# Bass Q-Factor



## l a r r y (Jan 25, 2012)

I'm tinkering around with the settings on my Clarion h/u and seeing if I can get some better sound. My setup includes for the front stage Polk Audio MM6501 and rear deck Infinty Kapps 6x9 2 ways and for the sub stage SA 8 v.2 in a ported enclosure. My amps are for the front stage Hifonics zxi80.4 all channels set for HP crossed at 10k and for the sub is a AB ph-1600d crossed over at 60hz subsonice set to 50hz. 

On the h/u, what does the bass q-factor settings do? I've changed them between all the settings available, but I can not hear any difference, and I am wanting to know exactly what this does and should I expect to hear any difference?


TIA


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## Richericks (May 25, 2012)

JL has an interactive tutorial that will show you what happens when you make those changes.

here


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## crispin (May 23, 2011)

crossing the sub over at 60 hz and setting the sub sonic at 50 is terrible.

You are running your sub from 60 to 50 hz.

Subsonic should be set below the tuning of your sub enclosure, normally around 30 hz

Crossover for the sub should be around 80 - 100 hz


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## l a r r y (Jan 25, 2012)

crispin said:


> crossing the sub over at 60 hz and setting the sub sonic at 50 is terrible.
> 
> You are running your sub from 60 to 50 hz.
> 
> ...



Thanks for clearing that up for me, I'll get this changed today


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## crispin (May 23, 2011)

l a r r y said:


> I'm tinkering around with the settings on my Clarion h/u and seeing if I can get some better sound. My setup includes for the front stage Polk Audio MM6501 and rear deck Infinty Kapps 6x9 2 ways and for the sub stage SA 8 v.2 in a ported enclosure. My amps are for the front stage Hifonics zxi80.4 all channels set for HP crossed at 10k and for the sub is a AB ph-1600d crossed over at 60hz subsonice set to 50hz.
> 
> On the h/u, what does the bass q-factor settings do? I've changed them between all the settings available, but I can not hear any difference, and I am wanting to know exactly what this does and should I expect to hear any difference?
> 
> ...


I just noticed your high pass settings.

Are you sure you have that info correctly? There is no way you have your HP at 10k hz ( I am betting you have it at 100 hz - big difference)


Here are the basic settings I always start with

For the full range speakers I cross them over either at 100 hz (if they are lower quality or I am overpowering them) and 80 hz for everything else (high quality or RMS power)

For the sub stage I cross over at 80 hz and set the sub filter around 30 hz


Those are good basic settings to get you (and most systems) in the right ball park


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## hpilot2004 (Dec 13, 2011)

Richericks said:


> JL has an interactive tutorial that will show you what happens when you make those changes.
> 
> here


That's pretty cool!


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## l a r r y (Jan 25, 2012)

crispin said:


> I just noticed your high pass settings.
> 
> Are you sure you have that info correctly? There is no way you have your HP at 10k hz ( I am betting you have it at 100 hz - big difference)
> 
> ...


You are correct on the settings for the crossover. I was trying to go off of memory after I had a few beers last night. The comps I am running upfront are Polk MM6501's which can handle 125 per side. I am feeding them about 165 per side now, with the gains moderately set. Here are what my x-over points are set to now


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## ZAKOH (Nov 26, 2010)

I think it gives you variable bass boost at the high pass frequency of the subwoofer. Let's say you think you're not getting enough lows, you could set the high pass filter at 20Hz and then increase q until you like the sound.

This could give you the idea:

http://pasmag.com/images/stories/12_future/Boston-GTA400M-11.10-web-images/q-tune_opt.jpeg


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## l a r r y (Jan 25, 2012)

Cool....one thing I should say, is that I am new to tuning. In the past, I would just set the gains to where they would not cause the speakers to clip and I'd be down the road. now that I am older and looking for more of a well rounded sound, I am trying to learn as much as I possibly can. The graph I can see what is happening but do not FULLY understand. I can add more bass boost at the HPF x-over with this amp, I do believe for my liking that I have my front stage set somewhat decent, but I know that there is more that I can do


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