Building the top notch SQ system

[tommymilan311]

Agreed that radio and streaming are much easier...set it and forget it. I think if you go the SQ route, you'll have no choice but to step up to higher quality content. Many people have installed decent systems and wondered why their music library suddenly sounds like garbage. Good speakers are unforgiving when it comes to poor recordings. Just like you hear every nuance, you also hear every drawback. Good thing is that if you spend some time ripping CDs to your hard drives, when your collection is large enough, you won't have to repeat often.

I used to have a massive collection of music. Over 500GB, that was when I only listened to Metal. Yeah, lots of stuff even the biggest metal fans haven't heard of. I may or may not have ripped all that music. But a massive collection none the less. I now have this 2 TB, and IDK if that'll be enough. The major drawback to the HD is it takes my car about 5 minutes to load it, sometimes longer if its having a bad day. This isn't very convenient as Pandora only take 15-30 seconds to load. I just gotta wait for BT to connect. Hopefully, with everything going digital, Pandora will bring their bit rate up to 320kbps.

What is nice is that my music doesn't sound like garbage from Pandora. It is clearly higher quality than what I had. I just need to hear a real SQ system to see what that actually sounds like. I have an idea, but I can't know for sure. I'll probably get a few CDs to play too.

 

[fly_marlin]

Yeah, Pandora is 192kbps, and most of my MP3s are 320kbps. My HU doesn't play WAV files. I'm just simply not a fan of CDs (mostly if not 100% because of convenience). I never have been, when I was 10 I got my first MP3 and never looked back. But I also never had anything that I could distinctly tell the quality of a 192kbps over a 320kbps other than how loud the track played. This will likely change for me. I know my HD sounds better than Pandora, but I don't have the music I once had because I stopped collecting when Pandora came around.
And even a 6 disc CD player probably wouldn't do it for me. I hate repeating music, that is why I need so many Pandora stations on shuffle. And that is only a few genres. I'll start thumbs downing stuff if I hear it more than twice in a day. Thats just me though, I'm crazy like that. The same thing just gets really old really fast for me.

What about iPods? I've been told by your average listener that iPods have great sound. Never been an Apple fan, so I've only own 1 iPod and the only thing I noticed what it was louder than many other MP3 players. My HU is fully compatable with iPods. I can trick my car into thinking my HD is a 2TB iPod, and iPods have their own file type. Is this going to be higher quality? Or are iPods just louder?

Could be you just had a low quality mp3 player. Recording is a recording, so no matter if it comes from a CD or a hard drive, needs to be of good quality. How you connect it shouldn't be an issue with most aftermarket decks - if you use an HD, just connect via USB. Btw they also sell decks without CD capability, they're called "media players." Never looked into that, but saw some that actually let you put your iPod or whatever into the thing lol

 

[fly_marlin]

I used to have a massive collection of music. Over 500GB, that was when I only listened to Metal. Yeah, lots of stuff even the biggest metal fans haven't heard of. I may or may not have ripped all that music. But a massive collection none the less. I now have this 2 TB, and IDK if that'll be enough. The major drawback to the HD is it takes my car about 5 minutes to load it, sometimes longer if its having a bad day. This isn't very convenient as Pandora only take 15-30 seconds to load. I just gotta wait for BT to connect. Hopefully, with everything going digital, Pandora will bring their bit rate up to 320kbps.
What is nice is that my music doesn't sound like garbage from Pandora. It is clearly higher quality than what I had. I just need to hear a real SQ system to see what that actually sounds like. I have an idea, but I can't know for sure. I'll probably get a few CDs to play too.

I can sum it up for you. As soon as I upgraded, listening to Pandora became unbearable. Do any HDs come with bluetooth? I know some, more expensive ones, come with wifi.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

OP, 500 minimum is going to be used prices for a loud SQ setup and that's if you get amazingly hooked up. NoLoud, your amps (actual price paid) were about $800 to $900 for both? I've been throwing some stuff together, that range seems to be where it usually comes to for quality stuff without breaking the bank.

I can't remember but somewhere around that. Cheaper than the previous 3 way JL slash setup by far.

