Polk Audio db6501s too harsh what can I do?

YM13 · 03-02-2008, 06:06 PM

I installed my new db6501s and am dissapointed with the harshness at higher levels of listening. They have been getting great reviews online and nobody really says anything bad about them but a couple of people have mentioned that they too think the speakers are too harsh. Now my question is can I do anything about it. I think that the problem is coming from my headunit. I have a 9856 Alpine and it does not offer very much at all in the EQ adjustments. Only Bass and Treble so there is not much I can do there. What are my options? I will upgrade HU if there if there will be a guaranteed differnece but i don't want to fork out $400 dollars and have it make no difference. Any other suggestions? (New crossovers...etc?) Keep in mind that mine are set to -3bd for the tweeters. Thanks in advance

bigt · 03-02-2008, 06:12 PM

no you probably need to amp the speakers the head unit doesnt have enough juice to push them...

YM13 · 03-02-2008, 06:23 PM

they are being amped with 100w rms per channel

yotakid825 · 03-02-2008, 07:16 PM

by harsh do you mean destortion(sp)? if so turn down the bass

YM13 · 03-02-2008, 07:25 PM

Harsh as in high notes hurt your ears. At lower volumes it sounds good but if i really want to crank it up it is just unbearable because the high notes will just crash through your head. On a premium sound system that i've heard before you can keep turning up the volume and the highs never really make you shutter, they are just loud...

89macrunner · 03-02-2008, 07:48 PM

i dunno if your HU has all of the adjustments that mine does (i have a 9857) but you should be able to adjust way more than just the treble.

stormin94 · 03-03-2008, 12:25 AM

If you don't want em, let's make a deal....

yotakid825 · 03-03-2008, 05:45 AM

turn the gain level on the amp down. and set eveything HU to 0, ya know the loudness setting, bass and Treble, fader and balance and set it to the 'flat' EQ setting(it should pre-programed into the HU) so to be you're starting with 0 at every freq. do 95% of tuning with the amp(gain,X-over) if you can and do fine tuning with the HU. see if the speaker X-overs have a tweeter level adjustment, if so you can and should play with that.
that's just kind of a guide line and you should play with the setting until you're happy. tuning is sometimes harder than the installation

YM13 · 03-03-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yotakid825

turn the gain level on the amp down. and set eveything HU to 0, ya know the loudness setting, bass and Treble, fader and balance and set it to the 'flat' EQ setting(it should pre-programed into the HU) so to be you're starting with 0 at every freq. do 95% of tuning with the amp(gain,X-over) if you can and do fine tuning with the HU. see if the speaker X-overs have a tweeter level adjustment, if so you can and should play with that.
that's just kind of a guide line and you should play with the setting until you're happy. tuning is sometimes harder than the installation

Yah that sounds like good advice but the problem is that my headunit does not have an EQ for some very odd and stupid reason...and it was like $300. The only thing there is is Bass Treble and some other frequency stress thing that you can select a bass and treble frequency that is stressed more which does almost nothing and I have that set at 7.5k (the lowest) for the treble frequency...

YM13 · 03-03-2008, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormin94

If you don't want em, let's make a deal....

Let me think about it for a while and then I'll let you know for sure. They arn't horrible or anything I was just expecting more that is all. I was going to get some subs next but I don't know i'm still debating....i'll let you know. How much do you want them for (for my record)? They've been used for 2 weeks.

Greg_Canada · 03-03-2008, 06:55 PM

Do your speakers have crossovers? Can you lower the attentuation on the tweeters?
Maybe, you should invest in an external equalizer to level out the system.

Oh and what you payed for the deck doesnt show quality, it just means you got ripped off/didnt research it before purchase (youre not the only one that does it).

YM13 · 03-03-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg_Canada

Do your speakers have crossovers? Can you lower the attentuation on the tweeters?
Maybe, you should invest in an external equalizer to level out the system.

Oh and what you payed for the deck doesnt show quality, it just means you got ripped off/didnt research it before purchase (youre not the only one that does it).

