Need some help with tuning my conglomerate system
03-02-2015, 10:17 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 4
Need some help with tuning my conglomerate system
Hi all,
Just joined after lurking for awhile. I have a few questions for you guys about tuning my setup. Give a little background first.....
Car is 1995 Grand Prix. 5 1/4 door speakers and 6x9 rear. I currently have kicker speakers in there.
Head unit is a Kenwood excelon x897. Have an older Kenwood 4 channel amp running the front and rear speakers. As far as subs I have 2 punch 10's in a ported box my friend have me. They are 8 ohm speakers and I have them running on a fosgate prime 500.1 mono block amp. I'm running the subs at a 4ohm load.
My basic questions are how is the best way to tune the mid/highs and how to set them up with the head unit. There's a way to setup the frequencies in the EQ pro area on the head unit. Also when it comes to the mono block amp I'm not 100% sure how to adjust the Rockford Fosgate crossover dials on the amp. It sounds ok, but I know there's something better I can do to make it sound better. I really don't want to go and buy anymore equipment at the moment. So just thought I'd ask you guys what you might recommend me try to see if I could make my current stuff sound better.
Thanks! Love the site!
Andy
Just joined after lurking for awhile. I have a few questions for you guys about tuning my setup. Give a little background first.....
Car is 1995 Grand Prix. 5 1/4 door speakers and 6x9 rear. I currently have kicker speakers in there.
Head unit is a Kenwood excelon x897. Have an older Kenwood 4 channel amp running the front and rear speakers. As far as subs I have 2 punch 10's in a ported box my friend have me. They are 8 ohm speakers and I have them running on a fosgate prime 500.1 mono block amp. I'm running the subs at a 4ohm load.
My basic questions are how is the best way to tune the mid/highs and how to set them up with the head unit. There's a way to setup the frequencies in the EQ pro area on the head unit. Also when it comes to the mono block amp I'm not 100% sure how to adjust the Rockford Fosgate crossover dials on the amp. It sounds ok, but I know there's something better I can do to make it sound better. I really don't want to go and buy anymore equipment at the moment. So just thought I'd ask you guys what you might recommend me try to see if I could make my current stuff sound better.
Thanks! Love the site!
Andy
03-07-2015, 06:09 AM
#2
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 26
Hello Andy, Welcome to the Forum.
It is a little hard to tell you how to turn your system without all the info on your system...
First I don't know if you set up your car and the Audio or if you had the system set up by a Mobile Audio Specialist or a Big Box....
Next question is how is your system wired? Was it set up with all the RCA cables or did someone set it up with only 1 pair of RCA with Y's?
Also important is using some Good RCA's, Good Amp wire (Power wire from Battery to a good Fuse under the hood, passing through the fire wall with protection to a nice Distribution Block) Good ground cable to a good location free of paint and secured with star washer (Bolted is best) then sealed so it don't rust.
For me I don't like wiring up a amp for mid and highs through the factory speaker wires. It takes a little extra work but running a good speaker wire to each speaker is best.
Also for me I run a Ground wire off the deck to chassis. Seeing your deck has 3 RCA output I would run RCA from each output to the amps. Each cable should be matching cables. Running RCA cables away from the Power wire.
For adjustment of your Amp, If your using 3 sets of RCA from your deck you can best tune your system and your bass amp. Set the amp as I am sure to Low Pass and the make adjustment with the amp to the music that sounds best for your listening type. I don't know your Head unit, Only thing I know is that if memory serves me right it has 3 RCA output. If it offers some EQ adjustment you could make adjustments to tune your system from your head unit. If it offers Line Level adjustment you can make it so your system sounds best for the music your listening to. IF it don't offer adjustments then you would have to tune it from your Amps or get a Active Crossover for making your adjustments.
Sorry I wasn't much help. It is hard to give advise on a system without it being seen.
Lastly For best tuning I would use a CD, where I live the Radio stations just don't come in well enough.
Hope this helps some
James
It is a little hard to tell you how to turn your system without all the info on your system...
First I don't know if you set up your car and the Audio or if you had the system set up by a Mobile Audio Specialist or a Big Box....
Next question is how is your system wired? Was it set up with all the RCA cables or did someone set it up with only 1 pair of RCA with Y's?
Also important is using some Good RCA's, Good Amp wire (Power wire from Battery to a good Fuse under the hood, passing through the fire wall with protection to a nice Distribution Block) Good ground cable to a good location free of paint and secured with star washer (Bolted is best) then sealed so it don't rust.
For me I don't like wiring up a amp for mid and highs through the factory speaker wires. It takes a little extra work but running a good speaker wire to each speaker is best.
Also for me I run a Ground wire off the deck to chassis. Seeing your deck has 3 RCA output I would run RCA from each output to the amps. Each cable should be matching cables. Running RCA cables away from the Power wire.
For adjustment of your Amp, If your using 3 sets of RCA from your deck you can best tune your system and your bass amp. Set the amp as I am sure to Low Pass and the make adjustment with the amp to the music that sounds best for your listening type. I don't know your Head unit, Only thing I know is that if memory serves me right it has 3 RCA output. If it offers some EQ adjustment you could make adjustments to tune your system from your head unit. If it offers Line Level adjustment you can make it so your system sounds best for the music your listening to. IF it don't offer adjustments then you would have to tune it from your Amps or get a Active Crossover for making your adjustments.
Sorry I wasn't much help. It is hard to give advise on a system without it being seen.
