bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

But I'm wondering if I switched components if it would help. I just can't get the stereo to STAY sounding decent. I know different MP3's will have different levels/quality, but I'm constantly adjusting this damn thing and frankly it's pissing me off.

Don't have $2000 for a whole new exhaust right now like I need anyway, but I may just have to shell out some coin for some second skin luxury liner or something. My exhaust note is fighting the stereo and cancelling frequencies.. And I've got three darn bullet mufflers on it. LT's ORY (I know.. it's going) and a TSP rumbler with SLP PowerFlow mufflers at the back and a complete FatMat install. Road noise is reduced, but the exhaust is too damn loud. Stereo gets PLENTY loud to where I can't yell over it, but just sounds like ****. Sounds AMAZING when the car is off though! But still picky with track to track EQ differences.

Anyway.. I currently have Memphis M Class up front, but the tweeter is metallic and doesn't have any +/- adjustments (ick!)..... I have a set of Infinity Reference components NIB that I haven't installed yet and I'm wondering if it'll be worth the trouble. I'll probably have to bi-amp this when I get a new head unit (don't have a 3rd set of RCA out right now) so it's just the front channel and the sub. if I Bi-Amp this, should it help the quality with a newer set of components with the fabric tweeter material dialed down -2db?

Wish there was a way to mount the tweets further forward in the car to time this better..

Anyway.. Sorry, for the rant, but I'm running out of ideas and most of my problem points to a new headunit and a better exhaust (Kooks LT's, Kooks TD with cats.)

bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

LT's,TD with cats is going to be loud , with cats may quiet it down but not much realistically depending on what else is done to your car.

As far as quality of music:
how do you store your music? Cds, a particular mp3 player, stream over bluetooth or a HU with usb plugged in?

Use an audio software to format them in 1 format with eq's set.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

If you're just powering the speakers with the headunit, you need to get around 50 watts rms per channel power amp hooked up to your door speakers, I'd also sound deaden the inside of the doors too!

A good little amp would be a Cerwin-Vega SX220.2(65watts x 2, @ 4 ohms) you could easily mount it under one of the front seats, it has a variable x-over, and cost under $90.
I put one of these in my sons car to power the door speakers, and it really made a difference over just powering them with the head unit which was barely loud enough at the onset of distortion.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

I have dual Alpine X-Power amps. That's why I was figuring on bi-amping it. Was going to do the sail speakers, but after hearing just the fronts I don't even miss the back sail speakers. Just need another RCA out to bi-amp for 4 channels, 2 for tweets and 2 for the woofers/mids.

The car is cammed, so that adds a bit to it. It's going to be a challenge to quiet down the inside.

And I have all of my music on my one ipod (65 gigs total) running through the ipod patch cable to the headunit. it's a newer Pioneer single DIN HU. Got it a couple years ago. The problem was most of the stuff I have was downloaded and I recently just started buying stuff. The quality is much better and If I like the group/band, I'll support them. So with the downloads, the quality isn't all there on most of them, but some is pretty good. I know the Pioneers have a sound reconstruction technology deal with their new HU's and I was hoping that would take care of it for me.

And how long do you figure it would take me to format all 65 gigs?

I mean the stereo is VERY loud, but the tweeters are just way to tinny and overpowering at times. The levels are all screwed up. Tweets are on the A-pillar pointed toward the windshield, I know that's not the best place, but until I can mount them farther back then the woofers, and get new A-pillars, I'll have to do what I can with it.

wav3form

iTrader: (1)

You may need to have more advanced eq options to fine tune your setup. Makes a huge difference.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Well since you've got plenty of amplifier power, I'd do a layer of Damplifier with Luxury Liner Pro pre-glued to it inside(outer skin) the doors, and a small piece of Luxury Liner Pro around the shifter base. and if you haven't already go over the undercarrage with either some spray on bed-liner, or several cans of Cascade VB-1S PRO Quiet Kote Damping Spray.
Doing all of these should make a noticeable difference on cutting down on noise inside the car, and with the sound deadening inside the doors, the door speakers will sound better.
If you don't mind cutting your door panels I'd install your tweeters in the door like I did, mine sound good there!
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w...mupdate017.jpg
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w...mupdate018.jpg

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

^ I've seen two places to install the sound deadening in the doors, and always wondered why someone would just do behind the door panel? Maybe just to help kill some rattles from the lock rods and door handles...

