Dude, you do a great job of presenting information from a very understandable perspective. I'm a life long professional audio engineer, ( concerts, shows, lounges mostly here in Atlantic City NJ ), and even though I'm very aware of DSPs and the like, I still enjoyed your video. It was presented in such a way, ( relaxed, humorous, logical ), that pretty much anyone would "get it". Although I never installed audio in a car, your videos clarify a lot of the industries proprietary "tricks of the trade". I'm STILL never going to do the installation work myself, but now I understand the process and can more effectively select an installation company to facilitate my car upgrades. Great video, CAF, and thank you.
Id love to see an in depth on DSP programming and installation along with gead unut features and settings for complex active setups that include a mid bass, mid range, and tweeter.
a subwoofer in the boot and 6.5 coaxial on the parcel shelf and a headunit with at least 10 band eq. I used to think a 9 band was poor till i realised what parametric meant😐🤷♂️put the amp under the seat so need to run long cables for RCA. get the alpine 8 channel amp with built in dsp and use your phone to play music over it. dont need a head unit. I like accessible dsp so i would go for alpine pioneer with phone app kid in a candy shop good for alll them dodgy downloads and varying volumes.
hi mark, i'd like to see you go deep on te dsp options step by step. one for timedelay, one for the crossovers etc. (like you allready suggested) and finally recap all the steps by doing a complete tune. keep it up bro! i love learnig this stuff. greetings, a caraudioenthousiast from the Netherlands
Just put one in last night, the Dayton Audio DSP-408, 4 channel input, 8 channel output, its fantastic. only $120 bucks! both of my woofers and tweeters have their own amplification channel and DSP channel and its fantastic.
The most important feature of a DSP unit, is how it can clean the signal , and make a factory radio sound flat , like an after market stereo, It can make any factory system sound amazing, if not better than most after market radios.
Dsp and active sound stage is pretty much mandatory in my vehicles now. Just head unit 4 speakers a 4 channel and sub not cutting it for me anymore 🤷🏾♂️
this may be a dumb question ... but if you delay the speakers closer to the driver so it centers the audio for the driver ... won't that throw off the time alignment for all other passengers even more ?
+kcksmithau Yes, it's something you have to decide, do you want the sound to be perfect for you since you are always in the car, or do you want the sound tuned to a center point in the vehicle so its sounds ok for everyone, with many DSPs you can have two or more different tunes. You could have one setup for time alignment for you when driving alone, and one for everyone when you have passengers.
+CarAudioFabrication Hey Mark, I have a Pioneer DEH-80PRS in my car which has a built in DSP (an enrty level one of course) and everything works fine except for the TIME ALIGNMENT; it has 3 settings for time alignment 1.when the listener is on the left side 2.when the listener is on the the right side and 3.when they are at both. but since its a right hand drive car, for some reason when i switch it to right, the right side speakers sounds louder than the left and vice-versa when i switch it to left. Only options left are to switch off the Time alignment or keep it at both, at which now i know and hear that skewed sound (confirmed listening with my head in the center, where it sounds correct). The Left and Right presets are also adjustable but dont know how to. Should/which speaker should i push or pull in it terms of "sound time distance" ? Plz shed some more CAF knowledge
I'm not Mark, but maybe I can help out here since I had the 80PRS in my last car and have been doing this for a while. The built in DSP is far from entry level for being built-in to the head unit. You can adjust the time alignment for each speaker individually yourself in the settings. The preset are very generic and don't do a great job. If I remember right, there was a "time alignment" menu option for listening position, and then another menu option to actually input the distances for each speaker. As far as which speaker you should push back in time, the DSP will do that for you when you input the distances, but the one that will be pushed back in time is going to the speaker closest to you. Each speaker gets delayed differently depending on how far away they each are from the target listening position so that they all reach that target position at the same time. As an installer I find that simply measuring the distances and inputting them into a DSP does a decent job, but is not always spot-on. I usually have to go in and manually tweak the time delays until I actually get the center image I am looking for. Quick tip if you want to maximize the capabilities of that 80PRS (if you haven't done this already) is to run it in "network mode." This will require you to run your tweeters directly off the front channel of the deck (or your amp) and then your midranges off the rear channel. The deck has full active low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass filters designed for a 3-way speaker setup, including independent EQ and level controls for each speaker. Doing this really opens up the capabilities of that stereo and really allows you to get in and fine-tune the system.
80PRS have only 6 RCA Out. and small EQ and fixed crossover point. this is the problem if you want to build 3 way front + sub. In this situation bit one is perfect because have big 31 EQ, in every channel, delay, crossover without fixed point and 2 in RCA and 8 out RCA and optic in and out. Тhis DSP is great for 5 and 7 channel sound system. But if you really want good DSP, get Pioneer p90rs or ODR they are better.
+Valeri Radev the 80PRS has adjustable crossover points for all channels as well, but yes it is limited in that it only has 18 band EQ per channel and is really only good for a 2-way front stage plus sub, or a 3-way front stage with no sub. Overall a great built in DSP for the money though. $350 vs $1000+ for the 99PRS or a standalone DSP, it's pretty hard to beat. But yeah, standalone DSPs will always give you way more options and tuning flexibility.
Thank you for a very informative blog. My friend got a DSP-E390 and I had no idea what it did. I’ve watched many tech blogs and found most a waste of time. Yours wasn’t. It was super helpful. I’m going to grab the device as now I know what it’s good for. Again thank you .
Hearing that you're going to do a complete series on SQ/Set up is absolutely thrilling! I personally hope you go deep in the tank on this one! Awesome stuff as usual.
90% of the people who are adding/replacing their audio systems couldn't tell the difference if you're using a DSP or not, and maybe 1% of those that do get them bother to take the time to learn how to use it. They get it set by the installer and don't touch it ever again. Those same people come in and say, "I want the loudest system in town". These are the idiots who also buy capacitors for their systems. Quickest way to a short lived alternator. DSP's are great, but not for your "typical" music lover.
My 10yo Alpine head unit has time correction and a pretty nice eq and it really does make a difference in the sound quality. That's one of the reasons why I haven't gotten rid of it.
Always love your content. I was trying to think of something to put between my stereo and the amps besides a crossover. This will help a lot and may save me a lot of money from building my own.
