Professionally Installed Alpine Type X Speakers Sound AWFUL. What went wrong?

[DaboTheCat]

First setup: Stock Sound System: 7/10
Second setup: Stock Sound System With Alpine 12 inch Bazooka Sub Added: 8.5
Third Setup: Stock Sound System With 10 Inch Type R Sub On JL Audio Amp: 8.0
Current Setup: Type X Front Speakers With Cheap Pioneer Amp DoubleBriged With Type R Sub on JL Audio Amp: 2/10

It sounds soooooo bad. I listened to this song:


On the demo Alpine X unit, it sounded good, but in my car, it's constant distortion on the instruments. The speakers sound totally blown on this track. Even on tracks, where the distortion isn't as noticeable, the system sounds shrill and has 0 bass punch if the subwoofer is disabled. Even with the subwoofer enabled, the midbass punch just is not there.

I spent so much money getting this setup running just for it to sound so bad, I'm kind of stressed, hoping that the shop will do right, and try and help me getting this system sounding decent. What do you think the problem is here? I bought the amp and speakers from them and they modified the door to fit the 6.5inch speakers. They even added dynamat around the speaker. Also there is an audible humming whenever the speakers are playing at a moderate volume.

Here is what the setup looks like With The Panel Removed:



Link To Amp Being Used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KKHT2MY/?tag=caraudiocom-20

Click to read more...

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like the settings on your HU need to be messed with. @Jeffdachef is the man on this particular issue.

 

[JTF Vegas]

How is the system run exactly?
What exact equipment r u using?

 

[DaboTheCat]

2x Alpine X 6.5 C
Sony XAV5000

Link To Amp Being Used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KKHT2MY/?tag=caraudiocom-20

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Your door has a lot of gaps still and looks like a half assed deadening job sorry to say, its not gonna bet much midrange out of that. Other issue it might be is its wired out of phase to test if this is the case, swap one Speaker's pos and negative wire on the amp which will invert the phase for one and then give it a listen. Others is amp settings. Make sure all low and high pass filters are turned off. Every crossover should be done at the head unit. Try 80hz or 63hz for high pass and the same for subwoofers low pass. Make sure the gains are set properly as well and turn off any bass boost. Make sure bass boost is turned off on the head unit as well as any kind of special sound effects and do not boost anything in the EQ, build a customer and only lower frequencies that are way too prominent aka in your case the high end. Report back and we'll see what the next step is.

If none of those did anything the head unit and then amp are the next to go. That sony is a pretty crap head unit for sound quality through RCA output.

 

[DaboTheCat]

Thank you so much for your help! I don’t think the Sony is a problem as it sounded okay with stock speakers.

How do I know what the “proper” gain setting is?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Thank you so much for your help! I don’t think the Sony is a problem as it sounded okay with stock speakers.

How do I know what the “proper” gain setting is?

focus on the other things first. Also how did the install bridge the amps. He might have bridged them wrong and used RCAs in the wrong configuration that can lead to dual mono sound which is straight garbage

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

What vehicle is this... Is the sound going through the stock speaker wires... is there a factory amplifiers in the car somewhere... Have the ground wires been triple checked?

 

[DaboTheCat]

1998 Lexus GS

But I don't know answers to any of those other questions but I'll bring them up to the shop tomorrow, hopefully they'll be able to fix my system ;-;