TMadlem84

When I bought my FD, it had an amp installed in the hatch. I am considering adding a sub, as the sound from the stereo now has very little bass. I am not looking for one of those super-bass systems... just a nice sound quality.

My question is about the amp. The amp that is in it is a Jensen (I'm at work & don't have access for a pic or model right now). It has 2 speaker ports, the power/ground ports. I don't see anything that is label "sub" to use for a sub output. Is this maybe an amp without sub hookups?

Basically, how would I hook up a sub, I assume there would be a conneciton point on the amp that would be labeled 'sub', but there are no unused speaker-cable connection points that are open.

Sorry for the newbie question... but I don't know anything about car stereos...

This is the amp that is in my car: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Jense...99475237QQrdZ1

blackangst

I've got an Alpine 10" in a sealed box that sits behind the seats but in front of the hatchback area. It takes up very little room. Look for a sub that requires very little room for a sealed box. I find a 10" is a perfect size for blend.

Also I would recommend wounting your amp behind a seat.

Crymson

Hi,

So as i understand it, there is an amp in the hatch, and both speaker terminals are connected? Sounds to me like that amp is running your 2 rear 6x8 speakers (behind the driver), and it's only a 2 channel amp.

So you'd either need to

a) install a 4 channel and amp, and keep the 6x8's hooked up to 2 channels and "bridge" the other 2 channels (take the power from both channels, and make it 1) and run a sub or

b) hook your 6x8's back up to your head unit, and then use the amp in the hatch to run a sub.

B route would probably be easier, but maker sure the amp has a "low pass crossover" or "low pass" button, before you hook up a sub to it.

TMadlem84

^^To make sure I understand...

I could buy a 4 channel amp. Hook 2 of the stereo 'ports' up to the speaker lines that are already run in my car. Then combine the other 2 'ports' into one, & send that to the sub?

blackangst

Yes. But...

I would make sure you have quality speakers in the front, and amp connected to those, and use rear speak's as fill. If you have a quality deck you could hook up the rears to the deck. Its always better to have a front staged system than a rear.

TMadlem84

Is there an advantage to running speakers off the headunit as opposed to the amp?

*EDIT* & again, I'm not trying to get a loud system... I just want to add some quality bass, since there is almost none in the system now... so re-wiring the speakers for optimal QUANTITY is not really a concern for me

Crymson

In your case, the "advantage" to running your speakers off of your head unit, is that you wouldn't have to buy another amp.

TMadlem84

But aside from $, there wouldn't be an advantage?

Crymson

You're right. Running decent speakers off of almost any amplifier is preferrable to running them off of your head unit.

TMadlem84

Keeping in mind I have a 2-channel amp right now; is it possible for the front speakers to be on one channel, and the rear speakers to be on the 2nd? Reason I ask is because the speaker wire is yellow in my car, and there is only 1 set of the yellow speaker wire running to my dash. I have my center console out because I'm working on it & noticed this.

I know I could find out for certain by pulling peices out & finding out where both the speaker wires go... but that'd take time... & it's too late in the evening now...

Crymson

You wouldn't want to run 4 speakers off of a two channel amp. For one thing, you lose all fade and left right balance, secondly, you'd be drawing from the amp at more current than it would like, by adding an extra speaker to each channel. Also, on a stereo track, anything from the "left" would come from either the front or the back of the car, and the opposite. That would annoy me alot.

You're amp is most likely connected to your head-unit by a pair of RCA cables (red/white, like on your home stereo), for signal, and connected to the rear 6x8's via speaker wire.

Your front speakers are likely still running off of your head unit, and the rears from the amp.

TMadlem84

I don't know... I'll just investigate tomorrow & see what's up.

So what is the best way to setup a stereo? (forgetting what I have)

Run fronts off head unit, backs on amp, sub on amp?

TMadlem84

Anyone?

Best setup would be:

fronts on head unit
rears on amp
sub on amp

X-JaVeN-X

best setup putting money and your current setup aside...get a nice 5 channel amp...and run your front and rear speakers off of 4 channels of the amp then use the last channel to run a nice subwoofer. This also depends on the head unit you have. preferably you'd want it to have 3 sets of preouts...1 for front, 1 for rear, and 1 for your sub...this isn't necessary...but is the best way to do it really.

