Hi Guys,

Was just running through a few scenarios in my head and thought I'd chuck it up here to see what you think - and if you could clear a few things up.

Ok - current setup is:
Amp - RF Power 400.4 (rated 4x50WRMS)
This powers:
Fronts - Focal PKevs 6.5" with Utopia Tweets
Sub - Focal Polyglass DVC (2 x 6ohm)

Amp - PPI 2240
Running:
Rears - Focal Polyflex 6.5"

And dynamat xtreme - everywhere!!

Anyways - I just chucked up the rears so you'd know the full setup. I'm happy with the rear fill I have - just looking for more in other areas.

Well - one scenario is to get a bigger 2 channel amp for the fronts. Am I flogging a dead horse just putting more power into my front speakers - is it going to make a huge difference for the price invested. Say I get a 2x150WRMS amp.

Sub - at the minute the ptimal arrangement is to have the sub bridged to show a 3ohm load to the amp. BUT - what I was going to do is run each coil off a separate bridged channel on the RF amp. Is this a waste of time?? My thoughts were - dropping from a 3ohm load to a 6 ohm load will significatly drop the output of the amp and in the end I could end up with the same amount of power coming from 4 channels as I currently have coming from 2.

I am after more midbass - more subbass and obviously - a little more volume.

The only problem is that the system is pretty nicely balanced as it is - and I don't want to screw it up - or waste loads of money on things that don't work.

I'd like to keep the RF amp - because I paid a fortune for it - and it has served me well.

Anyways - what do you guys think??

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ICQ: 104066553

going from a 50watt amp to a 150watt amp will give you barely more than 3dB increase in output (or so the theory goes). so unless you can verify by ear that the amp is an improvement, simply buying based on the power specs would be a gamble and a longshot at that.

maybe consider spending the cash on pods, or a processor like an EQ etc. these will let you extract the maximum performance out of what you already have

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Custom SQ System
Dolby Prologic II in 3.1

Source: Clarion DXZ-925 w/ DPL2 Decoder - Front Stage: Boston Acoustics Pro 6.5's - Centre Channel: Boston Acoustics Pro 5.5LF - Ambient Satellites: Boston Acoustics 3/4" Kortec Tweeters - Processors: Audiocontrol EQT's - Subwoofers: Earthquake BR12's - Amplifiers: Kicker IX404's - Power: Stinger 1 Farad HPM Capacitor
Sounding sweet and taking it to the street

Yeah - that's what I was afraid of.

Oh and the HU is a Pioneer DEX-P1R - it has a host of processor / time alignment features built in - I love it.

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ICQ: 104066553

with a high end headunit like that, time spent tuning it is time well spent if you're happy with the balance of your system the way it is, starting here could be a good way to optimise it without upsetting the harmony of things. i highly recommend plotting the frequency response in your car so you ca use the resulting graph to guide EQ tuning (hiring an RTA, or using a handhelp dB meter and spreadsheet both work).

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Custom SQ System
Dolby Prologic II in 3.1

Source: Clarion DXZ-925 w/ DPL2 Decoder - Front Stage: Boston Acoustics Pro 6.5's - Centre Channel: Boston Acoustics Pro 5.5LF - Ambient Satellites: Boston Acoustics 3/4" Kortec Tweeters - Processors: Audiocontrol EQT's - Subwoofers: Earthquake BR12's - Amplifiers: Kicker IX404's - Power: Stinger 1 Farad HPM Capacitor
Sounding sweet and taking it to the street

the 400.4 is more likely to be around 75-100 wrms per channel

very powerful amp, just that its alittle coarse sounding for my liking (GF has one in her car)

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* Clarion 9255
* a/d/s 336.IS
* Phase Linear Aliante 12 x2
* PhoenixGold ZX450/500

quote:

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Originally posted by Jimbo:
the 400.4 is more likely to be around 75-100 wrms per channel

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Yeah - from the birth cert I think it's around 75WRMS per channel.

I like it's kick - it delivers well with the alternative music I listen to - it's just that I was looking at going louder.

I think with all the comments here that it's going to take mega $$$ and heaps of power to get much of a noticable increase

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ICQ: 104066553

duel splits up front , run each channel of the amp bridged?

im out?

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SPL? it's overated come to the SQ side of things!

wanna buy something car audio? buy it here! WebAudioDirect!

Hehehe yeah I thought might be the case - I'm throwing around thousands of ideas.

But when it comes down to it - I want to keep the appearance of the car stock except for the HU - so that really rules out too much work to put 8's in - or dual 6.5's etc.

Might just have to live with it - it's not like it's that quiet

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ICQ: 104066553

there's some pros and cons for adding another amp. it may or may not be good value (well, what ever is good value? ):

pros
*using the RF alone for the sub = all the power supply to the amp is being used for the sub, and not shared with the focal's; should hopefully mean more grunt
*running the RF 2-channels bridged into 6ohm will be less stressful on the amp
*dedicated front stage amp should mean better SQ to the focal's: own power supply, no chance of cross-talk/interference with sub signals, perhaps a better SQ amp (RF's not being overly renowned for SQ, although your 'BBQ style' one is from a 'good vintage')

cons
*expense
*heavier load on the car's alt/battery
*maybe requires an upgrade to your powerwiring
*space: although your boot is plenty-big
*no guarantee of audible improvement

if you can afford it, like a gamble, then i say go for it! but maximise the results with a premium amp, so you probably need to spend a fair whack, say on an audison LRx (eg: LRx2.150/2.400), PG, dls, u-dimension (flavour of the month), etc

good luck, and welcome to the SQ forum!

