why is there distortion?

[Tips 10+ year member]

I'm running an Alpine CDA9827 to a JL 300/4 bridged to ID CTX65CS components.

The sound quality is amazing. But when I turn it up past 20-21 on the head unit volume it starts to distort? Its loud, but I would assume it should be able to get louder while maintaining the sound quality for what I'm running.

Where is the signal being distorted? Speakers, HU? The speakers are a few days old... maybe they need time?

Click to read more...

 

[Tips 10+ year member]

sorry, alpine CDA-9847.

 

[dadydolas 10+ year member]

if you hear distortion my best bet would be improperly set gains.

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

if you hear distortion my best bet would be improperly set gains.

This.

 

[ascitiesburn69 10+ year member]

Check gains.

Check your high pass filter.

Make sure your not sending the wrong signal to the wrong speakers.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

Check gains.Check your high pass filter.

Make sure your not sending the wrong signal to the wrong speakers.

x2

 

[Tips 10+ year member]

hm. interesting. My gains are probably turned up barely halfway which I guestimated. So doing some reasearch...

the owners manual said to set each channel on the amp to 24.6V and turn down from there as needed. If my HU's max volume is at 35, what volume should I put it at to set the gains?

Do I keep the speakers disconnected or connected while I measure voltage?

 

[matt.u 10+ year member]

i would say about 30. you can disconnect the speakers dosent it explain all of this in the manual?

 

[Tips 10+ year member]

As for the high pass filter, I have it set down to 80hz, I assumed that would be high enough because the frequency response for the speakers is rated at +/- 3 db 58hz-22khz....

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

Most of my Alpines were good to go up to around 29 out of 35. If your amps are JL just use the tutorial they have on the net. It's on their site and it's VERY straightforward.

 

[Tips 10+ year member]

Yes, I just found it in the manual. I feel like an idiot. Hm... ok, I'll try setting the gains using this method and get back to you. Hopefully this fixes the issue. Thanks.

 

[Tips 10+ year member]

For some reason, When I hookup the voltmeter (black COM to R- and red V to the L+) to the speaker output I get no reading on the voltmeter?

My battery is at 12.46V so I know the voltmeter works. When I reconnect the speaker, I get sound, why is the voltmeter reading 0.00V?

 

[Varinabassing 10+ year member]

you need to use ac meter not volts

 

[ascitiesburn69 10+ year member]

you need to use ac meter not volts

He means set your voltmeter to AC volts not DC volts.

And you can use the left pos and neg or right pos and neg you dont have to use one of each //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

But try the gain first and if that doesn't work then set your HPF higher or switch the crossover slope to 24db/octave on the amp.

And some alpines do not clip at all such as my 9887. But I would still set the gains at volume 30 or possibly even 28 or so. In reality it won't make a difference as long as you do not exceed this volume while playing music.

 

[eharri3 10+ year member]

Dont know about the JL amp's design but also realize the gain dial on most amps doesn't work in a linnear fashion so who knows what it's actually set at if you don't put it on a notch that's clearly marked. Ive had a couple where all the way down is like 6 volts, half way is 2, a quarter is .5, etc... A quick check on that amp and it looks like the dial isn't even marked. if your head unit is 2 volts and half way is thereabouts, not so bad. If your head unit is 2 volts and half way is like .5, here comes the clipping.