Adding a DSP? Worth it? Pros/Cons?

[Mayhem]

what drivers are you using and whats your crossover points and slopes? How are mids and tweets mounted? Picture of your EQ curve. If you cant achieve what you need to achieve with the 80 prs, you'll have an even worse time with a DSP.

One PWX 6.5 in each door, factory location

Factory Tweeters at the top of the door *on-axis*

Mid HPF: 80

Mid LPF: 10k

High HPF: 12.5k

Everything on 6db slope

Position: Off

EQ: Flat

The Tweeters are ran off the deck and the PWXs are ran off a CT 125.4

TBH this is the area of audio where my knowledge is really slim. So any help on this would be greatttttttttttttttttttttt.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

One PWX 6.5 in each door, factory location
Factory Tweeters at the top of the door *on-axis*

Mid HPF: 80

Mid LPF: 10k

High HPF: 12.5k

Everything on 6db slope

Position: Off

EQ: Flat

The Tweeters are ran off the deck and the PWXs are ran off a CT 125.4

TBH this is the area of audio where my knowledge is really slim. So any help on this would be greatttttttttttttttttttttt.

I see 2 things wrong here....

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

One PWX 6.5 in each door, factory location
Factory Tweeters at the top of the door *on-axis*

Mid HPF: 80

Mid LPF: 10k

High HPF: 12.5k

Everything on 6db slope

Position: Off

EQ: Flat

The Tweeters are ran off the deck and the PWXs are ran off a CT 125.4

TBH this is the area of audio where my knowledge is really slim. So any help on this would be greatttttttttttttttttttttt.

Yeah too many things wrong here lol. WAAAAY too many things wrong here. Definitely do not get a DSP because you cant even figure the 80 prs out lol.

You'll want upgraded tweets on an amp asap. Get some tweets that can play low down to 2khz because the PWX arent meant to be crossed past 2.5khz or rather they start naturally rolling off after 2.5khz. For now though amp the factory tweeter and try 3khz to 5khz for the factory tweeter at -12db to -18db slope.

Position should be front left and time alignment should be set up right after you finish doing the crossovers correctly.

EQ should never be flat for good sound. Pick one of the presets that sound best to you and do a custom curve and see what sounds best.

Once you get the crossovers dialed in, Come back and i'll guide you step by step on how to do a proper tune on the 80 prs. Right now you are tapping into 5% of what the 80 prs can do. YES 5% and you want to jump into the deep end of the pool with a DSP? lol

I see 2 things wrong here....

I see two things right....

pwx in each door and tweeters on axis the rest is wrong lol.

 

[Mayhem]

Alright I just changed everything and it already sounds better.

To my ear it sounds like it distorts at vol. 58...

From what I saw on another forum the 80 prs didnt distort? Is that right?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Alright I just changed everything and it already sounds better.
To my ear it sounds like it distorts at vol. 58...

From what I saw on another forum the 80 prs didnt distort? Is that right?

on head unit power it'll distort because its not enough power for the tweeter. If the mid distorts that means your gains are too high and the amp is clipping. PPI tends to clip pretty hard if pushed past limits.

 

[Mayhem]

on head unit power it'll distort because its not enough power for the tweeter. If the mid distorts that means your gains are too high and the amp is clipping. PPI tends to clip pretty hard if pushed past limits.

I dont have a PPI amp

Im going to order these: STS-1 Audiophile Silk Dome Tweeter Kit - Crescendo Audio

I'll find something to power them with

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I dont have a PPI amp
Im going to order these: STS-1 Audiophile Silk Dome Tweeter Kit - Crescendo Audio

I'll find something to power them with

oh my bad lol idk why i read that as a ppi sounds like the same issues if it clips. Yes those tweeters should work out well.

Driver side position left.

now go to time alignment, grab a tape measure and measure the distance of each driver to your ear and enter it in either inches or centimeters to get a baseline for time alignment. Also make sure the speaker levels are evened out as well they should all be the same, but we can adjust the levels later if you cant get time alignment perfected.

Afterwards get a vocal centered track like ed sheeran's shape of you and then turn off the subs, turn off the mids and work on the tweeters alone. Play (add or subtract) with the time alignment distances until you feel like the vocal is right at the center of your dash aka under your rearview mirror but one inch over to the driver side. After you get that centered, turn off the tweeter and turn on the mid. Do the same thing. Then turn everything back on

Just for your own information to make it easier to tune the time alignment, while music is playing keep adding distance and see how the sound stage moves from left to right so you know wheter to add or subtract.

