Clipping at "low" volume!?

[RaceDVS]

Hey! So I have been tuning my cars system by ear, after every professional left the sound quality lacking (in my opinion). Now, instead of being able to bring my volume up to 40/50 for almost any song, my tunes begin to go silent (clipping protect mode on my amps I think) briefly at 35/50 for many songs... although, I get a sound thats almost perfect imo at 30/50 give or take. I'd like to maintain the SQ but have more range between 0 and 40 if possible, without a muddy sound at 20 or below.

I have a Sony XAV AX5500 head unit, Mosconi 6 to 8 Pro DSP, Arc Audio X2 600.4 and 1100.1 amplifiers, 2 sets of Focal PS 165 FX components and 2 sealed Alpine Type R2 10" sealed subs in a 2015 GTI Autbahn.

What I've done after professional installation is set the head units EQ to appear as a V shape of sorts, no bass boost or anything like that, I have the gain on my 600.4 nearly all the way down and the components crossovers on flat for the mids and as far negative db for the tweets. I have the DSP with all settings on the current preset reset except the crossovers (may get rid of it since I bought it before the head unit, sub and amp change I made from the initial setup).

I've played with the 1100.1 and set the gain by ear after turning down all bass boost options etc on this piece as well.

I'm wondering why, after tuning so many things down my music shuts off intermittently until I turn the dial down. Also, I do have crossovers set on the headunit at 120 hpf, 100lpf and nearly the same on the dsp as well as the amplifiers (hpf and lpf were 200 or 250 on the dsp before i dabbled into things, and lpf was @ 70). Subsonic filter is not set since the subs are sealed.

My subs amp also gets hot within just a couple minutes of loud, bass oriented music (maybe because they call for 750watts RMS each, and i like to push things?), my drivers side taillight doesn't work (yes ive tried new bulbs) since the installation and my negative battery terminal has a funky black build-up...

Please help! I'm in way over my head . I don't want to ruin any gear.

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[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Was the System Clipping after you had the professionals tuned/Left the Audio Shop?

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

At this point.. You may have Void an Installation Warranty..and I feel like your expectations were too high for the equipment chosen to have installed as well. Its going to take some time to get that DSP tuned the way you want out of the Clipping Erra and still may not meet your expectations.You may end up damaging some of your gear

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like you need to take it back to a car audio shop and have the system tuned by someone that knows how to tune properly

 

[RaceDVS]

Was the System Clipping after you had the professionals tuned/Left the Audio Shop?

Nope, unless I pushed it pass 40/50 for certain recordings, which was to be expected. The issue was metal (or anything with electric guitar) was loud and clear BUT hurt like shards of glass straight to the eardrums and felt out of place in songs, along with Amy Lee's voice. Certain rap, techno and (a more specific example - the intro for Time by Pink Floyd) would have the higher frequencies break up as if the tweeters / woofers were being ripped apart and physically hurt to listen to.

 

[Firewalker]

There is guys at DIYMA that will do a tune for you for a very small fee if you want them to remotely. Thinking I might do that when I put in my Helix V1 DSP as the software sometimes can be a real pita. That Mosconi you have is top notch it just needs to be tuned properly.

Also I would be checking the ground wire and making sure wherever they put it there is no paint and maybe even thinking of changing it to something else. Something isn't wired right if the one light isn't working.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Nope, unless I pushed it pass 40/50 for certain recordings, which was to be expected. The issue was metal (or anything with electric guitar) was loud and clear BUT hurt like shards of glass straight to the eardrums and felt out of place in songs, along with Amy Lee's voice. Certain rap, techno and (a more specific example - the intro for Time by Pink Floyd) would have the higher frequencies break up as if the tweeters / woofers were being ripped apart and physically hurt to listen to.

All music and recordings are not alike and need to be tuned generally towards clarity or an acceptable listening level and tone you choose.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Not every song and music is going to sound the same or perform the same at the exact same settings. Never has and never will. Thats why its nice to have in internal or external EQ for making adjustments

 

[RaceDVS]

Not every song and music is going to sound the same or perform the same at the exact same settings. Never has and never will. Thats why its nice to have in internal or external EQ for making adjustments

Oh yeah, I know this. I've brought it to a sound that sacrificed quiet a bit from certain genres to find a nice in-between with rock and heavy metal where im more than satisfied with any song or genre or whatnot. A bass nob is enough for me to "tune" song by song as I'm driving.

I'm worried because I have no meters or tools of any kind to make sure I'm not gonna end up with anything fried or blown after what I've done, and am considering purchasing some but I've seen so many differing opinions on what you NEED online that I'm lost.

 

[spokey9]

I'd take it back to the shop to be tuned again

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I'd take it back to the shop to be tuned again

I agree.. Before some speakers and tweets get blown and possibly some Coils burned up on the subs

 

[RaceDVS]

There is guys at DIYMA that will do a tune for you for a very small fee if you want them to remotely. Thinking I might do that when I put in my Helix V1 DSP as the software sometimes can be a real pita. That Mosconi you have is top notch it just needs to be tuned properly.

Also I would be checking the ground wire and making sure wherever they put it there is no paint and maybe even thinking of changing it to something else. Something isn't wired right if the one light isn't working.

I might have to look into this tuning option!

Here are some pics of the ground - I have been hesitant to take out any part of the car but at this point I'm willing to rip it all apart to get to the root of the problem.

 

[RaceDVS]

I'd take it back to the shop to be tuned again

It's been tuned by 2 different people at Car Toys, and 2 different people at another shop when the system was modified after I lost faith in Car Toys and had the system finished elsewhere. After dinking around with things myself finally, I lost a lot of loudness but have a sound I really like which is 100% worth it considering its a daily driver. The only reason I'd like to bring it back to a shop is for a custom ported box... and then hopefully find someone nearby that knows there stuff who would tune it with me present before I blow this system up.

 

[Firewalker]

That ground is horrible kinda embarrassing that a shop would do that. I would cut that end off, crimp on a good copper lug & heat shrink it. Then find a seat bracket with a steel bolt through it, take the bolt out sand off all the paint on the bracket where the bolt goes in so its nice & clean. Put the bolt back in and go from there. Been doing it that way for almost 30 years never had an issue with doing it that way.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

So you jacked up the bass and treble on the EQ and wonder why you're clipping??? Try flattening the EQ, nothing above +3db. When tuning an EQ you always cut frequencies first and only boost frequencies as a last resort (to avoid clipping).