Hi guys gals and all, got some Qn's for ya.
I'm running three alpine Amps for my System:
Twin head display..Alpine minidisc and cd players
DDDrive splits
Reference 6x9 rear fill
Base Engines front seats
2x 12" pioneer subs on a box (free air subs not enclosed in box but on face of box)

Now this sytem pumps out some ear shattering tunes, even pushes the hair on your head depending on the bass in the music. But i can only turn the volume up to 23 (goes up to 35)
I have my bass set on 3-4 and it goes up to 15 as do all speaker settings.
If i turn off the subs on head display you can hold your ears and go right up to 35 with no crackling of the speakers. However turn on the subs and after 23 onwards the front speakers are the first to start crackling distorting?????????
Does anyone have any good settings for there amps or have the similar problems with there system. I could use a hand!!
Cheers Adam:flame:

You need to look at the crossover frequencies you are using for your front/rear speakers - if you are trying to drive too much bass though them, then they will start to pass reasonable limits of excursion (ie the cone goes too far - either streching the rubber surrounds, or hitting the backing plate).

If you run your front crossovers at a higher frequency - say 120Hz, your rears at 80Hz, and subs below 80Hz (personal preference) then you should be about OK.

Cheers
Heath Young

Oops - I re-read your post - if you are not driving your fronts off the same amp as your subs, from your description, I can almost guarantee that you have a power problem - ie. your power wire (red) from your battery is inadequate, or your earth is inadequate - measure the voltage subs on/subs off and you will find that the battery voltage is sagging.

You need to look at your earthing, and I would suggest looking at larger power cables.

Don't bother with a cap, it won't improve matters - besides the cabling is cheaper. Caps are a waste of time unless you have the largest cable you can get (00 guage) and the load is transient. I built a few SPL cars (even down to building the amplifiers) and you soon learn that if you want caps, you put them in the amplifier power supply secondary.

Cheers
Heath Young

Are you in NSW? Sounds like you need the system set and tuned correctly. I'm more than happy to assist you doing just that. ;)

Are you in NSW? Sounds like you need the system set and tuned correctly. I'm more than happy to assist you doing just that. ;)

Mate i'm in Cronulla area where abouts are you and what sort of work help can you offer for the stereo??
:flame:

Since you asked; with all modesty I'll explain a little about myself. I manage and own Fhrx Studio's which is a high end audio / visual store and has been around since 1976. I also write for various publications (like INCAR magazine), assist in running sound offs for CAASQ and run nationwide tutorials on audio acoustics. I am affiliated with numerous forums around Australia and I try and help people with their systems where I can. For more information about my audio / visual qualifications see the links in my sig. :)

Those credentials good enough? :(

Oh, and we have four locations. Sutherland, Kirrawee, Jannali and Engadine. :)

Oh, and we have four locations. Sutherland, Kirrawee, Jannali and Engadine. :)

Sorry about the abrupt last message was in a hurry to get away from work to see my girl before she went to bed. I'm at Caringbah in Cronulla so i think that sutherland might be the best option. Would be interested in meeting you and showing you the car to let you see and hear it first hand, and from there make your decision on what you think i may need done re:tuning or maybe needing something else.
Thanks for your help and look forward to your reply
Cheers Adam:flame:

Feel free to give me a call anytime regarding the system. We don't charge anything just to have a look and help out. ;)

wow how good is that amp on your link but $7999 thats a wow to .

if it produces ear shattering tunes why do you wanna turn it louder than 23?? :badgrin:

if it produces ear shattering tunes why do you wanna turn it louder than 23?? :badgrin:

So that his RCA output levels from the head unit are properly matched to the amps, and also gives greater range of control over the volume. If they're not matched you are really introducing distortion into the signal as either the head unit or amp will be clipping the signal.

Since his max volume setting is 35, the system should be set up to play at maximum volume at around the 28 mark instead of 23.

Hi all, is anyone on perth a guru with this stuff and would be willing to look at my system and possibly adjust and inform me if i need chokes, crossovers etc. Cheers shaun

So that his RCA output levels from the head unit are properly matched to the amps, and also gives greater range of control over the volume. If they're not matched you are really introducing distortion into the signal as either the head unit or amp will be clipping the signal.

Since his max volume setting is 35, the system should be set up to play at maximum volume at around the 28 mark instead of 23.

Absolutely spot on. If you system goes to 35 (like Alpine) and it's maxes out at 23, then the gains are simply not set correctly. My Alpine and Naka decks both go to 34/35 and 69/70. :D If you have an entire 4 volts for pre-out signal, why set it up so the deck can only use 1.5 of those volts? :(

High gains means high volume right? It also means higher sensitivety too. This equates to more hiss, more whine and more overall noise in the system. ;)

Feel free to give me a call anytime regarding the system. We don't charge anything just to have a look and help out. ;)

Hey that would be great thanx heaps. If i did need to tune it up or get a capacitor what wold i be looking at.
Cheers Adam:flame:

What would you be looking at?

To be honest you would be looking at upgrading your earths and battery long before even thinking about a band aid fix like a power cap. ;)

Hey all sounds good i'll see if i can get off early at work sometime this week. But i'll give you a call on Monday and we'll set up something.
Thanks again
Adam:flame: