EyeMKermie Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 hey guys. I need some advice on where to go with taking my car to the next level in SQ. I'm looking to add more midbass, improve the front stage clarity if i can, and mostly improve the imaging and presence of the sound( more umph) . currently I think my setup has plenty of volume and is clear enough. but more clarity is better. Background: 01' Audi A4 avant Two years ago I picked out the pieces to my audio system to be a well rounded system on a fair budget. I ran it on low gains to break everything in, but then never turned everything up and set the gains. I had the crossovers set right at 80Hz on the HPF/LPF. The balance was all fine and tuned by ear. Car was deadened using 25% method. I've had my car back after a paint job and a bunch of engine work( took a few months) and finally got everything set a few weeks ago. I've since noticed a few odd things about the sound. 1- lack of mid bass. 2- imaging needs work ( probably just needs some time alignment). I listen to pretty much everything, but in particular indie stuff like phantogram and james blake and lots of jazz. I do listen to hiphop and rap but the audible flaws are that noticable with hiphop/rap. When I had the car blown apart for paint, I decided to fix a lot of deadening and little issues I didn't fix on the initial install: the door panels had some vibration from poor factory seal, i never deadened the roof or rear floor/spare tire area, and i had a huge rattle on the hatch (turned out there was a springy metal flap on the latch that was vibrating and smacking against the hatch). So i sealed the doors, redeadened the ENTIRE car and fixed the stupid latch. Car as of now is rattle, vibration, etc free. Quiet as a mouse. Setup: I have 2 way passive components in the front doors. Factory locations.. tweeters are at the top of the door panels firing perpendicular to the driver but aimed slightly in towards the driver/pass. mids are at the bottom of the door firing perp to the driver and aimed slightly up. 2 way components in the rear door with the mid firing right at the other door panel and the tweet aimed at the center of the roof . Sub is in a prefab 1 cube sealed box firing to the rear. Amps have been moved to under the rear floor where the spare tire used to be. Parts: HU- pioneer double din avh-5XXXX something model. dont remember exactly. the dvd one that doesnt have time alignment. front comps- NVX vsp525 rear comps- NVX vsp65 sub- PPI pc12.4 wired to 2OHM in 1 cube prefab amps- Jensen power 400.4 or 100.4 something like that rated at 75 watts rms at 4ohm. Hifonics brutus 1200.1 rated at 800 watt rms at 2ohm planet audio 2 farad cap. I can post a wiring diagram if it would help. since I've had my car back I relocated the amps and decided to build a new box for the sub in the driver side quarter panel. ill be glassing it into the side and it will fire right at the other quarter panel. planning on it being 1.2 cubes sealed before installing the sub and I have my eyes on upgrading to a PSI platform 2 12" sub to run at 1 ohm. sensitivity and box requirements are the same as my current sub.. upgrading mono amp if needed post sub upgrade. My thoughts on what to do: I have been thinking of swapping to a 3 way front stage and getting a 2 way to compliment the new front stage for the rears. Or just swapping the mids to NVX X series mids, but 6.5 all the way around. regarding the 3 ways or better 2 ways for the front I have been looking at CDT, Ct sounds, Hertz, and the cadence qrs 3 way set. I also want to move to a bigger cap probably a 5 or 10 farad. I just like caps. I think the subs sound better when using a cap. I love my sub but i want to feel it more.. thats why I was thinking of the psi.. I have a feeling that sq and volume will be very similar but with double the excursion i should get what im after. Oh and I do plan to either swap headunits to a new Pioneer avh4100nex or higher model.. better interface plus time alignment and better eqs and other stuff.. or get a processor to do time alignment and eq.. but thats later.. So.. I need advice on what to do regarding the speakers.. what should i buy thats an sq upgrade? and should i change out of that jensen amp. also input on the sub choice would help. sorry for the long post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyeMKermie Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 One more thing. I can supply pics, wiring diagram, and video of the sound if it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Lightning Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I say repositioning your tweeters, get rid of rears, move up in amplifier power for starters. Kenwood / HELIX / Linear Power (For The Love Of Music) / Brutal Sounds / OverKill Electric Co Questions About Sound Quality ?? Try Here ... Sound Quality, What does it REALLY mean ?? SMD SOTM Winner "White Lightning" 1997 GMT400 Chevy Silverado "The Green Dickle" 1994 GMT400 Chevy "Phantom Dually" Randal's 2007 Chevy Avalanche (we haven't named this one yet) Dylan's "Brutal" 17 Chevy Cruze RS Hatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyeMKermie Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I say repositioning your tweeters, get rid of rears, move up in amplifier power for starters. Why get rid of the rears? wouldn't that hurt the imaging? also the front components are rated at 65 watts rms and the rears at 70watts rms. they are powered by an amp rated at 75watts rms. I assumed the power supplied to them was enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguels Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 take cableguys advise.. when it comes to SQ he knows what he is talking about my logshttp://www.stevemead...-my-new-set-up/my blow through loghttp://www.stevemead...future-updates/ 96 ss http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/164094-96-impala-ss-build/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Lightning Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I say repositioning your tweeters, get rid of rears, move up in amplifier power for starters.Why get rid of the rears? wouldn't that hurt the imaging? also the front components are rated at 65 watts rms and the rears at 70watts rms. they are powered by an amp rated at 75watts rms. I assumed the power supplied to them was enough. Rears can add stage width and rear ambience. Other than that, not much you can do with them cause they can pull your stage back if you're not careful. Sound Quality is all about stage and image, not just sounding goodand clear ... which is why placement on your front drivers is primary ro everything else in the vehicle. Also, you need to be running about 150 wpc on everything up front to have plenty of dynamics and headroom for those stressful music notes in well recorded music. take cableguys advise.. when it comes to SQ he knows what he is talking aboutthank you Sir Kenwood / HELIX / Linear Power (For The Love Of Music) / Brutal Sounds / OverKill Electric Co Questions About Sound Quality ?? Try Here ... Sound Quality, What does it REALLY mean ?? SMD SOTM Winner "White Lightning" 1997 GMT400 Chevy Silverado "The Green Dickle" 1994 GMT400 Chevy "Phantom Dually" Randal's 2007 Chevy Avalanche (we haven't named this one yet) Dylan's "Brutal" 17 Chevy Cruze RS Hatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguels Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Noticed the name change my logshttp://www.stevemead...-my-new-set-up/my blow through loghttp://www.stevemead...future-updates/ 96 ss http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/164094-96-impala-ss-build/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebirdude Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Ditch the rears and invest in custom door pods so you can up that imaging. Then work on staging with DSP, possibly frequency steering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebirdude Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Oh and if you're dead-set on having something in the rear, at least ditch the tweeters. They're more than half of your staging problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Lightning Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Noticed the name change Lol, forgot about that myself ... Oh and if you're dead-set on having something in the rear, at least ditch the tweeters. They're more than half of your staging problem.No, this is incorrect ... cone area is what draws your stage and image back or down, not frequencies above 2000 htz ... small midrange drivers and / or tweeters capable of playing down to 2000 htz gets used the most. You want the sence of presence that something is there, not being able to telll that you actually have rears ... Kenwood / HELIX / Linear Power (For The Love Of Music) / Brutal Sounds / OverKill Electric Co Questions About Sound Quality ?? Try Here ... Sound Quality, What does it REALLY mean ?? SMD SOTM Winner "White Lightning" 1997 GMT400 Chevy Silverado "The Green Dickle" 1994 GMT400 Chevy "Phantom Dually" Randal's 2007 Chevy Avalanche (we haven't named this one yet) Dylan's "Brutal" 17 Chevy Cruze RS Hatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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