4-Channel amps
- Thread starter theDRIZZLE
- Start date
OK, so I'm looking at the-
Image Dynamics ID8 v.3 D2 (2 ohms)
Alpine MRP-F250
10 gauge wire kit-running 16 gauge speaker level to amp
I want to go ahead and start ordering/buying everything
I'm going to do the baffle, and a dry run and install the ID to the baffle and fashion that to the compartment. I want to see it all in place before I decide to go ahead and attempt the fiberglass. Also, I want everything hooked up ready to go so I can at least enjoy the fronts amped while I research the process more.
Anything else? You guys have been awesome, a great help.
Image Dynamics ID8 v.3 D2 (2 ohms)
Alpine MRP-F250
10 gauge wire kit-running 16 gauge speaker level to amp
I want to go ahead and start ordering/buying everything
I'm going to do the baffle, and a dry run and install the ID to the baffle and fashion that to the compartment. I want to see it all in place before I decide to go ahead and attempt the fiberglass. Also, I want everything hooked up ready to go so I can at least enjoy the fronts amped while I research the process more.
Anything else? You guys have been awesome, a great help.
as long as it's a panel of some sort, you can remove it and should when doing this. You can multi-task and sound deaden/dampen behind there, do rear speakers if you feel like, AND make your fiberglass concoction. Another option I didn't really consider istaht seeingas you're planning on making a permanant cubby there, you could actually cutout the hole and even build a wood box that'll fit in it's place, or atleast glass in a bigger bubble. might give you some extra room to the sides to play with.
Also, I forgot to mention that a good source for fiberglassing supples and knowledge is Boat docks. Any kind of boat repair or even a decently inclusive boat store should have less expensive fiberglassing materials onhand. I generally find they're more than anxious to help you takeon strange tasks aswell.
Oh, and chuyler> umm never had finished pics up 'cause it's still unfinished! *L* it's a functional brown blob. Atleast I didn't opt for the penguin fleece. I've been threatening to rhinoline it for awhile now, but mostly I'm just lacking the time/motivation. it's there, it's out of theway and sounds just fine so it's hard to convince myself it needs changing
Also, I forgot to mention that a good source for fiberglassing supples and knowledge is Boat docks. Any kind of boat repair or even a decently inclusive boat store should have less expensive fiberglassing materials onhand. I generally find they're more than anxious to help you takeon strange tasks aswell.
Oh, and chuyler> umm never had finished pics up 'cause it's still unfinished! *L* it's a functional brown blob. Atleast I didn't opt for the penguin fleece. I've been threatening to rhinoline it for awhile now, but mostly I'm just lacking the time/motivation. it's there, it's out of theway and sounds just fine so it's hard to convince myself it needs changing
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Should be good, yea. those subs are sweet anywhich way. As far as the amp, I just checked with eclipse at work today, no leftover oldones, they've got their new line available now, though but I believe the dimensions might be toolarge for you? I'm still not sure that there isn't somewhere we could find to stuff something posibly bigger/more powerful. You've only got one small area available for an amp? are the underseat vents re-routable at all? I'm mostly just not familiar with alpine amps at all, if these boys say they're good, they're good.
Oh, and yea as far as my sub, I couldn't be happier. it's Alot of volume for as little of an intrusion as it is. I did push it out into the hatch area a bit more than most, but I also really wanted to have the proper airspace for a 12. (hence the reasoning for the peanuts)
Oh, and yea as far as my sub, I couldn't be happier. it's Alot of volume for as little of an intrusion as it is. I did push it out into the hatch area a bit more than most, but I also really wanted to have the proper airspace for a 12. (hence the reasoning for the peanuts)
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Check on the ID8v3.
Check on the Alpine amp.
As I said before, it's not alot of power for the sub but you can always upgrade later by adding an MRP-M450 under the other front seat. Use the F250 for your fronts (or fronts and rears) and the M450 for the sub. You can decide on this once you have things connected. If you've got enough bass then leave it...if you want more, the sub can handle more so get the second amp.
Check on the Alpine amp.
As I said before, it's not alot of power for the sub but you can always upgrade later by adding an MRP-M450 under the other front seat. Use the F250 for your fronts (or fronts and rears) and the M450 for the sub. You can decide on this once you have things connected. If you've got enough bass then leave it...if you want more, the sub can handle more so get the second amp.
OK, then I'll go ahead and get the ID8 and the Alpine. I've been searching for another amp all morning and just decided that if I ever feel underpowered, I will use this Alpine to run all 4 6x8s and I'll get a smallish mono amp to go under the driver seat.
Or maybe I'll break down and get that Alpine PDX-4.150
Oh, and I slept on it last night, I might try and build the box out of 1/2" MFD, and maybe just fiberglass the baffle area. That way it's something small, and I can always de-do a baffle. Additionally, the compartment goes untouched and unharmed. It's easier to play around and test with the FG anyways.
