New install distortion issue

[Cmberges1]

Ok so here's the deal. Have an 06 Toyota trundra that I've installed some new gear but it don't sound right. It seems that the speakers are getting distorted at different volume s for different music. Sometimes the highs are clear but when the full range of music starts (non vocal but instrument) it starts to distort at mid volume and I've tried everything I can think of to clean it up. Ideas? Gear issue? I'm an idiot issue??? IDK

Here's the setup (and fyi I rewired the whole truck)

Head unit - Dual xvm279nav
Amp - Powerbase 300.2
Front Components - JL audio C1-650
Wiring - 14g speaker wire and 4g amp kit ($70 amp kit)

Audio inputs tried are: USB drive with mp3 files, aux cord and phone with mp4 and Spotify, also bluetooth with same files. All these source inputs cause same distortion at around same volume levels (22-24). I've also shut off all eq's and other things on my phone to flatten out the input.

Treble on hu set to 3 and bass -1. I've also tried the amp on flat and high pass filter ( on 80-90) 75 percent gain.

Speakers installed into factory spots and included tweet filters installed.

Don't think I left much out I hope. This issue is driving me crazy. I have heard these speaker and they sound great but mine don't and it's pissin me off. What have I done wrong or what needs changed.

I know the HU is not the best but finding a touch screen in stock anywhere that is affordable is not an easy task. But since I'm not using the HU speaker input it shouldn't matter right?

Thanks everyone!!!!

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[SlugButter]

Those speakers usually do sound very good. I don’t personally like that there is only a crossover for the tweeter, and not a full 2 way crossover for the whole component set. I’ve heard a few JL components on an active crossover setup and they sound nice. Did you use the stock speaker wire? Could there possibly be a factory high pass filter hiding somewhere that is still running to the tweeters? 2 crossovers hooked in line with each other would make the crossover point change.

 

[Cmberges1]

Those speakers usually do sound very good. I don’t personally like that there is only a crossover for the tweeter, and not a full 2 way crossover for the whole component set. I’ve heard a few JL components on an active crossover setup and they sound nice. Did you use the stock speaker wire? Could there possibly be a factory high pass filter hiding somewhere that is still running to the tweeters? 2 crossovers hooked in line with each other would make the crossover point change.

All the wiring for the whole truck has been replaced with new 14g wire, factory amp removed, no factory anything used. That's why this is driving me so freaking crazy. I'm not a total noob at this and that's why it's killing me. My last install in my camaro I did the same thing with different HU and Hertz components but used this same amp and it sounded insane cranked to the max. IDK???????

 

[SlugButter]

Are you getting any voltage drops at the amp when playing loud?

 

[Cmberges1]

Are you getting any voltage drops at the amp when playing loud?

I'm assuming you mean to check with a meter? I've never done that before (never needed to). I can go get a meter if needed if you enlighten a bit on what you mean exactly. Thanks

 

[SlugButter]

I'm assuming you mean to check with a meter? I've never done that before (never needed to). I can go get a meter if needed if you enlighten a bit on what you mean exactly. Thanks

Yeah. With a multimeter. You just put red on positive, black on negative at your amp and check voltage as it’s playing. Your weak link is definitely that head unit. I really don’t like that head unit as it only has bass and treble control.

 

[YourNameHere 10+ year member]

Get a new HU......i never quite understand why people cheap out on the most important piece of equipment and then wonder why their system sounds like poo.....poop in = poop out, but thats just my opinion and experience

 

[Cmberges1]

So the HU just sounds like the weak link so maybe this weekend I just return it and get something better. What should be the main thing I need to get in a new HU? High volt preout? More bells and whistles? Not fully sure what a different HU will offer that this one is lacking since I'm using an amp but HU's are not my strong point. Don't really want to spend $4-500 for something "better" and end up with same issue. But I will change the HU if that helps s the issue

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

Yeah that head-unit is very low quality. My guess is the signal is not very clean coming out of it.

