by Monkeyman » Fri Dec 30, 2005 5:21 pm
You don't have to use the full dB range of the head unit, what you could do instead is keep the gains on your amps down. With 8 Volts they will not have to be turned up as much as they would with a lower voltage output. With the gains down your amp(s) don't have to work as hard, will heat up less, and as a result will sound clearer, cleaner, and will last longer (with less chance of melting a power or ground wires or themselves!). I would suggest that you run both power AND ground to/from the battery to the trunk. Doing this will allow the amplifiers to run with less resistance on the power side. Speaking of resistance, there is a upside/downside to the eclipse head unit, it has VERY low resistance in the signal path. While this results in a cleaner, warmer, fuller sound, it also means if you disconnect an RCA accidentally while the unit is powered up and playing, you will roast-n-toast the preamp. Make sure you use secure RCA's! I use Nordost Vallhalla's myself, but Monster makes a few models which would fill the bill.
Oh, I almost forgot: With the CD-8445 and CD-8455 the parametric eq includes a microphone with which you can test the acoustics of the car, write the info directly to a memory stick (both heads have memory stick reader/writers built in) take it to your computer and use Eclipse's "e-iserv" website to automaticly adjust the parametric eq. You can also adjust it yourself on the head, or on the website. I think the Pioneer may also have an option like this.
02 DWP; all TRD parts for 2.4L HT; Gold mirror windows; Nordost Valhalla, Eclipse CD8455, Morel / Renaissance, A/D/S pq40.2, Rockford Fosgate 500m, Garret T3/T4 ceramic bearing turbo.
