HELP! Sound System Problems *LOTS OF PICS*

[phlop 10+ year member]

Hello everyone.

Well, I finally did it. I have everything installed in my car, and am stolked about having this system. After I got all the fabrication done, and the installation complete, I went out to tune my amps. This is when I first noticed some problems, primarily from the subs. I will explain my situation, and use as many pictures as I can to help you understand. This will be a longer post, but if I could get a little bit of input, it would be greatly appreciated. Let’s begin...

-----------------------------------

+ + The Equipment + +

-----------------------------------

Sub-woofers

2 x 10" Orbis Audio Orbs ( Product Information )

- 250W RMS, 400W Peak. Single Voice Coil, 4 ohms. Down Firing.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20008.jpg

Sub Amp

1 x JL Audio 500/1 ( Product Information )

- 500W RMS, Class-D, RIPS Technology

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20012.jpg

Speakers

2 x JBL gto8626 5x7 / 6x8 Speakers ( Product Information )

- 180W Peak, 60W RMS, 2-Way (Tweeter)

Speaker Amp

1 x JBL cs50.4 4-Channel Amp

- 4 Channel, 580W Peak, 67W RMS x 4

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20013.jpg

Deck

1 x Panasonic CQ-C7301U ( Product Information )

- 4 5v Pre-Outs. 8-Band EQ.

-----------------------------------

+ + The Install + +

-----------------------------------

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20014.jpg

Each amp is powered by its own lead from my battery, I have a 4 Gauge kit running to the JL500/1 and an 8 Gauge kit to the JBL cs50.4. Everything is mounted on 2 pieces of 1/2" MDF, cut to the contour of my trunk. As of now, the wood is carpeted and sitting snug, unbolted to the car. I have ordered 100sq ft of B-Quiet Xtreme, which should arrive in the next day or 2. The subs are installed right behind my 60/40 fold-down rear seats. The carbon fiber enclosure presses into the rear seats when they are closed (miss-measurement because the sphere is 15" around, and only has an 11" footprint). It can be seen in this picture.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20019.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20020.jpg

-----------------------------------

+ + My Problems + +

-----------------------------------

There are several problems that I have found since installing this system. Mainly, it has to do with the subwoofers. My front speakers sound good, and it is apparent that I need to switch out the factory speakers in the rear, but that’s not the bulk of my problem.

1. The speakers seem to distort every now and then when listening to them at loud levels. They only do this when I have my subs on. Which leads me to believe that there is not enough power getting to them, as the subs are robbing my battery of the reserve.

2. My headlights dim when the base hits.

3. There is a lot of rattling (which I am going to fix with B-Quiet and expanding foam), but beyond the rattling there is something strange about my subs. They have a variance in power on the hits... quite often, they hit softly. They seem to be dull sometimes. And I am wondering if it is a tuning problem.

4. I have been having some problems with my battery (dies when I leave lights on for 15 mins). But I don’t know if it is the battery, or the alternator.

-----------------------------------

+ + My Questions + +

-----------------------------------

1. About the lights dimming, and the power being robbed from the smaller amp. Would a Deep-cycle bettery (optima yellow / red top help) and / or should I get a cap for the system.

2. Does it sound like some of my problems are battery related? Could it be the alternator? How would I go about testing this.

3. About tuning my sub amp (JL500/1). Here is the back of the sub amp, with a lot of features.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/jl_amp.jpg

What should I set my low-pass x-over at. I think I have it at about 80hrtz right now. This is a daily driver, and I listen to all types of music, mainly house and techno. Are there any other settings that will make a drastic difference with the dullness of the subs?

4. Should I mount the MDF directly to the car? And also, should I use sound deadener on the bottom side of the MDF?

5. Is the enclosures being jammed into the rear seats going to cause any type of problem with the sound of my subs?

Thank you all for the future responses. I am going to give a few more pictures, because I know everyone loves pictures.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20018.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20021.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20022.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20023.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20028.jpg

Click to read more...

