Team-BHP - Tuning your ICE: What are your settings?

I am starting this thread since i could not find one like it.I believe it will be helpful to many a bhpian.(i know it will help me immensely)
I completed part 1 of my Ice quest last month and i found that tuning the system is quite frustrating and can take some time for a noob to get it right.

i Hope we post in the spirit of the thread(i.e posts about each ones favourite/custom settings or short advice) and we dont get into arguments about each setting since i believe all gurus agree that music is sujective and so are its settings! furthermore everyone has a different ICE system and so settings would definitely differ

i hope to soon start another thread "Tuning : Queries and doubts" in the "Ask the Gurus section" where we can go crazy with the queries and advice
If moderaters belive that both threads be merged then so be it

It would be helpful to BREIFLY specify your ice and most importantly your HU and type of music you generally hear so as to help others

As for me
Well B&T just wants some more cake! maybe thats the price ill have to pay to get him near my car!

Now i have an absolute entry level budget HU however i believe that newer models and more expensive HU's with slops,time allignment etc would have "essay" type settings. So you guys can go crazy there!
so here are my settings

(Note: im quite a colorful guy and that is reflected in my settings as well...see i need help!:Frustrati)

Car:i10
Music : Classic Rock
Ice : PIoneer 5950 + Illusion Components + GZ 6*9's + Kenwood 4 channel Amp

Amp settings
Amp Gains - 3/4th for the components, 2/3 for the rears
HPF and LPF filters on the amp set to OFF position
(However i believe that in my case the rear channel at 50 Hz HPF and fronts at 80Hz HPF is also advisable with the HU filter set OFF)
Bass Boost - OFF

HU settings
Pioneer 5950
Audio Loudness - MID
Audio Subwoofer - OFF (no sub yet)
HP filter - 80
Audio Bass Boost - +3 ( as i said NO sub!)
Audio SLA - +2
Fader - Fronts/Rear - 0
Left/Right - 0
Audio EQ
Low - +4
Mids - +4
Highs - +2

Gurus : if you see something amiss please do jump in

Could you please specify the speakers and amp model / ratings etc...

I'm no guru or anything, but from whatever I've learned, this is what I do:

1. set the gains at 50% on the amp. All, bass boost etc off on the HU and amp. All equalisers set at zero (flat)

2. Take the fader up front and get the front gains right.
Note: HU volume level should be around 70% of its maximum.
(A good reference while setting this would be the high frequencies, cut down the gains if they're too bright. Turn up the gain if they're less detailed. Tip: use a good recording and a track which you often listen to.)

3. HPF for the fronts on the amplifier. This depends on the tech specs of the driver.
(Usually amps have a second order x-over [12db] so for 5.25" speakers the cut off is usually around the +100Hz mark. For 6.5" drivers around 80Hz)

Personally, I don't like using filters on the HU, but they sometimes prove useful by getting a finer x-over point.
For example: When you've set you're amplifier filters at 80Hz HPF. You just might want to use the HU filter at 50Hz HPF so that you cut down all the bass which the driver can't handle but at the same time retain most of the mid-bass

4. Repeat steps two and three for your rear speakers.

5. Now that you have your gains and filters set you look at the tweeter attenuation on your passive x-over in the case of a component speaker system. This depends on a lot of things but moreover it depends on your personal taste whether to set it at -3, 0, +3 db. My ears can't tolerate high frequencies beyond a certain point, so I prefer setting the tweeters at -3db which result in a better mid-range. (You might have to fine tune the gains after this)

6. Lastly, if you still feel the need to cut down some frequencies use the Equaliser on the HU.

At the end of it all, its your system and it should appeal to your ears! Don't bother about what others say. Just Listen and decide!

My HU settings
Alpine 9870, Speakers Dieci 5" comps up front, 6x9's behind
Bass +4 , width 1, center frequency 60 ( i dont have a sub yet, so running with some LF boost at 60 because too much boom at 100 and 80, and lower cutoff of drivers in the 50~75 hz range)
Treble -1, Frequency 12.5k ( liked it a bit more laid back)
HPF: off ( no sub)
Fader +2 ( biased towards front. fronts not as sensitive as rears)
Balance 0, Loudness Off

PS : those of you with the newer Pio HU's ( 4050, 5050 etc, turn ASR off!)

