Featured New build after 13 years. Now What?

[pisto]

OK folks. Thanks for having me and I am enjoying learning here and checking out other folks' builds.

Hal, tell me about my set up and why it seems my gains are so low with a lot of distortion.

• 4 gauge Rockford Fosgate dual amp install kit.
  
  
• Kicker 51PTRTP12 Sub
  
  
• Older Alpine Type R 5 1/4" components SPR-50C
  
  
• Tweeters in the top dash mounts stealth install.
• -8db on the tweeters immediately! They are blowing me away!!!!
  
  
• SONY XEC-700 ACTIVE CROSSOVER NETWORK
  
  
• Pioneer DEH-W3050NEX

OK, so I just want to note what I'm seeing as compared to my older set up in the old Ford Ranger!!!

I HATE DISTORTED MIDS. But, I LIKE MY MIDS LOUUUUDDDDD!!!! Crunchy riffs from van halen and metallica!!!!

So I started out with my OSCILLOSCOPE!!! And the wave form out of the Pioneer!!! And it was clean all the way up Flat EQ no processing!!!
After it hit the SONY it got distorted!!! Pioneer was hittin it too hard so when I backed off it cleaned up!! Now I max out at 35/40 volume!!!!

I IMMEDIATELY set crossover on the SONY all the way to 140/160 whatever it's highest setting for the LITTLE TYPE R'S!!! They need protection from the lower frequencies! But I noticed bad distortion when at higher volumes!!! I stopped bridging the Kicker and went to single amp two channel! I wanted maximum power but I toned it down to get a good baseline! I also ADDED low frequency crossover/filter on the Kicker 4 channel mids/highs to help protect the Type R's more. I cranked it all the way to 200hz! My question is does anyone else double up on crossovers like me????? It seems like what I have to do to get clean mids out of my tiny woofers. How else am I gonna get max wattage out of these tough little speakers without really filtering out the low frequencies?????

Now! I always try to let my subs pick up the higher end of the frequency range to fill out the music! But, in this set up it is WAY TOO BOOMY! I think that is because of the type of sub set up and the cab of the Xterra! You are sitting in a giant tube!!! So, I'm going to have to push the LPF down on the Sony to pull out everything above maybe 80hz!!!!

I gotta reset the GAIN on the sub because it is soooo boomy!!!! I am still setting the level on this thing because I can't seem to have everything wide open yet and in balance!

Any tips would be appreciated! I'm just a dude doin my best! I probably need some bigger components but I need help squeeze everything out of those Type Rs. I think those speakers can handle big volume.

It's still a little messy as I get things settled!!!!

Click to read more...

 

[CarAudio.com - Hal AI Bots]

OK folks. Thanks for having me and I am enjoying learning here and checking out other folks' builds.

I recently started driving again since I am relocating from NYC and, of course, my new ride has got to have a slammin' stereo.
My budget was around $1000 for this. I think I went over a bit! I am looking for this to be a great daily listening but also crank when I want! 40 minute commute one way everyday means I wanna have some fun in my ride!

• 2011 Nissan Xterra
  
• 4 gauge Rockford Fosgate dual amp install kit.
  
• Kicker 51PTRTP12 Integrated amp 12" sub driver w/ passive radiator
  
• Older Alpine Type R 5 1/4" components SPR-50C w/ passive crossover AND brand new type R tweeters
  
• Tweeters in the top dash mounts stealth install.
  
• X over's in the doors. I LIKE TO SHOW EM OFF!
  
• -8db on the tweeters immediately! They are blowing me away!!!!
  
• SONY XEC-700 ACTIVE CROSSOVER NETWORK - very proud of this piece! I used to have the xec-500 1/2din!!!
  
• Pioneer DEH-W3050NEX

OK, so I just want to note what I'm seeing as compared to my older set up in the old Ford Ranger!!!

I had the exact same Type R components in my old Ranger and they were righteous!!!!!!!

But, they have some bigger shoes to fill with the Xterra!!!!


SOOO!!! This is the SITREP!!!!

I HATE DISTORTED MIDS. But, I LIKE MY MIDS LOUUUUDDDDD!!!! Crunchy riffs from van halen and metallica!!!!

So I started out with my OSCILLOSCOPE!!! And the wave form out of the Pioneer!!! And it was clean all the way up Flat EQ no processing!!!
After it hit the SONY it got distorted!!! Pioneer was hittin it too hard so when I backed off it cleaned up!! Now I max out at 35/40 volume!!!!

I IMMEDIATELY set X over on the SONY all the way to 140/160 whatever it's highest setting for the LITTLE TYPE R'S!!! They need protection from the lower frequencies! But I noticed bad distortion when at higher volumes!!! I stopped bridging the Kicker and went to single amp two channel! I wanted maximum power but I toned it down to get a good baseline! I also ADDED low frequency crossover/filter on the Kicker 4 channel mids/highs to help protect the Type R's more. I cranked it all the way to 200hz! My question is does anyone else double up on crossovers like me????? It seems like what I have to do to get clean mids out of my tiny woofers. How else am I gonna get max wattage out of these tough little speakers without really filtering out the low frequencies?????

Now! I always try to let my subs pick up the higher end of the frequency range to fill out the music! But, in this set up it is WAY TOO BOOMY! I think that is because of the type of sub set up and the cab of the Xterra! You are sitting in a giant tube!!! So, I'm going to have to push the LPF down on the Sony to pull out everything above maybe 80hz!!!!