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

wow....$1000 on subs that dont even work

I suggest you get your alternator and battery tested, it sounds like theyve gone to the crapper. New ( more amperage) alternator should stop the lighs dimming when the bass hits.

Capicitor= bandaid on the problem, dont waste your money and have that "wound" only 1/2 way fixed

 

[SPL140.2 5,000+ posts]

Hello everyone.
Well, I finally did it. I have everything installed in my car, and am stolked about having this system. After I got all the fabrication done, and the installation complete, I went out to tune my amps. This is when I first noticed some problems, primarily from the subs. I will explain my situation, and use as many pictures as I can to help you understand. This will be a longer post, but if I could get a little bit of input, it would be greatly appreciated. Let’s begin...

-----------------------------------

+ + The Equipment + +

-----------------------------------

Sub-woofers

2 x 10" Orbis Audio Orbs ( Product Information )

- 250W RMS, 400W Peak. Single Voice Coil, 4 ohms. Down Firing.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20008.jpg

Sub Amp

1 x JL Audio 500/1 ( Product Information )

- 500W RMS, Class-D, RIPS Technology

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20012.jpg

Speakers

2 x JBL gto8626 5x7 / 6x8 Speakers ( Product Information )

- 180W Peak, 60W RMS, 2-Way (Tweeter)

Speaker Amp

1 x JBL cs50.4 4-Channel Amp

- 4 Channel, 580W Peak, 67W RMS x 4

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20013.jpg

Deck

1 x Panasonic CQ-C7301U ( Product Information )

- 4 5v Pre-Outs. 8-Band EQ.

-----------------------------------

+ + The Install + +

-----------------------------------

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20014.jpg

Each amp is powered by its own lead from my battery, I have a 4 Gauge kit running to the JL500/1 and an 8 Gauge kit to the JBL cs50.4. Everything is mounted on 2 pieces of 1/2" MDF, cut to the contour of my trunk. As of now, the wood is carpeted and sitting snug, unbolted to the car. I have ordered 100sq ft of B-Quiet Xtreme, which should arrive in the next day or 2. The subs are installed right behind my 60/40 fold-down rear seats. The carbon fiber enclosure presses into the rear seats when they are closed (miss-measurement because the sphere is 15" around, and only has an 11" footprint). It can be seen in this picture.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20019.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20020.jpg

-----------------------------------

+ + My Problems + +

-----------------------------------

There are several problems that I have found since installing this system. Mainly, it has to do with the subwoofers. My front speakers sound good, and it is apparent that I need to switch out the factory speakers in the rear, but that’s not the bulk of my problem.

1. The speakers seem to distort every now and then when listening to them at loud levels. They only do this when I have my subs on. Which leads me to believe that there is not enough power getting to them, as the subs are robbing my battery of the reserve.

2. My headlights dim when the base hits.

3. There is a lot of rattling (which I am going to fix with B-Quiet and expanding foam), but beyond the rattling there is something strange about my subs. They have a variance in power on the hits... quite often, they hit softly. They seem to be dull sometimes. And I am wondering if it is a tuning problem.

4. I have been having some problems with my battery (dies when I leave lights on for 15 mins). But I don’t know if it is the battery, or the alternator.

-----------------------------------

+ + My Questions + +

-----------------------------------

1. About the lights dimming, and the power being robbed from the smaller amp. Would a Deep-cycle bettery (optima yellow / red top help) and / or should I get a cap for the system.

2. Does it sound like some of my problems are battery related? Could it be the alternator? How would I go about testing this.

3. About tuning my sub amp (JL500/1). Here is the back of the sub amp, with a lot of features.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/jl_amp.jpg

What should I set my low-pass x-over at. I think I have it at about 80hrtz right now. This is a daily driver, and I listen to all types of music, mainly house and techno. Are there any other settings that will make a drastic difference with the dullness of the subs?

4. Should I mount the MDF directly to the car? And also, should I use sound deadener on the bottom side of the MDF?

5. Is the enclosures being jammed into the rear seats going to cause any type of problem with the sound of my subs?

Thank you all for the future responses. I am going to give a few more pictures, because I know everyone loves pictures.

