Thread: G4 review

The amp in the G4 is actually pretty good. I am very happy with the output @ 44 watts per channel. I thought I would need an amp, but the thing is plenty loud and doesn't distort my Polk speakers at all, even at high volume.

Yeah that is really good to know. I bought one last night. Hoping it gets here soon. Thank you for the fast responses.

Originally Posted by reapur

I&I, that's good to know. so I can use the speaker outs to run my 4 sets of sats, then I can run the center to an amp and the sub pre out to the powered sub right?
I don't think I'll bother with the center for while but as long as there is a Sub Pre-out, I think I'm good to go.

Yeah, that will work. I don't see too much of a point having a center channel in the car due to the seating position, but you will gain some bragging rights with 5.1 in the car. Just remember that you have to go into the sound app and select 6 speaker mode to get any output from the sub and center preouts. I think it would be really cool if SD could have the speech and app sounds come out of the center output only while leaving the music for the other speakers.

I had plans to use the external sound card and an amp, but after hearing the amp in the G4 I am very happy with it. I haven't had the need to turn it up all the way, as it already blares out the cars around me. Spend the money on some good speakers. I have very limited room, so under the front seats is the only place for me to put anything. I put a Intersys small cast aluminum sub under one of the seats and I am also very impressed with it for the size. I may just put another one of those under the other seat cause it feels neat.

If I wasn't having other frustrating issues with the G4, I would be completely satisfied with it and buy two more for my other cars.

Originally Posted by IandI

...I think it would be really cool if SD could have the speech and app sounds come out of the center output only while leaving the music for the other speakers...

If the SD Gods are listening...this would be a Godsend! I 2nd the notion of this.

Still trying to patiently wait for my G4 to come! I have plans to buy a few more of these if I have good experiences. I had an old PC hooked up to a Pioneer single din back in 02. I loved it. This is SOOOOO much more advanced than that.

I don't see this happeneing. Very very few people have center channels.

Do people actualy have a center channel? where do you put it? Whybother? Is it just for movies which you really shouldnt be watching in a car anyway?

If we could have a center we'd use it, and not just for movies or 5.1. We would have to hack apart a $900 upper dash (at cost - not retail) to get it though...and we're not to that point in the car yet. It firms up a center image like crazy. Some cars are coming with them factory now, but that's a whole different ball game.

Jan,

What is your impresssion of the quality of the G4 amp? I am not a killer car audiophile, but I do have good hearing and can tell the difference between good and bad audio. I know that the G4 amp is far better than what the factory head unit was putting out as it doesn't distort the Polk DB speakers I have like the factory unit did. I never had it up to full output, but maybe close and it is plenty loud for me. My vehicle is not set up for good acoustics anyhow, but it sounds better than the Bose system in my H2, which is most likely not the best sounding system either. If I put a G4 in the H2 there are 6 speakers to drive instead of 4, but I could lose the very rear ones and never notice. I may try the external sound approach and keep the Bose amp for simplicity.

It would be cool to have the option to use the center channel or an external sound card for auxillary navigation speakers. A good place might be in the headrest for such a feature, so everyone in the car doesn't have to be exposed to the navigation sounds.

Honnestly, I've yet to sit in a car that has a G4 installed. I'm not running one in my car since my install is 100% custom.

However, I'd probably put it on par with $200-$300 head units on the market right now, nothing amazing, but definately gets the job done.

This is where the center channel is going to go in my Ridgeline.