Questions regarding installing a couple of 6x9"

[Ninkumpoop]

I'm thinking of getting 2 6.9" speakers installed in a small box on top of my current twin 12" box set-up in the trunk. My car is missing quite a bit of mid-range bass and it's really getting to me. I'm pretty broke atm so if it costs over $150 for everything, I won't be able to dish it up. I found some decent 6x9", along with a box for them, for about $100 total.

So my question is:
I have a 4-channel amp powering aftermarket components all around (2 sets of Rockford Fosgate Power Series component speakers). Could I use this to also power the 6.9" speakers I'll be adding or must I add another amp?

 

[79535]

It all depends on how your current amp is wired up.
-Are you running your current amplifier bridged?
-Are you running active or passive crossover?
-Are you using one channel per speaker (1 channel per tweater/1 channel per woofer)?

I avoid 6x9's because they usually have cone flex due to the irregular design of the cone (oval vs round=uneven forces across the cone). This is only in my experience. I know some people who have had great sound from higher end 6x9's.

I would suggest that you check your low and high pass filter settings before spending any money.

Decreasing your high pass filter frequency will allow your current component speakers to play lower frequencies and may improve mid bass response. Lowering it too far will muddy your sound and possibly cause your component woofers to bottom out (pop) on bass hits. Most component sets, depending on how much power you are running, will allow at least a setting of 80Hz without distorting your component set woofer. Some sets will play comfortably all the way down to about 60Hz.

Increasing your low pass filter frequency will allow your subwoofers to play higher in the frequency range and may make up for some of the missing bass response. If you set it too high, you will get a lot of resonance sounding effect from the woofer for a lack of better terms to describe it.

For my setup (6.5" component set up front, 10" woofer in back) I run a HPF of 80Hz and a LPF of 63Hz. For my setup and install it sounds decent. Yours may be different due to different equipment and install.

 

[Ninkumpoop]

Alright I'll try to go with what you said instead. Not too knowledgeable about speakers but I could manage at least this much. Will be ripping apart door panels to get to the x-overs to fine tune. Or...do I tune at the amps? I have a 4-channel powering my components. Don't know if bridged or not, also don't know if my 4-channel are powering my 4 tweeters (1 in each door). Got a seperate 2-channel powering my 2 12" in the back. Used to be quite the audiophile, not so much anymore but can't kick the habit of putting it up once in a while on a long cruise.

 

[79535]

Check your headunit and amplifier settings for lpf and hpf frequencies.

The crossover in your door will likely be set around 60-65hz and will not be adjustable other than attenuation of the tweeter.

 

[Ninkumpoop]

Is it easy to do on my own? How do I tweek the frequency range of the amps? I know quite a bit about cars but not about audio installing. Had a friend do it for me and he's away on vacation.

 

[79535]

It's pretty easy. There are dials on the amplifier you turn to adjust the lpf and hpf. It will depend on your particular amp as to how you do it.

Check you head unit manual to see how to adjust it for the head unit.