What hardware do I need to run 4 rear and 2 front speakers in a VR?

[savage1987]

Title says it all. Space for 2 more speakers under factory grilles in parcel shelf (6x9s on carpeted spacer plate in between).. might as well use them all if it's straightforward enough..

Sam

[Philthy]

You could just get a 2ch amp for the 2 extra speakers if you are using the headunit speaker-outs for the other 4.
If you don't mind a bit of re-wiring then run the rear 4 off the head-unit and get am amp for the fronts to give yourself the best sound.
Otherwise you could get a 4ch amp for the rear 4, and a 2ch for the fronts, which would be the best option imo.
But if you are doing it for extra volume or quality, don't bother coz it's not gunna happen.
If you are doing it purely for the 'because I can' factor then go for it. There are a few other options but the ones above are the first that come to my mind.

[savage1987]

Fair enough.. was looking for better fill / clarity / volume / anything but might just be better off looking into amplifying the current speakers.

For the typical VN-VS stereo (4 cabin speakers and a sub or 2) what's the recommended amp setup? My subs are running off a mono amp, the interior speakers are currently just run off the deck. Better off with a 4 channel or a couple of 2 channels? I have no idea when it comes to amps unfortunately..

Thanks
Sam

[1991_Vn2nV]

You really want your sound coming from the front, not the rear. Ideally you'd have the fronts amped so you could just get a 2 channel for the front.

Or 4 channel if the front and rears are close in power. Or you could even run a 5 channel and have the sub and speakers run off the one amp. Orrr you could run a 6 channel and same deal as the 5 channel lol

Post up your speakers (model numbers and brand) and that'll make it easier to make a suggestion.

[savage1987]

Not sure on part numbers but I can give you an idea hopefully...

Fronts: Clarion 6" splits, last year's entry level model
Rears: Alpine S type 6x9s, 4yrs old
Subs: 2x Alpine S type 12", last yr's models, running off a teeeensy Alpine 320 mono amp (this amp left over from previous single sub setup)

[danja]

I tried running 6 speakers in my VT, ended up taking the 6x9s out because they just made everything sound "muddy" (they were good 6x9s too!).

If you've got subs, there really is no reason to run 6x9s, they are basically the poor mans sub.

[savage1987]

Yeah I'm not really a fan of 6x9s. I won't be using them in my next car. 6.5" rears, 6.5" front splits, 2 subs, all amped appropriately.

[holdenboy]

Yep just go with a 2ch amp (80wrms x2 plus) to run the front splits, leave the 6x9s running off the head-unit. If your unit has high pass filters set them to around 80hz for the rears, as you dont want low bass going to the 6x9s because thats what the subs are for.

[savage1987]

my HPF is set at 120, LPF at 120 also, that's just from memory.. seems to go ok. Cranks a lot better than it did before I set the filters up anyway

Just a 2channel for the fronts hey?

What about amping speakers in my other car - the VN??
4" alpine S type fronts (lol)
6x9s by BOSSaudio (old ones)
one POS 12" clarion sub + tiny bridged amp

[1991_Vn2nV]

As said, set them to around 80hz mate. Mine are set around 80hz.

As for the speakers in the VN, they don't sound worth amping personally. I wouldn't bother amping any 4"... And BOSS 6x9's... well yeah. If you want to spend money on amps for it, upgrade the speakers also. Some 6" splits in the front and 6" coaxials on parcel shelf.

[savage1987]

Not sure if my deck will let me set filters at 80.. I'll have a go tomorrow. It's only got 2 settings for each filter I think.

Can't fit splits in VN, don't fancy doing door pods at this stage.. I'll leave that alone for now.

[holdenboy]

If / when you get an amp for the fronts, set that at 80hz HPF, or thereabouts. 120hz LPF is too high for the sub, and will "pick up" unwanted sounds.