And aren't those tweeters a bit close to your head?? I was always under the impression that the tweeters have to be farther away than the woofers due to the high frequencies traveling faster than lower frequencies? Not trying to sound like an ***, but I'm wondering why you put them closer to you? Mine in the A-pillars are WAY too "bright."

I think i may start installing the last 1/2 a roll of my Fat Mat in the doors tomorrow and swapping the components out. Just wish I could pick up that new AVH-P4400 headunit, but I've got a couple bills I'm paying off soon and may be moving so I have to watch my pennies lately.

Was gonna put the FM on the door skin itself, and probably outline the door frame behind the panel. May have to get some Dynamat door kits because I'm running a bit low as it is.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

And If I run 2channel RCA's full freq IN to the sub amp, isn't that more stress on the amp to separate frequencies? Or is it better to have it pre-filtered before going to the amp(s)? Wondering if I can grab the RCA OUT from the sub amp and send it to the other 2 channels on the full amp so I can bi-amp the fronts..... (Gonna go check now and see which one has the OUT on it.. Thoguht it was the sub amp.)

But then again, if I can't fine tune the frequencies, it'd be risky bi-amping and blowing the speakers due to incorrect frequencies being sent to the speakers.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Yeah, I put a layer of Damplifier with Overkill-Pro glued to it in my doors years ago it really does a good job keeping road/chassis noise from ruining the sound quality of door speakers and from entering the cabin, I also used a piece of O.K.-pro around the shifter base (under the rubber boot that screw into the trans tunnel, I noticed a reduction in noise transfer from doing that too. IMO, 1 sheet (9 sq. ft) should be enough for both front doors, you'll only be applying it from the crash bar on down. I 'd at least do the O.K.-Pro, but the L.L.P. will work better.I only did the O.K.-pro because it cost less. If you want more detail on anything let me know.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

Cool cool.. Thanks for the suggestions. Gonna get cracking tomorrow if I'm not to wore out after work and the gym.

Any idea on the full signal to the sub amp?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Nope, there not to close, you don't want the tweeters too far away for the main speakers anyway. With the swivel mounts I'm able to point them up and back towards the listeners ears, IMO perfect. As far as bi-amping the components I don't think that's going to solve your problem at all, I wouldn't bother.
IMO, your current tweeter location is terrible, too far from the door speakers and way too bright with the sound reflecting off the windshield and dash. A carpeted dash cover would take some of the harshness off the tweeters if you have one. The difference from high and low frequencies is that lower frequencies have a longer wave length, high freqs. have a short wave length.

Have a safe and happy 4th July!

Guitar

iTrader: (9)

Damn how loud is your exhaust? My setup isn't super loud, but I literally cannot hear my exhaust at WOT. My headunit goes to 50 I believe, and 25 is the max I use (24 with T-tops on). 28 is the loudest I can go without distortion.

bad_408_vert

iTrader: (6)

[QUOTE=bayer-z28;16483322]


And I have all of my music on my one ipod (65 gigs total) running through the ipod patch cable to the headunit. it's a newer Pioneer single DIN HU.

And how long do you figure it would take me to format all 65 gigs?

[QUOTE]

ok if you use an ipod iTunes normally converts music that it imports into the aac file format.
65gigs is a lot of music considering 1 song maybe 3-4mb? Depending on your computer, it shouldn't take more than 2 hours (just a guess).

However, you can change it to the mp3 format by clicking edit, preferences, advanced, importing, and then changing the import using field to "Mp3 Encoder."

Now all imported files will be changed into Mp3s if they are not Mp3s already.
Different sources for music download could have its differenceis , this is one small step that could help you for better sound quality.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

I'm gonna put the tweets in the doors. Screw it. I'll deal with the gaping holes left in the APillars. Almost done w the driver's side. Got the door all matted up and got the speakers installed. Well, gotta do the tweet still. May just move the crossovers to the back. Gonna have to snake a tweet wire thru the accordion since I pulled it out already. Soldered the door woofer, too.

