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Small SQ Install

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Gladiator
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Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » July 6th, 2022, 10:38 pm

Just waking up the forum a little... Rovin say it too dead.

Recently did a small install that actually blew me away... 3 way active Front stage SQ oriented.

JBL DSP4086 DSP Amplifier
Hertz DT24.3 Tweeters
DLS 2.5" Dome midranges (had these in storage for 12 years)
Stock 4" Mid bass (actually sounded so good didn't bother to change them)
ARC Audio 8" sub in a very small sealed box

Amp is 40Wx8 into 4 Ohms and 60Wx8 into 8 Ohms. Full 8 ch DSP with all the bells and whistles. Using it for everything including the sub...lol

Ended up using one channel each on each 2 Ohm voice coil for about 120 RMS on the sub.

I must say, that little JBL blew my mind. No distortion, lots of control, loads of power and the thing is small.

1657160205513.jpg


The only drawback is a little floor noise. Have to check the grounding to see if I need better connection. Also there are no terminals, its all in a harness so a lot of solder, heat shrink etc.

I may upgrade the tweeters. Not sure yet, because they sound very good, just the entry line model.

Image

The ARC Audio sub however is a real little monster. FS is 22HZ and trust me it plays very low for an 8". Its rated 150W so the 120W is just enough juice.

Image

Box is 0.3 cu ft. Built with pitch pine, wasn't feeling to buy an entire sheet of MDF to build such a small box.
1657161349421.jpg


The couple persons I demoed the install to were all fascinated.

The Head Unit is the stock unit, using a PAC interface with Applemusic and Spotify. Stock HU plays HiRes FLAC files also.

These DSP amps just keep getting better and better. The JBL was rather inexpensive, but very worth it for what it can do.

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Rovin
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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Rovin » July 7th, 2022, 12:02 pm

very nice to see somebody actually posting a system on here especially a sq one when everybody else is loud noise

what vehicle still using 4" speakers in this day\age , looking like a 4 dr pickup so vehicle acoustics might help it ...

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evolution7tt
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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby evolution7tt » July 7th, 2022, 12:48 pm

How cool!

I've been looking at that JBL DSP for a while. Glad to see someone using it. If it meets your standards, it has to be excellent. Nice placement on the sub box. That should sound much better than using a flat sub at that price point.

Thanks for posting. I'll post the log from my last install soon. I'm doing a much simpler build next. Thanks for sharing!

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » July 10th, 2022, 11:34 pm

Rovin wrote:very nice to see somebody actually posting a system on here especially a sq one when everybody else is loud noise

what vehicle still using 4" speakers in this day\age , looking like a 4 dr pickup so vehicle acoustics might help it ...


Yeah boy... its a JEEP Wrangler... the output on the stock speakers surprised me. Its also a pain in the butt to remove the stock midbasses and their enclosures (yes they are installed in enclosures).

There is a Metra replacement pod to fit a 6.5". Might consider it sometime in the future.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » July 10th, 2022, 11:41 pm

evolution7tt wrote:How cool!

I've been looking at that JBL DSP for a while. Glad to see someone using it. If it meets your standards, it has to be excellent. Nice placement on the sub box. That should sound much better than using a flat sub at that price point.

Thanks for posting. I'll post the log from my last install soon. I'm doing a much simpler build next. Thanks for sharing!


The DSP is great for the price point. Only thing I can complain about is the slight floor noise (trying to narrow it down to the DSP or the interface module).

Also the remote bass knob is not the best... could be a little more linear and of a better build quality.

I ended up "painting" the sub box with flex seal spray. Surprisingly the finish was quite good and matched the rugged look of the interior of the vehicle. The placement kinda hides it so you don't really know its a sub.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby timelapse » July 20th, 2022, 9:20 am

Real nice install there Gladiator.Dotish question,but I will ask anyway.Did you gain match the amp to your head unit?

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » July 20th, 2022, 9:19 pm

timelapse wrote:Real nice install there Gladiator.Dotish question,but I will ask anyway.Did you gain match the amp to your head unit?