 

[tommymilan311]

Could be you just had a low quality mp3 player. Recording is a recording, so no matter if it comes from a CD or a hard drive, needs to be of good quality. How you connect it shouldn't be an issue with most aftermarket decks - if you use an HD, just connect via USB. Btw they also sell decks without CD capability, they're called "media players." Never looked into that, but saw some that actually let you put your iPod or whatever into the thing lol

Yeah, I do just plug the HD in. But, I tricked it into thinking it is just a really big flash drive, not a hard drive with a spinning drive. So, the load time takes quite a bit, when its going, its fast and smooth, it just needs to load everything up. I can update the library and save it to the HU, but this only cuts the load time maybe in half, still having a 5 minute load. Thats also fine when I'm driving an hour somewhere, but when on my way home from work, it'll be loaded when I get home, that's no fun.

And I think I've seen a few like what your talking about. I saw a single din media player that had a fold out thing with the iPod connector part or a "dock." Looked nifty. And no, I've had many different MP3s. Zunes, Dells, cheap ones, expensive ones. The iPod was louder then them all, higher quality? IDK, I liked skullcandy headphones, not the highest quality headphones, just bassy and loud. I got a nice pair of TB that I've been using now, but that is mainly for writing music.

 

[tommymilan311]

I can sum it up for you. As soon as I upgraded, listening to Pandora became unbearable. Do any HDs come with bluetooth? I know some, more expensive ones, come with wifi.

You know what, I haven't looked into that, but I don't think so. I didn't find anything in a quick google search.

 

[tommymilan311]

With this part of the article

Listening Position relative to the perceived sound stage:

I get this with the guitars, and somewhat with the drums. But the Bass and kick do not sound in front of me. The best way I can put it is that I feel it all around me, but it sounds like its coming from the trunk, and that is where the sub is obviously.

Kept reading:

So I think one of my biggest problems is sound depth right now. It sounds like there is a Lead Guitar-Drummer-Rhythm Guitar all right next to each other.

One question I have is should I get a good processor first? or deaden my doors and sound proof my car? I did see that a processor like the MS-8 can have a hard time auto EQing without having a sound proof setup. Is that true? and if so does that mean deadening my doors should be my next step?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

With this part of the articleListening Position relative to the perceived sound stage:

I get this with the guitars, and somewhat with the drums. But the Bass and kick do not sound in front of me. The best way I can put it is that I feel it all around me, but it sounds like its coming from the trunk, and that is where the sub is obviously.

That's a blending issue. Your sub is overpowering the mid range, or playing to high into the midbass range. The bass(sub) should fill the cabin but still have a center point. If you have any sub distortion or rattles from the back nothing will help it move up front.

 

[tommymilan311]

That's a blending issue. Your sub is overpowering the mid range, or playing to high into the midbass range. The bass(sub) should fill the cabin but still have a center point. If you have any sub distortion or rattles from the back nothing will help it move up front.

I don't think mine distorts. I haven't O-scoped it sense adding my second sub. But it was clean with one sub. It could be over powering. I do like some SPL when listening to hip-hop and trap. So I have a bass knob that I turn down when listening to Rock and other genres that aren't bass heavy. I do have a "robotic" sound distortion/reverb. I think this is either the reverb in the trunk, or the fact that one off my quarter panels flexes like a mother. any rattling is like stuff in the doors, and something in the rear seats when they are down. Sub sounds clean and smooth, no "whap whap whap" sound coming out of it like I hear in so many other systems. (I think they are clipping their speakers bro)

I've also been told different answers on this. With SQ, what way do I want my sub to face?

I've been told towards the back of the trunk because its louder, but it doesn't sound as good, it just has more feel. When I face it into the cab it does sound quieter, but better.

 

[tommymilan311]

The more I read, the more I want to tear apart my ladies car and build off it. 5 front speakers: 2 doors, 2 tweeters, and a center speaker. I feel like you could do wonders with this car in SQ. If only she knew more about music than just loud.

 

[tommymilan311]

So I got through that article, and learned a lot of new stuff. I'm sure it will take me a few rereads to fully understand what was said. But, This was only part one and I can't find Part 2 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif LOL

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

So I got through that article, and learned a lot of new stuff. I'm sure it will take me a few rereads to fully understand what was said. But, This was only part one and I can't find Part 2 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif LOL

If you really want to do this you need processing. You have to be able to control everything. Or have something that does it for you right.