[Tasmaniak]

erm it all really depends on what type of sub and what size it is...80hz is where I go for 15s....100 for 12 and 120 for 10s....don't cheat yourself of bass and don't slam your tiny little 6.5s with 80hz...they don't like it

[Luke0011]

I suppose those points are a general rule. Most 6.5 inch speakers by theory should be able to play well with a hp crossover point at 80 hz. But in reality a lot dont handle that well. The more expensive a speaker is the better it will play at lower frquencies. Ive also found that a crossover point set at the source seems to sound better that having a amplifier do it in some cases. But it all depends on the car and the installation as to how good the speaker will sound. I cant stress enough of the importance of sound deadning, sound absorbing and sealing of the loudspeaker in the door of a car. A lot of people dont want to spend 200 to 300 on sound proofing.

[savage1987]

ok checked my filters today, the deck only has the following options

LPF 80, 120, through

HPF 120, through

Currently LPF is at 80 (12" alpines) and HPF is at 120 to protect my 6" splits from 80Hz as '.' said they don't like too much bass

[Tasmaniak]

even higher end speakers don't like it....I had my original MBQs at 80 and tore them apart.

[1991_Vn2nV]

even higher end speakers don't like it....I had my original MBQs at 80 and tore them apart.

If they're specified for a frequency response well below 80hz they should be fine surely. Most speakers are around the 50hz mark. Even crappy Pioneers haven't caused me an issue filtered at 80hz.

[Tasmaniak]

^^^^ have you actually been listening to them at that frequency?

[1991_Vn2nV]

^^^^ have you actually been listening to them at that frequency?

At 80hz yeah. I had them for nearly 2 years before I sold them. I could understand damaging speakers with 80hz frequencies if they only had a specified response from say 70hz or something but speakers with a specified response starting at around 35-50hz should be capable of playing frequencies of 80hz.

Thats just the way I see it though and I realise you have alot more knowledge on car audio than I do, but I can't see why 80hz frequencies would damage speakers specified to run much lower?

[savage1987]

Isn't it also about how much they can take at the lower freq. ranges? Their tolerance at 80Hz is going to be a lot less that at 150Hz....

[1991_Vn2nV]

Isn't it also about how much they can take at the lower freq. ranges? Their tolerance at 80Hz is going to be a lot less that at 150Hz....

That is not really true. What damages a speaker is distortion. The frequency response states what frequencies that speaker is designed to play, so you would not play above/below that range.

If the speaker is distorting at that level then it's a different story, but speakers designed for that frequency shouldn't suffer distortion at that frequency at any reasonable volume.

I would like to know what slope filter '.' had when he ruined his speakers and what the frequency response was. If its only a 6db slope then you'd be better off setting the filter higher, but on an 18db-24db slope like on many amps/crossovers now you can cut it a bit closer.

[Tasmaniak]

I always use a 12db slope...and you need to understand the power that was being ran to them. Listen to your speakers at 35hz....yes, it's moving the cone but what sort of noise is coming out and what harmonic is it that you are actually hearing? slightly different story when you take that into account. My MBQ were rated for 175wrms....and thats what I fed them...sometimes a little more depending on the situation and my modd at the time.

[savage1987]

wow i have no idea what slope filter mine is... lol mind you i have no amps to play with except the mono

i do have an idea of the slope you're talking about just not how to set it up at all

[1991_Vn2nV]

The slope is set. Generally the better the unit the higher the slope... Generally.

They range between 6db, 12db, 18db and 24db per octave. There may be others but thats all I have seen. Basically that means it reduces the volume of those frequencies by 6/12/18/24db per octave. So a 24db slope will reduce frequencies below filter setting 4x as much as a 6db slope.

My subs (2x15") are low pass filtered at 80hz using a 24db slope (1000wrms each). My mids are high pass filtered at 70hz but on an 18db slope with a specified frequency response of 40hz-20khz (210wrms each). Rears @ 90hz on a 12db slope with a specified frequency response of 60hz-25khz (100wrms each).

[savage1987]

Thanks for that Dylan, I feel like I know a little more about it now.. I was under the impression that with the filters anything outside the allowed frequency was just blocked and didn't go through to the speakers at all.