hotshot
Well-Known Member
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One 4 channel amp for the mids and highs, one monoblock amp for the sub
My installer put one in a 12 ex,he said it made a better sound with factory speakers,about 30 percent gain in power.i believe he pit it under dash in front driver side. Better than factory is all he said.I dunno about that alpine powerpack. I think the best route to take if youre wanting to keep the factory headunit would be something like a JL cleansweep or a Rockford Fosgate 3sixty or something like that. a stand alone signal processor, and then sticking in a separate amp, but It's more time consuming, and more expensive, but its the best way.
I used to be an installer a while back so its been a while...i know my way around car audio but im not in the know about signal processors could you inform me a little about them? hotshot
I've not heard to compare. Is it the amp that is problematic or?The original poster of this topic can replace the factory speakers with aftermarket speakers and improve the sound significantly. I would also recommend Polk Audio speakers. The original poster has an LX Civic which is not crippled by the horribly sounding premium audio external amp. Believe it or not, the standard audio 160w stereo in the Civic has better sound than the premium audio systems in the EX coupe and Si models.
It's not necessarily better sounding in stock form, it's just that the premium system includes an external amp that brings with it a custom sound processor which boosts and cuts certain frequencies depending on volume level. For any aftermarket set up you need a flat full range signal for the amps and speakers to work properly. So for someone who likes a custom sound system the base stereo on the civic would be a better choice. For someone keeping it stock or not picky about sound then the premium audio makes sense.I've not heard to compare. Is it the amp that is problematic or?
Actually, it is. I was put into many LX loaner Civics while Honda tried and failed to repair the AC in my EX-L, so I was able to listen to direct comparisons between the premium and non-premium using the same music on my iPod. The standard 160w stereo sounds far better than the premium system because the stereo has it's own built-in amp and the head unit provides a full range output to the speakers. The premium system with external amp, as you stated, butchers the sound because the external amp boosts or cuts frequencies in a poor fashion. The premium head unit has the benefit of being unpowered with pre-amp outputs, as long as you remove the factory amp. But the standard 160w stereo can achieve better sound by replacing the speakers because the built-in amp in the head unit is powerful enough to drive a decent pair of Polk Audio speakers, and it will be a full range output, or at least one that is far better than going through the factory amp in the premium version. My Navi premium head unit sounded amazing once the factory amp was replaced with the JL audio amp, new speakers, and a new sub. No converter...the pre-amp outputs straight to the JL amp. The JL amp was specifically designed for differential balanced inputs, an aftermarket head unit is not always necessary. Those were the old days. Anyway, I recently ditched the Civic and replaced it with a new Nissan Altima, thanks to Honda's terrible service.It's not necessarily better sounding in stock form
Did you add new speakers with the factory head unit?I replaced just the front speakers on an 2013 LX sedan. Cleaner sound though that's about it. I am adding an amp though just haven't gotten around to it yet. I noticed the driver side speaker connections was different from the 2012 I was using as a guide. The rear speakers looks to be a pita to take out since I have to remove the seat, side cushion, deck, etc... I'm thinking of just doing a 3-4 channel amp and power up the front speakers and ad a sub in the trunk. The 2013 HU is also configured a little different than the 12. The 12 is a two piece (vent, HU) while the 13 is just a one piece. Haven't pulled the HU yet to get to the ACC purple wire to power remote the amp.