Corollary to OEM stereo: amplifiers?

[kcodyjr]

It's payday and I've got to decide what to do about my stereo.

Vehicle is my 1997 850 GLT sedan. Existing unit is an SC-815 which may or may not be OE. No factory amp present.

Summarizing the other thread, the complaints are the front-left cutout and comically inaccurate bass response curve. I'm the kind of listener that would usually prefer a modestly high end but simple aftermarket system, but this is a car that I prefer to keep as OE as possible.

So, it's up in the air whether the final head unit will be another SC-815, an SC-901, or a plain-looking aftermarket double DIN unit. There are a few at the end of the head unit thread that I'm considering.

I had planned to start with putting a factory amp into it, on the logic that any amp is better than no amp, an aftermarket unit won't be appreciably better for something as simple as amplifying, and an aftermarket unit will be a real pain in the arse to install invisibly. This unfortunately rules out the 4x100 from the C70 as well.

Choices available on e-bay are: an HA-4240 for behind the dash, and an HA-4250 for the passenger kick panel. Those are usually installed below the passenger seat, but this one came from a 2000 V70R that had it in the kick panel and the bracket looks different than the under-seat.

To be clear, the only amps I'm considering are the ones I can hide somewhere without any cutting or drilling, which means OE or a lucky aftermarket unit that happens to have holes lining up - unlikely. I'm somewhat concerned about putting an amp under the seat here in the Northeast, but not overly so, since the back seat is rarely used.

Remember, by owner/operator fiat, the fit and finish are declared to be equally important as sound quality. I'd also rather not deal with burnout.


Thanks for the votes,
- Kevin

[kcodyjr]

OK, just one vote so far, but I'm seeing it's for the 4250 under the seat, despite this one originating in the kick panel of an 00 V70R, and the possibility of snow melting off someone's boots near it.

Is that due to heat rejection issues? The unit looks to have much less heatsink on it than the 4240, so is it designed to be in the path of the rear floor vent? Wouldn't turning the heat on exacerbate that?


- Kevin

[BlackThunder]

I've been thinking about upgrading my stereo as well. Right now I'm powering 6 speakers in my 97 850 with a single DIN JVC head unit (the empty space is taken up by a cubby). The stereo works well but it isn't powering the Pioneer 6X9s that I have in the rear window.

Here is my proposal:
Because I have an aftermarket antenna the power cable to the old OEM powered antenna is present. I want to tap into that instead of running a wire all the way through the front of the car and to the battery. Any thoughts on this?

Bad idea? Would I get signal interferrence from the alternator/bad grounding? I've never installed an AMP before. But since I've owned my Volvo I've stepped up my mechanical skills a bunch and I enjoy it!

If this works then I'll only have to run RCA cables from the JVC head unit to the amplifier instead of having to run a power cord as well as a RCA cable.

Dustin

[BEJinFbk]

Yeah...That's not gonna come close to working.
No where NEAR enough juice and the "Antenna Up" signal only works with the radio.
Just pull a good sized ( FUSED ! ) lead in from the battery, pick up left and right RCA's
and a turn on from the HU. There are no short cuts in good audio. Sorry...

[BlackThunder]

Ok, good thing I asked, BEJinFBK! This saves me some frustration. I wanted to use that power for a second antenna (powered) anyway.

Dustin