that was fantastic thanks very much. I have got a 5 point parametric on my alpine and was struggling with where to start. I feel like my stabilizers have just been taken off lol
Really appreciate your feedback, loved the comment about the stabilizers lol. It's truly nice to hear whenever I've managed to unravel a mystery for someone.
Thanks very much for the comments guys, it gives me the motivation to look at doing some others. Setting active crossovers could be one, and another pet interest of mine is time alignment, both physical (speaker placement in the car) and calculating electronic compensation and the pros and cons. I did quite a lot on it years back - very interesting. But is anyone interested now I wonder?
I would like to chime in and offer my thanks as well. I had done a bit of research prior to watching this video and felt that I had a good handle on setting a parametric EQ. But after watching this detailed demonstration, I really feel I have stumbled onto a valuable learning tool. Thanks again.
I was absolutely clueless fumbling through the settings of my new Kenwood Excelon head unit for the first time today. I'm actually pretty excited about going at it again tomorrow with what I've learned from watching this video. Thanks!
Wow, I've been struggling to understand the parametric eq in my Alpine x0008u for years now. I've read all about how it should work, got distracted by stuff like pink noise and setting up microphones to display what my HU and speakers are doing and I've never gotten very far. In this almost 11 minute video someone has finally set me straight. Understanding what was roughly where (vocals, bass, cymbals, etc) I went right out and finally fixed my setup. What a difference! Thank you for making this simple enough for the rest of us!
Thanks for the kind words John, it really is good to know it's helping people get to grips with the parametric EQ thing. It's such a powerful feature once you get a handle on it. I learned years ago from my own struggles with stuff that a lot of techy people go in way over the top of the heads of their customers, without ever really explaining the basic concepts etc. I've always tried not to fall into that, though I never know for sure if I've succeeded unless I get feedback like yours. Thanks again.
Just bought a Alpine CDE-172BT and this tutorial helped me out a ton. I had all my q settings set high and it’s very bright in certain areas. With this information I can finally blend some of these frequencies together.
I found this really informative. Thanks for sharing. Many tutorials assume a certain depth of knowledge that the majority of folk simply don't have. Car audio isn't an exact science - what sounds great parked up on the driveway can sound terrible on the move and there's no shortage of pro installers happy to sell you another expensive piece of equipment when a little knowledge and time could probably improve the situation.
Thanks Billy. Totally agree with your comments on car audio not being an exact science, and yes, listening to a system while parked up (such as during an autosound contest, something I've done often) is a lot different to when the car is moving. The first thing you tend to say is "where did that great bass go?" You turn the bass up, then park up again and it's so overblown now! It's a tough environment and challenging. To be fair to the pros, they will often use the profit they make on the new piece of kit to cover the value of their advice, and if there's an improvement then fine. But you're right, with a little knowledge and some tweaks and improvements in, for example, panel dampening, existing kit can be made to perform noticeably better.
I'm glad there's somebody willing to explain things like this I know a lot but always willing to learn more I don't understand some of the technical terms I will admit it took me awhile to learn exactly what a parametric EQ was but I learned from my 2005 Kenwood Excelon 25th Anniversary it still has better features than a lot of car stereo receivers today. For starters, Bur Brown 24bitDAC 5volt sprouts F,R,SW fully independent 4 band parametric eq for front & rear Band 1. 60-200HZ 2. 250HZ-1.0KHZ 3. 1.25-4.00KHZ 4. 5.00-16.00KHZ Q-Factor .25-2.00 in 4 increments Digital Time Alignment 0-20.33' XOver 12-18-24 DBO Through 30-250HZ all that was front rear and sub completely independently from one another this receiver has more processing then some Standalone processors I've seen especially with the time alignment! I started car audio as a hobby but it's becoming more like a second job that I like
Brilliant! I've had a very basic handle on EQ in the past, but this has been enormously enlightening in explaining the nuances of fine settings. Gonna go out to the car and play around right now...
thank you so much. that was immensely helpful. I've been an alpine hu user for the last 10~14 years and i've always just tuned by ear. thanks for the detailed explanation
I remember explaining this to quite a few people years ago when I used to do the calibration on the sound system (for plays, bands) in different locations. Even after innumerable attempts, they never understood it. ce la vie.
