"Les" <lbsound@yahoo.com> wrote in message

is the classical statement "internal amp are useless crap" that true?
I'm not so sure. Of course, you won't go very loud with 20w rms, but I
think it is plenty enough for many use: pushing the volume beyond 2/3
on many "powerful" headunits is not comfortable for most people, so
what's the point?

- distortion? but what are the facts? what are *really* the specs of
headunit internal amps? just consider for example JVC sh series of
headunit: 19-22w rms (depending on the model, and assuming 13v voltage
which is quite conservative), at 0.8%THD. Higher than an internal amp,
but still acceptable especially considering you won't listen it at
full volume (and thus at lower THD). And Pioneer HU are likely even
better.

- However, there is one aspect which explains why external amp often
sounds better, I just experimented it myself with a Blaupunkt GTA450
amp: using integrated crossover, you can prevent the speakers from
distorting and it *really* makes a difference. But this could be done
with a simple high pass filter without the external amp. And when
comparing the GTA450 to the internal amp of my headunit at my usual
listing level, without highpassing the speakers, I couldn't hear any
difference. Of course, the external amp can go much louder than my
internal amp, but if you don't need the extra loudness that's
useless...

So, if like ear-blasting music, or if you want to power a sub, then of
course the internal amp of the headunit is not adequate; but for
powering 2 (or even 4) speakers at a moderate listening level it is
perfectly Ok IMHO. In my case I think that my GTA450 is useless right
now, unless I go for a sub later.

Just an opinion