wiring up speakers?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=28185
Printed Date: May 17, 2024 at 8:49 PM
Topic: wiring up speakers?
Posted By: kaffeene
Subject: wiring up speakers?
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 9:55 AM
Hi, I have a question,. I have 2 front speakers and a 6 speaker sound bar (2 tweeters, 2 mids and 2 woofers). With a total of 8 speakers how would I hook that up to the headunit (Alpine 9815) which has a built in crossover? Wouldn't I need 6 channels for the soundbar alone and another 2 for the front speakers? The H.U. has a 3 way switch for that particular setup consisting of 3 different speakers producing different frequencies. So I guess they expect you to be able to hook up 6 speakers to the 4 channels on the H.U.? Help is appreciated Thanks
Replies:
Posted By: customsound
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 10:41 AM
what type of car would be helpful
Posted By: kaffeene
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 10:46 AM
Well the type of car is pretty irrelevant. 8 speakers total with an Alpine 9815 H.U.. its a Jeep Wrangler.
Posted By: markcars
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 11:51 AM
are you connecting your 9815 HU to an external amp or are you using the internal amp? I have a 9811 but my manual is the same for 9811, 9813 and 9815. It shows that you have only 4 speakers if internal amp is used whereas 5 or 6 speakers if external amp is used, the 2 extra being for the subwoofer outputs.
It looks like your unit has 4 speaker outputs (2 pairs) but you have a switch on the back that will let your HU either work in 2way mode or 3way mode. If you use 3way mode (like what you want) your switch must be in the 3way mode and the same 4 outputs go to 6 speakers. If the speakers have a crossover in them, they will just take the necessary signals, if not you have to adjust your unit accordingly. So the answer to your question is yes 6 speakers to 4 channels.
Posted By: customsound
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 12:24 PM
kaffeene wrote:
Well the type of car is pretty irrelevant. 8 speakers total with an Alpine 9815 H.U.. its a Jeep Wrangler.
actually the car makes alot of difference pal! in ur case use the remote to run the factory infinity premium sound, also never question who you are talking to it may be someone that can help you. Master Certified MECP Professionals of the Midwest
Posted By: markcars
Date Posted: March 11, 2004 at 5:11 PM
I think customsound got offended. It is just a misunderstanding.
The number of speakers to connect to the HU really depends on the HU's outputs alone (or the amp's output if you have an amp), however the car makes a difference in how you want to place the speakers in order to get the best accoustics you can. So both of you are right.
peace.
Posted By: Metra Tech
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 8:49 AM
It doesn't matter how many speakers you have hooked up to the radio, it's how they are wired and crossed over that matters. For example in your case, you have a 3 way setup with low, mid and high. If the soundbar was designed right the crossover would be similar to this, low 20hz-500hz, mid 500hz-3khz, tweet 3khz-20khz. Because everything is crossed over, it shows a 4 ohm load to whatever is driving it. So essentially, you could put 100 speakers on a radio as long as everything is croosed over right, but here's the problem with doing that. Every speaker must still have power going to it. The more speakers you have, the less each get. So for example say you have 60 watts per channel, the low channel takes 35 watts, the mid channel takes 20 watts, the tweets take 5 watts. You would think it would be 20, 20, 20, but the lower the freq. the more power you need. In your application because the soundbar is so close to you, you will be fine. Keep in mind to all who read this that this subject could get very lengthy and I shortened this for simplicity. I know there is lot more to this subject, but there is no more need for confusion.
Posted By: Prophit
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 9:00 AM
Sounds like hes got a set of components or a component setup. Dont they normally come with custom crossovers so all you need is the Standard 2 wire connection then that will break off to 4 wires for you mids and highs? Just a thought.
