Info on Car audio ??

[rida125]

Ok so for a class i am taking in high school i am studing how car audio works. I have been able to find the information on how speakers work and how the amp works, but it gets tough when looking for some of the smaller information. So I got a few questions i would like answered.

(1) What does RCA stand for? And RCA is to bring the music from the HU to the AMP, Right?

(2) The Remote Wire, How exactly does that work? I know that that is what turns the amp on and off automatically with the radio.

(3) When talking about amps, and you say the amp has different numbers of channels what exactly does that mean? Does that have anything to do with the number of speakers you are able to power off that one amp?

(4) What are all the different kinds of speakers in cars for like a performance set up? like their are tweeters, subs, and different types of subs like what are they, and what exactly are they for?


Thanks

[Alerojester]

ok on (1) i can only tell you half of that and yes RCA send a signal from the HU to the amp, kinda like speakerwire, if anyone wants to correct me feel free

[Silentalero]

Originally Posted by rida125

Ok so for a class i am taking in high school i am studing how car audio works. I have been able to find the information on how speakers work and how the amp works, but it gets tough when looking for some of the smaller information. So I got a few questions i would like answered.

(1) What does RCA stand for? And RCA is to bring the music from the HU to the AMP, Right?

The Definition im not sure, but as far as what they do. They are there to bring the signal from the headunit to the amp is correct.

(2) The Remote Wire, How exactly does that work? I know that that is what turns the amp on and off automatically with the radio.

Think of it like an ACC wire. (you know when you turn your key partially and the radio goes on) It works off that, its basically a small amperage wire that tell the amp when to turn on and off when the radio is on. Your Power is constant and the ground is your return so neither one of those could tell the amp what to do without leaving it on 24/7. Which in turn would kill your battery

(3) When talking about amps, and you say the amp has different numbers of channels what exactly does that mean? Does that have anything to do with the number of speakers you are able to power off that one amp?

Thats exactly what its for. A 4 channel amp is meant for interior and will have less amps because its being spread to 4 speakers inside the car. 2 channel is for subwoofers because its putting out a higher amps per channel. Getting a little more involved your starting to dig into bridging and wiring diagrams.

(4) What are all the different kinds of speakers in cars for like a performance set up? like their are tweeters, subs, and different types of subs like what are they, and what exactly are they for?

This is a loaded question, but here's a basic breakdown


* Tweeter - meant for highs (or vocal)
* Midrange speakers - exactly that, midrange audio
* 6x9's - Meant for a basic low bass (nothing to hard hitting)
* Component speakers - These are a midrange and tweeter set that has a crossover. And what the crossover does is takes the audio signal from the speaker wires and breaks it down to midrange and has a bass blocker to send the high signal to the tweeter.
* Subwoofer - strictly low end hard hitting bass.

Also keep in mind there are various sizes to these speakers for each type of car.

Thanks

[Cashdollar2009]

Silent iz da man.
Btw, RCA was derived from the Radio Corporation of America, as they were the first to introduce this type of cable in the early 1940's to allow mono phonograph players to be connected to amplifiers.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Actually hes wrong on some of it.

1) RCA is derived from Radio Corporation of America:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector

2) The remote wire is nothing more than a control wire. It is a small amperage circuit simply meant to control power via a relay. Thats the function.

Actually our "power" is the return. Since electricity flows from Negative to Positive. We all think backwards...

3) Different channels for different setups. 5 channels for an all in one mindset. 4 channels can be mixed- 4,3,2 channels. 2 Channels can be run as 2 or 1 Channel (for the most part) and monoblock 1 channels.

The amount of speakers you can power off a single amp is not a set number. I could power 100 speakers from an amp or 1, or more than 100!

To say a 2 channel amp is for subs is ridiculous. You can use it on tweeters if you want...

4)Tweeters, full range, mid range, woofers and subwoofers is the nominal speaker designations. There are classes inside these classes depending on designs...

[cherrington17]

Wire is for carrying electrons throughout the car.

[Silentalero]

Originally Posted by Ryan from Ohio

Actually hes wrong on some of it.

1) RCA is derived from Radio Corporation of America:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_connector

2) The remote wire is nothing more than a control wire. It is a small amperage circuit simply meant to control power via a relay. Thats the function.

Actually our "power" is the return. Since electricity flows from Negative to Positive. We all think backwards...