@24HzICE Yes, it's news coinciding with CES. Pioneer has the DEH-80PRS. Kenwood offers time alignment on the DNX9990HD double DIN and the KDC-X996 single DIN. Clarion has the new CZ702 single DIN and NX702 double DIN. I haven't yet found out yet if the new Alpine models have t.a. as well.
Im so glad I found your video. Been going crazy trying to figure out the parametric eq in my Alpine 163bt. I have such a better understanding of how it works and what does what. Thank you
@MrTrumpet187 Thanks for the heads up, I'd not picked up on that yet - presumably news coming from CES? That is very interesting, especially at those prices. I'll check it out - hopefully we'll get them here in the UK too. Meanwhile if you happen to get the model numbers let us know. Surprised if Alpine aren't amongst them too.
@24HzICE Kenwood, Clarion, and Pioneer are all releasing new head unit models this spring for under $400 SRP that feature time alignment. This is a welcome resurgence of T.A. to the market at very accessible prices. If you've got time to make a video(or 2) on this subject this is a good time to educate a lot of people.
I forgot to mention in my last response, I would be VERY interested in a similar tutorial covering active crossovers and time alignment. There are a few head units out there now that offer both for $250-350. Also, I'm sure there are quite a few of us who are willing to make "modifications" for the sake of minimizing path length differences, and would appreciate your insights.
This was super helpful in showing just how 'wide' you can get with the Q on an equalizer like this. I'm getting a new Kenwood deck with a 3 band parametric EQ next week. hopefully I'll be able to take some of the harshness away from my tweeters. Cymbals and and s's in vocals just do not hit my ears right coming from them.
@MrTrumpet187 I've been promised one of the Clarion units when they get to the UK, probably not till the spring though. They sound very nice indeed. Also waiting to hear back from my guy at Alpine UK on news from those guys.
Under Audio, if I choose the preset Flat, Country or Hiphop, does it affect these 3 band eq thing too? what I'm trying to say is, can I just go with Hiphop and won't have to worry about setting the 3band thing or, I'll still need to play with it to get the best sound? Secondly, when I'm at the 3band thing, there is Bass, Mid and Treble and they all have: Width Q, Centre frq and Level, where do you advice is a good starting point put these settings for it to work for most music genres from Pop to rock, country and hiphop? And lastly, there is the Extra Bass (kinda like a dot button between forward & rewind button in the ALPINE UTE-201BT model)thing that when I press it, everything just becomes one huge bass mess, what does one do about that?
Hi. Choosing one of your presets (Flat, Country or Hiphop) is the same as manually setting the 3 band EQ. 'Flat' does what it says - it doesn't boost or cut at any frequency. It gives you a starting point, like a blank canvas, to then tweak using the 3 band EQ (left as it is it will normally make the music sound lifeless, but it will depend on your audio system; sometimes Flat is the best setting!). The Country and Hiphop settings will create an EQ curve that supposedly suits that type of music (but that will depend a lot on your audio system and personal preferences). 'Country' will be the one suited to a wider range of music. You can pick a preset that sounds closest to what you like, then tweak it with the 3 band EQ, then save it as your favourite setting. Short answer is yes, you will almost certainly need to set the 3 band EQ to get the best sound; presets usually just get you closer. Your second question is answered in the video, where to have the centre freq, width and level (level being the cut or boost at the chosen centre frequency). With only 3 bands, the width control should normally be set to a wide setting (less of a defined peak) as this smooths (i.e. makes more natural) the transition between bass, mids and highs. The actual settings will depend on your audio system (especially the speakers) and personal preference; there isn't a one-size fits all. But 'in general', some lift at the bass end and in the treble, along with either a slight cut at 1k or a slight lift at 2.5k or closest option you have to that (which adds presence to vocals) is a good starting point. The Extra Bass button... if it sounds bad, leave it switched out. I don't know where it's boosting the bass on the UTE-201BT, probably around 80Hz. Some bass speaker systems will like it, others will, like you say, turn the bass to mush. Instead, play with the Bass setting on the 3 band EQ - increase the boost (EQ level) to close to max. Don't have the volume on the head unit too high! Now, try different Centre Freq on the Bass (sorry, I don't know how many options the UTE-201 gives you, but just cycle through them). Some may sound like mush, others may sound okay but a bit too much, and in that case stick with the Centre Freq and reduce the boost (level) a bit. Like I said, the Width control (with only 3 bands to play with) is probably best left on its widest setting, but you can try to experiment with this, especially on the bass. Happy tweaking! Good luck!
