What am I doing wrong (no bass...)?

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Sun Jun 16, 2002 4:33 pm

Hi,

this is my ICE setup in the CC:
SONY CDX-MP30 (4x50W)
Front speakers: JBL GTO 625 (60W) with JBL tweeters.
Power Handling, RMS: 60 Watts
Power Handling, Peak: 180 Watts
Frequency Response (Â±3dB): 55Hz - 21kHz
Sensitivity: 92dB
Impedance: 4 Ohms

Rear speakers: Peugeot

My problem is that this ICE setup doesnt have enough bass!!

If I increase the bass level from the SONY, after a certain volume the speakers start to vibrate (regulation is the right term I think) and deteriorate, first the left one. This also depends on the song I hear. Furthermore the bass problem doesn't seem to improve as much as I expected.

If I set the whole sound to the front speakers, the music sounds as there is no bass at all. From this I assume that the rear speakers have a lot to do with the bass...

I asked my ICE dealer and he said the headunit doesn't have enough power to drive the speakers and so they start to deteriorate after a certain volume. He suggested I should install an amplifier.

Right now I am leaning towards installing a new set of rear speakers, since a new amplifier is much more expensive.

What do you think is the problem?
I have heard other cars that dont have any special components (amps or subwoofer) and they have more bass!!! For example the default ICE setup of the Mazda MX-5.

thanks in advance
bear in mind I don't know much about audio car Hi-Fi, although I am eager to learn

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Yannis on 2002-06-16 15:35 ]</font>

M275 · Post by **M275** » Sun Jun 16, 2002 6:30 pm

I have exactly the same problem.

I replaced the factory fit speakers with 190w fronts and 90 w rears and get v little bass.

I too was told that my stereo isnt powerfull enopugh to run the speakers..

I will be getting an amp fitted soon.

M

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Sun Jun 16, 2002 7:29 pm

Hi,

I thought you had installed great speakers (Kenwood, right?). Maybe it's not the speakers which have the problem after all...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Yannis on 2002-06-17 00:03 ]</font>

mvoong · Post by **mvoong** » Mon Jun 17, 2002 4:19 pm

there's no point having great speakers if you can't drive it properly...definitely go for the amp. After all the rear speakers are smaller than the front ones anyway so won't provide any more bass than you already have

col · Post by **col** » Mon Jun 17, 2002 5:02 pm

The only way to get enough bass is to feed a sub with an amp, running quality speakers on the HU wont give enough bass

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Mon Jun 17, 2002 6:21 pm

Here are some news from my problem...
I visited two other dealers and explain them my problem.
One of them told me that the speakers I have are not very good. JBL isn't the company it used to be and he suggested to me I should change them with a pair of MBQuart with active crossovers etc.
The other one told that the speakers are fine but they have a high sensitivity and therefore I would need a 2-channel amplifier to drive them.
Both of them told I should not bother with the rear speakers.

What do you think?

Yannis

TZAG · Post by **TZAG** » Tue Jun 18, 2002 6:36 am

Hi Yannis,
I understand your dilemma to go for an amp. or for rear speakers.
I believe the amp. option is the most wise, that's because a)the size of the rear speakers is too small (10cm) to make the difference between factory's "no name" and any other "name" speakers, and b)whoever wants good sound quality, doesn't rely on unit's power that drives them surely poor.
You will hear the difference even installing a small amp. because the power handling will be better than now. If that doesn't satisfy you, another solution is to go for active subwoofer like Kenwood's KSC-WA62RC which I've heard without amp and the sound it's just great!
Spend the money wise.
P.S I experience the same problems as you do.
I've installed the Kenwood's KFC-PSR70P with external crossover (100W RMS - 200W peak) with freq. 30~30kHz and 92 dB sensitivity.
If you finally go for the rear speakers I suggest you to choose two way ones for better performance.
Cheers,
TZAG.

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Tue Jun 18, 2002 3:40 pm

Well I changed my speakers!
The JBL are gone. I changed them for some more sensitive Audax and two textile tweeters.
They are great! The difference is huge. I also tried a pair of Focal. These had greater bass, but overall sound was better with the Audax.

My problem now is that after a certain level the door starts to vibrate. That happens in extremely low bass. Do you have any idea for this?

Yannis