JL Audio Cleansweep 441dsp in a Kia Forte...Rant
08-27-2009, 09:01 AM
#1
50 Watt CAFz'r
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 82
JL Audio Cleansweep 441dsp in a Kia Forte...Rant
So, here's a list of what I did in my '10 Kia Forte and what I've learned from the experience. (wasn't going to change out the stock deck.)
1st - Added a JLG1300 Amp w/ 10w6v2 in a sealed generic box. Line converter on the front speaker lines.
conclusion: good first upgrade, underpowered sub but added some nice low-end. The stock speaker are garbage of course, but overall weren't too bad. They definitely were missing a lot of low-mid so on to step 2
2nd. Swapped the stock speakers for Kenwood Excelon Components in the front, and Excelon coaxials in the back.
conclusion: Now we're talking!.. everything I needed to hear was there! Sounded fantastic. However the deck's 22w /ch output was seriously laggin behind the sub. This step was an intermediate step so on to step 3.
3rd. Changed out the G1300 for a 500/1 Slash and added a 300/4 Slash. Upgraded to 2AWG (or 0AWG...whichever needs a 150A fuse)
conclusion: Awesome! Was almost perfect in the full-range, and the sub was nice and tight. I still felt I could get better. As I work in the Pro Audio and Lighting Industry, I knew I was missing the low-end the a sealed box was really rolling-off.
4th. Changed the sealed box for a HO box.
conclusion: BAM! fan-fricken-tastic! Practically perfect! All the headroom in the world on the sub.
Here's where it got interesting though:
The line converters were sending a very HOT signal to the Amps. When the installers switched the amps to a high level input and we cranked the stereo to about 2/3rds to 75%, we started to hear distortion when we turned up the amps. This was likely due to the line converters output being not quite HOT enough for a High level signal but nice and hot for a low-level signal. We kept the Amps set to low, which required the 500/1 to be turned all the way down, which was very clean however it concerned me that I could be close to pushing it to hard for the 10w6v2. I have the JL bass boost ****, and any slight attenuation to it was sending my sub screaming away.
I started doing some research to find a better line-converter type product and began readin reviews on the CleanSweep. I thought to myself,..." hey this would do the job and also re-eq the factory signal" which lead me to believe that I'd get the ultimate on sonic fidelity for my vehicle.
Got it installed and here's my opinion:
While many reviews say that it's an awesome product, I found that in my case, it actually sounded worse in the end. The mids were way too hot, the low-mids were also boosted too much in their higher range leaving the overall sound afterwards sounding very "compressed". For those of you who do not know what compression is, just think of the sound you get when you listen to someone on speakerphone, or the case of the intentionally used, listen to "Digging a Hole" by Big Sugar. Very compressed sounding indeed. I guess the point is, when it ain't broke, dont fix it. I can see the JL Cleansweep doing a fantastic job for OEM stereos with TONS of Eq'ing done to them, (BMW , and a lot of Japanese car steroes.) The truth about a Kia Forte/Soul stock deck is they are tuned quite well for someone who listens to : Alt/Rock, Rap/hiphop, Electronic, and even Acoustic and Classical. Heck even talk radio sounded better before the Cleansweep.
Today I'll be taking her in for hopefully the last time and getting the CSwp swapped out for a high quality set of LnCnvrtrs that will get me the proper level out to the amps, while also having a very good quality signal coming going out as well.
I'll let you know what I chose and what I gained in the end.
Lets hope it's not hearing loss that's actually at work here... but I doubt it!
1st - Added a JLG1300 Amp w/ 10w6v2 in a sealed generic box. Line converter on the front speaker lines.
conclusion: good first upgrade, underpowered sub but added some nice low-end. The stock speaker are garbage of course, but overall weren't too bad. They definitely were missing a lot of low-mid so on to step 2
2nd. Swapped the stock speakers for Kenwood Excelon Components in the front, and Excelon coaxials in the back.
conclusion: Now we're talking!.. everything I needed to hear was there! Sounded fantastic. However the deck's 22w /ch output was seriously laggin behind the sub. This step was an intermediate step so on to step 3.
3rd. Changed out the G1300 for a 500/1 Slash and added a 300/4 Slash. Upgraded to 2AWG (or 0AWG...whichever needs a 150A fuse)
conclusion: Awesome! Was almost perfect in the full-range, and the sub was nice and tight. I still felt I could get better. As I work in the Pro Audio and Lighting Industry, I knew I was missing the low-end the a sealed box was really rolling-off.
