Why do my Infinity Kappas in my Wrangler sound terrible?

[PaulKersey]

2006 Jeep Wrangler with factory 6" subwoofer in console. I modified the front 4x6" dash mounts to accept Infinity Kappa 52.9i; installed the same Kappas in the rear overhead soundbar. With the factory receiver, in my opinion the overall sound got worse. I double checked the wiring diagrams: all the correct + and - hookups were made to the Infinity external crossovers. I tried changing the tweeter attenuation buttons on them; no real help. They sound BAD.

So I added an Alpine iDA-x305 receiver, rated at 18W per channel. The new receiver is exactly as (un)tuneable as the factory deck: settings for "bass" and "treble" only. No EQ. Not only does it sound no better, but my factory console subwoofer now only works with the radio but not with the iPod. I'm totally confused how that's even possible.

How can an Alpine receiver and four Infinity Kappas sound like crap?!? What am I missing here?

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[LiveAudio911 10+ year member]

Your missing the amp..

Kappa, or those kind of speakers in general along with most higher quality aftermarket speakers need power and tuning.. head units esp ones with just Bass/treb or Bass/mid/treb give out dirty distorted signal.. get a decent amp that matches their power ratinings and kick in the high pass filter down to about 150 on those.. let that small sub go up to 150 maybee even 200 just play with it and what sounds the best to you personally and your application.. with the smaller subs like that.. youll want it doing a broader freq being your not gonna hit SPL levels with that by no means..

and you can adjust the kappas to the cut off of the sub.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Youll want to mount the amp up off the floor maybee under the seat.. I used to have a 2001 Wrangler.. i ripped the glove box out.. (inside) and was able to mount a 200 w profile.. LOL!

you might want to run some wires to the sound bar from the amp. same thing with the dash.. or if you really want to, bring out the stereo and splice the output wires and tap them.. just dont connect the output of the stereo to them once you do it.. tap them off..

 

[PaulKersey]

So in effect, I overdid it. I should've gotten a lower grade of speaker like Infinity Reference series (?) if I planned on only powering them with the deck. With the Kappas, I NEED an amp (if I'm reading you correctly). Alpine makes a 45Wx4 power pack that wires inline with the harness behind the deck. I could give that a try.

Is it possible that the + and - wires on the chart I used are wrong? How big a difference would that make?

(And what of the factory sub only working with radio but not iPod?)

 

[LiveAudio911 10+ year member]

1. To answer your first question no.. referance series would do the same as the kappa's Infinity are more sensitive than most speakers on the market.. and require alot more effort tuning an EQ to get them sounding decent.. I like Infinity, I think their products are quality and will last you.. but they suffer in the mid range if you dont tune them just right..

If you where to do anything different outside of those speakers I would say as a drop in speaker meaning only factory upgrade, i would of gone with another brand like a low end RF, or Alpine or Pioneer.. as a drop in speaker

2. Most kappa's run around 75RMS per speaker.. i would go higher than 45 Honestly.. Infinity and JBL both you can push alittle bit over and they are not going to blow unless you clip distort them.. from my experience with them... I would check though the RMS rating on the speakers them selves and match an amp up to them..

3. For the + and - when you miss wire them.. like for example + to the negitive and visa versa that is out of phase... if one was in and one was out.. you could be able to hear a slight difference..

Honestly I would double check your wires.. make sure what wire is + and which is -

In the end.. Kappa are not bad speakers.. each speaker has their pro's and con's but with a decent amp on them tuned a little bit.. I think you would be happy with them..

Just add a decent amp.. and they will blow your ear's.. (be sure to enable that -3DB on the tweets though!!!!) or the high's will be shrilly

Listen closely to both of them see if one sounds better than the other.. with all other things being equal..

 

[way2sl0 10+ year member]

You would need at least 45w RMS if you wanted them to remotely sing. That alpine inline amp sounds like a 18-20w rms amplifier.

 

[LiveAudio911 10+ year member]

Second note: see if you can get a little AP400 or AP600 2 channel or 4 channel Profile.. they went out of business but you can still find them out on the web being sold.. be sure to buy from somewhere.. they are a very decent entry level amp.. and you wont be disapointed.. their crossovers are actually pretty perscise as well.

Very good product, power, xover's and reliablity for the price.. I still have a 2 ch running strong.. and its years old.. CA200 the old blue one and a newer one.. thats still under warranty from the retailer AP400 sitting in my closet..

Edit:

here is something this is the same thing i have powering my GTI's and would make those kappa's sing.. I also seen some other cheaper 2-ch for hardly nohting.. but get something name brand at least

http://www.millionbuy.com/inf475a.html

Retailer is actually legit I've bot odd- and end things from them before..