Speaker level input - 8v vs 4v

[rostam]

Alpine PDR-F50 with up to 4v input needs to be on minimal gain, or else I am getting hiss in the speakers. Would an amp with 8v input give me better signal-to-noise ratio?

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[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

You won't find a 8v HU...unless you buy an old school one. Most are between 2-4 volts to keep noise levels at a minimum.

The problem your having is matching gain on amp with HU.

 

[rostam]

Factory head unit is 8v, speaker-level input.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Yeah...get rid of it.

 

[Infinbaruyota]

You won't find a 8v HU...unless you buy an old school one. Most are between 2-4 volts to keep noise levels at a minimum.
The problem your having is matching gain on amp with HU.

Yeah, I remember Eclipse in the late 90's made 8V units. They even made one with Freakin 16 volts!!!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/*******.gif.a649d21efc0d1fd4890a6428166586c1.gif Seems like you could charge the car battery with the RCAs.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

My Clarion has 5.

Seems more companies are leading towards higher voltage inputs now. They laid low for a long time. I think my 9835 might be 4, not sure.

 

[k5james 10+ year member]

My Clarion has 5.
Seems more companies are leading towards higher voltage inputs now. They laid low for a long time. I think my 9835 might be 4, not sure.

I think it's a good thing. I love my 8v Eclipses.

 

[tymoto21 10+ year member]

CHeck your grounds

Is it very quiet hiss?

Does it change when the engin is running

Did this just start or was it always there

 

[dsw1204]

I think it's a good thing. I love my 8v Eclipses.

I love my 8V Eclipses, also. I've got a few of them in a closet and will keep running them for a long time. You know, it's not just the 8 volt preamp output that is so great with Eclipses. It's also (and just as important) the 55 ohm line out impedance. I was reading specs on a Sony C90 and they were bragging how low their line output impedance was and it was 200 ohms. And, that head unit had a $1400 price tag on it when it first came out, I do believe.

But, I think we are all missing the point here. The OP was inquiring about the amp, not the head unit. And, to tell you the truth, I am not sure if an amp with input sensitivity of up to 8 volts would help him with his issue. The hiss he is hearing, I feel, is probably an installation issue. But, maybe somebody better informed than me can help him.