MSP Amp tuning
 

I hooked up the MSP Amp to my stock P5 HU, and I wanted to get some help with tuning it. I'm not very audio savy, and this far by far the biggest audio project I've done so far. I got the idea from JDM_P5 (Phil) and I loved it, but I don't think I'm getting the most out of the amp.

What should I set the input sensitivity to? What about mono vs. stereo? Also, what's that filter all about? Any help would be appreciate.

Oh yea .. almost forgot. The sub is a 8W3v2-D2 (hooked up in series @ 4 Ohm)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...5/e990dc46.jpg

And I'll post some more pics of the overall install just in case you guys never saw Phil's doing.


P.S.: Please excuse the stains on the carpet .. I haven't had time to do a thorough cleaning of the car yet this spring.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...9/e990dfcc.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...1/e990dfb3.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...4/e990df9f.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...2/e990df8e.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...c/e990df79.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...0/e990df56.jpg

Unless you have a multimeter to measure and know what the input sensitivity should be, just turn it about 3/4 of the way towards max and it'll be fine - especially since it's on a sub.

The filter cuts off high frequencies, you want it on for your sub. LPF means "Low Pass Filter", or that the low frequencies are passed through to the output, and high frequencies are filtered out. There should be a setting for the LPF, something like 60hz - 80hz - 100hz. If there is, set it to 80hz (that means 80 hertz, the frequence where the LPF begins to cutoff). If there's not setting like this then it's preset, most likely at 80hz.

So input sensitivity should be 3/4 towards max, lpf filter on, and stereo or mono?

Mono ... you said you're wiring the sub coils in series for 4 ohm, I assume it's a dual 2 ohm woofer? If so, you're golden - mono and in series ;)

Yea .. DVC 2 Ohm hooked up series. And I just went out there and switched it to stereo too :pfanndina

Thanks for the help Ryan :bigthumb: I'll switch it back to mono in a second.

Some amps you have to wire it different for mono operation - like + on the + from the left channel, and - on the - from the right channel. Check and see, the amp should be marked for how to wire mono.

HUGE difference by the way since I turned on the LPF and turned up the sensitivity. The sub really hits now, and I can actually hear it on the highway too .. whereas before all the road noise would tune it out way bad. Thanks again Ryan, you da man!!

Glad to hear it!

Let me ask about the box now - do you know the internal volume of the box? Can you roughly measure it and calculate? If so, let me know - it looks big enough that you might be able to port that box with the sub you're using. If you can get me the volume, I can run the specs through WinISD and see if you can port it, and if so I'll tell you the port diameter and length needed ;)

Are you using it with the MSP enclosure too? I always wanted to do that, but with it bolted to the hatch cover (you'd probably have to reinforced it depending on the weight of that enclosure/sub/amp) for easy removal. Right now I just have an infinity basslink strapped down with my cargo net. It's easy enough to remove on the weekend for autocross events :)

Certainly!! Gimme until next week and I should have it done. Hopefully I'll have enough free time this weekend to pull out the sub and measure it..

It's not "bolted" to the hatch cover. The hatch cover goes OVER the MSP enclosure to conceal it. Review the pics I posted and it should make more sense this time around. See the hole I drilled in the side panels that exposes the two bolts? That's what the rack is bolted to, and to remove it you just need to undo the bolts on both sides and the whole thing slides out.

Again I'm pwned by not being able to see any of your pics while at work.

edit: I wish there were at least red Xs.. I just don't see anything at all, weird.

Probably cuz they're hosted at Sony ImageStation .. it could be that the website is being blocked by your filters so the images hosted there aren't coming through.

Well I never got around to measuring it myself, but I found someone who did it on the other forum. Does this help any? Are the dimensions provided enough, or should I try measuring the sides as well?

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showt...21344#poststop