Need Pro advice on Current Alpine/JL setup

[avarela86]

I recently installed an Alpine IDA-X305S in my car along with two JL TR650-CSi. They sounds great due to the increased sensitivity of the speaker BUT they distort at higher volumes. I would think that the speakers are UNDER powered since the headunit pumps out only 18w x 4 RMS and the speakers run on 10-75w RMS. Anyone want to chime in, I was thinking I would be able to set bass and treble all the way up and these wouldn't have an issue.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

pick up a 4 channel amp. you won't be sorry. the internal amp probably isn't cutting it. Also those speakers aren't made for reproducing bass, if you want to turn the bass up, I suggest turning it down and putting in even a small 8" subwoofer with maybe a 100W amp. then you'll get the fill, and it won't be BOOMING.

 

[avarela86]

pick up a 4 channel amp. you won't be sorry. the internal amp probably isn't cutting it. Also those speakers aren't made for reproducing bass, if you want to turn the bass up, I suggest turning it down and putting in even a small 8" subwoofer with maybe a 100W amp. then you'll get the fill, and it won't be BOOMING.

They can only run up to 75w RMS so wouldn't an amp be overkill for just two speakers? Not looking for more bass just overall loudness. With the top down I have to crank if to 75% and the bass distorts and thats with loudness on and bass at 4/7.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

An 8" subwoofer will be perfect to give you the volume you're looking for (clean, undistorted). You could even just get a single 4ch amp, and use 2 channels for the front speakers, and the remaining 2 bridged to the sub. I think you'd be a LOT happier with the setup. A simple 4x50 or so amp would serve you well.

 

[avarela86]

Hm, still not seeing why I need a sub if I don't want more bass. I want loudness from the speaker. :-/ I found this as an option and I think i might try this add on Alpine KTP-445 before I go crazy trying to do an amp in my tiny car. I want to keep the weight down as best as possible. The other idea I had was to remote custom mount two additional speakers behind the seats.

Can I bridge speakers from the stock headunit? I would think it would just be splicing in the two wires for the rear speakers into the front? thoughts?

 

[Wagonbacker9]

because at the volume you want you are getting distorted bass. so like it or not, you want more bass. if you run an amp, you can cut the lows off so they're not sent to the door speakers at all, and just send them to a sub, so you can get a lot more volume without distortion, and still get a good balanced sound.

if there are only 2 speakers in the car now, there are 2 unused channels on the amp in the HU, so you'd just need to tap into those and run em where you want.

 

[avarela86]

if there are only 2 speakers in the car now, there are 2 unused channels on the amp in the HU, so you'd just need to tap into those and run em where you want.

This seems like my first option to try since it's free. I just wasn't sure if it was done as simply as it is said. Last time I tried to play with Electrical work I friend A LOT of wires.

Thanks Wagon for the input, much appreciated. Were having our own little public PM/thread here.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

haha no problem. if you have questions as you're goin through it lemme know. you can get me on AIM on the same SN.

 

[1sty]

They can only run up to 75w RMS so wouldn't an amp be overkill for just two speakers? Not looking for more bass just overall loudness. With the top down I have to crank if to 75% and the bass distorts and thats with loudness on and bass at 4/7.

Head unit produce their complete power with the volume at about 80% and bass/treble OFF or at zero
Anything more then this and you are sending the speakers distortion.

So first thing you need is an external amp.Those add on head unit ones are garbage. The external amp will let you set a High Pass crossover which will remove the low bass from the speaker. Low bass distorts speakers as it can not physically play it, but they try.

Since you keep trying to push up the bass setting, you indeed need more base. Wagon is correct in that you will need a sub woofer for this as to get more volume form the speakers your are going to need to set a crossover around 80HZ which will remove even more bass, not add it.

A typical door speaker has virtually no sub bass ability at all.

I suggest getting a small 4 channel amp. power the front speakers with the front channels and bridge the rear channels to a 10 sub in a sealed box. Nothing expensive or fancy required. Other then in small trucks, I have never seen anyone be happy with just an 8" sub.

This will meet your needs.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

hey, look, its everything that took me 6 posts to say in one! LOL

I fale.

 

[avarela86]

lol ah Wagon its k, he the Audio mod he HAS to be good at explaining this stuff. haha.

So bridging the front speakers with the rear wires is a waste all together? I will look into a 10inch sub, sucks because I have a 12inch sitting in my garage but not sure where I can fit it in the S other than the trunk and I REALLY need that space.

 

[1sty]

lol ah Wagon its k, he the Audio mod he HAS to be good at explaining this stuff. haha.

So bridging the front speakers with the rear wires is a waste all together? I will look into a 10inch sub, sucks because I have a 12inch sitting in my garage but not sure where I can fit it in the S other than the trunk and I REALLY need that space.

I am not sure what you mean by bridging the rear wires.
If you are referring to a head unit, then simply never use the word "bridge".
Bridging means you combine two amplifier channels to make one more powerful channel.
Head units will fry if you try this.


Depending on the 12" you can probably use it as long as it is designed for a small sealed box. Bandpass and ported boxes take up a crap load of room.
I have used Velcro, bolts, even bungee cords to hold a box in place. Then use banana plugs to make connecting and disconnecting it easy, when it needs to be removed for the storage space.