Down-And-Dirty Quick Sound System Setup Guide

[*sic 1]

First of all, buy the following :

• Front Component (Split) Speakers

• 4 Channel Amp

• Subwoofer

• (optional) Rear Coaxial Speakers

Obviously installing will vary from vehicle to vehicle, but heres a few tips to help you do things right

• If you're going to install your component tweeters in the A-Pillar sail etc, try facing them into the windscreen rather than right at you : this can take off some of the harshness of the sound.

• If possible, try and angle the component woofers towards you

• Wire your front speakers and sub off the 4ch amp : if you have rear speakers, wire them off the headunit rear speaker outputs.

• ALWAYS either get a sub box professionally made or make one yourself to spec, do NOT buy off the shelf ones : they almost universally suck.

• If you want Sound Quality, ask for or make a box with a total Q (Qtc) of 0.707... if you dont know how, ask here. If you want to make a ported box for Loudness, most ported subs sound reasonable tuned to about 35Hz

• Always do some form of panel sound deadening : nothing ruins the music more than panel rattle.

• Use Y-connectors to split the single RCA output from the Front output on the headunit to both the speaker inputs and sub inputs on the amp : this solves problems in the setup guide below.

And now a quick and dirty guide to setting it all up

• Turn the headunit all the way down : if you have rear speakers connected, fade the headunit all the way to the front.

• Turn the gains on the amp to as low as they will go.

• Turn the headunit up to 4/5ths of as high as it will go. The sound should be medium volume now.

• Now slowly turn up the gain for the speakers until they JUST start to distort, and then ease off a tiny bit. Then turn the sub gain up until it either starts to distort or its at the right volume to match the front speakers, whatever comes first.

• Now turn the headunit down to normal listening volume. If you have rears connected, with the music playing fade the headunit slowly to the back until you JUST hear the rear speakers come on : this way its set up for rear fill for a bit of ambience and wont stuff your soundstage.

• Enjoy the music

If you follow those steps you wont overly go wrong, and it gives you a good base to start to experiment... have fun

[Guest Spargo]

Say no to rear fill.

Otherwise all good, Holmes.

[aliluya 0]

Say no to rear fill.

Otherwise all good, Holmes.

I say rear fills are good .. ! I like them ..

[BM WORLD 1283]

also if you have the option in the head unit or in the amp eq setting s always cut the bass going to the front and rear speakers if running a sub . dont try and forse bass into speakers that cant do it . it will take the stress off the speakers and amps and clean up the top end sound .

set the sub to 50Hz and below and cut the bass to your front and rear speakers at 100-120hz should give you a nice flat response .

[Gus 5]

sounds impressive.....pin

[kurtyb 1]

also if you have the option in the head unit or in the amp eq setting s always cut the bass going to the front and rear speakers if running a sub . dont try and forse bass into speakers that cant do it . it will take the stress off the speakers and amps and clean up the top end sound .

set the sub to 50Hz and below and cut the bass to your front and rear speakers at 100-120hz should give you a nice flat response .

WORKS LIKE A CHARM

[kingkarl 136]

also if you have the option in the head unit or in the amp eq setting s always cut the bass going to the front and rear speakers if running a sub . dont try and forse bass into speakers that cant do it . it will take the stress off the speakers and amps and clean up the top end sound .

set the sub to 50Hz and below and cut the bass to your front and rear speakers at 100-120hz should give you a nice flat response .

I've done this and it sounds awesome.

If set up this way does that mean frequencies between 50 and 100/120hz are not played?

Just curious... Still sounds great either way