Featured Seeking Advice on My SQ Audio Build

[zjsager1]

Actually ive read many great reviews about the kicker key when it comes to its dsp functionality, auto tune functionality...
Sounds like a budget friendly option if youre just running a 2 way sound stage config & want the benefit of a dsp...

Yes, it sounds pretty good. Going down the path of dedicated DSP and REW sounds nice though, just expensive.

 

[zjsager1]

Hi all! I'm new here to this forum but I've put together this SQ audio build through tons of hours and hard work. I'm curious on general opinion of the speakers I have installed and general tuning advice to get the most out of them. Specifically a description of the fosgates for the rears on SQ because I know nothing about them, a friend sold them to me for $80.

Fronts : JL C2 650
Rears: Rockford Fosgate T1650 (installing soon)
Sub: Rockford Fosgate P3D2 - 10 (Sound Ordanace Box)
Amps: Kicker KEY 200.4 (Fronts/Rears), Kicker CXA800.1 (Sub, yes a bit over powered for the sub)

Oh yeah, this system is installed in my 2016 Mazda 3 Hatchback using a LC7i for the LOC from the stock head unit. I also used some 80mil KILMAT in the front doors, will also put in trunk and rear doors because it rattles like crazy. Fast rings as well on speakers with foam tape.

UPDATE: The T1650's are installed and sound deadening is being put in (Mazda rear doors REALLY need it).

When dialing in gain for the sub with 40hz, I noticed very noticeable crackling coming from the rear speakers at high volume. I assumed it was because I was pushing them too hard, but this doesn't make sense since they amp can only do 50 RMS and the speakers are rated for 75 RMS. I checked out the amp, but no clip light was on. So I unplugged all the other speakers' low level signal RCAs except for the rears to isolate the issue, in which something strange was happening.

When ONLY the rear left speaker was connected and playing, the rear right speaker was crackling? Yet the rear left speaker sounded clean. When ONLY the rear right speaker was connected and playing, the rear left speaker was crackling. With BOTH connected and playing, both crackle and play the 40 hz. I have my crossover at the Kicker Key amp at 80 hz.

Do I have a bad amp? It only happens when the amp is pushing 75% of it's power before clipping. Thanks.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Could the HU be the source?

Get one of these (if for no other reason, it's great to test things with),

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC6K3GNR/?tag=caraudiocom-20

Plug it into your phone or laptop and see if, after doing the same test, you still get rattling,

When testing, use 1 RCA for the channel/speaker you're testing.

If, after doing these things, you still have noises emanating from the speakers in any fashion. Undo all the connections, clean it up using a microscope to make sure something isn't hanging around on the power/ground/remote or the RCA/Hi-level inputs (if applicable). And for the last thing, make sure that the RCA inputs are not shorting or lose, giggle them a bit, see if anything changes.

After that, yeah, I'd say it's internal to the amp.

This could be tested by disconnecting all the speakers too, connecting one of the speaker terminal leads to a bookshelf speaker or anything really, listen for the noise. If it's the amp, it should show up on another speaker too.

 

[pisto]

Hey What's up this looks like a really solid build similar to mine. Maybe you can check out my next thread on my own tuning and set up. I will study yours some more and see if I have any thing to add.

 

[zjsager1]

Could the HU be the source?

Get one of these (if for no other reason, it's great to test things with),

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FC6K3GNR/?tag=caraudiocom-20

Plug it into your phone or laptop and see if, after doing the same test, you still get rattling,

When testing, use 1 RCA for the channel/speaker you're testing.

If, after doing these things, you still have noises emanating from the speakers in any fashion. Undo all the connections, clean it up using a microscope to make sure something isn't hanging around on the power/ground/remote or the RCA/Hi-level inputs (if applicable). And for the last thing, make sure that the RCA inputs are not shorting or lose, giggle them a bit, see if anything changes.

After that, yeah, I'd say it's internal to the amp.

This could be tested by disconnecting all the speakers too, connecting one of the speaker terminal leads to a bookshelf speaker or anything really, listen for the noise. If it's the amp, it should show up on another speaker too.

Okay, so it ended up being the lc7i that was clipping. I might be picking up the RCA adapter though, that's a good idea!