Low Input V Hi Input on Amp?

[andyborris]

Brought an amp as part of the "teaching old dog new tricks" thing.

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product ... 34d23dd81b

Really only brought it because it's 1/2 list price and on reading the "funny" English manual for it, I think I can take the signal from the speaker output pins on the H/U.

This is described in the manual as "Hi Input", the "low Input" being RCA plugs.

Am I reading this right? Will there be a huge difference in sound quality between the 2 ways? Using the speaker outputs on the H/U would be a big help, 'cos I've only got 1 pre-out !

And ain't these amps heavy, first time I've ever added weight to a car, must be getting old, putting comfort above speed!

Andy

[andyborris]

And if I've brought a piece of s**t, it's OK to say , I can always send it back!

Wanted to buy something that would take a up-grade of the H/U at a later date.

Andy

[mrLEE30]

if it works then it is not a piece of Sh1t the high inputs are designed to accept a higher voltage input, such as the voltages generated by your car stereo amp and fed out through the normal speaker outputs. Thus if you have a cheaper stereo with no RCA output you can simply connect the speaker inputs to the amp and they will be amplified. the Low input is designed to accept a low voltage input as fed out by the RCA leads.

Generally the RCA signal will be a cleaner signal then a speaker output. Amps in most car stereos are normally fairly cheap things so the output signal will be noisy (by noisy i mean full of unwanted noise) which is ok if you only run normal speakers from that. but if you then feed this noisy signal into an amp (in the high input) then you will amplify not only the sound you want (music) but the sound you do not want (the noise).

I have this set up in my wifes durango with a small Xplod amp running 2 6x9's and it sounds ok (or better than before) but it will not stand high volume and will not win any sound quality prizes, but my wife is happy which is the aim of the game.

so to recap - use the RCA input if possible.

As for weight ... amps generate quite a bit of heat, the weight will be heat sinks which dissipate this heat.

good luck

mrlee

[andyborris]

Thanks, I'll try the Hi Outputs first, then probably go and buy a better head unit

Andy

[cliffybabe]

You can get a rca converter that takes all the wires and converts them into RCA connections, halfords do these also JL audio have made some hench one and Calbier mad eone aswell.

[massive]

why would you want more than one rca out on the stereo?

[cliffybabe]

why would you want more than one rca out on the stereo?

I've got thre front rear and Sub, it give the sound quality suich a lift, one of the benifits is the quality of the sound, and the sub output is mono only so the bass kicks etc.

I cant rember what the volt out is on mine

[massive]

why would you want more than one rca out on the stereo?

I've got thre front rear and Sub, it give the sound quality suich a lift, one of the benifits is the quality of the sound, and the sub output is mono only so the bass kicks etc.

I cant rember what the volt out is on mine

Ahh right so if you have amps to run the components.....didnt think about that

So if you use an amp to run the front and rear components, I assume you just dont plug the speaker ISO connector in....right?

[fowler]

LOW ALL THE WAY SOD HI INPUTS

[andyborris]

The amp I've just brought has 4 channels, but they can be "bridged". I think this means I can run a channel per speaker or run all the power though a sub.

Andy

[andyborris]

LOW ALL THE WAY SOD HI INPUTS

Yeah, I've started looking for a new H/U and I've not been near the car with the amp yet ! Any suggestions?

The G/F can have the single channel H/U in her car, she only listens to Wobbie Rilliams anyway !

Andy

[mrLEE30]

suggestions for head unit depends on price budget. I have a JVC head unit which i am happy with, it has two RCA outputs plus a mono sub output enableing you to run front and rear amps/speakers and a sub from the sub output.

if you bridge a four channel amp then you would effectively combine two of the four channels to double the output to one speaker, normally a sub. a good quality four channel amp will have two RCA inputs (front and rear) and is actually two amplifiers so in effect you could run two channels bridged into a sub and the remaining channels into two speakers in yer rear parcel shelf. or alternatively you could bridge four channels in to two and run two speakers and double the power to each speaker (dont forget double the power means double the noise too!!)

ensure your amp has a sufficient 12V power supply and is fused correctly, depending on what car you have the battery may be in the boot, which is ideal to tap 12V from. if its in the front you will need to run a power lead to the amp, ensure the 12V cable is big enough to handle the amp current (400W at 12V= 33amps but you will never draw the full 400W so budget for about 15amps) and put a inline fuse the in the wire as close to the power source as possible i.e at the battery, and be carefull where the wire goes under seats and is in contact with metal, you will be surprised at how the car vibration will wear through the insulation causing a fault (hence why i say keep the fuse as close to the battery as possible)

And finally keep your signal leads as far away as possible from your power leads, so run your RCA leads next to the dr]ivers seat and power leads next to the passenger seat

Oh incase you are confused i am assuming you will be mounting the amp in your boot!!!

mrlee

[andyborris]

Haven't looked at JVC yet, all this choice makes my head hurt!

I'm kinda leaning towards a Blaupunkt, German brand for a German car. I fitted one to my MG and I like it, don't need a programming degree to set it up! Not sure if it sounds any good though, can't really hear it over the racket the MG makes as I drive it.

Andy

[mrLEE30]

yes i did notice that MG in your avatar!!! To be honest most car head units today are very similar in terms of quality, and it will be directly related to the price i.e if you have four 100quid head units they will be similar but not be as good as the 200 quid range. stick to a brandname and avoid funny or chinese sounding things!

As you quite rightly put it, most high end stereos units normally only have additional gadgets that are more fashion than function. get one that suits what you want, and that looks ok in the car. Security is a big issue in UK so think about that too.

mrlee

[kam325itouring]

Either change your head unit with more pe-outs or to confuse things even more run it through an EQ this will have one rca input and three out, front, rear, and sub!!