What is the best system set-up to have in a car?

What to set my car audio system at?

• JENSEN VM9224BT, kenwood kac-9105d mono amp. with 2 rockford prime 12" subs. What do I set the radio gains and filters to and the same thing for the amp. I want the system to sound clean and loud , just the right amount of bass, but with this being my first aftermarket radio and amp. there is all kinds of settings LPF,Mid, sub wq gain. And much more one the headunit and amp.. I guess im asking is what is the "correct" setting for this combo. I have????

• Answer:

  Okay.. I fully encourage you to read more, but I'll give you a brief breakdown of the controls. LPF is your low pass filter. Basically, the frequency you select will allow all the frequencies below it to 'pass' (hence - low pass), and it will roll off the frequency response above that number, so the frequencies above it won't be played. Generally, for a subwoofer, 80hz is a good starting point. That will allow all frequencies under 80hz to 'pass' through the amp, and then be reproduced by the subwoofer. If you set that dial lower, say to 60hz, your sub will only play notes 60hz and under, and so forth. For me, I find how low my internal speakers can play, and bass my sub amps low pass off that. For example, my Infinity Kappas really only played smoothly down to about 85hz, so I high passed my Kappas on the deck at 85hz (allows all notes above that to be played), and then set my subs LPF to 85hz, so that the sub would handle all the notes lower than what my Kappas can play. This is one of the few dials that you can really just toy around with until you find what works best for you. The gain on the other hand is not something to toy with. Important as hell to set this right. I would google 'setting amp gains' as it would just take too much time to explain, but basically, you want to use a basic digital multimeter ($10 at Autozone), and use a chart found online which will tell you the target AC voltage to reach. For example, the chart (not hard to find) told me that I needed to be at 54.7 volts, which was based on the RMS power of my amp, and the impedance of the subs. So, you set all your deck settings to flat, then turn the volume up on the HU to 75%, then slowly turn up the gain until you reach that target number. The only purpose of the gain is to level match the voltage coming from the head unit. You want to reach the maximum unclipped gain setting, which really only can be determined by using a multimeter. So, get a basic DMM, download a 50hz sine wave ( a constant 50hz bass note), and then you turn the gain up to reach that voltage that you will find on the chart. I'll be honest, a lot of people just set it by ear, but I don't recommend that. Anything over that target voltage, will result in square wave distortion, and it isnt always easy to hear early forms of distortion just by listening. Again, google setting amp gains, and read read read. Its actually really simple, but very important that you set it right. The vast majority of people who blow their subwoofers have their gain set too high. I always set mine with my cheap meter, and I haven't blown a single sub in 16 years. That Kenwood amp puts out enough power to blow those RF Primes, so again, make sure the gain is set correctly. 'Mid' is an audio control that pushes more midrange to your internal speakers, but the problem with a straight mid adjustment is that you have no idea which frequency it is boosting. All I can say is that toggling the mid may add a little more punch to your interior speakers, but you would be much better off with a parametric or graphic equalizer that would allow you to dial in the right frequency. The subwoofer gain on the deck generally should be set to around 2/3s full (so if it goes up to 15, set it to 10), and keep the setting there while you adjust the amp gain with the DMM. The subwoofer gain on the deck basically increases the voltage going from the RCAs to the sub amp. The higher you set the sub gain on the deck, the lower you would set the sub gain on the amp. Just set it to 2/3 to 3/4 full, then set the amp gain using the test tone and multimeter, and dont ever turn the sub gain up on either afterwards. That particular deck really doesn't hve much for audio controls, other than your basic bass treble, sub balance fade etc. There is no 'correct' setting for this combo. The more you experiment with different settings, the more likely you will find what sounds best to you. There is a correct gain setting though, so get that set right, and the rest I would just adjust until you find what sounds best for you. Also, if you are using a ported box for those Primes, and your deck or amp has a subsonic filter... use it. That will protect very low frequencies from reaching the sub, which can often damage it, so turn the subsonic on if you have one. If you are using a sealed box, it isnt necessary. If a bunch of people chime in and say to just set everything by ear, you obviously can, but I would advise against it.