FACTORY AMP

[TWISTMODE]

WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE FACTORY AMP? AND WHEN DO YOU NEED TO BYPASS IT?

 

[hybrid950]

I'm sure there will be conflicting views about this but, here goes. Pretty much all in dash stereos have an amp in them. But if you're looking to power 4 speakers and a sub then it wont cut it. So that's why ford went with the "premium" amp. Here's where the argument starts. If you're putting in a new amp, obviously you should bypass the factory amp. But if you put in a new head unit without a new amp then you may or may not want to bypass the amps. If you don't want to bypass it you have to buy a "line level" converter, because an amplified signal straight to the amps would blow them. If you do want to bypass the amps most large stereo shops will sell you a wiring harness to reroute the signal around the amp. and unless you really know what you're doing you'll only be able to use the 4 speakers and not the sub. The best choice if you have to go through all this is buy all the gear to do both setups and see which one you like. and even better, have the amps ripped out and replaced. Hopefully this helps.

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'91 Eddie Bauer
cylindrical K&N filter, removed air box,
Clarion Head unit,
Clarion 5X7s

 

[kilroy]

I just started working on my 97 Explorer XLT
stereo. I replaced the front speakers with Coustic 6x8's, perfect fit. In the process, I pulled up too hard on the door handle when trying to take the panel off, and broke the clips off. (DOH) Dead Link Removed When I first got the truck, I added an amp to the rear channel with a line level converter, and hooked it up to a full range MTX box. Sounded OK, but still not great considering it had the factory premium speaker in the doors.

I started running wires to the 4 door speakers from under the rear seats where I plan on putting another amp, but in the meantime I hooked up an equalizer that will handle all 4 speakers and the subwoofer. The MTX box is now setup as a sub, and with the EQ adjusted for the sub, sounds fantastic, thump thump Dead Link Removed I'm going to work some more on it this weekend to get the doors hooked to the amp. I am keeping the head unit, since the amps do the real work, and I dont need anything flashy that can be seen.

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97 Explorer XLT
V8 AWD
Snorkless box W/ K&N Filter
http://www.grandillusion.org/xlt.htm

 

[JTang]

The stock amp isn't super, but it IS better than a stock radio that powers speakers. Dedicated amplifiers are more reliable and offer more power and usually better sound quality. In this case, I'm sure a stock amp is better than a stock head unit that powers speakers, but I don't know if the stock amp is better than a new head unit that would power speakers. Even those Explorers without a sub usually have a stock amplifier too. The stock amp is probably helpful too (moving the heat generating amp to the back), because a lot of people were having overheating problems with new headunits, because there's not enough ventilation to cool the headunits if played a lot (don't know about the newer trucks though).

If you get a high powered RMS head unit, you'll need to bypass the amp because at high volumes the stock amp will start distorting if taking in a speaker level signal from your head unit. If you have a really weak head unit like mine with 7 watts RMS, you might not have to bypass it, because the stock amp isn't taking in a huge signal. I didn't have to, and everything's been fine.