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New member Username: MikemPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-04 | I have a Montero Sport with a stock stereo in it and my left, front speaker rattles. I just went online and bought a pair of Alpine SPS-170A two-way speakers and installed them. They sound like crap compared to my old speakers (before one of them blew). I know they have got to be better quality than the no-name ones Mitsubishi put in there so I'm wondering if using an amp is a requirement for speakers like that. When I play music at a lower volume, the sound is really small, but if I crank it up, the old speakers (still have some in the back) sound good but the new ones rattle like hell. Did I buy the wrong kind? Those speakers are here: http://www.globalsupersale.com/inc/pdetail?v=1&pid=9212 |
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Bronze Member Username: MattlBolingbrook, Illinois USA Post Number: 45 Registered: Jun-04 | Well, 40W RMS is a pretty low spec, but your stock head unit is likely putting out much, much lower. Without being too foreboding, don't push those speakers past halfway with that deck ever again. They definitely require an amp. -Matt |
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New member Username: MikemPost Number: 2 Registered: Jun-04 | I am completely new to this. I've never had anything other than what came stock with my car. When one of the speakers blew, I thought I was doing something good to by a better pair of speakers. I had no idea my stock stereo wouldn't push them. Can you explain how a powerful amp won't hurt the speakers but turning my stock stereo up will? Isn't the whole point that my stock stereo isn't powerful enough? I'm not trying to disagree; I believe you know what you're talking about. I just don't understand the whole concept. |
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Silver Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 538 Registered: May-04 | When you push an amp past it's capable output, you drive the amp's signal into clipping (instead of the normal sine wave, it produces a square wave.) With clipping, sometimes there is close to twice the power than when an amp is normally operated (a 50W RMS amp will push close to 100 when it's clipping) When this square wave happens, it can force the speakers to maximum excursion and hold them there longer than normal, the electric current builds heat in the voice coil, and since the cone isn't moving, it can't cool the coil. This can eventually burn out the coil. An external amp is much cleaner (less distortion) than a smaller stock head unit amp, as well as much more powerful. The fact that it has more power means that it can produce the same volume level that you desire without straining as hard and thus not clipping and having a lot of distortion. Hope this helps. |
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Bronze Member Username: MattlBolingbrook, Illinois USA Post Number: 46 Registered: Jun-04 | Although I'm reversing the AC-DC conversion, here's a pretty good metaphor: Imagine that you have a 20V DC motor (like is used in R/C cars). It is designed to have 20V applied in a single direction. But, instead, you send 2V in a way that reverses polarity several times per second. The motor just sort of vibrates, unable to actually turn from the lack of power. Heat builds up, and slowly some wires of the coil short. It's not a pure question of power, but rather how it's being applied that counts. Hope that helps clear it up... -Matt |
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New member Username: MikemPost Number: 3 Registered: Jun-04 | It does help. Thanks for the explanation. It looks like now my options are to either yank those speakers back out or buy an amp. Mind if I ask one more question? If I do go for the amp, that will probably put my rear speakers, which are still the factory installed speakers, in danger, right? |
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Anonymous | You'd wanna up-grade the rears too. |
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Bronze Member Username: GoodstangLong Island, NY USA Post Number: 18 Registered: Jun-04 | Hey anonymous, check out the following link at crutchfield.com: http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/learningcenter/car/speakers.html. I find crutchfield's website most helpful (along with their catalog) in looking for car audio equipment -- and their help/how to's are great too. They are a little expensive, however. I've never actually purchased anything from crutchfield, but i do all my homework/research on their site and then hit ebay for the half priced goods. you will have a great time if you rip out the stock rear speakers, purchase aftermarkets, and then power all four with an amp. along with the good time, you will also have some better sounding music, and the self-satisfaction of knowing you put the equipment in yourself. |
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Bronze Member Username: MattlBolingbrook, Illinois USA Post Number: 49 Registered: Jun-04 | You can still run the rears from your deck and just run the fronts from the amp. If you wanna get out on the cheap, that's the only way to go. You're probably most concerned with the front sound stage anyway. -matt |
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New member Username: MikemPost Number: 4 Registered: Jun-04 | Thanks for all the advice, guys. I never realized just how involved all this was. I thought you could just buy some speakers and play them. I've found some great websites that explain all about stereos and I'm going to do some research before making my next move. |
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JeremyC Unregistered guest | Hay Mike next time you purchase a vehical the first thing I recomend is replacing the deck. Even with factory speakers an after market deck will play louder and more effeciantly. I don't know your full set up, but this is something I recomend to everyone I do installs for. Of coarse an amp is the best way to go in the end. However if space or money is an issue, replace the deck first, and you will get alot more life out of your factory speakers. |