Disappointed with the sound of my new system

[Bake 10+ year member]

All of the tweaking advice given has been good. However, since you paid for installation and you don't know anything about how to tune your system, I would go back and work with your installer. Tell them what you like and don't like about the way it sounds. They should be more than willing to help you adjust things to your liking. You will also have a chance to learn what what effect each adjustment has on the sound.

-Bake

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

Hi DejaWiz - I took so long to write my last post that I didn't see yours until I submitted it.

1. Please explain to me - a noob - why running the rear speakers off of the HU would be better than running them off of the Eclipse amp. I guess I thought the amp would provide more/cleaner power to the rears than the HU could. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif Is it because if the front speakers only are powered by the amp in the bridged configuration they will sound much better than when the power is "shared" by the rear speakers?

2. Just as did Etac, you recommend sound dampening/deadening the doors. I guess I better look into this!

3. I will check the amp gains and make sure the equalizer for the HU is set to flat.

4. Sigh. I wish I had a friend here in town that was into car audio so that I could learn from him/her how to set up this system properly in the first place. I think I would have enjoyed helping with the installation and the learning about the set up - I have the tools, just not the knowledge! - and I don't like being so totally ignorant!

Thank you all for your patience with me!

Holly

Happy to help out, OakIris.

Here's some answers and explanations for you:

1. This is was exactly as audioholic and jman stated. It's to bring out the full potential of your front components as well as pull the sound stage forward. It's a win-win situation!

2. Yes, I highly recommend it. If you have the cash, then Second Skin Damplifier/Damplifier Pro or Dynamat Xtreme are the way to go if you want the best of the best. If you are on a tighter budget, then look into RAAMaudio's RAAMmat. Any of these three solutions will provide a world of difference by increasing music clarity, decreasing nasty road noise, and even adding a bit of thump to the midbass. If you want to see some comparisons on popular sound deadener, check out http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com

3. If you haven't seen them already, there are some threads out there so you can learn exactly how to do this. There's a few tutorials and info threads on this site which can all be be found here. I also have a write up linked in my sig below.

4. Don't sweat it! This forum is a great tool to help you grow and learn. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[OakIris 10+ year member]

Sounds like someone went to CC //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I was trying very hard not to confess to this, but you caught me. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/redface.gif.62fdbfe1a101588a808c4cff71bcb942.gif

I know CC is not well-respected, but they were available and what I could afford. Since everything is under warranty, I may try them again to see if they can make all of the suggested corrections to the amp/crossover/etc. settings. I will also ask them to show me how to take off the door panels and the location of the crossovers, etc. (if I haven't already figured this out) so that I can work on the system myself. The installation looks clean, professionally done, as far as I can tell, but the sound is not to my liking.

I can only afford to do the sound dampening with the Second Skin Damplifier for my front doors at this time - 20 sq. ft., is my estimate. Would this at least help until I can afford to do the rear doors as well?

Holly

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

I can only afford to do the sound dampening with the Second Skin Damplifier for my front doors at this time - 20 sq. ft., is my estimate. Would this at least help until I can afford to do the rear doors as well?

Holly

If you can afford a roll of RAAMmat BXT, it'll be enough to do the fronts and the maybe even the trunk. I wouldn't worry about the rear doors if you are going to run them off the HU.

Run you about $135 shipped for 62.5 sq-ft. http://www.raamaudio.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?p=pr

If it's still too much, email Rick and see if he can work something out with you on like a half roll or something. He's one heck of a guy, so answering any deadening questions you have won't be a problem.

 

[TeddyUnited 10+ year member]

eclipse ea4100 is a good amp.

Put the polks in kicks, then bridge the ea4100 to them.

add another amp to the system and power the 6.5's in the rear

Sell the 10 inch mtx, and buy a Massive CW( loudest for the price that I know of)

build a ported enclosure for it

done

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

eclipse ea4100 is a good amp. Put the polks in kicks, then bridge the ea4100 to them.

add another amp to the system and power the 6.5's in the rear

Sell the 10 inch mtx, and buy a Massive CW( loudest for the price that I know of)

build a ported enclosure for it

done

Why not see if we can get her current equipment up to her liking before we tell her to go out and spend a lot more money that potentially doesn't have to be spent? The equipment she has is decent, it just needs some tinkering and tuning.

 

[TeddyUnited 10+ year member]

Why not see if we can get her current equipment up to her liking before we tell her to go out and spend a lot more money that potentially doesn't have to be spent? The equipment she has is decent, it just needs some tinkering and tuning.

ok then port the mtx, move the coaxils to the front door ib. put the polk comps in kicks up, run the stock speakers in the rear of the hu.

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

ok then port the mtx, move the coaxils to the front door ib. put the polk comps in kicks up, run the stock speakers in the rear of the hu.

How about she starts with just the basics recommended so far like deadening and bridging the amp for the front comps? The results might be enough to prevent having to spend more money on getting a ported box built and kick pods installed....

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

I was trying very hard not to confess to this, but you caught me. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/redface.gif.62fdbfe1a101588a808c4cff71bcb942.gif
I know CC is not well-respected, but they were available and what I could afford. Since everything is under warranty, I may try them again to see if they can make all of the suggested corrections to the amp/crossover/etc. settings. I will also ask them to show me how to take off the door panels and the location of the crossovers, etc. (if I haven't already figured this out) so that I can work on the system myself. The installation looks clean, professionally done, as far as I can tell, but the sound is not to my liking.

