Just like the title says, I have an '06, which has two tiny speakers behind my head for each seat, and they're completely inaudible unless I fade the speakers to the rear.

I'm looking to get a new headunit, and did people bother leaving them connected or merely disconnect them? Also, are there any headunits that have built in amps that are just 2 channel instead of 4 channel? It seems like a waste to get a headunit and only be running 2 of the 4 channels..

 

I've left them. They're really more like tweeters than full speakers IMO. I wouldn't ever expect to be able to distinctly hear them.

What people have done to them depends on who you talk to.

Are you expecting some sort of price break for only having 2 channels instead of 4?

 

They aren't going to produce bass, but they do extend farther into the mids than your typical component tweeter. That said, they do sound somewhat "thin".

Modifry sells an upgraded replacement set that would seem to offer a much fuller sound, but they require permanaent modification to the rollhoop outer panels:
http://modifry.com/products/rhs/index.htm

I have an external amp powering my component set and sub, with the HU powering the rollhoop speakers, though most of the time I set the fader such that they don't play at all.

Since 2-seat cars are such a tiny fraction of the car market, pretty much all HUs have 4-channel amps (or no amp in the case of some higher-end units). Don't feel bad about not using 2 of the 4 channels.

 

Thanks guys.. I was listening to them last night, and they actually do provide some "fill," more than I expected, so guess they'll stay.

Regarding the 2 vs. 4 channel built in amp.. I was just curious if anyone happened to sell headunits w/ just a built in powered 2 channel amp, because they could offer more rms wattage to 2 instead of 4. All good, I've been around car audio for a while but haven't bought anything in a while, so figured I'd ask. I'm trying to get by w/o adding an amp for the speakers, and hopefully the headunit powering the db6501's will sound decent.

Now just to decide on a sub.. looks like darkside makes some nice boxes. Are the subs perfectly audible in the passenger compartment? I'd guess it's easier to hear w/ the top up vs. down since all the top hardware will be in the path of the sound when the top is down..?

 

I left them alone but off--my HU let me turn off its internal amplifier, so the wiring is intact but they don't get any power. I have the fronts amplified, so that's all I hear. I don't miss them.

You may be interested to look into the Alpine PowerPack--not sure if it fits / etc, but it makes 45WRMS x 4 IIRC without needing to wire an amp. You might be able to bridge the channels to a passive component set?

 

Thanks Ace. I actually came across that powerpack and it seems pretty neat, and good if you're real tight on space (which the s2k is). However, for the cost of those powerpacks, I'd have a real hard time justifying not just getting a proper 2 channel amp for the front components, as I'd imagine sound quality would be better as well (I ordered an alpine 9887).

Thanks for the heads up though man.. I guess I'll install all this stuff when it comes in, and reassess from there whether I think it's worth it amping the front speakers.

The thought about bridging the headunit crossed my mind, but it just wouldn't work. Most speakers to my knowledge are 4 ohm, and headunit operate at 18wrms/4 channels @ 4ohm. I guess if I could find 2 ohm speakers I could try bridging them, but also that sounds like a good way to cook the HU, as I don't think it'd be particularly happy running at 2ohms.

 

Yes, pretty much everything I've read says the HU internal amps are not up to the task of bridging.

If you're going to install an amp for a sub anyway, it might make sense to spend the incremental money for a 4-channel amp. Power your fronts from two channels, bridge the rear channels for your sub. This is how I have my system configured.

An amp to consider is the Clarion APX4361 (or APX490M - marine version, but should be the same amp guts).

 

HU internal amps are all 8ch amps bridged down to 4 channels. So trying to bridge it won't change anything.

 

I left mine disconnected when I installed an amp, I dont miss them at all.

 

anybody that's not using they're roll hoop tweeters wanna trade for AP1 roll hoops without tweeters ?