Monitors on car amplifier

[da23real]

Hello
I know studio speakers are usually not havin the good impedence to be powered by car amplifiers. I actually got a Alpine MRP-F240 is there studio monitors I can use with it ?
Thanks

[Mike Stranks]

See page 15 of the User Manual...

You can use any passive speaker rated at 4-ohms impedance.

The amplifier is not that powerful so don't buy speakers that are relatively inefficient if you want plenty of volume.

These would fit the bill from a technical perspective:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_monitor_1c.htm

I've no idea what they'd sound like, but then I have no idea how accurate is the amp you want to use.

[ef37a]

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/home-audio-s ... nformation

They look suspiciously similar to the Behringers! Maybe a better name?
That amplifier is said to deliver 100 watts in bridge mode and it is a 4 channel amp, if so the Mackies would be adequately loud I suggest. However, in the world of car audio power ratings are often inflated so the amp might not in fact deliver sufficient power in practice or be rather distorted trying. The specified distortion is "0.08%" (at 40W 4R) not a particularly impressive figure by today's standards (or indeed 30 years ago!) but is probably ok. In these days of almost universal ACTIVE monitors amplifier performance is now forgotten.

But, using a car PA poses the problem of how to power it? You will need 12 V DC at several amps and a power supply that can do that QUIETLY will not be cheap.
You can find second hand hi fi amps and receivers of 50-80W into EIGHT Ohms rating quite cheaply and even some new models.
Why do you want to go down this 'passive speaker, 12V amplifier' route?

Dave.

[Wonks]

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/home-audio-s ... nformation

They look suspiciously similar to the Behringers! Maybe a better name?

Other way round, Dave. The Behringers are a look-alike rip-off of the JBL Control 1s. The JBL Control 1s have been around for a long time.

http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/jbl-c ... itors/1527

http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/all-u ... trol/12919

Reasonable speakers for non-critical music playback, yes. But accurate monitors, no?

[ef37a]

https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/home-audio-s ... nformation

They look suspiciously similar to the Behringers! Maybe a better name?

Other way round, Dave. The Behringers are a look-alike rip-off of the JBL Control 1s. The JBL Control 1s have been around for a long time.

http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/jbl-c ... itors/1527

http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/all-u ... trol/12919

Reasonable speakers for non-critical music playback, yes. But accurate monitors, no?

Wot I meant Wonks! (should have thought it obvious?) JBL are the originals.

Dave.

[Wonks]

There really aren't any good cheap passive monitors around. Most in the affordable range (especially compared to the Alpine amp value) are Avantone style 'grot boxes' or similar units to the JBL Control 1s.

The only other ones I can think of not in the thousands are the Studiospares NS10 alikes. The Mk1s were very non-Yamaha sounding and not highly regarded but the Mk III are quite different (a non-ported sealed-enclosure for a start), but I can't find a lot about how they sound.

https://www.studiospares.com/studio-gea ... 248150.htm

Even so, if they like the NS10s, they won't be the most accurate studio monitors around.

So if you insist on using the Alpine amp (which isn't a great choice and has the power supply issues already mentioned) you'd be better looking for a
good used pair of hi-fi speakers. Given that the power cable recommended for the Alpine amp is 10 AWG, or 6mm2, I think you'd need a 12v PSU with more than just a few amps capacity. Allowing for 200W total output and 90% efficiency, you'd need nearer 20A to allow it to run at maximum with a touch of headroom still available.

But active monitors are where it's all at for the home studio market, and any review of the monitors won't be subject to the vagaries of the amp used with it. Decent active monitors can be found for very reasonable prices.

[The Elf]

Just abandon this idea and get a pair of powered monitors. Your life will be easier for it.

[ef37a]

Just abandon this idea and get a pair of powered monitors. Your life will be easier for it.

Totally agree Elf but I would still like to hear the OP's reasoning!

Dave.

[Mike Stranks]

I didn't check out the Behringer specs, but from personal experience I know that the Control 1s - and all the Controls I've used - are inefficient and thus power-hungry.

The Control range are respectable speakers, but definitely not 'monitors' in the sense that the word is understood in this forum...

[BWC]

Just abandon this idea and get a pair of powered monitors. Your life will be easier for it.

Totally agree Elf but I would still like to hear the OP's reasoning!

Dave.

Same here! The question I've had from the start: Why? ...also, where?

[ef37a]

Just abandon this idea and get a pair of powered monitors. Your life will be easier for it.

Totally agree Elf but I would still like to hear the OP's reasoning!

Dave.

Same here! The question I've had from the start: Why? ...also, where?

Heh! l did build a battery powered PA for our rifle range. Had to be done dirt cheap so, two power IC amps in bridge mode delivering about 20W which drove a massive OPT out of a defunct 300W 100V line transistor amp. The speakers were 'explosion proof' horns from a closed down tannery. About all the club had to buy was 100mtrs of mic cable. Ran from a 12 car battery with a polarity interlock because it was operated by peeps with no electronics knowledge.

Dave.

[Arpangel]

These would fit the bill from a technical perspective:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_monitor_1c.htm

I've no idea what they'd sound like, but then I have no idea how accurate is the amp you want to use.

I do, they sound b****y good, and they go loud.
We used these with an Arcam amplifier, and we were all surprised at how big and "clear" they sounded, no hesitation in recommending these.