HI - I have my Empeg on it's way (woohoo!) and I want to give it a warm welcome. Unfortunately, I'm more of a Linux Geek and Geek-of-all-trades than a real audio (hardware) geek. In that area I'm just a wannabe.

I know I need a separate external amp for my Empeg, but... which one? I know nothing about this and all the discussion of power and crosstalk makes my head hurt. I just want something to use with my Empeg which 1) sounds great, 2) doesn't cost too much, and 3) has enough power to play music loudly without distortion - in that order. When I say "loud" I mean, loud as in "when your mother would have told you to turn it down", not "ear-damaging, brain-splittingly loud". %-)

I would also like recommendations on speakers. I have a 2000 Subaru Outback, which unfortunately doesn't have a rear deck, and only 4 door-mounted speakers, so I know I'll never get great sound (how can you, when half the sound gos into your leg?). But I still want the sound to b as good as I can get it, so can anyone recommend some good speakers that will fit in my car without breaking the bank? Or suggest some places where I could mount additional ones?

BTW, when I say "recommend", I mean "recommend a specific model", not "general advice on buying". Please say "Buy Brand X, model Y", not "well, you want an amp that has at least 1500 gigapoofs and biplanar freetwops." :-)

Thanks for any help!

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Unfortunately, I don't think anyone here is going to tell you "buy brand x model y". But if you call Crutchfield, they will. You can tell them your model of car and they'll tell you what's good for it. They know their stuff. Assuming you're looking for a DIY installation, Crutchfield's phone advisors are the best.

However, since you're asking this question, I assume you have little knowledge of installing amps and speakers. If that's the case, may I suggest going to a professional stereo shop so that they can take care of all your needs: Amp selection, amp installation, and Empeg installation.

___________
Tony Fabris

I'm using an Alpine V12 amp and it's wonderful!

Calvin

you where saying tfabris

I also have little knowledge, I am interested in finding out a little more about what featurs to look out for.

What is esential to a good speaker or amp, what aint, and so forth.

Proud owner of #161

> I would also like recommendations on speakers. I have a 2000 Subaru Outback,
> which unfortunately doesn't have a rear deck, and only 4 door-mounted
> speakers, so I know I'll never get great sound

I just bought an Outback. It has 6 speakers (4 normal + tweeters on inside of wing mirrors). From what I've heard on this BBS, that's a good start, although I have no idea about the quality of the speakers. Do you think there's a difference between the UK and Swiss (I assume that's where you are) models?

By the way, I can't stand being without radio, so I'm going to butcher the fascia to put another head unit in. I'm told that the Japanese fascia is double-DIN (there's definitely a double-DIN space behind the fascia, thank God), but probably won't fit the UK car. Wouldn't help left-hand drive, anyway, although maybe the American fascia would be like a left-hand drive Japanese model? But if you can do without radio, none of this matters.

Cheers,

Bruno
[email protected]

I'm going on vacation the next 2 weeks and I'm going to have a look at different or additional amps and speakers to get a better sound.

I've prepared my car before I got the Mk2 pretty good with a new amp and new speakers etc. The sound isn't bad. It sounds very clear, there's no noise at all and I'm really very comfortable with the sound generally. But I want more. I wanna have it louder and the bass has to shake the whole car. So I'll take a look what I could do with least possible afford to improve the sound at higher volumes.

One thing I'm thinking about is some sound-improving insulating sheets placing in the doors behind the speakers...

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

Um, excuse me! Japanese cars are RIGHT HAND DRIVE. A Japanese facia should fit a UK car without any problems at all, and often there is no difference between LH and RH drive as far as the centre facia goes anyway. Check it out :-)

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)

One thing I'm thinking about is some sound-improving insulating sheets placing in the doors behind the speakers...

Dynamat's good stuff, but don't expect it to make your stereo louder. Their claims about how it reduces the car's noise floor are accurate, but only if you completely strip the car's interior down to the bare metal and install 200 pounds of the stuff on every available surface.

I had a friend who did this to his Celica, and the thing sounded like a Cadillac inside when he was done. However, it was an immense amount of work, and that much dynamat is expensive. When he was all done, he decided it was more work/expense than it was worth.

Just putting a couple of strips of dynamat on the doors isn't really going to do much. You need to go all-out or don't bother to do it at all.

___________
Tony Fabris

"Just putting a couple of strips of dynamat on the doors isn't really going to do much."

Unless its just to battle a constantly virbating panel. But there are better sprays for that. I agree with Tony. Dynamat is more trouble than its worth.

Alex Lear

I am aware that Japanese cars are right-hand drive, like the UK. I was saying (a) that a Japanese fascia wouldn't help dglinder, because he probably has left-hand drive (and the fascia is distinctly asymmetrical, so it won't be the same for both), and (b) it probably won't help me, because the people I spoke to at Park Lane, Alton (specialist Japanese Subaru importers) thought that the Japanese fascia was different to the UK one. Apparently the Japanese fascia has space for a clock. There's no clock on my fascia, so I guess they're probably right. The only way to be sure would be to drive to Alton, but it doesn't seem worth it to confirm the inevitable. Which only leaves the "butchering the fascia" option, and that won't be easy because of the configuration.

Cheers,

Bruno
[email protected]