Yah I mean i didn't know too much about audio when I bought it and I got it from Crutchfield, it looked good, had good reviews, so I bought it....but yah just didn't know what I was looking for then...oh well.

**rocket** · 03-04-2008, 05:23 AM

Your issue confirms the reviews i've read on different sites describing similar complaints about the db6501s tweeters.

Can you adjust the crossover on them lower than -3bd? Others love the way they sound but I suspect they're fine tuning them by the HU.

ALL low to mid entry '07+ or '06+ Alpine head units are regarded as crap for this very reason. They don't have an EQ worth a damn.

I purchased DB6500's. There still being installed so i can't comment about sound quality yet but every review about them never mentions harsh sounding highs.

If you can't adjust the crossover highs any lower, then look into a better HU.
Besides the obvious, nothing else can change what you want to hear.

yotakid825 · 03-04-2008, 08:59 AM

I have the Pioneer DEH-5000 and it is the best HU that I've used, tons of adjustments and settings and all for right $200. one of the best deals out there.

Greg_Canada · 03-04-2008, 01:01 PM

If you REALLY want a deck with adjustments that is cheap(ish) get a pioneer deh-p880prs, a deh-p8600mp or 860mp.
Great equalizers and crossovers for the price.

YM13 · 03-04-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocket

Your issue confirms the reviews i've read on different sites describing similar complaints about the db6501s tweeters.

Can you adjust the crossover on them lower than -3bd? Others love the way they sound but I suspect they're fine tuning them by the HU.

ALL low to mid entry '07+ or '06+ Alpine head units are regarded as crap for this very reason. They don't have an EQ worth a damn.

I purchased DB6500's. There still being installed so i can't comment about sound quality yet but every review about them never mentions harsh sounding highs.

If you can't adjust the crossover highs any lower, then look into a better HU.
Besides the obvious, nothing else can change what you want to hear.

I'm pretty sure those are the same speakers but without an adjustable crossover for the tweeters...I may be wrong...

shancerlelby · 03-04-2008, 09:49 PM

kinda an odd suggestion but have you considered doing some sound dampening around your mids? you might need more mid to compensate for the harsh tweeters? tweets up fairly high in the doors too so with the two separated the audio wont really blend that well. correct you are using a 100 x 2 amp for the front stage and not the 100 x 4 deck amplifier?

YM13 · 03-05-2008, 01:26 PM

Correct i'm using a 100x2 amp. And i think ur right about the seperation of the mids because if i turn up the bass the problem is basically gone but at the same time the mids distort easier. I think I am just lacking EQ options...what I was hoping someone had in mind was to wire a limiter of electric flow or somethig to lower the tweeter level a little, kind of what is in the crossover...think that will work?

stormin94 · 03-05-2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YM13

Correct i'm using a 100x2 amp. And i think ur right about the seperation of the mids because if i turn up the bass the problem is basically gone but at the same time the mids distort easier. I think I am just lacking EQ options...what I was hoping someone had in mind was to wire a limiter of electric flow or somethig to lower the tweeter level a little, kind of what is in the crossover...think that will work?

Are you using high quality speaker wire, or stock?

03-02-2008, 06:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
YM13 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 389	Polk Audio db6501s too harsh what can I do? I installed my new db6501s and am dissapointed with the harshness at higher levels of listening. They have been getting great reviews online and nobody really says anything bad about them but a couple of people have mentioned that they too think the speakers are too harsh. Now my question is can I do anything about it. I think that the problem is coming from my headunit. I have a 9856 Alpine and it does not offer very much at all in the EQ adjustments. Only Bass and Treble so there is not much I can do there. What are my options? I will upgrade HU if there if there will be a guaranteed differnece but i don't want to fork out $400 dollars and have it make no difference. Any other suggestions? (New crossovers...etc?) Keep in mind that mine are set to -3bd for the tweeters. Thanks in advance __________________ \| '97 4runner 5spd SR5 w/ Tan leather int. \| Diff. Breather \| Hella 500 Driving Lights \| Alpine 9856 Headunit \| Old Man Emu 3" lift from Toytec \| Green Tokicko Shocks\| 265/75/16 BFG A/T \| SS Diff. Drop \| Polk Audio db6501 components \| Profile AP600 amp. \| Alpine MRP-M1005 amp \| 2 12" Alpine Type-r Subs \|

