subwoofer always distorts

[bump465 10+ year member]

Hello, i have a harmon karmon surround 6 system stock in my car. I have removed the factory woofer and used to high level outputs as a signal for my audiocontrol i2, the problem is, the speakers will not respond to changes in volume at extreamely low volumes. As soon as i turn it up to medium low volume the subwoofers start playing but it is so rattley it sounds like my speakers are broken (i know they arent) but as soon as they start making any noise, they distort instantly and sound like ****. Anyone have any idea what my problem may be? Output levels on the i2, amp gains, and head unit volume/bass are all at almost minimum levels.

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[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

did you put the new sub in the factory location? if so, likely it's literally rattles of the rear deck against the metal deck and rear glass. power a sub outside the car to listen for distortion independent of vehicle rattles.

 

[bump465 10+ year member]

No i am not using the 6.5 stock woofer location. I have 2 orion hccas and 2 aq2200.1s, but as soon as ANY sound starts to come through the speaker.... it sounds like theres a pile of gravel on top of the cones. It is certainly not any element of the car making noise.

 

[Joebobclark 10+ year member]

Sounds like you are getting your signal for the Audiocontrol AFTER the factory amp, and overdriving the Audiocontrol's input... make sure your connecting the Audiocontrol before the factory amp (the factory amp's input, not output) and not at one of the speakers.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

yep, i think you're overdriving an input, either audiocontrol or the amp. regardless if the gains are low, there could be an incorrect setting.

pics of each connection and settings on each device (LC2i and amp) would help.

if the stock system has one sub, what did you do with the two wires into the LC2i?

 

[bump465 10+ year member]

I think you guys are right i think i have to be overpowering the audiocontrol. Its rated at 300 or 400 rms input i beleive. The harmon karmon boasts a 760 watt amplifier - i always assumed this was max power.

As for the inputs to the LOC, my stock subwoofer was suprisingly a DVC so i have 2 pairs of pos and neg high level into the LOC. Im gonna try to tap into on of the rear speakers first and see if that gives me a better signal. If it doesnt ill have to run the amp inputs to my loc it seems, this just sounds horrible as the factory amp is under the carpet under the driver seat... i think you solved my problem, thank you guys!