Another choice (not the best IMO), get a 4 channel amp...and run the front speakers off of 2 channels, then bridge the rear 2 channels to run your sub. Run your rear speakers off of your head unit.

I don't know why so many people want to amplify their rear speakers before their fronts. I mean if you think about it when you go to a concert...the music comes from in front of you....so you want to "stage" your system so that your sounds is coming fron in front of you...and the rear speakers are just "fill" (usually the headunit amp will cover this)

TMadlem84

My head unit only has front/rear RCA outputs... will it still support a sub?

& I was thinking 5 channel would be best... but didn't see any in a quick search...

Crymson

if you could find a used "memphis belle" amp from memphis audio, that's probably my favorite 5 channel amp.

X-JaVeN-X

well if you keep that head unit...I would just go with a 4 channel amp....and run your front speakers off the front 2 channels of the amp, using the front preout on your HU, and run the sub off the rear channels of the amp, using the rear preout of the HU. That will take up your 2 sets of preouts on your headunit...then run your rear speakers off the head unit.

5-channel amps are definitely harder to find and are usually a pretty penny. You'll have alot more choices with a 4-channel.

The other option would be splitting your rear preouts and running your rear speakers and sub off of the same preout....I don't like this because you have less control over the subs.

So best route, money aside, get a deck with 3 sets of preouts and a 5-channel amp.

TMadlem84

Any recs for a more affordable 5-channel amp? My head unit was all of $130... so I don't want to spend $600 just for an amp...

Plus I don't want to give people a reason to break into my car... I want a 5-channel amp that does the job it needs to do... but I'm not **** about sound quality...

Again, the amp I have now is selling for less than $50 on eBay (Jensen 2-channel, 300watt) & I think it works fine...

Basically... I want a cheap 5-channel... no super amps...

Like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...3509&rd=1&rd=1

Cheap... 5 channels... no super wattage... just enough to power 5 channels at 'normal' listening volume...

X-JaVeN-X

http://cgi.ebay.com/ECLIPSE-AMP-PA55...QQcmdZViewItem

Just an example of a 5-channel amp...it's 50watts x 4 @ 4ohm (fronts and rears) + 200watts X 1 @ 4ohm (sub)

TMadlem84

Your opinions?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MakeTrack=true

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALPINE-MRA-F350-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALPINE-5-4-3-CHA...QQcmdZViewItem

X-JaVeN-X

yea...jensen isn't know for high quality audio equipment...atleast they weren't when I was in the mobile audio game about 3 or 4 years ago. Same with blaupunkt...they seem to be really hit and miss. Anyway...again, if you go with the 5-channel amp...i'd recommend getting another HU with 3 sets of preouts (2 for fronts and rears and a dedicated subwoofer preout)...otherwise, just get a good 4 channel....and you'll get more bang for your buck.

X-JaVeN-X

I like the first alpine and the 3rd one in that list. I wouldn't go with the second one as it's 50watts x 5...generally you want more power going to the subwoofer...which is the case in both the 1st and 3rd auction. The difference is the 1st one is just a little more powerful on each channel...but yea, both of those sound like good choices for your situation.

TMadlem84

So will a 5-channel not be used since I only have front/rear outputs from my head unit?

X-JaVeN-X

it wouldn't be used "correctly" because you only have a set of preouts for the fronts (first 2 channels of amp), and a set of preouts for the rears or sub (other 2 channels of amp or the last subwoofer channel of the amp). Now with that said...you could get the 5-channel...and use the first 2 channels and front preout for your front speakers...then use the rear set of preouts and the subwoofer channel on the amp and still power the rear speakers with your head unit.

or you can split your preouts and share that output with your rears and subs...but now everything to change on your rears is changed on your subs...which I personally hate doing.

but if you go ahead and get the 5-channel and hook it up like I said above only using the front 2 channels and the sub channel...if you ever upgraded your headunit...then you would already have the amp to switch your rear speakers over to.

any of this make sense? haha

TMadlem84

Yeah. I'm finally starting to get it.

I think I'll just go with a 4-channel. Since I'm not looking to blow my windows out, the 5-channel would be more $$ than I care to put in to it.

So 4-channel amp, run fronts on amp, rears on head unit, sub on amp (using the rear output on head unit to get signal).

I assume any decent-name brand amp will work? Is there a certain wattage I should be looking for? I figure I don't push the volume limits of the stock radio... so I don't need an amp capable of high wattages?