Unwanted frequencies, or certain subwoofer frequencies are played to high

[vnisme 10+ year member]

I built a t-line tuned at 37 hz for a skar ix-8. I know, I have seen on many threads that you're suppose to tune at the fs of the sub, but 50 hz seems way to high, bu I've seen other people say that you can tune a t-line to what you want to hear. I didn't want to miss out on the lows, especially with an 8... the ix-8 played great, and the response sounded pretty flat to me. I just upgraded to the SA-8's and this thing shakes my rear mirror violently... The box is tuned more closely to the SA-8's fs anyways. My problem is that sometimes on some notes, I dont know the frequencies, but it sounds like a whale call, and can be very loud. Sometimes the subwoofers are too punchy, and it just sounds like too much punch. I don't have an equalizer really, unless you count the one on my head unit. How would you get rid of these frequencies from being played too high such as punchy notes and I don't know how to call a whale call.. its some type of sweep i think, it doesn't sound like a low range sweep, sounds like the sweep goes up the frequencies, but it sounds like a loud whale.. Any suggestions? is it positioning of the enclosure? or is it the enclosure itself? I was changing the LPF on the head unit from 120 to 100 to 80, and I can still hear the whale call coming from the subs...

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[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

A EQ with bands in the sub range. That's rare until you start getting in the DSP territory.

 

[vnisme 10+ year member]

Alright thanks, I'll try to play around with the EQ, what is DSP by the way? Sorry ahaha

 

[shizzzon 10+ year member]

DSP = Digital Signal Processor.

Instead of using your headunit, why not adjust the LPF on the amp itself?

Headunit's setting (if it really is an LPF and not a centering boost setting) is preset.

Amp's is variable which is much better.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

might have needed to tune lower with the SA8. you are getting too much midbass region, as said earlier, use a low pass filter and reduce the 50hz range on the eq if you have it.

 

[vnisme 10+ year member]

Oh I do use the LPF. I guess I just had to play with where the bass boost frequency was, the weird sounds are now gone. I guess it was boosted in the mid-bass range. I can't exactly tell with the analog dial where it's boosted exactly, I turned it lower and it went away.

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

Oh I do use the LPF. I guess I just had to play with where the bass boost frequency was, the weird sounds are now gone. I guess it was boosted in the mid-bass range. I can't exactly tell with the analog dial where it's boosted exactly, I turned it lower and it went away.

Basically

If you were using bass boost at all you are doing it wrong.

0 bass boost

About 80hz lpf

And set the gain accordingly and you should be fine

 

[vnisme 10+ year member]

It was on the amplifier, from 30-80 so something has to be boosted? If I unplugged the bass boost control, would the bass boosted frequency dial even matter where it is adjusted to? I liked the bass boost control upfront because some songs don't have enough bass, and some songs have too much, so it's easier for me to use the control rather than go in the head-unit settings and turn the bass down or turn it up constantly for each song. Am I using it wrong? I hope this isn't an example of using it as a volume knob... LOL

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

It was on the amplifier, from 30-80 so something has to be boosted? If I unplugged the bass boost control, would the bass boosted frequency dial even matter where it is adjusted to? I liked the bass boost control upfront because some songs don't have enough bass, and some songs have too much, so it's easier for me to use the control rather than go in the head-unit settings and turn the bass down or turn it up constantly for each song. Am I using it wrong? I hope this isn't an example of using it as a volume knob... LOL

you'll want an actual gain knob not a bass boost knob. Bass boost boost a single frequency even when the song doesnt have it. This causes major distortion because you are introducing and boosting frequencies not meant to be there. This is how you blow subs.

This is a gain knob. No boosts or anything, just a pre-out voltage adjuster

EFX RLC Universal Bass Remote Level Control Knob

You'll want to set your gains with the weakest songs you have then when you know you will play songs with stronger bass, you lower it down.

 

[vnisme 10+ year member]

I just checked.. it says remote. I think this is a gain remote? Would the remote refer to a gain knob? Seems to act like the gain. I think I got it confused with a bass boost frequency knob because I saw the bass boost frequency and bass boost level, which is on 0 db.

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

The bass remote is generally a remote gain knob.

Bass boost is bad because in most situations it boost the 40-45hz range which with typical prefab enclosures will make the subs sound louder at those frequencies.

That said since it is so loud at those frequencies the user typically turns the gain up to make the other frequencies just as loud. This is a losing battle since turning the gain up raises the power at all frequencies until clipping occurs

Once you are in clipping range the subs will fail and in most cases sound bad.

This is the basis on why we don't use bass boost, loudness settings. Bass boost can be called many things but it is in essence an equalizer and like all equalizers it should only be raised if there is a surplus of power and the power is kept clean and unclipped. Otherwise it is much safer to cut all the higher frequencies to flatten the response.