Hello,

I recently put a new stereo into a car. It's a Miata (convertable),
with an Alpine CDA-9853 HU, Infinity Reference 6800cs for the doors
(5x7), and Infinity Kappa 32.5cf 3 1/2" speakers in the windblocker.
Amp is a Memphis Audio 16-MC150 (small enough to fit in a tunnel above
the wheel well).

After a fair amount of tweaking, the stereo is close to sounding good,
and being listenable at highway speeds with the top down. However,
there is still too much top/not enough bass, even with the EQ on the
head unit adjusted to cut the top end and boost the lower end. Bass is
better at higher volumes, but still not quite enough.

I recently used a liberal amount of Dynamat on the passenger door and
got rid of a rattle there and have better response from that side. I'll
do the driver's side soon.

I'm a newbie at car stereo tuning, so my questions:

-Should I be looking for an audio demo CD to test things out with? If
so, can someone suggest a particular one?

-Would an external equalizer help, and if so what models should I look
at?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Les Elkins

"NEVER use a maj7 chord in any bar that is named
after a deceased NASCAR driver, a large-calibre
firearm, or an intoxicated farm animal."
-Rev. Billy C. Wirtz's Universal Chord Law

In article .com,
"Les" wrote:

Hello,

I recently put a new stereo into a car. It's a Miata (convertable),
with an Alpine CDA-9853 HU, Infinity Reference 6800cs for the doors
(5x7), and Infinity Kappa 32.5cf 3 1/2" speakers in the windblocker.
Amp is a Memphis Audio 16-MC150 (small enough to fit in a tunnel above
the wheel well).

After a fair amount of tweaking, the stereo is close to sounding good,
and being listenable at highway speeds with the top down. However,
there is still too much top/not enough bass, even with the EQ on the
head unit adjusted to cut the top end and boost the lower end. Bass is
better at higher volumes, but still not quite enough.

I recently used a liberal amount of Dynamat on the passenger door and
got rid of a rattle there and have better response from that side. I'll
do the driver's side soon.

I'm a newbie at car stereo tuning, so my questions:

-Should I be looking for an audio demo CD to test things out with? If
so, can someone suggest a particular one?


IMO One knows their own music if played on various systems, stick with
what you know. OTOH If test tones are what you're after, there is
freeware that can do it.

-Would an external equalizer help, and if so what models should I look
at?


Possibly, but EQ boost can only do so much. IMO Those drivers just don't
have enough displacement for low end material. Look into installing a
sub somehow, and/or a strong midbass section. Indeed a small car though.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Les Elkins

I too use speed+windows down as my sole measurement. Good luck.

--
Cyrus

*coughcasaucedoprodigynetcough*