I have the Pioneer Stage 4 DEXP99RS so I really do not need a DSP, but I love the Alpine PXAH800 and the BitOne looks clean. Sadly the P99RS has no optical output though. . JL Audio has the newer VXi amplifiers with built in DSP. The Pioneer uses AKM DACs such as the VXi. I believe the H800 uses Wolfson DACs if anyone is keeping score.
Your videos have been so informative, now that I've got all my equipment purchased I'm looking to add a DSP. And literally a diagram on how to install everything.
IMHO, HU DSP is good enough if you are not a perfectionist.. With the pricy DSP cost, i would rather stick to HU DSP if you plan not to spend too much money..
+captin buff the third yes my rear channels are now on the passive crossover after adding the w7 sub. at 1st I didnt know how Id like giving up the control of all my speakers but once I added the crossover to the rear i didnt notice a major difference since that staging was in my rear. I had to remember i was going for front staging like in a concert setting, not surround sound, so the backs became just a filler and sub in now on dsp. Honest I couldnt tell much difference in sounds of the sub as much as mids and highs but was able to time align it as well. Again my set up is for the driver position and had to learn that because i have it so perfect in my seat and try to sit in passenger and change settings again, and it was a back and forth process. still love the helix unit, because I felt it was a lil more user friendly if you never done 1 before and my bit 1 gave me issues. i did buy the bit 1 used so that could be the issue. Still running my kenwood dnn992 with built in time alignment but just not using any of those settings in my deck.
Would you spend the money on MOST Optical converter for the input signal coming from the factory head unit into the DSP? Is it really way better than tapping the high level speaker outputs to the DSP?
As a person who has only put in two audio systems in cars ( talk about trial and error ), I think adding a DSP is just one more complication I don't need. As most of what was mentioned I can do on my Kenwood head unit, if only at a rudimentary level. Am I wrong?. Love the explanation though, was wondering what the purpose of DSP's were.
Awesome video. I work in a telecom dept in a University and we are downgrading a line to an analog line for an audio DSP processor. I jumped on TH-cam to see if I can find an explanation of what that is and found your video. My technician explained to me that it is a small pad that allows one to use the line for many things like a polycom. I get that it is good with audio so I'm not worried. Of course the OIT (Computer people) are putting this processor in!!!
Mark, I would like to see a how to on doing a blow thru in a truck. Not just the cutting of the cab, but the sealing up between the cab and bed, also sealing the enclosure in the bed. Also talk about box design, wh hi ch works betterand why.
My excelon head unit has a DSP feature I have used the measurements for speakers and found the correct slope for my sub and speakers. didn't know head units could have a DSP. most likely isn't as good as an actual physical DSP but it's good for someone on a budget
When I go to a car audio exhibit, I can hear their stereos sound so good. I don't know what are their eq settings are but man, I'd love to have those setting programmed in my head unit.
Do you recommend tuning the amplifier then the DSP or the DSP then the amplifier for example should I time align and crossover everything before I tune my amplifier with a Oscilloscope
Forgive me if I did not find the correct answer. When using components are being installed in a vehicle with a DSP device, is the supplied crossover still needed to be installed? I have enjoyed your information. Thank you.
It depends. If you have enough channels to power the woofers and tweeters separately, then no. If you don't have enough channels then you need to use the supplied crossovers.
id like to see you make a video about how to install a dsp, crossovers, etc. i see different info on that. like connecting power from amp power, or directly to the battery,etc .Someone gave me a bit 10,lc2i,component tweeters & mids, with crossovers, and sub, and im not certain how to connect it all, and if i even need it all.
Can you show a video on how to install tweeter to amp; do they need their own channel, do you turn down the gain, if you have 40 watt rms tweeters and 100 watt per channel amp what are the options?
That was real good explanation. I have a Pioneer Z5190 head unit, and it seems to have all these functions like Active crossover with slope control, DB level control of each speaker, Time alignment, etc., I have coupled it with a Helix G Four. Still do I need to have a DSP? Is is worth spending on DSP over this setup?
Love all the videos totally opens your eyes in audio it's a lot to take in at once and even tho it's hard and not that easy to understand he has a way of explaining it that you can visually see and understood everything I custom make everything boxes and custom fiberglass doors I always just used starch stuff from my head unit but four years now I use dsp and crossovers and learned how to bridge and wire parallel or in series I I have 9 ds18 4 ohm 6.5 pro series and four 8 inch same series and four 8 inch subs and four tweeters and the dsp is the most brilliant invention it's like night and day love the videos and the help
First off, GREAT vid Mark! Keep up the great work. Second, Audison makes some of the best products on the market, they always give you more than what you need to do a great job. Third, I prefer my older Alpine PXA-H701 to the Audison Bit One or Ten, due to, IMO, I prefer the D/A convertors in the Alpine, I think they sound "warmer", however, that is entirely up to each listener or purchaser of said DSP unit. Just as a side note, for those who want to use a DSP with a stock headunit, you will be shorting yourself due to the limitations of the stock headunit, voltage output, etc., however, most people won't be able to tell the difference in sound. Fourth and lastly, using the time delay alignment feature on any DSP can create a sound field for any situation, my processor is set up so that I get the sound as though the rear speakers are creating the echo or reflection off the back wall of an auditorium. It sounds really cool and can still be tuned for my listening position. More complex mind you, but very good listening effect. Will definitely watch future vids on how you set up your DSP.
Adjusting the time alignment for the driver is a great idea but what about someone in the passenger seat? That would throw their alignment off even worse than before, right? BTW, your videos are great, thanks!!
I'd like to see a future video about what method you use to balance and level match all your speakers. It'd also be cool to see you go into detail in a video sometime about the importance of speaker position and angle and how you go about choosing the right ones. Big fan, keep it up! 👍🏼
I always run a flat sound curve, I don’t like any digital audio changes. Just a good quality source, amplifier, and speakers. Is a DSP still worth it for me??
Great videos... Thank you.... Question: I have a HU (AVH-4200NEX) that has many of these features built in (EQ, Time Alignment, Crossover, etc...), but I'm still not thrilled with the sound. Would an external DSP (such as Audio Control DQDX) provide better sound processing than what this HU offers? Is it worth adding an external DSP to an aftermarket HU that already has many of these features?
