Audio gurus: Amplifier power front and rear--specs?

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

Does anyone know the watts rating or RMS specs for the OEM head unit amplifier found in 93+ Cruisers under the glove box?

2. I believe the rear sub amp is 15 watts. Does that amp also power the two rear roof speakers?

3. When did Toyota standardize their stereo equipment, and what was standardized? Sockets? Wiring?

Thanks gurus!

 

[NaterGator]

When I pulled mine out of my cruiser I think I remember it having a wattage inked on it, and I remember it being low. Like in the neighborhood of 10w. I'm not sure if it's different for lexus either (also, I swear it said 6ohm )

If you have a multimeter you can test this yourself. First measure the nominal impedance of one of your speakers (it will probably be 4-6 ohms). Make a CD with a 0db sine wave (adobe audition or a variety of other programs can generate tones) at around 500Hz. If you can't do CD use an FM transmitter and an iPod. Play it and turn the volume up as loud as you can until you hear distortion. Hook your multimeter up to the speaker terminals of one of the speakers (or the leads coming from the stock amp would work as well) and set your multimeter to AC voltage. Your voltage reading squared over the impedance of your speakers is the power output of the amp before it begins to clip (distort).


This is also an extremely useful way to set the gain on an amplifier in an aftermarket sound system

 

[e9999]

humm.... worrying about audio in a cruiser instead of about lifts and tires is extremely bad form on MUD....

 

[NaterGator]

After some hunting:

 

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

Ja, das ist true but...our FZJ80 is pretty well built, so we're turning to audio schtuff. Have a couple of cool experiments that may fail miserably but...it'll be fun meanwhile.

Will report soon.

 

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

After some hunting:

Very cool, thanks NaterGator. I wonder if the Lexus brand got better equipment, as one might suspect.

 

[Nay]

Very cool, thanks NaterGator. I wonder if the Lexus brand got better equipment, as one might suspect.

Yes, in the same way a Pentium I PC in the mid-90's was better than a 486. Still have a phone in a bag for your mobile, too?

 

[NaterGator]

Very cool, thanks NaterGator. I wonder if the Lexus brand got better equipment, as one might suspect.

I'm not sure to be honest. And note that those specs are listed as "max" which I'm going to assume does not mean RMS power. The best way to figure out the genuine power output (if it's that important to you) is to use the DMM method I explained (albeit with a few gin and tonics in me ) above.

 

[Shiftie]

Please keep in mind folks that the 35w Max rating on the front and rear outputs is just that... MAX output, right before it blows up. 35w translates to about 9w per channel and 15w for the sub.

I have been working in the car audio industry for almost 15 years and this rating system is one of our biggest frustrations. Only in the last couple of years is the industry finally make a move to standardize the rating system.

what is the reason you need this info? upgrading speakers?

The amp behind the glove powers the Front doors, dash, rear doors and rear roof speakers. The amp near the sub powers just that.

 

[NaterGator]

I have been working in the car audio industry for almost 15 years and this rating system is one of our biggest frustrations. Only in the last couple of years is the industry finally make a move to standardize the rating system.

'Standardize the rating system'? Root mean squared power output is pretty much the defacto standard and a consumer of audio goods should be able to pretty quickly rule out anybody unwilling to publish RMS output + handling capabilities of their equipment.

I'd say from that point the only thing that needs to be specified along with the RMS output power is operating voltage and temperature.