Afterwards go to the EQ settings. Raise and adjust each band to see how each band of EQ affects the sound. Dont be afraid to boost or cut but try not to boost over 3db. When you do boost, you have to be lighter on the volume knob because you can easily clip if boost and overdrive the amp. 80-125hz affects the thuds 200hz affects the snap in the midbass drums. 315-500hz ambient noises and some deep vocals and instruments. 800hz to 1.25k is male vocals, instruments guitars etc.. 2khz to 3.15khz is female vocals. 5khz to 8khz is sibilance aka the SHHH and SSS sounds along with some detail and sparkle. 12.5khz is the upper end sparkle, every system i've tuned benefited from a lil boost here. 20khz you wont hear anything.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

once the new tweeters get in, put the system back on flat eq and turn time alignment off and restart the whole process again starting with the crossover points.

remember to keep playing around with the EQ while you drive to find the perfect eq curve for you. Cut what sounds nasty, boost what is needed and dont go overboard with the volume if you do play with boost.

You can use crossover points to destroy nasty peaks or have the mid and tweeter overlap eachother like 5khz mid and 3.15khz tweeter if that particular spot in the sound spectrum sounds very lacking and needing a lot of boost. Vice versa you can cross the mid at 3.15khz and tweet at 6-8khz if you have to cut those frequencies down a lot EQ wise due to harshness, instead you'll let the crossover naturally smooth out the frequency response.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I dont have a PPI amp
Im going to order these: STS-1 Audiophile Silk Dome Tweeter Kit - Crescendo Audio

I'll find something to power them with

Are you bridging the 125.4 to the mids? You are using the mid RCA of the head unit output and using RCA y splitters to plug into the amps right? If not just use the 4 channel to power both mid and tweets

 

[Mayhem]

Alright awesome.

Just put an order in for the tweeters and a ct 60.4

I have tomorrow off so I'll be able to do everything.

Trying to get this sounding right before Nopi.

Thanks man, I bought the prs just for the 5v output, all this other stuff is a total bonus.

 

[Mayhem]

Are you bridging the 125.4 to the mids? You are using the mid RCA of the head unit output and using RCA y splitters to plug into the amps right? If not just use the 4 channel to power both mid and tweets

4 channel RCA to the 125.4 for now and that powers the PWXs

I am going to split the RCAs between the two amps once the 60.4 gets here.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Yeah too many things wrong here lol. WAAAAY too many things wrong here. Definitely do not get a DSP because you cant even figure the 80 prs out lol.
You'll want upgraded tweets on an amp asap. Get some tweets that can play low down to 2khz because the PWX arent meant to be crossed past 2.5khz or rather they start naturally rolling off after 2.5khz. For now though amp the factory tweeter and try 3khz to 5khz for the factory tweeter at -12db to -18db slope.

Position should be front left and time alignment should be set up right after you finish doing the crossovers correctly.

EQ should never be flat for good sound. Pick one of the presets that sound best to you and do a custom curve and see what sounds best.

Once you get the crossovers dialed in, Come back and i'll guide you step by step on how to do a proper tune on the 80 prs. Right now you are tapping into 5% of what the 80 prs can do. YES 5% and you want to jump into the deep end of the pool with a DSP? lol

I see two things right....

pwx in each door and tweeters on axis the rest is wrong lol.

Didn't know there was more but also was tryin' to be nice at the same time. This is your area of expertise. This is something that's beyond me...as I'm in the current situation.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Are you bridging the 125.4 to the mids? You are using the mid RCA of the head unit output and using RCA y splitters to plug into the amps right? If not just use the 4 channel to power both mid and tweets

So much this I agree with!! Why on earth would anyone power tweeters from a HU when he has power for mids and tweets on tap?!

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

So much this I agree with!! Why on earth would anyone power tweeters from a HU when he has power for mids and tweets on tap?!

actually there's some instances where it actually works aka supertweeters that only need 10 watts to get to ear bleeding levels lol. With a good crossover point we actually got super tweets sounding good on head unit power in a 3 way with a 4 channel on the mid and midbass in an avalanche build.