JL Audio TWK 88 Install, Review & Questions

[Valkyrie14]

I wanted a DSP for my system. I have stock head unit (HU), JL C3 6.5 and tweeters up front and JL C3 6x9s in the rear, with a JL 10” TW3 in a stealth box in the trunk. A 400xd JL amp to run the speakers and a 600xd to run the sub. It sounded okay but not good enough to justify what I spent. So…I had to spend more.

A digital sound processor (DSP) allows you to control frequencies and EQ for each speaker. I bought a JL TWK 88.

I have the Sub****mp FARK harness for aftermarket amps which made the install of the DSP relatively straight forward. If I didn’t have the harness then I would have used the OEM harness diagram to change the OEM connector to RCA jacks.

Now is the hard part. Tuning this is harder than I thought. The sound is a lot better even untuned because the factory feed from the HU is cleaned up. But my 6x9s are dominating, a lot louder than my 6.5s. Going to play around with it today.

JL Tun is the software used to tune. It is pretty good at keeping you in a safe zone with warning for pushing your system to far.

If anyone on here is experienced with TWK 88 and can help then please chime in. If you are looking at one of these and want to know my impressions or experience let me know.

[AlanRubin]

I like more rear sound, with front blend. The door speakers are just too low for proper
spatial sound. With good tweeters in the door sails, you can raise it some, but you may
need to lower the 15-20K range if it's too loud, which you can do with the TWK88.

What model C3? That doesn't tell a story, but from what I see, they all have a
tweeter in them, AND, the factory full range ones do not. So, you have highs
coming from where there were none before. Those are good speakers, crisp
highs. Maybe to crisp for what you're trying to accomplish. Try lowering the DBs
of the 15K+ range in back.

I know it sounds dopey, but if the rears are dominating, fade forward at the radio.

If you have 6.5s with tweeters, then the door sail tweeters, and now rear tweeters,
you got highs everywhere, where there were none before. Shaping the sound is a
little more involved.

I am still old-school, I don't use DSPs, I still use capacitors for my cut-offs.
If I have subs, I don't need that bass in the rear 6x9s to distort them, so I put
a 250uF cap on the + leads. if I want highs, I put the speaker where I want it,
then put a 4700uF or more cap on it...

ON a lot of cars today, without a SUB, most of the bass is in the door speakers,
while little is at the deck. If I were to add subs, to the rear deck lines, then I would
use a DSP for the bass, because it's not really there to begin with. But no, I take
the time, I will wire it to the front speaker leads where the frequencies I need, are.

Anyhow, If you're not sure what frequencies are for what instruments and vocals,
looking all that up will help you shape your sound.

[Valkyrie14]

Originally Posted by AlanRubin

I like more rear sound, with front blend. The door speakers are just too low for proper
spatial sound. With good tweeters in the door sails, you can raise it some, but you may
need to lower the 15-20K range if it's too loud, which you can do with the TWK88.

What model C3? That doesn't tell a story, but from what I see, they all have a
tweeter in them, AND, the factory full range ones do not. So, you have highs
coming from where there were none before. Those are good speakers, crisp
highs. Maybe to crisp for what you're trying to accomplish. Try lowering the DBs
of the 15K+ range in back.

I know it sounds dopey, but if the rears are dominating, fade forward at the radio.

If you have 6.5s with tweeters, then the door sail tweeters, and now rear tweeters,
you got highs everywhere, where there were none before. Shaping the sound is a
little more involved.

I am still old-school, I don't use DSPs, I still use capacitors for my cut-offs.
If I have subs, I don't need that bass in the rear 6x9s to distort them, so I put
a 250uF cap on the + leads. if I want highs, I put the speaker where I want it,
then put a 4700uF or more cap on it...

ON a lot of cars today, without a SUB, most of the bass is in the door speakers,
while little is at the deck. If I were to add subs, to the rear deck lines, then I would
use a DSP for the bass, because it's not really there to begin with. But no, I take
the time, I will wire it to the front speaker leads where the frequencies I need, are.

Anyhow, If you're not sure what frequencies are for what instruments and vocals,
looking all that up will help you shape your sound.

Thanks for the info.

[Valkyrie14]

Update: had 3 crossovers on at same time. Had High pass on amp, on DSP and the front speakers are component with a cross over. I shut off amp crossover and this cleaned up the sound a lot. Next adjusted the level on the DSP crossover to fit each range of the respective speaker. Huge difference. The rest is now just adjusting the EQ to a place that I like. Built an amp deck to make it easier to see everything. Feeling good about the sound system.

I recommend the TWK 88. It really cleans up the signal from the stock HU.