Tool about 3.5 hrs to get this far, sweating my *** off and forgot to close the garage door so the garage filled up with about a yard full of bugs. That's enough for tonight.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

Swapping a-pillars is gonna be fun w my gauges all hard wired.


It's not dumps or C/O loud, but I just think its a mix of slight drone and all the frequencies are just bouncing around the cabin and messing w the stereo. That and not having Matted the doors yet didn't help either. And the bad tweeter location. I hope this makes a good improvement.

And look for 35057 or Bayer-Z28 on YouTube. I got a bunch of car videos on there.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

Done.........
Thanks for the help with the tweeters, BluZ28.

Was such a drastic change, it took me all afternoon to set everything up again. Was fighting it for a while. if the components weren't distorting, then the sub was (and I didn't touch anything on it! Could hear it distorting at higher levels)... Then if the Sub was dialed in decent, then the components were distorting. Put in some Animals As Leaders on the way home from my weekly meet and it sounded pretty damn good.

I think the HU is the weak point now. Still not quite as loud as I want. Quality wise, sounds amazing though. Track choice makes a difference though. The tracks/albums that I paid for sound much better. All the exhaust noise is coming from out back, so cruising with the windows up isn't as bad anymore. Stereo goes to 62, I found 50 is pretty much the max before distortion, 51 starts to get slightly distorted. Probably the normal 75% capacity for the HU anyway. All the way up will distort anyway, and we normally juice them up to ~75% anyway when we set em up.

HPF on the HU is set to 80 Hz. Had it at 63 (components are 53Hz factory) but still distorted a hair, so I bumped the crossover up to 80hz and it seemed like the volume level increased.

I matted what I could reach. Especially did around the door handle on the inside.

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

I'm really glad it worked out good for you, so are those tweeters on a swivel mount so you can angle them up some? I'd make sure if you ever go to a silk dome tweeter (or any softer sounding tweeter), that they come with swivel mounts so you can aim them (as much as possible) towards the listener.
So, don't your Alpine Amps have a variable freq. X-over?
What exact models do you have?
IMO, if you ever want you give your system a little more volume, without making the high end bright the put a pair of good mid-bass/mid-range speakers in the factory subs location and just run them from 50-80hz to 2k-4k that's what I did with mine. You'll still hear the fronts over them, but with a little more output up through the mid-range.

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

^ Yes, the tweets can swivel. I aimed the axis toward the pass and driver's heads and I can swivel them on that axis (if you can picture it.)

The amps are MRX-M50
http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/mrx-m50/

And an MRX-F30.
http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/mrx-f30/

Oddly enough, both the HP and LP x-overs have the same freq range. 50-400 Hz. And I REALLY have to hook up that remote gain control for the lows. It's almost a must-have now.


It's still not quite loud enough for what i wanted. Wondering what the culprit may be. And I missing a little bit of the mid range bass drum sound when you can actually almost hear the percussion of the bass drum and the reverberation (??) of that hit. -Yes, I'm being a little picky.. but I'm looking for quality also.

They have a x-over and a gain. Wondering if it may be time for a sound processor. After the amps, right? I've been wanting mid, bass speakers, and have the wires run to the sails, but just don't have anything there right now. Wondering if I'd need the processor for those to fine tune the frequencies and kill the highs. Maybe, like you said, it'll add a little more volume also. Was wondering if the lack of the back speakers killed my volume a touch.

And I put the tweets where they are because I didn't quite have the mounting depth to put them where you have them.


Was listening to this last night. Also today. Was my tuning music.


Does CDT Audio make a 2 ohm mid bass woofer?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

I don't think they make a 2ohm mid bass, But I would take a look at the CDT HD-6, their very efficient(93.1dB) so 50W rms will sound like a lot more. There also their under 3" deep so you shouldn't have any mounting depth issues. Use your Amp x-over to filter out the low-end and a passive 2-way x-over to filter out the high-end.
http://www.cdtaudio.com/series/midwoofers/hd6.htm
http://www.keeaudio.com/cdtmidbass.html

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

Wondering if my amp soundly mind a two ohm load on ch 1+2 and a 4 ohm load on ch 3+4.