Amplifier Kit - Page 2

Nasher · 15 November 2007, 08:48

Hi Tony

Can't argue with that, but its about chioices when you have to budget. The @£400 on your system will put a lot of fuel in the boat and means I can actually use it. My under £100 system leaves a lot left over for fuel.

Have to say that in my own case I did think about it quite hard, and I decided that I don't spend any time on the boat anchored up, and when on the move the wind noise and engine noise made a decent system worthless.

If my boat was quieter and I was to spend more time on it at anchor it would be a bit different.

Nasher.

Tony · 15 November 2007, 09:03

Well its quite funny really..
I spent a lot of time and effort on my system and i have hardly used it.

I think the thought of having music pumping out is actually better than the reality of it all......
Tony

Nos4r2 · 15 November 2007, 10:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony

Well its quite funny really..
I spent a lot of time and effort on my system and i have hardly used it.

I think the thought of having music pumping out is actually better than the reality of it all......
Tony

That's exactly why I haven't fitted the system I've got sat in a box here

Lostboy · 15 November 2007, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

What damages speakers is distortion or "clipping" cheaper amps are not designed to deliver a clean signal they may deliver power but it is a very dirty feed and will not do the speaker any good.
:

Correct, clipping is when an amplifier is driven too hard to generate a sound therefore "clipping" the tops and bottoms off of the sound wave produced. This is why power should always be checked against distortion figures because obviously the more distortion it's rated at the closer to "clipping" it is getting.

Why is clipping bad? Because a speaker relies on electrical signals to move a magnet up and down a pole. If the signal is constantly being interupted (or clipped) then the magnet (voicecoil in a speaker) is moving far too fast up and down the pole and eventually gets so hot that it either distorts, therefore not producing proper linear sound waves from the speaker, or just seizes itself onto the pole!

This is why yoy check power rating of amplifiers (against distortion figures!) and then get the correctly rated speakers for that power delivery(not forgetting to make sure the resistance is the same, usually 4ohm for car/boat hifi, 8 ohm for domestic.

Rogue Wave · 15 November 2007, 10:17

You don't have too spend a lot of money on a system to make it good, just apply Certain guidlines. The major one being to spend your money more at the front end than the rear.

A good amp will make an inferior set of speakers sound heaps better than an inferior amp will sound through great speakers. The other thing to remeber about power ratings is that the only true measurement is Watts RMS. thinks like peak music power is about as realistic as a boatvendors claims for the speed of their boat

Also when fitting speakers try to fit a baffle behind the speakers, this will firm up the GRP and improve the bass resonance also c lean up any sympathetic vibrations

Looks like lost boy just nipped in infront of me! must be a funny echo in here

I have set myself a target to put a great sounding system on Dyna for less than 200 GBP thats for amps and speakers I'll use MP3 players as the source

Hey lostboy here's a special swearword for you PMPO

parm · 07 May 2008, 09:55

http://www.force4.co.uk/ProductDetai...7-020bd0731cb2

anyone fit this kit yet? i have but it is not very loud can just about hear with engine off! with engine running even at tickover forget it! maybe i have done something wrong?

Cookee · 08 May 2008, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by parm

http://www.force4.co.uk/ProductDetai...7-020bd0731cb2

anyone fit this kit yet? i have but it is not very loud can just about hear with engine off! with engine running even at tickover forget it! maybe i have done something wrong?

Link doesn't work for me!

parm · 08 May 2008, 14:40

http://www.force4.co.uk/ProductDetai...7-020bd0731cb2

JABS · 08 May 2008, 14:52

Hi,

I have the 100w version which is going on this weekend.

There is an adjustment inside the rubber cover on mine. This is to adjust the input level. I tried the kit out on the kitchen tabel and found that the input needs to be turned well up to get a high output.

The quality appears superb, though.

Good luck!

parm · 08 May 2008, 20:00

thanks JABS just adjusted the input + the gain and the difference is incredable i now have music.

Cookee · 09 May 2008, 11:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by parm

thanks JABS just adjusted the input + the gain and the difference is incredable i now have music.

If you think that's good you should look on the Marine AV site (it's the same kit) and get the bass unit that goes with that amp - that will blow your socks off! I can't see it on the Force 4 site?

parm · 09 May 2008, 21:04

thanks ill have a look

JABS · 12 May 2008, 22:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookee

If you think that's good you should look on the Marine AV site (it's the same kit) and get the bass unit that goes with that amp - that will blow your socks off! I can't see it on the Force 4 site?

I have to admit that I get the kit in the states at much lower prices, generally less than half and the speakers are even cheaper.

Cookee · 13 May 2008, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by JABS

I have to admit that I get the kit in the states at much lower prices, generally less than half and the speakers are even cheaper.

Apart from warranty issues you will find that the radio frequency spacing is different on US sets (not VHF but Radio 1 type radio!).

JABS · 13 May 2008, 16:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cookee

Apart from warranty issues you will find that the radio frequency spacing is different on US sets (not VHF but Radio 1 type radio!).

Yes, when I lived there it was an issue, but now most head units are switchable.

Doesn't apply to an amplifier of course.

If only shipping was easy!