My settings (Car - Swift)
HU - Pio 4050UB
Sound Retriever - Off (flat)
Fader/Balance - 0 (centered)
Preset Equalizer - Custom
EQ Settings1 - L0-M0-H0 (all flat) (sometimes H1 for poor CDs)
EQ Settings2- don't remember LMH, but all defaults and 2W
Loudness - Low
SW Settings1 - Normal (on - have sub)
SW Settings - 50Hz, Level - +2
High Pass Filter - 80Hz
Bass boost - Off (flat)
Src Lv Adjust - 0 (flat)

Front Compos (JBL GTO607C)
Amp - JBL GT5-A402
HPF - aprox at 80Hz
Gain - 1/2 (to adjust with rear co-axs)

Real Co-axs (JBL GT5-652)
Driven by HU

Sub (Blau GTb1200 12" sealed box)
Amp - Blau PA275
LPF - aprox at 80Hz
Gain - close to 3/4 (like little bit more punch :))

One of my favourite tuning setup.

HU: Alpine 9856
Amp: Blaupunkt MP34A
Speakers: Hertz Dieci DSK 130 components front and back
Sub: Infinity Kappa Perfect 10" in sealed box.

HU settings:
Bass: 0
Treble: 0 (some tracks requires it to be turned to -1)
Subwoofer level: +3 (Goes upto +15)
Fader: 0
Balance: 0 (Sometimes I adjust it to emphasise on the right channel)
Defeat: OFF (there are times when it's turned on)

Setup:
BBE: OFF
Subwoofer: Type 1
HPF: 80hz
Power IC: OFF

AMP settings:
The wiring is a bit odd in my setup (I chose it to be that way). From the 4 channel amp, 2 channels are bridged and it powers the subwoofer. The other 2 channels power 2 pairs of components (Front and rear). No fader control possible in the HU.

LPF for sub channel : ON
HPF for speakers channel : OFF
Gains are set near to 60-65 percent.
All additional switches like bass boost etc are OFF.

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedzak (Post 845040)

AMP settings:
The wiring is a bit odd in my setup (I chose it to be that way). From the 4 channel amp, 2 channels are bridged and it powers the subwoofer. The other 2 channels power 2 pairs of components (Front and rear). No fader control possible in the HU.

Please explain how you've wired all 4 components on two channels?

I'm guessing you're running the front and rear left speakers on the left channel in series, and similarly for the right.. But for that config you'll need a good high wattage amplifier because effectively you're doubling the impedance.

Car : Alto Lxi
Music : All
ICE : HU PIoneer DEH 5750MP
Amp - Audison Lrx 2.4
Sub - Infinity Basslink II

Amp settings for front Components
Amp Gains - 3/4th for the components
HPF - crossed at ~60

Cross overs of components are also set to 0.

HU settings
Pioneer 5750
Audio Loudness - OFF
HPF/LPF - OFF
Audio SLA - 0
Fader - Fronts/Rear - 0
Left/Right - 0
Audio EQ - Flat
SW Settings - 50Hz, Level - +3

Subwoofer
LPF - Crossed at ~ 80
Gain - 3/4

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedzak (Post 845040)

Defeat: OFF (there are times when it's turned on)

What are these times? And what difference does it make??

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrivz

I'm guessing you're running the front and rear left speakers on the left channel in series, and similarly for the right.. But for that config you'll need a good high wattage amplifier because effectively you're doubling the impedance.

Must be in parallel. Impedance halved, i.e. 2 ohms. Not bad since the speakers are the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrivz (Post 844927)

...
2. Take the fader up front and get the front gains right.
...

Shouldn't the fader be at 0 to set the front gain? With the fader full front, one will get a different loudness when the fader reverts to 0 for normal playing, and never be able to figure out the front to rear proportion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrivz (Post 845134)

... in series, ... need a good high wattage amplifier because effectively you're doubling the impedance.

Could be in parallel, then you get loud volume with lower power, since impedance is half (keeping fingers crossed anticipating overloading:))

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAlte (Post 845605)

in my HU, changing the Fader only decreases the Front/Rear volume to alter the balance. I've never seen it increased, so i guess the proportion is correct.

for ex, my fader is set at +2, and the fronts play exactly at the same volume as when its at 0 or the extreme-( i know that for a fact , because if it went any higher , the panels will vibrate) , while the rears play at reduced volume