Tips for best sound settings - general

SF_VR6

Hi Guys,

I just got a new system.
I've got components in the front and the rear.
I've also got one 10" sub with a nice amp that pushes all the speakers.

What are the general rules to start with when setting up my sound?

All treble (gain completely down) for front and rear components?
All gain up on sub so the only place I'm getting bass is from sub?

Or should I start with a tiny bit of bass on all the components?

Any insight and tips on where to begin greatly appreciated.

thanks

Newb at Car Audio

MacLeod

Are you saying you only have 1 amp that runs the whole system? If so is it a 5 channel or 4? Does your head unit have 3 outputs as in front/rear/sub?

Also do you want proper imaging or surround sound? If you want imaging youll want your rear speakers to be barely hear if at all.

The way you set your gain would be to turn the gains all the way down. Then set your fader to one side only (front/rear) and set your treble/bass controls to flat or +/- 0 db. Now turn the volume on your HU to 3/4 max. Now turn your gain up til it starts to distort. Once you hear distortion back it off until the distortion stops and there you go. Youd do the same for the rear gain and sub gain as well. your gains are set and match the output voltage of your head unit. You wont need to touch them again. You can adjust the treble and bass from your head unit depending on the CD your listening to and control the sub from the sub output on your HU assuming you have one.

If you want proper imaging then youll need to fiddle with the rear gain and turn it below the front until it reaches a level that it doesnt pull the sound stage to the rear as much, or just to the point where you think it sounds best.

SF_VR6

hey thanks for the response.

I have 1 amp 2x channel bridged

1x channel runs all four components while the second channel is dedicated to the sub. Yea I should have a 4x channel amp but I'm doing the best I can on the 2x. The 2x is a Rockford Fosgate 401s so it's no slouch.

I've got an Alpine Deck with....hehe MBQs components front and rear. I'm not sure what is proper imaging but I know I want it balanced.

Clear vocals and mids with nice clean bass. I want it to sound like I'm in the middle of a dance floor in a club rather than drown in all bass in an Audio competition. I just want a balanced clean sound with bass that is not overwelming.

MacLeod

What the hell?!?!? Surely you wrote that wrong or Im reading it wrong!

Youre running 4 components off of ONE channel of a two channel amp and then a sub off the 2nd channel?

Dude, go out to your car and disconnect that right now!! Thats way screwed up! That is like a 1/2 ohm load on one channel and a 4 ohm load on the other. Im not even sure thats possible so I must be misunderstanding you.

Surely youve got the four components running off the 2 left/right channels and the sub bridged off the 2 channels. Still, this is a 1 ohm load which your amp is not rated at and will probably kill it at some point! Plus you wouldnt be able to use the low pass filter so your sub is running full range.

My man, youve got problems. But fear not, you came to the right place. My Club Polk bretheren and me will put you back on the straight and narrow.

OK. Assuming I read your post right, you really need to do away with that set-up. You dont have to go out a blow all your cash but you desperately need to go get a seperate amp for your sub.

Here is a Profile that will cost you a mere $110 but give your sub 300 rms. I dont know what kind of sub you have or its power handling but this is just a ball park recommendation. Trust me, it will make a night and day difference in your system with this simple upgrade.

exalted512

keep the 401S, use it to power your front components
ditch your components in the rear and replace them with coaxials...if anything, actually--id recommend just not having rear speakers
then get another amp to power your sub
-Cody

neomagus00

i'd say no problem w/ the rear components. the way i'd set them is, whatever sounds good. if you like them up to the level of your fronts, cool, if you just want a bit o' support, thats cool too. rears are like women, it's all personal preference. and some guys don't want them...

which alpine deck do you have? and yes, for the love of tim, disconnect something now! then go out and get an appropriate amp for the sub. what sub do you have?

imaging is left/right balance. i.e., the vocals are (usually) dead center and the band is (usually) arrayed around them. you should be able to close your eyes and say, okay, the guitarist is far right, the backup singers are mid-left, etc... soundstage is front/back balance. i personally don't run rear speakers (i cooked them), and that sounds fine to me. some people do all-out theater in their car, with 7.1 surround and stuff, and that sounds great to them.

just out of curiosity, what mbquart line do you have??

oh, and setting gains: http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=17905

exalted512

yea, if those speakers are 4 ohm speakers, youre putting a huge load on the amp
and trust me, that fosgate will fry if it gets hot enough
take it from someone that has fried 3..
-Cody