At 3:44. Do you need a DSP if you have the coaxial door speakers? Doesn’t the built in crossover on the coaxial speakers do what the DSP does? And also if I don’t decide to use the DSP is it bad if a subwoofer plays high frequencies?
Is this a good option to free the restricted factory signal for my crappy 2009 Infiniti G37 with Bose? The head unit in this vehicle is basically not interchangeable, but I want to optimize my signal to my aftermarket amplifiers.
Is there a way or specific device that would allow different presets so you can focus sounds around the driver, or certain passengers, like the rear, or tune it so it sounds good for everyone in the car? Is that only for aftermarket head units?
Answer: you offer too little information. Many OEM headunits have a default EQ profile which aid to make the default speakers sound better. The EQ bands mean nothing generally. Be sure to remove all the stock hardware that's between the headunit and the speakers and check everything for good contact and correct polarity. A DSP might help you but it's better to ask a local professional about your car and his experience with them, maybe he can point you in the right direction.
I had a self-amplified sound bar installed in the back of my ford pickup and I used a high low converter to convert the higher amped signal from my factory speaker wires to the lower amped signal requirement for the sound bar input. But there is a great deal of distortion in the sound bar when I play it through the factory radio. Playing it through Bluetooth is crisp and clear. Why? Can I clean up the radio audio through the sound bar by maybe using a better high to low converter? Why does audio distort from high to low?
I am not sure if I can place a DSP in between the OEM head unit and the OEM Amp. The OEM head unit is a modern unit (2014 Ford Fusion with the 12 speaker Sony audio system). The amp is 500 watts the speakers are rated @ 25 watts each and may only be getting 15 - 20 watts. The rear deck is over rated on the watts. I can not remember what the wattage was, maybe around 30-50 watts for cheap Sony 6x9s. The thin rubber surrounding on the speakers were exposed to heat and melted so the speaker blew. All the speakers, except the two 6x9 on the rear deck, are 4 ohms and the rear deck speakers are 2 Ohms; since they've already given out I may go with 4 Ohm 6x9 for the rear deck to cut some of the base head crap that ford has set the head unit up for their chepo Sony speakers. The speakers seem to shit themselves with the power that they are currently given. I may have a shop do the work but can not find a good shop around my area. I guess when I am done with summer courses I will install the speaker with a little bit of 236 mil sound dampening for the doors and trunk. The speakers I am thinking of going with are: Precision Power P.65C2 300w Max 6.5" Power Class 2-Way Component Car Speaker (for all four door leaving the center channels for later or forever sony el crapo) and HD-690CF - CDT Audio 6x9" Carbon Fiber Subwoofer Cast Mid-Woofer. (Either the 2 ohm or the 4 ohm version for the rear deck) Later if an amp is purchased I may then be able to place a DSP in between the head unit and the amp.
Everyone; I'm building a standalone (leisure battery) sound system for a vampervan conversion. The processor seems to avoid the need for a head unit? I.e rather than using the car headunit as normal. I could actually replace the source with something of a far higher standard and use the processor to decode the track??
Hi Mark Great video as always. Just a basic thought, I get the idea behind DSP, I have an Audison AP F 8 .9. What happens to the listening position of passengers in the car? I assume they will not get the full benefit because the measurements are taken from the “driver seat” therefore do we just forget about the passengers? cheers
It's a load of crap. Your so closed to all speakers that it's obviously wrong. He says. A lot of myth type made up stuff that sounds believable, such as if you distort the sound by adding delays to left and right channels and even worse, by adding delays to all speakers, that it's going to sound somehow better. How it was supposed to sound by changing the EQ. So wrong. That's not why you equalize, you equalize to adjust the sound to how YOU want to hear it, not how it was "supposed to sound". If you wanted to hear exactly how it was recorded you want to go as flat as possible and going that flat means not altering almost any of the EQ. THE ARTIST did a lot of EQing when producing the track and the mastering engineer did even more EQing. Checking how it sounds on speakers and then headphones trying to find the perfect balance. If you want to recreate how it sounded when it was recorded you want to use Studio Monitors which are flat by nature.
Do factory head units have hard coded time correction (like they do with EQ and bass roll-off) that would need to be taken into account when running aftermarket amps and speakers through a DSP?
The crossover in DSP's are better than the ones that come with component speakers? If I were to add a DSP to my system, would the crossover performance improve even more?
Wonder why there isn't a video on the actual install. I'm kinda confused on how to integrate the twk88 to my system . I have( 2) 4 channel amps and (4) components with (1) mono for the sub ...do I spit the rca to the amps???
Mark, will you be continuing your OEM integration video? I've been looking to do this in my car but there is little info I can find online that is definitive! Thanks!!
do you have to addjust everythink manually ? I had a fender premium sound system in my car it has an external DSP and the sound coming out of my speakers used to adjust by itself to each genera of music and was just amazing !! Id like to get that sound qulity back !! in my new Passat I still have a fender sound system only there is no DSP and it doesnt sound nearly as good would you recommend this product ?
i have had a Pioneer 980BT for years and never used the time alignment because i was scared it would decrease/increase the volumes of each channel also. does it?... by the way, i had never heard of beaming and it makes perfect sense. thanks for the videos dude!!
i'm about to install this DSP bit ten for my OEM radio some tricks and tips would be nice and usefull im running stock door speaker for now i just finished my subwoofer box so i need to get the high output from the radio to the DSP than to the mono clocks im running
If I get a stand alone EQ would I need the DSP? my setup will have 1 mono block amp powering a 10" and a 4 channel amp powering the door speakers the amps have the standard low high and full range switches on them will I be fine if I just set sub to low and the speakers to full range? as long as I set gains correctly
Idea for this series, I am building a sq system and I'm already using a clarion fx503, it has really nice vocal imaging and equalization built in. But I'm still wondering if I should go a step farther by getting a DSP. What are some pros and cons to adding a DSP to an aftermarket unit with existing imaging? Thanks for all knowledge you've passed on Mark. Great videos
i have an audison bit ten. i have not hooked it up yet. will this make a dramatic effect on my 2014 toyota tundra system? i have focal flax 6 1/2 seperates up front and focal
So if I have a vehicle with 2 tweeters, 4 speakers and 2 subs. Do i need 8 crossover units? Or 1 crossover with 8 channels? Or 3 crossovers, one for each frequency range?
