Rear fill question

[eharri3 10+ year member]

Right now i use the fader to put an emphasis on the front stage with subtle background sound from the rear. I hear some use the gain instead to detune the rear with fade centered. Which is better and why or does it not matter.

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[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

It doesn't matter; they both attenuate the signal so whether you control the attenuation by the gain or by the fader, you are still only adjusting output. You can probably get a more specific output level by using the gain.

 

[gunz4me 10+ year member]

In my Mustang, I have gained my rear fill to the point where I don't even notice it is there. My next plans are to ditch it all together and go with a 3 way active front stage.

In my Civic I didn't even bother with rear fill!

Then again, that is just my personal preference. I don't like rear fill involving high frequencies and my opinion is that only the rear seat passengers benefit from it. As it currently stands, no one can fit in my Mustang's back seat and no one wants to get in my Civic Coupe's back seat. On the other hand, I wouldn't rule out doing rear fill if it was to get more mid-bass response.

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

It doesn't matter; they both attenuate the signal so whether you control the attenuation by the gain or by the fader, you are still only adjusting output. You can probably get a more specific output level by using the gain.

gain tutorials always tell u to center everything including fade 1st. Im wondering if fading after u have set gains sends more hu voltage to the front and causes the system to distort sooner.

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

Im wondering if fading after u have set gains sends more hu voltage to the front and causes the system to distort sooner.

No, it doesn't. Fade and balance are purely attenuation of the channels, not amplification.

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

my opinion is that only the rear seat passengers benefit from it.

So you enjoy when you're riding in the back seat and you have a 4 way 6x9 screaming less than 10" from your ears? I know I sure don't. I can't see any benefit for rear fill unless there is a DVD player source and screen and even then no music would be played through them.

 

[ZPilot 10+ year member]

I think it depends on the specific car. I did a Jetta with a full front stage and OEM rears in the door panels, and it sounded like something was missing without some rear fill. As for cars with 6x9's in the rear shelf, yeah, they sound like hell for the rear passengers. Then again, who puts passengers in the back? My 350Z and my beater both have no rear speakers, and they sound great. Has anyone actually sat in the back seat and experimented with speaker placement there to find a solution? I just bought a car with rear door panel speakers, and am wondering.

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, it seems Sedans need rear fill / rear door speakers in order to get good sound imaging.

In my Mustang, I have a 2 way comp set up front, and my back seat passengers never complain.

Then again: I never wang my system with people in the car other than myself. It's a dck move, IMO.

I like to talk while I drive. Gets my mind off the idiots that drive in Miami. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif

As for Fader, it just lowers the output to whatever side you're going away from. Fader F10 the fronts will be just as loud as Fader F0.

At least to the ear.

 

[timaishu 10+ year member]

Yeah, it seems Sedans need rear fill / rear door speakers in order to get good sound imaging.
In my Mustang, I have a 2 way comp set up front, and my back seat passengers never complain.

Then again: I never wang my system with people in the car other than myself. It's a dck move, IMO.

I like to talk while I drive. Gets my mind off the idiots that drive in Miami. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif

As for Fader, it just lowers the output to whatever side you're going away from. Fader F10 the fronts will be just as loud as Fader F0.

At least to the ear.

I completely agree with you. When I was adjusting my gain. I unplugged my rear fill so I could only hear the fronts. It sounded good, but i felt like i was missing something. like when i turn my head to look behind me, my right ear hears considerably less than my left which is facing the speakers. It doesnt sound right.

 

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

The inside of my car is huge and when I turn the fader to the front I lose most of the clarity and warmth from the music. I'm sure in smaller cars this is much less of a factor but like IDSkot said larger cars need something in the back as well.

I have the 6x9s playing the midbass to low frequencies, while the front speakers play upper midbass to high frequencies.