venom889

iTrader: (1)

I'm looking to run a headunit-less setup in my 98 formula...planning on mounting a 8" lcd into the bezel, so I dont really even have the room for it up there....

My question to you all, will the stock monsoon amp cover my bases here or am I looking at buying a new 4 chan amp too? My setup is basically a CarPC with a sound card running audio to an amp then to speakers, letting the sound card control the equilizer and volume....

Car Computer (Audio Out) > Monsoon Amp > Speakers?

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

Monsoon amp takes a high level signal from the head unit. Low level from a PC output won't drive it.

Lots of ways around it but they all involve new equipment or some arrangement different than what you want.

venom889

iTrader: (1)

Gotcha...after doing some research I think I'll be running a HU-less setup and do a carputer to 4chan amp to speaker setup. It honestly sounds fool-proof and straight forward....We'll see though (rolleyes)

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

If you intend to keep using all your stock speakers you're going to need to make some wiring adjustments, because the stock speakers are wired up in a 10 channel arrangement. You'll also want it to be 2 ohm stable. Searching will yield plenty of explanations. All of the speaker connections can be spliced at the monsoon amp so it won't be too hard.

However on the same note if you are going to go through a full car pc install anyways and pick up an aftermarket amp because of that... you might as well at least go with four modest aftermarket co-axials. Your mids and highs will sound much, much better and the speakers will have a chance of lasting.

Stock monsoon speakers with an aftermarket amp don't make for a happy relationship.

Finally, also try to consider if you want a sub or not. All of the installation and component choices can be better optimized if you know the full scope up front. Incremental upgrades usually end up costing more time and money.

Outside of all that, the only problem I see you might have is losing fader control. You'd have to use the amp settings to adjust the fading.

VIP1

What I think venom889 meant is that he'd connect the oputput from the PC's sound card to the small 4-channel amp and the amp's speaker-outs to the high-level in of the Monsoon amp so no further re-wireing is needed. Sounds like a good idea, but it would have to be a small am with no more power than what is available in an aftermarket headunit.

Also on the issue of fading, some soundcards can be configured for quadrophonic output.

What do you think todddchi.

Am i right venom889?

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

I thought about that, and that'd work - but by the time you go through the effort of buying a small amp and running wires for it... you might as well ditch the monsoon amp and go clean slate alltogether. Plus the quality of the signal would be alot better without having that staging amp in there with the monsoon. Seems like any amp small enough to provide only 15x4 would be of just terrible quality, or at the very least, really, really old.

At some point I think you'd have to worry about overloading the monsoon amp inputs as well, though it can definitely take an aftermarket head unit amp at 15-20 rms...

Quad output would work as well, I guess I assumed he was working with a laptop. I haven't seen such a soundcard on a laptop. That's something I've never really understood in this age of ipods becuase most laptop audio is just terrible. Also aren't most quad outputs processed somehow, with at least some form of matrix surround?

He could sell his monsoon deck and amp for $75 - 100 and get a decent used 4 channel. I'd definitely go that route rather than slaving in an amp just to feed the monsoon amp.

venom889

iTrader: (1)

Well honestly I was thinking either way VIP...I don't really want to replace my stock speakers right now though, so the way you described sounds excellent. Can you link me to or recommend any specific amps? How big/small?

dragonrage

I'd say todd's advice is probably better. I recommend an Eclipse XA4000 amp.

VIP1

I dont know of any.
If this is the route you want to take, I'd suggest something that is at most 22rms/50max watt per channel....basically the output of an aftermarket headunit. I guess that would be a 200watt max 4-channel amp.

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

It's pretty much impossible to find that small of an amp that is of both good quality (won't trash your sound with hiss and distortion) and of low price these days. It's an empty market segment because it is a redundant product. You don't need a 20x4 amp when that is what is in head units nowadays.

There are some pyramid and legacy type products that might work but I'd imaging they will trash your sq.

Yamaha used to make small 4x20rms amps but I haven't seen anything like that new in years. And if you go bigger than that there's a chance you could blow out the input circuit of the monsoon amp.

So if you insist on this path then you should probably start combing ebay for a used amp that fits the bill.

dragonrage

Actually, you could use a couple of Sonic Impact T-amps if you want something small, but you're not going to get a lot of power out of them...

venom889

iTrader: (1)

I must have posted right after you did todd because I only saw VIP's advice when I replied to him. I'd defiantly rather just get a new amp and go that route but doing that PLUS new speakers might run me a bill, I wouldn't exactly wanna rush into getting speakers and buy some shitty brand...how bad would it be to run the stock speakers for the time being?

I must not be an audiophile because I think my stock monsoon system sounds alright...its nothing great but I don't think its anything as bad as some around here are making it out to be. I'd be happy with anything matched or over the quality of what I have now.

So this is what I'm thinking....

- Ditching the headunit
- New 4 channel amp (How many watts per channel? Good brands/websites to order?)
- Stock speakers for the time being (Est. 2-3 months for new speakers)
- Acrylic ATX case with old dell guts (Built & Fitted by myself)
- M2-ATX DC/DC PSU (I've done the proper research, according to my math, it should run my system + peripherals
- 8" Lilliput Touch-Screen mounted in dash

I really love the look with the air/heat controls withdrawn but I'm worried this might make the pool i'm diving in that much deeper. From what I understand though, its just an extension of wiring...

Does anyone have some handy links that could teach me a little about amps? Channels/wattage/RMS/etc??

jrtf83

looks like you're looking to do about the same thing i'm going to set up. i've got a carpc in my '02 ss right now, running into the stock headunit through the cd changer thingy. i'm going to go all out on a system, i'm thinking my setup is going to entail a 4 channel amp, 2 6.5 componets up front and a 10'' sub in a stealthbox in the driver's rear. I just need to iron out the details, but don't forget you only really need two speakers, not 8 or 10 or however many the stock system claims.

todddchi

iTrader: (3)

I like eBay or local classifieds/forums for amps. Amps are one of the few areas where used makes sense imho, since they pretty much work or don't - and failures (outside of mistakes in setup or moisture) are pretty rare. Not like a speaker or head unit where mechanical things wear. I suspect you'd be happy with something in the 50-100rms x 4 range, but as usual I recommend you consider at day one if you are going to want subs or not.

People dig on the monsoon setup mostly because the speakers aren't quite up to the job of handling even the modest power output of the monsoon amp. We're dealing with cars that are at least 4-5 years old now and the speakers have a high failure rate for anyone really using the stereo. So they fail, and then the average guy gets dragged through the mud either paying higher than aftermarket prices for stock speakers - or getting a confusing line of crap from local shops and best buy type of places.

Regardless, yes, you can use the factory speakers with an aftermarket 4 channel amp but it will require a little bit of re-wiring work on your part, and to be on the safe side you should make sure the amp is 4 channel, 2 ohm stable (most all decent ones are these days). You'll also need to take it very easy on the volume **** because any amp over about 30 watts rms is going to be able to put a beating on your stock speakers. Just use your ears and you'll be fine.

I think at this point you should search or make a specific post about carputers. The main concern I have is what I would understand to be relatively low voltage outputs from a PC soundcard. There may be some special considerations to make when selecting your amp, or the soundcard itself.

People have been down this path before and you'll be better served searching the topic or posting a new thread with the setup and questions above.

On a final note, many Dell motherboards don't use a standard power supply connector pack. You probably know this already but check it out if you haven't. At least for a time - the connector itself was standard but the wiring arrangement was not. So you try to pop in an aftermarket ps and