amplifier location in Outback

[JGE]

Everyone talks of putting an amplifier under one of the front seats.
I kinda like
putting CD wallets and miscellaneous crap under there. Plus, it
seems like a
major pain to route RCAs and speaker wires to there. Why not just
put the
amp in the center area behind where the head unit is located, since
the speaker
wires are already there, it's very close to the head unit, and also
very close to the
firewall (for running the power) ?

Is it simply not enough room, or not well enough ventilated ? I'm
not going with
a monster unit, just the bottom end Alpine 250 unit.

Thanks, John

 

[mrputler]

Everyone talks of putting an amplifier under one of the front seats.
I kinda like
putting CD wallets and miscellaneous crap under there.   Plus, it
seems like a
major pain to route RCAs and speaker wires to there.   Why not just
put the
amp in the center area behind where the head unit is located, since
the speaker
wires are already there, it's very close to the head unit, and also
very close to the
firewall (for running the power) ?

Is it simply not enough room, or not well enough ventilated ?   I'm
not going with
a monster unit, just the bottom end Alpine 250 unit.

Thanks, John

The dimension on an Alpine MRP-F250 are:

11-1/4 X 2-3/8 X 9-9/16 (inches)

I don't know how much room there is behind your head unit in the
Outback, but in my Forester there is zero space behind the head unit
and no room for any amp of any size. I put a sub amp under the driver
seat, and routing speaker and power wires wasn't a big job. I removed
the seat and center console to make the job easier.

 

[JGE]

Thanks for replying. I need to get in there and see if there's
enough
space - and something to mount the amp to.

... routing speaker and power wires wasn't a big job. I removed
the seat and center console ...

Maybe I need to re-evaluate my level of commitment.

John

 

[mrputler]

Thanks for replying.    I need to get in there and see if there's
enough
space - and something to mount the amp to.


Maybe I need to re-evaluate my level of commitment.

John

Here's something you might want to consider. Even though I added a
sub amp and sub woofer for low end punch, the biggest improvement made
to the system's sound quality was to just replace the stock door
speakers. I replace all 4 speakers (front and back), but the biggest
bang for the buck was from replacing the front ones. I'm still using
the stock head unit, and the systems sounds pretty good just doing the
door speaker replacement, and it will crank out more volume than the
stock speakers too. Replacing the door speakers is a very easy job
(at least it was on my Forester). I chose the Polk db650's (front)
and Polk db450's (rear) and am very happy with them, plus they were on
sale.

I recommend crutchfield.com to pick out speakers to fit your car. If
you find a pair on their site that's not listed for your car, give
them a call to double check the specs.to see if they will fit. Their
customer service is excellent, and they provide any wire harness you
might need to connect the speakers.

 

[JGE]

Here's something you might want to consider.  Even though I added a
sub amp and sub woofer for low end punch, the biggest improvement made
to the system's sound quality was to just replace the stock door
speakers.  I replace all 4 speakers (front and back), but the biggest
bang for the buck was from replacing the front ones.  I'm still using
the stock head unit, and the systems sounds pretty good just doing the
door speaker replacement, and it will crank out more volume than the
stock speakers too.  Replacing the door speakers is a very easy job
(at least it was on my Forester).  I chose the Polk db650's (front)
and Polk db450's (rear) and am very happy with them, plus they were on
sale.

I recommend crutchfield.com to pick out speakers to fit your car.  If
you find a pair on their site that's not listed for your car, give
them a call to double check the specs.to see if they will fit.  Their
customer service is excellent, and they provide any wire harness you
might need to connect the speakers.

Thanks. I replaced the door speakers long ago. Probably won't do
the rear ones, because on road-trip (trigger for this upgrade) the
rear seats are folded down and rear speakers pretty well blocked.
I have tweeters too (by front lower corner of front windows) but have
not upgraded from factory ones; I wonder how worthwhile that is ?

The speakers were Sony, got them from crotchfeel, and I totally agree
with you on their service.

John

 

[John O]

just replace the stock door

speakers.

Question for you...I have a pair of Alpine something or other I got for a
gift this past winter. Nice speakers, about $140 for the pair. On one of the
three days this winter that were warm enough to try, I swapped out the left
stock speaker with one of the Alpines. Didn't sound any better, to my
astonishment. I put the stock speaker back in.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if I made a mistake when installing. Should I
have completely removed that tweeter from the circuit? I didn't, I just
pulled the big speaker and attached the Alpine.

