Basic question: Can Home Theater speakers be used with a car amplifier

[Triton]

1st off, I've searched but haven't been able to find a good answer.

I am picking up a cab tomorrow that doesn't have speakers.   I want to pick up the parts tonight so I can get sound wired in fairly quickly.   

I will be using the cab as a jukebox as well as arcade.   So I would prefer a richer more robust sound.   I have a set of Polk bookshelfs that I would like to use in the cab.   However, I don't know if I can hood those up to a car amp or not.   I know that the amp runs 12v so I can hook it directly up to a power supply.   I believe that I would need to get an 8 ohz amplifier.   Other than that, I'm not sure.

Also, if I can use that combination......   How will I be able to control the volume?   I know that I can use the computer's volume.   However, I would like to have an external knob so it is easier to use.

Thanks!!!

Triton

[rovingmind]

if the bookshelfs and the amp  are both rated at  8 ohms they will work as long as you watch your rms power ratings.  Without getting to much into speaker or amp design, they might not sound as well as they would with a home stereo amplifier though.   

[Blanka]

I would go for the computer-volume. Just map them to some shifted keys of the arcade controls. Get a car amp with at least the RMS power of the speakers at 1%THD (total harmonic distortion) or less (sometimes an amp is 2x100watt, at 10%THD, which is too much distortion, so check the 0.1 or 1% numbers). Then pick a PC power supply with 10 amps of 12 volt or more (enough for 2x60 watt).

[richms]

You will really want to get a bridgable amp since car amps are usually designed for 4 ohms across each side, bridging will double the power to the speaker, but it will not be what the amp is capable of so some overkill will be advised.

Dont get one of the cheap 4x60 watt amps off ebay that looks impossibly small, because they are just a chip like found in a headdeck in them and 60 watts is some fantasy figure pulled out of a marketeers butt.

[rovingmind]

Dont get one of the cheap 4x60 watt amps off ebay that looks impossibly small, because they are just a chip like found in a headdeck in them and 60 watts is some fantasy figure pulled out of a marketeers butt.

Usually with car audio amplifiers thats the max watts it will put out without completely cooking itself, not neccessarily producing legible audio.  The cheaper the amp the wackier the number combo. 

Thats why i like PA amplifiers.  When mine says 100watts by 2 at 8 ohms, it will put that out continuous all day and all night long, and still sound good.  Of course they weigh 30 lbs, have built in cooling fans and don't neccessarily fit into arcade cabinets.

[Triton]

Thank you guys.....  VERY MUCH.

I will use this info to complete my research on the subject.   I'm not used to this type of electronics so there is a bit of a learning curve for me.

CHeers!!!!!

Triton

[Blanka]

If it is a chip like this:

A TDA 8920
There is no problem when they mention 2x60 watt. Those chips deliver great 2x60 watt sound, with very little heat production, as they are class-D and 90% efficient.

[richms]

Not off 12v they dont, most of the small amps have a much worse chip in them - the H bridge configs like in headdecks so you cant bridge them at all.

[Blanka]

What's a headdeck? Google images is not helping this time. Sounds like headache for now 

[richms]

A headdeck is the thing that goes in your dashboard of a car, they have a crap 12 watt or so amp in them running a H bridge configuration straight off the 12 volt supply of the car.