I’m new. Haze at will.

[Squawk7600]

Greetings and salutations. Hope everyone is doing well. Firstly you might ask what is my 1-10 skill level on car stereo systems. The better question is what’s my ignorance level. Well, that would be very high. Like an 8. But I’m determined to get the job done. (I’m not even sure if I’m posting this in the right section)

Kindly don’t give me the standard “have you searched” message. Yes I have, however the problem is that I’m not sure WHAT to search for. I don’t quite possess the vocabulary and “where does that thingamajig on the back of the other thingamajig hook up to” doesn’t yield very good results.

On with the show. My profile shows my present set up. I’m getting a lot of vibration in the speakers at higher volumes since installing the new stereo, so it was suggested to try a better amp before changing speakers. So I purchased a Rockford Fosgate R2-500X4 to install. I also got two LOC’s for which I have no idea why. Crutchfield offers no harnesses nor any real useful information from which I can glean.

To the point… I was hoping for some guidance and information to help me get this installed. I’m on track in that the stock speaker wires are labeled and hopefully I have decipherable answers to any questions for me.

Thank you for reading.

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[spokey9 5,000+ posts]

Are the speakers vibrating in the install location or are they sounding distorted?

 

[Squawk7600]

I would have to say they sound distorted because they don’t exactly vibrate through the entire volume level. Just at higher volumes especially with bass. Rock vs R&B kinda thing. I hope this makes sense.

 

[huberoy123 10+ year member]

It was helpful to me to draw out my layout on a piece of blank paper. I also purchased some used car stereo install books on the internet at used bookstores. I also got lucky and found some at a library book sale. I'm not clear as to whether you are wiring your speakers directly from the amplifier. I believe the loc would be used to get the signal from your factory stereo wiring to the amplifier. Most aftermarket HU have RCA outputs to get the signal to the amplifier.
When I first got into the upgrade mode, I purchased a PAC harness https://pac-audio.com/ that allowed me to connect an external amplifier and use my factory head unit and factory wiring for the speakers, which I upgraded. There was a marked improvement in the sound.
My experience with speaker distortion is that the speakers were not able to handle the power sent to them and usually meant that I had to upgrade to ones that could.

 

[Old_Slapper]

I would have to say they sound distorted because they don’t exactly vibrate through the entire volume level. Just at higher volumes especially with bass. Rock vs R&B kinda thing. I hope this makes sense.

So, you say they vibrate at high volume when the bass hits? Do you have your HPF crossover on? If so, what is it set at?

 

[Squawk7600]

There are courses on line I was thinking about taking….but my situation is unique to me so I probably don’t need to learn quite that much. I wish I did because this actually fun! I think I might have been given unnecessary advice about the LOC because that seems to be factory stereo specific.

 

[Squawk7600]

Now here’s where I think you’re speaking a foreign language. Dunno ‘nuffin about HPF. Sorry.

 

[Old_Slapper]

Now here’s where I think you’re speaking a foreign language. Dunno ‘nuffin about HPF. Sorry.

Sorry.
HPF means "high pass filter." It prevents lower frequencies from playing through your speakers to help prevent distortion. What size speakers do you have?

 

[Squawk7600]

I have this photo. I believe that’s an LOC under the AMP. If it’s no trouble, what the hell alls going on here? Considering the LOC isn’t used. BTW I have two, two plug Kicker LOC’s. Something tells me if I needed an LOC dem ain’t it.

 

[Squawk7600]

Sorry.
HPF means "high pass filter." It prevents lower frequencies from playing through your speakers to help prevent distortion. What size speakers do you have?

Sorry. I don’t know what size. I can look. 2010 camaro Boston speakers. im gonna Google high pass filter and get schooled on it.

 

[Squawk7600]

Sorry.
HPF means "high pass filter." It prevents lower frequencies from playing through your speakers to help prevent distortion. What size speakers do you have?

The speakers include a 6.5-inch midrange low in each door, a 1-inch tweeter in the "sail panel" in the lower-forward corner of each front window, a 3.5-inch midrange/tweeter in the center of the dash and a pair of 6x9 two-way coaxials in the rear deck.

 

[Squawk7600]

Me waiting for new posts! LOL

 

[Squawk7600]

It was helpful to me to draw out my layout on a piece of blank paper. I also purchased some used car stereo install books on the internet at used bookstores. I also got lucky and found some at a library book sale. I'm not clear as to whether you are wiring your speakers directly from the amplifier. I believe the loc would be used to get the signal from your factory stereo wiring to the amplifier. Most aftermarket HU have RCA outputs to get the signal to the amplifier.
When I first got into the upgrade mode, I purchased a PAC harness https://pac-audio.com/ that allowed me to connect an external amplifier and use my factory head unit and factory wiring for the speakers, which I upgraded. There was a marked improvement in the sound.
My experience with speaker distortion is that the speakers were not able to handle the power sent to them and usually meant that I had to upgrade to ones that could.

Ps. Im’ thinking I’m gonna need new speakers anyway to match the rest of the setup if that makes sense.

 

[Mitchell Fosgate III]

Distortion occurs when the speaker is damaged also. And not just from wrong connections to the speaker, + and - side of the speakers. They use filters to remove distortions. Harmonic distortions are the most common. Multiple tones to the music or just added music that should not be there. They call this filter crossovers that is placed before the amplifier. Passive or active crossovers. No power or power to the filters. These are just capacitors and resistors aligned in a unique way. They sell those by the make. Vendors.

Does the Rockford Fosgate amp come with power lines and RCA cables? Or buy your own universal cables. I would assume they make recommendations for these if they didn't include any of it. Power lines or RCA cables. What kind of radio do you have? Watts to the radio, then see how much is needed to the 2 channel 500 watts channel. 2 front speakers. The back may not catch any sounds. Midrange then. Up to 5000 hz are mid range speakers, from about 200 hz. Your car with the 2 channel amp will only give sounds to the 2 midrange speakers in the front of the car. The back will not catch any sounds.

No I am not an electrical engineer. Just a technician. But I come close to them. These setups all stem from knowing engineering. OP AMPS. My analysis of the situation is accurate.​

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

You added an amp to the stock speakers???