Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Speaker sound on boat is horrible


BlacknBu

Recommended Posts

Taking the boat out I noticed the sound was horrible (high treble & no bass) and I'm at a dead end reading through the stereo setups. Conclusion is I need to get a secondary amp to run my tower speakers, but seeing if anyone can help me dial in a better sound for this weekend until I get a boating break to upgrade tower speakers & addt'l amp. 

4 titan can speakers 

10" kicker sub 350 watt 2 ohm

Kicker zx700.5 amp

I am 99% positive the HU is powering the dash and 2 other cabin speakers.

Amp settings were set identical to the image. Lowering the frequency started to give me some good bass, but towers distortion was no good.

Any advice and closest setting possible to maximize the sound with current setup? 

 

Link to comment
21 minutes ago, 23LSVOwner said:

Sub crossover frequency is way too high. I'd look at those gains also. Maxed out is probably causing a clipped output which can kill voice coils.

So its bothering me bad and i started to dive in deeper. Looks like the sub is bridged and not actually on the Sub portion of the amp, which has me really confused of why? 

Makes it obvious of why i cannot set the freq. correctly for the sub without the 6.5" tower speakers sounding like trash. Is there any reason I shouldnt have the Sub directly connected to the Sub section of the amp? 

If its makes the most sense to do it that way, wouldnt i want the setup as follows: 

Sub (woofer settings) - low freq. of say 80hz with the right gain (i'll use a multimeter to set as close as possible)

Amp 1 (set of tower speakers) - high freq closer to 150 hz with correct gain (would assume 200 watts for the set because i cannot find the specs on them)

Amp 2 (other set of tower speakers) - high freq closer to 150 hz with correct gain (would assume 200 watts for the set because i cannot find the specs on them)

 

20200610_113414 20200610_113603

g20610ZX705-o_left.jpeg

Link to comment
9 minutes ago, BlacknBu said:

So its bothering me bad and i started to dive in deeper. Looks like the sub is bridged and not actually on the Sub portion of the amp, which has me really confused of why? 

Makes it obvious of why i cannot set the freq. correctly for the sub without the 6.5" tower speakers sounding like trash. Is there any reason I shouldnt have the Sub directly connected to the Sub section of the amp? 

If its makes the most sense to do it that way, wouldnt i want the setup as follows: 

Sub (woofer settings) - low freq. of say 80hz with the right gain (i'll use a multimeter to set as close as possible)

Amp 1 (set of tower speakers) - high freq closer to 150 hz with correct gain (would assume 200 watts for the set because i cannot find the specs on them)

Amp 2 (other set of tower speakers) - high freq closer to 150 hz with correct gain (would assume 200 watts for the set because i cannot find the specs on them)

 

20200610_113414  

I am by no means an audio guru, but trying to run the sub as pictured and described is obviously not right. Try the sub on the sub channel, but if someone wired it like that, there are probably other issues too.

 

Link to comment
34 minutes ago, 23LSVOwner said:

Absolutely put the sub on the sub channel.

 

Ideally you would need an oscilloscope to set the gains. You could try something like this though:

 

Yessir, sure will. Figure I can at least get the gain close to voltage & then set down slightly from that mark to prevent distortion until I can get my system upgraded. At that point I'll have someone with the proper distortion detector help with exact gain levels being set. Better than gain & freq. at max levels. smh

33 minutes ago, asnowman said:

I am by no means an audio guru, but trying to run the sub as pictured and described is obviously not right. Try the sub on the sub channel, but if someone wired it like that, there are probably other issues too.

 

I feel the same way. Enough common sense this is not right and why my system sounds like garbage. I can see there was a secondary amp at one time, but was removed at some point. Either they fried the amp with horrible settings or they pulled the amp when taking the boat in (thus just plugging subwoofer wires into some so it makes noise). I'm going with the latter of the two and/or just going with the PO didn't know anything about sound if they listened to it this way for a long time. 

If I am dead in the water with the sub port on this amp, gives me an easy excuse to just go get another amp today for the sub and I'll run my tower speakers off this 700 watt amp. I'll have to be doing that anyways when I can afford a nice pair of rev 10s. 

Link to comment
10 minutes ago, BlacknBu said:

 If I am dead in the water with the sub port on this amp, gives me an easy excuse to just go get another amp today for the sub and I'll run my tower speakers off this 700 watt amp. I'll have to be doing that anyways when I can afford a nice pair of rev 10s. 

Another option, less $ than a set of rev 10's and a quick swap, replace the speakers in the titan cans with wetsounds 696, we did that on our 2011, and dropped from 2 pairs to 1 pair, with better sound. To me the titan alpha speakers always sounded very tinny and harsh.

Link to comment
7 minutes ago, asnowman said:

Another option, less $ than a set of rev 10's and a quick swap, replace the speakers in the titan cans with wetsounds 696, we did that on our 2011, and dropped from 2 pairs to 1 pair, with better sound. To me the titan alpha speakers always sounded very tinny and harsh.

good to know! Reading through the archives it sounded like getting a new set of speakers in the existing cans was a pain. Guess i'll find out how soon I need new speakers when I get a moment to go outside and re-setup the wiring. My guess is the can speakers are trash can material at this point.