I can only afford to do the sound dampening with the Second Skin Damplifier for my front doors at this time - 20 sq. ft., is my estimate. Would this at least help until I can afford to do the rear doors as well?

Holly

heres a tip that alot of people dont know about car audio if they are new....you say that is all you could afford but if you do a little searching online you can find all your equipment for about half of what you paid CC....

just a little tip for your next install(because there never really is just one...its like drugs, once you get a taste you want the next best thing! lol) if you are willing to tinker with installing yourself you can save alot of money and much better equip.

be careful with bridging the front like everyone is telling you... from what i read those polk tweets are pretty sensitive and if the amp gains arent just right and you are listening too loudly they will blow.... polk momo's were in my car when i bought it and all 4 tweets were blown when i got the car....

and for future install's if you decide to do so should be pretty easy for you now since all your wires are ran.....once you learn how to take those door panels off it basically will just be plug n play from here on out.

and like it was mentioned before, girls dont come here often...if you need help with your system make a thread that says "colorado girl needs help tweaking system" or something to that effect....im sure alot of guys here will respond from colorado lol GOOD LUCK

 

[Tonyguy 10+ year member]

so did you buy everything from CC and have them install it?

 

[OakIris 10+ year member]

heres a tip that alot of people dont know about car audio if they are new....you say that is all you could afford but if you do a little searching online you can find all your equipment for about half of what you paid CC....
just a little tip for your next install(because there never really is just one...its like drugs, once you get a taste you want the next best thing! lol) if you are willing to tinker with installing yourself you can save alot of money and much better equip.

be careful with bridging the front like everyone is telling you... from what i read those polk tweets are pretty sensitive and if the amp gains arent just right and you are listening too loudly they will blow.... polk momo's were in my car when i bought it and all 4 tweets were blown when i got the car....

and for future install's if you decide to do so should be pretty easy for you now since all your wires are ran.....once you learn how to take those door panels off it basically will just be plug n play from here on out.

and like it was mentioned before, girls dont come here often...if you need help with your system make a thread that says "colorado girl needs help tweaking system" or something to that effect....im sure alot of guys here will respond from colorado lol GOOD LUCK

Well, I'm old (in my 50's) so I am not sure I can post something about a Colorado girl needing help. lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif
I knew I could get everything on line for cheaper, and I should have done further research to find a local shop that would have been willing to install equipment that they didn't sell. I decided to go the "one stop shop" route instead. I think I have learned my lesson! I figure that if I have Circuit City do the reconfiguration work, they will have to replace the speakers under warranty if they set them up incorrectly. I really don't listen to my music overly loud - I would like to keep my hearing, after all.

eclipse ea4100 is a good amp. Put the polks in kicks, then bridge the ea4100 to them.

add another amp to the system and power the 6.5's in the rear

Sell the 10 inch mtx, and buy a Massive CW( loudest for the price that I know of)

build a ported enclosure for it

done

As mentioned by DejaWiz, I really want to make the equipment I have now work the way it should as opposed to throwing more money at the system. I started out with a budget of approx. $600 and ended up spending way more than that. I actually did some research before choosing the equipment; I just should have done more research to figure out if I could install it myself! My critical listening is done with my home systems, I just wanted to have a good sound in my vehicle. Besides which, I am looking for sound quality, not sound quantity - loudness is not what I am after. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

DejaWiz - I will make all of the suggested "tweaks" first and then look into getting the sound deadening mats, etc. The CRV doesn't really have a trunk, so I think I will just start out with the two front doors, as you suggested. I will indeed email Rick and see what he recommends.

Tonyguy - Yep, I am afraid so. As mentioned previosly, I have learned my lesson!

Holly

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

I am looking for sound quality, not sound quantity - loudness is not what I am after. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Bravo! Sound Quality has always been my goal. I figured why just hear it when I can truly listen to it.

 

[OakIris 10+ year member]

There's nothing wrong with Circuit City or the equipment they carry. I used to work in the install bay at one, and have used all the equipment that you have in your car. (When I saw what you had, I knew you went to CC, but wasn't going to call you out on it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif)
But all of the equipment you have can sound full and warm; it all just depends on the install and settings. In fact, the Polks are some of the warmest sounding speakers CC carries. Just do what everyone has recommended, and adjust your amplifier correctly, and you ought to hear some serious differences. Perhaps tomorrow, just go out and tinker with it to see what you like most.

So tell us more about what you are dissatisfied with... have you tried turning off the subwoofer and listening to the speakers alone? Do they have any bass to speak of? Do they just sound shallow? Are the tweets overly harsh and in-your-face? Does the bass lack punch?

All these symptoms can be remedied with some minor tweaks in the install, and in the settings on the head unit and amplifiers.

I haven't tried turning off the sub. To my ears, the system sounds as if all of the bass has been diverted to the sub; the tweeters are definitely harsh, sibilant, the whole system sounds bright. Too much treble energy, no depth, no fullness. I got the JVC HU because I wanted HD capabilities, and the Polk speakers because I like warm sound (most of my home equipment is built around tubes) so that is why I am really disliking the sound. I think the tweaks suggested by all the good folks here will greatly improve the sound.

Holly