Car Forum / Subaru Cars / March 2008
amplifier location in Outback
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JGE - 11 Mar 2008 21:02 GMT Everyone talks of putting an amplifier under one of the front seats. I kinda like putting CD wallets and miscellaneous crap under there. Plus, it seems like a major pain to route RCAs and speaker wires to there. Why not just put the amp in the center area behind where the head unit is located, since the speaker wires are already there, it's very close to the head unit, and also very close to the firewall (for running the power) ?
Is it simply not enough room, or not well enough ventilated ? I'm not going with a monster unit, just the bottom end Alpine 250 unit.
Thanks, John
mrputler@gmail.com - 11 Mar 2008 21:37 GMT > Everyone talks of putting an amplifier under one of the front seats. > I kinda like [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Thanks, John The dimension on an Alpine MRP-F250 are:
11-1/4 X 2-3/8 X 9-9/16 (inches)
I don't know how much room there is behind your head unit in the Outback, but in my Forester there is zero space behind the head unit and no room for any amp of any size. I put a sub amp under the driver seat, and routing speaker and power wires wasn't a big job. I removed the seat and center console to make the job easier.
JGE - 12 Mar 2008 07:33 GMT Thanks for replying. I need to get in there and see if there's enough space - and something to mount the amp to.
> ... routing speaker and power wires wasn't a big job. I removed > the seat and center console ... Maybe I need to re-evaluate my level of commitment.
John
mrputler@gmail.com - 12 Mar 2008 18:33 GMT > Thanks for replying. I need to get in there and see if there's > enough [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > John Here's something you might want to consider. Even though I added a sub amp and sub woofer for low end punch, the biggest improvement made to the system's sound quality was to just replace the stock door speakers. I replace all 4 speakers (front and back), but the biggest bang for the buck was from replacing the front ones. I'm still using the stock head unit, and the systems sounds pretty good just doing the door speaker replacement, and it will crank out more volume than the stock speakers too. Replacing the door speakers is a very easy job (at least it was on my Forester). I chose the Polk db650's (front) and Polk db450's (rear) and am very happy with them, plus they were on sale.
I recommend crutchfield.com to pick out speakers to fit your car. If you find a pair on their site that's not listed for your car, give them a call to double check the specs.to see if they will fit. Their customer service is excellent, and they provide any wire harness you might need to connect the speakers.
JGE - 12 Mar 2008 20:47 GMT On Mar 12, 1:33 pm, mrput...@gmail.com wrote:
> > Thanks for replying. I need to get in there and see if there's > > enough [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > customer service is excellent, and they provide any wire harness you > might need to connect the speakers. Thanks. I replaced the door speakers long ago. Probably won't do the rear ones, because on road-trip (trigger for this upgrade) the rear seats are folded down and rear speakers pretty well blocked. I have tweeters too (by front lower corner of front windows) but have not upgraded from factory ones; I wonder how worthwhile that is ?
The speakers were Sony, got them from crotchfeel, and I totally agree with you on their service.
John
John O - 12 Mar 2008 20:59 GMT > just replace the stock door > speakers. Question for you...I have a pair of Alpine something or other I got for a gift this past winter. Nice speakers, about $140 for the pair. On one of the three days this winter that were warm enough to try, I swapped out the left stock speaker with one of the Alpines. Didn't sound any better, to my astonishment. I put the stock speaker back in.
In the meantime, I'm wondering if I made a mistake when installing. Should I have completely removed that tweeter from the circuit? I didn't, I just pulled the big speaker and attached the Alpine.
I'm guessing that maybe there's a capacitor or crossover in there that killed off the HF response on the Alpine, since the lower speaker is clearly intended as a mid-range and it has no crossover or filter.
If it ever warms up I'll try again.
-John O
mrputler@gmail.com - 13 Mar 2008 18:23 GMT On Mar 12, 12:59 pm, "John O" <johnospama...@lottaspamheathkit.com> wrote:
> > just replace the stock door > > speakers. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > -John O How did the Alpines sound? Were they tinny sounding (no bass), or were they flat (no high end) sounding? Are they component speakers (tweeter is separate from woofer)? If they are component speakers and the crossovers are not built in, maybe they were wired wrong.
If they are not component speakers, just plug them in. The Alpines should sound much better than the stock speakers.
John O - 13 Mar 2008 19:51 GMT > How did the Alpines sound? Were they tinny sounding (no bass), or > were they flat (no high end) sounding? Flat. I expected some crisp highs from the new CD (Coheed & Cambria, heh) I was playing, but they were dull.
> Are they component speakers > (tweeter is separate from woofer)? If they are component speakers and > the crossovers are not built in, maybe they were wired wrong. Two-way, all-in-one. http://tinyurl.com/2mm73v or something just like these.
> If they are not component speakers, just plug them in. The Alpines > should sound much better than the stock speakers. I've replaced stock speakers a few times before, and agree with you. That's why I wonder where the crossover is...I suspect I didn't get it out of the signal chain.
-John O
mrputler@gmail.com - 13 Mar 2008 22:50 GMT On Mar 13, 11:51 am, "John O" <johnospama...@lottaspamheathkit.com> wrote:
> > How did the Alpines sound? Were they tinny sounding (no bass), or > > were they flat (no high end) sounding? [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > -John O The crossover on the average coax speaker is mounted on the woofer basket. It's probably a simple first-order filter with a single capacitor and inductor.
Maybe the one you tried had a bad tweeter or a broken wire to/from the crossover? Next time you install the Alpine, turn down the volume and place your ear up against the tweeter and listen if it's working.
John O - 14 Mar 2008 04:14 GMT > Maybe the one you tried had a bad tweeter or a broken wire to/from the > crossover? Next time you install the Alpine, turn down the volume and > place your ear up against the tweeter and listen if it's working. It was working, just not much. I aimed it up, and down. I still wonder where the crossover is located in the Outback, not on the new speaker.
