Re: Stereo Question- (ANSWERS HERE!!!) (archive)

Did they install a PC6600 or a lower end amp?
You should be able to look at the amp and find the gains for channels 5/6 (usually what runs the subs) and turn it up a little. Its possible that they adjusted the bass down too much when tuning for the new separates in the car. You can turn it up, I would not recommend any more than 3/4 of the way though, any more usually causes distortion, in which case you would instead turn down the other gains slightly first (in effect turning the bass up the the current volume setting)
Also make sure they hooked up the Kicker Solobaric in a 2 OHM MONO config and plugged in into the 5/6 channel connector! Also 5/6 should be set to MONO/BRIDGED somewhere on the amp. Usually it will hook to the 5+ and 6- or vise versa. Then inside the box split off to BOTH voice coils or run to one voice coil then to the other (+ to + and - to -), effectively taking two 4 ohm voice coils and combining them into a parallel config, creating a 2 ohm load (as checked using an ohm meter) This is how you get the correct amount of amplification from your Precision Power amp. If they only hooked up one voice coil, or hooked one to 5 and one to 6, or just hooked up parallel to just 5 or just 6, then your not getting the amplification you can. Unscrew the woofer and look inside the box to see how its ran. With it disconnected from the amp, use an ohm meter to make sure its setup for 2 ohm, and then make sure its running to the amps 5/6 channels in a mono/bridged config (See manual).
Also make sure the wiring is of a good gauge, preferrably 12 gauge speaker wiring or bigger (10/8 gauge monstercable). If its not, go to a stereo shop and buy 5 feet of their best quality Monster Cable. This will allow the amplifier to pipe the watts to the woofer without working its ass off. Kinda like running 5 gallons of water a second thru a hose the size of a dime instead of a quarter, it takes alot more work for the water to push thru, same concept applies to the amplifier and how it can pipe the wattage to the speakers.

I need some advice, I have a 2000 528i with the standard system. The two upgrades are as follows:

1. Removed factory amp and installed a Precision Power 6 channel amp with crossovers and a 12" Kicker sub mounted to the hole in the Arm Rest. The installer also Disconnected the tweeters mounted in the front door by the window.

The sound was much better but still not what I wanted.

2. This weekend I had two sets of the Boston Acoustic separates installed. They discoonected the tweeters in the rear doors and mounted the Boston Acoustics together in the rear deck. The fronts where replaced and they still left the tweeters by the windows disconnected.

My problem is the system has lost most of the ooomph front the sub and I don't like the current sound.

Any assistance is appreciated, what went wrong and how do I get it to sound right.

Thanks

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