New speaker weird bass distortion

[RedWRXwagoN 10+ year member]

Hey guys, annoying problem here....im trying to install new speakers in my 2004 subaru wrx wagon, and ran into the same problem twice, so i have narrowed it down to the head unit....Each time i try out new speakers, i get the same problem of very distorted bass, even at low bass levels, with very high pitched high notes....Theres absolutely no bass, it seems like its all treble....i ahve a Pioneer head unit, from about 2003, not sure of the exact model....it has the following settings: Balance, EQ, SLI, Sub 1, and a few others.....any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys!

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[ejschultz 10+ year member]

If you're running subs, try reversing the phase on either the subs or the mids. You may be having some phase cancellation issues.

 

[Side Show 10+ year member]

set your hp filter properly? or are you trying to get bass out of tweeters?

 

[RedWRXwagoN 10+ year member]

If you're running subs, try reversing the phase on either the subs or the mids. You may be having some phase cancellation issues.

ejschults, i dont have a sub, so i doubt thats the problem. But about phase cancellation, does that mean i put the wrong speaker in the wrong hole?...i didnt think that made a difference?

set your hp filter properly? or are you trying to get bass out of tweeters?

Side Show, my HP filter is set to off, because i dont have any subs yet.

Ok, so to elaborate a little, i dont have subs yet, but i have a Pioneer Ipod deck, and four Kenwood 3 way speakers. I heard the speakers in my friends car, and they sounded absolutely great, but in my car, it sounds like they only play high notes, and when i try to play anything low, it not only has zero bass, but the bass is so distorted. The speakers just sound weird, like some setting is messed up with them, i am sure its not the speakers themselves.

 

[DSGBazemore 10+ year member]

wow

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

ejschults, i dont have a sub, so i doubt thats the problem. But about phase cancellation, does that mean i put the wrong speaker in the wrong hole?...i didnt think that made a difference?



Side Show, my HP filter is set to off, because i dont have any subs yet.

Ok, so to elaborate a little, i dont have subs yet, but i have a Pioneer Ipod deck, and four Kenwood 3 way speakers. I heard the speakers in my friends car, and they sounded absolutely great, but in my car, it sounds like they only play high notes, and when i try to play anything low, it not only has zero bass, but the bass is so distorted. The speakers just sound weird, like some setting is messed up with them, i am sure its not the speakers themselves.

ah gee lol

 

[DSGBazemore 10+ year member]

If you're running subs, try reversing the phase on either the subs or the mids. You may be having some phase cancellation issues.

e x a c t l y //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif (with or without subs) make sure that all the + & - are on the right spots on all speakers..

 

[RedWRXwagoN 10+ year member]

All the + - are in the right spot, the slots match up accordingly, so you cant mess that up....I think its just the settings on my deck....is there anywhere i can information on recommended settings? I ask, because ive messed with the settings for about three hours total with no luck.

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

Turn HP filter on. This is your problem. Un-amped and full range signal. You are running out of clean power FAST trying to put full range signal through those speakers. You could get away with this if you limted power delivery through either the gain or voume knob otherwise they will continue to sound crappy.

 

[RedWRXwagoN 10+ year member]

Turn HP filter on. This is your problem. Un-amped and full range signal. You are running out of clean power FAST trying to put full range signal through those speakers. You could get away with this if you limted power delivery through either the gain or voume knob otherwise they will continue to sound crappy.

Eharri, im not really understanding what youre saying, but my HP filter is on, im not sure what it is set to though. The different cut-off frequencies i can use are 50Hz-63Hz-80Hz-100Hz-125Hz.

 

[ejschultz 10+ year member]

Your front speakers are 5.25" and your rears are 4". I'd set the crossovers at 125 Hz with a steep slope if your head unit allows for slope change.

 

[SSS 18734 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like a poor install to me. Undeadened and unsealed doors typically make speakers sound like junk, unless the factory has put some effort into them. I doubt sealed doors were a high priority for the Subaru WRX. Reversing phase on your front stage typically has a much less drastic effect than it does on a pair of subs. Doubt that is an issue for you. Do you have pics of your install?

 

[ejschultz 10+ year member]

Sounds like a poor install to me. Undeadened and unsealed doors typically make speakers sound like junk, unless the factory has put some effort into them. I doubt sealed doors were a high priority for the Subaru WRX. Reversing phase on your front stage typically has a much less drastic effect than it does on a pair of subs. Doubt that is an issue for you. Do you have pics of your install?

You can definitely hear a difference when you reverse the phase on subs. I personally haven't tried it with my mids. I had a lot of phase cancellation issues when I installed my Premier TS-C720PRS components. They play very well down to about 80 Hz with a 12 dB/oct slope and about 130 WRMS going to them. Playing that low, they caused a lot of phasing issues with my subs that I didn't have with my Focal Polyglass 136V components as they didn't really play under 150 Hz very well. After I reversed the phase on my subs, all my issues were gone. Like you, I don't believe this is his issue. It's either a poor install job, lack of HPF knowledge, small speakers, cheap speakers, or any combination of the previously mentioned.

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

"Side Show, my HP filter is set to off, because i dont have any subs yet."

"Eharri, im not really understanding what youre saying, but my HP filter is on, im not sure what it is set to though. The different cut-off frequencies i can use are 50Hz-63Hz-80Hz-100Hz-125Hz. "

Go to 125.

 

[RedWRXwagoN 10+ year member]

Thanks guys, i played with them some more today, and got them sounding a little better, but it still sounds like something is way off.

When i put the fader to the front speakers which are stock, and havnt yet been touched, they sound good(by good, i mean how they should sound...so the shitty factory sound i started with)....but the rears sound terrible when all the power is to them.....so, i was wondering if its an ohm issue?....The stock subaru speakers are rated 4 ohms, and the new ones i bought are 8 ohms....

so, does this make sense: theres 4 ohms going to the front and rear speakers, where as it should be 4 to the front and 8 to the back?....if so, how do i change the ohms?