I would like to know what DSP is truly the best bang for the buck and the best period? I'm leaning toward the Audison BitOne for a complete overhall of my Audi A7 factory BOSE system. I recently came across the AudioControl DM-810 and HELIX DSP... Any comments or suggestions?
What if I have front component speakers and coaxial rear speakers? Will the DSP override the crossover built into the coaxial speakers, or is there a way to disable the built in crossover?
I absolutely love your content but I'm a newbie and I still get confused. Let me break down what I got. I have a pioneer dmh1500 NEX, A 2.6 DSP, a Brutus elite 1200 watt anniversary edition, a JVC 4 channel 600 watt amp and a massive two channel 500 watt amp, two kicker 12 comp 800 w speakers in a box that fits in my Dodge ram 1500. I also have two tweeters I believe they're ds18 300 watt. I'm confused AF. My best guess is to run the four speakers in my door is the 6x9s to the four channel amp and the two tweeters to the two channel amp and the two subwoofers to the monoblock Zeus amp. With the remote wire I have to connect it to all of the amps and the DSP correct? Now the wires for the door speakers seem a little small not sure if it would make a big difference if I made my own nine wire install kit. Bring my tweeters to the amp or just to the factory wires that are already there.? One of my good friends that he was going to help me do this and all of a sudden for 3 weeks he's had someone sick in the family which I think is a bunch of bull malarkey and now I'm stuck with my truck all the way apart the carpets out the seats out everything is out. Granted I have easy access to everything now but my freaking truck is a part and I can't drive it. I wasn't asking him to do it for free I was going to pay him but obviously he doesn't want my money. It just seems like every shop that I go to is if I don't buy my products from them they don't want to help me. I mean I was almost at the point of taking a hostage LOL just kidding that was a joke don't be having swap come to my house. Not sure if this link will accept pictures or not but I made a amp board and I got some zero gauge power wire and it's turning out pretty nice but of course I haven't hooked any sound up yet I'm almost scared too. Help help I'm lost do I send the signal first to the DSP and I will control the aftermarket radio signals to send to the amp and I click my heels twice and it just sounds perfect. If you have any suggestions on here to listen even jump off the head Sunshine skyway in Bradenton that's an option if I don't get this truck back together soon. I'm a cheapskate so I'm not going to pay the $1.50 to drive off and jump off a bridge LOL
Hey I wish to install a component speaker and an amplifier to my car I don’t want to install a sufwoofer due to space constrain. Would you recommend fixing two sets of components or one set component and a normal 6 inch speaker at the rear
Hi Mark, great video! Can you add a DSP after a factory Bose amp? I have a factory 7 channel Bose amp in my 2016 Colorado that pretty much integrates all my electronics/GPS/Infotainment. It serves as the brains of my factory system and is connected to my dash unit via a proprietary digital cable...bypassing the Bose amp would cause me to lose functionality of some components and sounds (like door chimes, turn signal chirps, start noises, etc). Would I be able to run the speaker outs from the Bose amp to the inputs of a good DSP?...And still maintain full OEM functionality?
So if you install a DSP, can you or do you have to remove the cross overs that are supplied with the speakers. I’m running focal 165 k2 fronts and 1x focal kx25 sub.
I think speaker placement would be interesting. Like flush mounting in the dash vs in the a pillar vs in the doors. This was a great video. Makes me want to spend money on a dsp now
I adjusted my DSP time correction with the tape measure and by ear. I think the ear adjustment sounds better. Is is just in my head or can adjustment by ear actually sound better?
With a DSP...would I still need a line out converter like LC-7i. My project is a full system upgrade except for the head unit the vehicle is a 2015 Dodge Durango . Any suggestions is welcome before I start purchasing equipment. Thanks...love your videos
Are DSP's mainly for hooking up an OEM radio to after market amps and speakers? Or do they make an aftermarket head unit even better? I bought a sound stream vrn 74hb and a sound stream T5 2500 5channel amp would I benefit from a dsp or no?
Dude, you do a great job of presenting information from a very understandable perspective. I'm a life long professional audio engineer, ( concerts, shows, lounges mostly here in Atlantic City NJ ), and even though I'm very aware of DSPs and the like, I still enjoyed your video. It was presented in such a way, ( relaxed, humorous, logical ), that pretty much anyone would "get it".
Although I never installed audio in a car, your videos clarify a lot of the industries proprietary "tricks of the trade". I'm STILL never going to do the installation work myself, but now I understand the process and can more effectively select an installation company to facilitate my car upgrades.
Great video, CAF, and thank you.
Id love to see an in depth on DSP programming and installation along with gead unut features and settings for complex active setups that include a mid bass, mid range, and tweeter.
*head unit
Captain Buff The Third he didn't ask a question.
***** lol 2/10 trolling.
a subwoofer in the boot and 6.5 coaxial on the parcel shelf and a headunit with at least 10 band eq. I used to think a 9 band was poor till i realised what parametric meant😐🤷♂️put the amp under the seat so need to run long cables for RCA. get the alpine 8 channel amp with built in dsp and use your phone to play music over it. dont need a head unit. I like accessible dsp so i would go for alpine pioneer with phone app kid in a candy shop good for alll them dodgy downloads and varying volumes.
read a manual on the deh-80prs, 👍👍
hi mark,
i'd like to see you go deep on te dsp options step by step. one for timedelay, one for the crossovers etc. (like you allready suggested) and finally recap all the steps by doing a complete tune.
keep it up bro! i love learnig this stuff.
greetings,
a caraudioenthousiast from the Netherlands
My kat, Jasper, and I thank you for this amazing video 👍
Virgin troll spotted
Just put one in last night, the Dayton Audio DSP-408, 4 channel input, 8 channel output, its fantastic. only $120 bucks! both of my woofers and tweeters have their own amplification channel and DSP channel and its fantastic.
The most important feature of a DSP unit, is how it can clean the signal , and make a factory radio sound flat , like an after market stereo, It can make any factory system sound amazing, if not better than most after market radios.
