hey, i bought a set of orion 6x9's that fit in sail panels where the orignal 6x9s fit, they sound great, but tend to get a little staticy when i turn up the volume up past 30, is this just because they are not getting enough power from the head unit. the head is a JVC chamleon 50x4. thats what my guess is. but down when i have the volume around 25-20, they have great quality. i've been told that orion is a great brand, comprable to alpine and eclipse, so why is it that i've only seen them in like 2 stores. american doesn't carry them, neither does like best buy or locally owned high end audio places that carry the newest alpine, JL, and eclipse lines. so whats the scoope on them?

 

It could be one of 2 things.

1. When you turn your radio up too far, you exceed the capabilities of the radio's very small amplifier, and it clips the output signal. This sounds like *** (which is what you're hearing) and can damage the speakers. If this is the case, adding a good quality amplifier can make a good improvement in the sound.

2. The speaker is being driven beyond its abilities, either because it's a **** poor speaker, or because it's damaged. If this is the case, adding an amplifier won't help at all.

 

i'd be willing to bet that if the speakers are not the bottom of the line junk, that the head unit is the problem, and an amplifier will help.

 

Orion is by no means bottom of the line junk

I was considering one of their amps a while ago but decided against it due to cost.

 

i was referring to the different product lines.

example: cobalt < xtr<xtr pro<extreme<hcca

 

To add to what Jim said, being a JVC there's a third/fourth potential problem. The distortion your are hearing could be "clipping" or could be a bad amp IC/bad connections. The latter has a VARY distinct sound, but it almost impossible to describe. Most of the time a unit with this problem will come in saying something like "static" in audio above a piont. Wich is how you dissribed your problem. With a JCV you will aften see them dump clean power into a bad load, up to a piont. You didn't say if the speakers are new or used (I'm asumming new)? How did the old speakers sound? Some things I would check (well, I wouldn't check them because I know this problem by how it sounds) would be the speaker connections. Did you install them? Make absolutely certain that no speaker wires are hitting ground, each other, or ANYTHING. This can give you this "staticy" audio at high volume, but still have good audio at lower volume from a JVC. Check the speaker with an ohm meter to.

Now I'm not saying this is your problem, it probably isn't. Just letting know there are other possibilities. It's hard to tell with out hearing it. Trying to accurately describe an audio/distortion problem is difficult at best with out hearing it your self.