So I Blew Out All My Speakers

[Buck]

Its ok bro... im notaudio expert... this is my first system ive ever put together in my life... Yeah you heard distortion from the speakers because they were STOCK! and there wasnt any clipping because my speakers arent amplified. Im only running one and amp and thats to my subs... Speakers will sound better once in get the infinity's in there.[/b]

There was clipping from you Alpine head unit's amp. If those speakers were playing that had to be driven but some kind of amp...in your head unit or a factory or aftermarket amp. This is simple...no amp no sound. You must have some kind of amp driving those speakers and any amp can clipping not just high powered ones.

no offense.. and im sure your buddies system sounds phenominal.. but i can make a $10,000 audio system out of any brand speaker. Remember... its not neccessarily the speaker that causes the distortion. If its got a clean signal to it, itll be more clear. I can take all of those MB Kmart speakers, and hook them up to audiobahn, crossfire, us acoustics amps, you name it.. and ill make those speakers sound like the "road gears" you can get at walmart. That Alpine headunit and amps theyre running off of are %80 the reason he has no distortion.[/b]

This is a good point the source units are a major part of any system and are key to good sound. If in fact this is a $10,000 and it's Alpine I would hope he got the F#1 unit that retailed at $3000 for just the in-dash CD player. I only say if because in my day I've heard a lot of things about how much people of paid for things and in reality it isn't even close to what every would be valued at...so it's either the shop over charged for everything or the owner is making the total value higher to feel better about him self. But maybe he does have $10,000 in there....like I said if in fact he does I hope there is about $7500 tied up in source units and EQ's.

hell yea I do, one day when you all are back over this way, i'll let you all sit in my friends M5. 90,000.00 car with a 10,000.00 Audio system. He has a high end alpine head unit powering like 9 MB quartz speakers and 4 tweeters, 1 alpine Type R 15" with 4 Amplifiers. Hes won 1st place in about 5 different decibel drag sound quality contests. No matter how loud he cranks it out those speakers WILL NOT distort, its freaking tight as shit. made me a MB fanboy.[/b]

First just to say this....that hurts my ears just thinking about listening to that. Look I've had the national sales manager of MB Quart try to sell me on their speakers. He took me to the companies Demo car set up perfectly for sound stage and everything playing all types of music and I still don't like them. That tweeter just KILLS me...all I hear is pinging coming out of it and my ear just want to start bleeding. I'm sure his car sounds nice but I would pick it apart with things I don't like about it just in the sound a lone.

Hes won 1st place in about 5 different decibel drag sound quality contests.[/b]

All Decibel Drag or dB Drag isn't a sound quality comp...it's just to see who has a louder system you or the other guy. Sound quality contest no doubt that he had won. I'm sure he would be in the consumer class and I could win in the consumer class with $1500 for products and install.

No matter how loud he cranks it out those speakers WILL NOT distort[/b]

This is 100% not true those speakers will and are distorting at some point of the frequency range you just can't hear it. If he is driving around playing it as loud as it goes as some point those speakers will blow.

[Vtec_Power]

ok well in my defense here, he bought everything that was top of the line, but the thing that made the total price of the system super high like that was the cost of the custom fiberglass/fabric/neon work that he has going too. So in all fairness he only really spent probably 4000. on the actual audio itself, the rest was labor.

Also, we go to dB drag contests that have a sound quality contest also, since his car isnt about making bass, its about having a crisp clear sound at almost all sound levels. As for the class he was in...last time I checked I think he entered in the 4000+ watt class since he has 3 JL amps powering a handful of the highest end MB speakers/components, and the type R sub.

As for the possible distortion, We never hear it cause the shit gets so loud that it actually hurts my brain to listen to anything that loud, so even if there is distortion, I cant tell. haha

[Buck]

Originally posted by Vtec_Power@Jun 11 2004, 02:02 AM

Also, we go to dB drag contests that have a sound quality contest also, since his car isnt about making bass, its about having a crisp clear sound at almost all sound levels. As for the class he was in...last time I checked I think he entered in the 4000+ watt class since he has 3 JL amps powering a handful of the highest end MB speakers/components, and the type R sub.

