13 replies to this topic

[hi. my name is AJ]

i know this is going to sound like a total n00b question (probably because it IS a n00b question), but what exactly do amplifiers do? for example, when i'm bumpin some Lil Wayne tracks in my car and i turn the volume up with full bass (on the stock audio system), the bass gets really distorted. How would adding an amplifier to the sound system affect this?

[dmelviØØ7]

I'm no audio wiz, but you'd need to add a subwoofer and amplifier to get the sound you are looking for. I'm pretty sure if you wired a sub to your factory you'd be wasting a lot of time and money and see no real difference. If you added speakers and an amp I think you would get better sound quality and a little more bass depending on the speakers you installed. Once again I'm not an audio wiz, hopefully Adam will chime in here.

[crazykn]

Adding a amplifier will improve the sound quality.

Compared to the internal amp inside the stock headunit, a aftermarket amplifier will be able to drive the speakers to its fullest. The stock headunit's internal amp has a really poor distortion figures... and thats why you hear more and more distortion when you crank it up (not to mention the speakers could also be distorting too).

A good match with the stock speakers would be a 4 channel 50W RMS amplifier.

[°°KOLBAS°°]

Amplifiers do just as the name states, amplify the signal.
If you added an amp the music would be louder and it would take alot more for the speakers to start distorting, also setting your bass controls on the head deck lower can reduce it by a little.Also depends on your speakers, shit speakers on a good amp will still sound shit but just take longer to do.
Remember, most head units pump out like 4 x 50W on the internal amplifier which only amounts to about 20-30W RMS a channel if lucky(Depending which brand). If you want a good sounding system start with a deck that has 4 or 5V pre-outs as to maximise the signal quality and power, some decent speakers and amps. Depending on the bass that you want you can add a sub also.

[hi. my name is AJ]

awesome, thanks for the info

[Fake-R]

I've had stereos in every car I've owned, with the 240 being the most extreme.

Amplifiers not only make you able to turn up the music louder without distortion, but they greatly increase the clarity of the signal sent to the speaker.

If you're looking for a quick fix, I have a stock amp from a '95 T5R. I added to my stock stereo setup, and the difference was great. More bass, and the ability to have it fairly loud, without distortion. I've got a aftermarket headunit on the way, so all of my stuff is kinda useless.

[hi. my name is AJ]

I've had stereos in every car I've owned, with the 240 being the most extreme.

Amplifiers not only make you able to turn up the music louder without distortion, but they greatly increase the clarity of the signal sent to the speaker.

If you're looking for a quick fix, I have a stock amp from a '95 T5R. I added to my stock stereo setup, and the difference was great. More bass, and the ability to have it fairly loud, without distortion. I've got a aftermarket headunit on the way, so all of my stuff is kinda useless.

gotcha. what kind of amp should i get?

[Boost Laggin]

Not sure which model you have but if it happens to have premium audio(in Volvo's it's Dolby Digital) Do not go with an aftermarket stereo, unless you have a lot of money, it will take a car audio store days and way more money than it's worth to install the system, like on any high end car the audio wiring and setup is very complicated

You can however go with an amp and sub, as I have in my car.
You will need a dual output converter for the stock deck.

As for an amp, you don't need anything special really.
I got a 250 watt amp off of craigslist for $25 and it pushes my 12 inch sub just fine.

Btw, make sure to ask a volvo mechanic or find a wiring diagram to make sure you splice into the right wires.

[magicaljake]

just keep an eye out for a sub/box/amp combo on craigslist

i got my nice combo for $200 (all alpine)



but you can get decent stuff for less then $100 easy, its just patience

[Boost Laggin]

Jake is right. My set up is:

Craigslist:
Kenwood 250w mono block amp = $25
Fosgate 12 inch Punch sub = $40

Audio Express:
Dual output converter = $30
Wiring Kit = $15
Dynamat licenseplate kit = $20

Totals: $130

Not bad at all. Only problem you might run into is shady people on craigslist, you might get non-op stuff, but more often than not you'll be fine.

[b3atboxjr]

Essentially, amplifiers take an incoming signal and boost it
However, there's a lot more to "adding an amp to your system" than you think.
And it depends on what you're looking to get out of your system.
If you simply want more bass w/o distortion in your main speakers, just buy a good set of aftermarket speakers. Paired with the stock HU, the HU will determine your distortion point, rather than your speakers. You'll be able to get more volume out of your system before it distorts, and upgrading your speakers will improve the sound quality overall.
If you want sub bass, you'll need a subwoofer, paired with an amp. This will put that "bump in your trunk." But you'll need a couple things:
A sub and enclosure, an amp, a wiring kit, a pair of RCAs, and a new HU with a pair of subwoofer preouts(preamplifier outputs), and somebody who knows how to install these things.
There are cheap ways to achieve either or both changes to your system, but you usually get what you pay for.

[BEJinFBK]

OK - you didn't mention it in your post, but it looks like, you've got a '98 S70.
I'd guess that means you have an SC-series radio. Alpine makes those.
SC-900? Even better. The 3 disc changers can be a little dicey, but that's
why the SC-901 is out there. It's a nice, easy, plug-in "upgrade".
A stock HU also makes your dash much less of a target. Nobody steals OEM Volvo.

These systems have pretty good mids and highs and suprising mid bass for four
6.5" woofers in a stock system. But if you want some bump, it's gonna take a sub.

Adding a sub (with it's own amp) to this set up will make a huge difference.
It'll give you the bass you want and the rest of the system should be able to keep
up with it pretty well, (unless you really wanna see blood on your q-tips!)
I'd start with a Sub/Sub Amp. Maybe even something like an Infinity Basslink.

[FITvolvo]

i know this is going to sound like a total n00b question (probably because it IS a n00b question), but what exactly do amplifiers do? for example, when i'm bumpin some Lil Wayne tracks in my car and i turn the volume up with full bass (on the stock audio system), the bass gets really distorted. How would adding an amplifier to the sound system affect this?

Anyone with an s70 knows the 8's in the rear deck there are amazing! but yes with the stock headunit and internal amp they can distort pretty insanely... this summer i installed 2 12" woofers, all new components and coax speakers and left the 8's in the back deck. Subs have a separate 800 watt amp and the speakers and rear deck 8's have a 4x48 infinity amp powering them. Basically those 8's went from amazing on the stock system to INSANE on my new system! i hit the sub kill switch and adjusted the fade completely to the back deck speakers and cranked it up to 5 decibels and they had zero distortion and were insanely loud and clear with quite the good amout of bass might i add... so all you might need is an amplifier but if you have an s70 you almost might run into the issue i had where not many amps will work to their full capacity with the stock headunit so you might need an aftermarket headunit. Although i think they look cheesy, they can be a good investment too.

[FITvolvo]

o and 1 more thing if you do go for subs, a good starter which is what i have is the MTX road thunder 12" woofers. It is 2 12" woofers with the box for 129.99 which is dirt cheap and they are amazing for the price! they will make your car shake and sound great without any humming or distortion. Pure, clean, body-vibrating bass.