03-02-2008, 06:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
bigt Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: chippawa niagara falls ontario Posts: 1,989	no you probably need to amp the speakers the head unit doesnt have enough juice to push them... __________________ 1991 HILUX SURF SSR-X 2-lte turbo diesel with upgraded head tons of cool options you dont get in north America RIGHT HAND DRIVE,auto,push button 4wd,turbo timer,31.1-.50.15 bfgs,factory fender flares,window flares. CAR DOLLY sirius TUNED TO HOWARD 100 trail ifs rig goldie fate unknown blue 93 srf 4runner NEW TRAIL RIG IN POGRESS ifs welded rear few mods for now rebuilding fj 60 series front axle for future s.a.s

03-02-2008, 06:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
YM13 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 389	they are being amped with 100w rms per channel __________________ \| '97 4runner 5spd SR5 w/ Tan leather int. \| Diff. Breather \| Hella 500 Driving Lights \| Alpine 9856 Headunit \| Old Man Emu 3" lift from Toytec \| Green Tokicko Shocks\| 265/75/16 BFG A/T \| SS Diff. Drop \| Polk Audio db6501 components \| Profile AP600 amp. \| Alpine MRP-M1005 amp \| 2 12" Alpine Type-r Subs \|

03-02-2008, 07:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
YM13 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 389	Harsh as in high notes hurt your ears. At lower volumes it sounds good but if i really want to crank it up it is just unbearable because the high notes will just crash through your head. On a premium sound system that i've heard before you can keep turning up the volume and the highs never really make you shutter, they are just loud... __________________ \| '97 4runner 5spd SR5 w/ Tan leather int. \| Diff. Breather \| Hella 500 Driving Lights \| Alpine 9856 Headunit \| Old Man Emu 3" lift from Toytec \| Green Tokicko Shocks\| 265/75/16 BFG A/T \| SS Diff. Drop \| Polk Audio db6501 components \| Profile AP600 amp. \| Alpine MRP-M1005 amp \| 2 12" Alpine Type-r Subs \|

03-02-2008, 07:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
89macrunner Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tempe, AZ Posts: 2,067	i dunno if your HU has all of the adjustments that mine does (i have a 9857) but you should be able to adjust way more than just the treble. __________________ Daily Driver: 2007 Windsor "The Hour" Fixed Gear 250 miles Crouch Rocket 2005 Felt F80 1100mi (purchased new in Jan 2008) 2006 Mazda3 GT 2000 TRD Tacoma..Bought back and crushed 1988 4Runner SR5 V6 5 speed..sold

03-02-2008, 07:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
yotakid825 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: N. Stonington, Connecticut Posts: 139	by harsh do you mean destortion(sp)? if so turn down the bass

03-03-2008, 12:25 AM	#7 (permalink)
stormin94 Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lake County, CA/Sacramento Posts: 3,281	If you don't want em, let's make a deal.... __________________ 1994 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4X4 208,000 miles and counting 3.0 V6, 5 speed 14/19 MPG city/hwy(before 33's) Current Mods Headers, 2.5" Flowmaster custom exhaust, K&N FIPK KC Daylighter 100 Watt lights Ranchos x4, 2" Lift Downey coils 33-12.50 M/T's, 1" t-bar lift, 1" body lift Tow pkg w/ lighthookups Silverstar Headlights, Pioneer Deck w/XM Brushguard 250Watt JLAudio 8" W3 Sub Future Mods 12V Aux outlet-400/800peak inverter roof basket/lights Air locker 4.88 gears H.O. Alternator

03-03-2008, 05:45 AM	#8 (permalink)
yotakid825 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: N. Stonington, Connecticut Posts: 139	turn the gain level on the amp down. and set eveything HU to 0, ya know the loudness setting, bass and Treble, fader and balance and set it to the 'flat' EQ setting(it should pre-programed into the HU) so to be you're starting with 0 at every freq. do 95% of tuning with the amp(gain,X-over) if you can and do fine tuning with the HU. see if the speaker X-overs have a tweeter level adjustment, if so you can and should play with that. that's just kind of a guide line and you should play with the setting until you're happy. tuning is sometimes harder than the installation

03-03-2008, 06:55 PM	#11 (permalink)
Greg_Canada Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 758	Do your speakers have crossovers? Can you lower the attentuation on the tweeters? Maybe, you should invest in an external equalizer to level out the system. Oh and what you payed for the deck doesnt show quality, it just means you got ripped off/didnt research it before purchase (youre not the only one that does it). __________________ http://www.cardomain.com/ride/1147271/1 My 1989 Toyota 4runner

03-04-2008, 05:23 AM	#13 (permalink)
rocket Super Moderator Staff Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,337	Your issue confirms the reviews i've read on different sites describing similar complaints about the db6501s tweeters. Can you adjust the crossover on them lower than -3bd? Others love the way they sound but I suspect they're fine tuning them by the HU. ALL low to mid entry '07+ or '06+ Alpine head units are regarded as crap for this very reason. They don't have an EQ worth a damn. I purchased DB6500's. There still being installed so i can't comment about sound quality yet but every review about them never mentions harsh sounding highs. If you can't adjust the crossover highs any lower, then look into a better HU. Besides the obvious, nothing else can change what you want to hear. __________________ under construction: '96-'02 gone: '92

03-04-2008, 08:59 AM	#14 (permalink)
yotakid825 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: N. Stonington, Connecticut Posts: 139	I have the Pioneer DEH-5000 and it is the best HU that I've used, tons of adjustments and settings and all for right $200. one of the best deals out there.

03-04-2008, 01:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
Greg_Canada Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 758	If you REALLY want a deck with adjustments that is cheap(ish) get a pioneer deh-p880prs, a deh-p8600mp or 860mp. Great equalizers and crossovers for the price. __________________ http://www.cardomain.com/ride/1147271/1 My 1989 Toyota 4runner

03-04-2008, 09:49 PM	#17 (permalink)
shancerlelby Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: quesnel b.c Canada Posts: 280	kinda an odd suggestion but have you considered doing some sound dampening around your mids? you might need more mid to compensate for the harsh tweeters? tweets up fairly high in the doors too so with the two separated the audio wont really blend that well. correct you are using a 100 x 2 amp for the front stage and not the 100 x 4 deck amplifier? __________________ 88 dodge lancer shelby, 2.2 intercooled turbo, alpine 5.1 setup, 8 k hids, suede headliner flat black paintjob. 94 toyota 4runner v6 33x12.5 bfg mt's, cruiser coils, bj spacers, 4.88's, aisin manual hubs, the usual. 65 fj45lv stock, rust. SOLD!!!!

03-05-2008, 01:26 PM	#18 (permalink)
YM13 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 389	Correct i'm using a 100x2 amp. And i think ur right about the seperation of the mids because if i turn up the bass the problem is basically gone but at the same time the mids distort easier. I think I am just lacking EQ options...what I was hoping someone had in mind was to wire a limiter of electric flow or somethig to lower the tweeter level a little, kind of what is in the crossover...think that will work? __________________ \| '97 4runner 5spd SR5 w/ Tan leather int. \| Diff. Breather \| Hella 500 Driving Lights \| Alpine 9856 Headunit \| Old Man Emu 3" lift from Toytec \| Green Tokicko Shocks\| 265/75/16 BFG A/T \| SS Diff. Drop \| Polk Audio db6501 components \| Profile AP600 amp. \| Alpine MRP-M1005 amp \| 2 12" Alpine Type-r Subs \|