Lastly For best tuning I would use a CD, where I live the Radio stations just don't come in well enough.
Hope this helps some
James
03-07-2015, 08:04 AM
#3
0 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 4
Thanks for the reply! More info for you. I installed the system. Ran 2 gauge wire for powering the amps and grounds in the rear trunk. I've used all new speaker wiring from each speaker to the amps. I did use 3 sets of RCA cables. One set for the subs and 2 sets I the kenwood amp.
I feel like these kicker speakers sound a bit flat in the midrange area. Some have Said they don't do well for mid and highs. They are mainly for bass.
So I contacted fosgate for help tuning the subs. They sound great, but the coaxial speakers are kinda where I'm wanting to look at possibly upgrading to a better set/brand or looking into a decent set of components. Not really wanting to spend a whole lot of money so I'd looked into alpine or possibly fosgate speakers.
I feel like these kicker speakers sound a bit flat in the midrange area. Some have Said they don't do well for mid and highs. They are mainly for bass.
So I contacted fosgate for help tuning the subs. They sound great, but the coaxial speakers are kinda where I'm wanting to look at possibly upgrading to a better set/brand or looking into a decent set of components. Not really wanting to spend a whole lot of money so I'd looked into alpine or possibly fosgate speakers.
03-09-2015, 08:44 AM
#4
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 26
Thank you for the information,
Not sure what Mid Bass you have from Kicker but sounds like something isn't right.
If your mids are like 41DSC54 for the door (is a 2 way Mid and Tweet) and 41DSC6934 3 way 6x9's Both sets I think would do well with an amp that is in its rating of 2 to 90 watts for the 6x9 and 2-50 for the 5 1/4. I think would scream. Then you Bass could make a awesome daily driver sound system.
If you have been told your kickers are for bass only it sounds like maybe you have only a Midbass Driver without a Tweeter. (is my guess) I know you said coaxial speakers but not heard one yet that didn't have some nice highs when connected right.
Hard to say what someone should buy. Everyone listens to different music, even if the same, Most people like different sound stage. I know that you said you don't want to spend much, It could be that you could get away with a couple pairs of nice Tweeters to add to your front and Rear. If I was on a Budget and didn't want to make much changes. Or if I could only spend XYZ on my system, I would then take that amount and spend it 2 times and make the changes in steps. Say I could afford 90. a payday. Then I would get the best pair of 5.25 for the Door this payday in that 90 range and again next payday do the same for the rear deck. That way your not trying to just find 2 pair of speaker for 90 or less. They are out there. JUst not sure they will sound the best.
Let us know what you do. Maybe someone else might tell you what you could replace your front and rear speakers with. Wish you luck with your system
James
Not sure what Mid Bass you have from Kicker but sounds like something isn't right.
If your mids are like 41DSC54 for the door (is a 2 way Mid and Tweet) and 41DSC6934 3 way 6x9's Both sets I think would do well with an amp that is in its rating of 2 to 90 watts for the 6x9 and 2-50 for the 5 1/4. I think would scream. Then you Bass could make a awesome daily driver sound system.
If you have been told your kickers are for bass only it sounds like maybe you have only a Midbass Driver without a Tweeter. (is my guess) I know you said coaxial speakers but not heard one yet that didn't have some nice highs when connected right.
Hard to say what someone should buy. Everyone listens to different music, even if the same, Most people like different sound stage. I know that you said you don't want to spend much, It could be that you could get away with a couple pairs of nice Tweeters to add to your front and Rear. If I was on a Budget and didn't want to make much changes. Or if I could only spend XYZ on my system, I would then take that amount and spend it 2 times and make the changes in steps. Say I could afford 90. a payday. Then I would get the best pair of 5.25 for the Door this payday in that 90 range and again next payday do the same for the rear deck. That way your not trying to just find 2 pair of speaker for 90 or less. They are out there. JUst not sure they will sound the best.
Let us know what you do. Maybe someone else might tell you what you could replace your front and rear speakers with. Wish you luck with your system
James
03-09-2015, 09:27 AM
#5
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 4
Thanks James. Over the weekend I did some tuning on my system. I set the gains on my sub amp as Fosgate recommended with a test tone an a multimeter. Did some tweaking with the EQs on the Fosgate amp and head unit and the bass is so much nicer sounding.
Once I figured out how to set the gain correctly on the mono block I did the same on the kenwood amp running the 2 sets of coaxial speakers. Used a test tone and did the best I could setting the voltage with my meter.
For some reason if I did the math correctly I'm suppose to have about 26V to the gains on the kenwood amp. For some reason I was able to only get 18V a channel with the kenwood gains all the way up. Not sure if the amps not making enough power or not. It's a pretty old amp that a buddy gave me, so I've been using it to run the kicker speakers. I bridged just 2 channels and setup the amp for just 2 channel use in mono configuration. It works pretty well but down the road I will probably get a better performing amp for the kicker speakers.
Once I figured out how to set the gain correctly on the mono block I did the same on the kenwood amp running the 2 sets of coaxial speakers. Used a test tone and did the best I could setting the voltage with my meter.
For some reason if I did the math correctly I'm suppose to have about 26V to the gains on the kenwood amp. For some reason I was able to only get 18V a channel with the kenwood gains all the way up. Not sure if the amps not making enough power or not. It's a pretty old amp that a buddy gave me, so I've been using it to run the kicker speakers. I bridged just 2 channels and setup the amp for just 2 channel use in mono configuration. It works pretty well but down the road I will probably get a better performing amp for the kicker speakers.
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