Whats Your Advice

[Rockguy475 10+ year member]

Hey, im new to these fourms(just became a member today), but i have a few questions and would like anyone that knows a thing or two about systems to give me some advice. First of all i dont even have my car yet.. i get it this coming April/May, its my grandmas but its in great condition(2004 Chevy Malibu LS)... i do not yet have a complete system but so far what i do have are the following....

Deck: JVC EXAD KD-SHX750

Sub: JL Audio 12inch W7(with ported box customized for a W7)

Amplifier: JL Audio 500/1 Class D Monoblock Subwoofer Amplifier

Saying that i also plan on buy new speakers/components and an amp to power them...

What kind of speakers are good? i like listening to mostly hip/hop or rap... a lot of bass music.. Also my friend told me i made a huge mistake purchising the 500/1 JL amp and not getting the 1000/1 JL amp.. is this true? when i was buying the amp i felt that 500 RMS was plenty for just the trunk space it was going into and plus i got a ported box which i heard can increase the sound. So my two main questions are... am i well off with the amp im using now and what good speakers should i look into with an amp for them...

Thanks

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[trevor87 5,000+ posts]

The w7 is 750rms so 500 will be alright for you i mean you could always step up to a bigger amp later

 

[DaveVT 10+ year member]

That amp should do just fine.

 

[Rockguy475 10+ year member]

ok cool thanks, thats what i was thinking the guy said the amp was one of his best sellers when i bought it. i think ill stick with it... What about speakers... i have no idea what to put into my car... i think my price range is going to be about $500... is that good for changing out my front speakers(not back) and getting an amp to power them?

 

[bri487 5,000+ posts]

That amp should do just fine.

as long as he doesnt want more power and keeps hammering it harder to the point where it clips. then you will blow that thing off 500 watts. i would go with the pioneer rev series coaxials front and rear with a zapco reference 360.4.

 

[Rockguy475 10+ year member]

what type of amp should i go for, for the speakers and what price do u think they cost

 

[bri487 5,000+ posts]

what type of amp should i go for, for the speakers and what price do u think they cost

look at my above post.

 

[Rockguy475 10+ year member]

gotcha... when u said b4 "as long as he doesnt want more power and keeps hammering it harder to the point where it clips. then you will blow that thing off 500 watts" is that a good thing or bad?

 

[bri487 5,000+ posts]

gotcha... when u said b4 "as long as he doesnt want more power and keeps hammering it harder to the point where it clips. then you will blow that thing off 500 watts" is that a good thing or bad?

clipping is bad. its like sending dirty power to your speaker. that is why overpowering is always better than underpowering. that headroom it gives you keeps clipping minimal.

 

[Rockguy475 10+ year member]

im kinda confused??? i dont see why having the amp i have would be bad for the W7.. is there anyway u can explane to me why its bad... its what the store owner recomended

 

[bri487 5,000+ posts]

im kinda confused??? i dont see why having the amp i have would be bad for the W7.. is there anyway u can explane to me why its bad... its what the store owner recomended

because it isnt enough power to do what that W7 is capable of doing, so if you push it even harder to get more output, it clips the signal. think of it like in-audible distortion that is killing your speaker.

 

[Rockguy475 10+ year member]

but if i only wanted to put out 500 watts which is the RMS on my amp.. would that be ok.. i have a ported box so it would be sounding like 1000 or close to it... plus iv been told JL amps really put out about 100 more watts then what there supposd to do... meaning it would be 600 rms

 

[Rattlebrain 10+ year member]

but if i only wanted to put out 500 watts which is the RMS on my amp.. would that be ok.. i have a ported box so it would be sounding like 1000 or close to it... plus iv been told JL amps really put out about 100 more watts then what there supposd to do... meaning it would be 600 rms

read the gain setting sticky in the amplifier section.

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

You will be fine with your amp. Think of it this way, your vehilce has a tach, the tach a redline. You know that if you consistently go above redline, bad things are going to happen to the engine. The point of clipping in an amp is where the redline is. You need to find out where it is. As long as you don't go above the point of clipping on a extended basis, you will be fine.

Remember, your amp will not make it's full output all of the time, it is going to swing from 1watt to 500 watts and all points inbetween based on the overall volume setting.

You can underpower a speaker all day long and not damage it provided you do not send the speaker a continually clipped signal AND you provide the speaker adequate time to cool. Heat is a natural byproduct of producing power, throw power into a sub, expect it to heat up. Heat is what kills speakers.

As far as the main front and rear speakers go, oversize 6.5" speakers will fit your car. Find some good speakers that you like the sound of. I would short list MB Quart, Focal, Eclipse, Morel before considering the meat and potatoes of the car audio world like Kenmore, Alpine, Sony etc. If the car has a mounting location for a stock tweeter, find a component type setup for the front.

You will need an amp for the front and rear speakers as well. Why? Because you have a monster power imbalance between the 500w rms sub amp and a cd player that on a good day is struggling to produce 15 watts x 4 (forget the 50w x 4 claim it says it is). A real 50w rms x 4 amp should be more than adequate. If I were in your shoes I would find the matching 4 channel JL amp to match asthetically to the other JL amp, that way the fashion police will not give you a ticket.

 

[Rockguy475 10+ year member]

ok cool, thanks a lot. i have a much better idea of my system and what i need to get now.. i still am a bit hazy on the whole clipping thing but i do kidna get what u are saying... thanks a bunch, as far as the speakers go ill look into the examples that u gave me as well as the JL amp. thanks for the help