R33 Amp Location + Set Up Advice

[damuscat]

RANDY I reckon I'm going to end up doing the same as you! I initially bought my amp with more power than the speakers could handle with the idea that the amp would never run at full load and hence generally produce a better sound.

However, even with a smaller amp I doubt I'll ever need max volume. I'm looking at a 4x50watt RMS (@4ohm) which is 2 inches shorter than the one I bought. 4x50 RMS is plenty right? ... I don't normally listen to music really loud and I don't want my ears bleeding! .... can you tell I've never set this stuff up before?

[Trooper]

I am also tempted to try to move the fuse box ... whoever has done this can they please post a pic? i need some ideas

I was thinking about getting rid of the space saver all together and putting battery/fuses etc down in there, what is the legality of this? do you NEED to have a spare? I wont ever use the space saver, if i get a flat i'd rather wait for the NRMA than try to make it on a bicycle tire

Once the battery is gone the space under the rear parcel shelf is nice and long enough for amps/CarPC etc etc or maybe put two 10' subs in there and put the amps onto a MDF partition..

[d00dz]

Dont think you need to have a spare there. Some new cars dont have spares. BMWs I think.

But I wouldnt want to not have one there. NRMA = 10hrs later.

[Trooper]

Dont think you need to have a spare there. Some new cars dont have spares. BMWs I think.

But I wouldnt want to not have one there. NRMA = 10hrs later.

If im 10hrs away from a tire shop or servo then i wouldnt trust a space saver to get me there anyway...

In the last 6 years i have had 1 flat... and i just took the tire off and got a mate to drive me to get it patched.

[Sydneykid]

If im 10hrs away from a tire shop or servo then i wouldnt trust a space saver to get me there anyway...

In the last 6 years i have had 1 flat... and i just took the tire off and got a mate to drive me to get it patched.

I drove from Sydney to Melbourne on a space saver, no problem.

I don't understand the paranoia

cheers

[Trooper]

I drove from Sydney to Melbourne on a space saver, no problem.

I don't understand the paranoia

cheers

Holy shit Syd -> melb? thats massive, i thought they shat themselves at above 60kph and a few hundred k's

the drive to melb is boring enough as it is.

I dunno i just dont like bike tire one one side Vs 265 on the other...

The main reason i want to get rid of it is because i could do with some extra room to tidy things up in and also that its extra weight/space used for something that i will very likely not use

[RANDY]

I thought you had to have a spare for rego... and yeah, "they" say the space-saver is good for 80km/hr... I doubt they'd wear out very quickly... a few hundred k's should be easily done!

As for the amp, damuscat, I was considering a 4x50rms amp... but I wasn't sure how it would go.. it's not much more than a head unit puts out, and my current amp sounds good with the speakers.

I'm going for the JayCar Response 4x100wrms amp. The full-range model is 29cm by 26cm? I joined two A4 pieces of paper together, and it fits in that little hole next to the battery. So now i'm ordering one of those, and making up an MDF or masonite tray for it to sit on.

[RANDY]

Just got to insulate the doors and self-made parcelshelf with some Dynamat stuff that I have on its way.... hopefully things will stop vibrating with the bass once I undertake that task. ;o)

[damuscat]

I'll have to check out that jaycar amp. You bring up a good point though. If the head unit is doing 4x50watts (I'm assuming RMS) then is there any point running a 4 channel amp which is doing (seemingly) the same job?

Still though.. a 4ch amp doing 50w/ch RMS is much larger than an ordinary headunit. I could only assume that the amp puts out a better quality signal once amplified. I'm no expert though!

[Bliksem]

You bring up a good point though. If the head unit is doing 4x50watts (I'm assuming RMS) then is there any point running a 4 channel amp which is doing (seemingly) the same job?

Yes, because the head unit does not run at 4 x 50 RMS. The power figure they give you is peak power.

[damuscat]

Cool. Thanks MintR33.

Does any manufacturer give you the RMS output? I have a Pioneer headunit. I've looked for power figures but everywhere I see doesn't state RMS.

..... nevermind.. I just found it on the specs page of my headunits manual.

Maximum power output 50Wx4 @ 4ohms

Continuous power output 22Wx4 @ 4ohms

[Bliksem]

No worries mate.

RANDY I reckon I'm going to end up doing the same as you! I initially bought my amp with more power than the speakers could handle with the idea that the amp would never run at full load and hence generally produce a better sound.

However, even with a smaller amp I doubt I'll ever need max volume. I'm looking at a 4x50watt RMS (@4ohm) which is 2 inches shorter than the one I bought. 4x50 RMS is plenty right? ... I don't normally listen to music really loud and I don't want my ears bleeding! .... can you tell I've never set this stuff up before?

Also, in answer to this question, you are "generally" better off going with a slightly larger amp and using your gain adjustment to turn down the power to your speakers.

As a rough guide to do this you would turn your gain settings all the way down and turn your head unit volume 3/4 of the way up whilst playing cd you feel would suit your most often played genre of music. Becasue your gain is all the way down you shouldnt hear anything coming from your speakers (turn off or unplug any speaker running directly off your h/u) You then turn your gain adjustment up slowly listening for any signs of distortion in the speaker. As soon as you hear distortion turn your gain back a little.

