Newbie/Want to set my amplifier right

Alright guys, Im new here and Im kinda new to this audio thingy. Ive been reading up these forums for the past couple of days and I have read almost every page and information that you guys wrote about clipping and setting gains but I still dont get why my own system does not sound good to me.

I dont think the system is necessarily clipping, because I am able to turn it up and walk away from the truck and still hear very good sound quality. I am just concerned with what I hear normally from inside the truck at low to high volumes.

There seems to be some members on this forum that know just about everything to do with car audio, and I am looking for any help at all.

I currently have an orion 4004 (100x4) powering jlaudio ZR's(I think 200RMS) in the front and jl audio XR's(I think 150RMS) in the rear. I also have an eclipse 5500 HU.

Now here are my questions:

I feel like a hear distortion all the time but I tihnk it could be in my head, its seems to be more at lower volumes and on certain songs (I play mp3s a lot so that may be it)

1. With my amp and these comp speakers is it possible for me to blow anything? I play music loud and real loud but only for a certain amount of time, usually 30 secs-1 1/2 minutes at very loud level.

2. What the hell is the intelli q bass dial on my amplifier? I have been looking for manuals pertaining to this specific amplifier but I have been unlucky so far. It seems to be turned all the way counter clockwise, I have never touched it.

3. What "ideally" should my gains be put to? I have a front gain and back gain. I have been messing with them since reading up on these forums but I have never gone more than 3/4 clockwise and less than 1/4 clockwise.

I keep adjusting it but I honestly have not noticed a single difference from within the cabin.

4. There are several other dials and switches on the amplifier. There is a dial for frequency on the rear and a dial for frequency on the front. Both dials are set to the middle, right between 45Hz and 250Hz. And there is also a switch for both the front and a switch for the rear, they both have three settings(full, high , low). BOTH are set to HIGH. Now my question is Does this seem right to anyone?

5. Could it possible that the distortion or noise that I hear could just be fixed by putting dynamat in my doors?Currently there isnt any dynamat in the truck at all

Sorry for such a long post but I wanted to be as descriptive as possible. If you all need anymore info on this setup please let me know.

The system also contains 2 orions 2500d pushing 1 18" RE MT/TCSounds PA-5100. just incase this is needed for help

Yes you need Dynamat or equivalent in the critical areas, like doors, rear parcel shelf, trunk lid... With all the power to the sub in the mix, I don't know how you are trying to tell what the sound quality is like with all that sheet metal rattling.

Get your basics done first.  Strip that vehicle and apply the damping.  Then you can download test tones and go through the gain-setting procedure.  Once you've done it correctly, you don't change it because you have an MP3 playing with questionable clarity.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

stevdart wrote:

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Yes you need Dynamat or equivalent in the critical areas, like doors, rear parcel shelf, trunk lid... With all the power to the sub in the mix, I don't know how you are trying to tell what the sound quality is like with all that sheet metal rattling.

Get your basics done first. Strip that vehicle and apply the damping. Then you can download test tones and go through the gain-setting procedure. Once you've done it correctly, you don't change it because you have an MP3 playing with questionable clarity.

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thanks, do u know of anything just as good as dynamat with out the high cost?

fast66 wrote:

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stevdart wrote:

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Yes you need Dynamat or equivalent in the critical areas, like doors, rear parcel shelf, trunk lid... With all the power to the sub in the mix, I don't know how you are trying to tell what the sound quality is like with all that sheet metal rattling.

Get your basics done first. Strip that vehicle and apply the damping. Then you can download test tones and go through the gain-setting procedure. Once you've done it correctly, you don't change it because you have an MP3 playing with questionable clarity.

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thanks, do u know of anything just as good as dynamat with out the high cost?

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found somethin on this
www.sounddeadenershowdown.com