Hey all, I'm one of the folks that got stuck in the verification email problems - suffice to say I'm doing the same as many of you. Thought I'd post this here:
TL;DR - swapping the speakers without amping and tapping line level for the sub keeps the factory EQ (6 speaker system) and benefits GREATLY from some easy EQ settings. 4Ohm additional resistance isn't enough to make the additional "brightness" many complain about go away.
So, read this thread, didn't want to spend too much or go nuts pulling the head unit, so I just swapped my stock 6 speaker system and added a sub. I dropped in the Infiniti reference 2-ways for the dash +4ohm resistor and fired up the sub. Huge improvement in clarity, some benefit in sensitivity, but oh man - the spectral balance was... ooof. The front was just to dang bright and the bass was "one note only".
Then I changed the factory EQ... -4mid, -1 treble, 2 positions back on fade. Better (as others have mentioned), but not right. Not at all. Further, I messed around with my amp cutoff and gain settings and still - one note bass. Crap, I was going to have to go fully amped & DSP. But no. no, I'm lazy... There must be a better way.
So I soldered in another 4Ohm resistor to the dash, played with the EQ settings, and things got a bit better, but still problematic. I really wanted to balance this out so I bought some L-pads from PartsExpress and soldered those in. These allow me to go from 0-100% volume on the dash speakers.
I fired up that new setup, and to my surprise, even with the dash speakers off, the brightness problems were still there almost entirely. Either these speakers were crap or the factory EQ was screwing up my otherwise nice speakers. Yep - factory EQ.
So I took some really rough measurements and I started to see what I feared - even with the dash off and the subwoofer off there were large bumps in the response. Suffice to say, it appears they boosted the 50Hz of the stock 6x9's greatly (and there's some cabin gain?) and really extended the highs of the 6x9. As the tweeter (2" stock dash) is crossed over at a high frequency, this boost didn't come through. Once I swapped those speakers and those boosts could be heard... Bam, too much of a good thing.
Luckily, we have a few EQ options - and I'm not done yet, but oh man does this help. I'll optimize and post as people would like, and I can answer any audio questions that people would like...
EQ Settings - I use Spotify to play in my car. It has a built in EQ that automatically switches to your settings in the car - VERY helpful. Note that the Spotify EQ goes 0 to -10db in 1db increments. If you attempt to boost on the Spotify EQ, it lowers you overall output, so don't do that (this system has barely enough without amps...).
Ram EQ - 0 / 0 / 0
Sub EQ - Remote gain 2/3rds, Input gain (line level) at its least sensitive (Pioneer Amp), Low Pass Filter 120Hz
Spotify EQ -
63, -8db (this kills the EQ boost for the stock 6x9s)
125 0 (midbass boost)
250 0 (midbass boost)
500 -2db
1k -4db
2k -6db (way too hot stock)
4k -6db (way too hot stock)
8k -4db
16k -1db
This tuning makes vocals, guitar, and most importantly midbass (tom drums, bass guitar) so much better.
Song References - This is the fun part. Please feel free to add song recommendations and I'd be happy to tweak the tune for deficiencies I hear!
I like doing this tuning by ear, but I also use measurement equipment. IMO, both a required to get it right. Here's some examples (totally random! all music is great!) you can test before and after to see how you like the tune:
Bass Heavy
1.) Intergalactic, Beastie Boys - Lots of bass on this track. I tune things so the midbass doesn't sound gross when this is playing loud.
2.) Dare, Gorillaz - This has a clear 2 note bass track and a lot of variation that you can hear clearly. I try to make sure I can hear all the bass notes similarly.
Drums
1.) Hot For Teacher, Van Halen - This is just a drum track for the first couple minutes. With no midbass these drums sound like hot garbage. You should feel the drums in your chest without the kick drum deafening you.
2.) Enter Sandman, Metallica - Similar to above, not a ton of bass but at high volume this should have plenty of low end power.
Vocals
1.) Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Smashing Pumpkins - Love it or hate it, if you listen to this before you EQ the system you'll want to jerk the wheel into a ditch. I tune this until Billy Corgan's vocals don't make my ears bleed. Also has decent bass, gotta make sure its not too muddy.
2.) Take Me To The Pilot, Elton John - Many of his songs hit some of the higher notes that show the problems with this system un-EQ'd. They need to be tamed.
Welp, this post is long enough for my first one. I need to take some more measurements and there's still plenty of improvement to be had in the bass tuning with the knobs available. Happy to help others and I really appreciate all the knowledge you folks have shared already. I am in your debt!
...if your going to use or using the AmpPro then you dont need the "Maestro" your "LOC"is the amp pro and a lot less complicated
