im a total noob. any help would be appreciated. im not crazy about audio, but can appreciate clear sound especially with the top down on the fwy. if i already have a new head unit and speakers, but no amp, would adding one make a big difference?

thanks

 

It depends on the speakers. In most cases an amp with the components will get you the most volume. However, you could find speakers with high sensitivity that are designed to run without an amp. The higher the sensitivity rating the more voume the speakers can produce from the available power. Basically, it depends how much you want to spend.

 

an amp would allow you to play music louder, with less distortion, and higher playability range (threshold before distortion)

given that you have good speakers and good install

i mean .. its not a clear question to answer simply... or quantitatively.. or qualitatively....



but, i guess, YES.. you would want an amp

 

thanks, can you recommend a good value amp. cheaper the better and would like it to not take up much space. maybe fit under the seat?

 

It depends on what you want out of a system. If you want to be able to hear the radio at 70 mph, a good HU and speakers (I have an Alpine HU and Polk Audio speakers) will suffice.

An amp is not necessary, but will boost sound - remember, the factory HU is very, very weak, has horrible sound, and the speakers just plain suck. Almost any aftermarket hardware will impress you!

If you want booming sound or even just a nice low-end fill, you'll need a sub, and an amp to power it. You'll also need to run better wires at this point to get the most out of your system.

I recommend first buying a HU and speakers and installing them yourself - its a pretty straightforward process that will take you a couple hours.

You'll also need to buy a $90 Modifry DCI and HIS $10-15 wiring harness - it makes hook up super simple and will let you retain your dash controls. Just budget an extra $100 in for that.

If you're looking for an improvement in sound, you can build your system in stages, so there's no need to go whole hog right away. If you don't like the system after a new HU and speakers are installed, take it to the next step and buy an amp and new wiring. After that you can add a sub, extra amps, etc...

Fwiw, you can buy Alpine MRV-F345 amps (70W/ch @4 Ohm) for about $240 on eBay. I'm sure if you search you can find other good amp recommendations too.

 

thnx Saki, i have the aftermarket HU and speakers. they sound good, better than stock, but not as good as the stock bose in a sedan. obviosuly, the car is a convertible, but was wondering if adding the amp makes that big of a difference.

 

i'm very curious as well. i've been resisting the upgrade from stock (currently not even using my car stereo)

 

Yes, if you want "premium sound", you'll need to amp the system and add a sub. At the least you'll need to amp the sub, but you can amp all the speakers and make everything louder and richer. The sub is key to getting that low end fill and/or sound pressure feeling.

 

does the amount of speakers matter when choosing the amp?

 

[QUOTE=dyhppy,Aug 4 2006, 01:39 PM] thnx Saki, i have the aftermarket HU and speakers.