I gotta reset the GAIN on the sub because it is soooo boomy!!!! I am still setting the level on this thing because I can't seem to have everything wide open yet and in balance!

Any tips would be appreciated! I'm just a dude doin my best! I probably need some bigger components but Can you help me squeeze everything out of those Type Rs??? I think those speakers can handle it!!!!!!!

I will post pics soon!!!

It sounds like you're really diving deep into your audio setup! If you have specific questions or need advice, feel free to ask.

 

[pisto]

Oh, I have Boom Mat baffles around the midrange/woofers. I don't know if anyone else does this but I like to protect the speakers from rain and dust.

 

[pisto]

Hal, is the remote bass control like a gain setting or is it a separate control?

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

Those boom mat baffles can kill bass with some speakers. They are in effect putting your speakers in really tiny enclosures. I have ran them to protect my door speakers from rain, but I cut a hole in the bottom of them to vent the speakers into the door cavity.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Hal, is the remote bass control like a gain setting or is it a separate control?

Hal is the forum AI bot, but ask, and he may tell you.

Really need to pull the power/rem/ground wires from that Sony XEC-700, put a decent set of crimped spades on the ends, and heat shrink the ends to clean things up.

Too many wires hanging around for my comfort level; it only takes a single loose strand to short the unit out.

And on the midbass drivers, cut the bottom half of the boomats off, even from 80Hz+ as the HP filter, you're likely reducing the low frequency output.

Since you have them behind the door card, I would highly recommend getting some of these and installing it arround the driver's face between the door card and the speaker, really cleans up the in-cabin response.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F48YTVV3/?tag=caraudiocom-20

 

[pisto]

Yeah I like his responses. I wonder why he’s ignoring me!!! The install is totally gross. Maybe you guys will get me to clean it up.

I am going to rescope the entire system including the mids and highs. Something is just crushing my sound. It is possible that the dynamics of the Xterra make the 5 1/4” pathetic but I was really looking for more out of these. I am barely getting to let’s say 50% of that kicker amp at 65w RMS. Something isn’t right. I remember jamming these components for HOURS and having my ears ringing when I got out. But, the Ranger cab was much smaller.

Hal is the forum AI bot, but ask, and he may tell you.

Really need to pull the power/rem/ground wires from that Sony XEC-7000, put a decent set of crimped spades on the ends, and heat shrink the ends to clean things up.

Too many wires hanging around for my comfort level; it only takes a single loose strand to short the unit out.

And on the midbass drivers, cut the bottom half of the boomats off, even from 80Hz+ as the HP filter, you're likely reducing the low frequency output.

Since you have them behind the door card, I would highly recommend getting some of these and installing it arround the driver's face between the door card and the speaker, really cleans up the in-cabin response.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F48YTVV3/?tag=caraudiocom-20

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Something looks amiss on the XEC-700 settings. What are you feeding the crossover to, just the mids and sub?

 

[pisto]

Something looks amiss on the XEC-700 settings. What are you feeding the crossover to, just the mids and sub?

So, I’m using two channels on the Sony, sub and mid which is combined mids and highs. Passive Type-R crossover up front separates the mids and highs.

I’m gonna come down on the Sony level and boost my amps a bit. I can’t tell where the distortion is entering or whether it really is just maxing out the speakers.

 

[pisto]

You know the waveforms are clean all the way through to the amps with gains settling at about one half on both amps. I turned down the bass boost on the SONY and got a much less extreme waveform there. Now I am flat EQ and just listening. The more I stop trying to get this system to blow my eardrums and just listen to it the more I enjoy and appreciate how truly loud and detailed the audio is for what I have installed.

Although I always have room in the rear doors for some coaxials . . . .

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Okay, is that a KICKER KMA600.4?

Looks to me like you have it wired to only two channels.

Are you running that amp to the comps up front?

If you're running the components up front off that amp, you need to wire it like this.

It also looks like you may have the two sets wired out of phase...

 

[pisto]

Okay, is that a KICKER KMA600.4?

Looks to me like you have it wired to only two channels.

Are you running that amp to the comps up front?

If you're running the components up front off that amp, you need to wire it like this.

View attachment 71606


It also looks like you may have the two sets wired out of phase...

It's a kicker CXA360.4 I think

So, I did try bridged output from that amp but I, again, was running into distortion up front. I brought it down to two channels to see if that would help the comps. Your keen observation about the wiring is due to the fact that my tech students wired up my composite conduit into the factory harness behind the dash. They aren't always the most observant and have problems following directions sometimes so they didn't match stripe to stripe. I checked the polarity/continuity of the wiring with a meter and 20 foot leads.

In theory the component sets should be able to handle the amp in bridged mode turned almost all the way up. Maybe I just have a very stout amplifier. I don't know.

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

It also looks like you may have the two sets wired out of phase...

Nice catch.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Yeah, something isn't right.

I'd take the Sony out of the picture; there's no need for it with your setup.

The kicker CXA360.4 has HP/LP crossover settings, set the HP to 70-80Hz (guessing around 10 am on the posts dial), feed the crossovers the full bridged (unclipped) signal.

On that note, why are you not using the 6 Pioneer low-level 4-Volt preamp outputs for signal?

You have all the crossover capability in that head unit that Sony x-over has, more functionality actually.

Dump the Sony, it's only got 4v outputs as well, and the Pioneer has everything the Sony does and more.

$19.00 to $22.00.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBFQJ9DG/?tag=caraudiocom-20

Hook'er up, get'er done.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Or, better yet, run the entire setup active!