Center Channel???
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From: WA
Center Channel???
I have a 74 F-250 regular cab and just recently installed an Alpine 9811 with 6.5" Infinity Kappa components mounted in the doors. I installed the woofer in the stock location at the bottom front of the door and installed the tweeter at the top front of the door panels. I have a factory location for a 5X7" speaker in the center of the dash. Should I install a speaker there? I can buy a dual voice coil speaker for it or I can purchase a premade speaker that features two 3.5" speakers mounted side by side to fit the opening. I do not want to cut up the dash for any reason. So my only options for front speakers are to mount one there or forget about. I have heard that a center channel is a possibility. Would this improve my imaging? Is there any other ways of producing front and rear imaging or are the door speakers enough?
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From: northern ca
there's a thread on the 73-79 boards you should look at
its " sound imaging in a standard cab" or something like that
the basic consensus was that you're better off without a dash speaker as far as imaging goes
its " sound imaging in a standard cab" or something like that
the basic consensus was that you're better off without a dash speaker as far as imaging goes
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: New Canaan, CT
The door speakers are enough. Unless u have a dolby set up a center ch is not advised and most only do tweeters for center stage. There are delys that would be involed to have good imaging with a center ch. If u dont like the way it sounds now try amping the front speakers.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: South Texas
Does your Alpine have the BBE feature? My old Alpine had this feature and it was almost like a surround sound effect. The center channel would probably not be worth the effort unless you got a full Dolby (multiple channels) set up
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From: northern ca
no the alpine 9811 does not have BBE
it has MX expander, which I think is similar
I have an slightly older 7861M that has BBE, and I like the BBE better than the MX on the more costly units
I don't think the problem with the center is the time delay issue, but rather if you put stereo speakers in the dash, you'll be sitting between the two left speakers, and won't hear the right
do you have an amp, or are you using the internal one in the head?
Kappa's are pretty power hungry speakers, and I don't think they'll sound their best without a decent component amp
I'd say that with enough power, and the signal proscessing of your head you should achieve pretty good imaging from your door speakers
you may want to consider a subwoofer of some sort depending on your listening tastes
it has MX expander, which I think is similar
I have an slightly older 7861M that has BBE, and I like the BBE better than the MX on the more costly units
I don't think the problem with the center is the time delay issue, but rather if you put stereo speakers in the dash, you'll be sitting between the two left speakers, and won't hear the right
do you have an amp, or are you using the internal one in the head?
Kappa's are pretty power hungry speakers, and I don't think they'll sound their best without a decent component amp
I'd say that with enough power, and the signal proscessing of your head you should achieve pretty good imaging from your door speakers
you may want to consider a subwoofer of some sort depending on your listening tastes
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From: WA
Currently, I am using the internal amp of the HU and do not have an external amp. It just seems like I need sound coming from the front rather than just the sides. The sound does a pretty good job of filling the cab but it seems to be dead right up front. The Kappa speakers seem to distort when at a volume much above 20. I have tried to adjust the bass and the treble to compensate for this but it has only helped a little. What is the distortion caused by? I know my speakers can handle up to 90 watts RMS and 250 watts peak so whats the distortion about. Do you guys have any recommendations for how I should set my crossover frequencies or how I might adjust the HU to get better sound? I have purchased some dynamat to cover the door panels but it says that it adhears best when the temperature is above 70 F. And it won't be that hot till July. So I am waiting for better weather. I think the dynamat will help but I don't think that it is the significant cause of the distortion problem. 
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From: northern ca
I would guess that the distortion you hear is caused by the amp
I know the head is rated at 50W x4, but that is not clean wattage
50 watts is the maximum wattage per channel, and most heads are rated for about 10% total harmonic distortion
a separate amp would be rated at about 1% THD max!
the Kappa's are not very efficient speakers, and as such are really designed to be powered by an amp
Infinity refrence series may have been a better choice if an amp is out of the question
can you try different positions for the tweeters? this may help with the imaging
unless you're using a sub, I probably wouldn't use the crossovers, but someone else may have a better opinion
can you park it in a garage overnight and instal the dynamatt?
as I said earlier, I think you just have power hungry speakers that are driving your internal amp into clipping and causing distortion
not that I'm putting the Kappa's down, they're a great speaker, they're just designed for accuracy, and not efficiency
I know the head is rated at 50W x4, but that is not clean wattage
50 watts is the maximum wattage per channel, and most heads are rated for about 10% total harmonic distortion
a separate amp would be rated at about 1% THD max!
the Kappa's are not very efficient speakers, and as such are really designed to be powered by an amp
Infinity refrence series may have been a better choice if an amp is out of the question
can you try different positions for the tweeters? this may help with the imaging
unless you're using a sub, I probably wouldn't use the crossovers, but someone else may have a better opinion
can you park it in a garage overnight and instal the dynamatt?
as I said earlier, I think you just have power hungry speakers that are driving your internal amp into clipping and causing distortion
not that I'm putting the Kappa's down, they're a great speaker, they're just designed for accuracy, and not efficiency
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