got my system metered.

[substance 10+ year member]

133db with windows up, 134.4db with windows down @80hz

look at my signature for my setup.

I dont think this sounds right. i went to a car toys, and i think they had a audiocontrol spl meter. It was this old silver one. He put the mic on the left top corner of my windshield, and i played bass mechankic cd, i used the one with the all the test tones. I does this sound correct? i coulda sweared it was louder. my friend that used to have a system that was metered at ~150db said mine sounded more like the upper 130's if not low 140's. Basically im dissapointed. I know i have a sealed box, so that doesnt help. but my stereo sounds about twice as loud with the windows down and the meter only noticed a 1.4 db difference., i have 1000rms to them, and they are down firing. does it sound like a messed up mic? or is this what i should expect with my setup?

I took the center seat out of my truck and built a box to fit in between the seats. Its 1.97ft3 single chamber. the back of my cab shakes and sounds like a license plate rattling. Im thinkin im losing alot of bass through since i have no deadening material

would i get a noticeable improvement on my spl if i dynamatted the whole cab?

Click to read more...

 

[Wonderbread 5,000+ posts]

Yes.

Don't be too disapointed with that score, it's not bad at all for a first metering, with those subs. Not too shabby.

 

[substance 10+ year member]

i also noticed the higher frequencies ~80hz pull a lot of current. ill drop from 14.4v to 12.8v if i play those frequencies for about 10 seconds. but the lower ones, like 40hz will drop my voltage to about 14.0v (and they sound about 50 times louder) i think its an issue with my box? its 3/4inch mdf, i didnt have room to add a brace. i was thinking about deadening the inside of my box? or if there was some special way i could port it, even though its undersized?

 

[Wonderbread 5,000+ posts]

Yep. Your amp can produce more power at higher frequencies (it'll get louder easier too) and will as such, draw more power.

 

[mgaidica 10+ year member]

if your going to have a ported box, build a new one. Sometimes an SPL car wont sound as loud as lets say a daily car, but it is. I dont think bracing in the box has any affect on it, probaly just the setup itself, paired with a sealed box.

 

[limitkid7 5,000+ posts]

134 isn't that bad

 

[Qckrun 10+ year member]

Also.... just a food for thought... and ur probably gonna be even mader(if thats a word).... that was an audiocontrol mic, not a Term Lab.... ur probably posting a 128 on the TL.... unless this AC mic was extremely tight. Go ported...

 

[substance 10+ year member]

i just realized that i had my bass eq on my amp at 0db. then i saw this thread http://forums.caraudio.com/vb/showthread.php?t=58349 . i turned it all the way up to 18db, i had to turn the gain down alot, it was like 10 times louder. but ive never liked bass boosts but in this case its almost like it unleashes the power of the amp. and the remote knob is a peice of crap. it does absolutely nothing.. the phase warp set at 90degreez seems to improve the bass. (i guess cause my subs are downfiring) subsonic set at 25hz. any recommendations?

 

[NaztyNate 10+ year member]

Well in other threads they also said not to turn the bass boost up too much, like 6-9 db's. What you need to do is set your HU all up how you like it, turn the subwoofer volume all the way up if it has it, turn your amp bass boost up like half way, pop in the most bass heavy song you listen too, then turn the volume on the HU to as loud as you listen to it. Gradually turn your gain up until the subs distort and then turn the gain down til they stop distorting. That should be as loud as it will go without distorting. But if you are lookin for more bass go ported if you have the room.

 

[Berry47 10+ year member]

The reason it seamed twice as louyd is because decibal systems grows exponentially not linearly.

 

[LimPerT 10+ year member]

hey man i'de love to see some pictures of that center box you made

 

[jemorgan85 10+ year member]

134 isn't that bad for a sealed box.

Next time try ported, even if you only have room for one.

Was the box small?

 

[substance 10+ year member]

i need to borrow a digital camera to take pictures of it. its sweet, the box looks like my old center console with vinyl on top same color as the interior. (had to have the armrest

limpert: where is grapevine, tx?

 

[LimPerT 10+ year member]

It's DFW area...

 

[Dubb93 10+ year member]

I'm actually a big fan of bass boosts. In my opinion the PG Bass Cube is tops, and adds alot to a system when u're messin with a mic. The bass knobs that come with some amps(Rockford that I know of) u need to be very careful with those as they WILL blow your subs if you have your gains up on yur amp.