Or maybe I'll break down and get that Alpine PDX-4.150
Oh, and I slept on it last night, I might try and build the box out of 1/2" MFD, and maybe just fiberglass the baffle area. That way it's something small, and I can always de-do a baffle. Additionally, the compartment goes untouched and unharmed. It's easier to play around and test with the FG anyways.
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DAMN IT! lol, I wish I would seen that yesterday!
Oh well. I picked up the amp from Best Buy (in case I wanted to return it for a bigger one, calm down) and went and hooked up the Alpine. WOW. Those Polks rock, such clarity. I haven't had my mids/highs amped in so long that you really don't realize that you are missing a lot of sound. They are very full and very rich and do have some nice mid bass. I have to finalize my connections, I always do a tape dry run to make sure it's all straight. SO I'll ahve to go back this weekend and tighten and clean every up, make it look pro.
My one question/ issue. I'm trying to bridge channels 3 & 4 and I'm running high level speaker input. When I use channel 3, my old sub booms. However, when I bridge 3+ and 4- the sub sounds crossed. The manual diagrams for low level RCA input, not for high level. I assume that I need to cross the high level inputs? I have all four amp channels wired to just the front right and left from the stereo. So, I'm not sure which of the 3 & 4 channel wires to cross or what, etc.
However, if my old 10" is booming this sweetly just on channel 3 of the Alpine, I should be fine. Would the ID8 not sound as good being that it needs more power? Or should it should just as good as an 5 year old average 10"?
I'm, not sure how you guys can dial the amp gains in. I understand I turn the gain down, then the radio all the way up. Then, back down a step. THen turn the gain on the amp up till it distorts, then back down a step. I have the fronts maybe 35% or so up, and it's too loud when I turn it up, not distorted, just really loud. I'd go deaf trying to adjust everything at peak level, haha. My ID8 is coming today, but I have that old temp sub to keep me warm while I build the enclosure. I'm sure I'll be back with some questions once I get to the FG part.
The Mazda 5 wiring is NOTHING like the other Mazdas, I had to wing it, especially finding the remote. Thank zeus for light testers
Oh well. I picked up the amp from Best Buy (in case I wanted to return it for a bigger one, calm down) and went and hooked up the Alpine. WOW. Those Polks rock, such clarity. I haven't had my mids/highs amped in so long that you really don't realize that you are missing a lot of sound. They are very full and very rich and do have some nice mid bass. I have to finalize my connections, I always do a tape dry run to make sure it's all straight. SO I'll ahve to go back this weekend and tighten and clean every up, make it look pro.
My one question/ issue. I'm trying to bridge channels 3 & 4 and I'm running high level speaker input. When I use channel 3, my old sub booms. However, when I bridge 3+ and 4- the sub sounds crossed. The manual diagrams for low level RCA input, not for high level. I assume that I need to cross the high level inputs? I have all four amp channels wired to just the front right and left from the stereo. So, I'm not sure which of the 3 & 4 channel wires to cross or what, etc.
However, if my old 10" is booming this sweetly just on channel 3 of the Alpine, I should be fine. Would the ID8 not sound as good being that it needs more power? Or should it should just as good as an 5 year old average 10"?
I'm, not sure how you guys can dial the amp gains in. I understand I turn the gain down, then the radio all the way up. Then, back down a step. THen turn the gain on the amp up till it distorts, then back down a step. I have the fronts maybe 35% or so up, and it's too loud when I turn it up, not distorted, just really loud. I'd go deaf trying to adjust everything at peak level, haha. My ID8 is coming today, but I have that old temp sub to keep me warm while I build the enclosure. I'm sure I'll be back with some questions once I get to the FG part.
The Mazda 5 wiring is NOTHING like the other Mazdas, I had to wing it, especially finding the remote. Thank zeus for light testers
I am confused a bit here.
how are you feeding signal to the rear channel inputs of the amp?
I know its hi-level by tapping the speaker wires but did you splice the front right channel of the head unit to both inputs of the amp and likewise with the left?
Or did you tap all 4 outputs of the head unit?
How do you know you got the right speaker wires?
Also, if like the other new mazda's, the rear speakers do not have a low frequency at all. The deck or external factory amp cuts out all of the lows.
how are you feeding signal to the rear channel inputs of the amp?
I know its hi-level by tapping the speaker wires but did you splice the front right channel of the head unit to both inputs of the amp and likewise with the left?
Or did you tap all 4 outputs of the head unit?
How do you know you got the right speaker wires?
Also, if like the other new mazda's, the rear speakers do not have a low frequency at all. The deck or external factory amp cuts out all of the lows.
Bridging the rears should not be affected by whether you are using high-level or low-level inputs.
Since the Alpine has a 4-ch high-level input you should connect both front and rear speaker outputs from your factory head unit to the correct leads on the high-level input harness.
Since the Alpine has a 4-ch high-level input you should connect both front and rear speaker outputs from your factory head unit to the correct leads on the high-level input harness.
