Adjusting bright sound?

[Gordie]

Hello all,
I have a pickup truck with a Pioneer DEH-80PRS with an Alpine amp (not sure of specs, 4 channel?) and recently upgraded to Focal speakers in the front, and have nothing fancy for speakers in the back since it's a pickup truck, and I have a small subwoofer.
My question is that after I got my Focal speakers, the sound was very 'bright'. I asked if the install shop could adjust this and I had to bring it back because apparently they needed to make adjustments to the amp? This is where I get confused as a novice as I'm not certain why, or what they did to make the adjustment? I got my truck back and still the highest of the high notes are "sissing"? Is that the correct term? Does that make sense? What kind of adjustment has to be made to correct this? Is there nothing on the Pioneer deck that I can adjust myself??
Thanks for any advice/suggestions!

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[SlugButter]

I’m confused. The Whole point of having that head unit is to run active.

 

[SlugButter]

You should have your amps basically at full range, and control the crossovers on the head unit.

 

[SlugButter]

that is a super nice head unit, but you’re over you’re head with it a little maybe. Do some reading about running the active crossovers in that head unit, and see if you can maybe use the benefit of having that unit.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

What you need to do from the way you're describing this is adjust your EQ in your radio. You need to mess with a frequency range of 3k-20k, and lower the output.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

So look for a graphic equalizer or a parametric equalizer, see how many bands it has. Then look at the higher end of the frequency scale.

 

[YourNameHere 10+ year member]

FYI.....Focals are know to be overly bright and unbearable to some

 

[SlugButter]

is your shop adjusting your stuff for free?

 

[Gordie]

that is a super nice head unit, but you’re over you’re head with it a little maybe. Do some reading about running the active crossovers in that head unit, and see if you can maybe use the benefit of having that unit.

It is quite a complex unit that has options that I don't even dare try to configure like HPF, etc. I am a novice but I thought the crossovers just determine what is sent to each speaker (in a sense) and as someone else suggested just using the EQ and lowering the highest frequency might solve this (haven't tried it yet), but I'm still baffled as to why they had to take my truck in just to try and resolve this?
Thanks for all your input.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

It is quite a complex unit that has options that I don't even dare try to configure like HPF, etc. I am a novice but I thought the crossovers just determine what is sent to each speaker (in a sense) and as someone else suggested just using the EQ and lowering the highest frequency might solve this (haven't tried it yet), but I'm still baffled as to why they had to take my truck in just to try and resolve this?
Thanks for all your input.

Because they have to adjust the EQ themselves. EQ'ing is fairly straightforward, once you have the concept of which frequencies sound like what. It can take a little bit to understand. But you won't hurt anything at low volume. Crossovers just keep your woofers and/or tweeters from playing too high or too low. High pass filter means when you set it at XX frequency, it'll only play higher than that, it depends on the DB/octave slope or fall off. Low pass filters keep audio from playing above the set frequency.

What you're having issues with is too much of certain high frequencies that you still need to play. So that's where an EQ comes in. So with something like a 7 band EQ, you could have frequencies like 60 hz, 120hz, 250 hz, 600 hz, 1000 hz, 3000 hz, 10000 hz. What your tweeters are playing are usually around 3000 hz and up. So look for something around that frequency range.

 

[SlugButter]

i dont like when shops over sell stuff like this. There are a lot of good pioneer head units with a good equalizer that would have cost much less, with features you understand. It’s an awesome head unit. It’s the one I just ordered also, but to utilize it and get the extra money benefit out of it, it is too complicated for a beginner. I’m not bad mouthing you or the head unit at all, but the guys at the shop who installed this should at least spend a little time with you on it to give you a step forward into being able to use what you paid for. Your amps could be set up with the crossovers to allow you to play with your stereo some without risking your speakers, once you’ve learned a little about the active crossover system in that head unit. Buck is right about everything he is saying. It just could’ve been done with a much less expensive pioneer head unit, if ease of use is what you need..

 

[Squirrel!]

You need to adjust the EQ yourself to the sound you like the best. My HU has a 30 band EQ (way overkill, but no arguing it is the most adjustable out there that I'm aware of), time alignment, DSP, HPF, LPF it has it all. Infinity Reference components in front. Even after all adjustments, still too bright for my liking. Just not 100% on the quality of the highs. I am going to be changing the tweeters out to the air motion tweeters from Parts Express. I adore planar/ribbon style tweeters, honestly, won't own any other speaker for the house without them. But these for the car I think will sound magnificent. https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...-transformer-automotive-tweeter-pair--275-195

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

You need to adjust the EQ yourself to the sound you like the best. My HU has a 30 band EQ (way overkill, but no arguing it is the most adjustable out there that I'm aware of), time alignment, DSP, HPF, LPF it has it all. Infinity Reference components in front. Even after all adjustments, still too bright for my liking. Just not 100% on the quality of the highs. I am going to be changing the tweeters out to the air motion tweeters from Parts Express. I adore planar/ribbon style tweeters, honestly, won't own any other speaker for the house without them. But these for the car I think will sound magnificent. https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...-transformer-automotive-tweeter-pair--275-195

The only thing with more EQ options that I've seen is something like the rockfrod fosgate 360 thing. Doesn't it have like 150 or something insane like that? It's cool, but I did just fine with a 7 band graphic on my 9887.

 

[Squirrel!]

I know, right?! Overkill for certain. A 10 band would have been more than ample, in my opinion. LOL

*EDIT* The 360.3 has a 31 band. https://www.crutchfield.com/S-QQiKd...3Smm3dGtrLGst3GWyct86EOF_fJigKqhoCXxIQAvD_BwE

*EDIT 2* I see now, 31 bands x 5 channels. That is insane in my opinion. Not that there is anything wrong with being insane like that.