Audio Integrations rear seat rack project thread
03-12-2008, 03:35 PM
#16
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I always figure the white stripe wire is GROUND. But the large spade here has the white striped wire. I also always assumed the large terminal is the POSITIVE. My speakers came with no paper at all so I have no way to make sure.
another test you can do on your macintosh is to switch the wiring on it. L speaker wire outputs to your R door and your R speaker wire outputs to L door. if you hear static on your right door, you can be pretty sure it is the amp. if you still hear static on your left door, then it is probably the rca's or speaker wiring.
Last edited by turfshark; 03-12-2008 at 03:38 PM.
03-12-2008, 04:37 PM
#17
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the larger spade should be positive. there is a way to make sure if you still doubt it. hook both spades up to your speaker, and hook the negative end of the wire to the negative end of a AA battery. lightly tap (do not hold it there) the other side to the positive side of the battery a few times. if the polarity is correct, the cone of your speaker should push up. if it is backwards, it will pull down.
another test you can do on your macintosh is to switch the wiring on it. L speaker wire outputs to your R door and your R speaker wire outputs to L door. if you hear static on your right door, you can be pretty sure it is the amp. if you still hear static on your left door, then it is probably the rca's or speaker wiring.
another test you can do on your macintosh is to switch the wiring on it. L speaker wire outputs to your R door and your R speaker wire outputs to L door. if you hear static on your right door, you can be pretty sure it is the amp. if you still hear static on your left door, then it is probably the rca's or speaker wiring.
03-12-2008, 10:53 PM
#18
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So.. it was either use my JL grill and have wood showing.. or use the trim ring and have no grill for safety. Obviously I couldnt have wood showing so I had to drop the grill.
I couldnt even hear it.. only one of my RCA cables came today, the one I didn't need.. So now my system has no RCA's but everything else..
I couldnt even hear it.. only one of my RCA cables came today, the one I didn't need.. So now my system has no RCA's but everything else..
03-13-2008, 10:10 AM
#19
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I can barely hear my sub.
Specs:
Alpine 9887
McIntosh MC427 (100Wrms x 2) ---> CDT CL61A-25PRO
Alpine MRD-M605 (600Wrms x 1 @ 2 ohms) ---> JL 10W6v2
Settings:
Deck crossovers: 80Hz HP / 18dB, 80Hz LP / 12dB
Deck subwoofer level: 15
Deck subwoofer outputs: MONO, 0 degree phase (default)
Amp gains: McIntosh MINIMUM (2V), Alpine digital gain (2.5V)
Alpine temp when subs running: 97.8F
Alpine voltage while running: 11.8V (I did not have the car running)
NO EQ'ing WHATSOEVER, everything dead flat
Comments:
I came from dual 10W3v2 subs years ago to this single 10W6v2. I am very disappointed so far in the sub. I had my McIntosh gains at almost half way, and couldnt hear a thing. (sub). Then I lowered my McIntosh gains to complete minimum, and finally just barely started hearing the sub. I could put my Alpine amp gains to a +4 or +6 bass boost and hear it a little better, but I dont want to burn up a nice sub. Still, I wanted it to be nice at "7" subwoofer deck level, so I'd have room for more when needed. Now, I have to max it and still barely hear it. I never hear it period until I get past deck power 20. I will give this a few days and see if anyone with W6 experience can offer some advice, but I was thinking 600Wrms would be way louder.
Specs:
Alpine 9887
McIntosh MC427 (100Wrms x 2) ---> CDT CL61A-25PRO
Alpine MRD-M605 (600Wrms x 1 @ 2 ohms) ---> JL 10W6v2
Settings:
Deck crossovers: 80Hz HP / 18dB, 80Hz LP / 12dB
Deck subwoofer level: 15
Deck subwoofer outputs: MONO, 0 degree phase (default)
Amp gains: McIntosh MINIMUM (2V), Alpine digital gain (2.5V)
Alpine temp when subs running: 97.8F
Alpine voltage while running: 11.8V (I did not have the car running)
NO EQ'ing WHATSOEVER, everything dead flat
Comments:
I came from dual 10W3v2 subs years ago to this single 10W6v2. I am very disappointed so far in the sub. I had my McIntosh gains at almost half way, and couldnt hear a thing. (sub). Then I lowered my McIntosh gains to complete minimum, and finally just barely started hearing the sub. I could put my Alpine amp gains to a +4 or +6 bass boost and hear it a little better, but I dont want to burn up a nice sub. Still, I wanted it to be nice at "7" subwoofer deck level, so I'd have room for more when needed. Now, I have to max it and still barely hear it. I never hear it period until I get past deck power 20. I will give this a few days and see if anyone with W6 experience can offer some advice, but I was thinking 600Wrms would be way louder.
Last edited by plac; 03-13-2008 at 10:15 AM.
03-13-2008, 10:12 PM
#20
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Update before bed:
Swapped the passive inputs left to right from my amp. This will determine if its my amp that has the static/noise issue. I am 75% sure now that it is my left tweeter. So I might be buying a new component set soon. (Has to be no deeper than 2.5"..) Tomorrow I find out for sure if its my amp or the speakers.
Raised my McIntosh gains off of minimum. I don't like being able to run my deck all the way up MAX volume, it just doesnt seem right. I don't think I'm getting all my power out of the Mc. I went to 9 o clock on my McIntosh gains, to bring up my power just a little bit.
My sub is still confusing, but it was sounding good on the way home tonight. It has enough sound now, although my Alpine sub amp gain is set for 1.5V. I noticed a very smooth clean bass on my songs tonight. Very rich and thick sounding, I actually liked it.
For the WRX forums.. I fixed all those dash rattles I thought I had, which took hours. Then I found out the noise is probably my tweet in the a pillar. Aw well, future proofing. I didnt have any of those rattles.
