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I will bet money that if you are using the factory head unit and cutting off frequency below 300hz to the center channel, it sounds worse than stock. Because it actually worsens the problem of lacking punch.
But that's nature of audio, if its something you have done, it will sound magical to your ears. How many times have you heard a car pull up next to you and its distorted and horrible sounding, not to the guy that spend thousands on it.
You could have a blown driver, Cambo just confirmed there are several who have done it. Replace the broken driver with the identical one or similar, there is way too much to calculate and much that can go wrong. You wont be the first to think that there is no special knowledge needed to do audio. But you would be the first to succeed.
It wont do you any good to understand the factory DSP, if you dont the other 4 ingredients that work in conjunction with it. The DSP is for that specific driver, cabinet volume and amp. The way to bypass the DSP is with the formula I described in my earlier post. But if you could calculate all that you would be in the car audio business. Just know that the professionals who made our car stereo could have used the same 50cent capacitor to block the bass, if it was a simple cure without side-effects. And they could even do it at the precise desirable frequency such as at the resonant frequency of the driver.
Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I put this cap on the speaker and all of a sudden my stereo sounds amazing. It doesn't sound as bad as it did though.
Audiophiles are funny people. Audiophiles with money are even funnier. Like you said, if its something you have done, it will sound magical. There are a lot of companies that prey on this in the high end audio market. Lots of snake oil out there.
Car audio is also funny thing. It's not a great environment for accurate sound reproduction. If you do put in the effort, once you start the car and drive down the road, it all changes. I've sat in some very impressive SQ cars and yes, they were spectacular. Parked.
For 90% of people I think the best we can ask for is a somewhat decent front stage without distortion or rattles. If it were as easy as just choosing drivers based on their specs, slapping them in and pushing a full range signal at them (No crossovers, no time alignment, no factory DSP compensation, nothing) companies like Audison and Audiocontrol are selling us snake oil with their DSPs. I can't prove this, but from my limited experience with the Jag setup I think the factory DSP starts really stepping in around 3/4 volume. Over that it sounds like the bass get attenuated and the mids/tweets breaking up a bit. I would love to hoot an RTA up and see what's really going on. Like, should I replace the door speakers with coaxials? Or are they crossed over high and tweeter would be useless?
Bypassing all that to get full control is definitely the way to go. But here we are.
I've question about speaker. I want install two ways speakers in the door (ok for choice model in this post)) but i want change rear speaker by 2 subwoofer 6.5". Do you mind that's its good install ?
Did i install electronic component to have only low frequency ?
Thanks
Marc
Looking to follow Q&C's advice and physically block the tweeters, but would prefer to do so behind the tweeter cover instead of on top for aesthetic purposes. But I am at a loss as to whether the covers can be pried off the housing in their mounted state, or would the tweeter housing have to be removed to introduce sound absorbing/deadening material.
I plan to experiment with different sound absorbing materials such as polyurethane open-cell foam and polyester felt as my initial candidates for dampening the harsh and out-of-phase sound emitting from the drivers. If dampening doesn't prove satisfactory, I will likely seek a sound-blocking solution such as wrap or closed-cell foam (e.g., neoprene). But I have no interest in pulling off the door panels and tweeter housing, as the risk for damage outweighs my desire for better sound.
I have a 2009 XKR Portfolio Coupe with premium B&W sound (see photo below). I would appreciate any suggestions for how to remove the tweeter cover, and if it requires removal of the housing and/or door panel. Thanks!
-Marlon
I would not expect tweeter cover to survive prying. They break real easy.
Try clear paint protection film, thinner the better, looks factory, 100% transmission block.
You can also simply disconnect the wire and get more amplifier power for free.
Looking to follow Q&C's advice and physically block the tweeters, but would prefer to do so behind the tweeter cover instead of on top for aesthetic purposes. But I am at a loss as to whether the covers can be pried off the housing in their mounted state, or would the tweeter housing have to be removed to introduce sound absorbing/deadening material.
