Shrill/harsh tweeters

[customyota]

Hey everyone, I just installed a new set of 2 way components (JBL GTO 609C) and the Alpine KTP 445U to replace the factor doors and fronts, and the tweeters are very harsh. Female vocals are particularly bad. It's pretty unpleasant and fatiguing to listen to after only a few minutes. I've tried re-aiming them so they weren't bouncing off the windshield so much, and I've tried reversing the phasing, but neither helped much. I've searched around various internet destinations, and was looking at getting an L pad to try and attenuate them, but I'm worried that would end up making things muddy since I only have the tweets and the doors, no mid. I've been able to EQ out the worst of it, but I've run out of adjustment. Never thought I'd miss the factor system.

[swarb]

Have you tried the +3 db/ 0 db adjustment on the crossover box?
Only other idea is to mount the tweeters on the doors.

[customyota]

Yea, I have it on 0db, but it still sounds harsh. I'd rather not cut holes in the door, so that would be a last resort.

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[swarb]

There is an adjustment to boost the sound levels for each signal(radio/cd/bluetooth). I put mine at negative and that helped a bit.

[customyota]

Originally Posted by swarb

There is an adjustment to boost the sound levels for each signal(radio/cd/bluetooth). I put mine at negative and that helped a bit.

You're talking about the SVC adjustment, right? I'll give that a try, thanks.

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[Chimera]

which head unit are you using? how do you have the amp wired?

[customyota]

Originally Posted by Chimera

which head unit are you using? how do you have the amp wired?

Stock head unit, and the amp is bridged.

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[Chimera]

technically your below the safe bridged range at 3 ohms.
Where do you have the gain set?

[Chimera]

As you are below the safe operation range I'd recommend rewiring to standard @45W and see (hear) if it is more acceptable. probably introducing distortion by running the amp outside of its safe zone.

[customyota]

I'll check it out, the jbl's are advertised as "true 4 ohm" meaning they're actually lower than that to allow for resistance in the factory wiring, but maybe it's causing some issues.

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[Chimera]

I have infinity ref x series. Has the same gimmick. I treat it as a 3 ohm. My ktp445u is wired to both front and rear @ 45w/ch

[customyota]

I just had a random thought about and wanted to make sure I'm not crazy. Since I'm using high level inputs, can I wire the crossover BEFORE the amp? This way i can split the signal and wire the tweets to the amp's front channel and the mids to the rear channel, and I can balance them using the front and rear gains.

[Special_K]

I don't know much about the speakers you have listed, but I know that on my last build my tweeters were WAY too tinny during the break-in period just as the subs were too punchy. They took around 20-30hrs to finally get them warmed up and evened out. Same went for my Beyerdynamic DT770's, those took over 100 hours and now I wouldn't trade them for the world.

FFT.

edit: Also wiring aside, you might be on to something with trying out different mounting angles.

[Chimera]

Originally Posted by customyota

I just had a random thought about and wanted to make sure I'm not crazy. Since I'm using high level inputs, can I wire the crossover BEFORE the amp? This way i can split the signal and wire the tweets to the amp's front channel and the mids to the rear channel, and I can balance them using the front and rear gains.

Yes, you could do this. Be careful to not over gain one however.
basically you're making a poor mans active setup.
However, using the eq on your Hu should allow you to do the same thing. I have my 10k on my HU set to 1 tick down, something like -2.5db