Using a line out converter - question on 'Bass' setting. Frustrated!

[zorphon 10+ year member]

So I'm using a line out converter for my amp/subs because I didn't want to go over my budget by also getting a new head unit, even though I probably should have.

Anywho, I hooked it all up and everything but I asked a neighbor who is extremely knowledgeable with car audio about 'tuning' the amp for me. He did that and everything, but he said to not put the 'Bass' in the factory stereo above 50%, because it could blow the rear speakers.

Is this true? If so, I'm kind of bummed out. Everywhere I read it said adding a line out converter and using the signal of the rear speakers was very close to the same quality of using an aftermarket head unit and an RCA pre-amp out to plug it in.

Now after it's all said I done, I'm told I have to leave the Bass setting on my factory stereo to 50% otherwise I'd blow the back speakers. I'm honestly pissed off. I had no idea that could even happen, and I'm not getting everything I could get out of my subs because of this. I want to get a stereo at this point, but I don't know how to install it and I already put $20 into getting a quality line-out converter, now I have to buy a new head unit for $50+ and install it, when I have no idea how to. And then I have to rewire the amp to plugin to the new stereo.

Anyway, all that being said... what should I do! Can the speakers really blow if I turn it up anymore? (The rear speakers blowing, not the subs blowing). If so, I'm extremely ticked off. After putting more money into it then I originally wanted to, now I have to pay $100 for a new stereo and installation.

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[DonH 5,000+ posts]

first off, car audio is not cheap by any means. second, when you say "turn the bass up past 50% to the rear speakers" do you mean your radio has a bass and treble function? also did you adjust the sensitivity knobs on the LOC? as well as match the output voltage of the LOC to the Gain setting on the amp?

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

first off, car audio is not cheap by any means. second, when you say "turn the bass up past 50% to the rear speakers" do you mean your radio has a bass and treble function? also did you adjust the sensitivity knobs on the LOC? as well as match the output voltage of the LOC to the Gain setting on the amp?

Sorry, didn't quite understand this portion. I didn't do any tuning, I had an outfit install this whole system for me. Yes my radio h as a bass and treble. The treble is all the way up, but I believe the man that installed the whole thing for me said not to turn the bass over half-way up. Was he talking about on the radio, or an adjustment on the amp itself?

Thanks for your help, I'm a beginner to car audio so excuse my lack of knowledge.

 

[oxsign 5,000+ posts]

^^^^^THIS^^^^^ If your looking to get into this hobby, you need to start saving up your pennies. Put it this way, without the sub, how loud (how much bass) did you listen to? Set it to that, and then add the sub. This way you know your not straining the "stock" speakers. Keep in mind that those, no matter what are going to be replaced in time anyways.

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

^^^^^THIS^^^^^ If your looking to get into this hobby, you need to start saving up your pennies. Put it this way, without the sub, how loud (how much bass) did you listen to? Set it to that, and then add the sub. This way you know your not straining the "stock" speakers. Keep in mind that those, no matter what are going to be replaced in time anyways.

The bass setting was all the way up, before having the subwoofers/amp installed in the trunk. The guy said that if I had the bass setting over 50%, the speakers would blow, since I'm using a line-out converter to get the signal off of the rear speakers. Is this true? Can I push it harder than 50%, as I was at 100% before?

 

[SPLaudio 5,000+ posts]

couple things never turn ur bass past the mid keep it flat. the bass on a headunit is generally centered at 100hz and would sound like crap.

another thing if the bass isnt loud enough and amp is set propery you have a weak amp,wimpy sub or a poorly designed enclosure.those are what you need to look to upgrading.

please spend more than $100 on a headunit or you will end up back here complaining...

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

look at it this way- before you had the subs, you would turn the bass up and when it sounded like distorted crap, then turn the bass down. now, you have all that bass, and your other speakers are going to need to keep up, so to keep up, you are usually going to end up turning it up a lot louder than before so you can still hear words, etc, not just all bass. that is going to be much louder than you would have willingly turned it up to with the bass cranked (because it sounded like poo) what happens when it sounds like poo? basically, the stereo can't feed the speakers any higer voltage, so they get what is called a "clipped" signal. in the short, a clipped signal means it is getting power for longer periods than it can use to move, so it's just passing power and creating heat. what you might not also concider, is that you are feeding the same signal to your amp and subs, so the same thing can start to happen there as well. so basically, the settings are set up to the sensitivity that you are getting full power/volume from your subs in the 0-50% bass range on your stock deck, not that you are not using your power. honestly, if you were to re-adjust the loc/amp so that you could turn it up to 100%bass, you would likely not even reach full power, and even trying would sound really bad.

 

[oxsign 5,000+ posts]

I don't think you ever said but what brand are the sub & amp? I'm thinking you went cheap with those and that could be your problem honestly. Sorry, I'm not trying to be a d!ck, but to do this it does cost, and it you spent $100 on an amp, sub, & loc then it's never gonna sound good.

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

I don't think you ever said but what brand are the sub & amp? I'm thinking you went cheap with those and that could be your problem honestly. Sorry, I'm not trying to be a d!ck, but to do this it does cost, and it you spent $100 on an amp, sub, & loc then it's never gonna sound good.

I understand. I have Magnum MB210SP by MTX Audio bass package, that I got for $13 brand new. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_14931_Magnum-MB210SP-by-MTX-Audio.html

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

i wouldn't venture to say that you are getting more than 200-250 out of that amp, and that box might, or might not be tuned right, really you should measure the port dimensions. i have seen many enclosures like that actually have some pretty high efficiency at lower volumes, and many more not even tuned, just a convenient port thrown in it to mimic a tuned enclosure's apearance. heck, i tossed a box in and hooked it to the rear speaker wires of the pontiac delco to test, and it actually thumped pretty good, but that's not to say that it will take much power before either blowing the subs, or box

 

[accuab 10+ year member]

I've learned from my limited experience and from reading here either do it right or not at all. Plus learn how to do your own stuff. Then you'd have a better understanding of what is going on. Your stock bose are factory premium but are not premium by any means. You can blow them with a stock head unit and the bose amp.

 

[esmokah 10+ year member]

can you put some bass blockers on your rear speakers? you could prob turn the bass back up and not blow out your rear speakers. but as always, ymmv.

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

Well all, I'll look into tuning the amp a bit more. Interesting to know the bass in the middle essentially makes it the ideal spot. Like I said, will definitely look into tuning the amp (once I figure out how), and maybe get a little more bass out of the subs.

 

[accuab 10+ year member]

You shouldn't need the bass set as high as you had it now that you have the subs. I have a monsoon factory stereo which is real similar to the bose and I pulled the factory subwoofers. With a sub in the car they were pointless to have.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

As stated, you can buy bass blockers, and put them on the rear,and /or the front speakers to keep from the bass poping /ect.Fairly cheap on e-bay, You can get a set for like $6-$25 bucks,.What I have done as I myself didnt have the funds for a dual amp set up starting out.I blew prob 4sets of speakers, before I got the rt info/product.Car audio was new back then, and hardly anyone knew what to use/do ,and no internet info, no cell phones, ect.Trial, and error.Worked just fine after blowing a few sets of speakers..//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif