sx4 jbl'fied but shrilly output HELP !!

[l3g0l4s]

Hello guys ,
After spending several hundred hours browsing through the ICE section , i decided to jbl'fy my car (sx4 zxi with integrated head unit) .
Being a student , had to save up for quite some time to get them installed . Initially i started off by adding JBL 637se to my system . There was a huge difference to the output . And then added 607c components in the front panels and was blown away by the difference it made to the system . So noticing the difference that the speakers made , finally made up my mind to get myself a JBL amp too . Saved up for a couple of weeks and finally bought a JBL 1004 amplifier which i got it installed at sprocket(hyderabad) today .

The equipment used:
Kenwood integrated head unit
JBL 607c components
JBL 937se ovals
JBL 1004 amplifier
Scosche amp kit
Scosche converter (I was told that i would be needing this as the head unit has only a single pre out)

Waited patiently for over 4 hours in the hot sun overseeing the install but i am somehow not really staisfied with the output . Agreed it is real loud now and managed a couple of stares from bystanders too but i am not really satisfied with the output . I feel that i am somehow losing out on the clarity . Without the amp , the lows were pretty smooth and the highs very tight and crisp (dunno if that is how sound is to be described) , but after getting the amplifier installed , i feel that the sound is very "shrilly" . Tried lowering the trble down but it is still the same . It just doesnt sound right with the amplifier . There arent too many options on the head unit except for the basic ones like the fader control , balance , the bass and the treble . Tried playing around with it but it quite didnt help .

So could someone tell me what could be the exact problem and about the optimal settings on the amplifier (controls like frequency , filter=lpf(or)hpf(or)neutral and input gain) .

And the amplifier gets real hot after a couple of hours (hot as in piping hot) , So is this common with the amplifier ?

Am new to the world of ICE , so guys kindly excuse me for my ignorance ....

[kb100]

Sounds like your gains are not set properly. High temp is definitely not normal! Please take it back to the installer and have it checked immediately before something blows!

[l3g0l4s]

So do you think something could be wrong with the amplifier ? (the heating issue that is)

[blueraven316]

Your amp settings are not right , even the HU settings have to be checked, JBL GTOs can sound very very bright or shrill as you would say with wrong settings.
Why don't you try a Scosche Dash kit for the SX4 , that way you can put in a better HU. Source of sound is everything in a good car audio system.

[l3g0l4s]

@kb100 & blueraven

Thanx for the quick reply guys .. will probably take the car back for the settings .. And what could be the reason for excessive heating of the amplifier ?

and forgot to mention it in my earlier post , i was actually quoted a price of 5000 for the scosche dash kit .. So i felt that it would turn out to be way too expensive as i will have to buy a new head unit too :(

[rider60]

well l3g0l4s, just be present at the next hyderabad Teambhp meet and we shall try to figure out what is actually wrong with the setup, i will suggest you a few places too.

[speedzak]

Could you please explain how your HU is connected to the amp? Is it connected via high level inputs?

Also explain what are your settings in the HU and amp. Gain levels, HPF/LPF settings and any boost settings.

[blueraven316]

Originally Posted by l3g0l4s

and forgot to mention it in my earlier post , i was actually quoted a price of 5000 for the scosche dash kit .. So i felt that it would turn out to be way too expensive as i will have to buy a new head unit too :(

The scosche Dash kit is around Rs 1800 bucks.

What exactly is the Scosche convertor ?

is it the line output convertor you see below ?



If above is the case, your installer has used speaker inputs from the OE head unit into the loc, and passed RC outputs from it to the amp.

Now, there is a a gain setting on this box, and on the amp, both have to be adjusted to make the setup sound reasonably clear. The JBL 1004 amp has some raw power, that too running 2 Ohm JBL speakers the gains have to be set very low. I doubt that is the case in your setup. try taking a snap of the settings on the amp is accessible or let us know what the settings have been kept at.

[l3g0l4s]

Originally Posted by rider60

well l3g0l4s, just be present at the next hyderabad Teambhp meet and we shall try to figure out what is actually wrong with the setup, i will suggest you a few places too.