Arent wet sound 696 a 6x9 speaker though? How did you fit that in the 6.5' can?

Link to comment
28 minutes ago, BlacknBu said:

good to know! Reading through the archives it sounded like getting a new set of speakers in the existing cans was a pain. Guess i'll find out how soon I need new speakers when I get a moment to go outside and re-setup the wiring. My guess is the can speakers are trash can material at this point.

Arent wet sound 696 a 6x9 speaker though? How did you fit that in the 6.5' can?

My bad, i figured your 4 titan cans were the oval 6x9 setup. If they are 6.5" cans... i am rather confident they wouldn't fit.

Link to comment

If the pics you included are how it truly sits, it looks like all 4 Titan (2 right and 2 left connected i parallel in the tower I would expect) speakers AND the sub (on the left channel only) are running on Amp 1.  Thats a nasty impedance mismatch on a single circuit.  I can only suspect that the original installed only had 1 set of RCAs running form the head unit to feed the amp?  The amp is capable of high (with an RCA adapter) and low level inputs.  Also seems that the push button all the way to the right allows you to pull sub audio signal from the Amp 1 input (if you dont have a dedicated sub RCA output from your HU).  SO....even with only 1 set of RCAs, the installer could have run an RCA splitter to feed both Amp 1 and Amp 2,  Then all 4 Titans would have a dedicated channel.  Then, use that right switch to feed signal to the Sub amp. 

If you dont have it, here is the ZX700.5 Manual

 

Edited by Texan32
Link to comment
1 hour ago, Texan32 said:

If the pics you included are how it truly sits, it looks like all 4 Titan (2 right and 2 left connected i parallel in the tower I would expect) speakers AND the sub (on the left channel only) are running on Amp 1.  Thats a nasty impedance mismatch on a single circuit.  I can only suspect that the original installed only had 1 set of RCAs running form the head unit to feed the amp?  The amp is capable of high (with an RCA adapter) and low level inputs.  Also seems that the push button all the way to the right allows you to pull sub audio signal from the Amp 1 input (if you dont have a dedicated sub RCA output from your HU).  SO....even with only 1 set of RCAs, the installer could have run an RCA splitter to feed both Amp 1 and Amp 2,  Then all 4 Titans would have a dedicated channel.  Then, use that right switch to feed signal to the Sub amp. 

If you dont have it, here is the ZX700.5 Manual

 

Texan you're correct, only 1 set of RCA inputs. I'm out here now and had just put the sub on the sub amp, also derecesseing the far right sub input tab. No subwoofer at all now, assuming because there isnt an RCA input.  

 

Are you saying use an RCA splitter between the sub rca and the amp 1 rca? 

Can you 3 way split an RCA so I could use all 3 amps? 

 

Appreciate the details! 

Link to comment

check the manual if you can on your mobile.

the button on the far right allows you to tie the sub audio input to the Amp 1 RCA input.  AKA....the amp internally splits the Amp 1 RCA input to feed the Sub channel.  I would start with all three button in the out position (depressed).

Since the amplifier has the ability to feed Amp 1 and Sub internally, you only need a single set of RCA splitters so that you can have physical inputs to Amp 1 and Amp 2.

The other possible situation....previous owner smoked the Amp 2 and Sub channels.  So, to get SOME kind of sound.....that was what he came up with. 

As a test, you can also try moving the RCAs and tower speakers over/down to Amp 2.  See if they even work....IF it does, you have other options that we can discuss if/when we get there.

Link to comment
1 hour ago, Texan32 said:

check the manual if you can on your mobile.

the button on the far right allows you to tie the sub audio input to the Amp 1 RCA input.  AKA....the amp internally splits the Amp 1 RCA input to feed the Sub channel.  I would start with all three button in the out position (depressed).

Since the amplifier has the ability to feed Amp 1 and Sub internally, you only need a single set of RCA splitters so that you can have physical inputs to Amp 1 and Amp 2.

The other possible situation....previous owner smoked the Amp 2 and Sub channels.  So, to get SOME kind of sound.....that was what he came up with. 

As a test, you can also try moving the RCAs and tower speakers over/down to Amp 2.  See if they even work....IF it does, you have other options that we can discuss if/when we get there.

We are in the money Texan! 

Sub amp only kicks the sub with all 3 depressed. Knowing I dont have the right tools to set the gain, I did the following to try tuning all speakers. 

Set volume to 75% (sorry neighbors). Put Sub Hz at ~80hz and gain 25% up, bass booster at 50% w/remotw knob at max.

Got a set of RCA splitters and set both those amps to ~160 Hz with gain around 25% as well. 

Tower cans sounds like they have more in them and need further adjustment (really hard doing by ear when under the dash). Overall it's a night and day difference, holy s***! 

If you have any gut feeling about better amp settings or feel like I'm working it too hard, let me know. I'll be drinking a beer listening to some tunes. Appreciate ya again Texan! 

