Question about MMC 525 and amps

bokdaddy

It's a pretty simple question that has probably been answered before, but if I were to go for the MMC 525's would I be able to get good sound out of them from a Pioneer DEH-1600? I got that head unit because I didn't really want to have to fool around with buying amps or a sub, but I do want to get good speakers. Would the MMC's be good or should I go for the db series? Any thoughts?

exalted512

if you see amps in your future...go with the momos, if not...id personally stick with the DBs...theyre no slouch!
-Cody

bknauss

If you're comparing the stock speakers to the MMCs, there will be a DEFINITE improvement, but you won't hear the wholesome goodness of the MMCs until you properly amplify them. The MMCs will also sound better than the DBs, but again, the DBs would be a huge improvement over stock speakers. Its all about your budget and what you would plan to do in the future.

AustinKP

I'd probably not get the MMC's unless you're going to amp them. Even the dB's will take 60 watts, and would be best amplified. Running the dB650's off my HU, I can't even make them loud enough to hurt my ears before distortion. I have them xovered at 60Hz. A higher xover point would make them louder, but you lose bass. Spending more than the dB's w/o plans to amplify would be a waste of money, IMO.
-Austin

bokdaddy

Well thanks for your replies. I figured it might make more sense to get the db series, but after shopping around I found the best prices by far are on eBay. And the price difference between the MMC series and the db series (on eBay at least) isn't a lot.

MacLeod

You should really think about getting an amp regardless which speakers you go with.

A head unit will be putting out 10-15 watts at best and it will be with about 3% distortion. Youll never get even close to the best possible sound quality your speaker have to offer.

You dont have to go buy a $500 Xtant to have good sound. Buy the DB speakers then go to Circuit City and buy the Alpine 50x2 channel amp. They go for around $110 and make very clean power. It aint a lot of power but 1000 times better than your h/u. Plus its tiny so you could almost install it in your glove box.

Trust us on this!

It will be the difference between walking to work and driving a car.

bokdaddy

Originally posted by MacLeod
You should really think about getting an amp regardless which speakers you go with.

A head unit will be putting out 10-15 watts at best and it will be with about 3% distortion. Youll never get even close to the best possible sound quality your speaker have to offer.

You dont have to go buy a $500 Xtant to have good sound. Buy the DB speakers then go to Circuit City and buy the Alpine 50x2 channel amp. They go for around $110 and make very clean power. It aint a lot of power but 1000 times better than your h/u. Plus its tiny so you could almost install it in your glove box.

Trust us on this!

It will be the difference between walking to work and driving a car.

So amping only two of the speakers will make that much of a difference? My head unit only has one pair of preouts. I skimped because I just didn't have the money to think about amps at the time. I had heard that the 22w RMS of the Pioneer HU's were 22w of decently clean power. I hope I haven't sounded disagreeable, that's not what I mean to do. I'm completely new to car audio and am just trying to get all my facts straight. I really do appreciate the advice that each of you has given me.

MacLeod

I doubt very seriously if your h/u puts out 22 watts. The amp in a h/u is too small. Even if it did it wouldnt be that clean, at least nowhere near as clean as an amp.

If youre wanting to run rear speakers too then you can spring for this Pioneer 4 channel. It puts out 50 super clean watts to each speake and will sound very good.

Compare the specs. h/u THD is usually around 3-5%. The THD on this amp is .008%! This amp will be waaaaay more powerful and lightyears ahead in sound quality. I guaran-damn-tee ya this will be night and day difference.

For an extra $180 for 4 channels of clean, quality sound it is well worth it.

exalted512

just sell all your HT and get into car audio;)
-Cody

bokdaddy

Originally posted by exalted512
just sell all your HT and get into car audio;)
-Cody

Haha, believe me, I've thought about it. But it's hard to give up any speakers, no matter where you have them. I'm sure you get what I mean.;)

If youre wanting to run rear speakers too then you can spring for this Pioneer 4 channel. It puts out 50 super clean watts to each speake and will sound very good.

