setup advice

[Eric D]

I have no clue what is going on with your head units. I have never found an eXcelon which clipped, and that has been the primary point of why I promote people buying them.

Are you guys measuring the front output? I have found the sub output to clip as it has its own volume control on a lot of these units, and you can run it beyond clipping. The front and rear RCA jacks should not clip.

My X889 goes to 35 on the volume like yours do. I listen to it at 35 most every day, and it is just as clean and clear as when the volume is down near 25. (verified with o-scope, not just my ears).

These are some units I can think of off hand which I have tested...

X911
X915
X917
X789
X889

I have checked plenty of others prior to the X889, but don't remember the model numbers (basically at one point I took all the units Soundbuggy had for sale and tested them).

I suppose Kenwood's quality went down hill at some point along this timeline, maybe they started to clip them as well (like all the non eXcelon Kenwood decks do)

[Jorg]

And what about my Epicenter and ESP2, how can I use it in my system because one M50 is used for the left(rear) channel and the other for the right(front) channel.

[Jorg]

At which frequenties are you testing?

I got the audiocontrol test drive kit. It's one box with the Epicenter an ESP2 connected together.
I just connected it to my amp and WOW, it's on my subamp. And the powefull bass is back and my amp isn't clipping.

But the ESP2 should not be connected to the sub amp right?
It suppose to be on the speakers, right?

[Eric D]

And what about my Epicenter and ESP2, how can I use it in my system because one M50 is used for the left(rear) channel and the other for the right(front) channel.

Huh?

One M50 should be on the front right, and the other on the front left.

You should have only 1 set of RCA cables leading to the amplifiers, a single right and left, nothing more.

The Epicenter and the ESP2 have to go right after the head unit, and before any amplifiers.

Then into your M100, then RCAs out of the M100 and to each M50 (with Y cables)

[Jorg]

mmm ok should change that and uhm...should I use the Subwoofer lead from the headunit ?

and how should i use the O-scope then?
and will the Esp2 work? because it should drive the speakers and not the subwoofer.


And why is het better to connect the amps like this way?

[ttocs]

esp-2 does nothing for the sub signal. I love mine!

[Jorg]

So how should I connect it if I use the subwoofer lead from the headunit?

[Eric D]

I would not use the subwoofer lead from the head unit. The M100 is your bass amp, and your crossover for the M50s. You need to use the front output of the head unit.

[Eric D]

Here is what I would try to start with...

Your head unit probably has three pairs of outputs, front, rear, and sub. Use the front set, and nothing else.

Run those to the rear of your vehicle with a set of RCA cables. Run them into the input of the M100.

Use the speaker terminals on the M100 to run your subwoofers.

The M100 has a right and a left RCA output. Run a single (not a pair) RCA cable from the right output of the M100 to a "Y" cable (female to dual male), and plug both male ends into the M50 you intend to use as your right amp. Bridge the M50 by using the outer speaker terminals and run these to your passive crossover for your right front speaker set.

Do the same for the other M50, using the left output of the M100, and another single RCA cable with female to dual male "Y" on its end.

Now, connect an LPL controller to the M100s port, and set the M100's crossover for about 100Hz. The LPL will control your bass level.

Now to set your gains. Disconnect all speakers from the amps.

Turn all the gains down, and the LPL control to max.

Connect your o-scope to the M100. Put the negative lead of the o-scope on any one of the middle speaker terminals. Put the positive on one of the outer terminals. Turn on o-scope, and play a 0db 45Hz track on the headunit.

Turn up the head unit until you see clipping on the o-scope. Hopefully you don't see any. If you don't see any, then start turning up the gain on the M100 until you do. Back off just a bit and it is set.

Now connect the o-scope to one of the M50s. Play a 0db 1,000Hz track and start turning up the volume on the head unit. If your head unit did not clip before with the M100, you should be able to go all the way again. Now turn up the M50's gain until you see clipping and back off slightly. Repeat for the second M50.

Turn down the head unit and turn off the system. Reconnect the speakers. Now listen too it. If you don't have enough bass, increase the bass level at the M100 gain control until you are satisfied with it. If you think you may want more bass later with a song with lacks bass, then turn down the LPL a bit, and turn up the gain on the M100 a bit more. You can then add the bass with the LPL when you need it.

Don't turn up the gain on either M50 at all. If you do, you may fry your components.

Once you have all this working correctly, then you can decide what you wish to add to it. You can put the Epicenter in between the head unit and the M100. The Epicenter requires a full range signal for input, or it will not work as intended. I personally suggest against the Epicenter. They were useful back during the days of tape deck head units, where you had limited dynamic range. With CD all an Epicenter does is help people blow woofers and amplifiers faster.

You can add the ESP2 if you wish. It would go between the head unit and the M100 as the Epicenter does. A properly setup system will not benefit from an ESP2, it is just a band-aid for a system deficient in other areas.

Once you have all this setup, you can expand on it with an EQ. Place the EQ between the head unit and the M100. When you do this, you will need to reset all your gains.

[Jorg]

But I have the ESP2 between my Headunit and M100 right now and it isn't doing anything??
the Epicenter does work.

I haven't got the system changed yet, as to your last post.

[ludeboost98]

I'm learning alot from reading this post . I have never used an "o" scope to set up my audio but now I want to . I have access to a Fluke 196C . If someone could do a quick google and tell me if this would be sufficient?

[Jorg]

yes you can use the Fluke for it.

[Jorg]

Is it possible to connect 2 Phoenix gold M100 amp together for one subwoofer?

So one M100 delivers 455 watt rms at 4ohm.
Then connect 2 M100 together then you get 910 watt rms?? is that correct and is it possible.?

[Nils]

Maybe i have missed it out but what cind of sub are you planning to use? If it is a SVC, NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! If it is a DVC, go ahead. (just make shure to equal the output)

[Jorg]

I have a 8 inch Digital Design 500 watt rms, now it is just connected to one M100. But to get a more controlled subwoofer it's better to have it overpowerred.

What do you mean with SVC and DVC??

[Nils]

I have a 8 inch Digital Design 500 watt rms, now it is just connected to one M100. But to get a more controlled subwoofer it's better to have it overpowerred.

What do you mean with SVC and DVC??

Singel voice coil and Dual voice coil ex. 1 x 4 ohm and 2 x 4 ohm

[Jorg]

It's a SVC. 4ohm.

It's the Digital Designs 1508

So I can't connect it to 2 M100 amps?

[Nils]

No, you can not use 2 M100 on the DD1508 that you have, if it was a dual voicecoil you could have done it

[ludeboost98]

In order to do that you need 2 identical amps that are strapable . The only ones I have ever used were kicker . One ran + and other one - .

[Jorg]

huh so it can be done?

because ( 2 ) m100 are identical and both have an input and output rca.

[holmis]

huh so it can be done?

because ( 2 ) m100 are identical and both have an input and output rca.

NO !

You have to use 2 identical amps that can be LINKED... Thats not possible with M100 ..


You can buy the new Phoenix Gold "The One" x2 ... that one is linkable...