Aftermarket Kenwood ddx9702s Stereo sounds Terrible
07-15-2016, 12:30 PM
#61
Team Owner
My guess on this would be the first installer is one of those people who thinks that if 50w/ch speakers are good, 500w/ch is better. The head unit is most likely 30w/ch rms so buying speakers that are made to take some insane amount of power is counterproductive. I had that in my car when I bought it. I pulled out almost 20# of stereo crap and the net result was it sounded better. Amps, speakers, huge wiring, all this crap that was crazy.
Amps and big power capable speakers are ok if your primary goal is loud. If you want it to sound good, especially at low volume levels, then the requirements are totally different.
Just the fact that the factory speakers are 8ohm would mean the internal amp power is 1/2.
Then take some ultra-inefficient speaker and hook that up and now maybe you gain back that 50% power, but nothing comes out of the speaker. Fail again.
30W x 4ch is PLENTY of power for virtually any application. That's what that head unit has. Attach it to decent speakers (read, not meathead audio nerd speakers) and it'll sound wonderful.
Amps and big power capable speakers are ok if your primary goal is loud. If you want it to sound good, especially at low volume levels, then the requirements are totally different.
Just the fact that the factory speakers are 8ohm would mean the internal amp power is 1/2.
Then take some ultra-inefficient speaker and hook that up and now maybe you gain back that 50% power, but nothing comes out of the speaker. Fail again.
30W x 4ch is PLENTY of power for virtually any application. That's what that head unit has. Attach it to decent speakers (read, not meathead audio nerd speakers) and it'll sound wonderful.
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73Corvette (07-15-2016)
07-15-2016, 01:03 PM
#62
Le Mans Master
My guess on this would be the first installer is one of those people who thinks that if 50w/ch speakers are good, 500w/ch is better. The head unit is most likely 30w/ch rms so buying speakers that are made to take some insane amount of power is counterproductive. I had that in my car when I bought it. I pulled out almost 20# of stereo crap and the net result was it sounded better. Amps, speakers, huge wiring, all this crap that was crazy.
Amps and big power capable speakers are ok if your primary goal is loud. If you want it to sound good, especially at low volume levels, then the requirements are totally different.
Just the fact that the factory speakers are 8ohm would mean the internal amp power is 1/2.
Then take some ultra-inefficient speaker and hook that up and now maybe you gain back that 50% power, but nothing comes out of the speaker. Fail again.
30W x 4ch is PLENTY of power for virtually any application. That's what that head unit has. Attach it to decent speakers (read, not meathead audio nerd speakers) and it'll sound wonderful.
Amps and big power capable speakers are ok if your primary goal is loud. If you want it to sound good, especially at low volume levels, then the requirements are totally different.
Just the fact that the factory speakers are 8ohm would mean the internal amp power is 1/2.
Then take some ultra-inefficient speaker and hook that up and now maybe you gain back that 50% power, but nothing comes out of the speaker. Fail again.
30W x 4ch is PLENTY of power for virtually any application. That's what that head unit has. Attach it to decent speakers (read, not meathead audio nerd speakers) and it'll sound wonderful.
BAny of these make your list?
Bose
Jensen
American Legacy
Pyramid
Lanzar
Pyle
Boss
Crunch
Lightning Audio
Profile
Kenwood (lol)
Last edited by 73Corvette; 07-15-2016 at 01:07 PM.
07-15-2016, 01:17 PM
#63
Le Mans Master
I'm a bit prejudice, I only live about 60 miles from Kicker HQ... so most of my systems have had some kind of Kicker equipment... amps, subs, and speakers...they have always been helpful, courteous, and supportive... it's really fun to visit their plant in Stillwater Ok they have some impressive vehicles and displays...
07-15-2016, 01:44 PM
#64
Miles of Smiles
Member Since: Mar 2010
Location: Omaha Nebraska
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2016 C5 of the Year Finalist
Absolutely this. I purchased the Clarion NX501 setup from Dennis at Double D Mods. After the install, the system initially sounded horrible. I tried using just the EQ and settings on the Clarion, but that didn't really help. It wasn't until after I made "main" adjustments to the PAC-OEM1 (and then "fine tuned" it with the Clarion) that it all sounded fine.
Last edited by FrankLP; 07-15-2016 at 01:47 PM.
07-15-2016, 03:56 PM
#65
Instructor
Ive always used alpine for my decks because they typically have the best signal to noise ratios and Rockford for my speakers/amps/subs. They're one of the only companies who bench tests their amps and prints a certificate with the actual amps output, instead of wild claims of a 1000rms amp when it's really only 3-400 from other companies.
Sound deadening is also extremely important. The corvette has a HUGE amount of resonance throughout it without it.
07-15-2016, 05:22 PM
#66
Melting Slicks
The OEM head unit FM is terrible, the Cd's are better and the Digital Pandora signal is fine...
I have installed LOTS of stereos thru the years from 8 track Kraco units to High End Components...
I put a lot of effort, time and money into sound deadening first...it pays off.
Our 87 4runner has a killer older stereo system that will burn your ears and rattle the windows with bass... but, standing next to the vehicle you can barely hear it... till you open a door. When you shut the doors on this tinny old mud dog it sounds like you shut the door on a Mercedes...
I have played guitar for nearly 50 years and LOVE good music of all kinds...so, I expect a lot from my systems. They might be cranking out some classic rock like the Miles Kennedy and Slash (love the screaming guitar riffs) to some new grass like the Steeldrivers (dig the banjo and silky smooth fiddle break downs) ...the new country has a bass that hits like hip hop... and occasionally the dark, sultry sound of some blues...
so, it takes a lot of diversity for a system to capture all the different colors and textures of varies genres of music...
