hey i read the article about how to make ur car audio stuff into home audio stuff but I had just a couple of questions. Firstly, if you are using a computer, how do you connect it to your system? Secondly, if you have all the car audio stuff (HU, Amp, Sub, speakers) do you need anything else besides the power supply? Thanks for the clarification
Replies (11)
Mr._Miyagi on 04/25/2006 22:50:30
here is the link http://www.clubknowledge.com/Car_Audio_FAQ/?t7
swez on 04/26/2006 10:30:50
The power supply is the biggest cost factor here. Car audio (amplification) is based on a low voltage, high current. A power supply needs to be able to supply 12 - 15 volts DC and enough current to keep the amp(s) well fed.
Using a computer as your HU or audio signal device is easy. The sound card has a headphone jack and can be used in stereo mode to feed amp inputs. With a patch cord or conversion device, it's easy to do. You can make or buy this patch cord from Radio Shack, Target, BB or CC.
As for speakers, can use home stereo speakers or car speakers and sub. Just need to make enclosures for your mid/highs speakers.
Frankly, with the cost of the power supply needed to power your amps, it would be far more cost effective to go out and get one of those mini stack receivers (Tuner, CD player, tape player) that has an AUX input jack set available. This is what I use now for my office system. Had the mini stack, some extra speakers and just made up a patch cord to use the computers' headphone jack to feed the AUX input.
Hey, it's only about 15-20 watts of power, but with high efficiency speakers, it rumbles the dishes up in the kitchen. (if I wish to dial it up a bit)
Swez
Mr._Miyagi on 04/26/2006 10:59:36
Hey, thanks that was very helpful. Just another question though, could you provide a link to a "mini stack receiver" cuz im not quite sure what you mean by this. Thanks
gearhead on 04/26/2006 14:13:39
If you hunt for them, you can find decent power supplies for reasonable money. I paid $100 for a Kepco RAX 12-125K power supply on eBay. It's adjusted to 13.8V/125A. It doesn't have any problem powering a HU, a 60wrms/ch 4 ch amp & a 330wrms briged 2ch amp. The retail on that power supply is around $1100. I've seen Cascade 90A power supplies go for $125 on eBay.
swez on 04/26/2006 16:36:25
These are what I mean by mini-stack systems:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-WcAjwA5O5f2/cgi-bin/ProdGroup.asp?g=120900
Swez
Mr._Miyagi on 04/27/2006 21:59:24
would this work? http://cgi.ebay.com/40-AMP-POWER-SUPPLY-for-HAM-CB-Radio_W0QQitemZ9717307196QQcategoryZ48708QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
gearhead on 04/27/2006 23:18:25
Look at the fuses on the amplifier/s and HU you want to use. If they total less than 40A, then that would "probably" work. Look for industrial grade power supplies. Many of them can be parralleled to increase the amperage available. Some of the names to look for would be Martek, Acopian, Mean Well, Lambda, Astron, Astec, Cascade.
swez on 04/28/2006 09:44:31
As GH mentioned, if your amps don't draw a huge load, this power supply will indeed work and you can always use a car BAT as a current buffer too. The good thing about this type of power supply, is that it is variable voltage and probably has a well filtered DC supply. (low noise and AC ripple)
Swez
admin on 04/28/2006 10:05:11
Also, if you plan using a battery, be sure to use GelCell or some other SEALED type battery. You don't want any harmful gases in the air. USFLAG
Walt
Mr._Miyagi on 04/28/2006 14:44:32
So the fuses on my amp are two 30 amp fuses so I think ill look for a higher capacity power supply. Besides Ebay, any other known good places to get em?
swez on 04/29/2006 08:35:24
The power supply noted should be fine when coupled with a Gel Cell BAT. (Good Point Admins)
At moderate volume levels, this amp will produce plenty of SPL with as little as 50-100 watts of output power. At this power level, the power supply noted, should be more than adequate. That model can do a constant 40A's of current and momentary peaks of 50A's for short durations. The Battery will become the reserve current source, if your amp(s) begin to demand more than the power supply can handle.
