[Danny.B.]

Hi Folks,

I have been using a tecnics harness and a LOC with RCA's to connect to my amp previously. But now i have the headunit coded to HiFi (thanks Steve!!) i no longer have the need for the LOC (which is good because the LOC ive got is pants!) . So what is the best way to now connect my speaker wires to the amp?! Ive brought a couple of RCA bullets which you solder the speaker wire into, but unsure if this is the best way?

And forgive me for sounding stupid. But would i put L+/L- together, into one RCA and R+/R- together into the other RCA?

[Danny.B.]

Found this..

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_4885770_co...rca-plugs.html

Should do the trick!

[parapaul]

Be interested to hear how you get on Danny, I was going to go down this route but couldn't get a clear answer anywhere on whether it would work or not.

It's all a little bit muddy, and here's why:

Fact 1. The HiFi coding means the output is now a balanced signal over the existing speaker wires.
Fact 2. The speaker wires in the car are a pair: + and -
Fact 3. In terms of audio, a balanced signal requires 3 wires: +, - and ground.

Those 3 things are irrefutable, but they don't agree. I can only assume that the low level balanced output from the HU is just a + and - signal, rather than a signal and ground which is what you'd get in an unbalanced setup for 'normal' RCAs.

Anyway - the point I was trying to make is that I don't know whether you can use both speaker wires to solder to an RCA plug, or whether you'll have to use one wire for the tip and find a ground for the ring.

[Frobius]

Paul, slight correction mate, at least as far as I understand it. HiFi coding changes the outputs to balanced differential, rather than a pure balanced output. I think a pure balanced output is the 3 pin one you're thinking of, as in balanced XLR plugs on pro audio and video kit. As far as I understand it, bd is only two wires?

[Frobius]

And from a quick scan of wiki, there seems to be more to it.. As per usual!

It seems that proper balanced signals do indeed require 3 lines, two signal and a ground. However there is a version called balanced line which only needs two, both signal. It seems that it doesn't need ground. I can only assume that grounding is taken care of elsewhere?

[Frobius]

Further clarification. Seems the ground is totally optional and that balanced and differential are different entirely!

http://www.hairballaudio.com/blog/ba...-differential/

I'm going to be quiet now.

[Danny.B.]

Well i have fitted the RCAs today (PITA soldering whilst half hanging into the boot!!) but OMG it sounds incredible now!

Ive ditched my old crappy LOC and figured out why i had polarity issues so i have 4 fully functioning speakers with the correct balance applied on my head unit with no loss of any frequencys! Hifi has really helped cleared things up also, im happy as larry with my system for the first time since i installed it nearly a year ago!!

It goes so loud without any clipping i couldnt bare it!

Happy as larry :-)

Thank you everyone for your help along the way!

And a Big thanks to steve for coding my headunit to Hifi and showing me his alpine system giving me the energy to finally put mine right!

[Frobius]

No worries mate, glad you got it sorted! Bet it sounds ace now!

[Danny.B.]

Originally Posted by Frobius

No worries mate, glad you got it sorted! Bet it sounds ace now!

It sounds fantastic, the different between how it was and how it now is wow, i just cant believe!

I feel better about the amount of cash i spent on everything now!

[parapaul]

Wow I'm very pleased that it worked!

Just to confirm then, for me and anyone else in future - what did you solder where? + to tip and - to ring?

[Danny.B.]

Originally Posted by parapaul

Wow I'm very pleased that it worked!

Just to confirm then, for me and anyone else in future - what did you solder where? + to tip and - to ring?

Thats right Paul

Very delicate job when your hanging into the boot as there isnt enough slack (wasnt in my case at least!) Got to be very careful they dont join, i finished one and it didnt work, one of the wires had splintered off and was touching the outer ring, and it didnt like it!

[MEGA]

Sounds like altogether too much effort! I prefer to just throw money at the problem haha..

[makkan00]

Finally, you sorted it!
Hope you like the sound of it as hi-fi coding + JL amp does make hell lot of difference.

[parapaul]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Finally, you sorted it!
Hope you like the sound of it as hi-fi coding + JL amp does make hell lot of difference.

Sam,

I'm sure I read in one of your ICE build threads that you tried to do this - solder RCA plugs direct onto the speaker cables - but had really bad results. Wonder what Danny did different?

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by parapaul

Sam,

I'm sure I read in one of your ICE build threads that you tried to do this - solder RCA plugs direct onto the speaker cables - but had really bad results. Wonder what Danny did different?

Paul,
I guess you read it somewhere else.
I have done it couple of months ago and since then never returned or moved to other amp other than JL (for mids and under seats).

Actually Danny picked this idea from the mistryn thread where I advised him to solder the RCA bullets directly to speaker wires.

[Danny.B.]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Actually Danny picked this idea from the mistryn thread where I advised him to solder the RCA bullets directly to speaker wires.