mmade22

So I was happy to see this x-mas that I have some cash to spend on the TL. I want to upgrade the speakers and put a nice 4 channel amp in the car for now and eventually finish it off with a sub come birthday time. The question is, if I get a nice Alpine amp that has speaker level imputs for factory radios like the Alpine MRP-600. Will that still have good sound? If not what is the best Line out converter for the money?

I also was looking at this Audio Control LC7 unit. Anyone have this and if so, is it worth it?
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_id=6205

Thanks guys for any info you can give me. I really need to think this all out before I pull the trigger on this stuff.

My front speakers are going to be Image Dynamics CTX65 from the great reviews I red on here

csmeance

with any electrical system, the less interruptions, the better. There are a few options you have, depending on how you want your system to sound and cost:

Cheapest (most cases:
Factory Radio -> Line Out Converter -> Amps ->speakers and subs

balance of $$$ and sound:
Factory Radio -> Amp with speaker level inputs (good quality amp) -> speakers and subs

More quality, more $$$
Factory Radio -> Equalizer (3.sixty.2, alpine imprint, etc) -> Amp -> speakers

Trew

iTrader: (1)

Most factory head units (such as ours) produces a really dirty signal to compensate for the crappy speakers that come with the car. Amping that signal will only result in an amplified dirty signal. Don't hold me to this, but I believe this can shorten the life of the speakers you upgrade.

You should definitely put something between the amp and the head unit (such as an audio processor) that will clean/flatten the signal. This way the signal going to the amp will be pure and will result in a much better sound.

I recommend the Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.2 or the AudioControl L7. They both can handle speaker level inputs and will do an excellent job of flattening the signal, while giving you the ability to further enhance the signal by tuning.

mmade22

Thanks guys. From what I was able to gather last night, it is going to cost a lot of cash to get the shound I want. I am not sure if I am going to even bother.
Can anyone recommend an inexpensive 4-channel amp that will do the job? I was also thinking of a 5 channel boston acostic that could give 50 watts rms on all 4 and 250 watts to a sub. Any good?

RBeachTL

I don't have any first hand measurements myself so if you could share your source for this I would really appreciate seeing the information. The reason I ask is that quite a few of the really good installers (Simplicity In Sound, for one; http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...q-install.html) have said that the ELS HU output is pretty good (flat frequency response).

csmeance

this is partially true, most units including ours have bias in the tuning of the systems to compensate for speakers, resonance, objects, etc. To the OP, how would you rate the sound now? Is it not loud enough, not crisp/clean? You can start out with just putting in the amp and the speakers for now, then later on add in the equalizer to make it better when you have cash.

CSWBiggs

No LOC's...if you're not lookin to do anything crazy...go direct solder RCA's pre factory amp...reduces hiss noise associated with the Factory amp

-Jason

mmade22

Thanks guys. I have thought long and hard about all the stereo upgrading and decided to skip it all. The oem system is pretty good with a DVD a disks. I went out and got an iPod touch today. Going to order the perifferal unit for the tl. Thanks to all that chimmed in. My next stereo upgrade will be what comes in the 2009 tl.

To really do the system right with the amps sub crossovers and matting is going to run about a grand. I don't have that kind of cash to blow on that.

mattster

If the signal coming out of the factory amp is so 'dirty' then why do so many people use that signal but try to 'clean it up' with a sound processor? It seems like you would have better success and get a cleaner signal if you tapped in to the signal that's before the factory amp. Not necessarily to avoid purchasing a processor, but just to get at the purest signal. I realize that the levels will be different that way. I've heard that the pre-amplified level is very low - is there a product that will boost the low-level signal before the amp to something an aftermarket amp can use?

RBeachTL

Jason,

I agree with you and more significantly, so do a lot of the pro installers.

I'm looking for a way to create the pre-amp outputs without hacking into the factory wire harness. Do you know if it is possible to buy connectors that would connect to the factory harness before it goes into the amp?

Thanks,

John

csmeance

you loose the HFL system and the muting for the navi system. As well the signal may be too low and require a line driver to amp it up slightly.

PhillyxMartin

iTrader: (2)

Do you have a link to a good AudioControl L7 sound processor

mmade22

The link was in my original post but here it is again...
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_id=6205