welli just picked up a pioneer DEH-p3600 headunit, and a Kenwood KAC 7201 800watt 2/1 amp, now i know how to install a system have it set up, but i am a newbie to the whole frequency setting and what not, my head unit had alot of settings, my amp has high-pass filter, low pass filter, and other stuff, i was wondering how i can set it up to get the bass to hit nice and low, please rember im a newbie, if ya have a link to somewhere that explains this stuff, or wanna gimme a run down please throw me a bone, thanks all

 

well figuring as how i dont know how to set it up to sound right tell me how this sounds, i was messing around, set up my amp with the LPF freq. set to on running at about 50 Hz, set my input sensitivity at 1, half way up, turned bass boost on (12dB), with all that set up my head unit up to run at 80Hz with +2, was going to set it on 50Hz but when i did i got a high pitch squeal, do these settings should about right? or is there anohter wya to set it up to get low bass, ima newb with this

 

Dru - the most important question about frequencies is what sub are you driving w/that amp? In short order: do not feed the subwoofer higher freqs then it is desigened to handle. i.e: the sub's max range is 400hz, then cut the LPF on the amp at around 300hz to be safe. dont worry about cutting it at the head unit too much, no matter what goes in, a good amp xover will only send out what you limit it to. or best case: buy an external sub xover to be safe. you can pick one up for cheap for $15.
the sensitivity **** is for inpit voltage and a whole nother can of worms.
here's a link to a pretty in depth site where you will learn more then you ever wanted to know. Basic Car Audio
seriously, i've reffered to this guy a few times, he helped me layout the Stroker system for my last car. 18" CV Stroker (39lb sub) / 1200 watts continous, 2400 peak / 159.4 dB's.

 

thanks for the info, my subs are not named brand,Dual Two 1100W 12" Single-Band-Pass Subwoofers with Box (best buy), handeling power is 1100watts, 800RMS, which i doubt but thats what i said, Frequency response: 25Hz-200kHz, Sensitivity: 89dB, Impedance: 4 ohms, im running amp at about 50 HZ, which gives me a deeper bass, but ima read up on that link you gave me see whats up, thanks for the help

 

the xover on that model lpf goes from 50-200hz, anything you set it to is good (you wont overload the subs).
What this means in the real world is that you subs will play every freq between 50hz up to 200hz (if you set it at 200hz LPF). This is good. If your subs hit hard at 50hz they still play those freq's AND more with a 200hz setting.
Bandpass is nice (and usually looks cool) but is limited to the tuning frequency of the box. so no matter what you input it will always hit hardest in one range. put the lpf to 200hz, turn on the bass boos (90hz) and set the gain to where the bass still sounds undistorted at 3/4 full volume. She should bang alright.

 

imo i dont think it's a very good idea to put bass boost on. Epecially in a bandpass box where its harder to hear distortion, all you're doing with the bass boost is killing the subs with that clipped signal. And the lpf filter should be set around 80 on the amp itself. And BTW bandpass boxes always seem to be peaky at around 50hz give or take.

 

Dru, you seem to have the right idea.

50 hz and down will give you a clean sound and definitly more defined output.


Sorry, but setting the amp up for 200Hz LP is a good recipe for muddy distorted or only clean at low level type of bass......what's the point?

Just because the sub is marked ot handle up to 200 or 400Hz or whatever, doesn't mean it will actually sound good.

The numbers, such as bass boost or gain in Db or 1s and 2s...are meaningless on almost all equipment and especially to us here. All amps are different and those settings are relative to each situation. You do it by ear and you seem to be doing that, you will know if something is not right.


A friend of mine bought a cheapo Sony Xplode system with two 10"s and a 150watt (peak) amp, driving the subs in stereo.

I checked his settings and the xover was way up like 180Hz, I turned it down to 60Hz and had the bass boost about half way and the gain almost all the way up. That was as good as that was going to get, He thought it sounded good, but later told me he decided to turn the xover back up to 'get more bass'......................Nope....there's no more bass up there, it's all a figment of you're imagination!


I did work in an install bay one time and I don't ever recall seeing anyone's subs turned up more than 80Hz LP, it couldn't possibly sound right.

The alternative is too keep the gain very low and get a fuller range of bass, but there isn't much need for that if you have a good system in the fisrt place. Please don't try to compensate for crappy mid bass by taxing your subs and missing out on real bass.

 

thats why you need a decent set of mid bass drivers. an actual woofer built in that range. a good line driver will sort them all out for you.

 

doh... keep the gain on ur amp low other wise u gunna need some new subs... those non-name brand dual are rated 1100 max but how much rms or nominal? 800..... i thnk that ur box lies becuz i think ive seen them at pepboys for $50 for two.. if ur gain is too high ull burn out the voice coil