Setting up head unit sound settings help (alpine)

[Dec]

There are loads of different settings to change and tweak. I’ve read the manual, so I know how to change them, but I really don’t know which are best and what levels to choose and combinations thereof.

Main problems:

“Built-in Crossover” –High and Low Pass Filters

HPF ranges from; flat (off) – 80Hz - 120Hz - 160Hz
LPF has the same ranges (only available when using a sub, which I am…)

“Bass Focus”

This adjusts the time difference from the different speakers. I was thinking that the mini was small anyway so they may as well all be set to 0, although it must also depend where your sitting in the car??

“Time Correction”

I think this is the same as the bass focus, kinda, so again being a small car it doesn’t matter? If it helps at all im using model: CDA-7894R

Feel free to tell me about any other settings that good to change, if I’ve missed any, or add any questions you have.

Any help gratefully received,

Thank you,

Dec

[Kurtster]

The filters determine which frequencies are filtered out when signal goes to the speakers connected to the crossover in question.

BASICS:
The frequency range commonly considered all of what humans can hear is 20Hz to 20kHz.
Since sound is just waves in the air, these numbers refer to cycles per second. So a 20Hz signal is very deep bass and must be heavily amplified to push air 20 times a second and have you hear it. 20kHz is 20,000 cycles per second and very high frequency. Tiny little tweeters can produce this easily with far less amplification required.

CROSSOVER / CUTOFF: This is the point at which one speaker hands off frequency handling information to another. Inside the two way speakers in your MINI's doors are to little cones with their own built-in crossover to match one another. Those crossovers are seldom if ever user adjustable.

SELECTING THE PROPER CROSSOVER FREQUENCY:
The ideal crossover frequency is related to the frequency handling capabilities of the speakers used. For example, most 6.5" car speakers aren't going to produce quality bass, that is frequencies below ab out 100Hz or 80Hz. They usually flub up somewhere between 100HZ and 120Hz. Although printed specs sometimes say they're much lower, that often isn't accurate.

That's why a subwoofer is so important. There's LOTS of bass information in almost all music produced today, but 99% of factory car speakers ignores it because it's too expensive and space taking to produce that deep bass. It's in there, you just need a subwoofer to unlock it.

If you're using the factory MINI speakers, your HPF (high pass filter) should probably be somewhere between 120Hz and 160Hz. For example if you set the HPF at 140Hz all frequencies above 140Hz will be sent to your four primary speakers. Anything below that is ignored. If you are using quality aftermarket speakers, they are probably capable of solid 80Hz performance. The ideal range for the cutoff should be somewhere between 80Hz and 100Hz. For example, THX certified AV Receivers make the speaker/subwoofer split (cutoff) at 100Hz. That is a THX specification and a good target to shoot for.

The LPF (Low Pass Filter) works opposite of the LPF and is designed to LOW PASS frequencies to a subwoofer, which is designed just for those frequencies. The key here is balance. Start as follows:

USING factory MINI speakers:
HPF at 140Hz
LPF at 140Hz
Adjust both downward as desired

USING QUALITY AFTERMARKET SPEAKERS:
HPF at 80Hz
LPF at 80Hz
Adjust both upward as desired.

The level going to the sub can also have a negative effect regardless of proper cutoff settings. If the sub level is too high, you may get muddy or distorted bass, even though the cutoff point is well balanced.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing here is to LISTEN and listen OFTEN. It takes some tweaking unless you've got a portable spectrum analyzer and a killer EQ.

My JL Stealthbox and JL Audio 250W amp are very sensitive and it's easy for me to get too much bass. I've got the subwoofer's amp set at 80Hz LPF with the level at around 1/8 of the way up and I get lots of bass. Sometimes too much depending on source material.

My 450W JL Audio which powers my Polks is set at 80Hz HPF to all four speakers.

I hope this helps and isn't overly technical. I'm sure there are other audio "experts" out there that will disagree with my suggestions but I think this is a good place to start and that's my opinion.
I've been in the music/audio business for close to 15 years.

As far as the other two features you mentioned, I'd need to see the manual in order to better understand what "Bass Focus" is, and time correction usually means that they have a DSP that compensates for the time it takes for a signal to travel to a speaker and move the cone. Although, I'm not clear on how to measure that easily, it's probably best to play with it until it sounds good to you because that's really what matters most.