Posted By: kaffeene
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 2:35 PM
Well thanks for the input so far. I dont have the factory Infinity sound system. Infact the only stock stereo component would be 2 front speakers which will probably be replaced. OK so Alpine 9815 using internal amp for now which has 4 channels and using RCA output for subwoofer. So forget about the sub and accoustics of the vehicle for now. Front 2 speakers would get 2 channels and rear or midway soundbar would get the other 2. Using the 3 way switch and bulit in crossover in the head unit how will each set of frequencies know to go to the correct speaker (even if you cross the frequencies over) with out designating them with seperate channels?(tweeter, mid and woofer pairs) So you wouldn't say...... fry your little tweeter. Second question: If I was to use say the head unit power for the 6 speaker sound bar which would give me 4 channels now to work with and more power for the speakers in the soundbar. Then getting a 2 channel amp for my 2 front dash speakers. Would that be a good setup and if so It would seem I would need another crossover before the amp to designate the correct frequencies to those 2 speakers unless there is a way that the built in head unit crossover can split frequencies to the pre-amp outputs and the speaker wires. I am aware that the sub pre-amp output does only spit out lower frequencies. Help yet again is much appreciated. P.S. didn't mean to offend about the type of vehicle not mattering but no stock parts paly a role here and although accoustics are very important, I'm not concerned with them as far as my question goes.
Posted By: Metra Tech
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 4:33 PM
I would put on amp on the front speakers and install aftermarket speakers in there that can handle the power the amp will be putting out and leave the soundbar speakers on the rear speaker outputs of the radio. You almost need an amp and good speakers in Wranglers when it's opened up. Does the radio have a high pass filter built into it? That would be nice when the top is off to protect your speakers.
Posted By: kaffeene
Date Posted: March 12, 2004 at 8:42 PM
Yes the H.U. has a high pass / low pass filter and is supposed to provide the correct frequencies to 3 different types of speakers not including the subwoofer. I'm pretty sure the crossover works out of the speaker channels, not sure if it works out of the pre-amp outputs or maybe both.. If anyone knows about the Alpine 9815 let me know. thanks
Posted By: kaffeene
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 3:39 PM
I'm still wondering.. and in a state of confusion. I'm not sure if the high/low pass crossover in the Alpine 9815 works with the pre-amp out or speaker outputs or both. Manual doesn't say. Even if I use another amp for the 2 front speakers.. I still need to power and divide the frequencies among the 2 tweeters, 2 mids and 2 woofers in the soundbar off of 4 channels. The sub-woofer will be off the sub pre-amp outputs.
Posted By: customsuburb
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 3:45 PM
The crossover should definitely work with the rca outputs and it might with the speaker outs.
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 4:06 PM
To minimize your headaches, I'd suggest running your door speakers off the two front powered channels of the HU. Then, using the proper passive crossovers for the 3-way sets in your sound bar, power those off the two rear channels of the HU. Use the sub pre-out to drive your sub. Yes, I know this HU. It's rated at 60 watts X4 (peak) and the crossover (and EQ) settings control the signal to both the powered and the line-level outputs.
Posted By: kaffeene
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 4:20 PM
You don't think that the crossover in the headunit would be sufficiant for the 6 speakers in the soundbar? Also If I chose to use an external amp and crossover for the soundbar could I run both from dash speakers on the 4 channels of the H.U. if they are rated to handle the power? What would the load be on the H.U. amp if the speakers are 4ohm?
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: March 13, 2004 at 4:36 PM
The six speakers in the sound bar are two sets of three. They are a stereo set of 3-way components. The head unit is not designed to power a set of components. It has high-pass crossovers that you can use to keep the low bass out of your main speakers. For your sound bar you will need either: A) a 3-way passive crossover for eact set of 3 speakers (woofer, mid, tweet.) I am very surprised the speakers you have did not come with this. Each crossover is then connected to one stereo set (2 channels) from either your head unit OR an external stereo amp. Or: B) a stereo 3-way electronic crossover and six-channels of amplification. I do NOT recommend you try this if you are inexperienced setting up such systems, as it is very, very easy to overdrive your tweeters and mids and blow them. Run your fron speakers off the front head unit speaker outputs.
|