I installed the Audio Control DQ61 and what a difference . Clean clear and powerful
That s a nice integration unit as well.
Dsp and active sound stage is pretty much mandatory in my vehicles now. Just head unit 4 speakers a 4 channel and sub not cutting it for me anymore 🤷🏾♂️
Can you adjust the eq in the dsp on the fly?
this may be a dumb question ... but if you delay the speakers closer to the driver so it centers the audio for the driver ... won't that throw off the time alignment for all other passengers even more ?
+kcksmithau Yes, it's something you have to decide, do you want the sound to be perfect for you since you are always in the car, or do you want the sound tuned to a center point in the vehicle so its sounds ok for everyone, with many DSPs you can have two or more different tunes. You could have one setup for time alignment for you when driving alone, and one for everyone when you have passengers.
+CarAudioFabrication Hey Mark, I have a Pioneer DEH-80PRS in my car which has a built in DSP (an enrty level one of course) and everything works fine except for the TIME ALIGNMENT; it has 3 settings for time alignment 1.when the listener is on the left side 2.when the listener is on the the right side and 3.when they are at both.
but since its a right hand drive car, for some reason when i switch it to right, the right side speakers sounds louder than the left and vice-versa when i switch it to left. Only options left are to switch off the Time alignment or keep it at both, at which now i know and hear that skewed sound (confirmed listening with my head in the center, where it sounds correct). The Left and Right presets are also adjustable but dont know how to.
Should/which speaker should i push or pull in it terms of "sound time distance" ?
Plz shed some more CAF knowledge
I'm not Mark, but maybe I can help out here since I had the 80PRS in my last car and have been doing this for a while. The built in DSP is far from entry level for being built-in to the head unit. You can adjust the time alignment for each speaker individually yourself in the settings. The preset are very generic and don't do a great job. If I remember right, there was a "time alignment" menu option for listening position, and then another menu option to actually input the distances for each speaker. As far as which speaker you should push back in time, the DSP will do that for you when you input the distances, but the one that will be pushed back in time is going to the speaker closest to you. Each speaker gets delayed differently depending on how far away they each are from the target listening position so that they all reach that target position at the same time. As an installer I find that simply measuring the distances and inputting them into a DSP does a decent job, but is not always spot-on. I usually have to go in and manually tweak the time delays until I actually get the center image I am looking for. Quick tip if you want to maximize the capabilities of that 80PRS (if you haven't done this already) is to run it in "network mode." This will require you to run your tweeters directly off the front channel of the deck (or your amp) and then your midranges off the rear channel. The deck has full active low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass filters designed for a 3-way speaker setup, including independent EQ and level controls for each speaker. Doing this really opens up the capabilities of that stereo and really allows you to get in and fine-tune the system.
80PRS have only 6 RCA Out. and small EQ and fixed crossover point. this is the problem if you want to build 3 way front + sub. In this situation bit one is perfect because have big 31 EQ, in every channel, delay, crossover without fixed point and 2 in RCA and 8 out RCA and optic in and out. Тhis DSP is great for 5 and 7 channel sound system. But if you really want good DSP, get Pioneer p90rs or ODR they are better.
+Valeri Radev the 80PRS has adjustable crossover points for all channels as well, but yes it is limited in that it only has 18 band EQ per channel and is really only good for a 2-way front stage plus sub, or a 3-way front stage with no sub. Overall a great built in DSP for the money though. $350 vs $1000+ for the 99PRS or a standalone DSP, it's pretty hard to beat. But yeah, standalone DSPs will always give you way more options and tuning flexibility.
Thank you for a very informative blog. My friend got a DSP-E390 and I had no idea what it did. I’ve watched many tech blogs and found most a waste of time. Yours wasn’t. It was super helpful. I’m going to grab the device as now I know what it’s good for. Again thank you .
Just discovered your channel. At the risk of repeating Keith's comment, you do a great job of vulgarizing audio complexities... All the best
Hearing that you're going to do a complete series on SQ/Set up is absolutely thrilling! I personally hope you go deep in the tank on this one! Awesome stuff as usual.
90% of the people who are adding/replacing their audio systems couldn't tell the difference if you're using a DSP or not, and maybe 1% of those that do get them bother to take the time to learn how to use it. They get it set by the installer and don't touch it ever again. Those same people come in and say, "I want the loudest system in town". These are the idiots who also buy capacitors for their systems. Quickest way to a short lived alternator. DSP's are great, but not for your "typical" music lover.
I'd love to see a video of your EQ'ing techniques... I find that everyone has a slightly different way of doing it.
It's not really a different way of adjusting it, it's more of a preference to what frequencies you enjoy.
My 10yo Alpine head unit has time correction and a pretty nice eq and it really does make a difference in the sound quality. That's one of the reasons why I haven't gotten rid of it.
would love to see what the difference is in loudness between speaker and box size vs. wattage. example : two 12"s low wattage = one 10" high wattage.
Believe it or not, I didn't know that these existed for cars. This is very good and will help me with my sound goals.
Always love your content. I was trying to think of something to put between my stereo and the amps besides a crossover. This will help a lot and may save me a lot of money from building my own.
I have the Pioneer Stage 4 DEXP99RS so I really do not need a DSP, but I love the Alpine PXAH800 and the BitOne looks clean. Sadly the P99RS has no optical output though. .
JL Audio has the newer VXi amplifiers with built in DSP. The Pioneer uses AKM DACs such as the VXi. I believe the H800 uses Wolfson DACs if anyone is keeping score.
I love these videos. I really enjoy how deep you get into the technical side of our systems. Thank you and keep making these awesome videos!
That was a great video, man! I stumbled into it following a random link (I don't even own a car, hehe!), but I'm glad I stayed for the ride. Good job!
Your videos have been so informative, now that I've got all my equipment purchased I'm looking to add a DSP. And literally a diagram on how to install everything.
Hows it going with the install
@@NoName-gk2sj work has not even allowed me to get started
Hi if my aftermarket HU come with DSP (TA, 13 bands, Speaker Level, Crossover) do i still need an external DSP?
