I have an Eclipse CD3434 deck which puts out 2.7v and 2 Alpine amps that can recieve up to 4v. Am I gonna benefit from a line driver? Or is this too little of an increase to make a valuable difference. Will I get better sound or just louder. Keep in mind, my system is sounding pretty damn good, but it I can get a line driver cheap enough and it improves my sound I would consider it.

 

Just to add on to Defro's post, adding a line driver will increase the possibility of noise in your sound. Basically, the more items which your sound signal has to go through, the higher the chance of introducing noise into the sound.

If it's not broke, don't fit it. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

 

What ? [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]


Here's what a line driver does (your posted question)

It will take an input signal and increase it's signal stregnth. As in take a lower voltage signal and amplify it.

Why would you do this ?

1: You have a low output deck and have to turn up the amplifier gain to get the maximum output out of the amplifier. Doing this may cause the signal to noise ratio to increase thus possibly giving you a louder noise floor.

2: You are driving many devices (amplifiers) and the signal strength of the decks output can not drive that many devices (the more you add the more impeadance you will get), thus lowering signal level, causing you to do the above #1

Adding a quality line driver when installled corectly will REDUCE NOISE in your system, not add noise.

Because it increases the S/N ratio (the signal is greater than the noise floor)


Do you need a line driver ?

If you have the folowing problems....maybe


- alot of hiss, or alternator whine

- Can not turn the gains up on your amps any more (as in they are maxed out), and you feel your not getting the correct amplifier power output.


I'm from the SQ comp world and noise of any kind is a big no-no for us. So I have cars that I have built with them and cars without them (all the cars with a P9 don't have them)

My Impala that I am building rigth now will use a Crystal line 400P on the back of a Eclpise 5302 (1997 model with 5 volt out) because I can get a ton of gain out of it, and turn my processor/amplifier gains all the way down.

 

Thanks guys.....based on all this...I will not be getting a line driver. Thanks for explaining the details. [img]smile.gif[/img]

 

Love this board Some one will always cut to the chase and explain stuff in terms I can understand! Thank you all . [img]smile.gif[/img]

 

Basically, Its an amplifier for your rca's.

 

isn't line driving something like Line dancing, but with cars??