New Headunit Questions

Just a few days ago I had started my car and turned the volume up to around 35/62, then all of a sudden my Pioneer CD Player turned off completely, then turned on a few seconds later, when it started playing music I could immediately tell something was wrong, I'm hoping it's just the two 5.25" speakers in my doors that blew. I can still hear music but it sounds a lot more muffled then it did, and doesn't sound nearly as loud.

I want to get a in-dash power-pack installed with my next CD Player/speakers, but I don't know if the 1997 Riv comes with a factory amplifier (to increase the RMS for each speaker), but if it does I need to know how to uninstall it/bypass it, and the difficulty of how to do it. What I want to do is get an Alpine CD Player and an Alpine power-pack to increase the RMS to 45, is that possible to do with this car?

you might have tripped the overload circuitry - many amps will shut down if they select what seems to be a dead short on the outputs, and with some music you'll get "reactive power" in the voice coil that will cause that shutdown.

you might also have simply blown the speakers. Take the grilles off and push the cones gently with your fingers if you can so as not to crush anything. If they feel a bit gritty, hour voice coils are Toast.

The Riv did not come from factory with a separate amp (unlike the Ford/JBL systems, which have a pretty hefty amp external to the head unit).

If the head unit you are talking about fits the dash opening, your headache will be getting the steering wheel controls to work with it. I think there are some other functions you lose as well but I do not remember what they are.

When I first got my pioneer headset installed I lost all the controls from my steering wheel, I didn't like that too much, how would I get them to work with my next headunit? and if I did take my car to get it professionally installed, (headunit/speakers) do you think they would be able to connect the steering wheel controls again?

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The Riv did not come from factory with a separate amp (unlike the Ford/JBL systems, which have a pretty hefty amp external to the head unit).

So their is no in-dash amplifier in the Riv? If I got the in-dash power-pack installed and I already had a factory in-dash amp it wouldn't work at all.

To use the steering wheel controls you need a radio that has remote input, and there is a device you can use, look up "PAC-SWIX" they have several steering wheel interface modules you can reprogram to universal remote functionality.

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you might have tripped the overload circuitry - many amps will shut down if they select what seems to be a dead short on the outputs, and with some music you'll get "reactive power" in the voice coil that will cause that shutdown.

you might also have simply blown the speakers. Take the grilles off and push the cones gently with your fingers if you can so as not to crush anything. If they feel a bit gritty, hour voice coils are Toast.

Just to clarify, replacing my factory speakers would solve my problem, right?

I tried the Alpine in dash amp with an rather pricey Alpine head unit. IMO it sucked! w/o the amp it was not loud but it was clear. w/ the amp it was louder... but the sound quality was terrible! I returned it to crutchfield and got my Kenwood Exelon and to tell you the truth w/o an amp up front, its far louder than the Alpine was. and by far the clearest sounding head unit Ive ever used! I'm not being a party crasher. I had my heart set on an Alpine. I even caught hell from my wife for spending so much. but live and learn... I hope this helps you.
P.S. have you replaced your speakers? Do you have subs and an amp?

I forgot to mention you can get connecters to use your steering wheel controls. most manufacturers offer this option on there higher end units.

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I tried the Alpine in dash amp with an rather pricey Alpine head unit. IMO it sucked! w/o the amp it was not loud but it was clear. w/ the amp it was louder... but the sound quality was terrible!

Thanks for that! That let's me know not to waste my time with it.

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P.S. have you replaced your speakers?

I haven't replaced any of the inside speakers, but I need to replace everything if you ask me. When I first got my Pioneer headunit installed I was pretty amazed with how well the system sounded already so I never upgraded the speakers. Currently looking at buying Kicker 5.25's for my doors, was going to be the component speakers with the tweeter and bass block, but unfortunately no place around here has them in stock, just the regular 5.25 pair. Which speakers would you best recommend? and what are your thoughts on 6x9's, is it worth spending a lot of money to replace them or should I leave them alone and focus on the front 5.25" and tweeters?

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Do you have subs and an amp?

I have 2 12" Kicker's in a ported box with a polk audio 880 amp in the trunk.

If your gunna do it you might as well do it right and replace the 6x9's as well. You can get a good set of 6x9's for alot cheaper than any good component set. If you are just going with 5.25 you will have money left over from a would be component set to spend on some 6x9's. If you don't get 6x9's you'll have 1 of those systems that's overrun with bass.

