First of all let me tell you the story. I started with my 02 S stereo upgrade by changing the door speakers. I put in Kenwood kfc1687 3ways and was happy.(front stock tweeters are still hooked up) Then I put in the Lucid rear speakers a month later (also kenwood but the 2 ways) and was happier still. But the stereo was still missing something. This set up still had little volume, but better overall base response compared to stock. I have installed the Alpine 7893 and wow! have volume now but I also have a new problem. The base response is so p#$S poor that I am tempted to yank the Alpine out and return to the stock deck. I don't know if I am expecting to much of the Alpine, or if the Kenwoods just plain ol suck. On most dynamically challenging CD's, the base is there, but I can here woofer snapping and or it sounds like it is in a swimming pool. I have played with every base setting this deck has with only slight improvement. Also forget the MX, these speakers just garble up. I now have the base level set to -6 out of a range of -7 to +7 and treble is flat. The muddy base is almost gone, but the woofer will still get garbled. I don't think this is clipping? Just the speaker not being able to handle what the deck is sending? I am confused. Can I be expecting to much or do I have the wrong speakers. I can't turn the base down any more, heeeeeeeelp

 

Not familiar with that deck- I've got a CDA-9813 with the cheapo Boston 6.5" coaxes and bass response is just fine- until the road noise takes over.

Your description sounds like the polarity on one of the speakers might be reversed. Does you stereo produce more bass with the balance adjusted to just one side? Try fading to just the front speakers and then trying the balance control.

Does your deck have the time alignment feature? It seriously helps in this car.

Good luck!

 

Polarity is not an issue. There is plenty of base from all speakers. I believe to much for the fronts to handle. Even with the base all the way down. I can here the woofer bottoming out so to speak. Today, they sound like one of the woofers has a tear in it now, so I am going to have to pull the door panel and take a look. Looks like I will need better speakers with a frequency cap to keep the lower frequencys from harming the speakers. I do listen to my music very loud.
Karl O, I do have the time alignment but I do not have the patience on how to use it. I have figured out all the other base features and have changed the base center and range settings. This helps, but I think I have already damaged the speakers.

 

I had kenwood speakers, XR-601's and dumped them. No bass response. I'm much happier with the Polks