So my head unit has an output of 4X52 it is a sony xplod CDXGT600UI Connected to it are some Response 6X9 Kevlar speakers Rated at 75WRMS and some sony xplod 6.5" speakers rated at 60w and 350w peak power in the back I have a 500WRMS mono-block amp by response and two 12" kenwood subs apparently 800w each but im not sure.
So main question is are my speakers being underpowered? and if so can I connect them to the amp I have already or do i need a 4 channel amp to run the speakers to full potential?
i also have a 600W kenwood amp lying around too if that can in anyway help me out let me know :)
also any tips on improving clarity of sound like little things i can tweak on the head unit itself to improve high end clarity?
as you can probably tell i don't know too much about audio but I've gotta learn somewhere.... be kind :)
Thanks.

In short:

Yes your speakers are very underpowered. Remember the head unit may be 52x4 but that is max. The RMS figures are more likely to be around 18RMS which makes them very underpowered. Im a manager ay jaycar so i happen to know that those kevlars run beautifully amped.

After you put an amp in to run the speakers the clarity will come and you can adjust everything with just the amp

In short:

Yes your speakers are very underpowered. Remember the head unit may be 52x4 but that is max. The RMS figures are more likely to be around 18RMS which makes them very underpowered. Im a manager ay jaycar so i happen to know that those kevlars run beautifully amped.

After you put an amp in to run the speakers the clarity will come and you can adjust everything with just the amp

Yeah i work at a Jaycar so can you recommend an amp that will power the lot? also thinking about getting the 6X9 Vifa 150WRMS from instore to replace kevlar ones :/ maybe maybe maybe
or is there an amp that will do all speakers and subs too?

Yeah, like MR SPL said, headunits aren't very powerful. Much better to run your speakers off a dedicated amplifier.

Speakers are directional. Don't bother upgrading your rear 6x9s. Put your effort into optimising/upgrading your front speakers.

4X 100 wrms amp will do the job you think?

By the way Red your car is amazing looks very very nice.

Previously I ran a 4 channel amp to run the front speakers and subs - only a 4x40w RMS Alpine amp, but it did the job very well.

The rears don't have to produce much sound - they are often called "rear fill" and running them off your head unit will stop it from feeling unloved. :)

Running the fronts from an amp will help, but you then may need to sound deaden the doors because I bet that with power, those front speakers will then reveal other deficiencies...

So, what's the Kenwood 600W amp you have?

a 4x100 would normally be good for running fronts and a sub, but subwoofer VC configuration may not help it work to the best if they overload the amplifier or even worse, under load it and only get an equivalent 50W or something :)

List the model numbers of the amp(s) that you have and we can take a look at how to wire it up etc.

SuFz :ninja:

List the model numbers of the amp(s) that you have and we can take a look at how to wire it up etc.

SuFz :ninja:

Kenwood 600 W, D class mono power amplifier ( KAC-M615D)
Response 500WRMS D class amplifier (aa-0454)
So the kenwood has 2 + and - outputs perfect for doing fronts?

The Amp info is handy But it only tells half the story......
The Specific Sub Models are required as well.....


When an Amp says its a Mono. It has a single Channel. ((Wont do Stereo Front Stage) Will do it in Mono lol )
Ideal for hooking up one or more woofers ( in Series or parallel to attain a suitable or sometimes lower Ohm Rating)

For example, if you have two 4-Ohm woofers, they can be wired to a Mono amp to create a 2-Ohm Load Increasing the rated power of the Amp...
http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ca/learningcenter/car/subwoofer_wiring/2SVC_4-ohm_mono.jpg
The Kenwood (ignoring the 600w peak writing all over it) is good for 200 Watts @ 4-Ohm or 300 Watts @ 2-Ohm...
Wiring up as per the diagram would increase the usable power (300) available as you have lowered the resistance...

The Response Mono with Specs
• Power/channel @ 4Ohm 14.4V: 80WRMS x 2
• Power/channel @ 2Ohm 14.4V: 125WRMS x 2
• Power/channel @ 4Ohm 14.4V bridged: 255WRMS x 1

Or 500 watts @ 1-Ohm...
What I can't see are specs (unless you have the book and it says otherwise) that it is capable of running a single two load, cause I'm pretty sure 90% of Kenwood subs are a 4-Ohm Sub. Thats quite handy for small subs actually, they (1) will run off a 4 Channel Amp with two channels for the fronts, or in your case 2 in parallel for a 2 Ohm load off a mono...

Unless the response is 2 Ohm Stable on one channel, oddly the Kenwood offers more power in this case :nuts:

That is of course if the two subs are rated @ 4-Ohms ea.

