Help tuning my sub/amps bass..?

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

I'm with haze on this one. Its gotta be amp settings. Gain could be too high...crossovers/infrasonic filters not set correctly...

If you cant hear any words over your bass, then dont blame the sub, get better mids and highs.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

I think he wants his sub to play words.. I dont understand what he is getting at really

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

subs playing words hmmm....

Trunk Stage FTMFW

 

[coleworld 10+ year member]

hmm did you check that the subs are wired right?? not saying u didnt but doesn't hurt to check that out. and well take pics as well

I'm sure its wired right..its only one sub, and the wiring is pretty easy. If anything it would be some of the amp wiring but I don't think thats what it is...it doesn't sound like anything is getting distorted, it just sounds like the sub was meant to sound this way....I just know it wasnt. I might take pics if i cant figure it out but i'm pretty sure its the amp.

I'm with haze on this one. Its gotta be amp settings. Gain could be too high...crossovers/infrasonic filters not set correctly...If you cant hear any words over your bass, then dont blame the sub, get better mids and highs.

I'm pretty sure its the amp settings too...but I don't know what. The gain is good. The LPF isnt the problem...I don't really know what I'm doing with the infrasonic filter because I don't know my boxes port tuning frequency. But i tried playing with it and it didn't change much...

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

set it around 30 to be safe. Then take it down until the sub bottoms out, then bring it up a bit.. Get a bass mekanik CD wit some test tones on it and dial it in

 

[coleworld 10+ year member]

I think he wants his sub to play words.. I dont understand what he is getting at really

Yeah...you really dont get it. To be fair it is kind of hard for me to put into words but did you watch the videos?

The lowest bass is louder then I want it, so the kick drums and the "thump" of the bass mixes with the louder bassline and it ends up sloppy. I want to really hear the kick drums like in the first videos I posted....

My sub sounds more like the second video, where the bassline tones of the song overpower and mix in with the "tight" kick sounds. So you end up not being able to hear the kick as well because of the low vibrating sounds of the deeper bass. If you don't understand now, I give up but thanks for the help anyway. By the way what did you mean back on the first page when you said subs for pure SPL setups aren't meant to play low? Please explain...

 

[05trailblazer 10+ year member]

it could be your car. is your trunk sealed from the back seats?? is this your first system in that car or not in that car, and you said it was poerted right? what are your box dimensions!

 

[coleworld 10+ year member]

I dont think its the car. My car is a 01 integra, hatchback 2 door and the back seats aren't even close to being sealed off. The box is ported, it is the JL h.o. box for the 12w3v3. Not sure of the dimensions, but there isn't a problem with the dimensions because jl made the box, not me. This is my first system ever by the way, not just in this car.

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

make sure u have your bass boost off, with JL's variable bass boost, you could be boosting the lower frequencies over the "kicks"; also, this may sound a bit far fetched, but check your grounds, you could have a bad ground and be getting unwanted noise in your system. This actually has happened to me before. If all else fails, find a friend with an amp you can hook up for a second and see if the problem persists.

 

[hari-bhari 10+ year member]

did you get this solved? if not:

turn your gain ALL the way down, and turn your bass boost ALL the way down. keep your infrasonic filter in the middle around 20-25. keep your Q around 1, and your center F around 45. i think your sub is just way too loud...

 

[Sebaslegrand 10+ year member]

Didn't read the whole thread, but couple things could be the problem :

- Your box isn't fitted for this sub

- Your sub size is too big (Bigger thump in smaller sizes : 10'' has a way bigger thump than a 14'', so it kicks instead of vibrating)

- Your EQ on your head unit isn't properly set

- The quality of your music source is poor (Try getting 320 kbps CBR music files and playing them from your ipod)

- Source of the music (Auxiliary wire brings way better sound quality then "cigarette plug" radio frequency ipod docks)

Try some of that!

 

[Rich00 10+ year member]

It sounds to me like you dont like the ported box. Ported boxes are generally boomier than a sealed box a sealed box with hit the kick drums better. It sounds like you need to get a sealed box or take it to where you had it installed and have them look it at.

 

[slvrado28z 10+ year member]

i think u should go sealed if you want punchy bass...

 

[VisceralSound 10+ year member]

Thats what I was thinking the sealed will give you a more accurate bass hit.

Check the headunit, turn your bassboost/loud off that'll boost the actual bass and make it harder to hear vocals, I thought I had my infrasonic filter set to like 80, I don't remember don't quote me on it but I really enjoy how mine hits in a ported box.

 

[VisceralSound 10+ year member]

If its your wiring, whats your voice coil? 2 or 4ohms, you might have it wired wrong. With that amp, I think you'd want a DVC 4ohm woofer bridge to 2 ohms for 500watts, other wise your giving it a 4ohm load with 250watts