SS Conv Monsoon Headunit Output Voltage?
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SS Conv Monsoon Headunit Output Voltage? Hello,
I'm helping my dad redo the sound system in his 2001 SS Convertible.
We're putting in a Pioneer AVH-X3700, some Infinity coaxials he bought ages ago in the front, and a pair of Tang Band 6.5" subs in the rear.
The coaxial tweeter wires will be disconnected from the woofer contacts and wired separately to the factory tweeter harness.
I'm gonna make mini-enclosures for the little subs, and somehow figure out how to fit them into the stock rear quarters with minimum body work.
The adaptor harness he got from Crutchfield has the headunit's amplified outputs going directly to the Monsoon amp.
To me, running a power amp into another power amp just sounds like a recipe for bad sound and tons of clipping.
Instead, I'd rather use the 2V RCA pre-amp outs from the head unit- "Front L and Front R" for the front and "SW" for the rear- and let the monsoon amp do all of the hard work.
I read a few other threads on here where people were running new wiring to bypass the Monsoon amp to improve the sound, and that sorta confirms my beliefs.
My question is: Do any of you know the actual maximum output voltage from the stock headunit? In other words, the voltage between the headunit and the amp.
I just want to know if 2V is enough to drive the Monsoon amp, or if its expecting more than that. I have the wiring diagrams, but I can't seem to figure that out.
Thanks in advance for your help!
I'm helping my dad redo the sound system in his 2001 SS Convertible.
We're putting in a Pioneer AVH-X3700, some Infinity coaxials he bought ages ago in the front, and a pair of Tang Band 6.5" subs in the rear.
The coaxial tweeter wires will be disconnected from the woofer contacts and wired separately to the factory tweeter harness.
I'm gonna make mini-enclosures for the little subs, and somehow figure out how to fit them into the stock rear quarters with minimum body work.
The adaptor harness he got from Crutchfield has the headunit's amplified outputs going directly to the Monsoon amp.
To me, running a power amp into another power amp just sounds like a recipe for bad sound and tons of clipping.
Instead, I'd rather use the 2V RCA pre-amp outs from the head unit- "Front L and Front R" for the front and "SW" for the rear- and let the monsoon amp do all of the hard work.
I read a few other threads on here where people were running new wiring to bypass the Monsoon amp to improve the sound, and that sorta confirms my beliefs.
My question is: Do any of you know the actual maximum output voltage from the stock headunit? In other words, the voltage between the headunit and the amp.
I just want to know if 2V is enough to drive the Monsoon amp, or if its expecting more than that. I have the wiring diagrams, but I can't seem to figure that out.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,330
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Sorry, you are making a few false assumptions...
First, people who retained the factory head unit but bypassed the Monsoon amp in an effort to get better sound quality are at best misguided (at worst, fools). Besides, that's the opposite of what you want to do.
Second, the voltage difference between pre-amp and speaker level is usually minimal. It's the current capacity that is significantly different. Speaker level output is much higher current flow than line-level (pre-amp). And no, the Monsoon amp will not perform properly using line-level input signal... there just isn't enough current to drive it.
Finally, you would be amazed at the quality of sound you can get from a Monsoon amp when you have a clean input signal from a decent aftermarket head unit. I would go ahead and try it that way first - it's easy and you will probably like the results. Even if you don't, you haven't lost anything - you can always add your own aftermarket amp later.
First, people who retained the factory head unit but bypassed the Monsoon amp in an effort to get better sound quality are at best misguided (at worst, fools). Besides, that's the opposite of what you want to do.
Second, the voltage difference between pre-amp and speaker level is usually minimal. It's the current capacity that is significantly different. Speaker level output is much higher current flow than line-level (pre-amp). And no, the Monsoon amp will not perform properly using line-level input signal... there just isn't enough current to drive it.
Finally, you would be amazed at the quality of sound you can get from a Monsoon amp when you have a clean input signal from a decent aftermarket head unit. I would go ahead and try it that way first - it's easy and you will probably like the results. Even if you don't, you haven't lost anything - you can always add your own aftermarket amp later.
Tang Band subs are great but they will not fit in the rear of that car. It a convertible, you will ruin your top or take the back of the speaker off when the top goes down. That's why they are shallow mount speakers back there and why you can't use regular speakers in that location.
