new head unit?
new head unit? I've been searching for an exact answer but am still not sure so please dont get pissed and tell me to do a search. I'm putting an alpine head unit in my 98 TA with the monsoon system and am wondering exactly how to bypass the monsoon amp all together? Thanks for any help guys.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Why would you want to bypass the Monsoon amp? Unless you are installing an aftermarket amp and speakers (in which case you rewire rather than bypass), the Monsoon amp will give you better sound than the head unit alone. Just get a wiring harness adapter, connect the Alpine to it, and plug it into the factory harness.
TECH Regular
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Ricerville
^^^ this.
Some car audio dealers will tell you that you have to integrate the monsoon amp with an amp integration kit, but this is simply NOT TRUE. Just plug in your Alpine to the factory harness and the amp will take care of itself!
Some car audio dealers will tell you that you have to integrate the monsoon amp with an amp integration kit, but this is simply NOT TRUE. Just plug in your Alpine to the factory harness and the amp will take care of itself!
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2010
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Since the monsoon takes in an amplified signal and amplifies it again, is it possible to get too powerful a HU and end up with too much gain? ...thereby causing distortion or smoke? Or are most HUs in the 20W RMS range well within acceptable? Anyone know the stock HUs RMS power?
Also (sorry for going a little off topic), anyone know approximately how low the cutoff on the low pass filter is for the sail panel outputs on the stock amp? Are midbass drivers more appropriate, or something more like a "pure" woofer like the DVC Bazookas?
Also (sorry for going a little off topic), anyone know approximately how low the cutoff on the low pass filter is for the sail panel outputs on the stock amp? Are midbass drivers more appropriate, or something more like a "pure" woofer like the DVC Bazookas?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Very few head units produce 20 watts or more RMS per channel. Most are in the range of 14 watts per channel. In this case, even Alpine's top-of-the-line head unit produces 18 watts per channel.
None of these ratings are beyond the capabilities of the Monsoon amp as long as you don't do something stupid such as turn it up all the way (to the point of clipping) for extended periods. The big difference will be the volume control... higher powered head units will make the volume increase by a greater amount for each click of the ****.
The frequency of the low pass filter is not published but it seems to be high enough that a mid-bass speaker will work. However, most mid-bass speakers don't have the low end performance of a sub. If you have added a sub (such as in a stealthbox) then mid-bass speakers will work well. If you're using only the factory speaker locations then subs will give deeper bass response.
None of these ratings are beyond the capabilities of the Monsoon amp as long as you don't do something stupid such as turn it up all the way (to the point of clipping) for extended periods. The big difference will be the volume control... higher powered head units will make the volume increase by a greater amount for each click of the ****.
The frequency of the low pass filter is not published but it seems to be high enough that a mid-bass speaker will work. However, most mid-bass speakers don't have the low end performance of a sub. If you have added a sub (such as in a stealthbox) then mid-bass speakers will work well. If you're using only the factory speaker locations then subs will give deeper bass response.
well I do have an aftermarket 4 channel amp that I was thinking about installing and that I wasn't worried about because it doesn't have anything to do with the monsoon. But if you guys think that the monsoon amp will give me plenty of power then I wont even bother putting in the 4 channel.
