Ditching the head unit - m-audio with sub out?

**CKNY13** · 01-18-2004, 08:30 PM

Hey folks - it's been a long time since I've installed the carputer in my maxima. I've since sold the maxima and have a new car. The carputer worked great when I ran it through a head unit. In this car I'm going to be ditching the head unit altogether due to lack of space. I did a little searching through the forums, and it appears that if I use an m-audio revolution sound card, I should be able to run the 3 amps i plan on using. I want to use a 2 channel for the front, a 2 channel for the rear speakers, and another amp solely for the subs. From what I gather the m-audio sound card includes outputs for front, rear, and sub. Now, if I use a headphone jack -> rca splitter on each output of the soundcard and run that directly to the amp(s) I should be good correct?

I still haven't decided on running media engine or writing my own front end (what I did with the maxima)... is the volume/bass controls of media engine friendly to use? This is the only concern I have since I won't have the luxury of tuning via a headunit.

Thanks in advance folks... keep up the good work =)

**robiewp** · 01-18-2004, 08:50 PM

Your understanding of tying a soundcard (any soundcard, not just the ?sonica?) into the amplifers is correct, provided the amps take low level inputs (if you have RCA connections as you described, this should be the case).

No thoughts on the rest.

**wizardPC** · 01-18-2004, 09:30 PM

as long as you get any 4.1 sound card you will be able to do what you want to.

Personally, I just have a 2ch amp for my 4 speakers and one for my sub. I set the 2ch to respond to the highs and mids and my sub amp to just respond to the lows

**shakes** · 01-18-2004, 10:32 PM

the only problem you may have is if the soundcard puts out a lower volume to the rear speakers than the front and doesn't let you adjust it (like the m10000 on board soundcard)

**carabuser** · 01-18-2004, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by CKNY13

I still haven't decided on running media engine or writing my own front end (what I did with the maxima)... is the volume/bass controls of media engine friendly to use? This is the only concern I have since I won't have the luxury of tuning via a headunit.

Thanks in advance folks... keep up the good work =)

you could always add a EQ and tune it through that.

btw, what year Maxima did you have? Got any pics? And last, do you still have that software?

**CKNY13** · 01-19-2004, 02:12 AM

Thanks for the replies everyone... I'm going to give it a whirl, if things get hairy I guess I'll have to get an eq.

Originally Posted by carabuser

you could always add a EQ and tune it through that.

btw, what year Maxima did you have? Got any pics? And last, do you still have that software?

also, i lost the software and everything when my computer crashed - but it wouldn't be useable by anyone else anyway, it was very specified for my machine and my needs... =)

**carabuser** · 01-19-2004, 02:46 AM

Originally Posted by CKNY13

Thanks for the replies everyone... I'm going to give it a whirl, if things get hairy I guess I'll have to get an eq.

i had a 96 max... i was on maxima.org all the time - if you're not a member i suggest checking it out.

damn - looking through all those pics i miss that car

also, i lost the software and everything when my computer crashed - but it wouldn't be useable by anyone else anyway, it was very specified for my machine and my needs... =)

very nice setup you had there. yea, I kick it at the org, nice place. good luck with the new project

**CKNY13** · 01-19-2004, 11:06 AM

thank you - say hi to sprintmax for me

**hpcjerry** · 01-23-2004, 12:12 AM

If you have a USB port, try the M-Audio Sonica Theater, almost everything the Revo has in an external usb box so you can save the PCI slot for something else. I own both and am planing on using the Sonica Theater in my car soon.

**bklynkaos** · 01-24-2004, 12:57 PM

Most amps have a gain control anyway. I fixed the problem with the rear out but setting the front speaker gain real low and the rear speakers gain to the max. It hasnt been bad so far. I guess what I lose is some additional power to the speakers?