Wow, so one pair of preouts is all I would need for that Pioneer amp, right?

exalted512

some 4 channels require 2 pairs of rcas
in which case y-splitters come into play
hell...you can get a 5 channel and have 4 speakers and a sub off of that one set of pre outs:)
-Cody

bokdaddy

Great! I could handle using splitters if I had to. Ok, so next newbie question:

Would the wiring to the speakers be difficult? Where would I start?

exalted512

wiring an amp is incredibly simple
power from battery to amp with a fuse along the way
ground the amp to your floor
run speaker wire to speakers
run rca to head unit
run remote turn on to head unit(its an incredibly small wire that tells the amp that the radio is on so it needs to turn on as well)
adjust a few settings and voila...
-Cody

AustinKP

I'll tell ya, if I can wire an amp correctly the first time, anybody can do it. I've never wired an amp before, never even seen it done at all. And, if you ask me, I think I did a pretty dang good job of hiding the wires and everything. Don't be afraid to start taking stuff apart, ie door panels, side panels, dash, etc. It's actually kinda fun to see how everything fits together. It always helps to have a friend help you too, especially if he has a clue of what he's doing. I'll tell you one thing for sure though, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than having a shop install it!

bokdaddy

Sounds encouraging. Thanks guys. So all the wiring I'll need to worry about is right up front. This doesn't sound so bad. I think I'll look into getting that Pioneer amp.

MacLeod

The hardest part is hiding everything and cleaning up the mess afterwards.

neomagus00

and even that's a piece of cake if you just take your time

MacLeod

Well, not for me. I tend to make quite a mess! Mainly because I lack patience and have a tendency to throw temper tantrums when things dont work out just the way I want them too!

exalted512

I do that too Macleod
just not when im around the 3k dollars worth of audio equipment in my truck...
-Cody

MacLeod

Ah, I dont take it out on the equipment.

I usually run around the truck a bunch of times yelling and cussing. Then go back to it and fix the problem within a few seconds and then feel stupid for running around the truck and looking like an **** to all the neighbors....until the next thing that wont fit and its off I go again!

Like when I was installing my Crossfire VR302. I hooked everything up and turned it on and nothing worked. {start grumbling under breath}. Checked all wires and all are solid. {lightly cussing outloud now}. Use test light to determine turn on and power have juice. {definitely cussing audibly now}. Trace the ground to under the seat and discover the 4 guage ground wire has been pulled out of the ring terminal cause I didnt crimp it good enough and I dont have another 4 guage ring terminal to use plus its a **** to get the bolt out! {running around truck kicking neighbors dog and yelling obscenities}. Then go back and discover that I can slide the wire back into the terminal and crimp it down real good and, voila! Took all of 30 seconds to fix. Took 2.5 minutes to throw tantrum. :rolleyes:

exalted512

i forgot what i got mad about...but i went in my room to 'cool off'
i was doing something on my truck...it wasnt audio related
but anyway...i ended up getting madder and threw a punch...
...at my closet door...
went straight through it...that and the 2x2 board that ran down it...
i came out with a bruised bloody hand and a $39.99 + paint door to replace...
now everytime i get mad i think about that and i just tell myself...dont do anything that will end up costing me money...lol
-Cody

MacLeod

I first started working in restaurants and when Id pitch a fit Id usually throw things. Well most of the time it was cool and all but every once in a while Id throw something like wing sauce or the like and then, for the next 30 minutes while I was cleaning it up, I felt real, REAL stupid!

Hmmm...youd think I would learn.

I guess its a good thing Im big, cause I shore aint too smart!

LittleCar_w/12s

I'm one of those people that would never hurt a fly... well Yeah I'd squash em.. When I get mad, usually only if I get hurt, I'll put holes in walls, rip stuff up, etc... funny to see a little 130LB guy wig out....
-Jerry

MTXMAN

I'm normally very calm and collected, however that's just me supressing my dark side, If i get pushed too far it's not a pretty site. my ex cheated on me and i knew the guy... so i took my broken mag-lite (now why would i keep a broken mag-lite in my car :rolleyes: ) smashed his windows and dented most of the panels on his car before he came running out of his house all pissed off... then i slamed the flashlite once into his stomach and then to the back of his head... don't get me wrong, he was fine and i wasn't out to kill him or anything which is why i only hit him lightly on the back of his head but he had a hell of a headache and a bruise on his stomach... Kinda had to take it out on him cause i'll never hit a woman no matter how much she pisses me off...


