A couple of Alpine SPS-17C2 questions
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Scarborough, Maine
A couple of Alpine SPS-17C2 questions I've purchased a set of Alpine SPS-17C2's (newer version of SPS-170A's) to replace my stock monsoon door speakers. I have already read all of the stickies and topics on this upgrade. The 17C2's terminals look a little different than the 170A's so I still have a couple of questions I need answered.
Door Speakers:
Do I need to leave the capacitor on the (+) positive side of the tweeter, or will it work without it? (I've haven't found a definite answer, although one writeup says to leave it in there.)
Can I leave the (-) ground wire on the tweeter attached to the (-) ground terminal for the midrange? As a common ground point I guess you could say, or will this cause a problem? (My guess is it would be better to keep them seperate.)
Sail Panel Speakers:
If I buy these speakers to replace my sail panel speakers, I would pull the hatch wires forward and do away with the hatch speakers.
Do I just forget about the original sail midbass wires, attach the hatch wires to the new Alpine speakers and everything works great?
OR
Do I need to separate the midrange and tweeter, and wire them like the door speakers? Ie: use the sail wires for the midrange, and the hatch wires for the tweeter?
I Just want some final clarification. Thanks!
Door Speakers:
Do I need to leave the capacitor on the (+) positive side of the tweeter, or will it work without it? (I've haven't found a definite answer, although one writeup says to leave it in there.)
Can I leave the (-) ground wire on the tweeter attached to the (-) ground terminal for the midrange? As a common ground point I guess you could say, or will this cause a problem? (My guess is it would be better to keep them seperate.)
Sail Panel Speakers:
If I buy these speakers to replace my sail panel speakers, I would pull the hatch wires forward and do away with the hatch speakers.
Do I just forget about the original sail midbass wires, attach the hatch wires to the new Alpine speakers and everything works great?
OR
Do I need to separate the midrange and tweeter, and wire them like the door speakers? Ie: use the sail wires for the midrange, and the hatch wires for the tweeter?
I Just want some final clarification. Thanks!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Leave the capacitor.
Separate the ground leads for the mid and the tweeter (important).
If you pull the hatch wires forward they will provide a full-range signal. Leave the original sub wires unused and it won't be necessary to split the leads on the coax speakers you put there.
Separate the ground leads for the mid and the tweeter (important).
If you pull the hatch wires forward they will provide a full-range signal. Leave the original sub wires unused and it won't be necessary to split the leads on the coax speakers you put there.
I was sitting here researching and came across your thread. I am wanting to use the alpine sps-17c2's also in the front and in the sail panels. From what I've read I need to pull the wires from the rear speakers and use those for the sail panel speakers. To go along with what was asked above, is the power output(from the amp) used on the rear speakers enough to power the alpine's. Also would there be any advantage to wire them like the door speakers using the sailpanel midbass and the rear wires to power the alpine's. I just read earlier about how low powered the rear speakers are. I didn't know if that would help distribute the power a little better. I know what I'm trying to ask in my head but it doesn't seem to come out the same way when I type it. Hopefully someone can understand what I'm trying to ask.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Originally Posted by LS1DER
I was sitting here researching and came across your thread. I am wanting to use the alpine sps-17c2's also in the front and in the sail panels. From what I've read I need to pull the wires from the rear speakers and use those for the sail panel speakers. To go along with what was asked above, is the power output(from the amp) used on the rear speakers enough to power the alpine's. Also would there be any advantage to wire them like the door speakers using the sailpanel midbass and the rear wires to power the alpine's. I just read earlier about how low powered the rear speakers are. I didn't know if that would help distribute the power a little better. I know what I'm trying to ask in my head but it doesn't seem to come out the same way when I type it. Hopefully someone can understand what I'm trying to ask.
But to answer your questions...no, don't split the coaxial into components for the sail panels as you do with the doors (at least, not in a Camaro). The wiring from the single 4" speakers in the hatch area of a Camaro provides full-range signal and is quite powerful enough to run those Alpines as rear fill. That's all you really want from rear speakers. Many people will try to tell you that you should only have speakers in front to produce the proper sound stage but many of us enjoy the surround sound effect. Even still, you want the front speakers to be the focus and the rears to just fill in the sound.
