TZVECL

Please somebody explain to me what is going on.

I noticed, from day one of ownership, that when I turn the volume way up (35 - 40), I get LOTS of subwoofer distortion.

It is VERY noticable when I fade all the way to the back. I have the sub level set to the center, not all the way up (obviously, it gets worse as I go up). There is NO OTHER distortion from any of the other speakers, even at max volume (so I know this is not an excessive power problem).

I have read the posts about rear deck vibration. With the music pumping, there is no major deck vibration. It's just poor sound from the subwoofer - sounds like there is a hole in the cone, major distortion. If I look all the way in back, where the deck meets the window, it looks like it was "pre-stuffed" with foam at the dealer before I took delivery (I never asked for it or about it).


ANYWAY, I go to the dealer a few weeks ago, and the service manager sits in the front with me, and I set the fader all the way to the back, leave the sub level on center, and turn up some good bass music up to 35 or so. He says "WOW - BLOWN SUBWOOFER"


He orders a new one, installed today, and guess what: Still sounds horrible.

WHAT IS UP WITH THIS??

Can someone check in their car if yours does this?

For easy comparison, go to the demo disc track 22 (where Schiner "builds" the 5.1 channels). Go to the sub part, push the fader to the back, and crank it. Does it sound bad to you??


What is going on??????


THANKS!!!

Lore

Could it just be a bad LFE channel in the head unit? Possible, right?

Bring this up with the service manager.

TZVECL

LFE=?

Norse396

If you had the bass cranked up that would explain the "blown" subwoofer. These speakers weren't designed for the huge bass many people want.

TZVECL

Nope. Bass is in the middle as well. The rear deck speaker, and all the other speaker can handle the volume at 40, NO PROBLEM.

It's just the sub.

Is anyone else hearing distortion??

MarkItZero

Volume at 40????? I must be getting old. Mine has not been higher than 20, and that was a dvd-a.

By the way, the new santana, shaman, rocks on dvd-a. excellent sound quality.

Modeler

Are you sure it's not your ears that are "blown" and subject to distortion from listening to extremelly loud music a lot?

Lore

LFE stands for Low Frequency Effects -- ie, the .1 in 5.1 or 6.1 configurations. In most cases, it's the subwoofer.

http://www.dolby.com/tech/c.in.0011.LFE.pdf

TZVECL

I listen to music at moderate levels, I actually don't like it very loud.

You think when this stereo is at 35 it is blazing loud? I really don't think so. I can talk over it.

Z Factor

Volume at 40 :wow:

Was that with Bose noise reduction headphones on?:lol2:

lflorack

Well, I'm sure it's a matter of opinion but 35-40 is very loud to me. I've had the system up to 22 or 23 but that's it -- and that was for a DVD-A.

daikon38

I think there's something seriously wrong with your sound system.

With the volume level set to 35, you can definitely NOT talk over that. At about volume level 20~25, I can't talk over the music.

Probably should bring it in again.

need4spd

I normally run my stereo at 35 -39.

I just like it loud, it does not distort, just some vibrations now and then.

Regarding TZVCL's issue, other thing it can be is a bad sub channel in the amp.

Norse396

NO stereo is designed to be heard at full volume.

rets

Do I have problems here? I never go over 10 so far... We're in the different worlds...

need4spd

Norse, sorry to say this one is, no distortion at that level, even Edmunds stereo review of the TL mentions this.

They set the volume on the headend unit to stop before the sound starts to clip.

I am not young, but I do spend most of my time at 30 and above, and not unusual to be at 39.

It is crystal clear, I guess that is why I play it so loud.

BTW with the windows open and sunroof (back in October), you could barely hear the radio over the wind noise, even at 40.

Rets, if you see at TL but hear it first, you will know it is me EDIT - Also at 10, you can not even appreciate the 5.1 seperation, to me it does not kick in until at least 20 or above, under that and the seperate channels get lost in the background noise

EDIT - many times I have thought that the stero could have used a few more watts as it is not loud enough, just my opinion.

TZVECL

need4spd: It seems like you are on the same page with me.
I agree with you - it seems to be designed for no distortion at any level.

Can you do me a favor and fade it all the way to the back, and crank it to (horror of horrors) 40?

Do you have bad sub sounds?

Thanks!

(but down keep it at 40 too long, you might go deaf)

need4spd

TZVECL, I have done that in the past when playing with the system (the nav screen controls make it really easy to do).

NO BAD SUB sounds!

Only on certain songs (read frequency) do I get a rear deck vibration (even after the foam fix which worked for the first month or so).

If the svc mgr heard it the first time and it sounds the same, I would think he would try to fix it again.

Next logical choice is the amp as it is the easiest to replace (vs the head end). Also, there is an audio diagnostic that plays through each speaker one at a time that he can run on the car, maybe that will help!

Good luck!

Lore

Agreed, I believe it's a bad channel in the head unit.

TZVECL

WHere is the amp?

And if it's not the amp, how hard is it to take out the head unit? I can picture the metal strips thet run down the dash getting totally banged up.

Lore

Someone mentioned that the amp is near the passenger side seat. (which makes sense -- I think most amps are placed there)

If they scratch up your aluminum strips, make them replace it. What I would do is take your car in during the broad daylight, park it outside the dealership, get your service advisor, show him that the strips are undamaged. Take a digital photo of them to record the condition, and if they come back damaged, demand a replacement.

I'm sure your dealer will take care of you, especially since the service manager so willingly replaced your sub.

frqwntbyr

Earlier thread suggested -2 for the sub and -2 for the bass, especially at high volumes. I don't go much above volume 26, so I settled on zeros all across the board...seemed to help.

need4spd

Amp is in the passenger side front outside kick panel (near fender). See svc manual photo below.

I am checking on the head unit removal

Modeler

I typically listen to music at around 15 and I have NEVER had a need to exceed level 20. No wonder you have problems!

need4spd

the pass side kick panel is very easy to remove, then the amp is 3 nuts and a few connectors, very easy, better to start there, they can even swap an amp from a car on the lot that is working correctly.

The head unit is a lot more involved as you would imagine, the top display (clock area) has to come out, then the aluminum trim, then the audio unit and HVAC display, or nav display, then the can take the head end unit out.

If they damage any of the aluminim, they can get new ones.

go the amp route first.

Also, I tried the stereo this morning on the way to work, no distortion on the rear sub with only the back on with XM and DVD-A playing.

andrewx2

I agree with the consensus here, I have never taken any music above volume lvl 20 except the DVD-A of Beethoven's 7th, 2nd movement, and then only for the first minute or so because it's so soft. You very likely have amp issues. I cannot talk over volume 15 let alone 35.

There has only really been one song that has caused noticeable rattling of my subwoofer. That's track 4 on the Blue Man Group DVD-A. The dealer tried to fix but only got about 60% of the rattle.