SCiMMiA24

Ok I'll explain my "problem" I will try to be brief....


The last summer I installed a new Pioneer DEH-1400 Head Unit with 4 new KOSS 5.25inch MSP580 80watts speaker.

Everything was installed by me on the stock wiring......

Now what I want is some base and also I want my head unit to stop blinking on each low sound...

I planned to buy some new wiring i don't know yet wich size cable but I will figure it out soon it's not a problem.... I will rewire everything from the battery, anyway, I will try to make a nice setup.

Now I will also buy a subwoofer, I will probably go with a 10 or 12 inches Kenwood or Pioneer.


---===NOW THE ULTIMATE QUESTION===---

Hmmm there's still one point to talk about before the question
I want/need/will buy an amplifier, and I want to link the RCA cable from the headunit to the amps, then plug all four speaker + subwoofer in the amps!

IS IT POSSIBLE ?
IS IT GOOD ?

If you can answer YES to both questions, then which amplifier do you suggest I buy... let's say, no more than 200$ CAN... or around that...


THANK YOU FOR READING AND REPLYING !!!!!!!!!!!



EDIT: Oh yeah !!! I forgot to say I'm a stupid idiot when talking about WATTS, SPEAKER, AUDIO, RMS and all those audio things lol

MisterT

Let's start with the head unit dimming. Do you have it wired to a wire harness like a metra or scoshce or hardwired to the Mazda's? You can get a little bit bigger power wire and ground wire and instead of splicing and plugging the groundwire to the harness, ground it to the car chassis that is sanded down a bit to insure a good ground. As for the amp, you can do a 4 channel and either run all 4 speakers to 2 channels and the sub off of the other two(bridged), or you could run just the fronts off the 2 channels and have the sub run off the other 2 (bridged). Check out Elemental Designz subs which are inexpensive and up there in SQ and SPL. They also have sub/amp package deals. You can use their recommended enclosure (they have 2 last I saw, ported and sealed). Intruder used the ported design and is pleased with the end result as well as ordered an amp from the same place. Also, does your Pioneer HU have RCA outs? Most aftermarket HU's have at least one output.

MisterT

SCiMMiA24

Hmmmmmm when I installed it... a year ago, I saw a RCA plug/cable or something like that I can't remember, but I know there is something RCA....

By the way, what is SQ and SPL ???
Also, what is the difference MONO, 2 channels and 4 channels...

There's no amps out there with like 5 output plug for each speaker + a subwoofer??? the stereo i use for my computer is old but it got 4 speaker plug.... why new amplifier do not have that?
I'm a little confused with all that lol

thanks for replying that fast !


EDIT: hmmm I know it's not a home theater amplifier so maybe like the front right and rear right is the same output... and front left + rear left is the same... but still... the HU got 4 speaker outputs hmmmmm

SCiMMiA24

So, maybe it's better to wire the 4 speakers to the HU and the sub to an amplifier that does just bass... did I just say something stupid or........ ?
the 4 speakers pluged to the amplifier still should be better... i think.....

SCiMMiA24

hmmm hardwired.... but I remember puting some clips ... like each wire I can detach.... anyway it's not something I like... that's why I want to rewire all that thing....

bigchrissays

First of all, if u want your headunit to stop dimming out on you then try grounding your car better or getting a capacitor. Do you plan on havin more than one amp? too hookup all 4 speakers and a sub to one amp would work but its not worth it. You should get one amp for your highs and one amp for your sub. The reason why i say this is because your gonna have to set the crossover differentlly on each amp. Your are going to need probably an 8 guage wiring kit. Ebay has alot of amps for cheap. Remember that if you are going to get 2 amps, make sure u get one 4 channel amp for your speakers and one 2 channel amp for your subwoofer. Most 2 channel amps are bridgeable to operate for only one speaker. I would suggest a Kicker speaker and build a custom slot ported box for it. I used to have one kicker comp vr 10 inch woofer and that thing slammed harder than most people i knew with two 12's(that includes kenwood and pioneer). You can find a 10 on ebay for like 60 dollars and a 12 for like 80. I hope nothin confused you and i hope i helped out at least a lil bit

MisterT

SQ is sound quality and SPL is sound pressure level (which is produced by subs). If you go with one sub amp and run all 4 speakers with your Pioneer your bass will drown out the rest of the music and sound like ***. A friend of mine had a truck with two 10's powered by an amp and his speakers were powered by the head unit. YOu could only hear the lyrics between beats. I would do a 4 channel like I mentioned before or do a mono one channel amp for the sub and a 2 channel amp for the highs. With two amps however, you will probably end up spending more money, so a single 4 channel amp may be your best bet (one with a built in crossover).

MisterT

SCiMMiA24

hmmmmmmmmmm waz that ?!??!?

SCiMMiA24

but I don't understand the 2 channels or 4 channels thing... ?!?!

is it like 2 channels = Left + Right
and 4 channels = Front Left + Front Right + Rear Left + Rear Right

if it is what it means... then a mono amp mean it is used only for 1 speaker (1 channel) and perhaps the sub....

