monsoon amp, how bad really??
monsoon amp, how bad really?? i have read all the threads on the monsoon system. that being said, if i replace my head unit, and upgrade the speakers(mid-bass sails) + add a stealth box 10" with an amp to match. and use the monsoon amp for all the speakers seems like i should still have a pretty nice system for not too much money. or am i wrong and the amp is really junk?
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: SE Portland, Or
in my opinion it's really not a bad amp, I run upgraded speakers (good but not as nice as what Kee has available) and a single sub and it sounds pretty damn good! I am also still running stock HU, I am sure my system would sound even better with a new HU that allows for a little finer EQ adjustment. I think we all realize simply adjusting treble and bass isn't enough.
Getting to the point though I've always thought my car stereo sounded more than adequate with the new speakers and factory amp, just needed a little more bass. I would not go to all the trouble of replacing the monsoon amp, don't think it'd really be worth it.
Getting to the point though I've always thought my car stereo sounded more than adequate with the new speakers and factory amp, just needed a little more bass. I would not go to all the trouble of replacing the monsoon amp, don't think it'd really be worth it.
It's not horrible but a set of component speakers and a "real" 2channel amp will blow it away. I'm planning on adding front components off a 2ch amp and running the rest of the speakers with the monsoon. I only care about front stage. I haven't decided on a sub yet... probably just do a small 10 in a stealth box.
The amp is not that bad at all. Remember, an amp is only amplifying what it is given. Just like the speakers are translating what they are given. You can have a $1000.00 set of speakers and if your feeding them a crappy signal then it's going to sound like crap.
Unfortunately the worst part of the Monsoon is the stock radio. It really is a distortion box. It then feeds that signal to the stock amp and it is then amplified and sent to substandard speakers that have flimsy untreated paper cones with even worse surrounds that crumble over time.
Improving the speakers helps a bunch because then you can then at least hear what the stock system was doing before the speakers went south and the foam crumbled to nothing.
Improving the head unit will send a clean, well processed signal to the stock amp which will then get amplified. Send that clean, processed signal to good speakers that can translate this and you have a pretty good sounding system.
While the Monsoon amp is not super powerful, it is more powerful then any aftermarket head units internal amp. It also has a decent layout with actual subs in there so you can get some good bass out of the system.
Bottom line, IMO, the Monsoon amp for most people is just fine when it is working properly with the right peripheral pieces.
Unfortunately the worst part of the Monsoon is the stock radio. It really is a distortion box. It then feeds that signal to the stock amp and it is then amplified and sent to substandard speakers that have flimsy untreated paper cones with even worse surrounds that crumble over time.
Improving the speakers helps a bunch because then you can then at least hear what the stock system was doing before the speakers went south and the foam crumbled to nothing.
Improving the head unit will send a clean, well processed signal to the stock amp which will then get amplified. Send that clean, processed signal to good speakers that can translate this and you have a pretty good sounding system.
While the Monsoon amp is not super powerful, it is more powerful then any aftermarket head units internal amp. It also has a decent layout with actual subs in there so you can get some good bass out of the system.
Bottom line, IMO, the Monsoon amp for most people is just fine when it is working properly with the right peripheral pieces.
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 237
Likes: 1
From: Henderson NV
I wonder if anybody makes a harness connector that would allow one to bypass the monsoon amp directly. I envision a factory style connector that plugs into the harness that goes into the monsoon amp, but with wires coming of it to for you to connect to a different "aftermarket" amp. That would make adding an amp so easy. Maybe even a version that only connects the speaker side of the harness, so you can feed your external amp a low level, RCA wire signal.
I just made one today to bypass my Monsoon amp. I used 2 Scosche GM03B harnesses, pulled all the pins from them so I would have enough and repinned one of the plastic connectors, jumping the "ins" to the "outs".
Using the wiring guide in the Monsoon FAQ it took about 20 minutes to do.
This plug only enables the use of the front doors and the hatch speakers. The sail-panel "subs" will have to be driven by an aftermarket amp of some kind. But adding a high/low adapter to this plug for an aftermarket amp would be easy.
Ended up looking similar to this one, except with a blue connector:
Using the wiring guide in the Monsoon FAQ it took about 20 minutes to do.
This plug only enables the use of the front doors and the hatch speakers. The sail-panel "subs" will have to be driven by an aftermarket amp of some kind. But adding a high/low adapter to this plug for an aftermarket amp would be easy.
Ended up looking similar to this one, except with a blue connector:
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Nice, neat wiring job. But the question remains... why on earth would anyone want to do that bypass? I can understand wanting to use an aftermarket amplifier and being too lazy to pull the proper new wiring. But making a connector to merely bypass the factory amp without replacing it with a different amp is just plain foolish - especially when you basically lose all bass due to not connecting the sail panel subs.
The Monsoon amp is decent for what it does. It is small and not particularly powerful but it outputs eight channels of clean signal when given a clean input. So if you still have the factory head unit and you bypass the Monsoon amp, you just end up with the same amount of distortion but with less power. And if you have a decent aftermarket head unit then you are just giving up power for no reason.
The Monsoon amp is decent for what it does. It is small and not particularly powerful but it outputs eight channels of clean signal when given a clean input. So if you still have the factory head unit and you bypass the Monsoon amp, you just end up with the same amount of distortion but with less power. And if you have a decent aftermarket head unit then you are just giving up power for no reason.
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Nice, neat wiring job. But the question remains... why on earth would anyone want to do that bypass? I can understand wanting to use an aftermarket amplifier and being too lazy to pull the proper new wiring. But making a connector to merely bypass the factory amp without replacing it with a different amp is just plain foolish - especially when you basically lose all bass due to not connecting the sail panel subs.
The Monsoon amp is decent for what it does. It is small and not particularly powerful but it outputs eight channels of clean signal when given a clean input. So if you still have the factory head unit and you bypass the Monsoon amp, you just end up with the same amount of distortion but with less power. And if you have a decent aftermarket head unit then you are just giving up power for no reason.
The Monsoon amp is decent for what it does. It is small and not particularly powerful but it outputs eight channels of clean signal when given a clean input. So if you still have the factory head unit and you bypass the Monsoon amp, you just end up with the same amount of distortion but with less power. And if you have a decent aftermarket head unit then you are just giving up power for no reason.
But for all stock equipment, I agree, an amp bypass is counter-productive.
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