car amp to home system?

[caniac]

Hi all,

I've got a Pioneer home theater receiver which works good for DD movie soundtracks, but I'm not much on the satellite-subwoofer combo for music. The main stereo channels don't seem to get enough power to my main speakers for satisfying bass response. And I know these speakers are capable of good bass because I had them hooked up to a more powerful unit at one time.

So what I'm wondering is, can I hook a car amp up to the receiver and run the speakers through that instead? I've got a very nice Kenwood 100x2 car amp collecting dust in the closet. I'm almost positive I've seen adaptors for converting the 12-volt into a household outlet, and I can mount the thing conveniently out of sight in my entertainment center.

Anybody ever tried this, and any problems with it? It would really just be a temporary solution until I can afford a more conventional solution.

Thanks in advance.

[vr6ofpain]

you dont buy an 'adaptor' you have to get a power supply. make sure to get one that will be able to supply enough juice to support the 200 watt amp you are going to use. here is an example:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=120-538

http://www.partsexpress.com/images/120-538m.jpg

[SlumpBuster]

I did it in college to power some extra speakers. No freshman cars on campus, so I emptied out my hooptie. Even though my power supply was rated at 10 amps it was always tripping on a 90x1 yamaha. It can work, but probably not as well as your hoping it will. If it did, lots more people would be doing it. At least my power supply didn't go to waste, now its powering cooling fans in my audio cabinet.

[caniac]

Yeah, I figured that.

I think I'll just go buy a two-channel receiver instead. I should be able to run the analog output from the DVD to that, and use the digital output for 5.1 movies. Would there be any problems with that? (other than the obvious inconvenience of having to switch the output all the time).

Unfortunately, I cannot justify the expense of one of those $4000 built-like-a-tank Carver amps to my wife. :(