Car Audio Advice from the Audio Gurus: Use "Search thread" before posting a new Q!

[navin]

HUs can have 0, 2, 4, or 6 RCA outputs. 2 is usually for rear only. 4 is for front and rear, and 6 is for front rear and subs. Yet to see a HU with odd number outputs.

if your HU does not have enough line level (RCA) outputs you can convert the speaker level signal to a line level signal using an adapter. You might loose some fidelity that way but since i have never done this I dont know how much. Sam...you got an idea?

You can use a 4 channel amp for front and rear speaker. There me be some cases for example if you are driving 2 channels from RCA outputs and 2 channels from a Speaker to line level converter you mgith face some ground loop issues but those are more trial and error. In general a 4 channel amp with a HU which has 4 RCAs out will work.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by navin

u sure the surround of the midbass is ok? does the noise happen when you turn it up.

Hi Navin,

I knew nomatter what i said i would have to confirm this
Yep, the surround is fine.
If i expose the speaker and then just move the two wires a bit, the "cracking" sound stops. However, the bass shakes things up and they get back into their old noisy positions very soon after.

Apart from the crossover/amp damage issue, Im also worried that after i cut the wire, there will be still a bit attached to the cone that may make some noise....but im willing to "cut it close". lol.

snip snip ?

Thanks,
R

ps - and the noise is present soft when the volume is low, loud when the volume is mid, and gets drowned out when the volume is a bit too high.

[satan_crazy]

Hi Sam,
What would u recommend for the front door speakers for baleno? i had to choose between 6.5" and 5.25". The guy at the shop told me that 5.25" would be ideal. i got sound stream E series 5.25" (75 W RMS) for the moment after telling that dude that i might exchange them for bigger speakers if the need be.

Thanx,
S

[nishant_kingpin]

Hey Sam welcome to the gang even though I am sure you felt welcome already!! Enjoy the forum as much as we are enjoying reading through the flood he he he

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Hi audio techies,

I have crappy old blau 2way coaxials in the front of my car. They make cracking noises. Its coz of the wires from the cone to the dome tweeter. Can i just *snip snip* that wire and disconnect the dome (i wont miss the tweets), or is it likely to cause some stress on speakers inbuilt crossovers or something like that?

Thanks,
R

Hi! Are you sure it's because of the wire from the cone to the tweeter? Sounds unlikely. In most cases its either the voice coil of the mid or the voice coil of the tweeter thats failed, or has dirt in it. By wiggling the connections sometimes it gets better. Please make sure the connections you "snip snip" are indeed the tweeter conections and not the voice coil connection itself.
If you do manage to disconnect the tweeter, you will not harm the mid or the crossover if there is any.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by srasania

Thanks sam..I'll go to the lamington rd. office and get the catalogue.
I wanted to ask you - can you rate the following brands(with regards to car speaker audio clarity) starting from BEST brand..
1.JBL
2.Kicker
3.Boston
4.Focal
5.A/D/S
6.MB Quart
7.Sound Stream
8.MTX Audio

Suraj

Hi Suraj,
I've said this before and so has Navin, there's no definite answer to this one. It's purely a matter of taste and cost. The list you've set up is a veritable who's who of speaker specialists. Some are better than others but that is purely a matter of taste.
However I do like the fact that JBL's top on your list

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by navin

HUs can have 0, 2, 4, or 6 RCA outputs. 2 is usually for rear only. 4 is for front and rear, and 6 is for front rear and subs. Yet to see a HU with odd number outputs.

if your HU does not have enough line level (RCA) outputs you can convert the speaker level signal to a line level signal using an adapter. You might loose some fidelity that way but since i have never done this I dont know how much. Sam...you got an idea?

You can use a 4 channel amp for front and rear speaker. There me be some cases for example if you are driving 2 channels from RCA outputs and 2 channels from a Speaker to line level converter you mgith face some ground loop issues but those are more trial and error. In general a 4 channel amp with a HU which has 4 RCAs out will work.

Navin Most people say 3 RCA outs when they mean 3 pairs. It's a common problem lol.

There are "Voltage Divider" circuits that can convert speaker outputs to line level. I NEVER recommend them. They create many unwanted clicks and pops and alternator whines that generally screw things up. Some amplifiers have a "High Level In" this basically acts as a booster. Here, there is a provision to connect the speaker level wires directly to the amplifier, as an input. This is ok to do.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Hi Navin,

ps - and the noise is present soft when the volume is low, loud when the volume is mid, and gets drowned out when the volume is a bit too high.