My question to, did you ever find an answer to your question ? Thanks
IMHO, HU DSP is good enough if you are not a perfectionist.. With the pricy DSP cost, i would rather stick to HU DSP if you plan not to spend too much money..
+captin buff the third yes my rear channels are now on the passive crossover after adding the w7 sub. at 1st I didnt know how Id like giving up the control of all my speakers but once I added the crossover to the rear i didnt notice a major difference since that staging was in my rear. I had to remember i was going for front staging like in a concert setting, not surround sound, so the backs became just a filler and sub in now on dsp. Honest I couldnt tell much difference in sounds of the sub as much as mids and highs but was able to time align it as well. Again my set up is for the driver position and had to learn that because i have it so perfect in my seat and try to sit in passenger and change settings again, and it was a back and forth process. still love the helix unit, because I felt it was a lil more user friendly if you never done 1 before and my bit 1 gave me issues. i did buy the bit 1 used so that could be the issue. Still running my kenwood dnn992 with built in time alignment but just not using any of those settings in my deck.
Please do a video about how to set up a dsp, do's and don'ts. step by steps
Would you spend the money on MOST Optical converter for the input signal coming from the factory head unit into the DSP? Is it really way better than tapping the high level speaker outputs to the DSP?
As a person who has only put in two audio systems in cars ( talk about trial and error ), I think adding a DSP is just one more complication I don't need. As most of what was mentioned I can do on my Kenwood head unit, if only at a rudimentary level. Am I wrong?.
Love the explanation though, was wondering what the purpose of DSP's were.
Awesome video. I work in a telecom dept in a University and we are downgrading a line to an analog line for an audio DSP processor. I jumped on TH-cam to see if I can find an explanation of what that is and found your video. My technician explained to me that it is a small pad that allows one to use the line for many things like a polycom. I get that it is good with audio so I'm not worried. Of course the OIT (Computer people) are putting this processor in!!!
Mark, I would like to see a how to on doing a blow thru in a truck. Not just the cutting of the cab, but the sealing up between the cab and bed, also sealing the enclosure in the bed. Also talk about box design, wh hi ch works betterand why.
Is there a device that will normalize the bass from song to song so i don't have to fiddle with my sub depending on how a song was mixed?
get a bass remote , you're still fiddling with the sub, but at least you are doing it from the driver seat lmao
I got my stetsom DSP and can't wait to install it.
My excelon head unit has a DSP feature I have used the measurements for speakers and found the correct slope for my sub and speakers. didn't know head units could have a DSP. most likely isn't as good as an actual physical DSP but it's good for someone on a budget
When I go to a car audio exhibit, I can hear their stereos sound so good. I don't know what are their eq settings are but man, I'd love to have those setting programmed in my head unit.
Do you recommend tuning the amplifier then the DSP or the DSP then the amplifier for example should I time align and crossover everything before I tune my amplifier with a Oscilloscope
Forgive me if I did not find the correct answer. When using components are being installed in a vehicle with a DSP device, is the supplied crossover still needed to be installed? I have enjoyed your information. Thank you.
It depends. If you have enough channels to power the woofers and tweeters separately, then no. If you don't have enough channels then you need to use the supplied crossovers.
id like to see you make a video about how to install a dsp, crossovers, etc. i see different info on that. like connecting power from amp power, or directly to the battery,etc .Someone gave me a bit 10,lc2i,component tweeters & mids, with crossovers, and sub, and im not certain how to connect it all, and if i even need it all.
Can you show a video on how to install tweeter to amp; do they need their own channel, do you turn down the gain, if you have 40 watt rms tweeters and 100 watt per channel amp what are the options?
My truck has a setting to select “listening location” or whatever it’s called. So is the oem system fixing the timeline?
That was real good explanation. I have a Pioneer Z5190 head unit, and it seems to have all these functions like Active crossover with slope control, DB level control of each speaker, Time alignment, etc., I have coupled it with a Helix G Four. Still do I need to have a DSP? Is is worth spending on DSP over this setup?
would love to see you have a go and designing SPL only set up using areo ports and discussing port area and cone area
Love all the videos totally opens your eyes in audio it's a lot to take in at once and even tho it's hard and not that easy to understand he has a way of explaining it that you can visually see and understood everything I custom make everything boxes and custom fiberglass doors I always just used starch stuff from my head unit but four years now I use dsp and crossovers and learned how to bridge and wire parallel or in series I I have 9 ds18 4 ohm 6.5 pro series and four 8 inch same series and four 8 inch subs and four tweeters and the dsp is the most brilliant invention it's like night and day love the videos and the help
First off, GREAT vid Mark! Keep up the great work. Second, Audison makes some of the best products on the market, they always give you more than what you need to do a great job. Third, I prefer my older Alpine PXA-H701 to the Audison Bit One or Ten, due to, IMO, I prefer the D/A convertors in the Alpine, I think they sound "warmer", however, that is entirely up to each listener or purchaser of said DSP unit. Just as a side note, for those who want to use a DSP with a stock headunit, you will be shorting yourself due to the limitations of the stock headunit, voltage output, etc., however, most people won't be able to tell the difference in sound. Fourth and lastly, using the time delay alignment feature on any DSP can create a sound field for any situation, my processor is set up so that I get the sound as though the rear speakers are creating the echo or reflection off the back wall of an auditorium. It sounds really cool and can still be tuned for my listening position. More complex mind you, but very good listening effect.
Will definitely watch future vids on how you set up your DSP.
Adjusting the time alignment for the driver is a great idea but what about someone in the passenger seat? That would throw their alignment off even worse than before, right? BTW, your videos are great, thanks!!
I'd like to see a future video about what method you use to balance and level match all your speakers. It'd also be cool to see you go into detail in a video sometime about the importance of speaker position and angle and how you go about choosing the right ones. Big fan, keep it up! 👍🏼
my 2001 740il has dsp and i want too upgrade every speaker with rock ford the audio is amazing as is but why not upgrade for fun
I always run a flat sound curve, I don’t like any digital audio changes. Just a good quality source, amplifier, and speakers. Is a DSP still worth it for me??
Also on a tight budget.
I would like to know if you going to install a dsp should you add a crossover or not
Great videos... Thank you....