Hey man...the PAC Audio interface unit has a dual setting for 2V and 5V. I used the 2V setting. The DSP doesn't have a gain setting per say but input levels per channel. Due to the need for different levels on the different channels to match the sensitivity of the speakers each channel was set at different levels.

There is a clipping indicator on the dsp that I used to monitor and avoid output clipping at the max listening level.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby timelapse » July 21st, 2022, 4:53 pm

I figured as much.
Here's my humble recommendation.
Set the amp gains properly without the dsp in the signal chain using test tones and a multimeter.Then plug back in the dsp and dial in the limiter.Will tame any voltage spikes if you have any.

If you need guidance on this let me know.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Firewall » July 23rd, 2022, 9:27 pm

Good job.

Does the amp portion provide sufficient overall output?

In relation to the sub, not sure if you mentioned if it is sealed/ported? Is the output sufficient to overcome the noise floor of the jeep (which I may be incorrectly assuming is high)

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby evolution7tt » July 25th, 2022, 6:53 am

timelapse wrote:I figured as much.
Here's my humble recommendation.
Set the amp gains properly without the dsp in the signal chain using test tones and a multimeter. Then plug back in the dsp and dial in the limiter. Will tame any voltage spikes if you have any.

If you need guidance on this let me know.



The JBL DSP is the amplifier here.

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Brian Steele
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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Brian Steele » July 27th, 2022, 6:40 pm

Gladiator wrote:Amp is 40Wx8 into 4 Ohms and 60Wx8 into 8 Ohms.


The JBL site says that the amp output capability is as follows:

RMS Power Output @ 2Ω
60W x 8, <1% THD+N
RMS Power Output @ 4Ω
40W x 8, <1% THD+N

Looks like a nice little thing, and not too pricey for what it does, because after all, you're getting built-in DSP with it.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Firewall » July 27th, 2022, 8:32 pm

Brian Steele wrote:
Gladiator wrote:Amp is 40Wx8 into 4 Ohms and 60Wx8 into 8 Ohms.


The JBL site says that the amp output capability is as follows:

RMS Power Output @ 2Ω
60W x 8, <1% THD+N
RMS Power Output @ 4Ω
40W x 8, <1% THD+N

Looks like a nice little thing, and not too pricey for what it does, because after all, you're getting built-in DSP with it.

So it’s basically the updated ms8. A little more power in a smaller package. Wonder what the gui looks like and how easy it is to use.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby timelapse » July 27th, 2022, 10:28 pm

evolution7tt wrote:
timelapse wrote:I figured as much.
Here's my humble recommendation.
Set the amp gains properly without the dsp in the signal chain using test tones and a multimeter. Then plug back in the dsp and dial in the limiter. Will tame any voltage spikes if you have any.

If you need guidance on this let me know.



The JBL DSP is the amplifier here.
Turn everything on the dsp off:eq,time alignment, crossovers,etc.
That's what I meant without the dsp in the signal chain.This explains it better
https://youtu.be/MBcGOoRJ4Ro

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » August 12th, 2022, 9:07 pm

timelapse wrote:I figured as much.
Here's my humble recommendation.
Set the amp gains properly without the dsp in the signal chain using test tones and a multimeter.Then plug back in the dsp and dial in the limiter.Will tame any voltage spikes if you have any.

If you need guidance on this let me know.


Thanks man... would give it a try and let you know how it goes.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » August 12th, 2022, 9:14 pm

Firewall wrote:
Brian Steele wrote:
Gladiator wrote:Amp is 40Wx8 into 4 Ohms and 60Wx8 into 8 Ohms.


The JBL site says that the amp output capability is as follows:

RMS Power Output @ 2Ω
60W x 8, <1% THD+N
RMS Power Output @ 4Ω
40W x 8, <1% THD+N

Looks like a nice little thing, and not too pricey for what it does, because after all, you're getting built-in DSP with it.

So it’s basically the updated ms8. A little more power in a smaller package. Wonder what the gui looks like and how easy it is to use.


The GUI is fairly easy to navigate and use... only nagging issue is the sliders have no incremental step click adjustments. So you have to take your time and slide with your mouse...

