Rough tune on your EQ

**JasonWW** · 09-07-2007, 07:31 AM

Adjust your volume on the test CD so that you can hear the low frequencies without overpowering your mids or highs.

This was from post #1. You don't want to hurt your ears doing this. 90% seems awfully loud considering external amps. Didn't the 1K-6K freqs just plain hurt your ears? That should tell you the volume is too high. Did maybe you start at 20K and work your way down? Everyone should start at the bottom and work your way up. Establish your volume level at a specific number that's not too loud and write it down so you can reference it later.

I'm also pretty sure I mentioned somewhere that pure test tones are not like music. They can be rough on the speakers because they are playing a constant tone. I've heard of people frying a voicecoil on a subwoofer by having it play a constant tone over and over, but never a tweeter.

Did you also want some advice on what areas to focus on? I'm pressed for time right now, but I'll come back and suggest a few things.

By the roll off of the top end, you may need to aim the tweeters more towards the listener. Also, what is the corrected and original values you plotted? I don't understand what you mean. (nice graph, btw)

**sgtpepperaut** · 09-07-2007, 08:07 AM

yeah i suppose the volume was a little high alltough i liked the bass being that loud. (ik was using earplugs tough haha)

i started at 20Hz and worked my way up. All speakers where fine (not even distortion) up until the tweeters at 10k which are AIMED DIRECTLY at me. However. I will install the speakers in the second row (a pair of tweeters and mids) to see if that changes things... i will also use a lot less volume this time

does ANYONE have a nice SWEEP as an audiofile...so that when i am done testing i can just play one file and see if dB stay within reasonable range?

ill write more about it later.

thanks for now jason.

OH EDIT:

the corrected values are the values that take the correction for the Radioshack digital SPL meter into account. There is a table with corrected values posted for it!

**JasonWW** · 09-07-2007, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by sgtpepperaut

All speakers where fine (not even distortion) up until the tweeters at 10k which are AIMED DIRECTLY at me.

Do the x-overs have any switches in them? Sometimes there will be a level switch for the tweeters. Mine have 0, -1.5, -3 and -5. Yours may be set too low. I don't know your exact model speakers, but one of the Type R component sets says this "2-way crossover with 6-step tweeter level adjustment" So check those.
Another thing is that it might have too heavy of a grill cover. If the material is too dense it will block those smaller sound waves and reduce output on the topend.

Originally Posted by sgtpepperaut

does ANYONE have a nice SWEEP as an audiofile...so that when i am done testing i can just play one file and see if dB stay within reasonable range?!

I have my test CD. I'll see if I can make a mp3 file of their sweep tone.

Originally Posted by sgtpepperaut

the corrected values are the values that take the correction for the Radioshack digital SPL meter into account. There is a table with corrected values posted for it!

That's what I was thinking, but look between 150 and 200Hz. The correction is 0.5 dB. I think you corrected it 5.0 dB.

**JasonWW** · 09-07-2007, 01:35 PM

I don't have a host for audio files. If you email me at
jasonw_ward2@hotmail.com
I'll mail you a copy of "Alan Parsons & Stephen Court - Sound Check - 56 - Sine sweep_ 20Hz-20kHz

It's 32 seconds and mp3 at 128Kb which should be fine. 1.25MB

**JasonWW** · 09-07-2007, 01:43 PM

On your response curve, you might check your polarity and maybe even map out one side at a time because it's just so wavy. A decent set of components shouldn't look like that.

First check the tweeter levels.
Then what I said right above. Something just doesn't look right. Can you hear the tinkle, tinkle on the high end? The tweeters just seem to not be playing very loudly or not at all. Definetely check that out.
As for the rest of the resonse curve, I would focus on the big dip at 600Hz first. Try boosting that freq maybe 5dB and then see if the curve in that area is flatter or the same. Maybe cut a little at 400 and 1000, like 1 or 2 dB just to furtther smooth things out. Then add a maybe 2-3 at 1600 to get that dip up.

You may want to keep the peak at 80 to give it some punch, but maybe try a little boost at 60 or so to make the bass more realistic and not so "one note". You can also try a small cut at 200, 350, 1000, 4000 and 6000 and listen to how that sounds.

**sgtpepperaut** · 09-07-2007, 01:55 PM

Do the x-overs have any switches in them? Sometimes there will be a level switch for the tweeters. Mine have 0, -1.5, -3 and -5. Yours may be set too low. I don't know your exact model speakers, but one of the Type R component sets says this "2-way crossover with 6-step tweeter level adjustment" So check those.

i am using 3 way audiopipes in the front i switched them two days ago. i had the r types 2 way in there. i know the r types have the jumper you are talking about the audiopipes dont unfortunately but i have another idea here. Im thinking about mounting the R type tweeters in the back and using the with the corresponding xo.

Another thing is that it might have too heavy of a grill cover. If the material is too dense it will block those smaller sound waves and reduce output on the topend.

Negative they are mounted so they aim directly at me and only have the original Alpine cover over them (which should be fine i would think?

I have my test CD. I'll see if I can make a mp3 file of their sweep tone.

philipp.protschka@chello.at thank you

That's what I was thinking, but look between 150 and 200Hz. The correction is 0.5 dB. I think you corrected it 5.0 dB.

YOum sir are absolutely right....i was only of by a factor of 10 lol

i will try to install the backrow set of speakers tonight so i can take some new measurements tomorrow. i hope that will push those high frequencies a little bit.

thank you, i will talk to you tomorrow.

**sgtpepperaut** · 09-07-2007, 01:59 PM

**fonque** · 06-02-2008, 12:17 AM

i hope this thread isnt completely dead, but I need to know where to add or cut gain on my response curve

I am trying to tune this curve with a 3 band parametric equalizer. I can set the center frequency, the q curve (1,3,5,7,20) and the gain (+ or - 12dB).

So far im going to try center frequency at 630 Hz, with a Q of 1, with +6 dB gain. But i dont know where to go from here.

**sgtpepperaut** · 06-02-2008, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by fonque

i hope this thread isnt completely dead, but I need to know where to add or cut gain on my response curve

I am trying to tune this curve with a 3 band parametric equalizer. I can set the center frequency, the q curve (1,3,5,7,20) and the gain (+ or - 12dB).

So far im going to try center frequency at 630 Hz, with a Q of 1, with +6 dB gain. But i dont know where to go from here.

what method did u use for the measurements?

**JasonWW** · 06-02-2008, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by sgtpepperaut

what method did u use for the measurements?

Knowing how the measurements were taken and with what will tell us if it's fairly accurate. If it's off, then you'll have to start all over again.

Assuming its correct, setting one bands center at 630, a 6-8 gain sounds about right. How wide is a Q of 1? Ehh, you need it narrow and that's the narrowest so don't have much choice there. A little dip at 400 might help if it's possible. Can you hear these 2?

Does the roll off above 10K bother you?

Oh. We were helping you earlier. I forget all about your system and stuff. The response curve looks a lot better than it used to. Does it sound better as well?