61 replies to this topic

[skaterava]

At the moment i'm running two JBL 6x9's under the rear seats, and two 200W JBL 8" subwoofers on the parcel shelf. The bass is great, but if i turn the volume up to loud i begin to get distortion, and have to turn it back down again.

I know mounting speakers up front is my best bet for increased volume, but i don't want or have a dashboard, so no speakers can go there, i don't want tweets going where my vents currently are, and door mounted speakers aren't to my taste.

Is there anywhere else i could mount a discreet but effective pair of speakers in the front?

If not, could someone recommend a brand of speaker with a higher tolerance for distortion?

[mike.]

When you get distortion it usually means the speakers are getting more power than they can handle.

So if you speakers can put out 50w RMS, but you amp is giving them 100w RMS, your giving them more than they can take and they'll just distort and eventually you'll damage the speakers.

Its not so much the brand of the speakers, its just the RMS rating. Do you know how much RMS you amp is putting out into the speaker?

[IFlingPoo]

The opposite can be true at times as well. If you aren't driving your speakers hard enough but trying to crank the volume, meaning you are pushing the speakers with a weak amp or head unit, you will also get distortion.

But liek stated above, either way, you need to match them up.

[travellering]

Yup, in fact it seems more often that people blame poor speakers when it's the amplification to blame. If you picture the sound wave you want as one of those nice sine-wave graphs, then you draw two flat lines, one above the wave, and one below the bottom. As your amp or head unit gets louder, the wave gets taller, until it hits those lines where it runs out of juice to power the wave. Then, the top of the wave becomes flat, and you have a sharp corner right where the wave runs into the line. That's what most people find as distortion, as your speaker cannot change direction to match that sharp corner. That's what is most often called "clipping" when stereo nerds are talking, and it will blow speakers if you continue to play in that range, even if the total power is less than what the speaker is rated to handle.
However, I do notice something else in your system. If the eights are in the package shelf, and the 6x9's are presumably in a under-seat board, is there any sealed enclosure at all behind the speakers? Especially for subs, the enclosure helps to act as an additional spring keeping the voice-coil of the speaker from travelling beyond its designed range of motion.

[skaterava]

When you get distortion it usually means the speakers are getting more power than they can handle.

But liek stated above, either way, you need to match them up.

The speakers aren't amped at all, so they're running off the head unit (which i believe is around 50Wx4)

Especially for subs, the enclosure helps to act as an additional spring keeping the voice-coil of the speaker from travelling beyond its designed range of motion.

I think this may be the problem. Neither the subs nor the speakers have enclosures. Making enclosures will be my task tomorrow, although one sub is mounted extremely close to the fuel tank, so i'm not sure how i can create a sealed enclosure around both.

[Carlzilla]

Speakers shouldnt need enclosures, what about making a small mounting bracket for the speakers and mount them fancing down under the dash, if you get what im trying to explain

[IFlingPoo]

No amp could also be the problem. A head unit, especially if it's 50W X4, isn't going to push a sub and give any decent sound. And depending on the other speakers, the HU may not even be enough for them either.

[skaterava]

No amp could also be the problem. A head unit, especially if it's 50W X4, isn't going to push a sub and give any decent sound. And depending on the other speakers, the HU may not even be enough for them either.

Nah, the subs are connected to an amp (at precisely the right wattage and ohmage), it's the 6x9 speakers that are un-amped

what about making a small mounting bracket for the speakers and mount them fancing down under the dash, if you get what im trying to explain

That's quite a good idea, although there isn't much room around the steering column...

Speakers shouldnt need enclosures

I've had contradictory advice from others here on that matter...

[skaterava]

I have an old 600W amp lying around...would it be possible to send 200W to each sub, then the remaining 200W can be split between the 6x9s?

Edited by skaterava, 29 June 2010 - 11:20 PM.

[mike.]

It depends how many channels the amp is. You need one channel for each speaker and usually to get enough power for a sub 2 channels are bridged into one to run a sub.

Alot of speakers require a minimum input just to run properly, so if the H/U isn't providing enough, as has been said that will also leave you with bad sounds.

A half decent 2 channel amp to run your speakers properly aren't too expencive - The fli 2 channel amps have good power for their cost.

[skaterava]

It depends how many channels the amp is. You need one channel for each speaker and usually to get enough power for a sub 2 channels are bridged into one to run a sub.

The 600W amp is a 4 channel, so if i attach both subs and speakers to that, it would send 150W to each..which wouldn't work.

I also have a 200W, two channel amp lying around, which, like you said, could be attached to my speakers, giving them 100W apiece (much closer to their 125RMS).

Good idea?

[sheepy89]

for your speakers in the front you could put some under the bottom dashrail in the corners so there out of the way and cant really be seen.

just a thought

sean

[Carlzilla]

Basically anything thats generally high excursion is better off enclosed, something like general replacement speakers 13cm etc are designed to fit wherever, and so do not require an enclosure, subwoofers are what you would call high excursion, and some top end 6x9s or larger speakers may require an enclosure. You definately wont notice audiably any benefit from enclosing smaller speakers

[benjy_18]

if your looking for somewhere to mount speakers up front but dont like the doors or dont have a dash, then have a look at the products from optimise. i know the bloke is on here somewhere but their stuff is good quality and a decent price,

they do purpose built speakers pods that mount to the inside of the front wheel arch.

also speakers do work better in enclosures, ive tried both, its just a matter of getting the air space right for your speakers

[joakwin]

that headunit is rated at 50x4 max, rms is probably around 20-25wattsx4

2 6x9's with 20-25watts rms ea, thats probably why the sound isn't loud enuff for you and
dist real fast