3) Different channels for different setups. 5 channels for an all in one mindset. 4 channels can be mixed- 4,3,2 channels. 2 Channels can be run as 2 or 1 Channel (for the most part) and monoblock 1 channels.

The amount of speakers you can power off a single amp is not a set number. I could power 100 speakers from an amp or 1, or more than 100!

To say a 2 channel amp is for subs is ridiculous. You can use it on tweeters if you want...

4)Tweeters, full range, mid range, woofers and subwoofers is the nominal speaker designations. There are classes inside these classes depending on designs...

You basically repeated what i said, Im not gonna get to in detail with more speakers and mixing channels and confuse the poor kid. He obviously doesnt know much about car audio so at that point your just gonna fry his brain.

[cherrington17]

Although his is a little more clear on things, like multiple channel amps. Rida isn't a blithering idiot, just ignorant to the field. He can handle slightly detailed explanations.

Originally Posted by Silentalero

You basically repeated what i said, Im not gonna get to in detail with more speakers and mixing channels and confuse the poor kid. He obviously doesnt know much about car audio so at that point your just gonna fry his brain.

ryan is good at that.

me "i wanna get this setup"
ryan "well..... heres the 832 step process to accomplish that."
me " "
ryan "btw, you owe me $87,632"
me " "

[Silentalero]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

Although his is a little more clear on things, like multiple channel amps. Rida isn't a blithering idiot, just ignorant to the field. He can handle slightly detailed explanations.



ryan is good at that.

me "i wanna get this setup"
ryan "well..... heres the 832 step process to accomplish that."
me " "
ryan "btw, you owe me $87,632"
me " "

Well I don't know his knowledge in car audio so I'll explain it into as basic as i can. Picture a "car Audio for dummies" type explanation. If your asking what a remote wire is I can't imagine you know to much.

[cherrington17]

yes and no. If you've simply never heard of one, the actual idea of one is easy to grasp.

Its not like 90% of the free world if flipping 30 switches to turn on their stereo.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Originally Posted by Silentalero

You basically repeated what i said, Im not gonna get to in detail with more speakers and mixing channels and confuse the poor kid. He obviously doesnt know much about car audio so at that point your just gonna fry his brain.

Well if he is going to write a school paper on the topic he at LEAST should know what hes talking about. It would be bad news if he tried to BS his way through it and his Teacher called him out on it

I wouldnt say I repeated you, just stated the facts besides the obvious. You did cover the obvious well.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

Although his is a little more clear on things, like multiple channel amps. Rida isn't a blithering idiot, just ignorant to the field. He can handle slightly detailed explanations.



ryan is good at that.

me "i wanna get this setup"
ryan "well..... heres the 832 step process to accomplish that."
me " "
ryan "btw, you owe me $87,632"
me " "

ALL YOUR DOLLARZ BELONG TO I

[cherrington17]

Originally Posted by Ryan from Ohio

ALL YOUR DOLLARZ BELONG TO I

NOOOOOO!

[rida125]

Thanks silent, what exactly is an ACC wire?

No and the super sweet thing is, is the fact that i dont have to write a paper about it, I just have to take our class out to my car and explain everything from there.

[jayson_waltz]

Acc is just abbreviation for accecory. It's a wire that is hot (power going thru it) when you turn the key to the acc position (first click) or any farth clicks. The only diff is the REM wire in therory uses the radio as it's key, the wire is only hot when the stereo is on. That way ur amp is only on when the stereo is on.

[Silentalero]

Originally Posted by jayson_waltz

Acc is just abbreviation for accecory. It's a wire that is hot (power going thru it) when you turn the key to the acc position (first click) or any farth clicks. The only diff is the REM wire in therory uses the radio as it's key, the wire is only hot when the stereo is on. That way ur amp is only on when the stereo is on.

what he said

[rida125]

Ok so lets see if i can explain an amp, so what an amp does is take power from the battery of the car, and sends it through many different steps which ideally make that 12 volts from the battery source and makes more power to power the subs?

[JLw7123]

you also need a ground wire a remote wire to radio for it to work. with out those two the subs will not work.

[Alerojester]

Originally Posted by JLw7123

you also need a ground wire a remote wire to radio for it to work. with out those two the subs will not work.

i hope he knew that

[rida125]

yeah i knew that