that reminds me, one of my coworker was telling me about something that happened to him this weekend. Apereantly there are a bunch of stupid little kids that run around his neighborhood causing trouble, i'm talking 12-14 yr olds here... and they keep breaking bottles right in front of his driveway. saturday he actually saw it happen (more specifically he heard the bottle shatter and looked out right after that and saw the 2 kids) one of them was on a bike, he grabbed that one by the arm and yanked him clean off his bike and started questioning him, that kid said that it was the other one who'd done it. so kevin (my coworker) turned on the other kid and said that he'd better get back there and clean it up. The kid pulls a bowie knife on kevin and says that he'll kill him right here. the kid's lucky kevin didn't have anything nearby that he coulda used cause the kid woulda straight got his **** whooped. Kevin's gonna keep his baseball bat closer to hand from now on though... personally i woulda just disarmed the kid and beat the crap outa him... hell even with a knife a 12yr old isn't gonna be able to take me down...the kids not gonna be strong enough or knowledgable enough to do anything fatal, and odds are good that he doesn't know enough to keep that knife sharp either.

I blame a lack of punishment growing up... LONG LIVE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT!!! my dad took his hand to me when i misbehaved while growing up and i grew up just fine.

MacLeod

Originally posted by MTXMAN
my dad took his hand to me when i misbehaved while growing up and i grew up just fine.

Umm....well except for the part about beating guys over the head with a flashlight.

MTXMAN

well he shouldn't have betrayed my friendship and f#(%ed my Girlfriend... the ba@#ard even knew that I was saving for an engagement ring... he deserved everything i gave him and more....

exalted512

if kevin is over 18 he needs to be REALLY careful what he does to those kids...it could land him in jail
ive been in a few fights
this guy sent my 14 year old cousin to the hospital...the kid that beat him up was 17...i was with my cousins and saw him one day in a town close by here...exchanged words and i told him what i thought of him...he took a swing at me and i broke his nose before my other cousin pulled me off
i told him if he f***ed with my family again id break his jaw too
i dont think ive ever been so mad in my life
i think parents should be able to beat this **** out of their kids if their kids mess up really bad...thats the way i was raised...thats the way my kids will be raised
-Cody

neomagus00

hmm... i've never had a hand laid on me and i've turned out just fine...

MTXMAN

Originally posted by neomagus00
hmm... i've never had a hand laid on me and i've turned out just fine...

too easy....



If a kid even that young pulls a knife on you and threatens to kill you you are well within your rights to defend yourself... personally i woulda beat him down, tied him up, and called the cops... just make sure you get the knife and bag it so it's still got his prints on it to prove that it's his.

MacLeod

Youve got to beat your kids!

Kids understand only 2 things.

1) Toys
2) Pain

If you beat them at first then eventually you wont need to nearly as much. I didnt get beat that much but it was not because I was a good kid, it was because when my folks told me no, I knew I would get my **** kicked if I did it.

Kids have to fear consequences and "time out" isnt a consequence, its an inconvenience and any kid will risk a few minutes standing in the corner or not watching tv for a week in order to get away with something. A good **** whoopin' on the other hand is a little more intimidating.

MacLeod

As far as fights, Ive not had one in years.

I used to catch shoplifters for a living a few years ago so I got into quite a few tangles then. Punks just dont seem to want to give up to some dude trying to arrest them with no badge or gun.

Mainly they were just trying to get away rather than fight so I usually came out on top. Then again I did pick my battles. I see some 355 pound gorilla put a watch in his pocket...."You have a nice day sir. Hurry back now".

Even had a knife pulled on my once....."You have a nice day sir". I aint Bruce Lee and I aint fighting nobody with a knife for $9/hr!!

Now mace is a different story. Ill plant you head first and **** deep in the sidewalk if you try to mace me! That **** HURTS and it only takes once to learn ya! :mad: So if I even though I saw a can of pepper spray, you were going up, then you were going down!

Ah the stories I could tell.