you can run a active system with that amp. Image Dynamic never used to make amps so I would be curious who is actually making it for them. For that amount of cash I would recommend Audison or Focal on the amp, having said that I have never heard the Imager dynamic amp so it could be a steal , again I do like that you can run a active system with it.

Do you know who its made by and where?

 

I don't really know. That's why I posted this thread.

I read that D class amps are very efficient at the cost of a little distortion. The Q is an A/B amp. It seems that the Image Dynamics folks emphasis sound quality. It is the same company as the speakers...

As for upgrading the sub, that is a good point. Other alternatives would be to add a Clarion DPX2251 for $175. That's another reason I didn't want to go with two of them to drive four speakers. There wouldn't be room to for a third to power a sub.

 

I started out by using the MINI head unit (HU). I had my installer put two JL Audio “Slash” amps (4/300 and 1/500 slash series) under the front seats. There is 2” of insulation under the front sets so he cut out the insulation in the shape of the amps and mounted them flush. They look sweet flush mounted flush. Then he installed two pair of JL Audio C2 6.5” component speakers and a 13” JL Audio (13 TW5) thin sub in the rear hatch well.

I could not stand the quality of the sound. The head unit sounded terrible and attenuated the low bass signal. So I installed an Alpine 9886 in the secret compartment. I changed out the JL Audio C2 6.5” component sets for a Focal 6.5” (165 KR) component sets. I tuned the system with the Alpine Imprint system and it sounds incredible.

The 13 TW5 is a great sub for the MINI and will mount flush in the bottom of the hatch with the factory recommended volume sized box. I can’t say enough about the focal speakers. Alpine head unit – what can I say and JL Audio amps and sub. I don’t have a lot of experience but have not heard a better sound quality system.

 

Image Dynamics is by far my favorite car audio company...i remember back in the day when eric started the company...he was building his own speakers for his competition cars at PJ Autosounds (I think thats the right name)...but i heard his white ford taurus once and it was as good as it gets. That was when manvile smith was making his own JL Audio speakers....maybe 23 years ago???

Plus if you ever have a question and you call the ID number in the evening...you will have a 90% chance of talking to him personally...and he will talk your ear off...

JL is second....manville is a class act too!!!

 

This one? Alpine PDX-5 600W amp?

 

yup.

 

I think that alpine amp is a good all in one solution , we always had great luck with the PDX amps. My only complaint on Alpine amps is they typicall lack some b@lls on the sub side comp[ared to other amps , this has been the case since I can remember.

My budget choice for a 5 channel amp would be

http://www.audiosystem-america.com/f6380.html

It is the little brother brand to Steg I have two Stegs and they are by far the best amp I have ever heard

 

true ...they do tend to underperform when it comes to the sub channel...but i thinkright now he is running a single 8 with a boss amp. So this would be a step or 2 over that

I am very impressed with this clarion amp i picked up...tons of ba//s....but it won't work in his desire to have at least 4 channels...i'm trying to talk him out of powering the rear speakers..but he isn't biting yet

 

I think of it like this

When was the last time you went to concert and had the band playing in front of you and behind you(while you were sober )?

The goal of any audio equipment is to reproduce music as if you were there in the studio watching them play....so

Rear speakers are for rear passengers , once you set your self free from rear speakers then you can truly experience the sound the way it was meant to be experienced

 

Wow, 21.5" is big for a MINI.
It seems to be 6 channels. How would that work, exactly? Can you bridge just two channels? It talks about 6 or 3, but not 5 channels. The F4 380 looks interesting. Seems that the closest dealer is in Santa Cruz.* That's about an hour's drive. What do these things cost? I found one online for 32,000, but that was Philippine pesos.

*Hmm, that Santa Cruz dealer (Lott's) may not carry Twisters. Audio Systems web page thinks it does, but Lott's page doesn't.

 

I have the Park Distance Control option. Gotta have rear speakers, and besides, I just paid good money for Image Dynamics 6x9s. BTW, they wont be going in the stock location. I don't have rear passengers.

 

I could have used that when i backed into a space and some idiot wizzed by my car at about 70mph and i looked up and lost focus for a second and hit the curb...

 

should be around same price as the alpine

You can go 3 ,5 or 6 channels with the amp.