Question: I have a HU (AVH-4200NEX) that has many of these features built in (EQ, Time Alignment, Crossover, etc...), but I'm still not thrilled with the sound. Would an external DSP (such as Audio Control DQDX) provide better sound processing than what this HU offers? Is it worth adding an external DSP to an aftermarket HU that already has many of these features?
At 3:44. Do you need a DSP if you have the coaxial door speakers? Doesn’t the built in crossover on the coaxial speakers do what the DSP does? And also if I don’t decide to use the DSP is it bad if a subwoofer plays high frequencies?
Audison make fantastic car amps as well as speakers. Same Italian company that manufactures Hertz. High end car audio 👍
Hi, what format does the dsp work for? for example all my music is on a cheap usb and it's all mp3s
Is this a good option to free the restricted factory signal for my crappy 2009 Infiniti G37 with Bose? The head unit in this vehicle is basically not interchangeable, but I want to optimize my signal to my aftermarket amplifiers.
If i am using good quality Head unit, Example : DMH-C2500NEX still i need a DSP to get the good staging and sound quality ?
Arc Audio PS8 FTW!!
Great education in audio technology. Thank you!
What about my passengers? Will they be affected by the difference in sound difference
Excellent video. However, I am offended still because I have an 8-track radio in my car.
Is there a way or specific device that would allow different presets so you can focus sounds around the driver, or certain passengers, like the rear, or tune it so it sounds good for everyone in the car? Is that only for aftermarket head units?
Question: Why original head unit sounds more clear and less muddy compare to my recent aftermarket head unit even with built-in 14 band DSP EQ?
Answer: you offer too little information. Many OEM headunits have a default EQ profile which aid to make the default speakers sound better. The EQ bands mean nothing generally.
Be sure to remove all the stock hardware that's between the headunit and the speakers and check everything for good contact and correct polarity.
A DSP might help you but it's better to ask a local professional about your car and his experience with them, maybe he can point you in the right direction.
I had a self-amplified sound bar installed in the back of my ford pickup and I used a high low converter to convert the higher amped signal from my factory speaker wires to the lower amped signal requirement for the sound bar input. But there is a great deal of distortion in the sound bar when I play it through the factory radio. Playing it through Bluetooth is crisp and clear. Why? Can I clean up the radio audio through the sound bar by maybe using a better high to low converter? Why does audio distort from high to low?
So if I had a time alignment set to the driver side of the car, wouldn’t that make the passenger hear a time misalignment?
I am not sure if I can place a DSP in between the OEM head unit and the OEM Amp. The OEM head unit is a modern unit (2014 Ford Fusion with the 12 speaker Sony audio system). The amp is 500 watts the speakers are rated @ 25 watts each and may only be getting 15 - 20 watts. The rear deck is over rated on the watts. I can not remember what the wattage was, maybe around 30-50 watts for cheap Sony 6x9s. The thin rubber surrounding on the speakers were exposed to heat and melted so the speaker blew. All the speakers, except the two 6x9 on the rear deck, are 4 ohms and the rear deck speakers are 2 Ohms; since they've already given out I may go with 4 Ohm 6x9 for the rear deck to cut some of the base head crap that ford has set the head unit up for their chepo Sony speakers. The speakers seem to shit themselves with the power that they are currently given. I may have a shop do the work but can not find a good shop around my area. I guess when I am done with summer courses I will install the speaker with a little bit of 236 mil sound dampening for the doors and trunk.
The speakers I am thinking of going with are:
Precision Power P.65C2 300w Max 6.5" Power Class 2-Way Component Car Speaker
(for all four door leaving the center channels for later or forever sony el crapo)
and
HD-690CF - CDT Audio 6x9" Carbon Fiber Subwoofer Cast Mid-Woofer. (Either the 2 ohm or the 4 ohm version for the rear deck)
Later if an amp is purchased I may then be able to place a DSP in between the head unit and the amp.
Everyone;
I'm building a standalone (leisure battery) sound system for a vampervan conversion.
The processor seems to avoid the need for a head unit? I.e rather than using the car headunit as normal.
I could actually replace the source with something of a far higher standard and use the processor to decode the track??
That was an EXCELLENT explanation. I thought id have a problem understanding but you made it sooooo easy. Thanx.
Hi Mark
Great video as always. Just a basic thought, I get the idea behind DSP, I have an Audison AP F 8 .9. What happens to the listening position of passengers in the car? I assume they will not get the full benefit because the measurements are taken from the “driver seat” therefore do we just forget about the passengers? cheers
It's a load of crap. Your so closed to all speakers that it's obviously wrong. He says. A lot of myth type made up stuff that sounds believable, such as if you distort the sound by adding delays to left and right channels and even worse, by adding delays to all speakers, that it's going to sound somehow better. How it was supposed to sound by changing the EQ. So wrong. That's not why you equalize, you equalize to adjust the sound to how YOU want to hear it, not how it was "supposed to sound". If you wanted to hear exactly how it was recorded you want to go as flat as possible and going that flat means not altering almost any of the EQ. THE ARTIST did a lot of EQing when producing the track and the mastering engineer did even more EQing. Checking how it sounds on speakers and then headphones trying to find the perfect balance. If you want to recreate how it sounded when it was recorded you want to use Studio Monitors which are flat by nature.
Do factory head units have hard coded time correction (like they do with EQ and bass roll-off) that would need to be taken into account when running aftermarket amps and speakers through a DSP?
The crossover in DSP's are better than the ones that come with component speakers? If I were to add a DSP to my system, would the crossover performance improve even more?
Does each speaker need a channel? Mid, Tweeter? Do you have to buy separate software with the Bit One?
Wonder why there isn't a video on the actual install. I'm kinda confused on how to integrate the twk88 to my system . I have( 2) 4 channel amps and (4) components with (1) mono for the sub ...do I spit the rca to the amps???
Mark, will you be continuing your OEM integration video? I've been looking to do this in my car but there is little info I can find online that is definitive! Thanks!!
Hi this is pipes from New York you look great keep up the good work you're awesome 👍
do you have to addjust everythink manually ? I had a fender premium sound system in my car it has an external DSP and the sound coming out of my speakers used to adjust by itself to each genera of music and was just amazing !! Id like to get that sound qulity back !! in my new Passat I still have a fender sound system only there is no DSP and it doesnt sound nearly as good would you recommend this product ?
i have had a Pioneer 980BT for years and never used the time alignment because i was scared it would decrease/increase the volumes of each channel also. does it?... by the way, i had never heard of beaming and it makes perfect sense. thanks for the videos dude!!