I don't doubt that you have gone to dB drag contest with sound quality at the same time. What I was saying is that dB Drag is it's own "league" so to say that only focuses on SPL(sound pressure level) scores to just a winner. The sound quality comp. most likely were either a USACi or IASCA event for sound quality judging since those are the two major "leagues." With me?

[Big f'n J]

Everyone go here if you want to learn how amps, speakers, CLIPPING and DISTORTION work.


My Webpage


Okay I don't know why it says my web page but it's not. I dunno how to change it. But it is the page I want to show you guys.

[Vtec_Power]

Originally posted by Buck+Jun 11 2004, 03:17 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Buck @ Jun 11 2004, 03:17 AM)</div>

I don't doubt that you have gone to dB drag contest with sound quality at the same time. What I was saying is that dB Drag is it's own "league" so to say that only focuses on SPL(sound pressure level) scores to just a winner. The sound quality comp. most likely were either a USACi or IASCA event for sound quality judging since those are the two major "leagues." With me?[/b]

yea I see what you're saying, i;m not too sure I think it was a IASCA event now that you mention it

My friends cousin however won the dB drag contest for Higehst SPL overall and set a state record with 198 dB Coming off of a Alpine head unit, 6 Type R 15's and 4 alpine amps, in his monster truck xterra (34" Mickey thompsons and a 9" body lift). His system kicked so hard that his rear windshield wiper arm flew off. After his first run they told him to take off the dinky little ear plugs he had on and gave him a pair of those airport runway headphone style ear plugs.

[Toyz-B-Us]

That would be more like 158 db. 198 will probably never even happen in a competition vehicle. Just to be in the 170 db range, you need very thick lexan windows, and electromagnetically sealed doors just to keep the thing sealed.

[Smooth_Imports]

Originally posted by Vtec_Power+Jun 11 2004, 10:49 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Vtec_Power @ Jun 11 2004, 10:49 AM)</div>

yea I see what you're saying, i;m not too sure I think it was a IASCA event now that you mention it

My friends cousin however won the dB drag contest for Higehst SPL overall and set a state record with 198 dB Coming off of a Alpine head unit, 6 Type R 15's and 4 alpine amps, in his monster truck xterra (34" Mickey thompsons and a 9" body lift). His system kicked so hard that his rear windshield wiper arm flew off. After his first run they told him to take off the dinky little ear plugs he had on and gave him a pair of those airport runway headphone style ear plugs.[/b]

Dude if you sat in a car with windows up that hit 198DB's i don't care what kind of ear protection you had your ear drums would pop out from the presure and you would probally pass out. The amount of air movement in the car whould be insaine.

[Calesta]

Originally posted by Buck+Jun 10 2004, 10:49 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Buck @ Jun 10 2004, 10:49 AM)</div>

Much simpler then what I would have put it but there you go.

As long as you know or have an idea abot what the speaker wave form looks like. [/b]

Of course- that's about as oversimplified as you can get. I don't want to start spewing off about amplifier design, wave forms, IC capabilities etc in a forum where people won't really know what they're reading. I'll leave that to discussions between me and my EE friends.

[Buck]

My friends cousin however won the dB drag contest for Higehst SPL overall and set a state record with 198 dB Coming off of a Alpine head unit, 6 Type R 15's and 4 alpine amps, in his monster truck xterra (34" Mickey thompsons and a 9" body lift). His system kicked so hard that his rear windshield wiper arm flew off. After his first run they told him to take off the dinky little ear plugs he had on and gave him a pair of those airport runway headphone style ear plugs.[/b]

Yeah no way he got 198 he would have had to drop 30,000 to 40,000 grand just in reinforces to the car it's self. 158 is much more like what it really would have it. Plus I could be wrong but I don't think current SPL metering systems can read up to 198, I thought that about 180 was there topping out point. Andy is that still true?

Of course- that's about as oversimplified as you can get. I don't want to start spewing off about amplifier design, wave forms, IC capabilities etc in a forum where people won't really know what they're reading. I'll leave that to discussions between me and my EE friends.[/b]

Why not I would have just to have some fun!

[Calesta]

Originally posted by Buck@Jun 11 2004, 02:11 PM

Why not I would have just to have some fun! [/b]

That's ok- I have much better ways to use my time. :P