Preformance HU (200 watt) + 200 watt amp = better?

**Lathinx** · 04-06-2006, 01:17 PM

i have a Grand AM with the monsoon amp installed... after quiet a bit of looking i found that the amp is 200 watts (as good as most new HUs). So anyway... I just replace the rear speakers.. when i bought it the rears where not hooked up.. after pluging them in i found out why... they were dust... ( i thought about takign a picture because of how impressed i was with there condition...

any way.. I got a new pair of http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1099388426000
rms 40 watts 4 ohms. peak of 300 ( i like there sound most of all)

So i installed them and they sound GREAT... i've had the car for 6 months... and i don't evne have a woofer and it's Bumping, just from 6x9's

so now I ask.. does the fact that my HU out puts 50 watts all around and the Amp does the same have any affect? or is the Amp just acting as a passthru?

Oh Wtb I'm 21 today :-p

(i saw this so i had to add that piece of info)

**DarquePervert** · 04-06-2006, 01:23 PM

If you're using the pre-outs from the headunit into the amp (which you should be), then the only amplification is from the amplifier itself, not the headunit.
The amplification from the headunit is only for speaker-level outputs.

And if you're twenty-one now, that means you're an adult. As an adult, you should realize the annoyance factor of all the damn smileys.

**Vinister** · 04-06-2006, 01:29 PM

some factory amps are high-level input, but the power definately doesn't "add-up". the only power you have is from the factory amp, which is probably plenty.

**Lathinx** · 04-06-2006, 02:34 PM

First, No i'm not using a Pre-amp out.
reason: i have preamp out for Subs, not for anything else. the other wires where already ran stock for the amp. (this is the Stock Monsoon system)

Second, Yes i do understand Smiles (

) are annoying, but let me have my fun... i'm a billing clerk.. it's all I got man.

What my main concern is, is that i'm not hurting anything with my set-up since i can't get specs on the Amp (if i had the 500 watt "8-channel" i could), i am thinking of upgrading it, but thats at least 10,000 miles and $500 down the road.

so recap, 50 watts coming from the HU to a 200 watt stock monsoon amp.

**Ub312g0d** · 04-07-2006, 03:43 AM

from what it sounds like, the factory amp has high level inputs so you're speakers are only getting the 200 watts from the amp. And I would put a wager that this is peak watts not rms. If youre up to getting another amp you might want to replace your fronts as well.

**Will Albers** · 04-07-2006, 09:50 AM

Is this an aftermarket or factory radio? The factory radio may or may not have amplified out. I really dont know on the monsoon. I can tell you that the monsoon amp is not expecting 50 watts per channel on its high level inputs.

You can run an aftermarket stereo with the factory monsoon amp, but be REALLY careful with volume control. You are going to be able to turn the HU up to probably 5 or 10 before you overdrive the inputs. Sad thing is this is a very low signal to the subs (pre amp oututs). Basically you will not have equal volume to stock amplifier and sub amp.

Here are your options...
(aftermarket) get a hi/lo level convertor and power the factory amp with it... or just use the damn pre-amp outputs and Y em off to all amplifiers like normal people do.

(Factory) Leave it as is... your stereo output is dependent on the amplifier (last amplifier in the chain) which is 200 watts. You could send 1000 watts into the input of the monsoon amp (if it could handle it... but cannot) and you will still only have a 200 watt output.

**canadapettit** · 04-07-2006, 01:15 PM

Lets get one thing straight, your headunit (aftermarket or factory) does not put out 50 watts. When they say 50x4, 52x4 or 60x4, that is max wattage out of the radio. Aftermarket radios typically put out about 22 watts rms with factory being lower.