-John O
Hachiroku ハチロク - 22 Mar 2008 01:08 GMT >> Maybe the one you tried had a bad tweeter or a broken wire to/from the >> crossover? Next time you install the Alpine, turn down the volume and [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > -John O I think the problem is that while stock speaker sound like...er... shinola through a tin horn, they are made to work very easily and reach higher decibels at lower wattages. You give up some sound for this.
A better speaker needs more wattage to get the sound out. Try replacing both of them and then moving the fader so most of the sound comes from the Alpines, and then CRANK it, and I think you'll hear the difference.
Or, get an amp and *REALLY* juice them!!! ;) (Adding an amp also gives cleaner sound.)
John O - 22 Mar 2008 15:16 GMT >> It was working, just not much. I aimed it up, and down. I still wonder >> where the crossover is located in the Outback, not on the new speaker. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Or, get an amp and *REALLY* juice them!!! ;) > (Adding an amp also gives cleaner sound.) I thought about that, but the sensitivity specs are normal, not low. In any case, the lack of power would affect bass response, but not the highs so much. We got seven inches of snow yesterday, but next weekend is looking a lot better to get outside and figure this out.
BTW, my ears are bad enough that I really don't need an extra amp to make them worse. :-) Too much time standing next to the drummer when I was young.
-John O
Hachiroku ハチロク - 24 Mar 2008 02:00 GMT >>> It was working, just not much. I aimed it up, and down. I still wonder >>> where the crossover is located in the Outback, not on the new speaker. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > -John O I know what you mean: http://perso.wanadoo.es/tallent/gear/pics/sale/BM2582.jpg http://www.tradingmusician.com/images/products/crvnpb300.jpg http://www.tradingmusician.com/images/products/ampegsvt412he.jpg (except mine is an early 70's...) http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/BX4500H-1.jpg http://www.chrisguitars.com/fen68bassman-215.jpg http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/images23000-23999/ugb23572-fenderpbasslite/1.jpg
John O - 24 Mar 2008 16:03 GMT >> BTW, my ears are bad enough that I really don't need an extra amp to make >> them worse. :-) Too much time standing next to the drummer when I was [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > http://www.chrisguitars.com/fen68bassman-215.jpg > http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/images23000-23999/ugb23572-fenderpbasslite/1.jpg Yep, that's the ticket. I don't have a rig these days, but mine had speakers the size of my OBW rims and rhymed with pv.
-John O
-John O
Hachiroku ハチロク - 29 Mar 2008 03:29 GMT >> http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/images23000-23999/ugb23572-fenderpbasslite/1.jpg >> > Yep, that's the ticket. I don't have a rig these days, but mine had > speakers the size of my OBW rims and rhymed with pv. NO RIG?!?!?!
Man, I quit for about 18 years...job, wife, kids, etc. Then the kids grew and the wife split, and I still had my Dan Armstrong, so we became good firends again. Thing weighs about 12 lbs, so the P-Bass Lyte was the next addition.
Don't think I'll stop again...
Valued Corporate #120,345 Employee (B A R R Y) - 29 Mar 2008 13:48 GMT On Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:29:16 GMT, Hachiroku ???? <Trueno@ae86.gts> wrote:
>Man, I quit for about 18 years...job, wife, kids, etc. Carpal tunnel nailed me.
3 years after the surgery, I feel like I can get playing again. The surgery gave instant relief, but the last 20% needed for precision (was that a pun? <G>) stuff took a long time to come back.
Hachiroku ハチロク - 31 Mar 2008 03:54 GMT >>Man, I quit for about 18 years...job, wife, kids, etc. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > surgery gave instant relief, but the last 20% needed for precision (was > that a pun? <G>) stuff took a long time to come back. I've got CTS, too, but it don't stop me! I just get a little less "fancy" when it kicks up between breaks.
*I* have found the best thing for CTS while playing a gig is
http://www.plunderguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/crown-royal-cask-no-16.jpg
John O - 30 Mar 2008 01:46 GMT > Man, I quit for about 18 years...job, wife, kids, etc. Yep, almost the same years here so far.
>Then the kids grew The first one graduates in the spring, last one is 11.
> and the wife split, Gaaa...I'm there too, maybe. Although, a trade-in often sounds like a good deal. :-|
-John O
Hachiroku ハチロク - 31 Mar 2008 03:52 GMT >> and the wife split, > > Gaaa...I'm there too, maybe. Although, a trade-in often sounds like a good > deal. :-| DON'T DO IT!!!!!!
http://www.dickmcvey.com/warwick3.jpg
http://www.musicmania1.com/new/images/Ampeg_SVT_&_4B.jpg
OR
http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM00/Content/Trace_Elliot/PR/AH1000-controls.jpg
Be Happy! ;)
Hachiroku ハチロク - 22 Mar 2008 01:04 GMT On Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:33:53 -0700, mrputler wrote:
>> > ... routing speaker and power wires wasn't a big job. I removed the >> > seat and center console ... [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > replace all 4 speakers (front and back), but the biggest bang for the buck > was from replacing the front ones. Yeah, but this can be a chore, too!
I have MB Quarts in the doors of my Supra, my Scion tC, and the Suby wagon.
I also have 5" Quarts in the back of the Scion. IMMEDIATE boost in the sound, even before replacing the head unit!
The Supra has 6.5s in the front and 5s in the rear, like the tC, but also has a 100Wx4 amp running them, and a 300W amp running the sub (that's in a Pignose box! http://www.guitarnuts.com/amps/g40v/index.php )
Putting the amp under the seat isn't a bad idea, and if you need to get to it, it's a lot easier there...
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