Looking to the speakerHeads for help/suggestions! !

[TXtraumaRN]

Cerwin Vega has been manufacturing audio & electronics for all vehicles. Making It Loud Since 1954!

If you don't have anything pertinent to add to the discussion, then please don't reply.

 

[tim h]

oops...

I am currently collecting components for my stereo install project and am NOT well informed on what I need/want.
So I'm following along

I have the same background as you @TXtraumaRN

 

[212s]

They are in parallel. I had been meaning to bridge them,

That will make a big difference as you're only driving each speaker with 32.5w in parallel. Bridging one speaker on front and one on rear will give you 130w each.

From what I've read, this sub requires closer to 800 to get good bass. I did not check the radio level so I will do that as well.

I'm betting something is not turned up if you're not getting good output with 320w - that's plenty of power to pump an IB sub. I wouldn't drive it with more than 500w either as you can overheat the voicecoil with steady bass over 400w depending on how well the sub is designed. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop with big bass or similar, you can damage the sub with too much power.

So, if I'm understanding correctly... if I have only the sub running through the amp (and put the towers on a separate Amp), that is the best way to get more out of it? Or will I still get only 320w? Or if I put the sub on a separate Amp does increase power to the two connected tower speakers to give me 260w to each tower?

No you will only get 320w to the sub unless you use a 2ohm sub which will draw 500w.

You don't need another amp - this one will drive your towers and sub nicely. Something is not set up properly.

 

[jocolo21]

That will make a big difference as you're only driving each speaker with 32.5w in parallel. Bridging one speaker on front and one on rear will give you 130w each.

I'm betting something is not turned up if you're not getting good output with 320w - that's plenty of power to pump an IB sub. I wouldn't drive it with more than 500w either as you can overheat the voicecoil with steady bass over 400w depending on how well the sub is designed. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop with big bass or similar, you can damage the sub with too much power.

No you will only get 320w to the sub unless you use a 2ohm sub which will draw 500w.

You don't need another amp - this one will drive your towers and sub nicely. Something is not set up properly.

He still has 4 cockpit speaker will need a separate amp for them

 

[TXtraumaRN]

He still has 4 cockpit speaker will need a separate amp for them

I had asked if anyone thought I needed a separate Amp for the sub, so that's what he's referring to. I already have a JBL 400w Amp for the cabin speakers.

 

[jocolo21]

I had asked if anyone thought I needed a separate Amp for the sub, so that's what he's referring to. I already have a JBL 400w Amp for the cabin speakers.

Gotcha i only saw the big amp.

 

[TXtraumaRN]

@tim h i also found a link that is basically "tuning an Amp for dummies". Seems to have some decent info...


Tuning an Amp for Dummies

 

[TXtraumaRN]

Parts parts and more parts... Gonna do the install today and fine tune tmrw.

 

[TXtraumaRN]

Got everything hooked back up. Getting much better sound out of the towers with them bridged. Sub still isn't up to par, but I didn't get a chance to dial everything in yet. Working 65+ hours over the next 4 days isn't going to allow me to do much until. Wed.
On the upside though... 2 Ohm sub was delivered today.

 

[Johnboat]

Got everything hooked back up. Getting much better sound out of the towers with them bridged. Sub still isn't up to par, but I didn't get a chance to dial everything in yet. Working 65+ hours over the next 4 days isn't going to allow me to do much until. Wed.
On the upside though... 2 Ohm sub was delivered today.

Great thread, I just ordered the same 2 Ohm kicker tube for my 2021 sx195 and Im trying to figure out the best location to mount it. Where did you mount yours? could you post a pic? Thanks in advance.

 

[TXtraumaRN]

Great thread, I just ordered the same 2 Ohm kicker tube for my 2021 sx195 and Im trying to figure out the best location to mount it. Where did you mount yours? could you post a pic? Thanks in advance.

I'll be off for 5 days starting tomorrow, so I'm gonna try and get everything completed as I've got family coming in the following week.
Currently the 4ohm sub is mounted in the aft port well under the seat. I'll be pulling it out tomorrow and replacing it with the 2ohm. The 2ohm was delivered Saturday and has just been staring at me and teasing me since. I really need some warmer weather so I can enjoy the fruits of my labor.

 

[TXtraumaRN]

@Farny @jocolo21 @Daddy Fat Sacs OK, I don't know if I'm just not reading the specs right, or I'm looking at something completely different. Everything is set up and I want to tune the amps, but I can't find the voltage settings.

