, something may go boom (in this case your hu detected the heating problem and shutdown)
If you connect in series, impediance goes up, volume level decreases and nothing goes boom, but would be a wiser option if you kept two speakers only.
In my personal opinion, I would never connect 4 speakers to 2channels on a HU. If you had an amp, that would be a different story because today, most amp support 2ohm load and some even 1ohm load. Wiring the whole system through an amp would probably give you the best result. if you can find a 4channel amp, that would be the best choice
Good Luck
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dubbprince
- Bronze Member
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 12:00 pm
its probably better to just power them off an amp really...
check ebay out for an alpine 2 channel mrv f407 amp which puts out about 140watts per channel.
Its very easy to wire up an amp...all you do for the smaller 2channel amp powering 6x9's is:
1. run an 8gauge (fused 12" from battery) power cable from the battery in the engine bays pos + terminal, through a grommet in your bulkhead and fish it through under your dash then run that hidden all the way to the rear of the car, making sure the other end is taped until you need to connect it.
2. find a good earthing point in the boot, for the mk4 i used the earth for the boot light...
3. now you need to run both an RCA lead (sends music down this from HU) from the Head unit down the other side of the car...drivers side! along with an remote wire...this is a tiny blue wire which pulses when your stereo is activated so the amp only powers on when the stereo is on...and not on all the time!
You can use the electric aerial wire (blue/white) on the stereo if you dont have remote...they are the same. and if you dont have RCA OUT on the back of the HU then you can buy a converter from halfords for like £5 which converts speaker wire into an RCA connection.
Wiring an amp to 6x9's will vastly improve things!! until you get a bass box that is...but we'll cross that bridge when and if you come to it.
check ebay out for an alpine 2 channel mrv f407 amp which puts out about 140watts per channel.
Its very easy to wire up an amp...all you do for the smaller 2channel amp powering 6x9's is:
1. run an 8gauge (fused 12" from battery) power cable from the battery in the engine bays pos + terminal, through a grommet in your bulkhead and fish it through under your dash then run that hidden all the way to the rear of the car, making sure the other end is taped until you need to connect it.
2. find a good earthing point in the boot, for the mk4 i used the earth for the boot light...
3. now you need to run both an RCA lead (sends music down this from HU) from the Head unit down the other side of the car...drivers side! along with an remote wire...this is a tiny blue wire which pulses when your stereo is activated so the amp only powers on when the stereo is on...and not on all the time!
You can use the electric aerial wire (blue/white) on the stereo if you dont have remote...they are the same. and if you dont have RCA OUT on the back of the HU then you can buy a converter from halfords for like £5 which converts speaker wire into an RCA connection.
Wiring an amp to 6x9's will vastly improve things!! until you get a bass box that is...but we'll cross that bridge when and if you come to it.
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helios1
- Bronze Member
- Posts: 243
- Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:56 pm
- Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, usually in my Mk4 1.3L
Thanks dubbprince! Thats a great help! I was thinking of getting the Alpine T220 2 channel amp, its 90WRMS per channel, as im gonna get some 6x9s that are 50W RMS. I doubt ill be upgrading to a bass box, because i share the car with my mum, and she needs it for shopping and stuff. I don't really need a big bangin' system, i just want a quality sound that fills the car.
If i was to just wire the amp from the HU, without modifying the existing speaker set up in the front of the car, would the HU still switch off if the impedance is too low?
I was thinking of putting in a switch along the battery wire, cos ill probably remove the speakers when i dont want them (well, if my mum doesn't want them). I'm gonna fabricate my own parcel shelf, with 6x9s on the top, and the amp bolted to the underside. Any ideas as to the best place to place a switch?
One more thing - can you tell me what im gonna need to wire up the battery to the amp?
Thanks guys.
If i was to just wire the amp from the HU, without modifying the existing speaker set up in the front of the car, would the HU still switch off if the impedance is too low?
I was thinking of putting in a switch along the battery wire, cos ill probably remove the speakers when i dont want them (well, if my mum doesn't want them). I'm gonna fabricate my own parcel shelf, with 6x9s on the top, and the amp bolted to the underside. Any ideas as to the best place to place a switch?
