TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri May 02, 2008 8:38 pm

I wasn't sure where to post this but thought this would be the safest bet.

I am new to the the custom stereo scene and have a few questions about setting up a new system.

I own a 72 vw superbeetle whoch is almost finished the full custom/resto and am to the point of stereo install. The only thing I have right now is the stereo which is a dual xd 7500 with 55x4 max power and one set of pre amp outputs. My plan is to run two 6.5s up front in customer enclosures, and two 6x9s in the rear. Now my question is: is it as simple as finding a four channel amp with close to the same power output as my speakers plugging it into the preamp output and running a power and ground wire, then running my wires to each speakers? Or is it much more complicated than this?

Also i I want to add a pre amplified bass tube can this be done since I only have the one preamp output? If so how?

Fri May 02, 2008 9:51 pm

teedles915 wrote: I wasn't sure where to post this but thought this would be the safest bet.

I am new to the the custom stereo scene and have a few questions about setting up a new system.

I own a 72 vw superbeetle whoch is almost finished the full custom/resto and am to the point of stereo install. The only thing I have right now is the stereo which is a dual xd 7500 with 55x4 max power and one set of pre amp outputs. My plan is to run two 6.5s up front in customer enclosures, and two 6x9s in the rear. Now my question is: is it as simple as finding a four channel amp with close to the same power output as my speakers plugging it into the preamp output and running a power and ground wire, then running my wires to each speakers? Or is it much more complicated than this?

Also i I want to add a pre amplified bass tube can this be done since I only have the one preamp output? If so how?

The short answer it yeah, not much more complicated then this.

Your problem comes down to your deck, and the fact that you only have one pre-out. It is only intended to be used for a sub, so running an amp and sub as you say is going to work fine but you are going to have a difficult time trying to run an amp for the speakers. What are they rated at power wise? You will probably be just fine running them from the deck, forgoing the need for an amp.

If you are really set on an amp for them, you should put your current deck on e-bay or craigslist or something and get a better one designed with 3 sets of pre-outs; front channel/rear channel/sub.

You can get this in 2 configurations, first being 2 pre-outs + 1 mono sub out or 3 pre-outs. A cursory search of Crutchfield shows over 100 decks ranging from $89-$1700, so you have a choice.

Fri May 02, 2008 10:45 pm

I've always used the deck to power the smaller speakers (with the bass rolled back) and powered the sub amp and speakers from the pre out. I believe you can run the pre out to a crossover which will give you more outputs to chose from.

In my Bronco, I'm powering 5" in. speakers in the front doors and 6"X9"s in the rear side panels with the deck, and sending signal via pre outs to a 450 watt amp powering 2 12s in the rear and it's HUGE sounding.

Fri May 02, 2008 11:15 pm

Butters wrote: I believe you can run the pre out to a crossover which will give you more outputs to chose from.

That is also an option but will not give you very good F/R, L/R bias.

Sat May 03, 2008 6:20 am

I'm not really looking for car rattling bass just a little extra sound. But clarity is more important.
If I run the radio to the speakers and just use the amp for a sub will I get good clarity? All the suggestions are apprecciated

Sat May 03, 2008 6:22 am

Always worked fine for me :wink:

Sat May 03, 2008 7:45 am

Clarity has a lot more to do with the quality of your components and how they are mounted, less to do with pure amplification.

Sat May 03, 2008 8:37 am

will the 220 watts that the radio puts out plus 100 watt rms bass tube be loud enough for a beetle. I know fom reading posts on here that they have a lot of road noise. But it does seem the sound would travel very well with all the curves inside the beeetle

Sat May 03, 2008 8:45 am

if your just looking for quality over quantity, you should get 2 10,s for your subs.

Sat May 03, 2008 4:37 pm

theres a couple of ways to do it.
1) just run all 4 speakers off the head unit. clarity will be good, but not the best
2) if you want more bass, you can buy a small amp and power a small sub and or a non-amp'd bass tube.
3) the most expensive way is to run a 4 channel amp. this way you can power the front and rear. the best part is the clarity will be at its best. more than likely your speakers will be able to take more watts than your system will put out. Just stay within the RMS and Peak watts range.

It doesn't take much to make a bug sound good. When I first started with my bug I just had two 6 1/2 in the kick panels and 1 10" Image Dynamic speaker in a tri-tuned sub box. I had the head unit bridged to run the front and the amp to run the rear. I had to turn the bass almost all the way down because it would rattle the mirrors and the license plates.