I'm still using the old head unit with manufactures cd player and jbl components up front and standard rears.

Thinking of putting 10inch kenwood sub in ported box with rockford series 1 (2600x - 2x60w) amp but are there any RCA connections on standard head unit of MY00 impreza 4dr? Or is it ok to use the amps high level inputs from the speakers?

I know this is not the ideal way to do it but if rears are not that impressive anyway and I already have the above kit what do you reckon.

Cheers
Adrian.

Hi Adrian,

Don't know about the head unit, but don't run the amp of the speaker output!

Halfords and the like do a Speaker to Line level converter dirt cheap......

Dan

The standard headunit from my MY00 did not have phono outputs. You say manufacturer's head unit and CD player - is this the original Philips radiocassette with CD changer?

If so, you could certainly try speaker level inputs (your amp has specific speaker level connections built in and does not need a line level converter), but you would be limited by the crap quality of the headunit and the poor quality speaker wiring to the back of the car. Changing the headunit would probably also improve the overall quality of the fronts. Even a £150 Kenwood 5080R CD head unit sounds a lot better! Trouble is a new headunit MAY not be compatible with the CD changer (if this is what you have), but an adapter is sometimes available. Depends on the equipment you already have. Please supply more details.

Why not try the setup and see what you think? However, the weakest link will clearly be headunit quality followed by speaker wiring. Good results can be achieved with speaker level inputs, and induced noise can be lower because of higher voltages, but RCA connections are said to be better even though they are lower voltage as you are taking preamp outputs and not adding distortion from the headunits "power" amp. RCA cables are also nicely shielded rather than that "lamp wire" that runs in the Scooby wiring loom along with all the other electric cable = possible noise despite higher voltage.

Suck it and see!

[This message has been edited by john banks (edited 17 January 2001).]

You will really notice an improvement by changing the head unit, especially since you have quite good speakers. I've found Jon at

If the stereo is the standard Phillips, then it won't have RCA's!!!

You really have two choices:

1) Get an amp like some of the lower end Alpine/Kenwood/etc, which will take speaker outputs. So of them have by-pass RCA channels, so you could then take a feed from this amp into your Rockford. Good to a good car stereo shop, and pick up all the catalogues from the bigger manufacturers.

2) Get high level (speaker output) converters to RCA's. I use to use these in a *cough* volvo, and seem to work fine.

Personally I think for the *expensive/grief/sound quality (* delete as necessary) it may be work considering getting a reasonable head unit.

I know for example that certain places are selling JVC head units and autochangers for about £200!! And it will have two sets of RCA's on the back!

Just some food for thought!

Thanks for the replies,

The head unit and cd changer are the standard philips units is there really a lot of difference between them and a kenwood system?
If so is it worth keeping the philips cd changer and getting a compatible head unit and if it is, which one? Otherwise presumably it's new head unit and changer presumably about 250-300 pounds for reasonable set?

Now having studied chiark's ice faq, which by the way is very good, I think I'll wire it in and see how it sounds as you suggest.

Speaking of the faq any news of updates such as the subwoofer section? With all the talk of the false floor sub and ported versus non ported boxes could be worth a summary.

Adrian

oops!! my mistake!! didn't know the Rockford had line level conversion in it....


Soz...


DaN