Capacitor question...(car stereo/sub)

[mshilarious]

You just don't want to go with the flow at all, do you. First you want to rethink the design of all studio equipment and now you want cars to be boring little pods that quietly transport us about without fun and/or excitement. That's what public transportation is for...

I drive a Mini Cooper, what can I say. No, I've always thought cars should be small, light, and fast. The Mini is small but not light Car audio is up against so many obstacles compared with a studio that I don't even bother with it. Cars just get wrecked anyway.

 

[solo2racr]

Car audio is up against so many obstacles compared with a studio that I don't even bother with it. Cars just get wrecked anyway.

I know what your saying and your right. But, it's not impossible. I have built one and have heard a few cars that sounded very good and measured at the drivers location, as flat as most any monitor in a well treated room. Mine only had a 3db variation at a couple points between 30hz and around 16000hz. Either end gracefully drooped in 3db steps from there. Measurement was taken with a Audio Control SA3051 RTA "A" weighted with pink noise. Too many absorbing surfaces in a car to get much higher than that.

 

[Farview]

I drive a Mini Cooper, what can I say. No, I've always thought cars should be small, light, and fast. The Mini is small but not light Car audio is up against so many obstacles compared with a studio that I don't even bother with it. Cars just get wrecked anyway.

I wish I fit in a Mini. Small cars and freakish long legs don't mix now that every car maker wants to put the dash board in your lap and wrap that into the center console...

More people listen to music in a car than they do a studio, it's a valid reference. It also gives you something to take your mind off of that ticking noise your engine started making last week.

 

[Dogbreath]

It also gives you something to take your mind off of that ticking noise your engine started making last week.

nice.

 

[mshilarious]

I know what your saying and your right. But, it's not impossible. I have built one and have heard a few cars that sounded very good and measured at the drivers location, as flat as most any monitor in a well treated room. Mine only had a 3db variation at a couple points between 30hz and around 16000hz. Either end gracefully drooped in 3db steps from there. Measurement was taken with a Audio Control SA3051 RTA "A" weighted with pink noise. Too many absorbing surfaces in a car to get much higher than that.

Oh sure it's possible, it's just far more expensive than similar results in a regular ol' room. And then it gets wrecked, or the car gets old and you wish it was wrecked. And if you have to take out extra insurance to cover your $10K car audio install . . . an extra $10K of homeowner's coverage is a lot cheaper. I have my studio gear insured as business property for an extra $20 per year (only $5K of stuff, not including instruments which aren't business property for me. That's not much but I have an old computer and I built a lot of my gear).

I listen to the radio/CD player less and less in the car these days. A Mini (well BMW MINI really) is a very loud, harsh ride by modern standards. So it's not especially conducive to that sort of thing. I've also removed some of the insulation from the bonnet and boot so I can hear more exhaust and valve noise, that sort of thing. Plus, it makes the car lighter

 

[dgatwood]

The power loss to that diode will be significant. 400W / 12V = 33A * 0.6V (probably much more drop for that current, I don't do 33A circuits like . . . ever) = 20W. That's a honkin' big diode, but I guess it's a big honkin' cap too.

If the load increases on the alternator, the alternator shouldn't sag until the cap is drained?

And then your spark plug doesn't fire. Yes, great idea.

 

[mshilarious]

And then your spark plug doesn't fire. Yes, great idea.

Well I just pop my clutch every morning, but I think he meant to isolate the audio system from the rest of the car's electrical system with the diode.