Re: Do i need a capcitator?

[Mr A]

You need to check the continuous wattage (or RMS, if continuous isn't
listed). a 1500 watt amp could have anywhere from 150 to 1000 watts
continuous. If the continuous (or RMS) wattage is low, then you need
not worry about it. If the continuous is more than about 500, I would
recommend getting a 1/2 farad capacitor, and if around 1000, a 1 farad
would be better. The thing about the capacitor is when a hard beat hits
and your amp's output peaks, sometimes it can't draw all the power it
needs. The capacitor (like the guy above me said) is like a shock
absorber. Without the capacitor, the peaks may be slightly attenuated
(again, this depends on the quality of your amp and how much power it
really draws). You probably don't need a new alternator. I've seen
some very powerful setups that run just fine off the regular alternator.


--
Mr A
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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[Eddie Runner]

What is continuous wattage? You mention RMS but
it also kinda sounds like you think the amp will
continuously put out a set amount of power...! ..??

That doesn't sound right to me.

Eddie Runner


Mr A wrote:
> You need to check the continuous wattage (or RMS, if continuous isn't
> listed). a 1500 watt amp could have anywhere from 150 to 1000 watts
> continuous. If the continuous (or RMS) wattage is low, then you need
> not worry about it. If the continuous is more than about 500, I would
> recommend getting a 1/2 farad capacitor, and if around 1000, a 1 farad
> would be better. The thing about the capacitor is when a hard beat hits
> and your amp's output peaks, sometimes it can't draw all the power it
> needs. The capacitor (like the guy above me said) is like a shock
> absorber. Without the capacitor, the peaks may be slightly attenuated
> (again, this depends on the quality of your amp and how much power it
> really draws). You probably don't need a new alternator. I've seen
> some very powerful setups that run just fine off the regular alternator.
>
>

[Christopher \Torroid\ Ott]

This thread is streaming from a usenet gateway off a website.

Explains why it sounds stupider than the usual...

Ugh.


"Eddie Runner" > wrote in message
et...
> What is continuous wattage? You mention RMS but
> it also kinda sounds like you think the amp will
> continuously put out a set amount of power...! ..??
>
> That doesn't sound right to me.
>
> Eddie Runner
>
>
> Mr A wrote:
>> You need to check the continuous wattage (or RMS, if continuous isn't
>> listed). a 1500 watt amp could have anywhere from 150 to 1000 watts
>> continuous. If the continuous (or RMS) wattage is low, then you need
>> not worry about it. If the continuous is more than about 500, I would
>> recommend getting a 1/2 farad capacitor, and if around 1000, a 1 farad
>> would be better. The thing about the capacitor is when a hard beat hits
>> and your amp's output peaks, sometimes it can't draw all the power it
>> needs. The capacitor (like the guy above me said) is like a shock
>> absorber. Without the capacitor, the peaks may be slightly attenuated
>> (again, this depends on the quality of your amp and how much power it
>> really draws). You probably don't need a new alternator. I've seen
>> some very powerful setups that run just fine off the regular alternator.
>>

[Eddie Runner]

wow, if it wasnt for those websites with the usenet
portals RAC would probably be totally dead.

we used to have several thousand messages a day on RAC,
it was hard to keep up with em all.

Now we get a couple of dozen per day (if that much).

I guess folks just dont know what usenet is anymore.
In the old days folks on the internet might have been
a touch more technical. nowdays it has to be on the WEB
for them to see it.