Yup mate will surely make it to the next team bhp meet . Thanx mate

Originally Posted by speedzak

Could you please explain how your HU is connected to the amp? Is it connected via high level inputs?

Also explain what are your settings in the HU and amp. Gain levels, HPF/LPF settings and any boost settings.

The headunit is connected to the amplifier using the scosche line output converter (The "blue box" in blueravens previous post in this thread)

And am not really sure about the settings on my amp dude. Will post a picture of the same real soon . And head unit offers very little controls .. Only has a bass/treble , fader and balance options .

Originally Posted by blueraven316

The scosche Dash kit is around Rs 1800 bucks.

What exactly is the Scosche convertor ?

is it the line output convertor you see below ?



If above is the case, your installer has used speaker inputs from the OE head unit into the loc, and passed RC outputs from it to the amp.

Now, there is a a gain setting on this box, and on the amp, both have to be adjusted to make the setup sound reasonably clear. The JBL 1004 amp has some raw power, that too running 2 Ohm JBL speakers the gains have to be set very low. I doubt that is the case in your setup. try taking a snap of the settings on the amp is accessible or let us know what the settings have been kept at.

Yup mate . The installer used the line output converter (the one given in yer post) . And regarding the dash kit , i was quoted 5000 at this place called xenex in hitech city . So i totally shelved the plan of going for a new head unit . Now that you have told that it is around 1800 , will definitely think over it .
And i paid 2500 for the line output converter . Do you think the price is right ?

And will check out the settings and post them . Will try getting a couple of pics of the same too .


Thank ya'll guys for helping me

[ragzv]

[quote=l3g0l4s;877566]

The equipment used:
Kenwood integrated head unit
quote]


Ok, now this HU is not a Kenwood. Its a Nippon, A Good looking but Bad sounding thing. I have the same HU in my Dzire. When I put my 4-ch JBL GT-5 amp, I was very specific of using Y-cables for splitting 1-Preamp into 2 as I did not want to use the amplified output of the HU thru a converter. One of the reasons your amp is overheating can be this. Try and change the input method.

And lastly whatever you do this HU will not let your speakers to play to their potential

[arpandiv]

does the scosche dash kit let you retain steering remote controls ?

[navin]

Originally Posted by l3g0l4s

Scosche amp kit
Scosche converter....

Can you post clear pics of these 2.

[l3g0l4s]

[quote=ragzv;877987]

Originally Posted by l3g0l4s

The equipment used:
Kenwood integrated head unit
quote]


Ok, now this HU is not a Kenwood. Its a Nippon, A Good looking but Bad sounding thing. I have the same HU in my Dzire. When I put my 4-ch JBL GT-5 amp, I was very specific of using Y-cables for splitting 1-Preamp into 2 as I did not want to use the amplified output of the HU thru a converter. One of the reasons your amp is overheating can be this. Try and change the input method.

And lastly whatever you do this HU will not let your speakers to play to their potential

Yup typo ! But both of them are owned by the same company i guess .
And dude , wont ya be losing out on the fader controls by using the Y-cable splitter ? and could ya tell me how much does this cable cost ?

Originally Posted by arpandiv

does the scosche dash kit let you retain steering remote controls ?

Nopes , AFAIK it is used for replacing the company fitted HU . Just provides a slot for the standard after market HUs . And regarding the steering-mounted-controls , i was told that scosche recently came up with an adapter which lets ya control any HU with the steering controls .

[l3g0l4s]

Originally Posted by navin

Can you post clear pics of these 2.

Havent taken snaps of my system yet . But found a pic of the line-out-converter . Here it is :

[gopinathann]

I really appreciate your hard work on bringing the quality sound in your SX4. Even I am not happy with the sound and I am planning to change the speakers without changing the head unit. Your hard work will definitely help the fellow bhpians having SX4/Dzire who wants to have good quality without changing the HU.

Please keep us posted. Also list down the cost of each component spent.

Originally Posted by l3g0l4s

Havent taken snaps of my system yet . But found a pic of the line-out-converter . Here it is :