Need help with my Diamond Audio S600s Components (Disappointed with them)

[hans030390 10+ year member]

I recently installed my DAT S600s HEX components in my '95 Civic DX (Sedan). I'm really not too impressed with them. I know that they're supposed to be great speakers for the price ($200), but I'm just not hearing that. Here's what's going on:

1. The tweeters, even at -2db on the crossovers, are way too overpowering compared to the rest of the system. The balance just isn't there, and they still sound a bit too bright/harsh.

2. The woofers are too quiet, and having such loud tweeters makes this even worse. The woofers don't seem to move a whole lot, even when turned up loudly. They vibrate if you touch them (quite a bit at higher volumes), but don't MOVE a whole lot. (The movement part might be fine...that was what someone else suggested I look into)

3. The woofers seem to be missing a full lower octave range.

I've noticed this, but I had it confirmed by someone who knows a good bit more about car audio than I do. Here's what he did to help remedy (but not fix) the problem:

1. Wired my tweeters out of phase. They're not AS bright now, but they still are too loud.

2. Turned the low-pass cutoff on my sub amp crossover up to 150hz to make up for the "missing" octave from the woofers.

3. Slightly adjust some gain settings.

And then I personally went in and did the following to help balance things out:

1. Turned lows to -1db on my headunit's EQ.

2. Turned mids to -3db on my headunit's EQ.

3. Turned highs to -4db on my headunit's EQ.

After that, things seemed to blend a bit better, but my issues still stand.

I listened to the guy's Focal Polyglass components (the one who looked at my setup), and his woofers were A LOT louder than mine were.

I'm giving my components 75 watts RMS each, so power shouldn't be an issue. Giving them any more seems to make the tweeters even louder and brighter.

I checked the phase on the woofers, and they are in phase. However, out of curiousity, I tried them out of phase and noticed no difference...shouldn't I be concerned about that? (This was with the tweeters and sub temporarily disconnected)

I don't have my doors sound deadened yet, but I was told that should really help my woofers (especially with that seemingly missing octave). I was also given an active crossover, so I may try that out as well.

ALSO, I have not had my components for more than a week. I'm aware that a much longer break in period may alleviate some of the issues, though I doubt it will just fix anything completely.

Does anyone have any advice/suggestions as to what might be going on or what I can do to try to fix the problems? Thanks!

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[PaulD 10+ year member]

The Diamond hex tweeters have a rep for being bright, where are they mounted ?

Deading and selaing up the doors will help with the lowest octave, but most 6 1/2's will only play so low - they are not subwoofers.

 

[hans030390 10+ year member]

The Diamond hex tweeters have a rep for being bright, where are they mounted ?
Deading and selaing up the doors will help with the lowest octave, but most 6 1/2's will only play so low - they are not subwoofers.

I'm not sure how to describe how they're mounted without having a picture (I can get that later today). Well, try this picture (it's not my car):

http://hondaswap.com/attachments/5659d1203544374-clean-doors-tweeter.jpg

I have the DX model (manual windows, lock, so it looks a bit different). My tweeter is in the same spot, but take it up about an inch 45 degrees (closer to the A-pillar) to where the one in the picture is. They point roughly to the center of the car (in front of the driver/passenger).

I understand that 6 1/2"s only get so low, and I do have a subwoofer. If deadening/sealing helps with that lower octave, that's great. Will that also help them "sound" a bit louder (though I supposed technically they won't be any louder)?

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

What's the HP set to for the mids?

 

[hans030390 10+ year member]

What's the HP set to for the mids?

I had that set to flat on the amp...figured the passive crossover took care of that. If not, I'll just adjust that today. Someone said to put it around 80hz, so it will likely be around there (if not just a bit lower).

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

Nope, the passive crossover generally does not handle the HP filter for the mid... only the LP for the mid and the HP for the tweeter.

Start with 80Hz, and maybe adjust it towards 63Hz until you find a point where it blends the best with the sub and sounds best to you.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

I had that set to flat on the amp...figured the passive crossover took care of that.

Wrong. Components need a HP, the passive only crosses over mid to tweet. Right now you have midbass rolling off naturally into the sub region feeding it frequencies that are wasting the itty bit of that speaker's suspension. The mid is trying to replicate frequencies it simply cannot do linearly at higher amplitudes.

80hz 12db HP would be a good place to start....if not higher from my experience with those, they are rather lean in the midbass dept as is.

If you want to get any decent midbass out of those Hex's you need to add mass around that baffle, seal up as much door skin as possible... separating the speaker's backwave from the front.

