Strange problem

[stang2004]

cliffs at bottom

Just finished installing my new system yesterday it sounds great and I'm very happy with it, however there is one thing I have noticed.

Background Info - Mustang GT with Mach 460 audio system.

My original setup was a Mach 460 system with a Sub added to the rear. It was wired up with a Line output converter on the rear amp data converters Setup was as follows.

5 gauge wire throughout

700 Watt amp feeding a cheap brand sub.

(The sound was not great but it pounded pretty hard)

I now ripped out the complete mach 460 system and replaced it with

Kenwood Excelon X991 headunit

700 Watt amp feeding the sub

MB Quart Components in custom kick panels being fed by a 400 watt amp.

Wiring - 5 gauge wire from battery feeding to a distribution block, splitting two 9 gauge wires to the amps. Ground wire size remained the same.

The sound is great however my sub output is SEVERLY lacking now and I'm not sure why. With the old setup, i could not turn the bass up on the headunit at all, and the gain was set very low. Even with these settings when the system was cranked the sub would be on the verge of letting go. The rear view mirror would shake, side mirrors would shake, etc.

WIth the new setup there is hardly any bass output. When I first turned it on I did not think I had hooked up the sub! I fiddled with the settings and was able to get some mediocre bass. But I had to turn up the Gain on the amp all the way, and set the subwoofer volume on the headunit to the max. Even with this the sub does not start pounding untill it hits at least 1/2 max volume. If I move the Subwoofer volume down (from the headunit) the bass is almost non existant. With the volume at 50-75% then the sub will start pounding where it used to. But the volume of the speakers are ear splitting. I used to get more bass response at lower volumes with the old setup. Now for me to get bass response everything has to be cranked to the max.

I figured I would get alot better bass output from the sub being that it is now wired directly to the headunit. So i'm kind of at a loss. Could it be that the 9awg wire feeding the amp now just cant supply the power? Is it that now with the extra amp there just is not enough power being generated to support that volume?

I'm ordering a 0/1 gauge wire setup plus a capacitor because it couldnt hurt. Just looking for any input as to why the bass response is so much less in a setup that should produce much more.

Other notes -

SVC 4 Ohm sub

Amp is running bridged

The Amp does not have a crossover setting (Cheap pioneer).

Settings are

Gain - set to max

LPF - set on

Bass boost -set to maximum level

Thanks for any help

-Frank

Cliffs - Old setup hit decently hard with just all stock setup with only a Sub added via line output converter.

Replaced entire system and now bass is barely existant from sub. Only thing changed was addition of another amplifier, and stepping down a awg or two wire due to distribution block.

Am I missing a setting on the X991 to effect bass (Already have sub at +15, gain at max, etc) Or is it totally due to the fact of the awg wire being smaller and the extra amp drawing power.

Click to read more...

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

thats really long

 

[Fusion_FREAK 10+ year member]

Ugh...I don't have the attention span to read all that. Cliffs?

 

[05fronty 5,000+ posts]

it made me dizzy

 

[scarolinablazin 10+ year member]

odds are your sub isn't playing lower you mids/highs are just a lot louder than the factory was. try turning the gains on your mids/highs amp down then set them again when you get the sub where you want it.

 

[scarolinablazin 10+ year member]

FYI don't get the capacitor it won't help and it is just another draw on your alt.

 

[stang2004]

cliffs added, sorry guys, didnt realize it was so long

 

[stang2004]

odds are your sub isn't playing lower you mids/highs are just a lot louder than the factory was. try turning the gains on your mids/highs amp down then set them again when you get the sub where you want it.

That wouldn't work... reasoning - Right now the sub is at the maximum settings on both the headunit and amp. It doesnt start playing decently loud untill 50% volume. 75% volume is where it really hits. I shouldnt be at 75% volume, with Gain at 100% and sub volume at +15 and hearing normal bass.

The old setup would push this sub to its limits. Now with the addition of the extra amp, speakers etc the sub is barely playing. Anything under 50% volume you wouldnt even know there was a sub in the car.

 

[05fronty 5,000+ posts]

curious, what kind of amps you have and also sub? what is the ohm rating of the sub also

 

[stang2004]

curious, what kind of amps you have and also sub? what is the ohm rating of the sub also

Amp - Pioneer 2 channel 700 watt listing

Sub - piece of shit Dual 12" SVC 4 ohm

Speakers

Kenwood series amp

MB Quart Discus series 6.5" components

Headunit

Kenwood X991

 

[qkassidyw 10+ year member]

Depending on who installed the old setup I am guessing they did not adjust the gain on the HI-Level converter. The default setting on the converters is maxed out so you were feeding about 16V to the input of your amp with the stock setup. I don't know how many volts your pre outs are now but at most 5 which is nowhere near what the old setup was seeing.

Make sure you didn't change your LPF settings on the amp, make sure the RCA's for the sub amp are indeed connected to the subwoofer output on the deck. If they aren't AND you have the HP filter turned on then you will get no Lows to the sub.

Most likely it is the Hi Level was maxed out though....

As for the wiring, as long as you split it close to the amplifiers then it shouldn't make that huge of a difference, if the wire is not getting hot then you are OK.