amp, comp, stereo set up, sonata

I just bought a new Sonata and was going to install my Panasonic CQ-C5410 in it. The Panasonic is published at 50W X 4 but I think I am going to install an Amp to drive new front components (< color=#123476>Eclipse SC8264's). Is it worth having the Panasonic drive the rear speakers? Would I realize a dramatic difference if I were to but a 4 channel amp and drive all the speakers off it? Thanks for your input

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morabors

Rear speakers or no is a completely subjective answer/subject. There are may on the board here that like rears, but I have moved away from them, having been a one-time fan.

It will be completely up to you. After you have your deck installed, drive around for a few days with the fader set all the way to the front. If you like it better that way, then disconnect the rears, and buy a 2 channel amp. If you like all four corners running, buy a 4 channel amp. ANY speaker system will perform better with an actual high(er than the internal HU amp) fidelity amplifier running them.

This, my friend will be completely up to you, and is a question that NONE of us can answer for you.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Thanks for the response

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morabors

A couple more questions if you don't mind.

1- If I install a 2 ch.  amp for the new comp. speakers in front, I can use the HU to drive the rear speakers correct? If I do this I will lose fade capability, correct? If I install a 2nd. amp in the future to drive the rear speakers, will I re-gain fader control?

2- I have read that A/B amp would be best for the comp. speakers and a D for a sub, is this correct? Will a D for the front comp. make a noticible difference?

Thanks again.

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morabors

If your HU has 4 RCA outputs, you should be able to run the rears with the internal amp, and maintain fader capabilities, though I wouldn't recommend it.

You have read incorrect information. Class of amplifier means NOTHING except the class of the amplifier. Yes, it will give you an idea of how efficient it will run, but in the grand scheme of things, it shouldn't matter what class you buy. One should buy the amp that sounds best to them (and will fit within their budget) and forget the class of it. Any amplifier should add NO SOUND OF IT'S OWN to the signal path, and indeed a proper amplifier (whatever the class) will sound like nothing at all. Eclipse DOES make 4 and 5 channel all digital amps (check out the XA series) that I can highly recommend. VERY good products, with very little added to the signal path.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Thanks, you cleared up the amp question but when you say you don't recommend the speaker set up, do you mean you do not recommend driving the rear speakers thru the HU or you do not recommend using th efader?

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morabors

I don't recommend driving the rears with the HU. BAD quality power, and generally much higher in distortion than pretty much any reasonable outboard amplifier. That's just the nature of the beast when it comes to HU amplification.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

I am getting ready to hook up an amp. My HU has 2 sets of RCA plugs (front and rear). Do both of these hook up to the amp or is this if I were driving the front and rear with seperate amps? I will be using only 1 amp to drive the front and rears. Which set do I use/ or both? Thanks

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morabors

One other thing, I want to deaden the doors, Is Dynamat a good product? Do I apply it to the outside skin of the door or to the inside? Thanks

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morabors

If you are using a 4 chan amp, then you would want to use both preamp outputs. Dynamat is a great product and it is installed on the surface where the speaker is mounted.

I am new to owning an AMP and comp speakers. I have installed an Eclipse XA 4000. It will drive (2) Coax Polks in the rear and a set of CDT comp. in the front. The CDTs have a crossover and the amp has settings. Where do I start?. Do I set the crossovers and then adjust the Amp? If so whcih setting do I choose on the crossovers? Thanks

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morabors

Use HP (high pass) filter for both sets of speakers, set to 80 Hz.  Set your components crossover to the default 0 db setting.  You can change it later to either -3 or +3 db if you choose to.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

I just got done installing new comp speakers in the front and coax in the rear as well as a Eclipse XA4000 that drives both sets of speakers. It sounds good but I think it can sound better. I used to listen to my music with the volume set to about 21, now to get the same volume I have to set it to about 25. I am assuming it has to do with my settings. The xover for the comps are set to 0 although they have a + and - 3 db. Then of course there are a bunch of settings on the amp that I am not really familiar with. Is there any tutorial (very basic) for dummies like me?

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morabors

Any help would be appreciated. I am a little concerned that I need to set the volume at 26-28 to get the same volume as I used to get (before the amp was installed) at 19-20. Also, when I make adjustments on the amp should it be very apparent? Honestly, I have adjusted all the dials and I can't seem to detect much change.

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morabors