Hello all, this has probably been asked and answered before but i couldn't find a definitive answer, if it is please point in the direction.

 

I'm going through the process of installing my iPad mini in place of my stereo unit. As i'm aware i will need a digital-analogue converter from my iPad (using a lightning to usb cable).Out of the DAC and then using RCA's into the amplifier. 

 

Now i believe i need 4 speakers, 2 tweeters and a sub (two speakers for front & back, tweeters on dash and a sub in boot) does this sound correct? 

 

Using a 5 channel amp i can feed the front LH speakers & tweeters (via a cross over) for 1 channel and same on the RH side; using a total of 2 channels. 

 

Then two more channels for rear speakers and lastly 1 channel for sub. 

 

Does that all sound correct?

 

My questions are as follow:

 

1 - Do i need four speakers and 2 tweeters or could i do without 2 tweeters or rear speakers?

 

2 - If i get 2 front speakers with tweeters & crossovers can i feed them all ( 2 speakers & 2 tweeters) off 1 channel meaning i need only a 4 channel amp

 

3 - Have i completely misunderstood it all?

 

 

Please help!!

Assuming I understand your questions properly...

 

1) I don't think you'll be able to power the OEM speakers off a dedicated amp; at least that was the case about 5 years ago when I last did an (basic) ICE install.  I only ran a 3 channel JBL amp if I remember correctly, and only amped the front speakers and sub in the boot. The rears were simply left powered directly from the HU via the standard loom.  

 

2) no you can't connect the front left and front right to one channel.  That would only give you Left or Right audio from the Stereo signal so you'd only hear half of the music. Also, one channel would not give enough power to power both sets of speakers so you'd risk damaging something. I'm no electronics expert so I could be wrong, but it's not something I'd be racing to try.

Great, thanks for the response. I'll be upgrading the OEM speakers to components but i get your point about only left or right side music, just not sure if i need four speakers front & rear and tweeters

In my old Fab, I had: 

 

Front Components : speaker and tweeters from 2 channels  (Left and Right) 

2 Rear Speakers only... mainly for mid - Low frequencies using 2 channels 

sub in the boot - For this I had a seperate Amp which was a monoblock... 

 

probably slightly cheaper using a 5 channel amp however if for any reason you blow the Sub Amp from the Bass Line, then you lose all the speakers, if they are seperate then you still have speakers. 

 

In terms of using the iPad in the car, why not make use of the Bluetooth audio output of the iPad and hook it up to a standard stereo. Leave the Stereo to running the music and amp outputs (much easier than buying tons of converters and also makes the ipad completely wireless) 

 

I know the stereo will fit in the bottom half of the glove box from experience with a small hole cut in the back with a large drill. 

 

Good Luck! 

@Jcb05, Great help again! I have read through your guide a couple of times and have it bookmarked ready for the install. I did like the idea of the stereo in the glove box but was curious how much extra legwork would be involved by removing it all together, was even toying with the idea of mounting it under driver seat & amp mounted under passenger seat. But what speakers you used is a great help, in terms of the rear's what were they? Just bog standard component speakers?

What car do you have? You may need new rivets and a rivet gun to fit the new speakers depending on the car...

Mk1 Fabia, currently only a tractor version (SDI) but looking to get a VRS in the next year but so any mods will just swap over to the VRS

http://www.teamspb.co.uk/

 

These were the first people in the uk to fit an ipad into a car. They will have all your answers for that.

 

In answer to your questions.

 

You need a set of components for the front. That will consist of 2 mids (speakers in the doors) and 2 Tweeters. To power these you will need 2 channels of amplification.

 

I'd advise not to worry about rear speakers or if you must have some leave the oem ones in place.

 

I'd advise to run a dedicated sub amp rather than trying to get everything to be powered off one amp.

Feel free to pm me if you've any questions mate. I've been putting installs in my cars and competing in the uk Db Drag competition for the past 10 years so should be able to help you out.

Edited 7 May, 201610 yr by ryan-re