Bad distortion problem...

[Pepete]

Hi, im new here so Hello everyone! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Don't check my spelling or my general typing, cuz I'm from quebec, Canada, and not really good in english.

I HAVE A PROBLEM with a kit I installed in one of my friend's car ... he told me: I want a clear sound with more bass than my stock radio/speakers can give ... So we did the stores!

Speakers - Since he had 5"1/4, and nothing bigger than that would fit, I bought the same size, but more powerfull "Phoenix Gold" 5"1/4s

Radio - He had not much money for that so I went for an ///Alpine 7856 CD receiver, 40x4w pre-amp... it plays amazingly well.

Sub - He bought a Pioneer 10", the new 2002 one, and put it in a small sealed boxe. It also plays very well

Amp - He bought a Pioneer GM-X562 (the power it gives is surprising ...) the amp's driving the sub only

BUT!!! the problem is this: the 5"1/4 are tough and play well, but simply can't handle that much bass ... so they tend to distortion a bit a do stranges glitch sounds.... I installed all that stuff myself, and I know my instalation is good, but I'm not really a pro, since I was more playing with car audio in the 70's ... And the good old solution to distortion in speakers, which was to go buy bigger ones... isn't to consider here since my friend don't want to spend much more money ... so is there any other way I could make his sound better ? (the sub is playing clear, rich bass... it isnt the problem, nor is the amp, since it drives the sub only...) any help would be welcome. thanks in advance.

Click to read more...

 

[Unregistered]

high pass filter for the mids, it sounds like they are getting frequencies to low for them

 

[Pepete]

Ok, I have to get a high pass filter for the 5"1/4s ... but as I said in my previous post, I was more playing with car audio in the mid 70's ... so back then there were no "high pass filter" what is is exactly ? how to use it ? where to get it ? How much does it cost ? I know that the principle of it is to limit the frequencies my 5"1/4s have to play ... but not more... please help me again

thanks

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Plater 10+ year member]

Well go to your local electronics shop buy a 2 non-polarized capacitors and put them in series with the positive lead of each speaker. To calculated the value of the cap use this eq'n C = 1/((Ohms of speakers)*2*(cut off frequency probally around 150Hz)*(pie 3.14))

With a speaker impedance of 4 ohms and a cutoff frequency of around 150Hz try to get a cap of around 265uF (micro Farads).

 

[Pepete]

Sorry, I dont get it, why get a capacitor when all I want is drive the diferent frequencies !?

tell me, im lost!

 

[Unregistered]

the reason for the cap is to block the low frequencies from 5 1/4" speakers. The frequencies below 150Hz will be blocked from the speaker. The subs will take care of them and the high frequencies will go to the 5 1/4" speakers

The cap is a high pass filter

 

[Pepete]

Ok, now I understand!

its clear ! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

but Do I need 2 of them ? one on each 5"1/4 speakers ? or would a crossover do the same?

 

[Plater 10+ year member]

the reason for the cap is to block the low frequencies from 5 1/4" speakers. The frequencies below 150Hz will be blocked from the speaker. The subs will take care of them and the high frequencies will go to the 5 1/4" speakers

The cap is a high pass filter

The reason that a cap works for a high pass filter is because the impedance(resistance) of the cap changes with frequency and as the frequency increases the resistance lowers allowing more signal to get to the speaker. So at the 150Hz point the cap is blocking half of the power from the speaker, that the speaker would get if the cap wasn't there. Increasing the cap value lowers the frequency at which half the power gets to the speaker and vice versa. Now the frequencies below 150Hz will still be there but they at a lower volume level compared to the rest of the signal.

 

[Plater 10+ year member]

You need to put one on each speaker

So buy two caps they should run you around 1.00 to 3.00 each.

 

[mrray13 10+ year member]

crutchfield.com and get two bass blockers. fairly cheap and they work well. not that plater is wrong, this is just more for us laymen who don't have electrical genius iq's..lol . a pair of 150 hz blockers are about $10U.S. (they are listed for 6" or bigger speakers but i don't think that matters much here). just another option.

 

[Phatillusion 5,000+ posts]

I'm gonna have to agree with mrray on this one. I have a pair of infinity 4's, so obviously the bass was a little to much for them. I ordered a pair of bass blockers from crutchfield and they sound so much better. I think I went with a cut-off of 900 hz. I believe they have 900,600, & 150. I think the 900 is for speakers up to 5 1/4, 600 for speakers up to 6 1/2, and 150 for 6x9's. It's very cheap and you should have no problem, very easy to install.

 

[Pepete]

Ok, I'll get 2 simple capacitors and install them to see how they perform, thanks alot everyone to have helped me. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif