First timer Tuning new system..... Advice?

Ok I have posted on other forums about this and it usually turns into a debate from other members on this or that and gets totally high jacked. Fingers crossed as a new member it goes better here.

Here re is what I am working with....

1961 convertible Impala

HU- pioneer avh6600-dvd
audison av1.1 tweets
audison av6.5 mids
Two JL audio 10tw3 subs in a sealed box
Audison av5.1k amp

i do not have a dsp for the record. All the above I am planning to run active through the amp crossovers

plan is tweets crossed at about 2400-3000
mids 80-2400/3000
and subs below 80

first off I hope this sounds ok?

next up will be gains.....

i I will be setting them by ear (unless otherwise suggested) since I am not a shop and don't have all the dance gear.

i I plan to use a test tone to find the highest setting of clean volume on the HU. What time is best and at what dub?

then move to the different channels on the amp for gains using a tone within the crossover frequencies of that speaker. Ex under 80 for subs, between 80/2.4k for mids and over 2.4 for tweets. Does this sound right?


I I had a person say it is unsafe to tune tweeters by ear, is this true?

sorry for all the questions and rambling on and thanks in advance!!

http://www.caraudiojunkies.com/showt...d-Quality-IMHO

Start with Erin's post, linked above.

As for setting the gains, there is another approach he didn't mention. You take a $15 radio shack self powered speaker (link below), an RCA to mic adapter or similar and use your test tones. You'll hear the clipping in the speaker quite easily, with the exception of the sub which is harder. Having said that, it would probably be easiest to just set the sub gain using the voltage method Erin describes. After all, you'll be far less likely to hurt the sub by a bit too much than say a tweeter.

There are those that are hard core and swear by a scope only, but having seen first hand using a scope and the mini speaker side by side on the same signal, you'll hear it as soon as it shows up on the scope, so don't be too concerned about not having a scope.

Assuming all your equipment is easily accessible, you can do this in 10-15 minutes or so and be good to go.

You will also find different opinions on what scale to use for the tones. Erin mentions -10db. Some use 0 or -5. When I was taught it was 0db for each component except the amp, and -10db for that.

That's the method Mark Eldridge teaches in his class and what he uses, even though he has a scope and other fancy equipment.

Oh, and don't use a tone that is near the crossover frequency, pick one that won't be affected by the xo, so something on the middle of the speakers passband. Or turn off/adjust the xo "out of the way" for the gain setting, then set the xo back.

http://www.radioshack.com/radioshack...r/2771008.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ca90ss

http://www.caraudiojunkies.com/showt...d-Quality-IMHO

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Wow thats a lot of info!!! Good stuff but a lot to get ones head around!!

thanks for both the ideas I may just try the DMM setting technique, I just always heard people on forums say it was not the right way to do it. I will also look for that speaker!!

The dmm will not tell you clipping. It will tell you how much power the amp is creating (via the math Erin described). So, in your case you set your HU to 75-80% max which should keep it out of clipping, then use the dmm on the amp to get rated power for the speaker load you have.

It will definitely suffice to get you started.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by pocket5s

The dmm will not tell you clipping. It will tell you how much power the amp is creating (via the math Erin described). So, in your case you set your HU to 75-80% max which should keep it out of clipping, then use the dmm on the amp to get rated power for the speaker load you have.

It will definitely suffice to get you started.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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what if the speakers are rated for more than the amp channel is capable of?

As in watts? Nothing to worry about :)


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