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20018.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20021.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20022.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20023.jpg

http://www.phlop.com/pictures/CarAudio%20028.jpg

1. both your amps together is causing the lights to dim, not enough juice, an optima and a stiff cap would help.

2. you have too much juice going to your amps in which it may seem your alternator is the problem. Dont forget all other functions in your car need juice too like lights, auto windows, fan so on and so on. use a multimeter and check voltage with car running and everything off. if it reads 13 volts or higher then there is no problem.

3. for a daily driver and all types of music setting x over at 80hz should be fine. maybe its your enclosure making your subs sound that way. maybe to small or to large.

4. thats all up to you, cant hurt

5. might make the subs sound "muddy" try different placement of the enclosure.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/greedy.gif.5a53e6246569d7ab79867170f3b06629.gif

 

[phlop 10+ year member]

Thanks for the reply's. Does anyone else have a different opinion? Possible some suggestions with the tuning of my sub amp... so many little knobs. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[ksin291 10+ year member]

I would leave the bass eq off on the 500/1, you don't need the boost or anything else that it does. Turn you subsonic off also as these are sealed enclosures and you don't need the subsonic on. 80 Hz is a good x-over point for your sub, some people x-over lower on the subs but it's all in how you like the sound. I would definately replace your battery and look into a high ouput alternator. Yellow top should work well enough but I would look into an odessy deep cycle, those are the same as the stinger deep cycles but a hell of a lot cheaper.

 

[phlop 10+ year member]

I would leave the bass eq off on the 500/1, you don't need the boost or anything else that it does. Turn you subsonic off also as these are sealed enclosures and you don't need the subsonic on. 80 Hz is a good x-over point for your sub, some people x-over lower on the subs but it's all in how you like the sound. I would definately replace your battery and look into a high ouput alternator. Yellow top should work well enough but I would look into an odessy deep cycle, those are the same as the stinger deep cycles but a hell of a lot cheaper.

Thanks a ton! I will keep everyone updated. The B-Quiet Extreme should help things, and the battery definatly. I wouldnt mind sneaking out without getting the alternator, so I am going to try the batter first.. and maybe a stiff cap... but maybe an investment in the alternator before the cap would be better.

Cheers!

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

Always invest in a new H.O alt before wasting money on a cap

 

[Diplexers 10+ year member]

Always invest in a new H.O alt before wasting money on a cap

was wondering when someone was gonna pipe up //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[jughead]

Did you build the box to spec? Maybe one of the seems is bad in the box, that happened to me once. The subs sounded distorted and i even sent them back on warrenty. They came back and the same thing happened. We pushed real hard on the box the whole way around all the seems and in one place the problem went away. Drove a couple of screws in the area and the problem went away. I dont think that amp is really big enough to cause all those power problems, (no offence) If your head unit was good enough you could just run your amp cross over flat. (no offence there either) Just keep dicking around you might figure it out

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

pics dont work

 

[JeffyZ33 10+ year member]

pics dont work

x2

I dont think a 500/1 and a 70x4 is enough power to really cause any electrical problems, there are a couple things to look at though.

Battery first, you said that your batt is dead after 15 mins of lights on, definatly sounds like the battery.

If the battery doesn't fix the problem, big 3 next. Search up big 3.

I run my 1200d@ 2 ohms (roughly the same power as your 2 amps) off of a new (cheap) battery with no problems. I get a LITTLE dimming with headlights, aux lights, and heater on full... and only at idle.

Subs sounding wierd could be because of the electrical system, amp is trying to push more power than it can take from the battery and you start getting bad sounds.

 

[Cris 10+ year member]

err, you guys think he cares anymore? he posted back in march.. its december

 

[JeffyZ33 10+ year member]

jughead for teh lozeee!

Glad you noticed that, cause req and I sure didn't. I dont know why people bring back these kinds of threads //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif