Speakers sound like crap even at low volume levels??

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Apr 4, 2013
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I have an 01LC without nav, I have only owned it for about 3 months, approx 60k miles on it. All of the speakers sound like they are blown out. The RF door speaker was just replaced by the PO with a new factory JBL one a couple of months ago and it still sounds like it is blown out also. Even at very low volume levels the speakers slound distorted when any kind of base comes through them. It is not the HU because I just replaced it with an aftermarket one due to bad cd player, bass sound did not improve. Does this shound more like an amp issue or could 1 or more of the other speakers be bad causing and issue through all of them?
 
1st impression - blown speakers
2nd impression (after reading) - broken amp

My guess, and it is a guess, is that since you've replaced everything else then the only thing it could be is a broken amp that needs replacing. Replace it with something that matches your new head unit and if the speakers can keep up then it'll be a great sounding system!

3rd impress (after writing) - the RMS of the new radio and the old amp don't match (probably irrelevant)
 
With an '01, I would expect all of your speakers to need replacement. Currently going trhough my '01 LX and there wasn't an intact surround on any of the speakers...So IMO go ahead and assume your going to need speakers when it's all said and done.

That being said, it would be strange for the almost new RF to have failed already(at least in the same way, there could be some other electrical or mechanical failure).

So that makes me wonder about the wiring of the new head unit. Did the RF sound okay with the old head unit and immediately start sounding bad with the new one?

Those questions are leading up to the question of how did you wire the head unit? You mentioned Amp issue, so I'm assuming you didn't bypass the factory amp. So did you purchase a harness/converter to convert the head unit's signal for the factory amp? If so, and all the wiring is correct then it could be that the amp is bad...you could bypass and run the speakers off the head unit to test.
 
The sound of the from the speakers did not change when I changed the HU. I used the Crutchfield harness to reatain the factory amp, all wiring is correct it was and easy swap with their harness. I dont mind purchansing new speakers or and new amp but it starts to get more expenisve if I need to replace both.

I am going to have to get the door pannels off and inspect the speakers to see what is going on.

The only thing that makes me curious about the amp is even with the speakers faded to the RF only, that is a new oe speaker, it still sounds distorted every time any bass comes through it. Anyone every have an amp go bad and make the speakers sound like this?

Anyone out there have a factory amp for sale or one they want to let me try, I would pay to ship it of course and return it if it did not fix my issue.
 
***EDIT***
And after reading the previous post I'll just recant my post saying I've never had an amp fail in that way...looks like it might indeed be a normal failure mode for the factory amp...
 
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I will fade to the back and listen to see what it sounds like later today when the wife gets back with it.

Reciept from the dealer shows RF replaced and it wasnt cheep. I would have went with aftermarket ones. PO stated it didnt fix the issue he was having.

I have read the tsb for booming bass, I dont know if I would call it booming or just distortion/crappy sound.

I do know how to get the pannels off and will work on that sometime this weekend when I get some free time.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The wife and kids ride around in this car so I am not looking for a top of the line sound, just need to get the garbble out of the music it, it annoys me when I am driving it.
 
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