 

Link to comment
1 hour ago, MLA said:

Please note that is CAN NOT be a properly tuned amp, its just a stock photo for the site. 

That much I do know for sure. Insanely I bet you that is how the amp comes in the box & it was exactly setup like that when i looked, on top of everything being wired to Amp 1. 

Needless to say now that I have everything separated on their own channels w/ the Gain & Freq set more accordingly to what speakers are on each amp, the sound is actually really good. I know it can be better with the proper tools and some true gain setup, but its at least where I can listen to it and know I am not going to destroy the amp or speakers. :) If anything I am under powering the speakers with having the gain voltage lower than 20 volts. 

Link to comment

you could also be fighting against your HU.  You didnt indicate what you are running.  Little known (or realized) fact about head units is that not all are equal in regards to the RCA outputs.  Some use 2.5V, some 4V some 5V.  That makes a dramatic difference to the amp.  Amplifiers are (for the most part) linear.  Feed it good gas, get good performance.  Another thing on the HU, have you looked at the back side to see if there are more RCA outputs available?  If so, i would deff take advantage of that (allowing you to ditch the RCA splitter you installed).

Link to comment
2 hours ago, Texan32 said:

you could also be fighting against your HU.  You didnt indicate what you are running.  Little known (or realized) fact about head units is that not all are equal in regards to the RCA outputs.  Some use 2.5V, some 4V some 5V.  That makes a dramatic difference to the amp.  Amplifiers are (for the most part) linear.  Feed it good gas, get good performance.  Another thing on the HU, have you looked at the back side to see if there are more RCA outputs available?  If so, i would deff take advantage of that (allowing you to ditch the RCA splitter you installed).

Head unit the an older Sony MEX - 1GP that's tied into the other two remotes on the boat. It does contain 3 RCA jacks on the back. Splitting the RCA vs running the new RCA shouldnt be any different though, right? The same voltage will come out of the splitter, as long as I am using a good product for the splitter (same concept of splitting power, you dont get less power when splitting). 

Main reason I want to change the HU though is lack of bluetooth and other technology, that just requires addt'l tack on devices. Con is I'll lose the screen on my remotes or have to replace two remotes + HU. 

Overall Texan you got me in a very solid place. The system needs slight tuning adjustment, but is light years better than it was previously. It's wired correctly and maximizing its potential at least now for sound.  Still kindof in shock how it was wired & that all dials were setup the way they were. 

 

Link to comment
2 hours ago, BlacknBu said:

Head unit the an older Sony MEX - 1GP that's tied into the other two remotes on the boat. It does contain 3 RCA jacks on the back. Splitting the RCA vs running the new RCA shouldnt be any different though, right? The same voltage will come out of the splitter, as long as I am using a good product for the splitter (same concept of splitting power, you dont get less power when splitting). 

Main reason I want to change the HU though is lack of bluetooth and other technology, that just requires addt'l tack on devices. Con is I'll lose the screen on my remotes or have to replace two remotes + HU. 

Overall Texan you got me in a very solid place. The system needs slight tuning adjustment, but is light years better than it was previously. It's wired correctly and maximizing its potential at least now for sound.  Still kindof in shock how it was wired & that all dials were setup the way they were. 

 

Using the individual RCA's on the deck gives you the ability to adjust fade, balance, etc from there. Right now you are stuck with 1 constant signal.

 

If that deck has an AUX in, you could add a BT dongle to it and be able to keep your current setup.

Link to comment

After the past weekend and two days of messing with the tower speakers, I can tell they are shot. Cant provide anything but low volume high freq without them giving a nasty sputter. Not surprising with them being original and wiring hack job.

I know I wont get wake sounds from 6.5" coaxials. Currently can hear Jack at surf levels. Is their a viable cost friendly 6.5" replacement that will fit in these cans that provide solid sound? I have two extra amp laying around so power not an issue. 

 

Link to comment

I dont know anything about your speaker cans.  I dont know if they are "standard" (if there even is a standard for mounting).  If the screw mounts are the same, you could go with something as simple as the Kicker 45KM654 They come in LED and non-LED versions.  If they dont fit, Amazon's return policy is pretty easy.

Link to comment
On 6/15/2020 at 8:30 AM, Texan32 said:

I dont know anything about your speaker cans.  I dont know if they are "standard" (if there even is a standard for mounting).  If the screw mounts are the same, you could go with something as simple as the Kicker 45KM654 They come in LED and non-LED versions.  If they dont fit, Amazon's return policy is pretty easy.

They are what I find to be the Alpha 1 cans. Research on here says the Kicker KM series which are 2 part with the horn match up. Seems like decent reviews for what you should expect with only the 6.5" speaker and going budget friendly over some WS or Exiles. I cant justify the several thousand on speakers right now though when I need more ballast, better prop, etc...

The help getting my sound much better in the boat has been huge. I was thinking yesterday that when I started using AMP 2, I dont believe I switched the pass to HI & is probably my issue. I also didnt bridge the AMP 1 & 2 on the 4 cans, so end of be all maybe I was still just getting some nasty distortion at this point. It'll be my driveway project for today. :rockon:

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...