Amp setup questions

mimcgl

Junior Member
Hey, this is my first post but i've already learned a lot just by browsing these boards. Anyways, i drive a 2001 Dodge Neon and have a Kenwood KDC319 HU with stock speakers. I'm soon going to get Infinity reference 6.5's (60W RMS, 4 ohm) in the front and Infinity reference 6x9's (100W RMS, 4 ohm) in the back deck. I also want to get an amp for all 4 speakers but i'm not sure how to set it up. If i get a 4 channel amp can i set it so the back speakers get more power than the fronts or is it split up evenly no matter what? Also do i have to run the speakers at 4 ohms? Also, i've heard us acoustics amps are good for the money, but if you have any other ideas i'd appreciate it. Sorry if these seem like stupid questions, i'm a total newbie when it comes to amps and wiring and stuff. Thanks for any suggestions.

 
Originally posted by mimcgl Hey, this is my first post but i've already learned a lot just by browsing these boards. Anyways, i drive a 2001 Dodge Neon and have a Kenwood KDC319 HU with stock speakers. I'm soon going to get Infinity reference 6.5's (60W RMS, 4 ohm) in the front and Infinity reference 6x9's (100W RMS, 4 ohm) in the back deck. I also want to get an amp for all 4 speakers but i'm not sure how to set it up. If i get a 4 channel amp can i set it so the back speakers get more power than the fronts or is it split up evenly no matter what? Also do i have to run the speakers at 4 ohms? Also, i've heard us acoustics amps are good for the money, but if you have any other ideas i'd appreciate it. Sorry if these seem like stupid questions, i'm a total newbie when it comes to amps and wiring and stuff. Thanks for any suggestions.
Ok, first off, let me suggest something. I would say you would be better off to put the 6.5" coax's in the back and get the reference 6.5" components for the front stage...

The power would be split equally to all 4 channels, assuming they are all the same impedance. And I suggest running speakers at 4 ohms.

And yes, US Acoustics makes great amps, the 4065 would be a perfect fit for the References...

Also, welcome to the forum:)

 
I'm a newbie, too. I had the following thoughts:

- if you get the right kind of amp, you can adjust the gain so that there is more sound from either the back or front. I did this with an older Rockford Fosgate 4 channel amp (55 watts per channel)- it sounds quite good, even with the stock speakers (VERY much a matter of choice though)

- I guess you could do a 6 channel amp (e.g. A/D/S and others make them and they are supposed to be good, but a bit expensive) and bridge two channels for the two back speakers and send the other two channels to the front.

- 4 ohms or not depends on the ratings of your amp; at least in the limited research I did, most decent ones are pretty stable at 2 ohms. I suppose you'd get more power, but it also means your amp works harder. Probably heats up more (important with summer coming!).

I've always run my stuff at 4 ohms and have never had trouble with e.g. Kenwood/Rockford Fosgate amps running hot. Most amps seem to be very happy with 4, 2 is on edge of stability for some. Depends a lot on location, too.

Just my 0.02.

 
Originally posted by The Tall Man I'm a newbie, too. I had the following thoughts:

 

- if you get the right kind of amp, you can adjust the gain so that there is more sound from either the back or front. I did this with an older Rockford Fosgate 4 channel amp (55 watts per channel)- it sounds quite good, even with the stock speakers (VERY much a matter of choice though)
The gain has nothing to do with the amplifiers power. A gain simply matches the head units preamp voltage with that of the amp.
- I guess you could do a 6 channel amp (e.g. A/D/S and others make them and they are supposed to be good, but a bit expensive) and bridge two channels for the two back speakers and send the other two channels to the front.
He *could* do that, but whats the point? There are plenty of sufficient 4 channel amps out there that can get the job done perfectly.

- 4 ohms or not depends on the ratings of your amp; at least in the limited research I did, most decent ones are pretty stable at 2 ohms. I suppose you'd get more power, but it also means your amp works harder. Probably heats up more (important with summer coming!).
Once again, he *could* do this, but I believe speakers were meant to be ran at 4 ohms, I don't like bridging speakers and getting them down to 2 ohms, once again there are plenty amps that are plenty sufficient to get the job done at 4 ohms.
It might sound like I'm hatin on ya or something, but I'm really not.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

The first thing I said about gains are a fact, but the other things I said are merely my opinion. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 
1.) I don't call what you said "hatin" I call it "learnin" //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Hey- I'm the newbie. However:

2.) I am not sure I understand fully your comment about matching head output to the amp. Here is why:

- I think many amps actually can easily handle a range of inputs (from what I read in various amp specs?). Maybe there is one particular setting that makes it work in the most optimal way, but to my knowledge, there is no "right" setting, just a range of possible levels that will all work? If you move within this range, you have flexibility to adjust your volume level out of each speaker set. In my post, I said there is more sound, which doesn't = more amp power.

- the 4 channel setup in my current car has 55 W per channel, but it seems that by far most of the sound is from the rears (it was installed by someone else years ago). I don't think the difference is due to speakers, so I assume it is the amp settings. I guess it could be that the settings are wrong, but I think it sounds quite good. I told them I liked "rear staged" when it was installed (some 7-8 years ago now)

- each of my 4 channels has its own gain setting- I am not sure why I need that many gain settings (for only two RCA inputs) if there is going to be only one "right" level of input, or if the purpose of gain is simply to match RCA levels with the head. I don't think they assume each of the 4 channel has an RCA input from a different source- the amp is fairly low end. So why have all those gain settings if they don't want you to adjust volume level to different speaker sets

3.) RE 4 ohm vs. 2 ohm; I agree, and as said, what I currently have is all 4 ohm, and I'll keep it that way. In my other car (which I am trying to plan audio for now) I was considering whether I should go with a one or two coil sub; leaning towards former since, as said, 4 ohm is where I'd like to be (will just accept the lower power, or get a bigger amp if not enough boom).

Any kind of replies are welcome- I am trying to learn as much as possible; install in my second car will be my first, although I've done simple things like CD changers (but never amps).

TTM

 
Thanks-

Actually, I saw some more about this gain thing in a post further down. I am starting to think this gain think is part objective, part subjective- but I'll figure it out.

What kind of setup are you running, BTW?

I'll check out your link later-

TTM

 
Originally posted by The Tall Man Thanks-

 

Actually, I saw some more about this gain thing in a post further down. I am starting to think this gain think is part objective, part subjective- but I'll figure it out.

 

What kind of setup are you running, BTW?

 

I'll check out your link later-

 

TTM
Check out my page on cardomain, theres a link to it in my sig.
 
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