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Old car audio question by wolf_walker on 09 Jun, 2013 11:08
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I'm old(ish) and been out of car audio for ages, what relatively little I was ever in it.
More of a home audio guy.
I've got what was a good little amp back when I was into such, Blaupunkt Velocity V420
https://www.google.com/#safe=off&biw=1920&bih=912&sclient=psy-ab&q=blaupunkt+velocity+v420&oq=blaupunkt+ve&gs_l=hp.3.2.0l4.610.3786.0.6652.12.9.0.3.3.0.172.1009.5j4.9.0...0.0...1c.1.16.psy-ab.SDjJcr3S_D0&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47534661,d.cGE&fp=884a288d7d94a544
Have this headunit that was cheap (free) and I've been pretty pleased with it's feature set for what I do.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-G4Gi3bIyiuL/p_070XHD6425/Dual-XHD6425.html#details-tab
Question is, should I bother putting this little amp in?
I have a soft spot for the thing as it's a neat little semi-vintage piece, I know RMS ratings on
headunits used to be optimistic and not the most clean wattage at the best of times.
Speakers are Pioneer 5.25 component set. I might rummage up a tiny sub later.
Worth bothering? Amp isn't any stronger than the headunit really on paper, but that didn't used to
tell the whole tale. Have times changed? -
#1 by 8v-of-fury on 09 Jun, 2013 18:00
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Times have changed SO MUCH. Even in the last like 5-7 years it has made huge leaps and bounds.
Look at it this way.. Even the cheapest head units today have the ability to fully manipulate the sound waves. With good built in frequency filters (no more need for external EQ's) and actual displayed wattage to each speaker they are fairly awesome. lol.
The old amp? Yeah its classic vintage I love that siht.. Maybe put the newer amp hidden and make it look like you are using that one? haha, unless they were super quality.. they do not put out clean signals. -
#2 by ORCoaster on 09 Jun, 2013 19:59
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If the head unit puts out 17 watts and the amp puts out 4 why in the world would you want to install it at all? Or am I missing something?
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#3 by wolf_walker on 09 Jun, 2013 20:12
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If the head unit puts out 17 watts and the amp puts out 4 why in the world would you want to install it at all? Or am I missing something?
20 watts RMS, not four.
And 10/4 8V, I figured things might have changed.
Back in the day, headunit wattage was always clippy and dirty compared to an amp, any amps, output.
Really high end stuff was just like home audio, the headunit was pre-amp output only, discrete components were where the good stuff was.
The little Velocity has a few clip limiting and noise gating tricks that make it kinda neat, but I guess I'll stick it back in a box.
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#4 by 8v-of-fury on 09 Jun, 2013 20:17
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The little Velocity has a few clip limiting and noise gating tricks that make it kinda neat, but I guess I'll stick it back in a box.
It is probably pretty cool, but just has no use anymore
lol. Maybe you could round up some same era vintage speakers and deck and make one of those 12v boom boxes??!
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#5 by ORCoaster on 09 Jun, 2013 20:22
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Yep, I did miss something. The comma after the Channels=4, then the specs on the THD and wattage per channel. I think with the two numbers being close I would try the head unit and see how it sounds. Then see if the amp alone is cleaner sounding and worth the work to install at all. I assume the head unit has pre-amp outs.
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#6 by wolf_walker on 10 Jun, 2013 11:48
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It does have preamps, and it's been installed for years now. Sounds ok and my hearing is fairly damaged anyway, was just wondering.
I've had name brand "20 watt per channel RMS" headunits in years past that were pathetic next to a quality 4x20 system amp,
especially bi-amping components. I did notice these are 6.5" components I have in here. Might look for a 40 or 50watt
small modern amp. I've found in VW-D's it's easy to kill speakers with clipping and distortion since you can't always hear it
at speed with the windows down.
I used to run old Realistic shaft mount tape decks from Radio Shack in VW's for years, they had a powered EQ too.
It was the golden age lol
The only complaint I really have with the cheapy Dual unit is bluetooth audio quality seems overly low.
I haven't looked into it to see if it's this unit or just the nature of bluetooth. Voice quality is fine at least. I stuck some good MP3's on
a USB stick in there the other day and it's dramatically better. I don't have any good reference CD's to
test with anymore I don't think. And I'm really not that committed for the cab of a Caddy. -
#7 by theman53 on 10 Jun, 2013 16:55
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I would say run the amp unless you are looking for tons of dB. It won't hurt and it will be old school in the old school rig.
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#8 by ORCoaster on 10 Jun, 2013 19:34
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Kind of where I was going in that the power might not be the whopping ear bleeding 100 watts a channel stuff I heard two blocks from the house but nicer than the deck noise. I like the old car old amp thing too. Classic Classics.
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#9 by hillfolk'r on 11 Jun, 2013 14:28
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Id keep it old too. I found a kenwood With a cd player in a stash of my stuff ooh aah. I wanna say circa 2000 or so i think it is. It works and skips nicely on the bumps too. Id be happy with upgrading the oe speakers but i dont wanna cut anything.
Im not lookin for a crazy thumper just somethin i can hear over my exhaust. I did find a 100+100 amp too.
Yea its all crap compared to the new stuff. But hey it's better than nothin and you can usually trade a buddy a 6 pack for a component he has collecting dust
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#10 by R.O.R-2.0 on 12 Jun, 2013 15:58
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FWIW. Dual brand doesnt make anything that i would consider GOOD..
they have lots of cheap, gimmicky features..
give me an OLD Alpine, Kenwood Excelon, or Pioneer Premier any day!
4V outputs, good integrated amps, and no BS.. -
#11 by wolf_walker on 12 Jun, 2013 16:50
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Usually a Blaupunkt and Becker guy, this things cheap and was full of features so hey. For a decidedly non audiophile application it works pretty well.
Did I mention it was cheap?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2 -
#12 by R.O.R-2.0 on 21 Jun, 2013 17:37
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Usually a Blaupunkt and Becker guy, this things cheap and was full of features so hey. For a decidedly non audiophile application it works pretty well.
Did I mention it was cheap?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
hahaha...
cheap/free is always good, no matter the brand!