For your earlier comment. The MS-8 will do what it can with what it has to work with. The better the install and equipment, and your understanding.. The better the results will be.

 

[tommymilan311]

If you really want to do this you need processing. You have to be able to control everything. Or have something that does it for you right.
For your earlier comment. The MS-8 will do what it can with what it has to work with. The better the install and equipment, and your understanding.. The better the results will be.

I think I want to do this. One, its a project, and expensive one, but I love to use my hands and work on things, and modifying my car is crazy addicting. Thought I'd have a house by now to work on, but I don't. Yeah, I sound dumb, no house? lets spend a down payment on SPEAKER EQUIPMENT. yayy.

Also, is it smart to run the doors through a high pass? I just find when my subs and mids are playing at the same frequency it sounds "muddy" just not clear. But when I throw a HP of 80Hz it all sounds very clean and clear. I like my Mids with a HP of 50Hz when the back seats are up because the sub gives you the feel, but you can hear it cleanly sealed up in the trunk, but the Doors give off a nice sound when they aren't competing with the sub, I can control all this with the HU, as well as a 8 band frequency. I have everything set flat with low low bass (I think 40Hz) set at -3db and higher low bass (I think its 80Hz) set at -2db, I also have my "sub level" at -5. The RCAs were clipping before ever reaching the amp at 0, so i knocked it down -1 past a clean wave.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

I think I want to do this. One, its a project, and expensive one, but I love to use my hands and work on things, and modifying my car is crazy addicting. Thought I'd have a house by now to work on, but I don't. Yeah, I sound dumb, no house? lets spend a down payment on SPEAKER EQUIPMENT. yayy.
Also, is it smart to run the doors through a high pass? I just find when my subs and mids are playing at the same frequency it sounds "muddy" just not clear. But when I throw a HP of 80Hz it all sounds very clean and clear. I like my Mids with a HP of 50Hz when the back seats are up because the sub gives you the feel, but you can hear it cleanly sealed up in the trunk, but the Doors give off a nice sound when they aren't competing with the sub, I can control all this with the HU, as well as a 8 band frequency. I have everything set flat with low low bass (I think 40Hz) set at -3db and higher low bass (I think its 80Hz) set at -2db, I also have my "sub level" at -5. The RCAs were clipping before ever reaching the amp at 0, so i knocked it down -1 past a clean wave.

I think that link marlin posted. Glasswolf talks about crossovers and slopes. Read over that if it does. If it I'll find you something

 

[fly_marlin]

I think I want to do this. One, its a project, and expensive one, but I love to use my hands and work on things, and modifying my car is crazy addicting. Thought I'd have a house by now to work on, but I don't. Yeah, I sound dumb, no house? lets spend a down payment on SPEAKER EQUIPMENT. yayy.
Also, is it smart to run the doors through a high pass? I just find when my subs and mids are playing at the same frequency it sounds "muddy" just not clear. But when I throw a HP of 80Hz it all sounds very clean and clear. I like my Mids with a HP of 50Hz when the back seats are up because the sub gives you the feel, but you can hear it cleanly sealed up in the trunk, but the Doors give off a nice sound when they aren't competing with the sub, I can control all this with the HU, as well as a 8 band frequency. I have everything set flat with low low bass (I think 40Hz) set at -3db and higher low bass (I think its 80Hz) set at -2db, I also have my "sub level" at -5. The RCAs were clipping before ever reaching the amp at 0, so i knocked it down -1 past a clean wave.

You def don't want HP at 50Hz, that puts a lot of strain on the speakers and makes it sound muddy. What you're talking about is "warmth" - this is when you have multiple drivers play the same frequency and it's not desirable. You should look at crossover graphs so you have a visual, very easy to understand. Especially with shallower x-over slopes, you want to avoid setting HPF and LPF x-over frequencies too close, which leads to that warmth. For me, setting HPF at 100Hz is even too low, but I should really EQ it more with lower x-over points.