Why does my new head unit sound so bad? (1 Viewer)

[Clinton McClure]

Todd, try fading the front speakers over to either the left or right. If the bass and volume drastically improve, you have wired the front speakers out of phase. The fix is as simple as making sure LF+ and LF- are correctly wired to the + and - posts of the left front speaker. Same goes for the right.

Since your post is almost a month old now, I'm curious what you found out.

 

[Todd Stout]

Whoops... sorry guys. I didn't realize anyone had been responding in this thread lately.

This is the conclusion that I have come to. Several months ago I walked into a Best Buy and did an A/B comparison of the 6.5" Infinity Reference series to whatever line of Alpine 6.5" components they carry and noticed a big difference between the two. The Infinity speakers had that harsh midrange to them that the Alpines didn't have. Granted those Alpines probably aren't the best speakers in the world but they certainly weren't nearly as harsh sounding to me.

I still haven't done anything to fix the problem yet. I would really like to find some stores where I can actually listen to speakers before I buy them. I stopped at an Al & Ed's a few months ago and listened to what they have. I liked the sound of the 6.5" Focal components that they sell for $299 a pair (I don't recall what line they were). I don't think I'd ever let Al & Ed's touch another vehicle of mine after the hatchet job they pulled with my alarm several years ago however. I don't know if you can get Focal speakers for DIY installs or not.