What is the RMS per channel of the 2006 OEM 6 CD deck? Thanks!

 

If I remember correclty 15-17watts RMS per channel.

 

is it that high?

 

For a stock system I don't know, but for an after marfket system that is very low. My amp gives my speakers 60watts RMS. Also another thing I think I remember but I could be wrong as I'm no expert on speakers. The larger the magnet on the speaker the more power you need to make those speakers play as loud as another pair with smaller magnets. The stock speakers have tiny magnets and my JLs have huge magnets, but the stock speakers are only a little quieter then my JLs despite having four times the power. So if you plan on running after market speakers that have a higher then 20RMS rating they are going to be even quieter then the stock speakers. So you might want to get an amp to go with some new speakers.

 

interesting...when i replaced my speakers (only the speakers), they didnt get any louder, and i really didnt expect them to. the sound quality did improve however...

 

hm, not sure i agree on the magnet statement. a lot of times magnet is more a function of design. if it had tiny neo magnets, they'd be stronger than the ceramics, for example.

the sensitivity rating of the speaker is best indicator of how much louder/quieter it will be than another speaker.

you can gain a little clarity by replacing speakers and running them off the factory deck, but your best bet is to connect a LOC (line out converter) and power external amplifiers and get some real power to your speakers. www.davidnavone.com has the best quality LOCs, in my opinion.

 

15-17 RMS isn't bad for a head unit. I agree that an external amp is better and more powerful, less distortion, etc. but the old Delco's were only worth 5-7 Watts per channel. Also, assuming peak as twice the RMS value, there are still aftermarket head units putting out 30Wx4 which is equivalent.

 

Id be real suprised if those stock head units made any more than 5 watts RMS in the real world.

Im sure you could get 15 out of em but the distortion would be so high it would curl your toes.

 

If you look at Crutchfield, etc. and read the specs for head units you will find that the average is around 45x4 watts. This is adequate, with "good" quality speakers not the paper coned, tiny magnet speakers the factories use as long as you are listening at modestly low levels. Once you start heading into loud land the hu/speakers will start to fail and you will hear noise/distortion rather than music.
My wife's '88 Civic has a nice, inexpensive Alpine hu with MB Quart Discus 6 1/2" coaxial speakers in the front doors and it sounds great...as long as you don't push the system past its' "good sound" point.

One big "annoyance point" with me is the stupid lengths the designer/engineers go with the ridiculous looking factory head units in cars. Bad enough they have buttons everywhere and look like they need a shoe box sized opening, though it is a "false front" sheesh they also seem to be built to the lowest specs with very few adjustment capabilities.
There is no reason for this as the average after market hu is modestly low priced at the retail end and has more power with better adjustment capabilities.
It makes me so crazy lol. It cost me $150 to buy the dash kit for my '04 Accord to put in my hu. The factory hu takes up so much space on the console but once off it is pathetically tiny behind the facade lol.
OK rant/vent over.

 

Actually, head unit manufacturers are rating them around 15-17 watts RMS.

Here is the thing with head unit power. First off theyre limited by their size. Go to Circuit City and look at a REAL 50x4 amp and take note of its size. Then compare that size to a "50x4" head unit. How can something half the size make the same power especially with 50% of the size of the smaller thing is being used for CD transport and everything else?

Bottom line is, it cant. A 5.0 liter engine can make 300 hp. A 2.3 liter engine cant (unless you strap $50,000 worth of mods onto it and then it will still only make that power at 8,000 RPM's).

Now when you look at these head unit ratings, notice the THD number. This is Total Harmonic Distortion and is kinda like RPM's. it tells you how hard something is being pushed to make the power. Anything under 1% is inaudible.

So you look at a 50x2MTX amp and itll make its rated power BELOW 1%. A head unit will claim to make 50 watts but at 10%!! So you have to push the head unit 10 times harder to get the same power (and have 10 times the distortion).

So basically youre only ever going to get 8-10 watts REAL WORLD out of a head unit. Its not their faults, theyre just too small. However the manufacturers should do a more honest job or rating them. But bottom line is head units make HORRIBLE power sources. Would you race in NASCAR with a I4 engine?