jsampsell
Active Member
Hello fellow Ram owners! Today I changed sub amps, added a USB micro extension cable to my AmpPro, and then played around with the 3 Band EQ settings out of curiosity. I thought I'd share the info regarding the EQ findings just for informational purposes. Maybe it will help someone, maybe it won't.
I purchased some subs and an enclosure off of a guy on one of the 5th Gen Ram FB groups a little while back and ended up purchasing the AmpPro AP4-CH41 for ease of use and for potential future work. Since I was replacing the amp this weekend anyway, I decided to add the micro USB extension cable and play around with the 3 band EQ settings.
Adding the subs completely changed how well the "premium" HK system sounds. I know I'm not the first person to say this on this forum but I certainly wanted to confirm it. It is worth the investment if you care about how your music sounds in the truck. What sounds good is quite subjective I realize but I'd say that most people that I've read on here say that the stock HK bass is really bad. Anyhow, opinion aside, I really just wanted to report my findings.
I found noticeable but not drastic changes when playing with the 3 band EQ settings of the AmpPro. It does exactly what it says it does - it provides different frequency center points for bass, mid, and treble in addition to the Q of each, which is simply how many surrounding frequencies are affected when adjusting the center point up/down. The bass, mid, and treble frequency adjustments equate to a frequency range for each and, just like when you used to be able to use a multi-frequency EQ that you could adjust lots of small steps within the 20-20 range, these do the same thing without you actually seeing the results of it. So the ability to adjust where those center points are and how far away from that center point other frequencies within that same range are affected is kind of nice to have control over. It isn't going to be a huge difference but it does give you more options than you'd have with just stock. The next step up for control, of course, would be a DSP.
I also was curious to see what it would sound like to turn off the 3 band EQ setting. Is there a difference between stock EQ settings and the AmpPro settings? Turns out, there isn't much of a difference. Not that I could discern anyway. And I played a very diverse group of songs while doing an A/B test. Ultimately, there was enough of a difference with the AmpPro 3 Band EQ settings turned on and tweaked slightly to be pleasing to my ears. Yes, I'd eventually like to put in some more amps and a DSP along with replacing all of the stock speakers, but I'm not there yet and it gave me something to do with a positive outcome.
Just in case anyone may be wondering, here is the default 3 Band EQ settings and then what I ended up going with. I set my amp crossover by ear and appears to fall in the 65-70hz range - it isn't marked on the amp what the range is and I can't remember what the spec is but I do have a signal generator app on my iPhone that I use to sweep the frequencies and listen for crossover points so I'm fairly sure it is in that range. Because of these settings, my treble setting is at +3, mid is at -2, and bass is at 0.
Ok, here are answers to the questions that I anticipate will be asked (it always happens right?):
ANC: I have not bypassed ANC. I disconnected the stock sub and do not have any issues with ANC at all. I can't say why others have and I have not had problems with ANC but I can tell you that I don't have any issues at all.
Equipment used:
Again, I don't know if this will help many people, if anyone, but you never know.
I purchased some subs and an enclosure off of a guy on one of the 5th Gen Ram FB groups a little while back and ended up purchasing the AmpPro AP4-CH41 for ease of use and for potential future work. Since I was replacing the amp this weekend anyway, I decided to add the micro USB extension cable and play around with the 3 band EQ settings.
Adding the subs completely changed how well the "premium" HK system sounds. I know I'm not the first person to say this on this forum but I certainly wanted to confirm it. It is worth the investment if you care about how your music sounds in the truck. What sounds good is quite subjective I realize but I'd say that most people that I've read on here say that the stock HK bass is really bad. Anyhow, opinion aside, I really just wanted to report my findings.
I found noticeable but not drastic changes when playing with the 3 band EQ settings of the AmpPro. It does exactly what it says it does - it provides different frequency center points for bass, mid, and treble in addition to the Q of each, which is simply how many surrounding frequencies are affected when adjusting the center point up/down. The bass, mid, and treble frequency adjustments equate to a frequency range for each and, just like when you used to be able to use a multi-frequency EQ that you could adjust lots of small steps within the 20-20 range, these do the same thing without you actually seeing the results of it. So the ability to adjust where those center points are and how far away from that center point other frequencies within that same range are affected is kind of nice to have control over. It isn't going to be a huge difference but it does give you more options than you'd have with just stock. The next step up for control, of course, would be a DSP.
I also was curious to see what it would sound like to turn off the 3 band EQ setting. Is there a difference between stock EQ settings and the AmpPro settings? Turns out, there isn't much of a difference. Not that I could discern anyway. And I played a very diverse group of songs while doing an A/B test. Ultimately, there was enough of a difference with the AmpPro 3 Band EQ settings turned on and tweaked slightly to be pleasing to my ears. Yes, I'd eventually like to put in some more amps and a DSP along with replacing all of the stock speakers, but I'm not there yet and it gave me something to do with a positive outcome.
Just in case anyone may be wondering, here is the default 3 Band EQ settings and then what I ended up going with. I set my amp crossover by ear and appears to fall in the 65-70hz range - it isn't marked on the amp what the range is and I can't remember what the spec is but I do have a signal generator app on my iPhone that I use to sweep the frequencies and listen for crossover points so I'm fairly sure it is in that range. Because of these settings, my treble setting is at +3, mid is at -2, and bass is at 0.
Ok, here are answers to the questions that I anticipate will be asked (it always happens right?):
ANC: I have not bypassed ANC. I disconnected the stock sub and do not have any issues with ANC at all. I can't say why others have and I have not had problems with ANC but I can tell you that I don't have any issues at all.
Equipment used:
- PAC AmpPro AP4-CH41 (can't figure out how to tell if it is an R.1 or an R.2 but I suspect it is an R.1 as it was on sale at Best Buy)
- Leftover Rockford Fosgate 4awg amp kit
- Kicker CX1200.1 mono amp (cheap, I know, but I just wanted to get it working within my budget)
- Pair of Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12 subs in a custom built enclosure that was built by a shop in either Texas or Florida (I can't remember what the guy I bought them from told me)
Again, I don't know if this will help many people, if anyone, but you never know.
?tomorrow taking it in one of those "carAudio"shops.to take a look at .as to what i did wrong.everything lights up.but no sound!
