New Install.... First Impressions
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 615
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From: Los Angeles Ca.
New Install.... First Impressions
Well it has ben about a month since the install. Link to pix..
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...1305774&page=6
The speakers are broken in now and it sounds really good especially the IDQ10 sub w/ Boxology Enclosure. The Dyn 3 way comps still seem bright and there's something missing. I haven't figured out exactly what it is. When the volume is low it sounds tiny, not full, like I should have a loudness button. I think that just increases the bass. Voices, especially female, really jump out. I've repositioned the mids, and have played around with the aiming of the tweets, and that has helped. With the volume up the bass kicks in, but something sounds a little muddy.I think that is comming from the 7" midbass. I am running the midbass active and lopassed at 900hz. I'm thinking of adding a filter to also hipass these at 50 hz or so. I have been looking at AudioControl's equalizer/crossover DQXS.
The Audison 4.1k amp should not be bridged according to their tech.
I am also going to remove the plastic access pieces on the doors and replace them with 1/4" MDF covered w/ Raamat and Ensolite.
Don't get me wrong it sounds really good, I just think it could sound a little better.
I can certainly hear the difference in FM, XM, Ipod, CD ( from OK to best). Yet even within those groups there is still good, and badly, recorded music. This system really stands out when playing CDs like Steely Dan's Two Against Nature or Everything Must Go. WOW!!
Then on the other hand, playing something on XM , especially older music from the 60s and 70s just doesn't sound that great. I will post when I get it sounding more siiick. Suggestions welcome.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...1305774&page=6
The speakers are broken in now and it sounds really good especially the IDQ10 sub w/ Boxology Enclosure. The Dyn 3 way comps still seem bright and there's something missing. I haven't figured out exactly what it is. When the volume is low it sounds tiny, not full, like I should have a loudness button. I think that just increases the bass. Voices, especially female, really jump out. I've repositioned the mids, and have played around with the aiming of the tweets, and that has helped. With the volume up the bass kicks in, but something sounds a little muddy.I think that is comming from the 7" midbass. I am running the midbass active and lopassed at 900hz. I'm thinking of adding a filter to also hipass these at 50 hz or so. I have been looking at AudioControl's equalizer/crossover DQXS.
The Audison 4.1k amp should not be bridged according to their tech.
I am also going to remove the plastic access pieces on the doors and replace them with 1/4" MDF covered w/ Raamat and Ensolite.
Don't get me wrong it sounds really good, I just think it could sound a little better.
I can certainly hear the difference in FM, XM, Ipod, CD ( from OK to best). Yet even within those groups there is still good, and badly, recorded music. This system really stands out when playing CDs like Steely Dan's Two Against Nature or Everything Must Go. WOW!!
Then on the other hand, playing something on XM , especially older music from the 60s and 70s just doesn't sound that great. I will post when I get it sounding more siiick. Suggestions welcome.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 51,504
Likes: 6
From: Sacramento CA
the Dyn 6.5s do not like being played low. Cross them at 80hz if you want to turn them way up. No lower than 70hz @ 24db!
Nothing will make XM sound good. And the better speakers you have, the more easy it is to hear the nasty artifacts in audio compression.
Nothing will make XM sound good. And the better speakers you have, the more easy it is to hear the nasty artifacts in audio compression.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
Ya I am pretty unimpressed with the sound quality of XM. There is nothing you can do to improve it, it is about the equivalent of 64kpbs streaming, or about 1/4 of what is needed to get near "CD" quality sound.
Definitely add the highpass filter on the midbass .. Kale has you in the right ball park. Might want to see if the tweets are boosted at all, I have mine dead flat to 12khz with a smooth wide band 1db boost at 16khz. Tweets do not need much power to overpower other drivers, and with equal power you usually need to tame them a little. I have my mids at -2db per side and my tweets at -6db per side to smooth out the transition between sub and stage. Lots of tricks to mess around with while tuning
Fej
Definitely add the highpass filter on the midbass .. Kale has you in the right ball park. Might want to see if the tweets are boosted at all, I have mine dead flat to 12khz with a smooth wide band 1db boost at 16khz. Tweets do not need much power to overpower other drivers, and with equal power you usually need to tame them a little. I have my mids at -2db per side and my tweets at -6db per side to smooth out the transition between sub and stage. Lots of tricks to mess around with while tuning
Fej
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 51,504
Likes: 6
From: Sacramento CA
good point about the power. Keep this in mind: I run 100 watts to my tweets with the gains _all the way down_ and 350 watts to my mids, (dynaudio 8s, instead of your 6s) with gains half way up... and the tweeters match perfectly in volume.
In your case, I would further reduce the volume of the mids/tweets in relation to the midwoofers.
And if you dont highpass those 6.5s, you will destroy them.