@@24HzICE Now, how do I save it once I've set everything according to my taste? because I keep losing it each time I disconnect my battery. The Width control should be set to a "wide setting" what is a wide setting? you said each of the 3 Bands have 4 frequencies, what's the "wide" frequency? how do I do the smoothening thing and where do I set the levels? step by step please. As your average viewer don't have that fancy tool you used in monitoring the smooth transition, how can I smoothen things straight from the Alpine stereo in my car without attaching any fancy tools? And lastly, how do I reset everything back to factory default? Everything would have been clear if you explained it using the actual Car stereo and not some fancy tool with graph displays, something no one watching owns.
@@Sir-Kay It's just too much for me to cover in a reply here. Your best move is to visit a specialist car audio dealer/installer. The guys there will be able to step you through it, showing how to set up your particular Alpine unit. Yes, you will lose the setting every time you disconnect the battery, that's normal. But you shouldn't need to disconnect the battery very often. You don't need 'fancy tools' to make any of the settings I described, but you do need a little knowledge to understand even just the basics. I tried to help and it seems I failed in your case, sorry. Go visit a store and let the guys explain it. I put time into trying to help you, for which I earn zilch, so I don't much appreciate the jibe. Incidentally, to reset it to factory... disconnect the battery.
The essentials of setting up digital EQ should be very similar on the different models, though some will obviously have more advanced features, others less advanced. When it comes to reviews, I have to rely on my contacts for review samples and there's not many left at Pioneer GB that I know... all changed since I worked for Pioneer back in the early eighties, which gives my age away :-) I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the response.
great video I'm just starting to understand this parametric eq stuf. swapped out my 16 year old clarion for a new clarion. the sound quality has come a long way it was like my old radio was a pos the whole time. my new head unit has 3 band parametric base mid and high. does the base affect the sub output? my sub sounds wicked clean now not sure if it's just from having a better unit or what. well explained tutorial now I have a better grasp on what to do. thanks
+CIA Assassin Thanks for that. I can't say for sure if the bass EQ on your model will affect the sub output as well as the main speakers but probably not, not if your unit has a dedicated subwoofer output channel. The bass EQ is usually just for setting the low-end tonal balance on the main speakers. Since the sub-bass is quite a narrow band of frequencies, it's usually enough just to vary the level - the type of sub-box you have (sealed/ported/bandpass etc), where it's fitted and what car you have, will largely dictate the type of bass sound you get. As for why your sub bass suddenly got better (I assume you didn't just buy a better amp!), does your new unit have a dedicated sub out with low-pass filter built in? That could be it, the LP filter. Anyway, sounds like you're enjoying your new audio system, great stuff.
Thank you so much ! Hard to find many resources that break this down for the layman to understand. This is super helpful. However, when head units like alpine or kenwood (in addition to the parametric eq) have a "bass boost" and/or "bass extend" feature, do you happen to know what bass freq ranges your generic "bass boost" feature affects ? The manuals always tend to be vague.
Hi Wes. I can't remember if I ever measured the curve on those bass boosts, and they will no doubt vary a bit, but generally they are probably centered around 80Hz - that tends to be the frequency a lot of producers/recording engineers will work around in general pop/rock to give the track 'substance' without making it sound 'muddy' on some hi-fi, phones, radios etc. The boost curve may start to raise the output from as 'high' (in bass frequency terms) as 120Hz, then roll off below 80Hz to protect standard speakers from over extending. It can work ok (though very dependant on the speakers), and if just using the stereo's built-in amp then it can quickly run out of juice (i.e. headroom) and sound very muddy or distorted. On the other hand, if there's a separately amped subwoofer system tuned to, say more like 50-60Hz, the boost around 80Hz can fill a gap and provide better mid-bass. But again, it's all down to the quality of the speaker system, and the amplifiers; generally it's best to avoid engaging 'bass boost' but occasionally it can work magic.
