Speaker Upgrade Tuning

I replaced my front speakers with JL Audio C1-690's and rear speakers with JL Audio C1-650x's. Installed sound deadening in all 4 doors. Also, installed a Kicker Key 200.4.

Install went smooth. I left all dip switches up on Key amp. Performed auto tune with HU eq set flat and gains on amp turn all the way down. Set volume to 40 and used an usb stick for pink noise. Auto tune was successful. After tune, I set the front and rear gain up as high as I could go with no hiss. Ended up front at "2" and rear at "3".

Now the issue. System sounds amazing when turned up. When I'm alone, I end up listening pretty loud with volume at 42. Needed to tweak the mid down 1 notch and high up 1 notch. But when I have the kid and/or wife in the truck, I need to turn it down. End up at 20-25 on the volume. At these volume levels the sound is not great. Lows seems too loud and high are tinny. Almost no mids. Playing with the eq doesn't really fix it.

Should I retune it at a lower volume level? Is this just the way it is, because of the stock HU? Would turning on compression help? Any other ideas?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Sounds like you want more headroom which means you want a little more power... a jd or rd amp to those would do that. Other than that you could go with HU with dsp or JL fix into twk dsp if you don’t wanna replace headunit. I understand I was dead set on keeping factory hu bc I loved the looks and interface but when I finally put aftermarket Kenwood in it made big difference. Was game changer. Idk though Maybe try turning to gains down on low end to level match when at lower volumes. Try fading to front... Can you bridge the kicker key? Maybe bridge it to fronts and let rear run off hu power for fill.. sorry probably not much help here unless you wanna spend more money

 

also just seeing again you’ve got rear up more than front. That is taking away feom your listening position and passenger front. I would flip that for sure

 

I actually moved the fader on HU towards the rear 2 notches after the auto tune. It seemed to give a fuller sound.

I'm not sure if I'm looking for more head room. At volume 42, I'm more than happy with the system. I listen to mostly rock and ska music. Both sound amazing.

I'm just not getting a linear experience as I turn down the volume.

 

More power will make it sound fuller at all volumes and most likely you won’t make it to 42 without thinking it’s too loud with a 25 more watts rms. I started off in November with my system upgrades and I went with alpine power pack originally and was in kind of the same boat as you when I turned it up it sounded solid but at low volumes it’s like everything went away

 

So you don't have Alpine anymore? I have one too and am wondering if it's just the Alpine that is not really producing the power. Doesn't sound really anymore powerful than without it at low volume.

 

No sir I’ve gone from small power pack oem to Kenwood hu fully active 3 way 1300 watt 9 channel setup since November. JL audio hd 600/4 and JL Audio xd 700/5v2 with micro sub 8” and JL twk 88 dsp. I thought the alpine was very good for a 45w rms amplifier personally just not what I decided I wanted to go with

 

All that and still just 1- 8" sub

 

Nah I’ve got an 8” infinity powered sub under driver seat too but I don’t need a lot of sub bass tbh bc my door woofers have incredible mid bass picking up at 85hz

 

Do you remember what you had your Alpine set at for crossover?? I have 1 Rockford sub for right now until I get the box for 2 JL 10"s. Not sure if I set it for off or other frequency's. What where you running it at? I don't have all my stuff permeant yet so still in trial faze

 

I had coaxial speakers with the alpine and set at 80hz I think. Not positive though

 

Update- So I re tuned the Kicker Key today. I must of turned off the eq, after I tuned the first time. I ended being able to turn the gains up a little higher and no hiss. It actually sounds great at all volume levels now.

Only down side is I'm itching for a sub now.