System Tuning
Whether you're a car audio newcomer or a seasoned competitor, few things are more fun than checking out newly-installed audio equipment in your vehicle. At Area 41, after carefully designing your system, we spend a considerable amount of time tuning your system in order to maximize your system's potential.
HOW DO WE DO IT ?
PHASE 1 - Check speakers. The speakers in your system should all be firing in phase — that means, all the cones should be moving in and out at the same time. If not, you lose bass response, making your system sound weak and unfocused. First, we listen to some bass-heavy music with your stereo's balance control all the way to one side. Next, we return the balance control to the center, where we expect to hear significantly more bass. We check ALL your speakers, front and rear !
PHASE 2 - In this phase we turn on your subwoofer system. Then we reverse the speaker wires going to your sub and listen for a change in bass response. If it gets louder, that's perfect! Initially, we tune your system first with the receiver EQ set flat — all tone controls at "0" and no EQ curve engaged. With the subwoofer off, we turn some familiar music up to a moderate listening level, then slowly increase the subwoofer output until we hit the "sweet spot" — the place where the bass really kicks in without overwhelming the rest of the music.
If the bass sounds like it's coming from behind, we lower the sub amp's crossover point to "de-localize" the bass.
When finished your system should create a "soundstage" — close your eyes and you should hear the instruments in front of you, arranged from far right to far left, with (if you're listening to rock'n'roll) the kick drum, bass guitar, and lead vocal right dead center.
Some vehicles make it tough to establish a strong front soundstage, so here's some tips and tricks:
Bass Blockers help your vehicle's small front speakers to perform better and handle more power by removing low frequencies which smaller speakers are not designed to reproduce.
1. If your car has small front speakers, you may need some Bass Blockers. They'll filter out the low frequencies so your speakers will play louder and clearer, bringing the soundstage back in front of you. If your receiver has built-in crossover capability, we use its high-pass filter to remove low bass from smaller speakers for improved performance.
2. If you have a subwoofer (or larger speakers in the back), we use your receiver's fader to move the music forward and then turn up the overall level to bring the bass back into play.
3. If your front speakers are mounted low in the doors, some receivers feature independent front/rear tone controls or signal processing that raises the front image. Sometimes, installing a set of tweeters in front can make a big difference.
FIRST RATE BASS
First rate bass! Great bass isn't just for rap, heavy metal, or reggae fanatics — if you're a fan of classical music or jazz, you might be surprised at the quiet authority a subwoofer brings to your music. Even at low listening levels, a sub can produce richness and impact you wouldn't otherwise hear.
Instead of cranking the bass way up to increase your system's impact, raise the bass a little bit and lower the highs and mids. It's smart to keep equalization to a minimum — pumping up the bass control just robs your system of its effective power.
Play some music that features active, powerful bass parts — all the bass notes should punch out at an even volume level. If you hear bass notes dropping out or booming, check your phase and experiment with different crossover points until it's smoothed out. Once your sub is tuned properly, you can use your receiver's equalization controls to make minor adjustments.
TROUBLESHOOTING
1. System sounds dull? Sometimes, adding a set of tweeters up front can strengthen your front image and add liveliness to your sound. Many receivers feature signal processing (BBE, DSO, MediaXpander, etc.) or extensive equalization which can do a lot to improve a dull-sounding system.
2. Vocals and instruments sound buried? If your receiver has a midrange control, we may boost it up a little bit; if it includes a parametric EQ, we may try adding a little bump in the 400-1000 Hz range. Sometimes we need to replace your rear full-range speakers with some high-quality midrange speakers to bring out warmth and detail without adding more sizzle. Installing Dynamat (or any sound-absorbing material) in your vehicle will reduce road noise which masks crucial midrange details.
3. System too bright? If your front speakers have swiveling tweeters, we may need to aim them away from you. If you have installed component tweeters, we may need to check the crossovers for output level switching — a drop of 3 dB can make a huge difference in the way your tweeters match up to the rest of the system.
Think ahead! Always buy with an eye to the future — you might be saving 40 bucks on your receiver, but what's the point if it's missing some crucial features you'll be needing when you expand your system? If you plan on adding a sub to your system later, spend a little more on a multi-channel amp (instead of a 2-channel) so you can power your front speakers and subs with one amp. Don't install 10-gauge power wire if your ultimate goal is a throbbin' multi-amp system. With the right components and some careful adjustments, your car can be a fantastic place to listen to music.