One more thing - can you tell me what im gonna need to wire up the battery to the amp?
Thanks guys.
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dubbprince
- Bronze Member
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 12:00 pm
you can buy a wiring kit...like so:
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product ... 29bce4ae61
or halfords sell an equivelent kit for about £15.
It has everything needed for this...except the switch. I suggest you try to bolt the amp inside the spare wheel well UNDER the carpet on a piece of MDF board so its suspended. Then use a NEUTRIK socket for the speaker wire going to the 6x9's...which looks like this:
Maplins sell them for about £5-6...theyre like quick release plug and socket (socket can be mounted onto the mdf as a neater way)...so basically instead of a switch which still means you have the power,earth and RCA hanging in the boot and causing problems! you have now hidden the amp and all you do is un-hook the socket to take out the parcel shelf with its 6x9's on!
I suggest you spend a day with some mdf and a jigsaw and make a shelf too...so when your mum does her shopping you can swap shelves!
Hope this helps...i'm on msn most nights if you wanna talk.
[email protected]
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product ... 29bce4ae61
or halfords sell an equivelent kit for about £15.
It has everything needed for this...except the switch. I suggest you try to bolt the amp inside the spare wheel well UNDER the carpet on a piece of MDF board so its suspended. Then use a NEUTRIK socket for the speaker wire going to the 6x9's...which looks like this:
Maplins sell them for about £5-6...theyre like quick release plug and socket (socket can be mounted onto the mdf as a neater way)...so basically instead of a switch which still means you have the power,earth and RCA hanging in the boot and causing problems! you have now hidden the amp and all you do is un-hook the socket to take out the parcel shelf with its 6x9's on!
I suggest you spend a day with some mdf and a jigsaw and make a shelf too...so when your mum does her shopping you can swap shelves!
Hope this helps...i'm on msn most nights if you wanna talk.
[email protected]
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dubbprince
- Bronze Member
- Posts: 178
- Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 12:00 pm
MRP-T220.
Less than 2 weeks old, 70W RMS per channel, lovely looking and sounding amp. Have decided I want to go the 4 channel route now.
As new in box. These are £99.99 in Halfords. £75 delivered.
[email protected]
Amp blurb.
MAX Power: 90Wx2 (4Ohm Stereo), 250Wx1 (Bridged 4Ohm)
50W x 2 RMS (14.4V - 4Ohm) or 140W x 1 RMS (14.4V - 4Ohm)
MOS FET Power Supply
Discrete Pre-Amp Stage
Multi Mode Capability
Adjustable Bass EQ
Sub-crossover (fixed)
Speaker Level Input Connector
Top Panel Power LED
above: found on the uk corrado forum.
Less than 2 weeks old, 70W RMS per channel, lovely looking and sounding amp. Have decided I want to go the 4 channel route now.
As new in box. These are £99.99 in Halfords. £75 delivered.
[email protected]
Amp blurb.
MAX Power: 90Wx2 (4Ohm Stereo), 250Wx1 (Bridged 4Ohm)
50W x 2 RMS (14.4V - 4Ohm) or 140W x 1 RMS (14.4V - 4Ohm)
MOS FET Power Supply
Discrete Pre-Amp Stage
Multi Mode Capability
Adjustable Bass EQ
Sub-crossover (fixed)
Speaker Level Input Connector
Top Panel Power LED
above: found on the uk corrado forum.
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helios1
- Bronze Member
- Posts: 243
- Joined: Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:56 pm
- Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, usually in my Mk4 1.3L
Sounds good, but you can get the same amp for £69.99 brand new from most internet ICE stores (e.g caraudiodirect.com).
Im thinking now to get all Blaupunkt stuff (amp, speakers) because ive got a blaupunkt head unit, and as i need to get a preamp out lead for the HU, i figure i buy it all from the same place - www.bluespot.co.uk
Should sound better too, as i would have thought that blaupunkt build their speakers for their amps + head units.
Im thinking now to get all Blaupunkt stuff (amp, speakers) because ive got a blaupunkt head unit, and as i need to get a preamp out lead for the HU, i figure i buy it all from the same place - www.bluespot.co.uk
Should sound better too, as i would have thought that blaupunkt build their speakers for their amps + head units.