Rainbow Install on paper... Looking for a second opinion

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

By running active they are referring to having each driver is run on its own amp channel with an active crossover (crossover before the amp). You have the 4 channel amp needed. The active crossover is what you lack.

For the way that you have your install planned, you want the sets of channels set to High Pass. The passive crossovers provided with the set only divide the freqs between the mid and tweet. They don't provide a high pass for the mid. Run the left channel from the head unit to the front channels and the right input to the rear pair. You might need y-cables to get it to work exactly right.

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Helotaxi,

You sir/ma'am win at life haha.

That was exactly what I needed to hear.

The last thing I could use clarification on is if it is safe to have the spears wired in this fashion.

The set is rated at 150w max. With the amp configuration proposed, 270 watts will be coming out of each bridge.

It is my understanding that if the gain is set correctly, this is perfectly alright.

Thank you very much and regards,

Incudie

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

I would set the gains really low. Use the gain setting tutorial in the amplifier section and set it for around 150W. From there you should be more than good. I would use a -3dB tone for gain setting. You'll understand what I mean when you read the tutorial.

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Thanks again Helotaxi,

Kind of strange (and has me worried).

I have everything wired up and plugged in but I am only getting sound through the front bridge channel. I can not get any sound out rear channel...

I tested:

The Audio Source

The cabling

Re-Crimpped

Checked the fuses in the amp

Checked the halogen bulbs in the x-overs...

I have testing all my connections with a meter and everything appears good.

The only thing is on the rear channel config there is another switch for "bass boost" and its currently set to 0db (the default). I doubt that has anything to do with it...

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Incudie

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

How do you have signal run to the amp? What cables go from where to where?

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Goes from computer's front channel to a stereo connector splitter then to 4 RCA connectors then into the amp.

I have tested both RCA pairs with a separate set of speakers.

Thanks,

Incudie

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Not that I think that it has anything to do with the problem, but the left channel when split should go the the pair of inputs on the front and the right to the rear. Left and right as labeled on the amp no longer have any bearing on your system and neither do front and rear. Front is now left, rear is now right.

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Haha yeah I felt kind of silly when I looked at that. I tried that last night and had the same results... Currently I have rewired the RCAs to be exactly that way.

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Well unfortunately, I am pretty sure something is wrong with the rear channels of this amp... I wired both x-overs to the front with 90watts and got sound out of all the speakers.

I swapped cables with know good ones, re-crimped new cables, tried another audio source, triple checked everything I could think of. I am going to send a message to the distributor in hopes he can help me.

Thanks for all your guy's help!

Regards,

Incudie

 

[kmanian 5,000+ posts]

Bah... I almost bought that model too...
I was told that with the higher end model (which wasn't too much more). I would have less overhead doing this configuration.

Too late now though... =(

Just a point of intrest, you refer to "higher end model (which wasn't too much more). I would have less overhead doing this configuration." the 4, 2 and 1 channel iPauls are all the same "higher end line" I am unclear as to what the "less overhead" is refering to.

I do totally agree that running active will sound great.

Sorry to hear of the issues with the amp. Good luck

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Hehe thanks a lot,

I feel a little silly right now now though. RIGHT after I messaged the one I got these from, I changed the RCAs around and it all of a sudden works...

The only thing I need to do is figure out how to set the gain (there are no onboard gain controls, only a remote). The remote only controls the rear channel for some reason.

Anyway, so wiring in active will sound better?

I suppose I would have to get new x-overs if I wanted to wire them actively then hu?

As far as overheard, I was just referring to the fact that there would be less heat using a higher rated amp...

Thanks,

Incudie

 

[kmanian 5,000+ posts]

are there not controls under the silver metal strip on the top of the amp?

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Wow... so I came back to the laptop laughing. I didn't know I had to unscrew the panel...

You sir, rock haha. Thank you

--Incudie

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The smaller 2 channel would have had less headroom in theory but it would have run cooler. You won't need all the power from the smaller amp and bridging the bigger one is going to make it run a little warm (still not too bad though with the gains set conservatively).

To run active, you would ditch the passive units that came with the component set entirely. You would then need some sort of external preamp level crossover either from the headunit or a stand alone. From there you would run the tweeters off the front channels of the amp with the crossover setting the highpass freq for them and the mids off the rear channels with the crossover providing a bandpass for them. The last thing that you would need is a ton a patience to get it all set up and sounding good. Active has the possibility to sound better than passive, but it takes more work just to get it to sound as good. With just a basic crossover, breaking even on the passive setup is about the best you can reasonably hope for, but bring in a nice processing suite like the Alpine H01 or 9887 with the Imprint module, the Rockford 3.sixty or the Pioneer PRS-880 and the potential is really only limited by the drivers themselves and the tuning ability and patience of the person setting it up.

 

[Incudie 10+ year member]

Wow... sounds like that just opened my mind up to a whole other world... This *project* actually started with just getting a car PC installed and crossed over into getting a new amp and speakers haha. Once all that is said and done and I have everything installed, I will definitely revisit this and take a deeper look.

Thanks a lot!