Complete Alpine system, Completely stumped.

 

New member
Username: Riceburner3

Post Number: 3
Registered: May-06
hey iv got a 2006 alpine head unit with the ipod int. and all, all alpine type-s speakers (2 6.5s, 2 6x9s, and 1 12"), an alpine v-power 360w max 50x4rms amp running the midrange, and a bazooka 500w max 300wrms amp for the sub, all wired with monster and JL.

hopefully somebody can help me out with this because i usually know a decent amount about this stuff but im stumped...

my 6.5" speakers are rated to 45w rms the way i have them wired. the amp puts out 50w but obviously i turn the gain down so it doesnt get that much. i recently installed my head unit and thats when i noticed MUCH more clipping at high volumes(wasnt there before). i tried high-pass filters (bass blocker), but they didnt seem to do anything. i turned the gain down more but they still distort at high volumes.

there are two more things that i think it may be and i was wondering if i anybody could give me advice? i think that either i blew the speaker (even though the 6x9s also occasionally distort), or that the head unit (putting out 2v instead of 4v to the amps) is not giving the amp enough signal and the amp is actually distorting it. could this be happening? and if so could i wire it from the HU to the amp with speaker wire instead of rcas and fix it?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Johammbass

Cork, Cork Ireland

Post Number: 55
Registered: May-06
The HU giving 2V instead of 4V wouldn't be a cause of distortion. That amp can prob work with 0.2V signal just fine. Back in the day I had an RF amp 4x50W running a RF component set in the front and a coax set in the back, both rated at 50W RMS, HU was a 2V Pioneer. I was also getting clipping at high volumes, tweets blew up at least once a month:-) What I have experienced is - NEVER put less than 2x100W RMS to a component set, even if it's rated at 40W. A lot of ams out there are overrated. "Too much" power is not bad, just the opposite. In the last system I had 2x150W (C2K) powering Hybrid Ovation set and it was great. I also know a guy who powers the same set with 2x300W AND he is doing it with 2 ARC amps running each of them bridged:-) and it sounds fantastic. The more power the better, 4x50 is not enough, you should try a minimum of 4x100, it will sound much better and won't clip.
 

Gold Member
Username: Theelfkeeper

Stockbridge, GA USA

Post Number: 2109
Registered: Feb-05
you won't notice clipping unless you are watching an oscilloscope. you have to adjust the gains to match the new HU's 2V pre outs since they changed from the 4V. you prob also need to adjust the crossovers and EQ's in the new HU. i've also heard thoes Type S speakers are great off HU power, but can't handle being externally amplified.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Johammbass

Cork, Cork Ireland

Post Number: 59
Registered: May-06
Well, that's the thing, people don't want to turn the gain down, cause the feel like it's not loud enough, like it should get louder than that. And that is when they set it too sensitive and the amp clips. Just give it more juice and it will be fine. For example old MBQ RSD213 performed like crap when I ran them using 2 of the 4 channels of A404, but when I bi-amped them with the same amp, using all 4 instead of 2 ch made it 100W to a side, then they sounded so much better it's crazy.
 

New member
Username: Riceburner3

Post Number: 4
Registered: May-06
Ok so i went with the conservative approach and turned the amp down a little bit and it sounds good. I heard that about Type-S's too, but i didnt listen haha they work great once i get them tuned to the HU. I didnt have a sub for a while and was just goin on the high pass and i could turn everything all the way up with NO distortion which was pretty sweet. Like i said it definately has a lot to do with the HU. Iv gone through a few with the same speakers and every one sounds different. i was just confused with this alpine one. I think iv got it down now but any suggestions on how to keep the nice sound without turning my amp down so much would be appreciated. Thanks
 

New member
Username: Riceburner3

Post Number: 5
Registered: May-06
and by the way im going to try giving it more power too. im thinking about bridging the power to the 6x9s and trying that out, but they are not components so i just have to be careful. thanks for the advice.
 

Gold Member
Username: Tjmutlow

Post Number: 2058
Registered: Sep-05
can not bridge the 6x9 unless your taking off the other speakers, amp wont handle 2ohm load bridged
 

New member
Username: Riceburner3

Post Number: 6
Registered: May-06
yea i was just going to hook the 6 1/2s up to the HU since they arent getting much more than 18w rms as it is. then i can bridge the amp and make it 2 channel for the 2 6x9s. its sounding pretty damn good right now though i dont think im gonna change it.
 

Silver Member
Username: Solacedagony

New Jersey US

Post Number: 931
Registered: Oct-04
Make sure you don't have any of your EQs or bass boosts above 0. That can easily cause some clipping or gross sounds.
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