I have front left and front right from the HU wired to channel 1 & channel 2 on the high level input. I left the rears alone as suggested here.
In order to get channel 3 & 4 to work, they need an input. So, from the Alpine wire harness, I put left front and left rear to the left input, and rear right and front right of the amps wire harness to the right input. This gave me channels 3 & 4 on the Alpine. Channel 3 drives the sub nicely. However, when I bridge channels 3 & 4 the sub is crossed. So, I guess channel inputs 3 & 4 can't be wired positive and negative to channels 1 & 2 like I have. Maybe channel 3+ and channel 4- and channel 3- and channel 4+ wired together with the main inputs.
I hope that makes sense, if not I'll draw out a diagram as I'm more visual then oral.
Basically the Alpine's 4 channels are wired off 2 channels from the HU and I'm trying to figure out how to bridge the Alpine's 3 & 4 channels together when wires together with channels 1 & 2.
In order to get channel 3 & 4 to work, they need an input. So, from the Alpine wire harness, I put left front and left rear to the left input, and rear right and front right of the amps wire harness to the right input. This gave me channels 3 & 4 on the Alpine. Channel 3 drives the sub nicely. However, when I bridge channels 3 & 4 the sub is crossed. So, I guess channel inputs 3 & 4 can't be wired positive and negative to channels 1 & 2 like I have. Maybe channel 3+ and channel 4- and channel 3- and channel 4+ wired together with the main inputs.
I hope that makes sense, if not I'll draw out a diagram as I'm more visual then oral.
Basically the Alpine's 4 channels are wired off 2 channels from the HU and I'm trying to figure out how to bridge the Alpine's 3 & 4 channels together when wires together with channels 1 & 2.
I need to know what you mean by crossed.
Be sure you split the + and - of each channel correctly. Otherwise it will null the ouput of the sub when left and right are summed together. The Grey adn pruple wires should be together and the white and green wires should be together. Since + in on the top row and - on the botton, there should be no combining wires between the rows.
Does the right channel power the sub solo?
You should only connect the sub to channel 3 ouput + and channel 4 ouput -
Be sure you split the + and - of each channel correctly. Otherwise it will null the ouput of the sub when left and right are summed together. The Grey adn pruple wires should be together and the white and green wires should be together. Since + in on the top row and - on the botton, there should be no combining wires between the rows.
Does the right channel power the sub solo?
You should only connect the sub to channel 3 ouput + and channel 4 ouput -
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Crossed- out of phase, the BOOM sounds like wohm, reversed, dudded, etc.
I have the + and - correct on the sub, and to the amp, but I'm thinking the high level inputs need to be wired differently because the manual shows a different RCA set up when bridging yet I have the high level inputs the same.
I have channel 3 powering the sub, rear left I guess. It hits pretty hard considering, I'm impressed. But I got the amp to go all channels and don't want to not run channel 4 as I've heard it's bad to not use a channel and I think the ID8 might need more juice.
So when I take channel 3+ and channel 4 - to create the bridge as the manual stakes, the sub goes from BOOM to crossed -out of phase-no bass-etc. So I think the high level inputs from channels 3 & 4 have to be wired differently if I intend to run them bridged. That's my only conclusion.
I have the + and - correct on the sub, and to the amp, but I'm thinking the high level inputs need to be wired differently because the manual shows a different RCA set up when bridging yet I have the high level inputs the same.
I have channel 3 powering the sub, rear left I guess. It hits pretty hard considering, I'm impressed. But I got the amp to go all channels and don't want to not run channel 4 as I've heard it's bad to not use a channel and I think the ID8 might need more juice.
So when I take channel 3+ and channel 4 - to create the bridge as the manual stakes, the sub goes from BOOM to crossed -out of phase-no bass-etc. So I think the high level inputs from channels 3 & 4 have to be wired differently if I intend to run them bridged. That's my only conclusion.
1sty said:
I replaced the fronts already and have the wire harnesses. I knew the front left was yellow & grey. I saw that on the HU, tho the front right wires were not there. But, there was another set of 2 wires taped together right next to the front left so I took the chance that was the front right wires. They were. Luckily, Mazda taped + & - of each speaker together, and separated fronts from rears on the harness, makes it a little easier. None of the wire colors were like a Mazda 3 ( I think it was the 3) that I had.
I think you will be much happier of you use all four channels from your head unit. Even though you are powering rear speakers off the head unit, you can still use the wires to send a signal to the amplifier. This will allow you to fade between front speakers (powered off amp) and subwoofer/rear speakers.
The manual does not show a 3 way system. Only a 2 way bringe. It is different becuase you would want each channel your brindging to be left audio and for the other bridged channels both would be right. IF you wired it normaly then the result would be 2 identical mono channels. In your case, you want a single mono channel and 2 stereo channels so wire the inputs as you would normally.
