Head unit question

Nightfall
Nightfall Posts: 10,086
edited November 2013 in Car Audio & Electronics
Does anyone make a head unit with a class D or T amplifier in it? Would seem like a logical choice given the size and heat dissipation constraints of the application.
afterburnt wrote: »
They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

Village Idiot of Club Polk
Post edited by Nightfall on
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited November 2013
    Not to my knowledge. Head units are usually scorned as power supplies as they should be because theyre just not capable of making the power you need to have quality sound due to their size. The upper end head units are 99% of the time, going to be ran passive anyway running to an amp(s). My beloved Pioneer P99 for example has no onboard amplification at all. Its totally passive. Nobody that would spend $1200 on a head unit (and sleep on the couch for 6 weeks after the wife finds out) would run their system off head unit power.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    edited November 2013
    While I agree with you, and have had an expensive vehicle setup in the past (component speakers, amp, subs, ect) I now just want something simple that also sounds good for many reasons. Weight, cost, wiring everything, theft magnet, and others. I just want to power four speakers off a decent head unit and have it sound good. Better than stock but nothing crazy. I don't think it's an absurd idea to get more then 22 clipped watts x 4 off a head unit.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited November 2013
    Didn't say it was an absurd idea, it's just not a practical one. There simply isn't enough room back behind there to make an amp big enough even in class D. Even with class D, it would still be pretty low powered due to the size and there isn't any reason to add a couple hundred dollars to the price for a 15x4 amp when people will just buy an external 50x4 for those couple hundred.

    Now Alpine does (at least they did) have a head unit that had a really small amp that was external from the head unit so you could hang it behind the dash somewhere. Check out their website and see if they still have it. That might be what you're looking for. Can't remember how big the amp is (I'm on my phone in a restaurant so can't dig any links up for ya) but think it's something like 25 real watts x4.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    edited November 2013
    MacLeod wrote: »
    Didn't say it was an absurd idea, it's just not a practical one. There simply isn't enough room back behind there to make an amp big enough even in class D. Even with class D, it would still be pretty low powered due to the size and there isn't any reason to add a couple hundred dollars to the price for a 15x4 amp when people will just buy an external 50x4 for those couple hundred.
    I hear you. I might just have to suck it up and hide an amp somewhere. I loath hiding wiring and taking apart interior panels. Clips break, things snap, and it's a pain.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited November 2013
    I couldn't agree more. That's why I always have the most basic, unimpressive install at these shows. I absolutely hate installing probably because I suck at it. I do just enough to keep it from looking ghetto and then leave it. That's why I went with a single amp system because it was so much easier to install. No distribution blocks, no snaking huge power wire, just 1 of everything with the amp mounted on the back of the back seat out of the way. The tuning is what I live for. I love getting in there and tinkering around and dialing in the sound.

    Not sure what you're looking to spend but check out the Alpine PDX or the (my favorite) JL Audio HD amps. They're freaking tiny and can easily fit under most front seats. If I could afford their 5 channel version ($1000) I'd have it mounted under my passenger seat. Kinda tricky to snake the wires thru there but once you're done, it's totally out of the way and you'll never see it again.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited November 2013
    Here are those little add on amps that you can use with a head unit. 7"x1"x2" and 45x4. This is the Alpine.

    http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500KTP445A/Alpine-KTP-445A-Power-Pack.html?tp=35782

    And here is one from Clarion that's just slightly bigger. Both are $130 shipped.

    http://www.crutchfield.com/p_020XC1410/Clarion-XC1410.html?tp=35782
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • WLDock
    WLDock Posts: 3,073
    edited November 2013
    Nightfall, The power rating on headunits have gotten better over the years. Most of the better mid-line units have a 50W x 4 peak rating or about 18W x 4 RMS. Panasonic at one time did have a unit with a switching amp that was rated at 70W x 4 peak / 60W x 4 RMS but I don't think they have anything currently like that?

    However, it just makes sense to grab a small 4 ch amp on ebay for under $100 and have much better sound. I don't care what car you have one can find room for a small amp like these:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Soundstream-DTR4-500-D-Tower-4-Channel-Amp-/181235517576?pt=Car_Amplifiers&hash=item2a327a8888

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/MB-QUART-OA400-4-2YR-WRNTY-400W-4-CHANNEL-CLASS-SQ-CAR-AUDIO-STEREO-AMPLIFIER-/181238864547?pt=Car_Amplifiers&hash=item2a32ad9aa3&vxp=mtr

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cadence-FXA1800-4-1800-Watt-Peak-800w-RMS-4-Channel-Car-Stereo-Amplifier-Amp-/350822651874?pt=Car_Amplifiers&hash=item51aea8d7e2&vxp=mtr

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PRECISION-POWER-S3204-4-CHANNEL-320-RMS-A-B-CAR-AUDIO-AMPLIFIER-320-WATTS-/131011266719?pt=Car_Amplifiers&hash=item1e80e1489f

    I have put amps under the front seats for years. I have a large 4 channel under the passenger seat in my wife's Ford Focus right now.
    2.2 Office Setup | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | HP Probook 630 G8 | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2
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