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All right thanks. idk, I'm still undecided. I think for now I'm just going to do the door speakers b/c they are the ones that are blown.
ss1, Have you put the new speakers in yet? if so how do they sound?
ss1, Have you put the new speakers in yet? if so how do they sound?
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Champaign/Chicagoland
Originally Posted by ss1
I
Can I leave the (-) ground wire on the tweeter attached to the (-) ground terminal for the midrange? As a common ground point I guess you could say, or will this cause a problem? (My guess is it would be better to keep them seperate.)
Can I leave the (-) ground wire on the tweeter attached to the (-) ground terminal for the midrange? As a common ground point I guess you could say, or will this cause a problem? (My guess is it would be better to keep them seperate.)
Sorry for the boring explanation - just felt you should know if you didn't already. Reason is, one of my roommates cousins asked me why his speakers weren't working, so I look at them last time he was here (actually 2 weekends ago)....and only one terminal is connected and found the other (negative) wire on some screw in the door because someone decided to treat it as a ground (he claims the previous owner...).
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Originally Posted by fredmr39
I know this thread is a week or so old, but if you were wondering WHY the "grounds" should be separate, it's because they aren't "grounds". In a typical speaker, oscillating currents induce magnetic fields in the coil which causes it to attract or repel from the permanent magnet - which moves the speaker cone in and out, sending pressure waves into the air and into your eardrum. So the reason the speaker cone moves in both directions is because the current alternates in both directions, and that causes the polarity to reverse. So...you can imagine if both were hooked up to the same "negative" terminal and you were mixing signals, etc...since each speaker obviously receives waves of different amplitudes and frequencies.
Sorry for the boring explanation - just felt you should know if you didn't already. Reason is, one of my roommates cousins asked me why his speakers weren't working, so I look at them last time he was here (actually 2 weekends ago)....and only one terminal is connected and found the other (negative) wire on some screw in the door because someone decided to treat it as a ground (he claims the previous owner...).
Sorry for the boring explanation - just felt you should know if you didn't already. Reason is, one of my roommates cousins asked me why his speakers weren't working, so I look at them last time he was here (actually 2 weekends ago)....and only one terminal is connected and found the other (negative) wire on some screw in the door because someone decided to treat it as a ground (he claims the previous owner...).
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From: Champaign/Chicagoland
Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
That's true of a floating ground system such as the Monsoon. However, there are common-ground systems out there (mostly cheap stuff but the old Bose was common ground) where all speaker grounds were connected together to chassis ground. Floating ground systems use half-phase signals (basically alternating current) whereas common ground systems use full-phase signals on the single positive wire (sort of like amplitude modulation). Don't ever mix floating ground with common ground - unless you have a good fire extinguisher handy.
You said "old Bose stuff" -- how old?? Earlier 4th gens use floating, correct?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,264
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From: Scarborough, Maine
Thanks for the explanation of the floating ground vs common ground guys. I understand electronics, but not much about stereo systems. The more I know, the better! 
LS1DER, I haven't put thes peakers in yet. I have a bunch of projects to do to my car over the summer and haven't started on anything yet. I decided on these speakers based on the positive reviews of these and the SPS-170A's. I don't need a system with a lot of bass, so as long as I don't feel like i'm listening to a tin can, i'll be happy.
LS1DER, I haven't put thes peakers in yet. I have a bunch of projects to do to my car over the summer and haven't started on anything yet. I decided on these speakers based on the positive reviews of these and the SPS-170A's. I don't need a system with a lot of bass, so as long as I don't feel like i'm listening to a tin can, i'll be happy.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Originally Posted by fredmr39
I had no idea common ground systems in mobile audio were even around still.....that's what I get for being young and ignorant.
You said "old Bose stuff" -- how old?? Earlier 4th gens use floating, correct?
You said "old Bose stuff" -- how old?? Earlier 4th gens use floating, correct?
You don't see many common ground systems anymore because the circuitry that supports floating ground has become cheap enough that even entry-level systems can afford to include them. But back in the day (8-tracks dontcha know) common ground systems were popular and were often used as OEM equipment. It made vehicle wiring cheaper and easier since only a single wire had to be run to each speaker (they grounded to the chassis near the speaker). Today you can still see common ground systems on some 5th wheel trailer setups where the audio is passed from the tow vehicle to the trailer for the same reason - less wires to connect.
