slimjim Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 OK, so I am going for this "stealth" install and have collected a few things so far, as well as making a couple of decisions on a few other things. So... anyone care to comment on this post and answer any of the questions raised in it (RisingPower?!, DBlock?!) I would very much appreciate it. Head Unit So far, I fancy the Pioneer P4300DVD head unit. http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/DVD-Receivers/AVH-P4300DVD but the reasons I have chosen it are: a. Within my £400 price range. b. I have had Pioneer before, and respect the quality c. Great functionality, including the iPod connectivity and interaction I am after d. Lots of scope for addons (GPS etc) My decision on this could be changed if someone could suggest something close/better than it. I also have a sub box and a JL10w3v3 to go in it. So, questions. 1. For the components. Do I go active or passive? _________I think active may help me in the long run with the sound. 2. Do I need active/passover crossovers for the setup? _________Presume a set of components will have passive crossovers with them anyway. _________But would I be better off going for an active, even though it will mean buying an active crossover, which I presume are not cheap! _________Should I RUN passive for now, but cable for active if I decide to in the future? 3. Does the fact that the head unit has a separate Sub output render the point of active redundant? _________i.e. is there NO point running active, as it will only be splitting for the tweets and the mids, _________so I might as well setup the head unit to only output the mids/tweets range on the non sub RCA _________and then a passive filter will be (nearly) as good as an active one? _________Also meaning I can go for a 2 channel amp for the comps, rather than a 4 channel _________which also will save me cash on an active crossover! 4. Do all the questions on active/passive depend on the components I choose? _________Not done ANY research on them yet. Need to hear some before even starting to decide I'd love some feed back on this guys.... anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RisingPower Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 When you say going active with the components, there's another way? Do you mean off the HU directly instead? Guess it would be cheaper, but wouldn't sound brilliant. Whaddya mean active crossover? Surely you mean a power amp with a decent crossover built in vs the passive crossovers? If so, I hope you've got a big budget But I still can't see the point of audio that good in a car unless it's for shows. I thought there was a point in going active for tweets and mids? I prefer the idea of running a separate amp for the subs and one for components just so you don't have to worry about power, also cheaper I think. 4) Yes Honestly, go to an installer, ask them to listen to some components. Don't go on other people's opinions. I loved the hertz mlk's, someone else may hate them for being too warm. I thought the focals were too harsh in the k2p range and too muddy in the access range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Might be because I don't understand this enough yet... so please bear with me I thought "Passive" was passing everything into the amp, then using a "passive" crossover afterwards, to filter out tweet and mid (and sub) for the relevant speakers. but AFTER it has been amplified. Where as "active" was filtering the sound FIRST from the RCA, THEN passing it into the amp. using different channels for the different speakers. But you need an "active" crossover for that. Which are expensive. Am I completely wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RisingPower Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Might be because I don't understand this enough yet... so please bear with me I thought "Passive" was passing everything into the amp, then using a "passive" crossover afterwards, to filter out tweet and mid (and sub) for the relevant speakers. but AFTER it has been amplified. Where as "active" was filtering the sound FIRST from the RCA, THEN passing it into the amp. using different channels for the different speakers. But you need an "active" crossover for that. Which are expensive. Am I completely wrong? Think you're right on passive. But i'm not sure on active, my understanding was instead of having the amp passing both signals along one line to the passive crossover to the speakers, you'd have the amp having 2/3 lines, one for tweets, one for mid range, one for lower. The amp would then have a decent crossover built in which would give you the different lines out. Something like this I believe: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh ... ?t=1505293 This where the crossover lives in the power amp, though I guess it could be before too? http://sound.westhost.com/biamp-vs-passive.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Think you're right on passive. But i'm not sure on active, my understanding was instead of having the amp passing both signals along one line to the passive crossover to the speakers, you'd have the amp having 2/3 lines, one for tweets, one for mid range, one for lower. The amp would then have a decent crossover built in which would give you the different lines out. Yeah, I think so... but I think you have to separate them out first, so you need an active crossover to do it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_crossover Passive: Active: Does that mean you have never run active? And if so, for a beginner like me, is going active just proper overkill? Honestly, go to an installer, ask them to listen to some components. Don't go on other people's opinions. I loved the hertz mlk's, someone else may hate them for being too warm. I thought the focals were too harsh in the k2p range and too muddy in the access range. You are dead right, only "I" can decide on the comps. I love a warm sound. Problem with something like the hertz mlk's is that I think they are WAY out of my price range. I only wanted to spend £200-£300 on comps. Is that an un-realistic budget for a good set of comps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RisingPower Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Does that mean you have never run active? And if so, for a beginner like me, is going active just proper overkill? You are dead right, only "I" can decide on the comps. I love a warm sound. Problem with something like the hertz mlk's is that I think they are WAY out of my price range. I only wanted to spend £200-£300 on comps. Is that an un-realistic budget for a good set of comps? No I haven't. I'd say so Thing is, IIRC there's no reason that crossover can't be in the power amp, it's so long as it's before the power stage, not after. I think Honestly, it's not something you should be worrying about, just keep it cheaper and go passive Hertz mlk 165's aren't cheap. Then again, they're not that expensive either, especially from what i've seen if you go with an active configuration. I was considering the audison voce's as they're also apparently warm and very similar/the replacement for the mlks. Try them!!! http://www.raysmith.co.uk/audison-voce- ... ystem.html Also bear in mind, if you're not installing this yourself, it makes no sense to buy the parts. Get them to install and supply parts and you'll get discounts which makes it cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 No I haven't. I'd say so Thing is, IIRC there's no reason that crossover can't be in the power amp, it's so long as it's before the power stage, not after. I think Honestly, it's not something you should be worrying about, just keep it cheaper and go passive Hertz mlk 165's aren't cheap. Then again, they're not that expensive either, especially from what i've seen if you go with an active configuration. I was considering the audison voce's as they're also apparently warm and very similar/the replacement for the mlks. Try them!!! http://www.raysmith.co.uk/audison-voce- ... ystem.html Also bear in mind, if you're not installing this yourself, it makes no sense to buy the parts. Get them to install and supply parts and you'll get discounts which makes it cheaper. Ahhh... so you have have the crossovers IN the amp, that makes sense I know it doesn't sound like it... but I think I am capable to installing it all myself Setting it up properly is a different story. I might pop into my local place and get them to do all the tweeks of the sound setup. but I will get a quote for that while I am in there listening/choosing comps. What do you think a realistic budget for a good set of comps would be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RisingPower Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Ahhh... so you have have the crossovers IN the amp, that makes sense I know it doesn't sound like it... but I think I am capable to installing it all myself Setting it up properly is a different story. I might pop into my local place and get them to do all the tweeks of the sound setup. but I will get a quote for that while I am in there listening/choosing comps. What do you think a realistic budget for a good set of comps would be? I wasn't Then again, unless it's simple I think the budget is whatever you can afford/like the sound of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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