 

[hans030390 10+ year member]

Quick question...I only have one RCA output from my headunit. Do I need 3 RCA connections to my active crossover? I was hoping I could, perhaps, just run one input (even though it has front, rear, and "in/out" inputs) and output 3 RCA cables (like my equalizer). Or do I have to have ALL 3 inputs plugged in (for use with the sub, woofers, and tweeters)? I'd have to hook my equalizer back up to do that...and I really don't like using it (I'm not fond of its quality).

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

Some electronic XO's will allow you to utilize only one RCA input for everything.

But, if you can, I'd recommend running dedicated RCA leads for each input into the XO (such as front for the tweeters, rear for the mids, and sub for the sub).

 

[zeed 10+ year member]

I don't know how to fix your issue. I tried Diamond S600 and I got more bass than Hertz HSK165; however, as they say, the tweeter are pretty bright.

 

[newb 10+ year member]

You're definitely correct about the mids not being loud enough. I recently replaced my Seas Lotus Reference with the Diamond Hex s600a. My doors are deadened with Raamat, the mids are mounted on a custom mdf baffle, sealed off at the sides with caulk to ensure proper sealing. I have yet to tweak/mess around with the eq/x-over settings but the tweeters are overpowering the mids by a wide margin. As is, the mids are to boomy and the tweeters are overpowering them.

Just did a quick 5min tweak and it sounds so much better. I have yet to turn the volume up high to actually listen to it at high volume (im at work). Like everyone else said, deaden your doors and it'll come alive. I have the same set hooked up to my other car, which the doors arent deadened and it sounds just like what you're describing.

Im also running this setup in a 92 civic hatchback, with my tweeters mounted on the a-pillar.

 

[hans030390 10+ year member]

Ok, I sound deadened my front doors and installed that active crossover. The woofers stand out much more now, though the tweeters were still too bright. I adjusted the active crossover to fix that, and while I can't say I'm happy with the sound yet (I spent two minutes messing with it and then I had to go to bed), I'm sure I'll be able to find a "sweet spot". If not, I'll go back to the passives and just turn the tweeters down again.

I have noticed a couple problems, however.

1. My active crossover's remote line is broken (or something). I had it hooked up to my sub's remote input (which also has the sub amp and speaker amp hooked into it, so that might cause trouble...), and everything was always on. It was as if I forgot the remote line. I disconnected the crossover remote and everything is normal again...except the crossover is still always on, but I figured it won't draw enough power to drain my battery (and sure enough, it didn't overnight...). This is just a stupid problem, nothing serious...thought I'd just point it out, though.

2. Noise. The high-pitched kind that increases when you push on the gas. I've never had this before. I'm wondering if the active crossover is causing thing.

3. My sub was really, really quiet through my active crossover. It just sounded crappy. I didn't get much time to mess with that, but I just hooked it straight up to my main RCA cable and then ran the pass-through to the crossover for the components.

As of now, I'm thinking of ditching the active crossover since my woofers stand out more now. It's probably causing more problems than trying to tame the tweeters is worth (and I think that's only because it's older and likely not the best quality). However, I haven't had time to properly examine and tweak things, so I'll obviously try that first.

Unlike active crossovers, it's probably not a good idea to buy a different passive crossover for the DA components, is it? Some passives just have more tweeter controls than mine, though I'm not sure if the different passives could cause damage/problems.

 

[FurbiesAndBeans 10+ year member]

For the noise its possible that your ground is bad for the crossover. Im not sure, but that could also be the problem for the amps staying on. Get a small makeshift dist block for your remote and retry it.

As for your sub being quiet, its most likely the settings your using. If you stay with the active crossover, try ur lpf at max so the crossover takes care of it, but still set ur ssf.

In my active crossover, it has the option of volume for all the outputs, so you can balance your system really easy if something is overpowering.

 

[adio 5,000+ posts]

I recently installed my DAT S600s HEX components in my '95 Civic DX (Sedan). I'm really not too impressed with them. I know that they're supposed to be great speakers for the price ($200), but I'm just not hearing that. Here's what's going on:

2. The woofers are too quiet, and having such loud tweeters makes this even worse. The woofers don't seem to move a whole lot, even when turned up loudly. They vibrate if you touch them (quite a bit at higher volumes), but don't MOVE a whole lot. (The movement part might be fine...that was what someone else suggested I look into)

3. The woofers seem to be missing a full lower octave range.

i'm having the same problems with my crystals

 

[hans030390 10+ year member]

i'm having the same problems with my crystals

I just sound deadened my front doors (one-two layers on the outer door frame, the part you'd touch if you stuck your hand through the speaker hole as far as you can, and two-three layers on the metal frame that the door panel attaches to). The woofers stand out a LOT more now.

Also, though I haven't tweaked it much, getting an active crossover should allow you to boost your woofers a bit more.