Like I said before I have the big brother to this amp it is super clean and has pleanty of power , and not many people have them so it will be a nice piece to hold on to . They are italian made amps.

Call the dealer by your house and chat with them about this amp, or you can call Orca design (the import company ) they will be the most knowledgeable about this amp .

 

I am scared to ask where they are going

I wonder if you could sum the front and rear channels together so the Park control would come through the fronts ? I am sure you could with a Audio control piece or something of that nature.

We will find away for you to divorce your rear speakers

 

You mean this Orca Design? They don't list them on their web page.

Also, the local dealer doesn't list them on their web page. It is Audio Systems' page that says they carry them.

Have these amps gone out of fashion? Google points me to 2006 forum threads talking about them being old amps.

 

http://www.orcadesign-mobile.com/

same company but this is their mobile page

The amps just made their way to the states recently about 2 years ago. Any company that carries Focal should be able to get them, if you have no luck PM me I can help you out

That is why you dont find them everywhere

These amps are made the way amps should be made simple and built well with quality parts, no crazy class D or T to color the music is funky ways.

 

You went and asked...

I'll be tearing this out:



See that thread for more info on this mad project.

Where the front surface of this cabinet is, I'll simply put up a wall of Baltic birch plywood. It will have a top at window height. That will give the MINI a big boot. The center section of the top will be removable for access. Each side of the top will be of MDF and have a cutout for a 6x9 speaker.

An amp would be attached to the back surface of the wall. Haven't decided on how I'll finish the boot enclosure. I'm leaning towards automotive carpet as in the lower section of the image above.

 

Are they class A, or A/B, or something else. The 2-channel Clarion that miniSQ is pushing seems to be a G/H (whatever that is).

 

BTW, anyone have recommendations for power wiring kits, or favorite speaker wire? The Type 1 flat wires look like they would be bulky when twisted.

 

The type 1 is tiny wire . It requires more work than most as you would strip the wire apart then twist 2 of the 4 together .


I think any power wire you find will be good to just match it up to your amp.

If you want quality stuff this is my favorite kit for quality parts
http://www.shopatron.com/product/par...r=91818/1451.0

I think you will find very minimal results spending a ton of cash here , you are paying for ease of insulation and the fuse holer / other parts that come in the kit. You can tell the quality is better just not sure it will make a difference after you install.

You could get the matching speaker cable
http://www.shopatron.com/product/par...8093.43615.0.0

it is very flexible and easy to work with unlike solid core wire.

Main think on the amp is decide on your amp first then get the correct wire, if you are going with the Audio system Twister amp it will want a 4 ga like the link I sent.

If the amp is going next to the battery then you can make you own kit and save some cash since you don't need 18 ft of power cable.

Main things you need are
Fuse holder/fuse
bulk wire 5 ft ground 5 ft power
connection terminals to connect to chassis and battery
all these things can be purchased ala carte from JL

I would stay away from Monster Cable , I think they are the devil

 

The MINI positive battery connector has a large nut on top where a large cable with ring connector is attached. I assume I could simply add a ring connector with power cable to that. Sound right?

What would you use to connect the X9331 to the amp inputs? How important is this wire? Would it be OK to use some sort of shielded data cable?

You didn't say what class of amp the Twisters are. Do you know?

Thanks for all of your help.

 

the Twister amps are Class A/B

X9331 to amp inputs , I would try and use something shielded if possible , if not make sure its is twisted so it cancels noise out(both twisted and shielded would be ideal). You could even use the speaker cable you get .

Yes add the ring connector and you are good, crimp down type are harder to use but less expensive then the kind that have a bolt to tighten it on the wire.

 

Is there a minimum size? There are eight or nine wires to run, so using 16 gauge would create a massive cable. It would be nice to use something like shielded CAT-6 Ethernet cable. It would be something like 22-24 gauge.

I have enough trouble with crimp connectors for 16 gauge. Can't imagine doing a 4 gauge crimp.

Thanks again.

 

try this its clean and shielded

http://www.shopatron.com/product/par...r=91626/1451.0

I am sure you can find this cheap on Flea bay or another discount site

 

Doesn't seem to be in stock anywhere but JL. How about StreetWires ICS920C?