[GaryM]

Spot on with the info there. I have Focal's and these are really good with a decent amp and you could get away without a sub. Still I have a 10" kicker in the boot. So the HU stops the fronts and rears from trying to deliver the bass with the HPF filter set to 120Hz The sub gets it all below 120 LPF. Take a look at my gallery. Pics are a bit out of date now and the amp is under the passenger seat.

Sounds great! and loud.

As for the DSP things on Alpine HUs Time correction is only really of use if you are the only person in the car. What it does is delay the sounds to each speaker a little so that they all arrive at the listening point at the same time. With it set correctly (can be tricky and bass focus just confuses things) it sounds really clear and sets the stage perfectly.

I use it all the time. Read the manual and then read it again and forget bass focus even alpine are not all that clear. Take a look at this thread.

[fj0]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kurtster

The filters determine which frequencies are filtered out when signal goes to the speakers connected to the crossover in question.

BASICS:
The frequency range commonly considered all of what humans can hear is 20Hz to 20kHz.
Since sound is just waves in the air, these numbers refer to cycles per second. So a 20Hz signal is very deep bass and must be heavily amplified to push air 20 times a second and have you hear it. 20kHz is 20,000 cycles per second and very high frequency. Tiny little tweeters can produce this easily with far less amplification required.

CROSSOVER / CUTOFF: This is the point at which one speaker hands off frequency handling information to another. Inside the two way speakers in your MINI's doors are to little cones with their own built-in crossover to match one another. Those crossovers are seldom if ever user adjustable.

SELECTING THE PROPER CROSSOVER FREQUENCY:
The ideal crossover frequency is related to the frequency handling capabilities of the speakers used. For example, most 6.5" car speakers aren't going to produce quality bass, that is frequencies below ab out 100Hz or 80Hz. They usually flub up somewhere between 100HZ and 120Hz. Although printed specs sometimes say they're much lower, that often isn't accurate.

That's why a subwoofer is so important. There's LOTS of bass information in almost all music produced today, but 99% of factory car speakers ignores it because it's too expensive and space taking to produce that deep bass. It's in there, you just need a subwoofer to unlock it.

If you're using the factory MINI speakers, your HPF (high pass filter) should probably be somewhere between 120Hz and 160Hz. For example if you set the HPF at 140Hz all frequencies above 140Hz will be sent to your four primary speakers. Anything below that is ignored. If you are using quality aftermarket speakers, they are probably capable of solid 80Hz performance. The ideal range for the cutoff should be somewhere between 80Hz and 100Hz. For example, THX certified AV Receivers make the speaker/subwoofer split (cutoff) at 100Hz. That is a THX specification and a good target to shoot for.

The LPF (Low Pass Filter) works opposite of the LPF and is designed to LOW PASS frequencies to a subwoofer, which is designed just for those frequencies. The key here is balance. Start as follows:

USING factory MINI speakers:
HPF at 140Hz
LPF at 140Hz
Adjust both downward as desired

USING QUALITY AFTERMARKET SPEAKERS:
HPF at 80Hz
LPF at 80Hz
Adjust both upward as desired.

The level going to the sub can also have a negative effect regardless of proper cutoff settings. If the sub level is too high, you may get muddy or distorted bass, even though the cutoff point is well balanced.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing here is to LISTEN and listen OFTEN. It takes some tweaking unless you've got a portable spectrum analyzer and a killer EQ.

My JL Stealthbox and JL Audio 250W amp are very sensitive and it's easy for me to get too much bass. I've got the subwoofer's amp set at 80Hz LPF with the level at around 1/8 of the way up and I get lots of bass. Sometimes too much depending on source material.

My 450W JL Audio which powers my Polks is set at 80Hz HPF to all four speakers.

I hope this helps and isn't overly technical. I'm sure there are other audio "experts" out there that will disagree with my suggestions but I think this is a good place to start and that's my opinion.
I've been in the music/audio business for close to 15 years.

As far as the other two features you mentioned, I'd need to see the manual in order to better understand what "Bass Focus" is, and time correction usually means that they have a DSP that compensates for the time it takes for a signal to travel to a speaker and move the cone. Although, I'm not clear on how to measure that easily, it's probably best to play with it until it sounds good to you because that's really what matters most.

Wow, bravo, bravo!

Thank you!