ICE Advice Please for my 7939r

[s2avant95M]

I know I don't have my S2 anymore , however I know someone out there will be able to help.

At the moment, my MK2 1990 GTi has no ICE, however I have the following equipment to install and would like some suggestions for an amp/sub that will go with the rest of the equipment.

HU is Alpine CDA-7939R
5.25" Alpine 6255 Components
Alpine CHA-S604 CD changer

I would like a 10"/12" sub and amp to power the sub and components. I do not want to spend a lot and have been looking at something like a JBL 75.4 amp or GTO 4000?

Any advice would be gratefully received. I have tried posting on talkaudio.co.uk but they are pretty unfriendly for some reason and received no replies!

[Fat Audi 80]

Hi Tim

The MK2 Golf certainly needs a sub as the factory speaker locations are way too small to do anything properly.

You will definitely need a four channel amp, with the ability to bridge one pair of channels for the Sub. Most amps will do this anyway.

I have no experience of JBL, but the price of it £52 on ebay makes me think it is a little too cheap. I personally don't think in a car as loud as a MK2 Golf that it is going to make a lot of odds what amp you use really as the sound quality is going to be disturbed by the car you are in. However I like Kenwood stuff, it sounds nice, works faultlessly and I have loads of it. Others will disagree. (wait for Jamo)

If I were you I would probably spend a little more, up to £100 on something like this:

http://www.justkenwood.co.uk/stock01/kac8403.asp

If you are really keen I would dynomat the rear of the car too....

Cheers,

Steve.

[4WheelDrifter]

Alpine CDA-7939R.

You'll be wanting an MRV-F400 to go with that. Link.

[s2avant95M]

Hi Tim

The MK2 Golf certainly needs a sub as the factory speaker locations are way too small to do anything properly.

You will definitely need a four channel amp, with the ability to bridge one pair of channels for the Sub. Most amps will do this anyway.

I have no experience of JBL, but the price of it £52 on ebay makes me think it is a little too cheap. I personally don't think in a car as loud as a MK2 Golf that it is going to make a lot of odds what amp you use really as the sound quality is going to be disturbed by the car you are in. However I like Kenwood stuff, it sounds nice, works faultlessly and I have loads of it. Others will disagree. (wait for Jamo)

If I were you I would probably spend a little more, up to £100 on something like this:

http://www.justkenwood.co.uk/stock01/kac8403.asp

If you are really keen I would dynomat the rear of the car too....

Cheers,

Steve.

Hi Steve, Cheers for the reply. Yeah i know it seams cheap to me too, although the 75.4 version is about £86 and lots of people recommend it as a great budget amp. I will have a look at the Kenwood you suggest.
Yeah the golf is noisy, loads of rattles as well due to half the trim not being screwed down. So as long as its 4 channel and bridgable i will be able to run the sub and the front components.
Already got some dynomat, so i will have fun with that at the weekend.

That Alpine amp, is that old skool like the 7939r? i like it....

[4WheelDrifter]

That Alpine amp, is that old skool like the 7939r? i like it....

Yep. The same era, I remember them well. Proper old skool.
I have a friend that still has one of those with 2 MRV-1000s, Alpine changer, DSP and all the Ai-Net stuff. I bought him the 7939R to complete his setup.

[Fat Audi 80]

Tim,

If you are purely after cheap sounds then go for it. The Kenwoods are quite cheap on ebay if you do a search...

[s2avant95M]

Tim,

If you are purely after cheap sounds then go for it. The Kenwoods are quite cheap on ebay if you do a search...

Well, i am trying to get the balence between a good sound and good price, so i am just reasearching some second hand amps that would be better that the £50 jbl ones. thanks for your help and i will post my progress with the build.

[Alistair C]

Good choice with the HU.
I'm still running the one I bought in 1998 and has now been through
two Golfs, three audi coupes and two corrados!
I also bought a spare about 5 years ago which has been sat in the loft since - for when (if) the first ever breaks!

RE the amp, I'd definately go second hand. Keep an eye out on the TA classifieds - I picked up a nice oldschool soundstream 4 channel for round about £100 last year. Bargains do keep popping up.

You can always build larger pods for the front if you want larger speakers. Image attached is of both the original and my replica designed to house a 7" midbass.

[Fat Audi 80]

Always liking your work Alistair.....

[s2avant95M]

OK, I now have the following:

Alpine CDA-7939R
Alpine 6255 Components 5.25"
Alpine CHA-S604 CD changer ( AI-NET )
Alpine MRV-F400 Amp
Alpine MRV-F407 Amp
MB Quart PWD-254 10" Sub

Also bagged a 7944R which I may send to Alpine for a service, when that comes back I will see how it compares to the 7939R.

Anyway, can anyone suggest what kind of wiring I will need to wire all this up? I have no problem connecting or running cables but what should I buy? There seems to be lots of kits you can get.

[Fat Audi 80]

Reasonably decent quality with a large gauge earth and power cable and suitable fuse. Fuse to be as close to battery as possible.

You will need some decent screened RCA cables too. Do any of your amps allow piggybacking of RCA signals? Other wise you will need 2 sets of Long RCA cables to run the length of the car.... (Or RCA splitters at the rear before the amps...)

What about this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=36841&&source=14&doy=search

Cheers,

Steve.

[s2avant95M]

Hi Steve,

That looks spot on. I may pop down to my local Maplins and see if they have some. I have just had a look in the boot and found 2 fat green cables with RCA plugs so I guess thats from a previous install, so I may be able to utilise that.

I may only use one of those amps but im not sure if they allow piggy backing, trying to locate manuals for them at the moment. Thanks for your time Steve

@Alistair Nice one, those door pods look spot on, although I am hoping I will be happy with the 5.25 mids so will not have to do any mods on the original "VW ACTIV" Speaker pods.

[Fat Audi 80]

If you do need to use both amps, just buy Short RCA "Y" Splitters to feed both signals to both amps. I can't imagine you will need both amps though!

Good luck

Cheers,

Steve.

[Alistair C]

@Alistair Nice one, those door pods look spot on, although I am hoping I will be happy with the 5.25 mids so will not have to do any mods on the original "VW ACTIV" Speaker pods.

Hope it works for you, but from experience, most people are pretty disappointed with the massive lack of bass coming from 5.25s in the stock location. But theres only one way to find out!

Personally I hate the looks of the 7944, but some say it sounds better......
For a full 'unbiased' comparison - Talkaudio 7944 Vs 7939 comparison

[teknobod]

Reasonably decent quality with a large gauge earth and power cable and suitable fuse. Fuse to be as close to battery as possible.

You will need some decent screened RCA cables too. Do any of your amps allow piggybacking of RCA signals? Other wise you will need 2 sets of Long RCA cables to run the length of the car.... (Or RCA splitters at the rear before the amps...)

What about this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=36841&&source=14&doy=search

Cheers,

Steve.

Make the amp earth lead as short as possible and best to bolt directly to the body of the car with its own body bolt rather than fixing it under an existing mounting bolt, and make sure the +ve power cable runs down the opposite side of the car to the RCA cables.

If I remember correctly, the 7939 has a non fading pre-out for subs, so if it were me I would run separate RCA's for the sub rather than using the splitter.

Andy