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/////ALPINE audison DYNAUDIO »»»morel polkaudio OPTIMA Stinger LIGHTNINGAUDIO

Issues of harassment, conflict, vindictive allegations, or unfairness, personal or observed, should be reported to me via Private Messages or at [email="shiny_car@caraudioaustralia.com"]shiny_car@caraudioaustralia.com[/email]

Some thoughts......and yes, it's nice to have you come visit us here

You say you are heavily Dynamat Extreme'd which is All Good (see my sig), but not if the front doors are sealed up inside. If not, this WILL help with mid-bass punch and up-front integration with the sub. A lot.
If yes, well, you know this already.....

IMO if you go to separate amps, a 2 channel for front and a sub amp whether monoblock or otherwise will make more difference SQ-wise than simply more grunt, as nice as that is....

Since you actually have 2 amps, for an experiment you might try using the PPI for front stage for a bit (OK, prob a bit limited for front SPL while you do, but not so much) or alternately bridging the PPI to your sub just to see if that is going in the right direction.

Hope that helps.

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Mazda SP20 - NOT yellow,Dynamat Extreme and G Spot in front doors
HU - Alpine CDA-7876RB
Audison VRx 2.150EX front stage amp
JL Audio 500/1 Class D monoblock sub amp
Front Stage - Morel HCW 6.5 woofers, Morel MT2 tweeters, Morel MX2.2 x-overs.
Rear fill - stockies with power from HU (not that they get any)
Sub - Kicker S12L72 in 75 litre 30Hz slot-ported display box.
Stinger cables and connectors etc
TEAM AUDISON SQ WITH ATTITUDE

quote:

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Originally posted by shiny_car:
good luck, and welcome to the SQ forum!

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Yeah I've been lurking around here for a while - just a bit light on with the posts.

I was actually thinking of picking up Adam's Soundstream 702 - which was the reason for the question. I thought run the fronts with that and run the sub with the RF amp.

Critter -

quote:

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You say you are heavily Dynamat Extreme'd which is All Good (see my sig), but not if the front doors are sealed up inside. If not, this WILL help with mid-bass punch and up-front integration with the sub. A lot.

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I'm still trying to work out what exactly you are getting at here?? Is it a good or a bad thing to have your doors totally sealed?

I am of the opinion that (practically) your front doors can never be a perfectly sealed enclosure - because you've always gotta have drainholes - and around the windows are sealed - but not airtight. The other thing is with the lock rods that need to go into the doors.

So with that - my doors are not totally sealed - but full of dynamat anyway. Both the back and front skins are covered with the dynamat xtreme - dead as a doornail - and noticably improved response. When the splits were set to full range (1 days before the sub went in) the bass coming from them was great.

I think in all reality I might hang off (although it's hard to resist the price of the Soundstream amp) and buy some of the other stuff that I want. The way I see it is - I'm either purchasing a small improvement in my stereo system, or maybe I get a PS2 or a wakeboard instead.

I need more money

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ICQ: 104066553

hehe you know you want it, 150rms 'rated' power...id love to know what it really is, i know the specs when bridged but if its 350rms @2ohm stereo...got to be more at 4ohm stereo than 150

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Pioneer,Soundstream,Total Recoil,Rockford Fosgate,Alpine,Stinger,Dynamat and Odyssey
...Who need's a back seat anyway?

team Soundstream

By sealing up the doors I mean closing off the service holes with mdf etc. And no you can't make a complete seal for a bunch of reasons, but it all helps!!

Soundstream for a front stage amps sounds like a good idea to me, they are good things.

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Mazda SP20 - NOT yellow,Dynamat Extreme and G Spot in front doors
HU - Alpine CDA-7876RB
Audison VRx 2.150EX front stage amp
JL Audio 500/1 Class D monoblock sub amp
Front Stage - Morel HCW 6.5 woofers, Morel MT2 tweeters, Morel MX2.2 x-overs.
Rear fill - stockies with power from HU (not that they get any)
Sub - Kicker S12L72 in 75 litre 30Hz slot-ported display box.
Stinger cables and connectors etc
TEAM AUDISON SQ WITH ATTITUDE

Hmm - yeah that's what I thought you meant Critter - I just wasn't sure cos of the way you worded it.

And yeah - I know that the Soundstream would be a nice front stage amp - but just don't think I can justify spending any more on the stereo ... yet

I dunno - back to throwing around my options

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ICQ: 104066553

All I gotta say is...head room head room head room head room!
Either leave it the way it is or go skitz and get a fully active system...do it! you know you want to...

Hmm, full active is another option.

Use 4x50 for fronts, get a monobloc for sub

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