UTV Stereo Sound System Tuning

Step 1

Set amps to our "starting point"

step 2

Fine tune your amps

The fundamentals are the same for all our amplified systems. Tune using a song that has deep bass tones. Think of tuning as setting the safety boundaries for your speakers. Also, tune with a clean audio source that you will be most commonly using, example Bluetooth. Lastly, make sure you have a fully charged battery before tuning!

***These instructions are meant to give you a reference point and your ACTUAL tune may differ***

  Turn all SENS (gain/level) to MIN

  Turn on HPF for front and rear channels

  Turn FREQ to 400hz

  Set input switch to match source unit capabilities

5) Turn Subwoofer Output on head unit to 0, or disconnect the sub completely. (make sure subwoofer is not playing while tuning the mids and highs)

6) Play the song you will be tuning with at 75% volume level (this is the sweet spot) on the head unit and start with the Front Channels. If Ride Command is your source unit, these are slightly different, tune for full volume at the 1st click of volume level 10, this is very important. Make sure all EQ settings on the head unit are flat or at 0.

7) (Use fade control in radio to isolate front) Bring front SENS up slowly to find level where highs are playing without any distortion or clipping. Keep in mind you will be hearing only the highest frequency's.

***Distortion and clipping can be heard as a "crackle". This is bad! Always run your system at 80% its potential. You want headroom to work with. If you hear crackle or popping your up too high.

8) Bring your FREQ down. This is a very important part and take your time here. The idea is to get those mids playing the right frequencies. You want them to hit the mids, not the lows, get those "punch" frequencies to come alive and save the lows for your subs. Use the FREQ adjustment to keep control of the mid driver and protect it from low frequencies that its unable to produce. You may want to play a few songs with deep bass to ensure that your mids are crossed over correctly.

9)(Use fade control in radio to isolate rear) Repeat for the rear channels.

10) Use the SENS if needed to ensure that, in the driver seat, you can equally here the front and rear speakers

***Before you call it quits, play your system for a bit and try multiple songs. Sometimes its even good to take a break or come back the next day with a fresh ear.

***These instructions are meant to give you a reference point and your ACTUAL tune may differ***

Start with these settings:

  SENS at MIN

  LPF at 80Hz

  BOOST at 15dB

  SUBSONIC at 20Hz

  PHASE at 0

6) Turn your dedicated Subwoofer Level to 75%. This is typically level 15 of 20.

7) Turn source unit volume to 75%

8) Play a song with some heavy bass

***The best way to tune your subwoofers will be by ear. Its important to understand what each adjustment does. Let your ears find where your settings need to be and use these descriptions to guide you. Keep in mind as you adjust one feature, another may change, so don't be afraid to jump around.

#1 Low LPF - (low pass filter) this will be how deep vs how punchy you want your subs to play. Start at 80Hz and go up from there. The higher you go, the punchier the bass.

#2 SENS - (gain/level) keep this somewhat low while adjusting all other settings. This should be the last dial used, once you have your other settings perfected. When finished make sure this is set in conjunction with the Sub Level on the head unit, and the volume of the head unit.

#3 BOOST - (bass booster) this exactly what it says, a boost. You should end up around 12-15 dB (this will boost @40Hz). This adjustment will bring your bass to life. Turn it up until the bass is kicking but don't go past the point where output is no longer noticeable.

#4 PHASE - (push vs pull) at 0 your subs are pushing at the same time your mids and highs are pushing which puts your system in sync. At 180 your subs are now out of phase of your mids and highs. Start with this setting on 0, typically that is where it will stay. In some rare conditions 180 will put the subwoofer more in phase with the mids and highs and create a better bass responce. You can try a few songs going back and forth to confirm you have selected the correct phase position.

#5 SUBSONIC - (safety filter) this setting will filter frequencies below the selected frequency. This is your "speaker saver". The human ear can hear down to 20Hz but not all subs are designed to play that low, and some enclosures are not built to play that low, especially in a UTV. We usually set this second to last, right before finishing up with the SENS. Begin at 20Hz and start your ascent upward. Carefully listen as there is a "sweet spot" here to look for. The idea is to block the lowest frequencies that the subs are unable to play. This will protect them and help keep the bass pure. You should end up near 37Hz, but let your ears decide. You may need to try a few songs with deep bass to pin point this setting. Playing frequencies below 30hz in a UTV is extremely difficult and uncessary. Content below 30hz is more tactile the audible. Utilize the Bass Boost and Subsonic adjustments to maximize the 35-80hz range for optimal bass perfomance in a UTV.