Sound System Issues
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,416
Likes: 187
From: Near St. Louis Mo.
Sound System Issues
Took my scooter to a local guy who does bike audio and got some questionable advice. He was asked to fix a problem with my amp cutting out and tune my system.
System
Stock 15 head unit flashed 4 speakers no amp
Amp Arc Moto 600.4
2 BT line levelers
Front speakers JL Audio ZR650 CSI's
Rear Speakers JL M770's in the lids.
He fixed the amp cutting out issue, which had given me a headache since install, so that was worth the $120 just to eliminate the frustration.
The tune and advice I found questionable - Previous ran my head unit maxed at about 75% volume.
Gain was set close to 75%. I tuned by ear.
He tells me now with his tune gain about 40% that I can run the head unit full volume???? Bass is cranked 1 bar short of max on the headunit and treble is 3 bars past center.
My thoughts was this was bad advice as the head unit will clip and distort at max volume. The system doesn't put out the volume I'd expect - He says the amp is most likely the issue.
Do amps wear out over time?
Are my speakers power hungry?
Suggestions on amp? Was looking at the JL M400/4 but don't want to have even less volume.
He questioned several aspects of my build, flash of head unit, use of 2 BT line levelers.
Looking for opinions on his advice and my plans to tweak...Thanks
System
Stock 15 head unit flashed 4 speakers no amp
Amp Arc Moto 600.4
2 BT line levelers
Front speakers JL Audio ZR650 CSI's
Rear Speakers JL M770's in the lids.
He fixed the amp cutting out issue, which had given me a headache since install, so that was worth the $120 just to eliminate the frustration.
The tune and advice I found questionable - Previous ran my head unit maxed at about 75% volume.
Gain was set close to 75%. I tuned by ear.
He tells me now with his tune gain about 40% that I can run the head unit full volume???? Bass is cranked 1 bar short of max on the headunit and treble is 3 bars past center.
My thoughts was this was bad advice as the head unit will clip and distort at max volume. The system doesn't put out the volume I'd expect - He says the amp is most likely the issue.
Do amps wear out over time?
Are my speakers power hungry?
Suggestions on amp? Was looking at the JL M400/4 but don't want to have even less volume.
He questioned several aspects of my build, flash of head unit, use of 2 BT line levelers.
Looking for opinions on his advice and my plans to tweak...Thanks
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 6,446
Likes: 873
From: TEXAS
Originally Posted by No U Glider
Took my scooter to a local guy who does bike audio and got some questionable advice. He was asked to fix a problem with my amp cutting out and tune my system.
System
Stock 15 head unit flashed 4 speakers no amp
Amp Arc Moto 600.4
2 BT line levelers
Front speakers JL Audio ZR650 CSI's
Rear Speakers JL M770's in the lids.
He fixed the amp cutting out issue, which had given me a headache since install, so that was worth the $120 just to eliminate the frustration.
The tune and advice I found questionable - Previous ran my head unit maxed at about 75% volume.
Gain was set close to 75%. I tuned by ear.
He tells me now with his tune gain about 40% that I can run the head unit full volume???? Bass is cranked 1 bar short of max on the headunit and treble is 3 bars past center.
My thoughts was this was bad advice as the head unit will clip and distort at max volume. The system doesn't put out the volume I'd expect - He says the amp is most likely the issue.
Do amps wear out over time?
Are my speakers power hungry?
Suggestions on amp? Was looking at the JL M400/4 but don't want to have even less volume.
He questioned several aspects of my build, flash of head unit, use of 2 BT line levelers.
Looking for opinions on his advice and my plans to tweak...Thanks
System
Stock 15 head unit flashed 4 speakers no amp
Amp Arc Moto 600.4
2 BT line levelers
Front speakers JL Audio ZR650 CSI's
Rear Speakers JL M770's in the lids.
He fixed the amp cutting out issue, which had given me a headache since install, so that was worth the $120 just to eliminate the frustration.
The tune and advice I found questionable - Previous ran my head unit maxed at about 75% volume.
Gain was set close to 75%. I tuned by ear.
He tells me now with his tune gain about 40% that I can run the head unit full volume???? Bass is cranked 1 bar short of max on the headunit and treble is 3 bars past center.
My thoughts was this was bad advice as the head unit will clip and distort at max volume. The system doesn't put out the volume I'd expect - He says the amp is most likely the issue.
Do amps wear out over time?
Are my speakers power hungry?
Suggestions on amp? Was looking at the JL M400/4 but don't want to have even less volume.
He questioned several aspects of my build, flash of head unit, use of 2 BT line levelers.
Looking for opinions on his advice and my plans to tweak...Thanks
The bass and treble setting are a bit odd but to each their own.
I would have a peek at the Line Leveler gains and make sure they are set to default and if ur bored u can bump the gains on those to no more than 1 o'clock as that signal starts to get dirty beyond that point.
From that point I would invest in a $10 DMM and unhook the speakers to identify where ur ideal gains are for that amp and speakers. Mark the amp gains for that setting, turn the gains down to zero, hook the speaker up then tune by ear as u did before but respecting the max gains on all three of those devices. And make sure that after u get things dialed in a bit, fine tune with the engine running with a very keen ear for distortion.
Ur best bet is to borrow an SMD DD1 from someone as that will guarantee u a clean signal at each device.
If it clips after doing all that then simply back ur gains off a tad. Read the above stickie for all the gory details.
T.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,416
Likes: 187
From: Near St. Louis Mo.
Was at the movie theater last night and Hot Shots bar many times. The staff is friendly but knows less than I do about sled audio!
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 718
Likes: 210
From: IL
As Tailwind said I agree in I see clipping w/ 1K hz at about 2 or 3 bars away from max from the stock HU. With 500 Hz it is about 4 or 5 bars from top. So I never run my HU turned up that high. I adjusted my HU and amp looking for the right voltage output at the amp. I'm very pleased with the sound. On highway can hear all 4 speakers around me turned up a notch over halfway.
I agree with you in that I don't think his tuning is impressive.
I agree with you in that I don't think his tuning is impressive.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 2,210
Likes: 668
From: Andover, MN
Save your hard earned cash, do a little research, listen to audiheads on here and tune it yourself. It's actually easer than you think and you'll know it's done correctly.
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,416
Likes: 187
From: Near St. Louis Mo.
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