 

[RobGMN 5,000+ posts]

Have you tried with reference music instead of mp3 files? Process of elimination: eliminate the variables. Replace them with known things.
Rip a CD you are intimately familiar with to FLAC or WAV. Use those files as your test music. Set ALL head unit settings to flat or "off" to rule out processing distortions.
You could also get your hands on an old-school portable CD player and use that as a source to rule out head unit defects (sorry, "experts" but 99.5% of you couldn't tell the diff in a blind test between a $200 Rockwood and a $1500 Sony head unit if they are dialed in the same).
Cross over your non-sub speakers at 80Hz. Listen to the music and isolate to one speaker at a time.
Do they ALL distort, or just one? If just one, swap locations of the speaker. If you still hear the distortion in the same spot, you may be hearing sympathetic buzzing from a car part/panel that presents as distortion from the speaker. You may also be hearing an amp-related distortion. Try a different amp. You may be hearing a head-unit issue. Use a different source.

The point of all this is that to properly diagnose, you have to rule out each individual part of the chain to find the problem. It's the very basis of troubleshooting (versus "shot in the dark" attempts at fixing the problem).

Anyone who thinks they can diagnose your issue just by having a parts list and you describing what is going on is someone you probably don't want to listen to.

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

Treble on hu set to 3 and bass -1. I've also tried the amp on flat and high pass filter ( on 80-90) 75 percent gain.

I just read your thread over on DIYMA. You need to get your amp tuned correctly before doing anything else.

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

 

[SlugButter]

Have you tried with reference music instead of mp3 files? Process of elimination: eliminate the variables. Replace them with known things.
Rip a CD you are intimately familiar with to FLAC or WAV. Use those files as your test music. Set ALL head unit settings to flat or "off" to rule out processing distortions.
You could also get your hands on an old-school portable CD player and use that as a source to rule out head unit defects (sorry, "experts" but 99.5% of you couldn't tell the diff in a blind test between a $200 Rockwood and a $1500 Sony head unit if they are dialed in the same).
Cross over your non-sub speakers at 80Hz. Listen to the music and isolate to one speaker at a time.
Do they ALL distort, or just one? If just one, swap locations of the speaker. If you still hear the distortion in the same spot, you may be hearing sympathetic buzzing from a car part/panel that presents as distortion from the speaker. You may also be hearing an amp-related distortion. Try a different amp. You may be hearing a head-unit issue. Use a different source.

The point of all this is that to properly diagnose, you have to rule out each individual part of the chain to find the problem. It's the very basis of troubleshooting (versus "shot in the dark" attempts at fixing the problem).

Anyone who thinks they can diagnose your issue just by having a parts list and you describing what is going on is someone you probably don't want to listen to.

I agree with this, however, with this head unit, you could do a blind test on any music and hear that there is no EQ and horrible sound processing inside this head unit, no matter what the rest of the system has. A cheap Rockford has some sound processing. A 200$ Rockford with an EQ against a 1500$ Sony with an EQ, i probably couldn’t tell a difference in a blind test if the rest of the system is the same. You’re 100% right about that, but this is a nav unit with next to 0 sound processing. The distortion and static may be a separate issue, but the head unit is bad for music processing regardless.

 

[Clifff150 10+ year member]

Agreed that I would replace the HU regardless. My guess is that will solve your issues.

 

[Cmberges1]

Thanks everyone, and I know better than to buy a crappy HU but was rushed and NOTHING else in stock and was lazy so the double din slide right in. So I did try a few things last night and nothing helped so it's new HU time.
I dialed the amp gain to almost 0, turned the HU to 35, then slowly turned the gain up and got distortion before it even got loud. So I turned the radio down to 20, adjusted the amp up slowly again and got the same crappy sound before it even got loud. Just sounds like the speakers are straining and maxed out at low volumes and I've done enough installs to know I have a serious issue and have NEVER used a crappy HU before and I know DUAL is not my forta..
On to the next link in the chain.