The OEM HU with the Peripheral PXDP PXHGM4 and the luratek - 30-Pin Bluetooth Audio Receiver... replacement Kicker - CS354 3-1/2" Coaxial Car Speakers and Kicker - 5-1/4" Coaxial Car Speakers with Polypropylene Cones it doesn't sound to bad....
IS it KILLER no...but, when we are in the vette we don't play the stereo real often. When we do I can't take a muddy, no bass, dismal sounding stereo and with the upgrades post above it isn't....
I like a good quality deep thumping bass... and that is probably the only thing that I really miss with the current system, but I can live with it because I don't want to sacrifice storage space when traveling for a couple of hours per trip of bass... so no subs...and I'm good with that...
I TOTALLY get wanting an awesome sounding stereo in your C5!!!
For me it's just a compromise, and what I have is sufficient....
We all have different goals and different taste which is why they make different color cars and different levels of stereo equipment... thank GOD we're NOT all the same and I appreciate that
I have installed LOTS of stereos thru the years from 8 track Kraco units to High End Components...
I put a lot of effort, time and money into sound deadening first...it pays off.
Our 87 4runner has a killer older stereo system that will burn your ears and rattle the windows with bass... but, standing next to the vehicle you can barely hear it... till you open a door. When you shut the doors on this tinny old mud dog it sounds like you shut the door on a Mercedes...
I have played guitar for nearly 50 years and LOVE good music of all kinds...so, I expect a lot from my systems. They might be cranking out some classic rock like the Miles Kennedy and Slash (love the screaming guitar riffs) to some new grass like the Steeldrivers (dig the banjo and silky smooth fiddle break downs) ...the new country has a bass that hits like hip hop... and occasionally the dark, sultry sound of some blues...
so, it takes a lot of diversity for a system to capture all the different colors and textures of varies genres of music...
The OEM HU with the Peripheral PXDP PXHGM4 and the luratek - 30-Pin Bluetooth Audio Receiver... replacement Kicker - CS354 3-1/2" Coaxial Car Speakers and Kicker - 5-1/4" Coaxial Car Speakers with Polypropylene Cones it doesn't sound to bad....
IS it KILLER no...but, when we are in the vette we don't play the stereo real often. When we do I can't take a muddy, no bass, dismal sounding stereo and with the upgrades post above it isn't....
I like a good quality deep thumping bass... and that is probably the only thing that I really miss with the current system, but I can live with it because I don't want to sacrifice storage space when traveling for a couple of hours per trip of bass... so no subs...and I'm good with that...
I TOTALLY get wanting an awesome sounding stereo in your C5!!!
For me it's just a compromise, and what I have is sufficient....
We all have different goals and different taste which is why they make different color cars and different levels of stereo equipment... thank GOD we're NOT all the same and I appreciate that
07-15-2016, 05:30 PM
#67
Melting Slicks
Absolutely this. I purchased the Clarion NX501 setup from Dennis at Double D Mods. After the install, the system initially sounded horrible. I tried using just the EQ and settings on the Clarion, but that didn't really help. It wasn't until after I made "main" adjustments to the PAC-OEM1 (and then "fine tuned" it with the Clarion) that it all sounded fine.
07-15-2016, 06:22 PM
#69
Le Mans Master
The c5's alternator is very strong and should be able to easily power one or two good sized amplifiers. Some forum members have 2000 watt (rms) systems running strongly off the stock alternator. If you have a mega system then you may need to get a stronger alternator. But chances are this isn't your problem. First thing to check is your ground. Make sure that the area has a clean contacts. Then make sure you have a large enough power and ground wire. If you skimped on this, time to replace it with some heavier gauge. If this isn't the problem then you should consider upgrading the 'big 3' if you haven't already.
I'm guessing you must be involved in stereo competitions if you need more than the stock alternator in such a tiny cabin...we are talking about cruising tunes right? Not SPL competitive levels of sound?
Last but NOT least... you DO NOT have to spend $1000 on a HU... Today even most of the cheaper HU at Best Buy or some other audio retailer are great sounding units... Pioneer, Kenwood, Clarion, Sony all make great HU... spend the other money on Amp, Speakers, and SOUND DEADENING... IMHO Dynamat is a great product ... used a LOT of it. Like K-Spaz made reference to, it's all about balance... proportion... NOT just BIGGER is better or louder.
I'm guessing you must be involved in stereo competitions if you need more than the stock alternator in such a tiny cabin...we are talking about cruising tunes right? Not SPL competitive levels of sound?
Last but NOT least... you DO NOT have to spend $1000 on a HU... Today even most of the cheaper HU at Best Buy or some other audio retailer are great sounding units... Pioneer, Kenwood, Clarion, Sony all make great HU... spend the other money on Amp, Speakers, and SOUND DEADENING... IMHO Dynamat is a great product ... used a LOT of it. Like K-Spaz made reference to, it's all about balance... proportion... NOT just BIGGER is better or louder.
Last edited by 73Corvette; 07-15-2016 at 06:39 PM.
07-16-2016, 11:35 PM
#70
Advanced
After having the new radio for a couple days now, I have come to the conclusion that the KENWOOD KDC-X500 and PAC ROEM-VET1 Radio Replacement Interface suck unless you plan on installing new amps and speakers, then maybe its ok? The radio can be tuned to sound ok but then when you play digital music off my iphone it sounds like crap unless the stereo is retuned, same with a CD.
I am thinking I will look around on ebay for a factory unit with a single CD (mine was cassette) and do the cable jack install for the phone/ ipod. The factory unit sounded fantastic with the Bose speakers.
I am thinking I will look around on ebay for a factory unit with a single CD (mine was cassette) and do the cable jack install for the phone/ ipod. The factory unit sounded fantastic with the Bose speakers.