NOTE: This power supply can produce almost 600 watts of continous DC power to a given load. [Amplifier(s) and HU.] Most car HU's use less than 10A's. The rest is available to drive a sub amp well into the 250 watt RMS range continously.
Swez
Replies (11)
Mr._Miyagi on 04/25/2006 22:50:30
here is the link http://www.clubknowledge.com/Car_Audio_FAQ/?t7
swez on 04/26/2006 10:30:50
The power supply is the biggest cost factor here. Car audio (amplification) is based on a low voltage, high current. A power supply needs to be able to supply 12 - 15 volts DC and enough current to keep the amp(s) well fed.
Using a computer as your HU or audio signal device is easy. The sound card has a headphone jack and can be used in stereo mode to feed amp inputs. With a patch cord or conversion device, it's easy to do. You can make or buy this patch cord from Radio Shack, Target, BB or CC.
As for speakers, can use home stereo speakers or car speakers and sub. Just need to make enclosures for your mid/highs speakers.
Frankly, with the cost of the power supply needed to power your amps, it would be far more cost effective to go out and get one of those mini stack receivers (Tuner, CD player, tape player) that has an AUX input jack set available. This is what I use now for my office system. Had the mini stack, some extra speakers and just made up a patch cord to use the computers' headphone jack to feed the AUX input.
Hey, it's only about 15-20 watts of power, but with high efficiency speakers, it rumbles the dishes up in the kitchen. (if I wish to dial it up a bit)
Swez
Mr._Miyagi on 04/26/2006 10:59:36
Hey, thanks that was very helpful. Just another question though, could you provide a link to a "mini stack receiver" cuz im not quite sure what you mean by this. Thanks
gearhead on 04/26/2006 14:13:39
If you hunt for them, you can find decent power supplies for reasonable money. I paid $100 for a Kepco RAX 12-125K power supply on eBay. It's adjusted to 13.8V/125A. It doesn't have any problem powering a HU, a 60wrms/ch 4 ch amp & a 330wrms briged 2ch amp. The retail on that power supply is around $1100. I've seen Cascade 90A power supplies go for $125 on eBay.
swez on 04/26/2006 16:36:25
These are what I mean by mini-stack systems:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-WcAjwA5O5f2/cgi-bin/ProdGroup.asp?g=120900
Swez
Mr._Miyagi on 04/27/2006 21:59:24
would this work? http://cgi.ebay.com/40-AMP-POWER-SUPPLY-for-HAM-CB-Radio_W0QQitemZ9717307196QQcategoryZ48708QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
gearhead on 04/27/2006 23:18:25
Look at the fuses on the amplifier/s and HU you want to use. If they total less than 40A, then that would "probably" work. Look for industrial grade power supplies. Many of them can be parralleled to increase the amperage available. Some of the names to look for would be Martek, Acopian, Mean Well, Lambda, Astron, Astec, Cascade.
swez on 04/28/2006 09:44:31
As GH mentioned, if your amps don't draw a huge load, this power supply will indeed work and you can always use a car BAT as a current buffer too. The good thing about this type of power supply, is that it is variable voltage and probably has a well filtered DC supply. (low noise and AC ripple)
Swez
admin on 04/28/2006 10:05:11
Also, if you plan using a battery, be sure to use GelCell or some other SEALED type battery. You don't want any harmful gases in the air. USFLAG
Walt
Mr._Miyagi on 04/28/2006 14:44:32
So the fuses on my amp are two 30 amp fuses so I think ill look for a higher capacity power supply. Besides Ebay, any other known good places to get em?
swez on 04/29/2006 08:35:24
The power supply noted should be fine when coupled with a Gel Cell BAT. (Good Point Admins)
At moderate volume levels, this amp will produce plenty of SPL with as little as 50-100 watts of output power. At this power level, the power supply noted, should be more than adequate. That model can do a constant 40A's of current and momentary peaks of 50A's for short durations. The Battery will become the reserve current source, if your amp(s) begin to demand more than the power supply can handle.
NOTE: This power supply can produce almost 600 watts of continous DC power to a given load. [Amplifier(s) and HU.] Most car HU's use less than 10A's. The rest is available to drive a sub amp well into the 250 watt RMS range continously.
Swez
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