@@24HzICE Thanks Kevin! Been trying to avoid purchasing a sub or aftermarket speakers if possible for as long I drive this '09 camry that came w/ a 'premium' JBL sound system (ext. amp & 8 speaker setup, no sub) I prefer a flat tone, or as close to the originally intended sound production as possible, but of course the "flat" eq setting on any commercial head unit is never actually flat (marketing). I replaced the factory HU w/ with a Kenwood that utilizes the car's external amp. If I want to stick with the OEM speaker set-up - and I know this depends a lot on speaker specs, etc - but in general, are the rear speakers going to put out the most bass? If so, and if you're going to stick with an OEM speaker set-up w/ no sub, to get the best sound possible, is it generally going to be a good idea to apply a high-freq cut-off to the rears if you have a HU with that capability? Thanks a lot!
@@Wes_5kyph1 I don't know the system you have without doing some research on it Wes, but generally OEM systems would use the larger speakers for the lower bass, and that usually means the ones fitted into the rear, also because they usually have the biggest area of air under them (into the trunk space) to work in. So yes, usually the rear speakers in a saloon car will give the lowest bass - and you should be able to clearly hear it. And yes, if they are full-range speakers with separate tweeters or coaxially mounted tweeters, then putting a high-freq cut-off (ie. low pass filter) on the output feeding those speakers will generally help the staging (the sense of the stage being in front of you), and it can often help the stereo left/right imaging too, and the 'placement' of instruments/vocals across the dash. Having high frequencies coming at you from behind that are not natural reflections you'd get in a room or hall (these are different in time, phase and frequency span), plays havoc with our ear/brain system that allows us to 'place' sounds. Just bear in mind it's not great though for rear seated passengers! Also, if you feel the bass from the rears is a tad boomy (not tight enough) and you have the ability to add a high-pass filter (sometimes called a subsonic filter when it's set very low), try it, set to perhaps 50Hz (though depends on the speakers and the roll-off of the High-Pass filter - anyway, just experiment). In other words, feed the rear speakers with a 'bandpass' signal - remove the very low end that the speaker might be struggling with (or over-doing - some OEM systems are designed boomy in the bass, because the designer thought that's what everyone wants!!), and cut some at the high end that tends to pull the image behind you, or at best confuses the front/rear staging.
Hi, there's no straightforward answer to that, it depends on how the overall frequency curve looks when measured by an RTA. Your vehicle and the kind of audio system you have will have a huge bearing on that. For example, if you have a sub-bass system that's giving lots of bass low down at around 40-50Hz, the car's acoustic will boost that and you won't need to lift it with EQ.But if it's only delivering down to 70Hz then you will. Also depends on your personal taste in music and sound balance.
Fast forward another six years and we have nine band parametric EQ's with the ability to not only modify the q but also select the frequency, any frequency 20-20k. Oh and time delay. At a cost of around $250 usd. I can remember paying over $1000 for a separate box just to get that functionality.
Thanks for this video. The one thing that did not come out clearly is what a narrow Q and wide Q is. Eg, on my Alpine CDE178BT I and adjust the Q on 9 bands with Q ranging from 3 - 5. Now does 3 give you a narrow Q or does 5 make it narrow? I'll be playing with the tone generator on my phone to try and answer my own question...
Great video sir from San Antonio Texas. What is a good method in choosing where the best crossover points are in/on car stereo aftermarket speakers. I’m having a little difficulty with my Focal Flax expert 165fx two way 6.5’s front active stages Rear passive matching Focal Flax Co axial- using them full range . And my subwoofers low pass set at 40-120hz thanks for any input!
Thanks John. I know Focal, though I don't know those specific drivers you have. But first of all, take note of what the manufacturer says in terms of the lowest frequency the driver can handle at rated power, especially when using an active xover; that's true of tweeters as well as mids... subs too, for that matter. That's basically the mandatory safety warning done. The crossover point for the 165fx 2-way ought to be close to where Focal advise - they know their stuff & will have figured the ideal xover point. You can adjust it a little by ear while listening ONLY to the 165fx (if you have any other speakers working it will confuse the hell out of you!). If I'm reading it right that you are using co-axials in the rear, full-range, that likely to be a problem. The upper frequencies from front and rear sets will be overlapping, causing additions, cancellations, phasing issues and messing up the staging. If you can, put a low-pass filter on those rear co-axials set around 1-2khz (you'll need to experiment). All you really want from them is the sense of reflections you'd get in an auditorium, mostly midrange, and keep the level from the rears low, subtle. In a live scene, high frequencies get absorbed by the audience, soft seating etc, so we want to try to mimic that and, at the same time, stop the highs clashing with the highs from the front speakers. First thing to do, switch out the rears and subs and listen only to the fronts. Get them sounding right. Listen to the staging too, if it's across the windscreen - it should be, without the rears working (depending on how/where the front drivers are installed). Then bring up the rears and hear how the staging and imaging gets destroyed :-) So then roll-off the highs from the rear and listen again - the staging and imaging should be back, but with just a little sense of something going on behind you. Then bring the subs in and match by ear. Of course, if you have an RTA handy, or a local installer who can help, even better as you can then see peaks and dips. But your system is not too complex (no bad thing) and so you can do it by ear. Good luck.
