QuestionI'm looking to reduce the level of high frequency signal from my tweeters because after a short period of listening, my ears ring like crazy. I was told by an audio installer that connecting a 47 microfarad capacitor to the positive terminal of the tweeter(s) would reduce the signal and "smooth it out". Everything I've read online says that this may not be the case. Yes, you'd think that with the 30 band equalizer that this could be minimized, but I've not been successful thus far. Your help please.
PRESENT SYSTEM:
BMW X5 OEM headunit (no OEM amp, NAV or DSP) with replacement Rainbow tweeters and woofers driven by Eclipse amp (3422) and Alumapro 10" sub driven by Elemental Designs NiNe 2 amp. Signal from head unit is first processed by AudioControl LC6 and AudioControl DQS equalizer.
AnswerYou should try what the system installer says 1st.. since capacitors (and the different crossover points they allow) are very cheap to try.
If you installed this yourself, then you need to get some help.. a local pro would be the place to start.
Just because many references online suggest that MAY not be the case is no reason not to try it (especially since they are so cheap, relatively speaking).
by the way:
*Any system that 'needs' a 30 band EQ was probably not designed correctly in the 1st place!
This is very much like saying that one has to have variable valve timing to get more HP out of their engine. While Variable Timing may help, the root of the engine power is its' ability to move air and fuel.. via larger combustion chambers and valves (if you get my drift).
At any rate, a properly designed accurate system is more about the proper crossover points (see capacitors), amps and speakers than it is about signal processors, time alignment and EQ's.
99 out of 100 times these 'afterthoughts' are not needed if the installer does his job in the design stage.
As to the LC6, here is what Audio control says:
"The LC6 will allow you to use your factory installed source unit and give you the ability to add a really good after-market amplifier and processor."
See? They sell gear, they do NOT design systems. Their greatest hope is that you add every processor they sell.
*I presume that these are raw speakers and do not have the factory Rainbow crossovers included.
Level Matching Controls on the LC6 could very well be the cuplrit as well (if set too high).
As to the exsiting amps' level controls, you are stuck with whatever the mids need (with no resolve for tweeter levels at all).
What I would do...
As it is now, your Eclipse crossover points are not conducive to controlling tweeters at all and I do not think that such a Fujitsu Ten product is as good as the speakers you have installed. In all fairness they do make very decent head units!
If moving the tweeters to a new location didn't help enough (it will indeed help to a large degree since the main aspect of how they hit your ears is how and where they are posistioned in the vehicle), I would get a SECOND amplifier with 4 channels [and a built-in 2 way variable crossover] so that you can set the levels and crossover points of the mids and highs independantly.
Then you can use you current amp for the bass only.
You might opt to trade in the EQ and the amp (at least the amp) towards a 6 channel amp of which two channels could be bridged for the sub while leaving the other 4 channels for the mids and highs. You still would only need one power wire for this idea.
Case closed, and you would be a happy mobile audio system owner once this was all dialed in by a true professional.
Then and only then (and only IF needed), the EQ could be used for final adjustments (which should be VERY minimal if the speaker posistions, LC6, amps and crossovers are installed and set up correctly).
I keep mentioning 'set up and dialed-in correctly' because it is the most overlooked aspect of mobile audio installations.
I hope this sheds some light on the issue for you.
Sincerely,
J. Mael