Tomorrow:
I might measure my sub RCA voltage to see what kind of volts I'm getting. I dont want to be driving my sub into clipping, its already overpowered with 600Wrms vs the recommended 400Wrms. If I see the RCA is pretty underpowered I won't be as worried about keeping my gains very high.
I might remove the rear deck cover and do my dynamat on it. Maybe cut some extra foam out from the two big holes so it can breathe better. I definitely won't be cutting the top layer at all.
These front speakers just aren't up to par with the rest of my system. But I'll wait until I confirm a bad tweeter before I order some new set.
Swapped the passive inputs left to right from my amp. This will determine if its my amp that has the static/noise issue. I am 75% sure now that it is my left tweeter. So I might be buying a new component set soon. (Has to be no deeper than 2.5"..) Tomorrow I find out for sure if its my amp or the speakers.
Raised my McIntosh gains off of minimum. I don't like being able to run my deck all the way up MAX volume, it just doesnt seem right. I don't think I'm getting all my power out of the Mc. I went to 9 o clock on my McIntosh gains, to bring up my power just a little bit.
My sub is still confusing, but it was sounding good on the way home tonight. It has enough sound now, although my Alpine sub amp gain is set for 1.5V. I noticed a very smooth clean bass on my songs tonight. Very rich and thick sounding, I actually liked it.
For the WRX forums.. I fixed all those dash rattles I thought I had, which took hours. Then I found out the noise is probably my tweet in the a pillar. Aw well, future proofing. I didnt have any of those rattles.
Tomorrow:
I might measure my sub RCA voltage to see what kind of volts I'm getting. I dont want to be driving my sub into clipping, its already overpowered with 600Wrms vs the recommended 400Wrms. If I see the RCA is pretty underpowered I won't be as worried about keeping my gains very high.
I might remove the rear deck cover and do my dynamat on it. Maybe cut some extra foam out from the two big holes so it can breathe better. I definitely won't be cutting the top layer at all.
These front speakers just aren't up to par with the rest of my system. But I'll wait until I confirm a bad tweeter before I order some new set.
03-13-2008, 10:41 PM
#21
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I expect a lot of people to tell me how untechnical this test is. So if you think it's wrong, do you own test. I would love some more professional testing from people that know what they're doing.
My biggest question.. why with my deck maxed at 35 volume, could my RCA's only manage about 1.5V RCA output voltage? Where does that 4V rated signal magically come in? This explains a lot to me about my weak sub output, and why I had to put my sub amp gains up to 1.5V for it to sound halfway decent.
Watch the video, make the call.
http://74.220.202.31/~bellbott/rcaouts.wmv
My biggest question.. why with my deck maxed at 35 volume, could my RCA's only manage about 1.5V RCA output voltage? Where does that 4V rated signal magically come in? This explains a lot to me about my weak sub output, and why I had to put my sub amp gains up to 1.5V for it to sound halfway decent.
Watch the video, make the call.
http://74.220.202.31/~bellbott/rcaouts.wmv
03-14-2008, 12:58 PM
#22
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And.... the huge results I have been waiting for, for the last week.
My McIntosh amp IS bad. It is not my tweet. My left side (always been my left side) has a cricket snap crackle pop in the tweet almost always. I heard it all last night on the way home. Last night I swapped my amps speaker wires to the opposite passive crossover boxes. My snap crackle pop is now on my right side tweet. I'm now 100% sure its the amp.
Plans? Well I will send that amp off and spend money to fix it once its out. Its too beautiful cosmetically to get rid of. But I will have my new system up and running by then. I just got a work bonus of a few thou, and I think I will buy another amp. Additionally, I am not thrilled with that Alpine amp, so this would be an all in 1 solution. A 4 channel amp for fronts and sub. One of my top choices is a mint McIntosh 100x4, I just love them. I don't feel a TRU T series would be equal to a McIntosh to my ears. I would love a billet TRU 100x4 but that is WAY too expensive. I would spend $400-$600 for the right amp, depending on how mint it was. This will also cause me to order a new fiberglass bucket for my amp rack, which the company said they can send me. It just bolts on to that MDF carpet piece. I now go to ebay and start looking around. I'd be pissed if I got another broken McIntosh.
My McIntosh amp IS bad. It is not my tweet. My left side (always been my left side) has a cricket snap crackle pop in the tweet almost always. I heard it all last night on the way home. Last night I swapped my amps speaker wires to the opposite passive crossover boxes. My snap crackle pop is now on my right side tweet. I'm now 100% sure its the amp.
Plans? Well I will send that amp off and spend money to fix it once its out. Its too beautiful cosmetically to get rid of. But I will have my new system up and running by then. I just got a work bonus of a few thou, and I think I will buy another amp. Additionally, I am not thrilled with that Alpine amp, so this would be an all in 1 solution. A 4 channel amp for fronts and sub. One of my top choices is a mint McIntosh 100x4, I just love them. I don't feel a TRU T series would be equal to a McIntosh to my ears. I would love a billet TRU 100x4 but that is WAY too expensive. I would spend $400-$600 for the right amp, depending on how mint it was. This will also cause me to order a new fiberglass bucket for my amp rack, which the company said they can send me. It just bolts on to that MDF carpet piece. I now go to ebay and start looking around. I'd be pissed if I got another broken McIntosh.
04-06-2008, 10:27 PM
#25
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Since I had my rear deck cover out in preparation for my new one tomorrow, figured I'd get the pic I hadn't got yet.
Here is what the back of my amp rack looks like:
And here is a sample of my deadening under the rear deck:
Here is what the back of my amp rack looks like:
And here is a sample of my deadening under the rear deck:
