issues with system install have audio vets of 30+ years scratching our heads

[microdot]

so... bought a new 2014 crew cab half ton with the 8.4AN alpine system. immediately needed a little better quality system (coming from a chevy with over 8k invested into sound - more for clarity than spl)

stuck with the head unit, so i decided to grab an audio control lc8i to push into my amp wall. amps are from my last truck, so i know everything is fine there.

mids and highs are fine... but my low end has some sort of really weird signal issue that we cant seem to figure out. upfront, the bass response is perfect... but as the volume goes up, the signal coming into the processor actually decreases slightly... so the bass amp never sees more, it actually gets slightly quieter while my mids and highs start cranking.

we are tapped into the system behind the factory amp as we cant find anything in front of it. there has to be something weird happening here... thought it was the auto road noise adjustments but those are turned completely off. just really have no idea what the hell could be causing this.

anyone run into this issue? any ideas or solutions?

 

[Etroze86]

Head unit atenuates the bass as the volume is turned up. It sucks and thats why if you see guys that are serious about audio in these trucks they gut the entire system.

 

[microdot]

i would have to add... or lose the ability to adjust 90% of the non audio features of this truck. and there simply isnt space to add unless i sacrifice the center console or rebuild, which im not looking to do.

if it is actually attenuating the signal... how the hell does the factory sub work? it works as intended... gets louder the more you turn the knob... but the signal coming out of the amp isnt matching that. so... is there another piece to the puzzle im missing somewhere?

 

[Etroze86]

My guess is the mids in the doors are making up for the sub in the factory setup. I think guys have gotten good results with dsp's but they are also running seperate volume knobs on them also.

 

[microdot]

yeah... i may try adding an epicenter.

 

[Etroze86]

I would go full processing but yes a bass processing unit like that might help.

 

[WhiteExpress]

i would have to add... or lose the ability to adjust 90% of the non audio features of this truck. and there simply isnt space to add unless i sacrifice the center console or rebuild, which im not looking to do.

if it is actually attenuating the signal... how the hell does the factory sub work? it works as intended... gets louder the more you turn the knob... but the signal coming out of the amp isnt matching that. so... is there another piece to the puzzle im missing somewhere?

Poorly IMO. I was stoked with how the 8.4 sounded in Pop's truck until I turned it up. It had great bass, until you get anything near a 'reasonable' level and the bass just falls on it's face, HARD.

 

[baum]

i would also look into full processing. audison bit 1 (or 10), jl cleansweep, rockford 360.

my ram is the basic system, but when i had my '11 durango i had the alpine system. i also grabbed my signal after the factory amp. believe it or not i had good success with just the cheap LOC from wally world.

 

[microdot]

have no idea how... but this entire ordeal was being caused by the remote cable coming from the audio control. guessing a short somewhere in the cable was causing the unit to go into meltdown mode. never seen that before in my life. just random chance that i found it... just managed to unplug as i was testing wires and it instantly sprung to life.

 

[Bkhsvt]

We'll that makes no sense.....the head unit attenuating the low frequency as the volume goes up is deff the issue. No magic wires pulled out here that would do it. It would be nice to have someone test the frequency coming out of the other channels out of these amps to see if there is full range to the door speakers

 

[Etroze86]

They aren't people have tested before

 

[rpr]

Guys:

I have the misfortune of having the 8.4AN system in my truck.

I cannot tolerate it and need to do something to improve the SQ.

I am between trying a DSP or trying to replace the stock HU.

With the DSP, I keep hearing that there is only so much you can do to improve the crappy signal from the HU, and I have fairly sensitive ears so any degraded signal will drive me nuts.

And now this...bass attenuation with volume increases!

As far as replacing the stock HU, what are my best options in terms of aftermarket HU's that will allow me to maintain the most non-audio features possible?

A local shop thinks they can retain most of the non-audio functions with after market HUs, but they are making no guarantees.

I miss my SQ...any help?

 

[Etroze86]

A decent DSP will de-equalize and improve signal greatly. I know that's what unbroken did in his first steps of his epic build.

 

[jeepguy_1980]

Guys:

I have the misfortune of having the 8.4AN system in my truck.

I cannot tolerate it and need to do something to improve the SQ.

I am between trying a DSP or trying to replace the stock HU.

With the DSP, I keep hearing that there is only so much you can do to improve the crappy signal from the HU, and I have fairly sensitive ears so any degraded signal will drive me nuts.

And now this...bass attenuation with volume increases!

As far as replacing the stock HU, what are my best options in terms of aftermarket HU's that will allow me to maintain the most non-audio features possible?

A local shop thinks they can retain most of the non-audio functions with after market HUs, but they are making no guarantees.

I miss my SQ...any help?

There isn't a single aftermarket option that will retain the stock head unit's ability to adjust certain vehicle settings. You need to keep the radio in your truck.

You could try relocating the stock unit to the center console. And put a radio of your choice in the truck for music, a/v, etc...

 

[rpr]

Thanks guys, local shop said the bass attenuation is done at the stock amp, not the stock head unit, so they said if they added a DSP upstream of the stock amp the bass attenuation would not be an issue.

I think most other have added their DSP's downstream of the stock amp though.

Man, this is much more complicated than this used to be, I almost miss my (30+ year old) Pioneer SuperTuner III at this point.

 

[baum]

rpr- are you sure you have the factory amp? not all 8.4an have the amp. i have the 8.4an and no factory amp. if you dont have the alpine factory system you dont have an amp

 

[rpr]

Yes, mine is the Alpine system.