My System (I need help!)

[NViejeP]

I took a look at those things you suggested. I'm not too big of a fan of those amp brands, kind of cheap quality. Althgouh they are goood savers, I'm looking for good brand name quality amps.

As for getting a 4 channel amp, at like 50 x 4. I'm just worried about power. My CDTs are 100 watt RMS, would a 50x 4 4 chnanel amp be able to power that correctly? And would 100 RMS be enough for a subwoofer?

My rears are only 4" so its very hard to find a good reliably 4" speaker. The most that it can probably pyut out in rms is 50 RMS.

 

[brick privy]

just hook up the CDTs to the head unit for now and see what it sounds like. decide on the amp later.

i sugested the 4 channel amp to just run the subs. the highs would run off the head unit for now. that 100w rating is max power you don't have to run them that hard.

it sounds like you need some background info on electronics. if you bridge an amp you're using both the left and right channels to drive one speaker (the details are in the instuctions). since each channel sees only half the load (2 ohms), each channel puts out double the power, 100w in stead of 50w. then by also using both channels on one speaker it doubles again 200w. this only works if the amp can supply enough current. that's why you should buy top brands, the cheapies will wimp out on you.

i sugested the 4 channel amp because you can bridge it now and get 200w for each sub. then when you go out and get that 800w mono sub amp (you know you want it), you can reuse the 4 channel to run the CDTs and whatever rear speakers you choose.

don't worry about over powering the rear speakers, you can use the gain controls to turn down the power to protect them. like galactic4 said, you want the sound to come from the front anyway.

don't get in a rush to get all of this done at one time. take baby steps. you'll be glad you did.

 

[galactic4]

No offense taken. I just dont want him to think it will sound much better until he gets an amp. Nothing worse then spending money and not getting the expected results.

 

[brick privy]

your right, it won't be a big differance. it definately won't be an earth shaker!

back in the day, when i was really into this stuff (late 80s, early 90s), everyone started with " a deck and four". thats a tape deck (remember those?), and four speakers. the stock stereos back then were so bad you heard a big differance. nobody back then would go out and buy a whole system unless they were going to stereo comptitions, or their daddy paid for it all.

now the factory stereos are so good that you may not hear a huge differance even after a amp and subs. the system in my 2002 trailblazer sounds so good that i wouldn't dare touch it. it wouldn't be worth the trouble. i just wish my dinky custom setups back in the day sounded as balanced as the trailblazer.

it seems that today people pefer to buy whole systems. maybe it's because the OEMs steped up, maybe its just instant gratification. regardless, if someone wants ot build a system piece by piece, i still think a head unit and four speakers is the best place to start.

BTW in the day, the 100w class was the hot ticket. that's 100w total system power including the head unit. these guys would run 25w x 4 amps, or maybe two 25w x 2 amps but they would run them with super low loads. maybe 1ohm or even .5 ohm. these guys would run 4-8 tweeters, 4-8 mids, and 4, 8, or even more subs off that one tiny amp, and they rocked!
now everyone loves the unlimited SPL, or some thing? maybe?? don't know..

 

[NViejeP]

http://www.cdtaudio.com/classic_speakersoftruth.htm

Judging from this, they are 100 watt RMS. What if I get a amplifer at 50 x 4? Would the sound suck?

And is that 100 watt RMS per speaker or for the whole thing? If it's for the whole thing, that means that it would be just the right RMS.

Sorry fo rall my questions guys, I apprecaite everything.

 

[brick privy]

that 100w rating is for each mid, tweeter, crossover set. they're saying that you can safely run them with a 100w RMS x 2 amp.

i think they would sound good on 50w. running them at the max (100w) will only get you 3 more db.

watch out for those speaker power ratings. they only mean that the speaker should'nt burn up with 100w. that does'nt mean they'll sound good. i'd hate to see you spend extra money on a bigger amp trying run them at the max, and then be forced to turn down the gain controls to prevent distortion.

you're still kinda hung up on the power numbers. they're not that important, but if you really want to get that close to your max numbers then i would just get a 100w x 2 amp with the front speakers and run the rears from the head unit. the rears won't be very loud but they should be a good match power wise.

i just reread your post and i think you might be confused about componet sets. each set consists of a mid, a tweet, and a passive crossover. a passive crossover divides the frequencies after they're amplified. the amp connects to the crossover then the crossover connects to each speaker. you don't drive each speaker seprately on an amp channel. if you want to drive each speaker with its own channel, then you need an active crossover. an active crossover divides unamplified signals. you'll use an active crossover (most likely built into the amp) on your subs. BTW the high pass filters, and low pass filters on head units and amps are just half of an active crossover.

just to confuse you a little more, with your head unit, if you run the front speakers with an amp and hook up your rear speakers to the rear outputs on the head unit, THEN the fader will work backward. not a big deal it just always cought me confused when i finished an install and tried to adjust the system.