First I'll state thte problem:
My system can rattle my chest, and the chests in the next car over) with bass but some of the midbass is missing. I have the cross over on the sub amp set way high. The Polk db 6500's font and rear can't really handle much bass before they distort.

Possible Hypothesis:
stock baffle behind polk comps cancelling bass (not likely)
Alpine 9807 deck has fixed crossover point for sub out (i don't think so)
Mid bass signal weak in the mix from the alpine (probably)



Does anyone have an eq on their aftermarket system? I am desiring a stringer mid bass and have read that eq's can really set the balance like nothing else, partcularly from genre to genre

What are some good quality eq's for a great price?

Where did you install it?

I like my little metra kit packet and don't really want to give that up. I'd rather use that useless cd holder tray above the radio. Of course, I'd have to find a new hiding spot for the, um, music-environmental-enhancement-kit.

I am not sure if this is what I am going to do but would certainly appreciate any advice.

 

First, you need to pinpoint the poblem, is it a lack of midbass, or a lack of up-front bass? those are two problems that create the same "annoyment" (sorry for my english, i don't speak that language everyday). A quick test is to unplug subwoofer and run the frontsatge without hi-pass crossover (at moderate level) and see how it sound. if you feel it sound unnaturally thin, think about sealing the doors with sound deadening material. I did the install in my dad's 03 tl last week and the doors are not so bad (much better than the impreza's one, in a sound point of view) but they can still benefit from sealing. After that, your midbass will sound pretty much the best it can in stock location. (and will be free of cancellation). after that, you can set the hi-pass filter. usualy in the 60-85hz range, so the male voice remain unnafected. let's say that the lower you cut them, the more likely they will distort. then you can bring back the subwoofer. you need to tweak the polarity and crossover so there's no cancelation. first, let them play full range or lowpassed as high as you can, and check wich polarity turn out to have the louder midbass. then, set the crossover frequency first at the same one you put on the frontstage, and then play with it to see what sound best, like the bass come from all over the place. If it's still not satisfying, then you can think about adding an equalizer. the problem is that if you boost the bass and midbass frequencises, you need to have the power, and the power handling that come with it. if you set all you amp's gain so they produce they RMS power with the same signal (0dBfs, at 75-85% of volume scale) and the midrange don't play much louder (with no EQing) than you want it according to the sub level, then you're pretty much screwed, and the solution will be to get more power. if it play louder than you would like, you can reduce the overall level and boost the midbass and bass frequencies so it get back to it original level. Sometimes, crossing over at an higher frequency (like 90-100) but boosting the 125hz range of the frontstage so it keep up with the subwoofer loudness will do the job to even out the bass. as long as the sound stays pretty much smooth and flat as possible from 300 to 3000hz, it will sound good