input on midbass drivers please

[sithi]

I recently installed an Alpine SPX-17REF set, and am not quite satisfied with the midbass output. I am running 300 watts to each speaker, and I've high passed them at both 80 or 100 hz. They are in adequately deadened doors.

I'm not sure if I need to adjust some settings. But at the moment I don't have many sound shaping capabilities as I am running a cda-9884. Would it be best to just purchase dedicated midbass drivers?

[sithi]

bump ... any tips please?

[Ziggy]

Maybe they a little "break in" peroid to loosen up?

[sithi]

I've had them in for about 2+ weeks now. Roughly around 30+ hours of play time. Is that sufficient?

[Ziggy]

Could take some more time... there's some posts about pink noise to break em in... I know that my ID's will take some time to loosen up.

Pink noise.

[Ziggy]

Don't think that was the thread i wanted to show ya... Maybe someone else can chime in.

[sithi]

Originally Posted by Ziggy

Could take some more time... there's some posts about pink noise to break em in... I know that my ID's will take some time to loosen up.

Pink noise.

Thanks for the tip. I've been anxious to try using pink noise, but haven't read enough on it. It must be worth a try, so I'll do more research on it, and give it a go.

[Autiophile]

Buying more drivers without having the capability to tune them properly probably isn't the best route. I've got dedicated midbass drivers and they work well, but they aren't a requirement for decent midbass.

What are your mid/sub crossover points and slopes? Have you tried reversing the phase of one of your mids?

[sithi]

Originally Posted by Autiophile

Buying more drivers without having the capability to tune them properly probably isn't the best route. I've got dedicated midbass drivers and they work well, but they aren't a requirement for decent midbass.

What are your mid/sub crossover points and slopes? Have you tried reversing the phase of one of your mids?

mid has been crossed at both 100hz and 80hz, and the sub is LP'ed at 80 hz.
I do not know the slopes as I cannot control them with my HU. I have not tried reversing the phase on one of the mids. I'll try that when I get out of class. What does that accomplish?

[yellowcard]

What kind of car do you have?

[sithi]

Originally Posted by yellowcard

What kind of car do you have?

06 civic ex

[Autiophile]

Originally Posted by sithi

mid has been crossed at both 100hz and 80hz, and the sub is LP'ed at 80 hz.
I do not know the slopes as I cannot control them with my HU. I have not tried reversing the phase on one of the mids. I'll try that when I get out of class. What does that accomplish?

I'm not sure I understand how your mid is crossed at both 80 and 100hz. Can you elaborate on that further? Are you using passive crossovers?

Switching the phase on one of the drivers will resolve any cancellation issues you might currently have due to phase misalignment between the two mids. If you hear no benefit from switching one mid, try switching the phase on the sub. All you need to do is switch the positive and negative speaker wires at the amp (normally easier than pulling a speaker).

[yellowcard]

Originally Posted by sithi

06 civic ex

2 door or 4 door?

And what driver did you use previously before the alpines? Did you have great midbass before the Alpines?

[sithi]

Originally Posted by Autiophile

I'm not sure I understand how your mid is crossed at both 80 and 100hz. Can you elaborate on that further? Are you using passive crossovers?

Switching the phase on one of the drivers will resolve any cancellation issues you might currently have due to phase misalignment between the two mids. If you hear no benefit from switching one mid, try switching the phase on the sub. All you need to do is switch the positive and negative speaker wires at the amp (normally easier than pulling a speaker).

Sorry for being unclear. I meant that i've tried both 80 and 100hz at different times. Both do not give me the midbass I am looking for. Sometimes the midbass bottoms out at higher volumes. It isn't a problem with gain setting on the amp.

I am using passive crossovers.


I tried switching the phase on one of the speakers, and it seems to have better output. I need to actually sit there and test both, in phase and out of phase, to see if I really am getting better output.

I will try switchin' phase on the sub, too, once I get a chance to get back outside.

[sithi]

Originally Posted by yellowcard

2 door or 4 door?

And what driver did you use previously before the alpines? Did you have great midbass before the Alpines?

2 door. I have not used any set before the alpines. I suppose, I don't have a reference to see how much midbass I should be getting. I just expected more at higher volumes without bottoming out.

Even when I play some heavy midbass music, they can't even handle it well at moderate volumes

[yellowcard]

Originally Posted by sithi

2 door. I have not used any set before the alpines. I suppose, I don't have a reference to see how much midbass I should be getting. I just expected more at higher volumes without bottoming out.

Even when I play some heavy midbass music, they can't even handle it well at moderate volumes

I hate to say it, but your doors are cursed!!
Seriously, It's hard to get good midbass output on most Honda coupes.
It's not that the Alpines suck at midbass, but actually your doors suck. No matter how hard you deaden those doors, you won't be happy with midbass output. I doubt it has anything to do with phase/cancellation issues in your case.

To make it simple if you want midbass, you have 4 options.

1) Swap it out to a 4 door sedan

2) Build an optimal baffle/enclosure for the Alpine mids

3) Use midbass drivers with stiffer suspension preferably qts .7 and up. Most lower end component sets have stiffer suspension than the higher end sets and it's easier to get better midbass performance if you just drop it into factory doors.

4) Feed those Alpines more power and see if it helps, but usually what happens is you will gain more punch and impact, but the lower end will still suffer and bottom out easily if not crossed over 100hz to 120hz.

Or you can disregard the above and just live with it.

[Ge0]

Originally Posted by sithi

Sorry for being unclear. I meant that i've tried both 80 and 100hz at different times. Both do not give me the midbass I am looking for. Sometimes the midbass bottoms out at higher volumes. It isn't a problem with gain setting on the amp.

I am using passive crossovers.


I tried switching the phase on one of the speakers, and it seems to have better output. I need to actually sit there and test both, in phase and out of phase, to see if I really am getting better output.

I will try switchin' phase on the sub, too, once I get a chance to get back outside.

Doing this is your best bet. I'll betcha your problem is not in the speakers, but, some funky phasing issue or leaky doors. BTW, can you post a picture of how your doors are sealed / deadened?

Ge0

[sithi]

Originally Posted by Ge0

Doing this is your best bet. I'll betcha your problem is not in the speakers, but, some funky phasing issue or leaky doors. BTW, can you post a picture of how your doors are sealed / deadened?

Ge0

I tried playing with the phasing earlier today.. actually killed my battery cause I didn't have the engine on ... but, anyways, I found that having them in phase gave me the best output. Maybe I'm just lookin' for the wrong overall sound... I've never heard a really good installed system to base anything off of

I'll upload the pics of the deadened doors as soon as I get them off my roommate's camera. As of now, all I have deadened is the back wave, and the metal door skin.

[MiniVanMan]

Yeah, you're going to want to work on your doors a bit more. Building a proper baffle will be key. By that I mean separating the backwave from the frontwave. That will mean sealing off any holes you have on your door frame, and applying a good blocker to attenuate the backwave.

[sithi]

Originally Posted by MiniVanMan

Yeah, you're going to want to work on your doors a bit more. Building a proper baffle will be key. By that I mean separating the backwave from the frontwave. That will mean sealing off any holes you have on your door frame, and applying a good blocker to attenuate the backwave.

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate it.

How would I go about building a proper baffle for the speakers? I have experience with building boxes and wood work. What exactly do I need to do to create a baffle? Sorry for my ignorance...