I went looking for a high/low converter and i found a couple types of these things.. can someone show me what i need here?
Are there different types that allow more or less amps or wattage through it ?
Better brands.. what?
I found this.. is it good for 800watts ? http://cgi.ebay.com/DB-HI-LO-CONVERT...QQcmdZViewItem

 

how about this..
http://cgi.ebay.com/Scosche-LOC80-LO...QQcmdZViewItem

 

You just have to make sure it can handle the line that you are tapping into, if I am reading that correctly. I doubt your stock head unit puts more than 80W/channel. Again, as I have said before, I don't know hardly anything about high/low converters, so I would ask around or talk to a stereo shop.

 

Any high/low level converter will work...all of them are very similar.

 

unless you step up to a JL cleansweep or a Rockford 3Sixty.2. Then you are in a whole other league in performance and price...

 

Bottom line is its still more interference. Any processing of the sound, any conversion, anything; still tampers with and degrades the sound. JL is very reputable, but Rockford is way overpriced. True, you can get good Rockford speakers (I have), though they are far from flat, which my ideal quality in sound reproduction systems, they can go very loud, its just that it costs you a *LOT* to get there. However for most purposes a good high/low converter will only produce minor noticeable audible interference, less so than those "iCrud FM transmitter" things, but still noticeable. Maybe those Cleansweeps or that Rockford can be less so, but in the end, scientifically, they still cause signal degradation. I wont speak to those, for I have not used them myself or heard them in use, nor done any research on them. Not that I have done much research on any hi/lo converter but I have heard those in use.

 

I just looked at some of the JL audio CleanSweep line up. It actualy looks pretty decent. As far as the stock head unit goes, the Bose in our cars is actually one of the flattest outputs available factory or aftermarket. I would use the low level outs of the symphony to drive a set of aftermarket amps powering aftermarket speakers (Boston Acoustics of course, Eclipse being a close second and Memphis Audio being the "If I was on an extreme tight budget but still wanted decent sound" category leader.

Personally I'd upgrade to a Symphony head unit in any Audi before getting the JLs. Nothing against JL, but a clean source is cleaner than a cleaned signal. Any other vehicle it would be Eclipse head unit with 8V pre-outs. Again, clean source. I just couldn't see any reason to go with the JLs unless I had specific car-system integration in like a Ferrari or something. And I wouldn't be adding weight to a Ferrari. Maybe a Rolls Royce though... mmmm 101EX....

 

There are some misconceptions in there but yes, a clean pre-out source would be best.... and did I read that there are low-level preouts already on the stock deck???

 

I know personally that the Audi Symphony system (the one with the 6 disc changer) has low level output, as it uses an external amplifier in the trunk to power the speakers. You can tap into all the channels as they are all externally amplified and thus all have low level signal put to the external amp.

What misconceptions are there? What I was trying to say is that a clean signal with as few modifications as possible from a stereo with a flat output across the frequencies is going to have the cleanest sound. Any other way you look at it, converting from low to high to low to high, processing the sound to "flatten" it from a non-flat source, things of that nature, are going to degrade the sound quality in comparison. Yes it may sound better than the non-flattened source, but it still will not sound better than the least-modified flat output stereo. There is no arguing that, it is common knowledge as well as science.

However like I said, if I had a head unit I had to keep for core car functionality (like the new MMI, which if it is as good as the current Symphony head units, will need no help), I would use the JL Cleansweep, which as I understand is the whole premis of it. However I would (if I had an Audi) install a Symphony head unit over anything else due to the center display in the driver's console displaying the radio information, which is one of my favorite features, and the high-grade of the unit as far as sound quality and pre-amp outputs. Any other car I would use an Eclipse by Fujitsu Ten head unit. Any vehicle is upgraded, in my opinion, by Boston Acoustics speakers and amplifiers, until I personally hear otherwise.

 

is really useful for me, I am glad to read it here.