Search results matching tags 'JL Audio' and 'head unit'

which is the best head unit? and which is a better amp kicker or JL audio amp?

mikeli77 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:20:03 GMT

Ok. I figured I would just put the two different questions into one post to keep everything in one place.

I currently have a Kenwood excellon kdc-x469 head unit which I want to replace. I was looking at either the Kenwood Excellon KDC-X792 or the Excellon KDC-X890. I was figuring on sticking with kenwood since besides the problems I had with the excellon I have now (6 years of a lot of use so I think I got my money out of it) the head unit worked and sounded fine. I have been going through the reviews of different models of the kenwood and alpine headunits and have found that almost all of them have there good and bad reviews. When I bought my head unit from the local car audio place near me they told me that kenwood was the best. Is this still true? are there any better head units that I should consider?

Along with the headunit I have now. I also have 2 amps in the back, 1 Kicker KX600.4 (75W X 4 @4ohm) which is powering 2 pairs of Infinity Kappa 60.5cs 6-½" Component Speakers (80W RMS handling) and 1 JL audio 500.1 amp powering 2 10" JL audio WO's (all of this is 6 years old). My kicker amp keeps cutting out on me. When I am listening to the system my component speakers being driven by the kicker amp will go out and I will only get bass from the subs at that point and then it can be a few seconds to almost 15 minutes has been the longest so far wear it will start working again and I'll hear a pop in the component speakers and they are working again so I want to buy a new amp as well.

I am a little split between the Kicker ZX650.4 and the JL audio 300/4v2 amps. The kicker ZX650.4 puts out 120 watts RMS x 4 channels at 4 ohm ( I can't find anywear if this rms is dependent on how many volts the amp is getting from the car, i see some amps say a certain wattage rating at 14.5 and another at 12 volts) and the JL audio 300/4v2 puts out 75 W RMS x 4 @ 1.5 ohm-4 ohm (11V-14.5V) (this amp puts out the same watts between different levels of voltage from the car which I think is much better).

I am leaning towards the JL audio amp because I think it is a much better amp. But the kicker amp puts out more power which could be usefull in the future. Also since I already have the kicker KX600.4 I'm thinking if I replace it with the ZX650.4 it should be a little easier to set up than the JL audio amp since I should not have to really move much of the wiring at all to install it. The JL audio amp also has some sort of 9 step process in installing it wear I need a voltage regulator and I have to buy a disc to set it up correctly which is souding pretty intimidating to me. Is that hard to do? Which amp do you recommend?

amp, speakers, whole setup.

vito45 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:30:03 GMT

i am not too experienced with car audio other than just swapping head units. my question is:

1) if i am going to hook my sub up to my PYLE pla600 (600 watt, 2 channel) amp, do i need to wire up my aftermarket door speakers in my vehicle, just run aftermarket speakerwire from them, or just leave them how they are? other than this, i pretty much understand everything. if i do need to hook up my speakers to the amp, will the 600 watt 2 channel amp enough to power 2 12'' subs and the speakers?

2), i am going to get a Dual XDM 6830 H/U, 12'' JL Audio or JBL subs, i am using my PYLE pla600 2 channel amp, Pioneer door speakers, EFX or StreetWires wiring. is this a good setup? if not, what are your suggestions?

3) what kind (brand) of wiring should i get? (im trying to keep every color that a can blue. my vehicle is white and i would like to trim it in blue) what gauge wire should i use?

4) is this a good H/U?

5) what kind of connectors should i use for my amp and subs?

6) and one more question. is there a need for me to purchase a capacitor? and if so, how many Farads? and what brand is best?

if ive gotten this setup completely wrong, please dont hesitate to tell me. im open for personal opinions, suggestions, and any/all facts that you have to share. as i said before, i do not have very much experience with anything other than head units.

doing a little upgrade . . . got any advice?

bigmike09 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:17:48 GMT

i have an 02 altima, purely stock currently . i want to put in it a jensen vm9022 which puts out 18w x 4 (here). the speakers i want to run are jl audio vr650-cxi (there) and vr690-cxi (elsewhere). the 650's have a max rms of 60 watts and the 690's have a max rms of 80 watts. i also want to run an amp to it to really have it sounding good. the amp i want to use is the hifonics titan txi 4408d (nowhere) which puts out 55w x 4 channels @ 4-ohms. i was wondering if this would be possible considering the 650's would be getting 13 watts more than the max rms. anything you have to say will be very helpful to me. please and thank you.

and do you think this would be a good sounding system?

