Amplifier help!

[RogueGypsy]

Re: Amplifier help!

Wolf-Strong,

Intermittent problems like you're describing are usually the result of a bad connection. It can be from a loose wire, loose terminal or more often than not a bad ground.

Trace all of your grounds, there should be one from the headunit and one from the amp. If the lights on the headunit are still lit when you loose sound, it is likely the ground on the amp. Disconnect it, clean it and where it attaches to the chassis. Then reconnect it and apply some dielectric grease to the connection. That will keep it from oxidizing and causing problems again.

If you find that you have to replace the amp. Check the impedance of your speakers with an Ohm meter (they should be 4 Ohms) and the output voltage of the headunit to the existing amp (should be 14.4 volts or less). If they impedance and output voltage are as above. Alpine makes several amps that have independent crossovers built into the amp. However, you will probably need a couple of amps to take care of the 10 speakers.
1 four channel for the mids and highs, another four channel for the lows.

The easiest way is a single 4-channel and passive cross-overs on each of the speaker sets.

HTH,

Brock

[RaskyR1]

Re: Amplifier help!

Years ago when I was into sound offs, I used to run Alpine, Soundstream, Audio Control and MB Quart. I did a lot of installing back then...

I used an active Audio Control crossover as well their EQL for leveling the channels. I really like the way I could tailor the crossover and EQ to give what sound I was after. But you can do the same with passive crossovers as well. It all depends on how you want to set up the system.

At sound offs, there are many different divisions, in which case you may use one or 20 amplifiers. As a result, people had to choose what category to be in and then go from there.

I will warn you though, every piece of equipment especially EQs must be star grounded as each ground point has a different ground potential. This ground potential can set up a ground loop causing alternator whine etc. I had one vehicle that no matter what I did, the windshield wiper motor made noise through the speakers. I ended up wiring a capacitor onto the motor to shut it up!

When you say that the factory deck is sending a cross-over signal that confuses me. Normally when a stock system does that, each amp is integrated with each speaker. If that is the case, then we have a huge problem. Many stock decks will not "step-down" to an aftermarket amplifier, in which case you will need a step down converter. This is in itself is not good as that can open the door to noise and a poor noise floor levels.

I am not trying to discourage you, but trying to adapt an aftermarket amplifier to a stock deck (which usually has a high impedance) and to stock speakers which will also have a high impedance most likely, you may have a real headache coming.

One site that is very helpful for these problems is called the:

http://www.the12volt.com/

It is mostly an installers site, but you should be able to register and get into most areas of the Forum. I would check there and see if an installer has dealt with your situation before and how to solve it.

Tim

Sorry for the additional off topic talk...



I competed IASCA back in '96 and and actually went to the world finals in '97.

My system consisted of Soundstream 5.0 and Picaso amps running Image Dynamics wave guides and CDT mids up front with 2 Image Dynamics IDQ12 subs in back. I had a Hifoncs crossover and a pair of Hifonics EQ's daisy chained for SQ tuning.

Man I miss those days! Today it seems people are all about bass and people don't even know what SQ is anymore.

[1971fordcustom]

Re: Amplifier help!

Not to take over this thread but I have a ? I have 2 Sony Xplod speakers that are 240W, Then I have my old ones that are the same but there 220w, My sony radio has 208watts. So what size wire do I need?
When It comes to wires I try to stay away from it lol.