Missing mid-bass? Sub + Alpine SPS-600 6-3/4"

[Sideways17 10+ year member]

He's using a mini plug to RCA from what I gathered....ya know I was thinking, although this isn't optimum as we have all come to terms with, but OP have you messed with the eq in your Ipod?

Gasp! Enter the WHAT THE HELL DID SIDEWAYS JUST SAY!?! Lol! Before anyone has a heartattack about my suggestion, relax and realize what's going at this point in our life's. Economy is shit. Some veterans on this forum might freakout because he doesn't have a HU or 9 layers of deadening in his doors but he's making due with what he has. Although....why don't you take those Alpines, since you already have them, and move them up front!?

 

[amartin_72]

dude you need front speakers

 

[drpeeb 10+ year member]

He's using a mini plug to RCA from what I gathered....ya know I was thinking, although this isn't optimum as we have all come to terms with, but OP have you messed with the eq in your Ipod?
Gasp! Enter the WHAT THE HELL DID SIDEWAYS JUST SAY!?! Lol! Before anyone has a heartattack about my suggestion, relax and realize what's going at this point in our life's. Economy is shit. Some veterans on this forum might freakout because he doesn't have a HU or 9 layers of deadening in his doors but he's making due with what he has. Although....why don't you take those Alpines, since you already have them, and move them up front!?

Yes, I am using a mini plug to RCA; Is there any other way to connect an iPod to an amp?

And, yes, I have messed with the iPod's EQ: I've tried every EQ single setting on it a lot, including no EQ. I've tried every EQ setting with many different songs of many different era's.

I do think I will improve things by sealing the rear doors and deadening them, but first ...

My next step: I will take my home speakers, which do have the great mid-bass I feel is missing, stick those in the back seats of the truck, and give them a listen. These have 10" woofers (may not be sub-woofers, not sure) and a 10" passive raditor. Will report back ... although you dudes are probably tired of this thread.

Ahh ... One more way to phrase my original question: Could you take just two 6-3/4" speakers, a 10" sub & an amp, free to tune them and place them however you wanted, in whatever car/ truck you wanted, and end up extremely happy with the final sound in the mid-bass area?

 

[drpeeb 10+ year member]

Update ... Since my original question I have revised my installation, finishing it the "right way", which I never even knew about before.

Most of you probably know all about proper speaker installation, but I'll share anyway for those who might not.

First of all, the "missing mid-bass" sound I was hearing was probably due to hearing not only the front projecting side of the 6-3/4" Alpine coax's in the rear doors, but also hearing some of the back side of these speakers, due to the door cavity not being sealed off.

So ... For those Alpines, I took them back out, installed a bunch of pieces of Second Skin's "Damplifier", which is a self-adhesive deadening material that you can stick on any surfaces that are resonant, such as the thin outer skin of a car's body. Maybe even more important than that: I also pretty much sealed the door cavity so I can't hear any of the back of the speaker. HOLY COW! WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Night & day!

I think what I have achieved is that they doors are actually now pretty much the equivalent of being like your typical house stereo system loud-speaker. These, combined with my 10" sub, sound friggin' GREAT! Remember all the EQ's on my iPod Nano that I tried, to try to improve the sound? Some EQs helped, but none always sounded good on all songs. Now .. instead of trying to correct the sound with the EQ, I can use about 7 of the Nanao's different pre-set EQs, and they all sound awesome ... Just pick the one that suits you!

I'm not missing mid-bass anymore!! I'll also be returning to Crutchfield the Kenwood EQ I just ordered. I absolutely don't need it. I also do not at all miss not having front speakers - The sound is so overwhelmingly full that you can hardly tell it's only coming from the rear doors. Very pleased! I pull into my garage and just sit and marvel at how good, tight, punchy and full it sounds!

The need for deadening never occurred to me before, but for anyone taking their interior panels apart anyway, to replace speakers, while it's already apart you might as well stick on some deadener. I do not think you will be disappointed!

Thanks for all the responses ...