Tuning my upgraded sound system. Advice?

[Umichigan1]

Recently I successfully upgraded my 6 speaker system by adding an external amp and adding a subwoofer (as well as new speakers). I'd now like to tune this system to help it perform at its optimum and I'd appreciate advice on how to proceed. Both the amp and the LOC have controls to allow for tuning and I will attach images of those controls so that you understand my capability. Also, please note that I have used Forscan to flatten the stock EQ setting so my OEM output is as clean as I can make it.

Where to connect the amp output to the front speaker wires and where to connect the amp output to the rear speaker wires?

Okay, I've searched the forum and YouTube for the information that I need and have come up empty. Too many threads go off on too many tangents about too many specific things. On YouTube I lose patience with the commercials and calls for "SUBSCRIBE!!!." So I'm hoping to find a calm in the storm of information...

First, my brain isn't, nor has it been functioning on all cylinders so in a moment when you read something that is both incredibly obvious or bone-headed just roll with it, please.

Black Diamond Mid-Package with standard 6-speaker setup.
2-4" speakers in dash, 2-4" speakers in rear pods, 2-6"speakers in kick panels.
All speakers upgraded to Kickers.

Behind dash - added PAC LPA-E.4 LocPro Advanced, 4-channel active line output converter. Connected to OEM harness using PAC LPHFD31 LocPro Advanced T-Harness (T-harness for adding an aftermarket amplifier to a select 2018-up Ford vehicle without a factory amp).

Rear of Vehicle - added Kicker 48TRTP122 Subwoofer (Sealed downward-firing enclosure with 12" shallow-mount subwoofer and passive radiator).
Added Kicker 46CXA660.5T CX Series 5-channel car amplifier (65 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms + 300 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms) with optional Remote Bass Adjust.
Kicker amp high-level subwoofer output (+/-) connected to input terminal connections on Kicker subwoofer.

On Driver's side of vehicle - Power cable run to Battery with fuse block (80amp) inserted next to battery connection. Ground cable connected to nearby seat retention bolt. Also, remote turn-on wire for amp placed on driver's side.

On Pass side of vehicle - 4 RCA cables (L/R, L/R) connected from output of LOC to input of amp. Also, cable for remote bass adjust.

Okay, maybe it should be obvious but... I haven't connected the speakers to this system, yet. Somehow in my brain I thought that I would be gaining access to the speaker connections via the t-harness (all the t-harness does is connect the high-level OEM head unit output to the inputs of the LOC. The t-harness also supplies power, ground and a remote turn-on wire for the LOC).

I don't know how/where to connect to the OEM speaker wires. The outputs of the Kicker amp in the rear of the vehicle have to be connected somewhere and at some point to the OEM speaker locations (either by splicing into the OEM harness or bypassing the OEM wiring entirely). Complicating this is that the amp has a 4-channel output (not counting the 5th channel used for the subwoofer). The OEM speaker wiring combines the front upper and lower speakers. So I have 2-channels in the front, and 2-channels in the rear (the left and right pods).

Where to connect the amp output to the front and where to connect the amp output to the rear? I'm trying to do this as painlessly as possible. Winter in Michigan is not the best time to be doing install work outdoors.

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[acarzt]

I don't know if this is the best way to tune... But it's how I like to tune...

First, turn gain all the way down on everything. And in the tone settings (Bass/low, mid, high/treble) turn everything all the way down.

Next, turn the volume up as high as you can stand. Since you just turned everything down, you'll probably max out the volume and it will still seem quiet, or not loud enough.

If necessary, increase the gains on the amp until it's about as loud as you would ever want to listen to your music.

Now turn the volume back down to a reasonable/normal listening level.

Now this is where it becomes a little bit of personal preference of how you proceed... You can adjust everything by ear... Or use an SPL meter.

Adjusting by ear is pretty self explanatory... Just adjust the tones untill it sounds good since all your tome settings are turned All the way down, you can't turn down a tone if it seems too loud... For example if the highs seem too loud, you don't turn them down, you turn everything else up and lower the volume. Don't forget to adjust the gain again.

SPL method... Use sine waves on YouTube and an SPL meter to get a flat output across-the-board (same SPL at different frequencies) you can download an app on your cellphone for this, but they're not super accurate. They'll get you in the ball park though. The idea here is to target a specific spl measurement at each frequency and adjust tone settings up or down so they're all the same.

Most people will say the bass is too low this way... Which is fine... Because you want to tune bass last anyway since it can be so overpowering Just add some bass with your remote control or add some in the tone settings to your liking, just be careful because it will probably affect more frequencies than intended.

Why do I do it this way? Because when adjusting tone from the default middle of the scale, you can only turn the volume up to about 15 before it's loud/too loud. That's only 15 points of adjustment... Using my method, I can go all the way up to 30 (max) so I have twice as many points of adjustment and can fine tune how loud it is.

You will have even more control since you are using and external amp, so you'll just have to play around with it until you find what you like.

 

[acarzt]

Also, forgot to mention about the crossovers... If you are using bass blockers on your speakers then the "amp" crossovers don't matter. If you're not using bass blockers it depends on the frequency response of the speakers you are using but personally I would set the "Amp" crossovers to about 60hz and set the "sub" crossover to about 80hz. If you want more sound going to the sub, you can increase the "sub" crossover until it sounds good to you. Probably best the play around with these to see what you like. Raising the "amp" crossover removes low frequencies from the front speakers. Raising the "sub" crossover adds low frequencies to the sub.

Just make sure the "amp" crossover is always lower than the "sub" crossover and leave a few hz difference so the sound blends better. If you set "amp" to 100 and "sub" to 60, for example, you won't get any sound for 60-100hz.

I'd leave bass boost at 0.

Other settings on the amp...

Fader on

Input Level low (Since you're going through an LOC)

Sub input to Apm2 (since you don't have a dedicated sub input)

Settings on your LOC:

LPF off

Boost 0

If you find you have to crank up the gain on the amp to get sound, then you might need to increase the gain on the LOC. Try not to use too much gain on the LOC, it's better to increase gain at the amp (as long as you're not maxing out gain)

 

[Umichigan1]

Using the aforementioned advice (along with my own personal preferences) I can safely say that I have successfully tuned my new system. As such I feel that I can recommend my choices to others. The upgrade has been tremendous without breaking the bank or stretching my technical capabilities.

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