Why do my CDT CL-61A's sound like shit?

[THXdts 10+ year member]

I am powering them off my Alpine HU, is my first guess. They start to get distorted at around volume level 18. Sucks.

Click to read more...

 

[squeak12 10+ year member]

Well they probably want more than 20 watts of power.

 

[Pyro_By_Nature 5,000+ posts]

True they probably want more power.Besides, even properly powered the CL-61's/CL-61A's sound like shit.Worst speakers I have ever owned //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[Hoodlum007 10+ year member]

need more power for sure, i am using the same speakers with about 80 watts rms to them and they sound perfect to me and can still take more power then my amp puts out. get an amp to juice em up.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

True they probably want more power.Besides, even properly powered the CL-61's/CL-61A's sound like shit.Worst speakers I have ever owned //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

lol i wont disagree

 

[6spdcoupe 5,000+ posts]

HU power + product = your results.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

True they probably want more power.Besides, even properly powered the CL-61's/CL-61A's sound like shit.Worst speakers I have ever owned //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

First thing I thought of when I read the title was "Nothing unusual about that"

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Anyways, it's probably not the speakers so much as it is the headunit's amplifier causing the distortion.

Things should improve somewhat with the addition of an external amplifier.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

but what kind of alpine head unit distorts at low volume levels? i'm not a huge alpine fan, but i've never heard much distortion coming from one

either your head unit is being underpowered, or those speakers aren't any good

or maybe your definition of distortion is your speakers bottoming out or buzzing because of a shit install

 

[TypeRBass 10+ year member]

yeah, amp em.

 

[THXdts 10+ year member]

Everyone hating on my CDT's //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif.

 

[ismelllikepoop 10+ year member]

?? I remember when i first joined the forum, the cdt's were the entry level speaker to get. then the ef61 cf's came out and everyone was busting a nut over them. now cdt sucks? I personally did not buy them bc they looked cheap to me, but i almost did based on everyone's raving

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

i would check the install, tho

it's possibly mechanical noise due to vibration, poor damping, etc.

if it's distortion from the tweeter, it's most likely overpowered already

it's hard to say unless you're positive it's actual signal distortion, and not some sort of 'noise' or added artifact

the only reason your head unit would distort is if it were having voltage problems... maybe check the wiring of your head unit while you're at it, it's a cheaper temporary solution than buying an amplifier that still may not correct the problem

i'm not ripping on the speakers, i have no experience with them, but "distortion" is pretty hard to narrow down without actually hearing them, and i can't imagine it's being caused by the head unit, since the preamps and amps are specifically made for each other, and clipping should be a non-issue

 

[mattmcss 10+ year member]

I don't know what you fuqqers are talkin about, mine sounded pretty **** good off 150 rms per side

 

[dogears 10+ year member]

CDT CL's are bad about tinsel slap, if you are hearing a rattling sound check that first. Amp is a must but dont be suprised if they still sound pretty bad. I bought a 3 way set for my work car just to have something decent to listen to riding to work. I took them out about a week later and replaced them with some aura mobile reference, the difference was night and day.