phil.marsh
Buy & Sell Member
Just acquired a new head unit with no preouts. Is there any way I can plug my sub in with out using the high level input?
Confused. Head unit troubles
- Thread starter phil.marsh
- Start date
I used one of these with my 1st head unit that didnt have any preouts.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Speaker-RCA-H...246?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2eb50a857e
Just connect rear speaker cable to it and you have an RCA output
(There is also a ground if I remember)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Speaker-RCA-H...246?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2eb50a857e
Just connect rear speaker cable to it and you have an RCA output
(There is also a ground if I remember)phil.marsh
Buy & Sell Member
Do you get the same range with it? Like the same deep bass as with standard RCA?
Apparently they aren't meant to be as good as dedicated RCA ones, but I couldn't notice a difference. Sounded pretty good to me. Was using it for a year or so before I eventually upgraded head unit. I think I still have mine somewhere but im not 100% if it still works :down:
phil.marsh
Buy & Sell Member
I'm going to pop to halfords tomorrow and get me one
I'm going to pop to halfords tomorrow and get me one
I would, they do them. Heres the link.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_186391_langId_-1_categoryId_165626
There will be a little diagram that comes with it saying what cable is the +R,-R, +L AND -L. Just solder/crimp to rear speakers, wack the ground onto something and done.
phil.marsh
Buy & Sell Member
I'll crimp it behind the head unit then i don't have to tear up the carpet again
Antony
Ex. Club Member
the sound quality will be rubbish no matter what you do to it.
if a stereo hasnt got rca outputs it is usually because it is a low end unit with a very cheap DCA (digital to audio converter)
this is the bit that creates the sound we hear (other than the speakers)
a high end stereo (like a nakamichi or 2010+ kenwood) have 24bit DAC's. thats true 24bit sound quality.
most other stereo's only go as high as 8bit at best.
an RCA is a pre-amplified output of raw data usualy at 1.5v - 5v but a higher current. this signal is able to travel further and at a smaller loss to quality than the amplified speaker outputs that are in your car at the minute.
the RCA then travels to the amplifier which is dedicated to amplifying just the data from the RCA. this way you will get a much clearer sound and be able to amplify the signal to a higher level without distortion.
the problem with using a high level input and a line-out converter is that the signal is allready amplified by the head unit, which is not a dedicated amplifier as it has to deal with trebble, bass and mid range along the whole range of sound and at a higher voltage) the quality is usually rubbish and is open to all sorts of distorsions...
there is no easy way of doing this without it sounding like a bag of spanners..... a new head unit with 3 or more pre-outs will be no more than £70. but a decent headunit with a 24Bit DAC (which is the important bit) will be around £150+
but its THE most important part of any install as its where the sound is generated from..... skrimp on this bit and you will only end up upgrading later on and costing yourself more money...
:grinning: caio
if a stereo hasnt got rca outputs it is usually because it is a low end unit with a very cheap DCA (digital to audio converter)
this is the bit that creates the sound we hear (other than the speakers)
a high end stereo (like a nakamichi or 2010+ kenwood) have 24bit DAC's. thats true 24bit sound quality.
most other stereo's only go as high as 8bit at best.
an RCA is a pre-amplified output of raw data usualy at 1.5v - 5v but a higher current. this signal is able to travel further and at a smaller loss to quality than the amplified speaker outputs that are in your car at the minute.
the RCA then travels to the amplifier which is dedicated to amplifying just the data from the RCA. this way you will get a much clearer sound and be able to amplify the signal to a higher level without distortion.
the problem with using a high level input and a line-out converter is that the signal is allready amplified by the head unit, which is not a dedicated amplifier as it has to deal with trebble, bass and mid range along the whole range of sound and at a higher voltage) the quality is usually rubbish and is open to all sorts of distorsions...
there is no easy way of doing this without it sounding like a bag of spanners..... a new head unit with 3 or more pre-outs will be no more than £70. but a decent headunit with a 24Bit DAC (which is the important bit) will be around £150+
but its THE most important part of any install as its where the sound is generated from..... skrimp on this bit and you will only end up upgrading later on and costing yourself more money...
:grinning: caio
Cheers for the info, although I do have to be honest when I had my low end Head Unit and I done this method it really didnt sound that bad. I know in what you saying, so in theory it should be really bad, but in practice it isnt. Phil didnt want to buy a new head unit and he wanted to hook up an amp so just told him my way, if you know any better method sure he will appretiate it :grinning:
And my head unit is a 24 bit conversion with 3 pre-outs, USB, Aux, BT, remote, ect and that was only £70 quid of the bay. (Y)
And my head unit is a 24 bit conversion with 3 pre-outs, USB, Aux, BT, remote, ect and that was only £70 quid of the bay. (Y)
phil.marsh
Buy & Sell Member
Thanks for all your help guys. I have a kenwood headunit 2009 I think. I used a hi to low convertor and no problems at all. I don't have the bass cranked right up I just have the sub so it fades into the rest of the music.
(bass head unit setting is currently -8) so I'm not likely to get any distortion
(bass head unit setting is currently -8) so I'm not likely to get any distortion
