DigitalPigeon

Hey all and thanks for reading.

In my 2004 blazer I have replaced stock speakers (just fronts for now) with a pair of Alpine SPX-17PRO components

specs: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_10648_Alpine+SPX-17PRO.html

I am driving these with the front channels of an Alpine PDX-4.150

specs: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_6895_Alpine+PDX-4.150.html

So those are 300/100 Watt speakers at 150+ Watt RMS amp.

HU is Alpine IVA-w505 with the PXA-H100 imprint audio processor, but I am NOT using the auto eq; just running the imprint to get access to the expanded eq.

So my problem is the speakers kind of sound like bumb. They are okay at low to mid volume (nice and clear) but the 6.5s (not the tweets) distort like heck if there is even a small amount of bass on whatever I am listening to once I start to turn it up (gain on amp is near bottom, and half way up on HU).

So I have 700 dollar speakers that I have to set the low crossover at like 400hz or so to listen to at a decent volume, and it means my overall sound is terrible because I either get low bass from the sub, or mid / high from my speakers... there is no mid bass in my system if I want to listen medium to loud sound level

Any comments I could bring back to my installer would really help. They say "tough, thats just how it is" but everyone else that has these speakers say they really push.

Thank you all!!! Have a great day!!


Chris

Sikk Nation

iTrader: (1)

Did you buy them online from unauthorized dealer?. They could be fakes.

That aside, Are your doors sound deadened?. How are they installed?. Did you over-tighten the screws and bend the frame?. This can cause the t-yoke to rub and cause all kinds of unhappy problems

vrdublu

iTrader: (5)

Sounds like you have something not hooked up properly. Take it to someone who knows what they're doing, GL. Those are great sounding speakers running on an average at best amp, even so, you should get very nice sound out of those comps.

DigitalPigeon

Well I did buy them online at Sonic Electronix, but a) they're fairly reputable, b) those are some heck of amazing looking (and sounding) fakes if they are.

As far as the install, it was all done professionally, so I'm going to assume / hope they didn't break my stuff!! There is no sound deadening mats in the door *looks longingly at 4 boxes of Dynamat sitting beside his computer, waiting to be installed* lol.

SQ is PERFECT up to a certian amount of bass... and it is the same no matter what I do (lower hu vol, increase amp gain; raise hu vol, decrease amp gain)... perfect sound quality until a certian volume / bass, and then every bass hit distorts.

If I switch to music with less low range / rumbly bass (like from hip hop to rock) then I can crank it MUCH louder (50% or more increase, still crystal clear)... can get the same effect on the rumbly song, but I have to turn on the high pass cross over on either the HU or Amp.

Could it be I am just expecting too much SPL from these speakers and they have hit their peak? Somehow I expected more from them...

Was hopping maybe something popped right out at you guys. Oh well, I guess I will book an appointment with another shop in the city (Edmonton) and see what they will do other than try to sell me more crap that I don't need lol

Thanks all!!!

Sinemeup

Look at it from a musical standpoint... a low E on a 6 string guitar is 80hz... now usually when I play a low e on a guitar I am playing that note through a 10 or 12 inch guitar speaker, translating this same frequency through a speaker that is 6.5 inches, in an undeadened door, that is not in a perfectly sealed/ported enclosure is definitely going to cause problems... I like to try Primus: Antipop 6th or 7th track... the song contains lots of resonance and can quickly show flaws in a component set... deaden the hell out of those doors and possibly make speaker baffles in an attempt to eliminate any speaker panel distortion... then judge these speakers... I went through a book of CDs one day listening to some old type R components that I was quite impressed with, especially for the low price of them.... best of luck with your x's

JohnVroom

OK we have distortion and the distortion is volume dependant. It does sound like an issue Dynamat would improve.

Is this one or both speakers?

Your distortion could be speaker, signal or car related. First I would check to see if the speaker has a clearance issue (or a factory defect) simply take the speaker out of the door (give them a good visual inspection (is anything bent or touching the cone) and lay them on the carpet and play music, do you still hear breakup (if yes it is either the signal or the speaker itself but not a clearance issue).

Is there any kind of bass boost on? Is there a subsonic filter that could be turned on as these dont really do all that well below 80 Hz?

DigitalPigeon

Both speakers (left and right mids) are start to distort at the same sound level.

Interesting about clearance... i had thought about that breifly but had assumed installer would have thought of that. I will try what you said tonight (pull speakers and visually see if there is contact anywhere).

No sound processing / bass boost. Though if I turn on any sort of bass enhancement the distortion definately occurs earlier (when the equivelent amount of bass is comming through those mids... even though it is lower overall spl)

By subsonic filter do you just mean a high pass filter? I will give it a try at 80hz and see what happens (just using a digital high pass off of the amp).

Since everyone keeps saying I need to better seal / deaden the door, and I already have the mats, any good suggestions on links on best way to install Dynamat into the doors (or is this something that I should get a professional for?? I have not done any sort of work with sound deadening material before )

Hey, thanks guys for helping with my noobish (yet very frustrating!!!) problem You guys are great!!

Feezy

Did they have to do any cutting to the doors for these speakers as they as bigger than normal 6.5 mids? Or did they press fit them into the doors?

aotoyota

how high are the gains set on the pdx? im wondering if its just clipping at higher volumes? and maybe check to see if the xover is turned on on the pdx too

Tony Dehnke

If you paid to have these professionally installed, go back to the dealer and have then review it and help you get things fixed up.

With the processor in there it is possible that there is a setting in there that is causing your issue.

You paid for pro help, go back and get them to help you out.