Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!seismo!rochester!ur-tut!aptr From: aptr@ur-tut.UUCP (The Wumpus) Newsgroups: net.audio,net.auto Subject: Re: Inexpensive car stereos Message-ID: <358@ur-tut.UUCP> Date: Sat, 17-May-86 16:57:39 EDT Article-I.D.: ur-tut.358 Posted: Sat May 17 16:57:39 1986 Date-Received: Mon, 19-May-86 03:53:06 EDT References: <2808@jhunix.UUCP> <339@ur-tut.UUCP> <457@vaxwaller.UUCP> Reply-To: aptr@ur-tut.UUCP (The Wumpus) Distribution: net Organization: Univ. of Rochester Computing Center Lines: 51 Xref: linus net.audio:7839 net.auto:9560 In article <457@vaxwaller.UUCP> davet@vaxwaller.UUCP (Dave Triplett) writes: >> 50 Watts in a car? Wouldn't that be a little loud, especially with >> efficient speakers. I use a system that on a good day will put out about 5 >> Watts, drive a car with a dying muffler, and cruise at 60+ with the windows >> down and have never had (or wanted to ) turn the radio to full volume. >> >> The Wumpus. > > >Obviously, if you listen to your radio with a bad muffler >and open windows, you aren't a very critical listener and >don't expect your stereo to sound much like it might at >home or in quieter conditions in a car. As your response >indicates, a common misconception is that lots of power in >a car stereo is only needed if one wants inordinate volume >levels. Okay, I admit that when I am driving I am not that critical a listner, but I do expect it to have a good sound to it. Having MacIntosh speakers at home makes me very aware of what things should sound like, but I still stand by my statement, for most listening in a car you do not need more then 10 Watts/channel. Something that must be considered when talking about listening in a car is what kind of music you want to hear. For modern pop (read rock if you want to) which has a very limited dynamic range, you don't really need all that much head room in the amplifier because most of the music is within about 5db in level. When I am driving I tend to listen to pop music, but when I am at home, I will often listen to Jazz or clasical music. For both of these where the dynamic range is large, head room is needed. The MacIntosh 2100 amplifier that I (read my father in this case) uses is set so that there is a great amount of head room. This is for two reasons, 1) So that there is room for the loud and soft parts in Romantic pieces, and 2) the combination of Mac Speakers and Mac 2100 Amp is enough that you can turn it up loud enough to make doors and book case rattle, but still not be clipping or showing any distortion in the output. I will agree with you that there is a misconception about power vs. loudness, but you must also look at the loss in the speakers themselves (efficient vs. unefficient), the enviorment (including size and noise damping properties), and the dynamic range needed (generally the type of music being listened to). Since you say that you have a CD player in your car, I feel safe in saying that the main purpose of our listening while in the car is probably different. The Wumpus -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Boy is it getting hot around here. Two flames in one day, and I haven't even gotten halfway through my newsgroups.