Can I still keep my eq and the settings on my deck and eq the same?
I'm not good with english language ...but I understood it all !!!
Perfect!! ...Thanks
So would a dsp help my factory head unit and speakers with just an after market amp and sub?
i'm about to install this DSP bit ten for my OEM radio some tricks and tips would be nice and usefull im running stock door speaker for now i just finished my subwoofer box so i need to get the high output from the radio to the DSP than to the mono clocks im running
After market Head unit with built in DSP vs stock unit with DSP? Pros and cons? Just price?
Are you able to teach us how to hand wind coils...???
If I get a stand alone EQ would I need the DSP? my setup will have 1 mono block amp powering a 10" and a 4 channel amp powering the door speakers the amps have the standard low high and full range switches on them will I be fine if I just set sub to low and the speakers to full range? as long as I set gains correctly
Idea for this series, I am building a sq system and I'm already using a clarion fx503, it has really nice vocal imaging and equalization built in. But I'm still wondering if I should go a step farther by getting a DSP. What are some pros and cons to adding a DSP to an aftermarket unit with existing imaging? Thanks for all knowledge you've passed on Mark. Great videos
i have an audison bit ten. i have not hooked it up yet. will this make a dramatic effect on my 2014 toyota tundra system? i have focal flax 6 1/2 seperates up front and focal
So if I have a vehicle with 2 tweeters, 4 speakers and 2 subs. Do i need 8 crossover units? Or 1 crossover with 8 channels? Or 3 crossovers, one for each frequency range?
Question. So if running a dsp should I eliminate the epicenter that Im trying to run.?
Extremely informative - thank you!
I would like to know what DSP is truly the best bang for the buck and the best period? I'm leaning toward the Audison BitOne for a complete overhall of my Audi A7 factory BOSE system. I recently came across the AudioControl DM-810 and HELIX DSP... Any comments or suggestions?
Any suggestions on dsp tuning for dual 12 inch subwoofers ?
What is the difference between a fader and DSP? it seems they do the same sort of job.
What if I have front component speakers and coaxial rear speakers? Will the DSP override the crossover built into the coaxial speakers, or is there a way to disable the built in crossover?
I absolutely love your content but I'm a newbie and I still get confused. Let me break down what I got. I have a pioneer dmh1500 NEX, A 2.6 DSP, a Brutus elite 1200 watt anniversary edition, a JVC 4 channel 600 watt amp and a massive two channel 500 watt amp, two kicker 12 comp 800 w speakers in a box that fits in my Dodge ram 1500. I also have two tweeters I believe they're ds18 300 watt. I'm confused AF. My best guess is to run the four speakers in my door is the 6x9s to the four channel amp and the two tweeters to the two channel amp and the two subwoofers to the monoblock Zeus amp. With the remote wire I have to connect it to all of the amps and the DSP correct? Now the wires for the door speakers seem a little small not sure if it would make a big difference if I made my own nine wire install kit. Bring my tweeters to the amp or just to the factory wires that are already there.? One of my good friends that he was going to help me do this and all of a sudden for 3 weeks he's had someone sick in the family which I think is a bunch of bull malarkey and now I'm stuck with my truck all the way apart the carpets out the seats out everything is out. Granted I have easy access to everything now but my freaking truck is a part and I can't drive it. I wasn't asking him to do it for free I was going to pay him but obviously he doesn't want my money. It just seems like every shop that I go to is if I don't buy my products from them they don't want to help me. I mean I was almost at the point of taking a hostage LOL just kidding that was a joke don't be having swap come to my house. Not sure if this link will accept pictures or not but I made a amp board and I got some zero gauge power wire and it's turning out pretty nice but of course I haven't hooked any sound up yet I'm almost scared too. Help help I'm lost do I send the signal first to the DSP and I will control the aftermarket radio signals to send to the amp and I click my heels twice and it just sounds perfect. If you have any suggestions on here to listen even jump off the head Sunshine skyway in Bradenton that's an option if I don't get this truck back together soon. I'm a cheapskate so I'm not going to pay the $1.50 to drive off and jump off a bridge LOL
Hey I wish to install a component speaker and an amplifier to my car I don’t want to install a sufwoofer due to space constrain. Would you recommend fixing two sets of components or one set component and a normal 6 inch speaker at the rear
Hi Mark, great video!
Can you add a DSP after a factory Bose amp? I have a factory 7 channel Bose amp in my 2016 Colorado that pretty much integrates all my electronics/GPS/Infotainment. It serves as the brains of my factory system and is connected to my dash unit via a proprietary digital cable...bypassing the Bose amp would cause me to lose functionality of some components and sounds (like door chimes, turn signal chirps, start noises, etc). Would I be able to run the speaker outs from the Bose amp to the inputs of a good DSP?...And still maintain full OEM functionality?
So if you install a DSP, can you or do you have to remove the cross overs that are supplied with the speakers. I’m running focal 165 k2 fronts and 1x focal kx25 sub.
I think speaker placement would be interesting. Like flush mounting in the dash vs in the a pillar vs in the doors. This was a great video. Makes me want to spend money on a dsp now
Dude I would watch the FUCK out of that.
I adjusted my DSP time correction with the tape measure and by ear. I think the ear adjustment sounds better. Is is just in my head or can adjustment by ear actually sound better?
With a DSP...would I still need a line out converter like LC-7i. My project is a full system upgrade except for the head unit the vehicle is a 2015 Dodge Durango . Any suggestions is welcome before I start purchasing equipment. Thanks...love your videos
What about DMC? Apparently its like that and that's the way it is..
Are DSP's mainly for hooking up an OEM radio to after market amps and speakers? Or do they make an aftermarket head unit even better? I bought a sound stream vrn 74hb and a sound stream T5 2500 5channel amp would I benefit from a dsp or no?
What we like about you that you share your information with us other people don’t like to do that great 👍
Wonderful dear, I've learned many things now throughout your vedio