Technical Info & How To's

The Big 3 Are: 1. negative battery wire to ground - just replace the negative batt. terminal and wire and ground it to the factory location 2. engine block to ground - replace the ground wire from the engine block to the chasie with a bigger wire (maybe 4 guage) 3. alternator to batt - add a fused wire from the postive post on you alternator (the one comming from the battery) to the postive terminal on your battery. DO NOT exchange wires just add a extra one. make sure it fused the same size as your factory fuse. hope thats helps Note on #2- Some cars have a batt-engine block connection stead of chassis to engine block...

(I am not very active on here but I am on **** and I shared this to SSA at the request of Denim) First off, I want to be clear about one thing. I'm not here to hate on SMD tools. However I am here to help people utilize cheaper and sometimes better equipment suited for the job as well as other jobs. So let's begin with the dd-1. I'm sure most of you know the main competitor to this an oscilloscope. But you might not know why. The SMD dd-1 is 149.99A Velleman HPS140I oscilliscope is 120$ (from Amazon) Here are three ways that the oscope stands alone from the dd-1. The dd-1 does not account for voltage drop. Let's say you set your gain with the dd-1 at 14.4 volts…

Disclaimer The first thing I must make abundantly clear is that, though I feel all information listed below is highly accurate, it is possible I am wrong in certain areas. Let’s face it: I’m human. Though the concepts are well understood, much of what I discuss is my interpretation and opinion on a given set of circumstances. I come into this with absolutely zero bias and I feel that gives this more validity than other comparisons of a similar nature that you may have read. Above all, please read in the interest of gaining another viewpoint. Table of Contents 1.0 - Prelude 2.0 - Split-Gap 3.0 - LMT (Linear Motor Technology) 4.0 - Split Coil 5.0 - Efficiency/Flux Effic…

This is a routinely asked question: "How long does the vent tube need to be if I use an n" flared port?" Granted, there are a few calculators out there that will calculate this for you, particularly if you're using some of the widely available manufactured ports. Here's a good example of a calculator available to you: http://psp-inc.com/psp-inc.com/public_html..._calculator.cgi But what if you have hand-formed your flared ends? Better yet, let's assume you are a dork like me and prefer to hand calculate a lot of things (believe it or not, the extra effort is worthwhile in the long run, but that's a rant for another day). Without getting too into depth on the actual der…

Prior to 1970, there were no easy or affordable methods accepted as standard in the industry for obtaining comparative data about loudspeaker performance. Recognized laboratory tests were expensive and unrealistic for the thousands of individuals needing performance information. Standard measurement criteria were required to enable manufacturers to publish consistent data for customers to make comparisons between various loudspeakers. Thiele-Small Parameters In the early seventies, several technical papers were presented to the AES (Audio Engineering Society) that resulted in the development of what we know today as 'Thiele-Small Parameters'. These papers were authored …

I love Iron Laws. Why? Well, they are so succinctly and aptly named: they are infact, iron. Good luck breaking them! If you've been a browsing member of the online audio community for a while, you have no doubt heard about Hoffman's Iron Law. What's it all about? Well, it is quite simple. Forgive me if I am misquoting here, but I think JimJ put it best when he said: "You can have low end extension, high efficiency, or small enclosure size. Pick two." Please note that while many people use this statement related to enclosures, it applies to the speaker you're using as well So what does that mean? And why is that the case? Well, as you may have heard me say once …

This is always an interesting and controversial topic. Every couple of weeks, a debate rages regarding the relevance of high Xmax and whether it is truly valuable to achieving SPL scores. Perhaps the greatest argument is that Digital Designs Audio drivers, who have a very impressive track record in SPL competition, have been routinely tested to show below average Xmax numbers. How is it possible that a driver with limited linear excursion can still be amongst the loudest? The answer is simple and complex all at once: Xmax is relevant to SPL and it's not. Now that I've confused you, let's proceed. I'll touch on how a speaker makes sound and how it's interpreted at a …