HELP! Speakers Keep Shutting Off!!!!

thomas1097 — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:16:26 GMT

Hey guys it's me again.

OK, here's the story. I just installed a decent system in my 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL w/ Bose. You guys helped me alot in deciding how to configure the setup. But now I have a problem. I originally had an Alpine PDX 2.150 amp powering 2 Alpine Type R SPR-17C's 6 1/2" speakers for the front doors and 2 JL Audio VR690-CXi's in the rear deck. I ran them in parallel like I was instructed to do so but they kept blowing the fuses out in the amp at a high volume. So then I took it to the shop and they told me that one of the JL's got damaged from the amp so they had to replace it and also turn the gains down a little on the amp. They did that but still afterwards the speakers kept shutting off again. So now I just purchased the PDX 4.100 to see if this will alleviate the problem. I hooked everything up and it worked fine.....FOR LIKE 1 WHOLE MINUTE!!! I have a Pioneer DEH P5000UB HU. Before, when I turned the volume past 30 the 2 front and 2 rear speakers would shut off. Now that I have the 4.100, when the volume is past 50 they shut off. The store rep told me that the Alpines might be damaged as well but even they are not sure because when they checked them they seemed to be fine. There is no distortion or clipping or any kind of static whatsoever coming from the speakers. They just keep shutting off on me at a certain volume. I would also like to add that with the PDX 2.150, when it used to shut off I had to replace the fuses but with the 4.100 I just have to turn the HU off and back on and the speakers work fine again. I took it in to get diagnosed and they checked all the wiring 3 times and everything is wired fine. Do you think that the 2 front Alpines might have been damaged from the PDX 2.150? Do I have to replace them? Could it be the HU? I did everything you guys told me to do. I bypassed the Bose and everything.Please, I need help on this it is driving me absolutely nuts!

Having my Alpine 9887 Imprinted (KTX 100EQ)

justjarv — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:04:23 GMT

I have been anxiously awaiting this final step to my setup. Currently have in my Ford Explorer (2 door) the following:

HU: Alpine 9887

Speakers: 5x7 Alpine R's (front and back)

Subwoofer: JL audio 10w7 in custom ported box

Amps: 1 Alpine MRP-F450 (running the speakers) and 1 JL audio 500/1 (for the sub)

I am very happy with my choices so far and the sound is good.......but from reading the reviews on the Imprint option, I know that I have one last step (Imprint). Presently, I almost never have the volume up halfway, and my sub is typically never louder than 1/3 of the way up (i.e., turned up to a 5 out of a possible 15.... through the HU). Let me clarify by stating that this is not because I don't like to hear my music loud.......however, turning either the volume and/or the bass up causes the overall sound to be compromised (gets distorted and I'm afraid I'm going to wreck the amps, speakers, and/or sub). Most frustrating is the fact that without Imprint I can't even control the bass or treble. Granted, I knew this before I actually bought the HU, thanks to other people's reviews of the 9887. Long story short......I had most of the install on my setup down around X-mas and have been waiting for my local audio store to be able to install the Imprint. Initially, they had problems with getting the program to run (had Vista but needed Windows) and they finally have it "figured out"......or so they tell me. I am aware that the system will become more "directed" (to borrow a phrase from another reviewer) and the volume will be much lower. This is fine for me because as I've said, right now, I can't even turn it up more than halfway because the sound starts to get distorted. However, my biggest concern is the reviews I've read in relation to the bass being significantly decreased. I have read several different recommendations regarding where to set the subwoofer gain prior to Imprint. As best as I can see....setting the sub to 1/4 gain (instead of the alpine recommended 3/4) is the best way to go to ensure that afterwards you'll still be able to turn up the bass. Finally, my audio store admits that I will be their first formal install (and for this reason I've waited as long as I have for them to learn the process and become comfortable). I've also read several disgruntled consumers who complained that they had to have their setup done multiple times and it's still not right. I really want to avoid this so any advice that anyone has would be greatly appreciated. And thank you to CF staff and all the regulars on the forums as you've all been extremely helpful. Wish me luck!!

PS---- I get my car Imprinted on Thursday 2/21..........so the sooner the advice the better! Thanks again,

Justin