component system problems

osirus

i just recently purchased the polk audio db6501 6 1/2" component set for my 1999 volkswagen passat. i tried installing the system to an amplifier but the amp didnt work so i tried installing it to my factory door speaker wires. i hooked up one side first just to test it with the crossover. when i would turn the volume up it would sound distorted and unclear. so i took away the crossover and just hooked up the mid and tweeter. i ran into the same problem. the bass was turned all the way down and it still sounded distorted. just like one big tweeter with no sound quality. i dont know if its because i dont have both sides hooked up at the same time or what but any help would be apreciated. if there is a way to use the crossover without an amp would be very helpful. i was so excited when bought them bc polk products have such great sound quality only to be stressed out by this snag. if anybody has any advice please let me know

strider

You may be experiencing the shortcomings of the factory amplification rather then a problem with the speakers. A factory head unit probably doesn't have the good quality power needed to make the Polks sound good. Do you have another amp you could try?

BTW, if this post doesn't get a lot of responses here, you may want to post in the Car Audio section, located a bit down the page.

Ben

osirus

thanks ben, but i made a mistake. i forgot to mention that my head unit isnt factory. its a JVC. and thanks for the advice one where to post. im new to the site. but if you can still help me id apreciate it

osirus

and yes i do have another amp, but when hooking it up to the amp, to you wire the crossover to the terminal where the regular speaker wire goes, or into the special plug?

strider

I'm thinking that there's something not hooked up quite the right way. In my previous car I had Polk component speakers driven by a Blaupunkt head unit, it sounded pretty good until you cranked it up past 3/4 or so.

While I don't completely understand your question regarding the terminal and special plug, maybe it would help if I describe how that system was wired. I had a 4 channel amp that got signal from the pre amp outputs of the head unit via RCA cables. The amp output was sent to the crossover via speaker wire; there were screw terminals in the crossover that the speaker wire attached to. The crossover separated the signal into low and high portions; the tweeter got the highs, mid/woofer got the lows, all delivered from the crossover by speaker wire attached to screw terminals on the crossover. The speakers had the slip on (or solder, if you're so inclined) terminals on the back of each. My set up used none of the factory wiring harnesses or plugs for the amp or the speakers. There was an adapter harness I bought that hooked the car's wiring harness up to the head unit to provide power and ground to it. Let me know if that helps.