Something I found and is worth having here: A: A: Attenuation, loss of dB. AC (Alternating Current): An electrical current that periodically changes in magnitude and direction. Acoustic Fiberglass: Thin fiberglass material used as damping material inside speaker enclosures. Acoustics: The science or study of sound. Air Gap: The space between the top plate and the pole piece. This is where the voice coil sits. Alignment: A class of enclosure parameters that provides optimum performance for a woofer with a given value of Q. Alpha: In sealed enclosure designs, the ratio of Vas to Vb, where Vb is the volume of the box you will build. Alternator: A device that is turned by a m…

Crest Factor Before we can discuss amplifier headroom, we first need to discuss the music we are listening to. And the concept we need to understand is that of crest factor. Sine waves are the simplest tone. Sine waves are the "test tones" that many people use in this hobby for various reasons, although most likely familiar to everyone as the source used in the typical SPL competition. Sine waves are a periodic waveform. That is, these sine waves or test tones are quite simply a repeating waveform with equal intervals and amplitude in time. Music, in contrast, is very dynamic and transient. Music is a nonperiodic wave form. Meaning music is composed of sounds that frequ…

http://www.monsterca...tor_Article.pdf DAMPING FACTOR By Richard Clark At a recent AUTOSOUND 2000 manufacturer sponsored seminar, we were asked to comment on the subject of amplifier damping factor. I was extremely surprised to find how much importance was attached to this single specification. Since most folks are a little unclear as to the true meaning of damping factor, we're presenting the following article. First of all, let's discuss the items that enter into the damping factor calculation. At the heart of this calculation is the output impedance of the amplifier. Most all-modern feedback type amps are of the variety known as constant voltage. This means that the…

Here you go guys let me know what you think! What is Google Sketchup? Sketchup is a free 3d modeling program that is made by Google. It is used around the world for its ease of use and accurate function. Where do I get it? Right here: http://sketchup.google.com/download/ Download the basic version. What is the advantage? You can basically "build" your box before you make a single cut! Get an idea what it will look like, even lay out all the boards to make sure you get the most use out of a sheet! How do I use it? Watch my video below! If there is any additional information or questions please let me know!

Please note that any open-ended questions are best addressed in the Advanced Discussion portion of the forum. The Technical Info & How To's sub-forum is best suited for articles or time-tested and accurate threads filled with critical information. If a thread from the Advanced Discussion forum happens to prove itself as an integral part of the SSA knowledge base, it will be moved to the Technical Info & How To's forum as a whole, or parsed if necessary. Should any questions arise about this procedure, feel free to send myself or any SSA Tech Team member a pm for further clarification. In summary, we appreciate and encourage any and all questions be asked, but p…

Have you ever completed an enclosure that was a touch too small? Your low end sounds cramped but you don't want to or can't build a brand new enclosure. You throw in some polyfill and are blown away by the improvements. Then you go online to talk about it and everything gets confusing. You don't know why it works or what it really did, but you know that it sounds better. Maybe it's time you learned more about it! Firstly, there are a few primary types of fill that are used. This includes polyester fiberfill, fiberglass insulation, and long-fiber wool. Of these three, polyester fiberfill is perhaps the best option, and also the origination of the term "polyfill". T…

So, I've noticed recently that just about every wire company has bot OFC and CCA wire available, with OFC being the higher end line. My question is, In a car audio environment, where my power wire run will be no greater than 17 ft, is the difference in conductivity enough to make a noticeable (to me as an average consumer) difference? If not overdrawing or improperly fused? As an example: 4 awg run 60 amp fuse less than 12" from battery to amplifier that has a max current draw of 60 amps with a total length of the run being 12 ft? Amp ground at 18" on 4awg as well? Or say doing big 3 upgrade with 1/0 wire running above mentioned equipment/main power run to the ba…

