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Help with clipping and head unit

9K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Alrojoca 
#1 ·
Ok so I'm getting really pitchy highs when I turn my volume up on my Kenwood KFC-X303 cd receiver. I had a friend tell me to lower the right end of the line graph and I did so. Then he told me to lower the gain. I'm pretty new to car audio so I found two gains one in the crossover and one in DTE settings on the head unit.

I turned down the tweeter front right, front left, rear right, rear left, in the DTE settings to -3db from zero.

Then I turned down the tweeter gain left and gain right to -3db from zero as well. I also turned the front HPF and Rear HPF gain to -3db from zero as well.

This didn't seem to help the clipping. I'm using 14 awg wire at a length of about 20 feet each to each speaker. Don't know exactly what ohm setup it is but i would imagine if it's 2 ohm then maybe the speaker can't handle that power from the amp in my head unit maybe? (22 watts rms).

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks guys.
 
#2 ·
Go to a local stereo shop and have someone look at it. The amount of information someone would need to give you to explain everything you did and what you need to do would be exhausting over the forum. I think you need to find someone to help get you the basics of car audio as well as to pinpoint what issues youre having.

Also, you really need to know exactly what each component of you stereo system is in order for anyone to assist you. There are so many variables in your post that it would be very difficult to help you pinpoint your issue without solid information on what exactly is in your car.

Please don't take this as a slight. Just think it might be best for you to get some local assistance. Maybe check the 12volt events section and see if there are any get togethers in your area. You might meet some people who can get you pointed in the right direction.

Good luck.
 
#3 ·
What makes you think the problem is clipping? Clipping is a specific type of distortion causes when you've reached the amps limit. Since you are using a head unit amp with very little power, it is possible that you're getting clipping at high volume, but there are plenty of other things that cause distortion that aren't clipping.

You need to check the impedance of the speakers, many head units are only designed for 4 ohms, so if you have an impedance of 2 ohms that can easily be the problem. Check the speakers, and double check the manual for your head unit to see if it can handle a 2 ohm load.
 
#4 ·
Yeah man I contacted support for the kenwood and they think it might either be the speakers or a faulty head unit. Didn't have as much problems with it in the begining so I'm thinking it blew out... But why? They told me they never seen a setup like mine where i have the speaker wire NOT coming out of the preamps but on the other side of the back of the head unit and my dad told me to just adjust the fader to the left and that did nothing to fix it.
His conclusion is that it's the actual music I'm listening to from youtube he said some quality is lost and to rather use a cd with songs on it (not something you download then put on a cd but rather something you'd get from a store) I think he might be on to a little something here considering there's some songs on youtube that seem at least louder right? or pitchy if you would in comparison to who actually uploaded the song. Perhaps that is a better source than these lyric videos

I'm using a Pyramid PSV-300 Fully Regulated Low Ripple 30Amp Switching DC Power Supply (basically what they call a ac to dc converter) and have everything set up in my room.

COuld it possibly be the area in which the speakers have to perform My room is pretty big after all so I'd imagine the speakers would need a higher efficiency to measure up. Doubtful about this being the issue as well but it's something to consider.

As far as the wattage just not being enough Perhaps this is the issue cause it gets pretty darn loud even for 20/35 voume the 35/35 would make my ears bleed. And no I don't have the loudness feature on as I know that could cause problems as well. Then again when I'm using this non ampped pyle speaker in my travel trailer with some decent maybe 80 dollar 4 speaker polk audio setup it can get loud as F without having any sort of pitchy problems like I am having.

Can't adjust the built in amplifier on the head unit's 'gain' cause it doesn't support that. The only one I can adjust is the external amp through the crossover if I even had one.

Do you think perhaps Getting some new speakers and/or a beefier power amp could possibly solve all this? I'm planning on getting some polk audio mm1 series that have a power handling of 150rms watts and a pioneer amp with 1-8 ohm impedance and 100-125 watt rms 4 ohm power. I mean I want to figure this out in case something is blowing my speakers out I would hate to put 150 bucks into a pair of decent speakers just to have the same problem Thanks again guys.
 
#5 ·
Before you start anything else, test with decent music. Youtube is a terrible source if you're trying to track down a problem. You need to use a CD, or a file that you know is high quality. Start there before going any further.

Also, did you check the speakers impedance? If they are in fact 2 ohms, then you very easily could have damaged the head unit running them.
 
#6 ·
Sorry i don't know how I didn't mention that. Yeah man the speakers are definitely 4 ohm it said on the back of the speakers when I tore it apart. Even if it was 2 ohm or 2.5 ohm speakers isn't there a way to make that work with this kind of head unit anyway? If not why would most head units not be compatible with these 2 ohm speakers? But yes dude I'll definitely check with a better source I'll try to get a cheap cd at walmart or something on sale and test that.
 
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