If the Subs are 2-Ohms ea.
http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ca/learningcenter/car/subwoofer_wiring/2-SVC-2-ohm-mono-low-imp.jpg
or Dual Voice Coil 4 Ohms
http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ca/learningcenter/car/subwoofer_wiring/2-DVC-4-ohm-mono-low-imp.jpg
the its the response....


Lots of examples for wiring specified Ohm Rated woofer to Amps.... Mono Duals and Fours....
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-pys12ISLThj/learn/learningcenter/car/subwoofers_wiring.html

But you are right, your Subs are probably underpowered - But we don't really know what they are - Do We???

Im guessing given the output the subs have, they are not underpowered it is more or less the 6X9 speakers and 6.5" speakers that are majorly underpowered The guy who installed the subs said they were 800w each so i got the 500WRMS amp to run them and apparently 500WRMS is roughly 2000w?

http://au.kenwood.com/Car_Entertainment/Power_Amplifiers/KAC-M615D <---- specs on 600W amp

massive 500WRMS @ 1ohm power output, this low profile pint-sized monoblock amp will push your subwoofers to their limits, yet will do so with greater efficiency and far less heat than class AB amps. Plus you get variable bass boost, adjustable phase shift, low pass & subsonic filter and master/slave operation

Specifications:
• Power/channel @ 4Ohm 14.4V: 80WRMS x 2
• Power/channel @ 2Ohm 14.4V: 125WRMS x 2
• Power/channel @ 4Ohm 14.4V bridged: 255WRMS x 1
• Signal/noise ratio: >90dB
• Input sensitivity: 150mV to 6V
• Low pass filter: 50 - 500Hz @ 12dB/octave
• High pass filter: 50 - 500Hz @ 12dB/octave
• Bass boost: 0 - 18dB @ 45Hz
• Pass thru RCA: Yes
• Dimensions: 266(L) x 235(W) x 58(D)mm <-- quick run down of response amp

I dont really know how to say this, and respectfully, I want to be nice about this, but there isn't really a nice way to say it. You would be better off ignoring everything you think you know....
These are a couple of hints that you need to get down pat, right away...


1. If you don't know, Ask!

2. Forget Peak Power, Always use and refer to Watts RMS.

3. Match Ohms

4.Try to Get within 30% of power required for the speaker/s you are driving. ( I usually opt for +30%)

5. Forget Peak Power, Always use and refer to Watts RMS

6. If you don't know, Ask!

Just to Clarify -

You probably have 400 Watts RMS Subs, both probably 4-Ohms, Wired to 2 Ohm load ( as per the links in my Post).
So You have at Best either 300watts ( Kenwood) or about about the same with the Response, if they are 2-Ohms wired as a 1 Ohm Load you have 500 WRMS available on a 800 Watt Sub system...
But if there if enough Bass there, just leave it, 2 x12's should properly punch you in the back.....Shake the car...

As for the Fronts, A 2 x 80 Watts RMS @ 4 Ohm Amp should do the job Nicely...
Jaycar have a nice 2 x 150 WRMS which would not leave you wanting.... And there is a about on the market to choose from... Alternatively, a 4 x 50 WRMS ( Bridged to make a Two Channel) would also work very well....

As Red Said - Emphasis should be on the front.... This should be the case, but as you aren't running splits at the front, I'd suggest you amp all 4 ( Fronts and rears)

Thanks so much for the help SH00T made things alot clearer :)

NP Mate....

As always, lots of guys recommend going a Nice pair of splits up the front ( Amped) and running the rears of the H/Unit...

If you do this, when you sit in your car, the apparent height of the music appears to be above the sterring wheel and sounds like its forward of the defrost vents for the windscreen... You'll pay little or no attention to the rears, and probably fade them out unless there is people in the back.
As it is now the sound height will appear to be around the bottom of the steering wheel...
By trying to lift the sound up, it will be like having a nice set of 2way Bookshelf speakers on each corner of the dash, with the Bass enveloping you from all around.

Its not to hard to acheive....
Brad_03TJ did it recently, and loves the difference. I have it, Red Has it, Mr SPL has a fantastic version of it, Sufz has it. Just to name the ppl posting in this thread, So many have taken that step, and would never go back to what they had before..
6x9's which might be your best full range speaker, will be left as a memory....

Just to add, Magna's and Verada's that have the premium Sound system, Run a version Splits, 6" in the doors, and ( at least ) in the little triangle, forward of the front door window glass. (better than in the Dash Holes)

Being lazy i amplified the rear 6X9" speakers (Couldn't be bothered getting to front 6.5") And WOW the difference is amazing Glad i did it, using a few small self built amplifiers (cleverly hidden) i have also upped the output of the head unit so the front 6.5" sound great too ^_^
Again thanks for all the advice People who Commented on this thread so far