I plan to experiment with different sound absorbing materials such as polyurethane open-cell foam and polyester felt as my initial candidates for dampening the harsh and out-of-phase sound emitting from the drivers. If dampening doesn't prove satisfactory, I will likely seek a sound-blocking solution such as wrap or closed-cell foam (e.g., neoprene). But I have no interest in pulling off the door panels and tweeter housing, as the risk for damage outweighs my desire for better sound.
I have a 2009 XKR Portfolio Coupe with premium B&W sound (see photo below). I would appreciate any suggestions for how to remove the tweeter cover, and if it requires removal of the housing and/or door panel. Thanks!
-Marlon
Passenger-side tweeter
Hello Marlon
My 2008 car has the base audio system but I believe the tweeter mounts the same way. The chrome trim ring and grill in your photo is retained on the backside of the housing by the tweeter mounting ring and cannot be pried off from the front.
You have to remove the housing from the door to get to the tweeter itself. The main part of the housing is shown in your picture but ,if you open the door, you will see a short “tongue” on the housing going down the top front of the door. There is a metal friction clip at the front of the tongue and the rear of the main housing plus plastic guides on the bottom of the tongue and top of the main housing.
As Q&C says, the plastic is fragile (the trim ring especially) so if you attempt to remove this, warm the housing thoroughly and ease the housing off. I went front to back when I removed mine but did break one of the plastic guides which I repaired with epoxy. My trim ring was already broken but managed to glue everything together so the tweeter is retained.
The tweeter can be removed from its mount with a half turn so no need to take the mount or trim ring off the housing. Or you can just disconnect the connector as suggested.
Good luck and let us know how your experiments work out.
Mike
Thank you Queen&Country and V7Sport! I'm not sure where I'd be without this forum, but likely down one tweeter retaining ring....
-Marlon
Marlon
Glad to help with my very limited experience. Many other forum members can provide additional advice. I just happened to have repaired my LH tweeter after the grill fell in and the speaker was dangling by the speaker wiring connector. And found out a replacement housing costs $300!! The tweeter trim ring is not available separately. Hence the go slowly caution.
Mike
Knock Knock..... hellooo anyone there?
I just spent the last 2 hours reading and re-reading and taking notes about **** I know nothing about to find no post 253?
I'm waiting on the happy ending.... the money shot!
Did anyone find a way to make our sound systems better other than tape over the tweeter?
Don't think you can do much to improve the sound cause the problem is the head unit, the speakers are fine. I replaced my head unit with the Tesla style 12.1" android unit and the sound improvement is vast. There are several of us who have done it and we all agree the sound is much better. Not to everyone's taste but I'm very pleased with it.:-)
Taping over the tweeter just removes some of the highs, which is a bad thing to do if you like highs. You NEED high frequency in a convertible especially. Plus it'd look stupid to tape stuff.
Knock Knock..... hellooo anyone there?
I just spent the last 2 hours reading and re-reading and taking notes about **** I know nothing about to find no post 253?
I'm waiting on the happy ending.... the money shot!
Did anyone find a way to make our sound systems better other than tape over the tweeter?
I added a crossover between the door speaker and tweeter and it was a definite improvement for me, but full disclosure, I'm hearing impaired. I also did a Tesla style 12.1" screen retrofit and the sound improved even more. My wife, who is not hearing impaired and can hear everything I mutter from 20 feet away, also said she thought there was improvement with the crossover and a significant improvement with the aftermarket Tesla stuff but that's not for everyone.
The factory head unit & screen retained, but using a Mobridge DA1 fibre optic interface, to an Audison APF8.9bit amp, running 8 channels to the factory speaker locations, but Morel speakers instead of the factory Alpines.
I haven't heard it (it's 1000km away from me) but from what I've been told, it's very good. But it'd want to be for $9k.
And this car gave us an opportunity to test something... the XF amp did "work" as in the system powered up and functioned, didn't get a chance to connect any speakers though.
But i know what an XF sounds like already so it's something to think about if the opportunity arises...
And this car gave us an opportunity to test something... the XF amp did "work" as in the system powered up and functioned, didn't get a chance to connect any speakers though.
But i know what an XF sounds like already so it's something to think about if the opportunity arises...
Could you elaborate a bit more on this part of the experience Cambo? Was the amp simply plug and play or is it just never that easy:-)?