I just got a component system, but i dont have an amp for it yet...

my question is, can i use just the speakers for now(powered by my HU) until i get an amp , and then hook it all up with the X-overs? or is that a problem?

 

Well, you'll need to hook it up with the crossovers in place even if you run it off your head unit. What Component set do you have? At low sound levels it shouldn't hurt the speakers any, as long as you keep the volume down and it's only temporary. I wouldn't try to turn the volume up very loud though. I'm no expert but I was told when I got my Kicker components that it would hurt the speakers if I used them off the head unit and cranked them up. I only had them wired off the head unit for 2 days and that was just because the people didn't listen to me when they installed them.

 

Most definitely use the crossovers. Sending a full range signal to the tweeters will fry them in no time.

I also agree with the above post. Don't turn your HU up too loud or you may risk damaging your new speakers. The HU's amplifier section is of very poor quality compared to a quality outboard amplifier. A low powered amp (like that inside an HU) pushed to it's limits will distort badly and that is never a good thing.

 

I agree about useign the x overs. Just to let you guys know some componet sets can be used without x overs. The speakers have built in resistors or bass blockers so they could handle a full signal. It all depends on your speakers. Also his pioneer HU shouldent have an issue running his componets.

 

I have to disagree with this statement. The power amp section of an HU is very poor as far as putting out a clean signal. Compare an HU that claims to be 50Wx4 to a quality brand name amplifier that is 50Wx4. There is no way they can cram that much amplifier power into an HU and still have room for the rest of the electronics and mechanisms inside the HU. Your typical HU can only put out about 15 truely clean watts of power. A quality amp can put out that much power easily with plenty of clean hreadroom power still on tap.

 

Im not going to use the tweets yet, just the 6.5's...until i get a bigger amp, then i will use the tweets...

 

Your right about the amp having more clean power to send it to the speakers. At the same time just because it doesent send 50 watts dosent mean it wont work. I agree that speakers are more likey to blow with low power and bad distortion rather than to much power. But a HU can run most sets of componets without causing any damage unless the person plays their music all the way up. And doing that will cause damage almost all the time anyway. Also most good sets of compontents have a over power protection feature in the tweeters as back up. I think you are makign the mistake of thinking that because it cant put out as much power as an amp it cant put out clean power. That 50wx4 is a maxx rating not RMS. On the amp you would get that would be an RMS rating. Thats comparing apples to oranges.

 

That power protection feature is nothing more than a poly switch that will open up to protect the tweeters. The mid-woofers are still subject to damage from a badly distorted signal.

A lot of people end up blowing their speakers even with quality amplifiers because they don't understand how to set an amp's gain properly. Too many people use them as volume controls and end up with an amp that is going into hard clipping when they crank up the volume.

As for the Peak vs. RMS power thing thats another misconception most people seem to have. They see 50Wx4 on the packaging and they immediately assume thats actually what the HU can do. This just aint the case but a lot of the time it's hard to convince them of this. Your average consumer doesn't know that there is a difference between those apples and oranges.

 

LOL very true about our average joe. All i am saying is that i have personally installed both setups and havent had an issue with ither one. Yes the amped set up sounds better but the HU does a decent job. I say we agree to disagree.

 

if i run it off the HU, do i need to run the wires to the tweeter inputs, then just use the speaker outputs until i get an amp, then hook up the tweets?

 

If you run it off your head unit or an amp its the same. Run the input wires (either form the HU or form the amp) to the input on the x overs. Then run wires to your tweeter and mid. When you amp it up its just a matter of running a new input line from the amp to the x over and you dont have to change anything else.

 

but do i just use the tweeter inputs?

 

I dont know what your cross overs are like but mine are like this. 6 wire connections. a pos and neg input/ a pos and neg tweeter out put/ and a pos and neg woofer output. You should only have two wires for input a + and -. Now these wires can come from either place. But go ahead and hook everything up either way

 

mine have 8...

+/- tweeter in...+/- woofer in...

and +/- tweeter out...+/- woofer out...

 

Are you just spliting you input wire and using it for both tweeter in and woofer in? I would say hook everything up and just dont turn your music way way up.