I'm guessing that maybe there's a capacitor or crossover in there that
killed off the HF response on the Alpine, since the lower speaker is clearly
intended as a mid-range and it has no crossover or filter.

If it ever warms up I'll try again.

-John O

 

[mrputler]

Question for you...I have a pair of Alpine something or other I got for a
gift this past winter. Nice speakers, about $140 for the pair. On one of the
three days this winter that were warm enough to try, I swapped out the left
stock speaker with one of the Alpines. Didn't sound any better, to my
astonishment. I put the stock speaker back in.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if I made a mistake when installing. ShouldI
have completely removed that tweeter from the circuit? I didn't, I just
pulled the big speaker and attached the Alpine.

I'm guessing that maybe there's a capacitor or crossover in there that
killed off the HF response on the Alpine, since the lower speaker is clearly
intended as a mid-range and it has no crossover or filter.

If it ever warms up I'll try again.

-John O

How did the Alpines sound? Were they tinny sounding (no bass), or
were they flat (no high end) sounding? Are they component speakers
(tweeter is separate from woofer)? If they are component speakers and
the crossovers are not built in, maybe they were wired wrong.

If they are not component speakers, just plug them in. The Alpines
should sound much better than the stock speakers.

 

[John O]

How did the Alpines sound? Were they tinny sounding (no bass), or
were they flat (no high end) sounding?

Flat. I expected some crisp highs from the new CD (Coheed & Cambria, heh) I
was playing, but they were dull.

Are they component speakers
(tweeter is separate from woofer)? If they are component speakers and
the crossovers are not built in, maybe they were wired wrong.

Two-way, all-in-one. http://tinyurl.com/2mm73v or something just like these.

If they are not component speakers, just plug them in. The Alpines
should sound much better than the stock speakers.

I've replaced stock speakers a few times before, and agree with you. That's
why I wonder where the crossover is...I suspect I didn't get it out of the
signal chain.

-John O

 

[mrputler]

Flat. I expected some crisp highs from the new CD (Coheed & Cambria, heh) I
was playing, but they were dull.


Two-way, all-in-one.http://tinyurl.com/2mm73vor something just like these.


I've replaced stock speakers a few times before, and agree with you. That's
why I wonder where the crossover is...I suspect I didn't get it out of the
signal chain.

-John O

The crossover on the average coax speaker is mounted on the woofer
basket. It's probably a simple first-order filter with a single
capacitor and inductor.

Maybe the one you tried had a bad tweeter or a broken wire to/from the
crossover? Next time you install the Alpine, turn down the volume and
place your ear up against the tweeter and listen if it's working.

 

[John O]

Maybe the one you tried had a bad tweeter or a broken wire to/from the
crossover? Next time you install the Alpine, turn down the volume and
place your ear up against the tweeter and listen if it's working.

It was working, just not much. I aimed it up, and down. I still wonder where
the crossover is located in the Outback, not on the new speaker.

-John O

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

Here's something you might want to consider. Even though I added a sub
amp and sub woofer for low end punch, the biggest improvement made to the
system's sound quality was to just replace the stock door speakers. I
replace all 4 speakers (front and back), but the biggest bang for the buck
was from replacing the front ones.

Yeah, but this can be a chore, too!

I have MB Quarts in the doors of my Supra, my Scion tC, and the Suby wagon.

I also have 5" Quarts in the back of the Scion. IMMEDIATE boost in the
sound, even before replacing the head unit!

The Supra has 6.5s in the front and 5s in the rear, like the tC, but also
has a 100Wx4 amp running them, and a 300W amp running the sub (that's in a
Pignose box! http://www.guitarnuts.com/amps/g40v/index.php )

Putting the amp under the seat isn't a bad idea, and if you need to get to
it, it's a lot easier there...

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

It was working, just not much. I aimed it up, and down. I still wonder
where the crossover is located in the Outback, not on the new speaker.

-John O

I think the problem is that while stock speaker sound like...er... shinola
through a tin horn, they are made to work very easily and reach higher
decibels at lower wattages. You give up some sound for this.

A better speaker needs more wattage to get the sound out. Try replacing
both of them and then moving the fader so most of the sound comes from the
Alpines, and then CRANK it, and I think you'll hear the difference.