@mdubya66 A similar tutorial on crossovers (using the PC RTA) should work but getting time alignment across to people, that's tricky. But we did it back in the old days off of static magazine pages, so I guess it ought to be easier these days! I'll find a way. I'm not as 'on it' with the models these days as I used to be - I know numbers may differ from the ones in UK/Europe, but give me some model numbers with good crossover functions and T.A. built in and I'll try to source one.
I don't understand how to make the curve smoother. I don't see it on the unit's display (Alpine UTE93) Also, in Alpine's Tune it app smaller numbers for the Q look like a sharper curve, is that right? Any advice on these questions, please? I'd like to get a cleaner, punchier bass, even if that means reduced volume, I don't like that boombox - like bass that most units produce with factory settings.
Hi Zach. Unfortunately I don't know the Alpine UTE93. The Tune It app - yes the smaller numbers indicate a sharper (narrower) curve around the centre frequency, so it affects the centre frequency and not much of the frequencies around it. If you are trying to get smoother curves (which is generally right; normally you will only use a sharp or narrow Q to get rid of resonance at a specific frequency, such as when a panel is resonating - you'll need an RTA to measure it), then you need a broader Q and that will help to blend the overall boost or cut across a range of frequencies which is going to sound more natural. To get cleaner, punchier bass involves a few things, and the starting place is not the EQ. The speaker and the box it is in will dictate the quality and/or type of bass. The EQ can be used to tweak it, but it won't correct a poor setup. For example, if you have a free-air type system, where the subwoofer is working into the entire boot/trunk space or a very large enclosure, you are unlikely to achieve truly 'clean, punchy bass' no matter how much you EQ it (a few subs have come close in various tests I did, if they have a very stiff suspension and the amp is top class in the way it controls the speaker). In most cases it will give you a lot of low end rumble, but you have to be careful not to over-power/over-extend the speaker, because there's not much pressure in terms of trapped air behind it to support the cone, and that's also why the cone continues to vibrate after the musical signal has finished (not for long, of course, but long enough to smear the bass sound and give that unnatural boominess). Do you want plenty of low end extension? Then it's a sealed enclosure with a well-matched sub. Or do you prefer a lot of output where it matters in most pop/rock music, at around 50Hz? Then go vented, again with a well-matched sub. For high output, a lot of 'punch' but not so much low end extension, you could go with a bandpass enclosure. Once you've made that choice, and the sound is just about right, then you tweak it with an equaliser, and perhaps add a high-pass filter at the low end (from 20-40Hz, depending on what you're trying to achieve and the roll-off of the filter) to reduce the very low end extension (which has the effect of making the sound punchier, and helps prevent the speaker from over-extending. Believe it or not, that's a short answer to a long question. There's a lot more to the subject of getting a good bass, but I hope it helps.
@@24HzICE Thank you very much Sir! I don't have a subwoofer, but I compare the sound to my previous, older Alpine unit. It sounded punchier on the factory Bose speakers. I believe they aren't of very low quality. Today I played with the equaliser, set the 1st band at 32.5 Hz, this one I got at -6 dB. Second band, the bass, at 80 Hz, +1 dB, Third is at 250 -1 dB, then up to 1 KHz curve goes down to -4 dB, then gradually up to the ninth band goes up to +3 dB. Still, maybe I'm more used to hi-fi sound, it needs "something" maybe an external amplifier......? Yes, I did too use the crossover. -12db slope at 63 Hz for the front (6.5") and again -12db at 50 for the rear (these are ellipses 6"x9" sitting on the rear deck with backs facing the trunk). The Bose speaker setup also has separate tweeters near the windshield, I hope setting crossover will not hurt them? They must be having their own crossovers from the factory? The UTE-93DAB doesn't have HPF setting for tweeters.