I agree with Hometown Hero... Replace them all! I like Polk Audio myself. but my budget said no! If you check on Crutchfield.com they always have good stuff in the close out and sale section. that's where i went and found some very nice speakers. when I get around to it I plan to modify the door panel so I can put in my Polk 6 3/4" separates.

Yeah unfortunately Bestbuy apparently doesn't carry much car audio around here, I had to drive 30 miles just to pick up a pair of 5.25" speakers, the Bestbuy closest to me had none in stock. I ended up just getting the regular 2-way Kicker KS 5.25"s, I almost bought a pair of Alpine 6x9's, but I thought I'd wait, they did have 1 pair of Kicker 6x9's but they were $150, and the box looked in bad condition and had already been opened.

What 6x9's would you guy's recommend?

Like I said I prefer Polk but on my budget... Not gunna happen! Look at my list at the bottom of the post. I got the Boston Acoustics 5 1/4" w/ 1" tweeters and cross overs for $55 i think an reg. price was over $100. the Alpine 6 x 9" three way speakers for $69 originally went for $150 Dude YOU can find BETTER than Best Buy at far less... Look at crutchfield.com ! they have a specials section! check it out some of it is open box no damage! with full warentee and full tech support! If your buying from best buy your limited!!!! get what you want at a price you can afford! And they ship to your door with free install info and free install parts like direct fit speaker plugs you put them on the speaker and it plugs directly into the wiring in the car! save your self the headache of not getting what you want.

I wish I could order everything I needed on online, unfortunately I'm not quite old enough for a credit card yet, and their isn't really anything around here for car audio. The only reason I bought the Kicker 5.25"s over Alpine or Polk is because of the titanium tweeter (louder highs), wish I could of got a pair with bass block, but I doubt these speakers will produce much bass at all.

I'll probably end up getting a pair of Alpine 6x9's for the rear just because I know they're blown..

If you have some one who would help you fill out for it Walmart has pre paid cards by visa. That,s what I got for my son when he was 16, that way he could order online. there cheep and you cant over do it because you can only spend what you put on it. it would be better than over spending at a big box store. I even got one for my 12 year old daughter... you should look in to it, and it doesn't effect yours or who ever calls it in for you on the credit score, it pre paid.

Hometown Hero wrote:

If your gunna do it you might as well do it right and replace the 6x9's as well. You can get a good set of 6x9's for alot cheaper than any good component set. If you are just going with 5.25 you will have money left over from a would be component set to spend on some 6x9's. If you don't get 6x9's you'll have 1 of those systems that's overrun with bass.

Did this, bought regular Kicker 5 1/4's and bought a pair of Kicker 6x9's, they were on sale for like $112, getting everything installed tomorrow.

Noticed something though, after I bought the 6x9's (lol) doesn't look like the Riv has the 6x9's on the inside of the car, more in the trunk area, which I can see that taking away from the quality, the 6x9's I got have a 1" midrange and 3/4" tweeter, I'm not installing my 6x9's for bass, I already have the 12's. Will I have noticeably better mids and highs from installing the 6x9's?

Garret wrote:

Hometown Hero wrote:

If your gunna do it you might as well do it right and replace the 6x9's as well. You can get a good set of 6x9's for alot cheaper than any good component set. If you are just going with 5.25 you will have money left over from a would be component set to spend on some 6x9's. If you don't get 6x9's you'll have 1 of those systems that's overrun with bass.

Did this, bought regular Kicker 5 1/4's and bought a pair of Kicker 6x9's, they were on sale for like $112, getting everything installed tomorrow.

Noticed something though, after I bought the 6x9's (lol) doesn't look like the Riv has the 6x9's on the inside of the car, more in the trunk area, which I can see that taking away from the quality, the 6x9's I got have a 1" midrange and 3/4" tweeter, I'm not installing my 6x9's for bass, I already have the 12's. Will I have noticeably better mids and highs from installing the 6x9's?

Good decision, you won't regret it. I use my 6x9's strictly to offset the bass in my system as well. They make a HUGE difference over the factory speakers.

will I actually be able to hear the mids and highs though?

Its hard to say, I can hear it all in mine but I bought a headunit with a built in EQ so I can adjust everything to the way I like it. I would advise to look at a similar head unit if you haven't already got 1. If you do and it lacks an onboard EQ maybe look at a seperate EQ? It all depends on your budget, good EQ's aren't cheap.