Where to put an external Amp?

Audio, Electronics and Lighting questions and answers

Moderators: timk, Stu, zombie, Andrew, -alex, miata

Juffa
Racing Driver
Posts: 1751
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Bayside - Melbourne
Contact:

Where to put an external Amp?

Postby Juffa » Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:14 am

So I have an Alpine external 2 channel amp in my MX. It currently sits behind the drivers seat and not really installed very well. I'm wanting to rectify that. It is a V12 series and is rather large.

I would prefer to get it out of the cabin and into the boot, but the only place that it will fit would be in the sunken section and I would prefer not to lose the boot space.

While I could get a smaller amp and install it in one of the tunnels btween the boot and cabin I wanted to see what my options with the alpine amp were first?


I'm interested to see where others other putting their amps?

J
Former owner of Mailbu Stacey, Smurfette and Tweety.

User avatar
Garry
Speed Racer
Posts: 3481
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SP
Location: God's Country
Contact:

Postby Garry » Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:35 pm

Wont help you much but I have a small Pioneer amp in the drivers side tunnel. No loss of boot space and totally stealth install.

Well it was stealth until I just told everyone....doh!
Shiney black one with added red bits. Member of the fart club. Now with extra doof and Sunlong. - deceased and gone to heaven

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Postby Okibi » Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:05 pm

Juffa,

I have a HUGE v12 amp in my boot (wheel well) but I bought 2 clarion amps to fit along the \"forward most part\" of the boot in front of the fuel tank.

I'm hoping to have one of these in the car before Natmeet. I don't need the other any more because I ditched my rear speakers when I put in the brown davis.

I can send you photos and dimensions of the amp if your interested in purchasing.
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

Juffa
Racing Driver
Posts: 1751
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Bayside - Melbourne
Contact:

Re:

Postby Juffa » Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:49 pm

Okibi wrote:Juffa,

I can send you photos and dimensions of the amp if your interested in purchasing.


Thanks Okibi, yes I might be interested. The passenger side tunnel is 160mm wide, 130mm high and around 300mm deep.

J
Former owner of Mailbu Stacey, Smurfette and Tweety.

User avatar
timk
Racing Driver
Posts: 1928
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 3:16 pm
Vehicle: NC

Postby timk » Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:19 pm

I put my amp in the lounge room, maybe you could try that? :P

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Postby Okibi » Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:28 pm

Its a clarion APX400.2 2/1 channel power amplifier, looks like it may be too big for that spot.

Image

215mm wide x 55mm high x 335mm deep

I know my triumph has a tiny amp (only used to drive a pair of 6x9s), so there are smaller amps out there.
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

User avatar
sabretooth
Speed Racer
Posts: 2119
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NA8 - Turbo

Postby sabretooth » Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:23 pm

Mine's in the boot where the spare tyre used to be. I made a small shelf thing which bolts into the hole where the spare used to be, carpeted it and the amp sits on that.

Mine's only an MRP-F200 though, so I assume it's significantly smaller.

wun911
Speed Racer
Posts: 2114
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:13 pm
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Melbourne

Postby wun911 » Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:31 pm

I dont have an amp

But I thought you have to put them in well vented places because they can generate a bit of heat.
every ounce counts

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Postby Okibi » Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:48 pm

If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

User avatar
Garry
Speed Racer
Posts: 3481
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SP
Location: God's Country
Contact:

Postby Garry » Sun Mar 02, 2008 10:49 am

But I thought you have to put them in well vented places because they can generate a bit of heat.


I've had my amp for over 5 years and used it in temperatures over 40degC for hours on end and I've never had a problem with it.
Shiney black one with added red bits. Member of the fart club. Now with extra doof and Sunlong. - deceased and gone to heaven

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Postby Okibi » Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:55 am

New amp setup
Image
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

User avatar
ampz
Racing Driver
Posts: 814
Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2005 9:56 pm
Vehicle: NA6 - Turbo
Location: siiiidaneeey
Contact:

Postby ampz » Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:06 pm

Just thinking out loud...
Say you have a different ecu and it is tucked up behind the glove box.

Would the footwell area where the ecu is, but suitable for an amp?

Im suspecting not enough airflow :frown:
Huh?

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Postby Okibi » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:48 pm

Should be fine, if it gets hot pretend its a passenger's foot warmer.
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.

manga_blue
Forum Guru
Posts: 4897
Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:27 pm
Vehicle: NA8
Location: Moruya, NSW

Postby manga_blue » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:27 pm

Scrutineers take a long hard look at things like amps in the cabin space. They need to be solidly mounted so that they don't become lethal projectiles.
As Juffa knows, it's worth a thought if you're entered for the Natmeet track day.
’95 NA8

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Postby Okibi » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:00 pm

I think they need to be solid no matter where they're mounted. I can see your concern.
If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.


Return to “MX5 Audio, Electronics & Lighting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests