subs are ALOT louder with crossover on amp turned off...

[aaron7114 10+ year member]

Also on the amp it has the low pass filter right...well when i have it turned all the way down (so its actually on) the bass isn't near as loud. But when I turn the filter all the way off (where the crossover is off) its a lot louder, just doesn't sound as good on some songs since of course some of the regular music and vocals are comin through the sub.

Why is this?

It probably drops every bit of 3-4 decibels.

Is there a way I can have the crossover on and not lose all that bass?

edit: this is a hifonics bx1605d amp and two 15 inch L5s

Click to read more...

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

what are you setting it to when it's on?

 

[aaron7114 10+ year member]

what are you setting it to when it's on?

All the way counter clockwise

 

[negativezeroz 5,000+ posts]

Also on the amp it has the low pass filter right...well when i have it turned all the way down (so its actually on) the bass isn't near as loud. But when I turn the filter all the way off (where the crossover is off) its a lot louder, just doesn't sound as good on some songs since of course some of the regular music and vocals are comin through the sub.
Why is this?

It probably drops every bit of 3-4 decibels.

Is there a way I can have the crossover on and not lose all that bass?

edit: this is a hifonics bx1605d amp and two 15 inch L5s

That is how a filter works. When you turn it on to wherever you like it (say 60Hz) then whatever slope you have (8dB/12dB/24dB) it will "block" out 60Hz and above so your subs don't play anything above 60 (including midbass and vocals). It's going to be louder because its playing more frequencies and its now playing the ones that are used in SPL comps (40-60's) more now. With the filter on it will still play those if you set it right but they won't be as loud because of the slope.

do you know the slope of your filter?

 

[aaron7114 10+ year member]

That is how a filter works. When you turn it on to wherever you like it (say 60Hz) then whatever slope you have (8dB/12dB/24dB) it will "block" out 60Hz and above so your subs don't play anything above 60 (including midbass and vocals). It's going to be louder because its playing more frequencies and its now playing the ones that are used in SPL comps (40-60's) more now. With the filter on it will still play those if you set it right but they won't be as loud because of the slope.
do you know the slope of your filter?

Low-Pass Filter: 35 - 250 Hz

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

You should be setting it somewhere in the 60-70Hz range, not all the way CCW, which would be to 35Hz and blocking a large majority of your subsonic tones.

 

[wilzyx 5,000+ posts]

ya set it to like 80

 

[negativezeroz 5,000+ posts]

Low-Pass Filter: 35 - 250 Hz

Well I was asking for how steep the slope is.. it will be something like 6dB/12dB/24dB... In either case, just set it to like 60-80Hz and it should still be plently loud and sound decent. I've always set mine to 50-60Hz...

 

[aaron7114 10+ year member]

Well I was asking for how steep the slope is.. it will be something like 6dB/12dB/24dB... In either case, just set it to like 60-80Hz and it should still be plently loud and sound decent. I've always set mine to 50-60Hz...

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_3546.html

That has all the specs

how far clockwise should I turn it to have it set on about 80?

 

[wilzyx 5,000+ posts]

isnt it numbered? if not just go like 1/3rd of the way

 

[aaron7114 10+ year member]

isnt it numbered? if not just go like 1/3rd of the way

no numbers, i turned it up about a quarter. Its where 9 o clock would be on a clock. sounds alot better

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

if you want to know exactly what it's set at just use a DMM as outlined in the Gain Setting sticky.

otherwise, just turn it up (clockwise) until it starts to sound bad and then back it off.

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

if you want to know exactly what it's set at just use a DMM as outlined in the Gain Setting sticky.
otherwise, just turn it up (clockwise) until it starts to sound bad and then back it off.

...He is not talking about the gain, he was not setting his LPF correctly. Read the thread.

 

[dleccord 5,000+ posts]

lol

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

...He is not talking about the gain, he was not setting his LPF correctly. Read the thread.

If you set your gain properly you can also use a DMM to set the LPF and SSF. Just multiply the output voltage you got when setting your gains by 0.707 and play a test tone at the frequency you want your filter to be set at. Then adust the filter so it outputs the voltage you just calculated. When set correctly the amp will be putting out half the power at the desired frequency and thus it will be the -3dB point.

If that did not make sense:

Setting the subsonic filter (if available):
1) Determine the tuning frequency of your enclosure (if using a sealed enclosure' date=' turn SSF off or to minimum frequency)

2) Calculate the desired SSF frequency by using the formula: SSF = Tuning*3/4

3) If number is not whole, round to the nearest integer

4) Write the SSF frequency down

5) Calculate the desired SSF voltage by using the formula: SSF_Voltage = 0.707*Sub_Voltage

6) Write the SSF voltage down

7) Turn the SSF to the maximum frequency

8) Set track to the SSF frequency and set to repeat track

9) Set to volume written down in speaker setting stage

10) Turn down the frequency on the SSF control until you reach the SSF Voltage from step 6[/quote']

Also note, that methodology works the same for the LPF, but you need to decide what frequency you want it at, so it might be best to just set it by ear:

Setting the low-pass filter:
1) Turn off the head unit

2) Unhook the multimeter from the sub amp

3) Hook up the speakers and sub(s)

4) Turn the low-pass filter on. If your HU and amp both have LPFs' date=' use the one with the most flexibility (continuously variable > selectable > fixed)

5) Turn the LPF frequency to the minimum frequency

6) Insert music you’re familiar with

7) Turn the volume up to a comfortable level

8) Turn up the LPF frequency until one of the following is true: the sub stage and speaker stage blend perfectly, you can tell the bass is coming from the rear, or the bass starts sounding weird. If the latter two, use the highest setting before audible anomaly.

9) Turn volume down to 0 and turn off head unit[/quote']

Here's the whole thread:

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164826