???


oh and if I still understand.... if I go with a 4 channel amps then I hook up the two left speakers to one channel then the two right speakers to another channel, then 2 channel is left so i plug 1 sub bridged on the remaining 2 channels or 2 sub each one on its channel...? now can I tell the amplifier to play low bass one those 2 channels and high sounds on the 2 other channels ?

bigchrissays

A mono amp puts out a certain amount of power over one channel, kinda like 800x1. A 2 channel amp put out a certain amount of power over 2 channels, kinda like 800x2. Its good to use a mono amp when you are using one subwoofer. Do you want a high power sub? If you do then its good to have a mono block amp, but if u jus want something simple under say 600 watts you will be good with a 2-channel amp

MisterT

Crossover divides frequencies and sends them to the proper speaker, highs and mid frequencies go to your 4 speakers, while the low frequency goes to your sub(s). It helps remove bass from your smaller drivers so that they don't become damaged or sound like crap trying to produce a low frequency that it is not designed to produce and cuts the high frequency from your subs which can ruin them. They are like the "brains" of the system.

If you go to www.crutchfield.com, they have a how to guide on installing an amp. Also, www.the12volt.com has information on amps and installation help. Lastly, www.msprotege.com has a how to for amp installation. It may be here too under the Tech Forums.

MisterT

SCiMMiA24

Ok, the best setup I could make would be :

-One 4-Channels amplifier for my 4 speakers each one on a channel.
-One Mono amplifier for my subwoofer.
-Of course those two amplifiers hooked up into each other....


But I don't have the money to buy 2 amplifier.

So, I'm gonna buy one 4-Channels amplifier, I will hook both front speakers to one channel, both rear spearkers to another channel, then my subwoofer bridged on the two remaining channels. I will then set the "crossover" setting to LOW (bass) for the 2 channels pluged to the subwoofer and I will set HIGH the two other channels for the speakers. (I think JENSEN got the built-in crossover..)

IS THIS CORRECT?

anything else I should know or that you think I'm wrong?

THANKS

demoninvictus

can you say... BIRAGE OF **** I CAN'T UNDERSTAND??? ok, bud, you've got 200.00 canadian bucks you want to spend... thats $143.23 american dollars. thats on the record, now lets get down to the dirty.

with regard to this whole channel dilemma, you know what left and right is, you know what front and rear is:
1 channel/mono amp = not stereo, a single channel...we'll say this is for a SUB only
2 channel amp = stereo sound, both left and right, can either power your left and right front speakers, your left and right rear speakers, or can be combined to run your sub
4 channel amp = 2 sets of stereo sound, front left and right, and rear left and right channels. this is an amplifier you can use to run subwoofer(s), you can run front speakers or rear speakers with, but remember, it's only 4 channels, so you can only power front and rear speakers, sub(s), or a sub and front or rear speakers.
5 channel amp = provides power for all four speakers and 1 channel (mono channel) for a sub. usually not the route to go, and these amps are more expensive than your typical 1, 2, and 4 channel amplifiers

now watts, bascially, the more the better, but for powering your 4 speakers, front and rear, you will want at least 50 to 70 watts and these amps will be listed as having 50 to 70x4 (50x4 for instance). now, your stereo/headunit is kind of limited, the Pioneer DEH-1400 only has one pair (2 channels worth) of rca preouts, meaning, they're only giving you the option to power your front speakers, your rear speakers, or some subs. this can be solved by using an LOC (basically, a line out converter). this attatches to one of your headunit's speaker wires, and for argument sake, you can get attatch it to any channel your head unit puts out and get 2 channels out of it (am i right guys???).

anyway, i'm going to portion out 1 option i researched for you if you spend more than you're wanting to.
Option 1: Amplifying your front speakers and a subwoofer.
Amplifier - Profile Clarus 440 amplifier - bout $160 canadian
(this amp will give each front speaker 50 watts of power, and 150 watts to a sub)
Sub - Rockford Fosgate PunchZ 10 inch subwoofer - bout $97 canadian
OR
Sub - Rockford Fosgate PunchZ 12 inch subwoofer - bout $111 canadian

as for subs, a bottom of the line name brand sub will hit alright for you. i'd recommend rocksford personally, as you can purchase a 10 inch Rocksford Fosgate PunchZ sub for $97CAD from crutchfield. Elemental designs i'm sure has great sound, but really isn't in your price range.. no matter how affordable we're talking. i was kinda going to spell out lots and lots of options for you, but i'm not the guru when it comes to brands... i just know what i hear for myself, and from my trusted friends here on protegeclub .

hope some of this helped you out.
peace

MisterT

Considering the budget restrictions which is VERY understandable nowadays, that is a great start! I lucked out in that with my system, I worked at a local privately owned shop and got **** on dealer accomocation. Sure I would love a new head unit and redo the entire system from the dimming problems and just to have a different sounding system, but right now, I simply don't have the cash. The only thing I purchased new as far as components are concerned, were the subs only because my old ones wore out literally. Unless you want to count the wiring and the new battery.

MisterT