Subwoofer placement in a trunked vehicle Now, you have two good, and two "OK" options: Good 1. Install the subwoofer in the rear side panel (or in between the taillights and the strut tower). This is called corner loading. Since the subwoofer is as far back as possible in the vehicle, there will be no rear sound wave that can interfere. As well, you will have hard boundaries to the rear, and sides. 2. Install the subwoofer in an enclosure facing the very rear of the vehicle. Optimally, within a foot. This allows for the rear wave to exit through into the cabin of the vehicle, as well as the front wave to reflect off of the rear of the vehicle, and be reinforced by the r…

I've been meaning to write this up and post it here for sometime... thankfully Aaron pushed me a little. A couple of quick comments: I've tried to make this as straight forward and digestible as possible; I've explained these things to the best of my knowledge... bear in mind, I am no Electrical Engineer. What follows is the result of monthss of research and hours of playing / testing my own equipment. Lastly - I'll leave this locked until Denim gets a look at it. -Nick

Power compression is a topic that is rarely discussed, but always important. When you hear someone call various theile/small parameters a

A lot of people still have turntables in their homes, or are contemplating buying one - but good information on how to set one up still can be difficult to find in this age of Ipods and shiny silver discs. Maybe you have a battered Technics or Dual that hasn't played records since Gorbachev was in office and your records look like they picked up a case of the plague; maybe you're thinking about purchasing a brand new SL-1200MK2 or Rega P1 to hear for yourself what these vinyl loonies are really yapping about. Regardless, anyone that's planning to add LP capability to their setup could use some hints about setting up and caring for the centerpiece of your analog rig. I'm g…

I've watched over and over on YouTube how to wire two batteries in a car. I'd have one as my main starter battery and one in my trunk. Do I just have the positive from my main battery go to the positive on my second battery? (fused of course) and the negative just go to the ground and I'm all set? And another question, having this battery setup, will it put more stress on my alternator? Thanks I appreciate the help.

So you designed and built a box and think you know what it is tuned to, but there are a lot of reasons to verify that you are right. Some of these are: 1) To make sure you understand the math behind designing the box 2) To check up on the person that did the design for you 3) To check on your building skills 4) To verify where you are so that when you redesign to deal with an acoustic difficulty that you found you are able to. Whatever the reason, there is a simple way to do this. You will need the following equipment: 1) Your system installed in your vehicle. 2) A CD with a variety of low frequency tones on it, I

As most of you know, I do measurements for a living. So I have a few pet peeves about how things are done in this industry. Nothing is standardized and the accuracy of everything is questionable and typically quite subjective. In this thread, I would like to address something I would like to see standardized and that is the sensitivity of loudspeakers. There are a lot of you car audio nuts that are afraid to run home audio drivers in your car due to the fact they are 8ohms, but you really shouldn

Well it's not really a bass knob. It's just a knob but i want it to control my sub, the output level of it. And it is not in car audio it is home audio.

http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/showthread.php?t=145049 Not a bad idea if you ask me

I have read many places different ways to determine the output of your amplifier as it is in your car, but none have given me the information I need to do this myself. I will be auditioning several amps in the next few weeks, and would like to have real numbers as they pertain to what my subs will really get. Can anyone break it down to where I can mess it up, as far as how to go about this, what equipment I will need, and the approximate cost of the equipment? I'm sure I'm not the only one that would love to do this, and this will allow me to give accurate results and power output when I'm testing the amps. Thanks in advance.

Hey guys, I'm currently starting my (2) 12" Ethos build and I was planning on firing both the subs and the port into the cabin of my 2013 Toyota Camry. So far, I'm framing out what I can in the smaller oval shape opening behind the seats that Toyota decided needed the be there. It's about 36" wide, 15" tall, and about 8" deep. I'm basically laying 2x4's down until I get to the point where I can have a flat surface in my trunk for my enclosure to bolt up to. This oval area will be dead space from the inside of my car, so I may do some fiberglassing and "pretty" that area up with LED's, or something of that nature. Now, as this is an oval, and 2x4's are straight, I wi…