Depending on your head unit you can! :p
There are many that have a direct sub drive from the head unit, BUT sub sound will be dramatically improved with an amp.
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Look on ebay for car stereo stuff. The second hand gear normally goes very cheap.
Mind you it could be nicked I guess.
Crackerjack, the Sony gear is not considered "pro" gear by any means and under the "plastic" skin they have is lower end price competitive parts. Go into places like Strathfield etc they will have it, but they generally won't have high end equipment or won't be a nominated high end product dealer as they look mainly at the volume sales market.
Guv, same kind of thing applys. AFAIR Alpine don't do a direct sub output drive as you are limited on the output to drive it. This is usually found again in cheap headunits that compete in the lowend market and are a far cry from using a preout to drive an amp. Have a look at the link in Rangiers post. It pretty well explains what is needed to drive a speaker and any good sub will be a 1 or 2 ohm unit.
I have spent nearly $4000 on mine so far and have only got about half way in what I want.
Headunits- Alpine DVA9860E
Screen - Alpine TMX-R700
amp- Alpine MRV- F345 running rear JL 6x9 and bridged sub to 900w
Want- Focal eutopia front & rear, sub, Alpine monoblock to run sub and unbridge 3-4 for front speakers......
I have 4 rockford t series speakers running through a 4 channel amp and I have 2 8" rockford subs running off a 2 channel amp...
Does me just fine not earth shattering but i like my loud music to stay in the car :p
Any how...I got to start driving the defender to work soon as a commuter :BigCry: speakers in that are lik listnening to music through a tin can:( thinking about putting in a removable sub so I can pump the music on my long journeys and take it out when I need too...Still a pain in the arse though would rather have a permanent fixture....
Does anyone know what those little 8" subs are like in the tubes??? I know there not going to be top quailty but are they OK?...Sorry for the hi jack, but at least its kind of on track as they come with amps built in:D
Change the stock Rover speakers for a couple of JL Audio 4" units. They are simply amazing for a 4" speaker. Don't be fooled by the 35w handling capacity...these babies can take power (without distortion) and plenty of it!
DENON made one of the best 5 channel amps around and you still see them on Ebay going for good money. It was called the DCA3500. I've had one for over 18 years and it's still sounding as good today as the day I bought it.
The DCA3400 was a 4 channel version but is also very popular.
How good you want everything to sound is soley dependant on your wallet. Some of us spend 1000's of pounds perfecting our sound systems and even then we're never entirely satisfied with them.
Another problem that I've been trying to overcome in recent years is how to install a really decent sound system into my Discovery without compremising the load carrying capability. I'm 90% the way there....but always looking at ways to improve it.
Thanks Lovemyrangie, I did have a good set up in my RRC many years ago, I think I was the second or third in Australia to get the new (then) Sony Minidisc player head unit, a proper unit, no built in amplification at all but a whole bunch of preouts, that was $2000 in 1993, I had a Phoenix Gold 4 channel amp and Boston Accoustic speakers, all professionally installed, it sounded great, unfortunatly as I get older my money goes on other priorities so just a regular head unit and ordinary speakers at the moment. :(
love the alpine gear still have the old unit with amps and speakers from my old car about 15 years old now had it in my old car stereo was worth alot more than the car.
I used to go from Alexandra to Christchurch (NZ) leave work on a friday night and head up to ChCh to get on it on saturday night with a few mates would go through small towns with the ear muffs on and windows down playing Beethovens 5th symphony loud.
Still an apprentice and young and stupid but to be young again.