MA704 - 4 ch @ 4ohms

MA4505 - 2 ch bridged at 4ohms, sub at 2ohms

Sepec sheet for both:
JBL Marine Amplifier Specs

 

[Daddy Fat Sacs]

Ok here goes so the formula you want to be using is
V = the square root of RMS power x Speaker ohm

So for your 704 is 70w rms x 4ohm = 280. square root of 280 =16.73 your desired voltage

The 4505
Towers are 130w x 4ohm = 520. Square root of 520 = 22.8

Sub is 500w x 2ohm = 1000. Square root of 1000 = 31.62

Remeber it is imperative that you disconnect ALL speakers while tuning. Turn your head unit up to 75% volume. Turn off any bass boost, trebble, mids, bass all need to be set at 0. You will want to ensure that your amps to high level sensitivity switch for your mids/highs and of course to a low level sensitivity for your sub. I also would set your frequency on your mids/highs around the 120hz and your sub around 60 to start. You can always adjust these once your amps are tuned for better quality of sound on your preference. Start with the gains all the way down, plug your multimeter into each terminal respectively and start to slowly turn up the gain as you watch the multimeter. Once you have your gains set, turn down the volume all the way, TURN OFF batteries, reconnect all speaker wires accordingly, turn batteries back on and enjoy!!

For your towers and other coaxial speakers you want to use the 1khz track and the 50hz track for the sub.

Both tracks can be found here

https://jlaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/235503327-Audio-Files

 

[tim h]

@Daddy Fat Sacs
Do you freelance doing tuning and installs ???

 

[Daddy Fat Sacs]

@Daddy Fat Sacs
Do you freelance doing tuning and installs ???

lol I do not. Now if you’re local (Tampa) I’m more than willing to help but I’m too old with gorilla hands and out of shape now to be trying to to do anything more.

 

[tim h]

I am "pretty" local. Land O Lakes just north of Tampa...
If you like to drink beer while sitting on a boat, I definitely could use some direction.
I could let you know when have all the components installed..

 

[Daddy Fat Sacs]

Absolutely!!! Send me a pm and we can chat some more

 

[jocolo21]

Exactly what he said now if your speaker have a lower watt rms you will have to calculate a lower voltage. Works great thats how i set uo my boat using a multimeter from harbor freight.

 

[TXtraumaRN]

Ok here goes so the formula you want to be using is
V = the square root of RMS power x Speaker ohm

So for your 704 is 70w rms x 4ohm = 280. square root of 280 =16.73 your desired voltage

The 4505
Towers are 130w x 4ohm = 520. Square root of 520 = 22.8

Sub is 500w x 2ohm = 1000. Square root of 1000 = 31.62

Remeber it is imperative that you disconnect ALL speakers while tuning. Turn your head unit up to 75% volume. Turn off any bass boost, trebble, mids, bass all need to be set at 0. You will want to ensure that your amps to high level sensitivity switch for your mids/highs and of course to a low level sensitivity for your sub. I also would set your frequency on your mids/highs around the 120hz and your sub around 60 to start. You can always adjust these once your amps are tuned for better quality of sound on your preference. Start with the gains all the way down, plug your multimeter into each terminal respectively and start to slowly turn up the gain as you watch the multimeter. Once you have your gains set, turn down the volume all the way, TURN OFF batteries, reconnect all speaker wires accordingly, turn batteries back on and enjoy!!

For your towers and other coaxial speakers you want to use the 1khz track and the 50hz track for the sub.

Both tracks can be found here

https://jlaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/235503327-Audio-Files

Already got the tracks ready to go. Thank you again brother. If you're ever out this way (Houston) hit me up. I'll show you how we do it in TX and the beers are on me.

 

[adrianp89]

Honestly use the tried and true method of the ear test.

Turn radio up to 3/4 or 2/3, turn up gains until you hear distortion, turn back down a hair.

The DMM method is one technical way, but with many flaws. Even using an O-scope has it flaws. There is no perfect way to set gains.

This is a pretty hand tool for getting you pretty close, again nothing is perfect. This is basically an o-scope with a light.

Amazon.com: Steave Meade Designs SMD DD-1 Distortion Detector : Electronics

Buy Steave Meade Designs SMD DD-1 Distortion Detector: Motion Detectors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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