4th. Changed the sealed box for a HO box.
conclusion: BAM! fan-fricken-tastic! Practically perfect! All the headroom in the world on the sub.
Here's where it got interesting though:
The line converters were sending a very HOT signal to the Amps. When the installers switched the amps to a high level input and we cranked the stereo to about 2/3rds to 75%, we started to hear distortion when we turned up the amps. This was likely due to the line converters output being not quite HOT enough for a High level signal but nice and hot for a low-level signal. We kept the Amps set to low, which required the 500/1 to be turned all the way down, which was very clean however it concerned me that I could be close to pushing it to hard for the 10w6v2. I have the JL bass boost ****, and any slight attenuation to it was sending my sub screaming away.
I started doing some research to find a better line-converter type product and began readin reviews on the CleanSweep. I thought to myself,..." hey this would do the job and also re-eq the factory signal" which lead me to believe that I'd get the ultimate on sonic fidelity for my vehicle.
Got it installed and here's my opinion:
While many reviews say that it's an awesome product, I found that in my case, it actually sounded worse in the end. The mids were way too hot, the low-mids were also boosted too much in their higher range leaving the overall sound afterwards sounding very "compressed". For those of you who do not know what compression is, just think of the sound you get when you listen to someone on speakerphone, or the case of the intentionally used, listen to "Digging a Hole" by Big Sugar. Very compressed sounding indeed. I guess the point is, when it ain't broke, dont fix it. I can see the JL Cleansweep doing a fantastic job for OEM stereos with TONS of Eq'ing done to them, (BMW , and a lot of Japanese car steroes.) The truth about a Kia Forte/Soul stock deck is they are tuned quite well for someone who listens to : Alt/Rock, Rap/hiphop, Electronic, and even Acoustic and Classical. Heck even talk radio sounded better before the Cleansweep.
Today I'll be taking her in for hopefully the last time and getting the CSwp swapped out for a high quality set of LnCnvrtrs that will get me the proper level out to the amps, while also having a very good quality signal coming going out as well.
I'll let you know what I chose and what I gained in the end.
Lets hope it's not hearing loss that's actually at work here... but I doubt it!
08-27-2009, 04:16 PM
#2
50 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 82
Well I'm back and it definitely isnt hearing loss!
Installed a Cache COE6 which is essentially an attenuatable,summable, 6 input live converter/driver.
My sound is back to it's awesomeness, and actually noticeably better than the original passive line converters... the highs are so much clearer now than they ever were. Originally.. like most people, I'd turn up the highs a bit on the deck.. Now leave them flat as they are coming through load an clear.
Hope this set of lessons help people down the road.
D
Installed a Cache COE6 which is essentially an attenuatable,summable, 6 input live converter/driver.
My sound is back to it's awesomeness, and actually noticeably better than the original passive line converters... the highs are so much clearer now than they ever were. Originally.. like most people, I'd turn up the highs a bit on the deck.. Now leave them flat as they are coming through load an clear.
Hope this set of lessons help people down the road.
D
08-27-2009, 10:12 PM
#3
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 11
Good summary! I'm going through the same thought process for a Mazda 3. Did you find a big difference between the Cache COE6 and the original LOC? Where did you get the Cache COE6 - I did a quick search on it and not a lot of info on the net other than their own website.
08-27-2009, 10:55 PM
#4
50 Watt CAFz'r
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 82
Ultra autosound in miss.
The sound is similar to the original locs however this one is active, comes with a volume **** if you want to use it, and offers more options and settings than a typical loc. How many speaker runs come off your deck?
The sound is similar to the original locs however this one is active, comes with a volume **** if you want to use it, and offers more options and settings than a typical loc. How many speaker runs come off your deck?
08-30-2009, 01:44 PM
#7
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Hey,
send me some contact info, maybe I can meet up with you to give you an idea of what it sounds like using the components I did. I would recommend ultra as they are very familiar now with fortes having fully dissected mine!
send me some contact info, maybe I can meet up with you to give you an idea of what it sounds like using the components I did. I would recommend ultra as they are very familiar now with fortes having fully dissected mine!
08-30-2009, 01:47 PM
#8
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