Maynard

I am getting a new deck,(prolly a kenwood something or other) and 4 6.5 infinities, I plan on mounting the front speakers in the door panel, and the rear in the stock locations. Now....do I need an amp? If so how good of one? and is there a better HU that I can get to eliminate my need for an amp...if i need it?

grinchy

Do you NEED an amp. No.
But if you're investing that kind of cash ($500 or so), then you might as well drop $300 more on a decent 4 channel amp so you can appreciate your investment.

And while you're at it, grab a 8" or 10" sub in an appropriate sized box.

Run the fronts on 2 channels of your amp. Run the sub on 2 channels (bridged), and run the rear off of your shiny new HU.

This is the 'standard' install, and will sound great if you get good quality stuff. It is easy to tell good quality stuff, it isn't the cheapest, and it isn't the most expensive, by and large brand doesn't matter. Try to find the medium priced stuff on sale, that's your best bet.

Amplifiers make the sound you hear clearer. It is called dynamic range, and it requires power to get it. Also music gets louder, but not as much as you think - 20W to 100 W is only about 1/3 to 1/2 louder. But the clarity is worth ever penny - sounds stop sounding like they come out of a tube.

brownmound

I am about to get a Nak or similar head unit and also would like to get an amp and new speakers. I was going to stick with the 6 1/2's in the rear, and get either 5 1/4" full range or components up front.

I was going to get an amp also. If I get a four channel amp, shouldn't I use the amp to drive the rears and a (later install) sub, and use the head unit to drive the fronts? That always made the most sense to me, use the amp to drive the bigger stuff and let the head unit handle the fronts.

BTW, can you "bridge" the front and rear speaker outputs of a head unit, if you are using the preouts to drive the rear anyways?

Right on.

grinchy

Typically you want the soundstage in front of you, so you place your best amplification on the fronts.

The rear is used for 'surround' or 'fill', to balance and give ambience to the music, but not really to carry the melody.

The typical install with 4 channels of external amp is 2 to fronts, 2 to sub. Use the HU to provide the fill. Of course you could get a 5 or 6 channel amp and power more speakers adequately. Or you can get multiple amps, but that really isn't the point.

Why not go discuss the install with your local installer? they can demonstrate and describe it more clearly, and you'll get a much better idea of what the cost will truly be, and what is required.

Just ask lots of questions and don't buy anything until you are sure it will fit into your long term plans, as well as short term.

I'd go this route:
1) the biggest baddest front components you can afford
2) the most 4 channel amp you can afford
3) a subwoofer
4) a HU
5) new rear fill
6) a dedicated sub amp, move the four channel to the fronts and rear

Do 1 and 2 together, with 3 if possible.

But talk to the installer, they know their stuff.

Maynard

Thanks for your help grinchy....you've been really helpful

grinchy

I just spent 5 months tweaking my stereo, so I have recently had all the same questions you had. I'm glad you found the input helpful. Just know that it is a slippery slope and money pit once you get started, especially if you have a no-compromise attitude. I ended up with 100W/4ohm to each front channel, and 170W/4 ohm to the sub. This gives great dynamic range, and the sound is very balanced. I have a vert, so that created some problems with top up/down acoustics, and ended up with a separate sub amp with remote level to fix that.