In your case, I would further reduce the volume of the mids/tweets in relation to the midwoofers.
And if you dont highpass those 6.5s, you will destroy them.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 615
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From: Los Angeles Ca.
Thanks guys, I hipassed them (the 6.5"s) after reading Kales post . They sound better, not so muddy, or distorted, or something not good. Should I lopass them also so that they are playing in 80hz to 900hz range? For this I will need to add another filter since I can't bridge the two channels and just hipass them at the amp, and run the 6.5"s thru the passive xover along with the mids and tweets.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 615
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From: Los Angeles Ca.
It's the the stock Bose/nav HU.I don't think so, unless you mean adding xover btwn the HU and amp.
Also if the 6.5 is bandpassed at 80 hz to 900 hz shouldn't the sub be lopassed at 80 hz ? It is at 60 hz now.
Also if the 6.5 is bandpassed at 80 hz to 900 hz shouldn't the sub be lopassed at 80 hz ? It is at 60 hz now.
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Advanced
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craig, see if you can get together with headpapago, and do a comparison...i would be interested in seeing how the two different systems compare. What you are describing, seems more a function of tuning though...what are you running for processing?
keep in mind XM is far from cd qualiyt, and the old songs, well, sometimes they just dont sound good period
it depends heavily on the recording.
b
keep in mind XM is far from cd qualiyt, and the old songs, well, sometimes they just dont sound good period
it depends heavily on the recording.b
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depends on how serious you are, if eq is all you need, sure you can get the dqxs, i have used plenty but i find the interface a bit tedeious and it donest have other features i like, namely, time alignment, phase, and also able to stack or gap xover points...
in the pictures of your install, i didnt see the tweeter, but based on the xover wiring, i am assuming its in the stock door location...
well, you can look at doing osmething like the alpine hxa pxa 701 combo, with the controller, that would give you pretty good control over evreything, also, it gives you the ability to upgrade to go fully active down the road...
but without hearing it, i really cant say wahts going on...but you shoudl meet up wtih him and also with my good friend Eng, who is a great SQ guru and tuner, and maybe he can give you some more suggestions?
if you want, i can put you in touch iwth them, just hit me up with a PM and i will send you their contact info.
Bing
in the pictures of your install, i didnt see the tweeter, but based on the xover wiring, i am assuming its in the stock door location...
well, you can look at doing osmething like the alpine hxa pxa 701 combo, with the controller, that would give you pretty good control over evreything, also, it gives you the ability to upgrade to go fully active down the road...
but without hearing it, i really cant say wahts going on...but you shoudl meet up wtih him and also with my good friend Eng, who is a great SQ guru and tuner, and maybe he can give you some more suggestions?
if you want, i can put you in touch iwth them, just hit me up with a PM and i will send you their contact info.
Bing
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Los Angeles Ca.
If I make sure all the + & – are correct thru out, I take it that doesn't necessarily mean the speakers are phased correctly.
This would certainly make it easier to check phasing even using this method...
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ad.php?t=33740
The time correction seems like another great feature.
Thanks for the info.
Bing I sent you a PM
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you can hide the controller anywhere, in the glove box, int he cneter arm rest, you only need it when you are tuning. though if you had gotten the alpine 205 or 505, you can just use it to control the 701 directly, like the one i did... also, beucase you wont be using hte alpine HU< you cant take advantage of the optical input of hte 701, beucase if oyu use the optical outpuf of your current headunit to the 701, you will get signal butr yu will loose all volume control on your existing headunit... and then you need to use the rux to control voume which may get annoying
b
b
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 615
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From: Los Angeles Ca.
Yeah, I'm not totally opposed to getting a new HU. I am just trying to work with the stock unit because the nav and other features are tied to the HUD .
How important is the phasing that is discussed in this link ? ;
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ad.php?t=33740
Is there only a subtle difference when you reverse a speaker, or is it distinct ?
How important is the phasing that is discussed in this link ? ;
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ad.php?t=33740
Is there only a subtle difference when you reverse a speaker, or is it distinct ?
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there is usually a HUGE difference when you take one spekaer out of phase versus in phase, very noticable. But again, dont look at tuning from a stand point of solid numbers, facts and settings, a good tuner uusualy gathers his/her skill from a ton of experience in audio, have a great ear AND have the ability to translate what he/she hears into changes on a sytem's setup screen
IMO you either have it, or you dont, i for one, can only do a relative rough setup on systems, even the ones i build, that sounds decent, but once you get into the higher end of things, the tine tuning of the small nuiances, i give it to tuners I dont think i will ever have the skill they do...
b
IMO you either have it, or you dont, i for one, can only do a relative rough setup on systems, even the ones i build, that sounds decent, but once you get into the higher end of things, the tine tuning of the small nuiances, i give it to tuners
I dont think i will ever have the skill they do...b
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