Just a quick question..

[RDellert11]

I have a 3rd Generation Explorer Xlt with 2 800 watt 12 inch Pioneer subs and a 820 watt Power Acoustik amp..Now I know there are 2 ways to hook your subs up, one being high input where you tap into your rear speakers with the subs and you don't have to use the preout wires and connect it up to your head unit, and the way with the preout wires and what not which is how I have it hooked up right now. For the most part everything sounds good exept like a song with like continuous or a lot of bass..then the treble coming from my door speakers gets really low to where you can barely hear the actual music or the people singing. Now I know the bass just isn't so loud that you can't hear the treble, but it just seems like the subs are taking power from my door speakers to where you can't hear it them that good..I don't know, my buddies jeep liberty sounds really nice and he has it hooked up the high input way. I was just wondering if I switched over and hooked it up like that if it would make any difference or not... and also has anyone had this problem with their system that they've noticed?

 

[Xplorer12686]

if i understand correct u are saying that your door speakers have too much bass and they are like maxing out. after i messed with my system for a little i had the same problem. i played with the settings and found in my head unit (a pioneer) i have settings for high middle and low. high and middle are set to 5. and low is set to negative 3 (all 3 can range from -6 to 6) that stopped my speakers working too hard with the bass. and i just turn my subs up to get more bass. i hope maybe this can provide some kind of help to you.

 

[Anime]

The speaker-level inputs are a cheap way to hook up an amp to a factory system, and are not better than the pre-amp outputs for connecting an amplifier. The problem with the system you have might be the speakers themselves. Cheap or factory speakers might not handle the power from the head unit, and at higher bass levels the speakers probably distort like crazy even though the subs are bumpin' along. You also might have a wiring issue, either from the head unit to the speakers or from the alternator/battery to the head unit. You'd need to provide more details like what kind of head unit and speakers you have and how they are wired up. Whatever the case is though, a system usually sounds its best when everything is about the same level (like not using flimsy factory speakers with $1000 subs) and fresh new wiring is used (wimpy 20-22awg wires won't cut it). Theres probably just a weak link in your system somewhere and you need to find it, but it's not the pre-outs as that would only affect the subs.

 

[RDellert11]

I also have a Pioneer head unit, and am running just stock door speakers still. Since you have a pioneer head unit you might understand what i'm talking about when you can change the music to either Custom, SPR Bass, vocal, power etc....The problem is when there is a lot of bass my speakers just aren't cutting it. Like when I change the setting on my head unit to Vocal, there is less bass of course, and my door speakers sound really nice, as they should for an 02. But, when I put my setting on custom, and the bass is hittin really hard my door speakers sortof distort and you can't hear the actual music (as good as when its on Vocal). My friend is running 2 12 inch American Bass Pro's in his jeep liberty with a factory head unit and factory door speakers and has it hooked up the high input way and his door speakers don't distort at all when the bass hits so thats why I got to thinking maybe I should do high input in mine.

 

[jimbo74]

are you running a factory premium stereo amp? they suck..... and distort a lot mroe than jsut an aftermarket hu would.....

 

[RDellert11]

Nah man. As I said I have a pioneer head unit.

 

[RanSit]

you need a crossover or if your headunit has it turn down the sub level or bass depends on the headunit and depends on where your rca jacks are hooked up form your unit and ect...

 

[Anime]

Your friend is using the factory head unit with the factory speakers and just really has the subs as an add-in. An aftermarket Pioneer head unit puts out alot more power than most factory units, so your speakers are being driven a lot harder with lots more bass, which is likely the problem. I would suggest replacing the speakers with some good ones (Pioneer makes midpriced ones that will handle lots of power), and if you use new, larger speaker wire from the head unit to the speakers that would be even better. After that, you'll probably be able to crank the volume up all the way with minimal distortion from the speakers. If you just want a cheap fix, you'll need to use a wired-in high-pass crossover for each of the speakers to cut out the lower bass frequencies from being sent to the speakers, which will prevent any bass distortion. As was mentioned, check the bass level settings on the head unit to be sure its at the normal setting. If you have the bass cranked to make the subs hit harder, it's going to distort the speakers more. When you use the custom setting, set the bass to whatever the middle setting is, since it sounds like it might be cranked to the max.

 

[RDellert11]

Yeah I turned down the bass level on the head unit. And just yesterday I went out and bought 4, 4 way pioneer 6x8's and they sound pretty damn nice.. it fixed the problem a little bit

 

[Xplorer12686]

yea i know exactly what ua re talking about with the vocal custom and all those settings. i only listen to custom, i had a friend set it up for me and then after messing with it i figured out what each setting in custom does. if u want and when i get a chance i can copy down how i have mine set and let u try it on yours. i dont seem to have any problems with the sound on mine.

 

[Anime]

four 4-way Pioneer 6x8's only fixed the problem a little bit? You mean theres STILL trouble hearing the vocals when theres lots of bass on the custom setting? Those 4-ways handle tons of power, and should sound crisp and super clear even cranked all the way. If theres not a wiring problem or something, you might just need to take Xplorer up on the offer and use those settings on custom. Perhaps the whole issue was just something on the custom setting.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I'd get A set of RCA's and hook it up right. If you want it to sound correct, and not have any distortion you should get a set of 4 way rca's and add a small 4 channel amp, that has a built in crossover. Then you can cut the bass right out of the door speakers, and keep it in the subs where it belongs.