Help with sound system
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Staging Lane
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From: Macedonia, Europe
Help with sound system I need some help with the sound system. I have a 2001 Camaro with the Monsoon stereo system. I replace the Stock HU with a Kenwood MP3 HU. My speakers weren't good, so I went and replaced the door speakers with Kenwood ones. I also replaced the bass speakers by the back seats with Kenwood speakers. I put new wiring and left the stock wiring like that because I didn't want to mess with it. I hooked up the speakers directly to the radio. I also had some 6x9's in the trunk in place of the 4 inch stock speakers. They went through a little amp to the radio. I also have 2 12' Rockford Punch subs with a Rockford Punch amp, but that is not included in my question. I have good bass, so I didn't care for bass in the other speakers. Now my problem is that since I got this setup, the sound changed drastically. It sounds much different than the stock sound and I don't like it much. It sounds too thin or something like that. The stock sound was much fuller and could be turned up much louder than this that I have now, because if I turn this system up too loud, there is great distortion. Would the reason for this be because the 2 door speakers and 2 sail panel speakers are hooked up directly to the radio and not through an amp?
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve this?
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve this?
You are correct. You are using the hu's amp to power the high end speakers in the system. Your best bet is to just get a 4 channel amp and run the highs off of it. Since you have already changed out the stock speakers to aftermarket ones.
Most kenwood headunits have some capability to filter low frequencies to your full range speakers. It is called "system Q" or similar. This will let you prevent the head unit from sending bass to the full range speakers driven by the head unit. On mine it is selectable full range, 80hz, 120hz, 200Hz.
Since you have subs, you can use this setting to filter bass out of the full range speakers, meaning the head unit amp can focus on powering mids and highs, and the speakers won't distort trying to make bass. It should help alot.
If you have this setting, use it to your door and sail panel speakers. You should probably ditch the 6x9's altogether, if you haven't already.
This arrangement paired with the rockford subs should sound much, much better than the stock setup. If it doesn't then something is very wrong in your wiring or speakers.
Find out if your head unit has this capability. If it doesn't post that up, there are other ways to accomplish the same thing. We'll go there if need be.
Since you have subs, you can use this setting to filter bass out of the full range speakers, meaning the head unit amp can focus on powering mids and highs, and the speakers won't distort trying to make bass. It should help alot.
If you have this setting, use it to your door and sail panel speakers. You should probably ditch the 6x9's altogether, if you haven't already.
This arrangement paired with the rockford subs should sound much, much better than the stock setup. If it doesn't then something is very wrong in your wiring or speakers.
Find out if your head unit has this capability. If it doesn't post that up, there are other ways to accomplish the same thing. We'll go there if need be.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 68
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From: Macedonia, Europe
Yes, it does have the system Q setting. But the thing is they sound like very thin, like the speakers are underpowered, not a full loud sound like the stock system used to sound. Should I put 4" speakers in the rear instead of the 6x9? I guess the best thing to try is to buy a 6 channel amp and get the 4" speakers for the rear and put the door and sail panel speakers on it too? By the way what do you guys think of the JVC KD-AVX1 unit? I'm thinking of getting it
Most of the time when you run the speakers off the HU this is what it will sound like. It sounds thin because your speakers can't handle any bass without distorting. You need a certain amount of midbass in your door and sails to get a good full sound. The subs shoud only handle the lower frequencies. Depending on what kind of Kenwood speakers you installed depends on whether or not you can really effectively put an amp to them. Your HU is not going to be able to put out enough power to compensate for 2 12" subs. Should'veboughttheZ is correct in you needing an additional 4channel amp or purchase a 5 channel amp so you can run the whole system from 1 amp. If you haven't already I highly recommend components for the doors and a nice midbass woofer for the sails. This would work nicely with a 4 channel and compliment your 12's well. This will give you what your looking for. Your sound is thin because your other speakers can't handle any midbass. As far as the rear hatch speakers..sell em and spend your money on another amp. The hatch area is a complete waste if your other components are doing what they should!! Just leave em disconnected. Sell the 6 x 9's to a friend.
Phantom, post up what speakers (models) you are using in the four head unit powered locations, along with the head unit model.
I agree they will sound much better amplified, but even using head unit power with the subs - if you have your system dialed in correctly it should sound better than stock in every way.
I agree they will sound much better amplified, but even using head unit power with the subs - if you have your system dialed in correctly it should sound better than stock in every way.