That is a common way of tuning your speakers. for more information i'd suggest visiting the car audio australia forums

[RANDY]

No distortion.. i'm already running the gain all the way down on my current amp, and yeah, the head unit isn't putting out the 52w that it claims, which is why I said "not MUCH more". ;o)

I have held my parcel shelf in such a manner that the buzzing doesn't happen, so I know that it's just the MDF bouncing on the metal parcel tray. Same thing with the doors... i've insulated and padded the hangars on the doortrims, tightened all the screws that hold the map-pockets on etc etc... Something else is vibrating, and the speakers are nowhere near their maximum throw.

A more powerful and high-quality amp will better control the voice coils and ensure that they don't distort. So i'd rather get that Jaycar amp than risk using a 50wrms amp and find out that i've wasted money. =-]

A mate that used to work at JayCar (and is very knowledgeable on the subject) has told me that the JayCar amps are solid, but not of the same quality of a really decent brand amp. At this stage, if it fits and it's powerful enough to push my speakers around, i'll be happy!

[Fry_33]

I have been looking at installing an amp and sub in my R33 to improve the low-midrange of my system.

I am wanting to install the amp beside the rear fuse box and have ben looking at the jaycar AA0425 4x100w digital, looks like it will fit easily.

I have been suggested to also look at an Alpine MRP-F450 4x70WRMS.

http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/products/prod...0〈=en&tab=F

The Jaycar amp RRP is $400 and the Alpine is $469 approximately, I am leaning towards the Alpine one, as long as it fits of course, it should. I think 70 odd dollars is worth saving up for this amp, others may disagree.. but thats ok.

I am probably going to go with the amp setup like Mint's, neat and functional, just the way I like it. Then maybe a fibreglass Sub box for a 10" in the right hand side of the boot. Maybe a Rockford Fosgate P210S4 (~$230).

Do you have a sub Mint, and maybe a pic of it's enclosure?

Anyway I shouldn't stray from the topic.

[Bliksem]

There you go fry. I have just used velcro on the bottom to secure it along with couple of banana plugs on the back for the wires. It can all be removed if I need space for luggage etc. As the box is slightly angled back by sub has never moved or fallen over once, even after spirited driving. Also when I bought my carpet I asket for 1mtr, turns out 1 mtr is a hell of alot so I had enough to re-do my boot liner as well.

Also if you want to make an amp bracket similar to mine you can use this drawing: Download Drawing Just make sure your size amp will fit in the same place as mine first then take the drawing to a sheetmetal place.

Edited June 23, 2006 by MintR33

[Fry_33]

Mint, thanks for the pic and definitely the drawing.. if I choose to do it that way will save heaps of time

Can the sub cover/Grille you used be purchased easily? or was that fabricated too?

I am thinking of getting a rockford P2 10" 200wrms sub and making the enclosure (0.65cu.ft), just figuring out which way I want to go in terms of materials/shape. I assume yours is a 10", what is the rough size of your enclosure? Is it all MDF or part fibreglass? I would love to make a fibreglass one that looks good but can also be removed easily, with banana plugs as you have or similar.

If I was to go part fibreglass I was thinking about making if fit the trim on the RHS of the boot. Do any of you know whether it would be better to remove it and form it to the metal instead. I'm worried that if I made one to suit the trim, it might rattle when the box is against it.

Edited June 23, 2006 by Fry_33

[Bliksem]

No worries fry. Actually the sub i've used is a 12" and the grille can be pretty much purchased from any audio store for around $10? From memory mine came from Jay Car.

I reckon a 10" Rockford sub would suit a skyline nicely, that is unless you're going for SPL. My Uncle actually has a 8" rockford fosgate sub in a current model Nissan Patrol and I was amazed how well it went, definately plenty of punch. So a 10" is something that I would probably opt for next time.

The rough volume of my enclosure (I've used MDF by the way) would be around .6ft3 but the recommended size is 1.07ft3 for my sub so yet another reason I would be better off with a 10"

[RANDY]

That is the JayCar model of amp that i'm talking about.

If it's elevated a bit, the RCA plugs should just come up to the fuses and relays.

[Ol_Mate]

Here's what I did. If ya have any questions just PM me.

I have a RF 8" sub in a sealed box above the fuel tank behind the back seat, had to move the HICAS computer to fit it (just unscrewed it and slid it down beside the sub, wrapped up in some foam) but it all came together nicely, great punch for such a small unit.

I like having a useable boot still, can fit a rather large suitcase in there without it even touching the amp. Access to the spare is also no drama.

Edited June 25, 2006 by Ol_Mate

[RANDY]

Oh very nice!!!

I was going down this path with my hand-made battery cover, but my stock rear strut tower bar actually sits BEHIND the stock cover.

I really like the idea of those brackets though!

Where did you get the 8 inch sub from? I couldn't find any! If this all works like it should, then I can get that Baupunkt 5 channel amp and run a small sub too!