Or, get an amp and *REALLY* juice them!!!
(Adding an amp also gives cleaner sound.)

 

[John O]

I think the problem is that while stock speaker sound like...er... shinola
through a tin horn, they are made to work very easily and reach higher
decibels at lower wattages. You give up some sound for this.

A better speaker needs more wattage to get the sound out. Try replacing
both of them and then moving the fader so most of the sound comes from the
Alpines, and then CRANK it, and I think you'll hear the difference.

Or, get an amp and *REALLY* juice them!!!
(Adding an amp also gives cleaner sound.)

I thought about that, but the sensitivity specs are normal, not low. In any
case, the lack of power would affect bass response, but not the highs so
much. We got seven inches of snow yesterday, but next weekend is looking a
lot better to get outside and figure this out.

BTW, my ears are bad enough that I really don't need an extra amp to make
them worse. Too much time standing next to the drummer when I was young.

-John O

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

I thought about that, but the sensitivity specs are normal, not low. In
any case, the lack of power would affect bass response, but not the highs
so much. We got seven inches of snow yesterday, but next weekend is
looking a lot better to get outside and figure this out.

BTW, my ears are bad enough that I really don't need an extra amp to make
them worse. Too much time standing next to the drummer when I was
young.

-John O

I know what you mean:
http://perso.wanadoo.es/tallent/gear/pics/sale/BM2582.jpg
http://www.tradingmusician.com/images/products/crvnpb300.jpg
http://www.tradingmusician.com/images/products/ampegsvt412he.jpg
(except mine is an early 70's...)
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric Basses/BX4500H-1.jpg
http://www.chrisguitars.com/fen68bassman-215.jpg
http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/images23000-23999/ugb23572-fenderpbasslite/1.jpg

 

[John O]

I know what you mean:
http://perso.wanadoo.es/tallent/gear/pics/sale/BM2582.jpg
http://www.tradingmusician.com/images/products/crvnpb300.jpg
http://www.tradingmusician.com/images/products/ampegsvt412he.jpg
(except mine is an early 70's...)
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric Basses/BX4500H-1.jpg
http://www.chrisguitars.com/fen68bassman-215.jpg
http://www.buffalobrosguitars.com/images23000-23999/ugb23572-fenderpbasslite/1.jpg

Yep, that's the ticket. I don't have a rig these days, but mine had speakers
the size of my OBW rims and rhymed with pv.

-John O

-John O

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

Yep, that's the ticket. I don't have a rig these days, but mine had
speakers the size of my OBW rims and rhymed with pv.

NO RIG?!?!?!

Man, I quit for about 18 years...job, wife, kids, etc. Then the kids grew
and the wife split, and I still had my Dan Armstrong, so we became good
firends again. Thing weighs about 12 lbs, so the P-Bass Lyte was the next
addition.

Don't think I'll stop again...

 

[Valued Corporate #120,345 Employee (B A R R Y)]

Man, I quit for about 18 years...job, wife, kids, etc.

Carpal tunnel nailed me.

3 years after the surgery, I feel like I can get playing again. The
surgery gave instant relief, but the last 20% needed for precision
(was that a pun? <G>) stuff took a long time to come back.

 

[John O]

Man, I quit for about 18 years...job, wife, kids, etc.

Yep, almost the same years here so far.

Then the kids grew

The first one graduates in the spring, last one is 11.

and the wife split,

Gaaa...I'm there too, maybe. Although, a trade-in often sounds like a good
deal. :-|

-John O

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

Gaaa...I'm there too, maybe. Although, a trade-in often sounds like a good
deal. :-|

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!

http://www.dickmcvey.com/warwick3.jpg

http://www.musicmania1.com/new/images/Ampeg_SVT_&_4B.jpg

OR

http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM00/Content/Trace_Elliot/PR/AH1000-controls.jpg

Be Happy!

 

[Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B]

Carpal tunnel nailed me.

3 years after the surgery, I feel like I can get playing again. The
surgery gave instant relief, but the last 20% needed for precision (was
that a pun? <G>) stuff took a long time to come back.

I've got CTS, too, but it don't stop me! I just get a little less "fancy"
when it kicks up between breaks.

*I* have found the best thing for CTS while playing a gig is

http://www.plunderguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/crown-royal-cask-no-16.jpg