New Head Unit but bad sound

[sdlehman]

I just installed a Pioneer MP4800 (I think that is the model) in my 2003 Liberty. It just has the stock am/fm cd player and standard six speakers. Everything went without a hitch until I try to turn up the volume. At low levels the sound is alright but if I try to turn it up much I get obvious distortion and then screeching. It almost sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard.

It sounds like it may be coming from the tweeters. Can I replace just the tweeters? Could something else be causing the problem? With the factory HU if I turned up the volume too much the front speakers would cut out all together. I'm not sure this is much of an improvement though.

Thanks in advance.

Stace

 

[TheDarkKnights]

Being new to Jeeps, I cannot give specifics, but as an audio junkie, I might be able to give you some general direction.

1. If your factory stereo comes with an external amp, you will want to unplug it.
Just from your description, this is my guess (although I have also been known to be wrong... a lot!).
also, as i said above, i am a complete newbie to jeeps, esp KJs. (I had a 90 cherokee for a couple years... but its been a few years since it left for jeep heaven).

2. If you blew a tweeter, don't bother with a factory replacement. They will charge you an arm and both legs for it (recently called around for parts from dealers. They are charging approx 10x the price their service dept buys them for. and at least double what an aftermarket would go for). Go with an aftermarket. Usually, at this point, you would change out the front speaker and the tweeter with a cross over.
If you are just looking at replacing your tweeters, make sure to put in a 4.7 or 5.6μfarad capacitor to act as a your cross over (most factory systems just have a capacitor)

tdk

 

[jfortier777]

Being new to Jeeps, I cannot give specifics, but as an audio junkie, I might be able to give you some general direction.

1. If your factory stereo comes with an external amp, you will want to unplug it

The amp comes with the infinity system, so this is not an issue with the standard 6 speaker system.

2. If you blew a tweeter, don't bother with a factory replacement. They will charge you ......Usually, at this point, you would change out the front speaker and the tweeter with a cross over.

Factory replacement would be a waste I agree, though they are very nice speakers. Cost issue though.

But replacing your front speakers with a crosover would be a mistake, because then you would have no speakers.

Perhaps you mean to replace them with a component system (Multiple speaker setup with a seperate driver for specific frequency ranges that is divided by an extenal crossover module).
But this would still be incorrect because the factory setup is already A component setup, and there is already a factory crossover, that divides the signal between the high and low ranges.

If you are just looking at replacing your tweeters, make sure to put in a 4.7 or 5.6μfarad capacitor to act as a your cross over (most factory systems just have a capacitor)

Like I said above, we already have a stock crossover, and it does a wonderful job and has great crossover points. Also, most factory systems do not have component speakers, and those high end vehicles that do include good quality crossovers as well. (Of course they wont beat a nice aftermarket crossover, but most stocks are just fine for 90% of listeners)
Also, just throwing a capacitor before the speaker is a very poor way to cross over a speaker, not to mention it will only be high or low pass, whereas a good crossover is always bandpass.

I dont feel like crunching any number to find out what frequencies a 4.7 or 5.6 micro farad cap will allow, but from the way you worded that statement, it seems like you are saying that factory setups have capacitors with no farad ratings?!?!




BUT ANYWAY BACK TO THE OP


Have you taken time to tune your EQ yet? Its very common for your speakers to sound like garbage until you to properly adjust the headunit crossovers.

Since I am completely in love with Pioneer and dont use any headunits other than theirs I can say this with a bit of certainty.

Is it this one here

If you havent tuned it yet I can probably walk you through it if you need.

I'll wait for your response before I spend the time typing.