CarPC sound through car speakers without a headunit?, how?

**leon_id** · 05-08-2004, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by guitar333

Personally I would get a cheap pre-amp with front/rear/sub RCA outs then go from that to the RCA input on the amp(s). That way you will have an EQ/volume in reach while driving and will sound much better.

any example of this?

yes, I know

**Marsupial** · 05-09-2004, 11:59 PM

Igbr - you make much sense. I still wonder about sound degradation if the output of a PC is splitter on the amp, and is there a way to control the front/back volume with the amp then in the case the left-right is splitted via RCA splitter...

thanks.

**hifiguy** · 05-16-2004, 05:41 PM

if a headunit is NOT used, how will the amplifiers receive a remote signal telling them when to turn on/off?

**raypsaliga** · 05-16-2004, 05:44 PM

you could wire the on/off line of the amp to the 12v rail of the computer psu, that way it shuts down with the computer.

**hifiguy** · 05-16-2004, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by raypsaliga

you could wire the on/off line of the amp to the 12v rail of the computer psu, that way it shuts down with the computer.

awesome, thanks!

**raypsaliga** · 05-16-2004, 06:24 PM

before doing that, make sure that the on/off line of the amp is 12v, i don't want to be responsible for killing your amp.

does anyone know?

**hifiguy** · 05-16-2004, 06:34 PM

yep, very important point. i checked out the manuf website and the remote input is rated for +12V.

**raypsaliga** · 05-16-2004, 06:36 PM

yeah i'm sorry i forgot to mention that at first.

**raypsaliga** · 05-16-2004, 06:39 PM

So you are doing a HUless install? if you are let me know how it goes/sounds. Preamp or just straight from pc to amp? what kind of sound card? i'll hopefully be doing this sometime in the summer, i want the best possible sound, so maybe we can share some ideas. i'm not as good as a lot of people on this board, but i'm here to help.

**hifiguy** · 05-16-2004, 07:03 PM

although i didn't start this thread, i am planning to have a HUless system.

I will be using an external usb soundcard, M-Audio's Sonica Theater, to directly feed audio into two amplifiers. The first amp will be a JL Audio 450/4 that will accept stereo front and rear inputs, and a Jl Audio 500/1 amp that will accept the .1 channel from the souncard (using 1/8" to rca to y-spliter in order to turn the mono signal into 2 mono signal since the amp preferes 2 identifcal mono feeds). The great thing is that the soundcard software will downmix the 7.1 to 4.1 and lets you define the crossover frequencies. Both the amps also have crossovers built in for even more adjustment.

But turning on the amps still remains cloudy. Yes, both amps accept +12V for the remote trigger but I wonder if I can hook up both amps in series (the remote signal that is) so that only 1 on/off switch is needed instead of two.

I will be using a Lilliput screen to control the volume up front. Any of this make any sense?