Hi Rehaan,

this only confirms what i say, Do not cut the wire, the problem is in the voice coil of the midrange. You have dirt between the magnetic gap and the voice coil. You can get this repaired at any shop with a reconing facility. Request them not to change the voice coil or the cone. Just to open it up and clean the magnetic gap. Or change the speaker.

Cheers

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by satan_crazy

Hi Sam,
What would u recommend for the front door speakers for baleno? i had to choose between 6.5" and 5.25". The guy at the shop told me that 5.25" would be ideal. i got sound stream E series 5.25" (75 W RMS) for the moment after telling that dude that i might exchange them for bigger speakers if the need be.

Thanx,
S

Hello Satan,

I'll tell you what I told my ex-wife.

You've got a nice pair, no need to change them for anything bigger.

Cheers

[Sam Kapasi]

A REQUEST

A lot of you PM me, you are all welcome to. Please do not PM me generic technical queries. If you ask me those here, it'll help the next guy who reads the answers too.


Accha, if you guys want more photos, tell me. I put up 2 of our cars here earlier. Dunno if you want more. let me know, anyone.

Thanks

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by aseem

I dont mind going for this combo for my swift. However car audio guy at Karol Bagh told me that they cant give amp output to front speakers(components) as they cant handle it??? is this true??? Also another guy told me that if I want to give amp output to front speakers than I need to buy two amps??? Is this true, cant I buy a 4 channel amp and put 2 for front and 2 for rear and later sub???
The reason I stress on amp output to the fronts is that I have an esteem in which I have a 2 channel amp and only rear and woofer are into it. Thus my music is always coming from the back and I dont enjoy that...

Also I heard that lately you get HU that can have a remote at the steering wheel? is this true, if so how kewl does it look, does it look integral part of the car or just like a normal remote taped to steering???

Components work best connected to an amplifier. You are right, if you amplify the rear only and not the front, the rear will completely overshadow the front. Yes you should buy a 4ch amp and put the front compos and the rear on it too.

Steering remotes have been around for almost 7 to 8 years. Pioneer has a little one that fits snugly in the curve of the steering and sony has one thats shaped like an indicator knob. It can look kewl, lol.
If you drive yourself, why do you need a remote anyhow?

[navin]

and if you dont drive be nice to the driver. changing volumes and tracks can distub the driver as he is not expecting the chnage. when i am not driving i use my shuffle or nokia so as not to disturb the driver.

[ntomer]

Hi All,

Is there any head unit (single or dual din) having a built-in Amp.

\N

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by ntomer

Hi All,

Is there any head unit (single or dual din) having a built-in Amp.

\N

Hi ntomer,

I think you're a little confused. 99.99% of all head units (single AND double din) have a built in 4 channel Amplifier.
You see without an amplifier you simply cannot connect a speaker, big or small.
However, due to restrictions in space, the amplifier inside the head unit just isn't powerful enough. They vary between 15W to 25W per channel. While this is enough to drive a speaker, often the power isn't enough to get what we call "high fidelity, or hi-fi"
Hence we buy an external Power amplifier unit, that is larger and more dedicated to power itself. Power amplifiers vary from 40W to 500W and sometimes even higher. Mostly, this amplifier will also have an electronic crossover included, allowing you to manage your speakers better (for eg, cutting the bass to a smaller speaker, or cutting the mid and the treble to a subwoofer)
When the speaker is then connected to the amplifier, it sounds richer and more powerful because the dedicated amplfier has more juice, more power and the result is better. (I have tried to avoid all technical terms)
While the Head unit may have enough power to drive speaker,s it doesnt have enough power to drive a Subwoofer, that typically requires a lot more power.

[ntomer]

Hi Sam,
I got your point. My intended question was "are there any good HUs available which can make full utlization of component speakers?"
As I have stated earlier too, I don't intend to get a sub-woofer, only 6" components for the front door and 6" tri-axials for the rear door (both GBLs). I have seen many cars with amp, and the firment looks ugly to me, so I don't want to fit an external amp, what I want is a good HU capable enought to make full use of components.
The Sony CDX-F5510X gives 52W*4 output, will this be suffcient? If not, please suggest any other good HU. I won't mind I have to may more for that than this Sony HU+amp combined. I wud rather go for the aesthetics ;-)

\N