Hi,

Just upgraded (95 WRX) to Alpine CTM-1503R head unit and changer with Rockford Fosgate 5inch component speakers.

Quality is very good however far too trebly so that is unfortunately tweaked in the head unit to -4 in its setting!!

Here's the question - as I've got a magnex backbox (oval and blitz air induction), there is obviously a lot of noise/rumbling in the car, this obviously reducing the apparent dynamic range of the stereo unit.

I would like to feel/hear more accurate bass without ruining what little sound stage I have in a car...do I:

1 - Completely sound proof the front doors? Boot? Other?
2 - Fit good quality back speakers...but I know this would confuse the overal sound stage.

3 - any other suggestion?

I listen to jazz/classical/paul weller type music plus research loads of other styles as I'm a musician,

Your advice would be greatly welcome (I'm sure my biggest saving is to put the original exhaust/filter back on!!!!)

cheers

marcus

 

Definately sound proof

 

Yep, sound proof the boot with dynamat That should reduce a small ammount of road/ehaust noise but is best used in conjunction with a sub or decent rear speakers in the shelf to enhance the "insulation of the sound".

I have sat in two Audi A3's, one given the full dynamat treatment and the other not. Same head unit same speakers e.t.c, the sound in the dynamatted treated car was deeper and warmer than the un-treated one. Thats in a fairly well sound proofed car too!

I would suggest (not sure if your head unit has the settings to alter the low pass filter and high pass filter from the head unit-mine does) altering the bass and treble settings through an amp by amping uprated speakers and adding crossovers and capacitors where required, this usually gets over looked and is a dead simple way of ensuring each frequency reaches each speaker correctly. Remember that certain speakers take certain ammounts of treble/bass. With the component fosgates, make sure the tweeter is close to the cone or the 'distance' in sound will be un-clear in terms of the tweeter over riding the bass from the mid (the larger of the component speaker)

Hope this helps!

RonnieH

[This message has been edited by RonaldoH (edited 21 October 2000).]

 

You will find a jumper on your cross overs that will allow you to reduce the treble by 3db.
Sound proofing the door will help a bit, as long as you cover all the holes in the door.
Why have you fitted 5" speakers? 6.5" fitted straight into my doors on an L reg. Bigger speakers will have a better base.
If you want decent base you are going to have to get a sub.

 

Hi,

Thanks for the advice.

1 - I was told by Halfords that 6" wouldn't really fit my doors, however I will admit the 6" fosgates we well over 200 quid. The sound you get is very very good, espeically when the car has been started up :-) I personally don't think 6" would have solved the bass problem as the interference inside the car is H U G E :-(

2 - Lookds like I'll get the same guy who fitted the stereo to dynomat the boot and front doors...what about the back 2 doors? Also, I'heard fitting foam helps the rattes..

3 - The tweeter is up on the triangle window pillar - so its not really near the cone. Where do you recommend I put it?
(sensible answers please :-) )

4 - I'll reduce the crossover by 3dB - good idea.

thanks again,

marcus

 

Marcus,

The 6" would have fitted, but would have been a more difficult fit that may involve using spacer rings, etc.

Tweeter positioning is very much a "suck it and see": different tweeters disperse sounds in different ways. Mine are on the wing-mirror triangle bit and don't sound bad at all. There's some stereo image, but the extension of the image on the right hand side is not all it should be for the driver.

Putting the tweeter near the midbass should give a more cohesive sound, but may knacker what little soundstage the passenger has and may be affected if you carry a passenger because their legs obstruct the path to you.

The biggest difference with my tweeters was experimenting with on-axis to off-axis positions: firing at different angles across the cabin. Off axis sounds much better with mine, but apparently that's how they were designed.

Again, that old adage: suck it and see. Get to know some music well and where the soundstage should be on a decent home hi-fi, then play the same in the car. Play around until you get an approximation . Some mounting strip may be helpful, or believe it or not, blu-tak.