I hate cars

Anyone using the MS8 and taking the signal pre-amp? I just installed Niebur3's awesome kick panels to house my midranges. This required removing the stock amp so I tapped into the FR and FL outputs off of the HU. It's nice that it only requires just the two channels now to get full range. I went to do the setup and I got a low signal screen with the volume all the way up at 40. I bypassed this setup and went straight into the crossover/acoustic setup. Full volume is not as loud as the stock system. It sounds fine but there's just no volume. MS8 volume was maxed too.

Going to add a line driver tomorrow, has anyone done this with the MS8? Any decent brands or more importantly, any brands I should watch out for? I hope this is all worth it.

I hate cars

I bought one locally so I could at least listen to the system today. All I could find was one with RCA in and out, none with regular wires in and RCA out. I had to go to a LOC and then to the line driver, then to the MS8. This one supposedly boosts the signal to 5v and it's still not that loud with all controls maxed out. Going to order one online with the right terminals and something that will boost voltage a little more. Overall it's a nice improvement, at least it goes louder than stock. The noise floor of the stock amp is gone, no more hissing. I didn't realize how much I had gotten used to it until it was gone and I can hear the whine of my transmission so much more now. But nothing is free, I now have ignition noise in the system. It's barely noticeable, hopefully eliminating the LOC and getting a more expensive line driver will get rid of it.

fourthmeal

Did you try running from the stock amp instead? The MS8 high level inputs should work well with it.

And if you have ignition noise, may want to try moving the ground point to a more suitable one. Sometimes I have to relocate ALL grounds of the system to a single multi-in distribution point, which means ~10 to 8 gauge ground wire from the head unit, and processor to the ground point, and of course big grounds on the amps...all in the same spot.

I hate cars

I've been running it a month or two with the MS8 running off of the stock amp. I had to remove my stock amp to fit the kick panels and 3" mids so stock amp went bye bye yesterday. I'm running a very cheap LOC and line driver. The noise is barely audible, passengers can't even hear it.

It worked well off of the stock amp besides a little hiss. I always overdo the grounds. I use larger than necessary wire and clean each surface very well.

I literally had 5 minutes to get this installed and do a quick tune. I may be able to fix it without spending any more money but no time for it today.

Thanks for the help.

Gary Mac

Ihc- I'm using pre amp low level into ms8. I used diamondjoe's harness idea and ran fronts with mono sub into ms8. Works fine and I have zero issues. I did not use a line driver. I do have to set my hu volume @ 35 for calebration.

I wish I could help you out on this, I don't know what the issue is.

Gary Mac

Btw- if you are using low level signals out of the stock hu, you don't need a loc, the loc is designed to convert a high level signal to a low level. I think if you put the hu signal into the line driver it will work, but remember the ms8 maxes out at a 2v low level input.

Another thing, if you go to oeinterface.com, you can find a signal test of a tsx stock hu, the fronts low level signal goes from 50-20k, so you will need the sub input from the stock.

I hate cars

.Gary, thanks for the reply. Since I last posted, i've installed the Rockford line driver with 24db boost and balanced inputs. Zero noise now. Acceptable volume.

So what you're saying is I knocked the head unit's already low voltage down even lower with the loc. I feel dumb now, I knocked the signal down and then re-amplified it.

I really appreciate the help, I Assumed the loc when turned all the way up would send the full signal. Going to remove it tomorrow.

The really cool thing is bluetooth works great and has never sounded better. Mine only required the front left and right signals. It plays down to an easy 18hz with authority without the sub input.

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

hey guys - been MIA from the forums for a while ...

pics of the setup IHC??? I'm curious to see how it all came together (including your tweeter placement - I've been messing around with my ctx65cs tweeters in terms of placement and found that since they're so bright, off-axis will be the way to go ... I've thought that off-axis positioning would potentially ruin the imaging, but people have been telling me otherwise (will be trying tweeters on dash pointing to the back side of rear-view mirror)

sorry for pulling this off topic ... lol

carologist

IHC i don't know your previous wiring capabilities and knowledge. Please don't take offense to the following.

If the MS8 is maxed at 2v the HU out puts near 1v you shouldn't need a line driver before the MS8. You might want one after though. In my setup HU -> line Driver -> Amp -> Speakers. In all actuality I probably don't even need the Line Driver with 8v outs. IMO the less Equipment the less noise and interference that can be introduced to the signal cleaner signal = cleaner sound.

For a line driver with RCA in's and out's you can always wire on rca ends to the preamp wires