Originally posted by JeffW:
First of all, DO NOT let WorstBuy install your stuff.
This is just an opinion. It all depends on the experience level of the installer doing the job. I've had experience with Best Buy in years past and I never had a problem with the install.
If you peruse automotive audio forums you will find horror stories about well known and trusted installers. It all depends on who is doing the install and how experienced the tech is.
Originally posted by JeffW:
Secondly, most good aftermarket HU's come with pre-amp outputs. So regardless of whether the factory HU is internally amped or not, the factory amp should still work with it ($50 for hard-wiring).
There might be an adapter available to connect to your amp.
Even though this is technically accurate why would one want to spend money and time trying to find a work around for a cheap, under powered, 2 ohm rated amplifier. For $130 one could get a decent 2 channel, 200 watt amp that's rated at 4 ohms.
Originally posted by JeffW:
Unless you want to lose sound (If you have the Sub, you WILL with no amp)
You do understand that the sub in the Xterra is not operating the same as an aftermarket sub would be? In an after market setting one would purchase an additional amp that would be dedicated to pushing the subwoofer. In the Xterra RF stereo setting the 8" sub is hooked up inline with a tweeter, much like the front 6.5" components. The sub is only drawing 1/4 the power that the stock amp is outputting which is the same as each speaker in the system. Other than a
slightly lower frequency response the power and volume levels are the same as every other speaker.
Originally posted by JeffW:
You will havta spend about $1000 bucks to bypass your amp and replace amp and HU.
Not true. If one picked up a quality HU for around $300
(say 50watts x 4) and tapped into the factory wiring
(w/o swapping any speakers) they would get cleaner sound in the existing factory speaker setup. If one were to add an after market amp with an aftermarket sub then the bass output would also increase.
Originally posted by JeffW:
I don't have the time, but I bet there is an adapter available somewhere.
I'm sure there is but, again, why would one want to spend the time and money trying to make that under powered amp function with an after market setup?
Some tidbits of info on the stock RF amp:The stock amp is rated at 300 watts
PEAK power at 2 ohms. To make an honest comparison with after market amps we would have to find the values based off of 4 ohms not 2 ohms. So, in reality, this amp would output approx. 150 watts at 4 ohms. Now, RMS power is
normally 75% the peak power, so we're really looking at 112.5 watts RMS at 4 ohms. Break that down into 4 channels and we're looking at 28.125 watts RMS at 4 ohms.
Now compare the factory amp to the JL Audio 300/4 amp I just purchased. The JL amp is also rated at 300 watts with the difference being it is rated at 300 watts RMS at 4 ohms. Break that down into 4 channels and we're looking at 75 watts RMS at 4 ohms. Quite a difference wouldn't you say?
Some tidbits of info on ohm ratings:The higher the ohm rating the cleaner and purer the power being outputted from the amp. So, 100 watts at 8 ohms is significantly better then 100 watts at 4 ohms and tremendously better then 100 watts at 2 ohms.
When one reduces the ohms by half they can effectively double the power output of the amp at the expense of sound quality and power efficiency. This method of reducing ohms to double power is frequently used when hooking up sub woofers because the bass frequencies are much more forgiving to the less pure signal the amp will now output. If sound quality is of the utmost concern then reducing ohms to gain wattage is not recommended.