Some people on Crutchfield and some other sites posted that these speakers would not work unless amplified, is this true?

I'm deciding between these speakers and the Alpine SPR-17LS Type R Components (also around $300 list), I assume both have the same answer as far as amp required or not? Opinions?

Thanks!
Justin

 

Not to completly reframe your dilemma, but might I suggest that you might want to consider tossing the stock HU?

It was my experience after hooking up Focal 165KPs to the stock HU and playing demanding music that the >$500 speakers (on sale) sounded flat and began to distort under the most demanding of the passages (cello, actually). Part of that was from less than adequate power, to be sure, but I believe that it was also from an overall poor quality signal from the stock HU.

After replacing the stock unit with a Pioneer P8MP with 27WMS, the Focals no longer distorted and after adding an amp (JL Audio 300/4) with the Pioneer HU simply becoming a preamp, the Focals really came into their own. They now sound every bit as good as I had expected when I bought them.

I believe that hooking up expensive speakers to the stock HU and then playing through them at any volume beyond "moderate" will eventually begin to damage the speakers. Playing at any volume below moderate with the stock HU will limit the speaker's overall performance.

Many folks who start down the audio improvement path with speaker replacement eventually end up going back to the signal originator as where sound quality really begins.

 

I have used Infinity Kappa components in other installs and I am impressed by their performance. On the low end of the power requirements is says 2 watts, which I am sure will cause some sound to come out, however to fully realize the potential of this speaker system I would amp it to the maximum of 90 watts. Enjoy!
05

 

The main problem with using the stock HU with aftermarket speakers is that the stock HU internal amp clips at an amazingly low volume level. An aftermarker HU will help this out quite a bit, but you will not get "optimum" performance out of the speakers unless you give them the "recommended" WRMS. They WILL work off the stock HU, but will not be really happy. They will be satisfied with an aftermarket HU, but will SING with an external amp.

I would check out the Infinity 7521 external amp. It puts out like 95WRMS, so that should be plenty. You should be able to find one for less than $150.

John

 

I'm trying to keep this cheap for now . . . what about using the Kenwood KAC-7201 (I believe this is the right model number) I have lying around, hooked up to the stock HU? I used it as a sub amp in another car and was quite pleased with the 480x1 bridged RMS it put out, not sure about the x2 numbers.

Thanks for the input, much appreciated!

 

I've run higher end speakers on stock headunits before but not of the S2000 since I bought it with an aftermarket deck already installed. You don't NEED an amlifier, but it is recommended like everyone else here says. Form my experience if you want to do one thing at a time, changing just the speakers will make an improvement in the sound. You can build from there if you still want to.

 

the new kappas are 2 ohm and not the usual 4 ohm

this means you will easily blow out the amp in your deck very very quickly

this is why i decided to go and get another type of speaker

 

oooh, thanks boyguan!! glad you passed that along. guess i'll end up amping them with the stock headunit.

Kappas are better than the Alpine Type R Components, right?

 

This is not a popular opinion, but if you have a 2005 S2000, you are probably better off changing the head unit and keeping the stock speakers than the other way around. The bonus is that you can get MP3 capability. Read some other recent threads here for ideas.

Peter

 

I have Kappa 60.5 cs with an 05 hu, no amp.. does the job for me.