JBL.jpg

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » August 12th, 2022, 9:17 pm

Brian Steele wrote:
Gladiator wrote:Amp is 40Wx8 into 4 Ohms and 60Wx8 into 8 Ohms.


The JBL site says that the amp output capability is as follows:

RMS Power Output @ 2Ω
60W x 8, <1% THD+N
RMS Power Output @ 4Ω
40W x 8, <1% THD+N

Looks like a nice little thing, and not too pricey for what it does, because after all, you're getting built-in DSP with it.


An the best part is that you can adjust the outputs all the way down to -50dB and use it as a preamp/dsp and add external amplifiers for more power. This can be done for 1-8 channels. So for example you can use the JBL for powered output for tweeters and midrange. Turn down the output for the mid and sub bass and add external amps for more power to those channels.

They also give you some neat terminal to RCA adapters for this purpose... pretty neat
Last edited by Gladiator on August 12th, 2022, 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » August 12th, 2022, 9:23 pm

Firewall wrote:Good job.

Does the amp portion provide sufficient overall output?

In relation to the sub, not sure if you mentioned if it is sealed/ported? Is the output sufficient to overcome the noise floor of the jeep (which I may be incorrectly assuming is high)


To be honest I was not expecting the output to be sufficient especially for the Jeep environment. But after the initial install I never had the need for more power. I know you have to factor in the drivers and the sensitivity also.

The sub is what was unexpectedly surprising. A very small sealed enclosure and very good output with excellent freq response. Each 2 Ohm voice coil on a channel should give it 120W rms...

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby timelapse » August 14th, 2022, 9:56 am

Gladiator wrote:
Firewall wrote:Good job.

Does the amp portion provide sufficient overall output?

In relation to the sub, not sure if you mentioned if it is sealed/ported? Is the output sufficient to overcome the noise floor of the jeep (which I may be incorrectly assuming is high)


To be honest I was not expecting the output to be sufficient especially for the Jeep environment. But after the initial install I never had the need for more power. I know you have to factor in the drivers and the sensitivity also.

The sub is what was unexpectedly surprising. A very small sealed enclosure and very good output with excellent freq response. Each 2 Ohm voice coil on a channel should give it 120W rms...
I used to have a sealed 8 inch infinity in my car before I got the JL 10 inch.
It used to slam.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby ~Vēġó~ » September 25th, 2022, 12:16 pm

Liking this very much...

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » September 29th, 2022, 8:27 pm

~Vēġó~ wrote:Liking this very much...


Thanks bro... thinking about upgrading the tweeters right about now. Any recommendations?

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby X_Factor » September 29th, 2022, 9:14 pm

What is your budget?

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Rovin
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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Rovin » September 30th, 2022, 11:14 am

put some NB1 hossboidanboi



....... :mrgreen:

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Dave » September 30th, 2022, 11:22 am

With some cyarpahsitors boidawgboi

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » September 30th, 2022, 8:10 pm

X_Factor wrote:What is your budget?


No budget really... let me know what's available or what you recommend.

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby ~Vēġó~ » October 1st, 2022, 5:48 am

Gladiator wrote:
~Vēġó~ wrote:Liking this very much...


Thanks bro... thinking about upgrading the tweeters right about now. Any recommendations?
Sorry bro, now trying to get back into the ICE scenes mehself....

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby Gladiator » October 1st, 2022, 10:38 pm

~Vēġó~ wrote:
Gladiator wrote:
~Vēġó~ wrote:Liking this very much...


Thanks bro... thinking about upgrading the tweeters right about now. Any recommendations?
Sorry bro, now trying to get back into the ICE scenes mehself....


Looking at the Hertz ML 280.3 If their entry line that I running now is good, then their highest model should be great?

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby X_Factor » October 2nd, 2022, 7:30 am

Gladiator wrote:
X_Factor wrote:What is your budget?


No budget really... let me know what's available or what you recommend.
https://www.caraudio.com/threads/tbi-hdss-tweeter-review.351213/

If u interested in something that i am sure no one else has...I bought these about 5years ago
It plays pretty decent

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Re: Small SQ Install

Postby PiMan » October 2nd, 2022, 11:41 am

Have these if your interested. Brand new dls rc25. $600Image

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