Eddie Runner
online since 1982



Christopher "Torroid" Ott wrote:
> This thread is streaming from a usenet gateway off a website.
>
> Explains why it sounds stupider than the usual...
>
> Ugh.
>
>
> "Eddie Runner" > wrote in message
> et...
>> What is continuous wattage? You mention RMS but
>> it also kinda sounds like you think the amp will
>> continuously put out a set amount of power...! ..??
>>
>> That doesn't sound right to me.
>>
>> Eddie Runner
>>
>>
>> Mr A wrote:
>>> You need to check the continuous wattage (or RMS, if continuous isn't
>>> listed). a 1500 watt amp could have anywhere from 150 to 1000 watts
>>> continuous. If the continuous (or RMS) wattage is low, then you need
>>> not worry about it. If the continuous is more than about 500, I would
>>> recommend getting a 1/2 farad capacitor, and if around 1000, a 1 farad
>>> would be better. The thing about the capacitor is when a hard beat hits
>>> and your amp's output peaks, sometimes it can't draw all the power it
>>> needs. The capacitor (like the guy above me said) is like a shock
>>> absorber. Without the capacitor, the peaks may be slightly attenuated
>>> (again, this depends on the quality of your amp and how much power it
>>> really draws). You probably don't need a new alternator. I've seen
>>> some very powerful setups that run just fine off the regular alternator.
>>>
>

[Christopher \Torroid\ Ott]

Eddie, since you're in the car audio retail biz, I'm curious if you've seen
a dropoff in interest since the late 90's when RAC was going ape****? It
seems like most of the local shops have downsized or are bairly hanging on.

Chris


> we used to have several thousand messages a day on RAC,
> it was hard to keep up with em all.
>
> Now we get a couple of dozen per day (if that much).
>
> I guess folks just dont know what usenet is anymore.
> In the old days folks on the internet might have been
> a touch more technical. nowdays it has to be on the WEB
> for them to see it.
>
> Eddie Runner
> online since 1982
>
>
>
> Christopher "Torroid" Ott wrote:
>> This thread is streaming from a usenet gateway off a website.
>>
>> Explains why it sounds stupider than the usual...
>>
>> Ugh.
>>
>>
>> "Eddie Runner" > wrote in message
>> et...
>>> What is continuous wattage? You mention RMS but
>>> it also kinda sounds like you think the amp will
>>> continuously put out a set amount of power...! ..??
>>>
>>> That doesn't sound right to me.
>>>
>>> Eddie Runner
>>>
>>>
>>> Mr A wrote:
>>>> You need to check the continuous wattage (or RMS, if continuous isn't
>>>> listed). a 1500 watt amp could have anywhere from 150 to 1000 watts
>>>> continuous. If the continuous (or RMS) wattage is low, then you need
>>>> not worry about it. If the continuous is more than about 500, I would
>>>> recommend getting a 1/2 farad capacitor, and if around 1000, a 1 farad
>>>> would be better. The thing about the capacitor is when a hard beat
>>>> hits
>>>> and your amp's output peaks, sometimes it can't draw all the power it
>>>> needs. The capacitor (like the guy above me said) is like a shock
>>>> absorber. Without the capacitor, the peaks may be slightly attenuated
>>>> (again, this depends on the quality of your amp and how much power it
>>>> really draws). You probably don't need a new alternator. I've seen
>>>> some very powerful setups that run just fine off the regular
>>>> alternator.
>>>>
>>

[Eddie Runner]

Christopher "Torroid" Ott wrote:
> Eddie, since you're in the car audio retail biz, I'm curious if you've seen
> a dropoff in interest since the late 90's when RAC was going ape****? It
> seems like most of the local shops have downsized or are bairly hanging on.
> Chris

Well, yes and no.
Sales of some things have gone way down and other things are way up.
Lots of shops go out of biz every day (and always have).
There does seem to be less small shops out there nowdays.

I have been in the biz so long I remember when we thought we would
all be out a job because underdash 8-tracks sales were dropping off. ;-)

8-tracks, cassettes, DAT, CD, Minidisk, AM stereo, dvd, mp3, ipods,
Navigation, HD, XM and so much more have come and some have gone, but
folks ALWAYS want music in their cars, they always want security
systems, they always want something a little better than their buddy!

Many folks I have talked to in this industry seem to think were going
through some bad times right now, but I know some places that are doing
better than ever. To survive in this biz, you have to adapt.

But yes, were selling less amps, less woofers, less indash players than
several years ago, but were selling more aux inputs and ipod adapters,
more XM radios and more other things that ever.

You could call it a drop off.
I like to think of it simply as our customers needs are changing..
Its my job to keep up with them!!

Eddie Runner