@@zacmich6472 Hi Zach, Sorry, I misunderstood the kind of system you have there, just the head-unit. Much of what I said still applies though, because the 'punch' comes from the bass and lower midrange and so how the bass speakers are fitted and powered makes a big difference. Your EQ settings sound okay to me, though it's difficult for me to say without hearing the system. -6dB at 32.5Hz helps to protect the speaker, and +1 at 80Hz will add some punch. I checked the specs of the UTE-93 and it has some very nice features. It will probably be limited only by the built-in amplifier, especially when trying to produce low bass and a punchy lower-mid 'kick'. This is where an external amplifier (and woofer, but you have the 6x9s so they may be okay for now) can help a lot, and the UTE-93 gives some nice connection options. On your question about the Bose system, yes there will be a passive HP filter protecting the tweeter. You say you have the crossover set at -12dB at 50Hz on the rear 6x9. That will help reduce boominess (especially as they are firing into the trunk, although those 6x9s will have a fairly stiff suspension I guess, which helps to restrict their movement) but you may be losing a lot of the bass with that setting. Try to set the xover point a little lower (say 40Hz) but with an 18 or 24dB per octave slope (according to the specs the UTE-93 has these settings). The built-in amplifier will still be the main limitation though, so it may not make much difference, but if you add an external bass amp just for the rear 6x9s then this might be a good setting to test.
@@24HzICE Yes, I too think the integrated amplifier is the downfall, after all you can't have this power coming from such small components without a compromise, so I will think of upgrading it. Thanks again for a great advice!
Hi Steve, Impossible to answer in a meaningful way because it will depend very much on the set-up in your vehicle (your speakers etc), the acoustics of the car itself, and your personal preference. The starting point would be to achieve a 'flat' or relatively consistent response (no big dips and peaks) by using an RTA to measure the curve of a full band pink noise track. After you can see the response is smooth, all the way up from bass to treble (or best you can get it), then tweak the various frequency settings to give the sound YOU prefer (more top, less mid, more bass, upper mid emphasis on vocals, and so on). Bear in mind that trying to do the first step by ear is near on impossible - you will need an RTA or more simply (but far more time consuming) plot the level on paper using a hand-held SPL meter and test disc with individual test frequencies on it.
KEVIN O'BYRNE I figured that would be your response and I absolutely understand that from the brief research I have been doing. I think my concern is more for this particular unit though..
Hellow Kevin, i been thinking on intalling a "Home stereo 31 band graphic EQ" in my car. I know i will need the proper power inverter, But the questuon is, when i run my Rcas from the xlr's adapter comming out of my 31 band EQ into my power Amplifiers,, i'm i gonna run into any issues like engine Noise or diffrent Ohm impediance in my Rca's signals?? I hope you can Help me, iv'e been trying to google my dilema but can't seem to get the rite answer. Thank You Sir!, 👍
Hi Hector. Yes you might run into some problems with noise. Equalizers designed for use in a car have separate grounds (signal ground, power ground and chassis ground are kept apart on the PCB, or electronically isolated), but they are probably not fully separated in a 120/240V model (though maybe isolated in the higher spec pro models for better S/N). You may well hit bad problems with alternator and ignition noise because of the common grounding. Your EQ has XLRs for balanced output; it will become unbalanced as soon as you connect to RCAs, but it could mean that they have isolated some or maybe all of the grounds of your EQ inside... just maybe. Impedance probably wouldn't be a problem. If your EQ is a pro model then the signal output may be higher than home/car audio, but I doubt that would cause a problem unless your amps are very low on input headroom. To be honest, there are very good car EQs around and I would just use one of those and save the cost of an inverter and all the headache! But if you want to try your EQ, hook it up temporarily first before you start any real installation work. You will need to power it from an inverter so it is running on the car's supply and ground. And remember to run the engine to test for noise - it will probably sound great till you switch on the engine ;-)
@y2kbug77 When you say "s's in vocals" what you are referring to is "sibilance." I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, but I thought you'd like to know the proper term so you can impress your friends. Google "Interactive Frequency Chart" and check out the first hit.
I have an alpine too, but unfortunately it only has a 2 band EQ ( bass, treble). I have my high pass filter for my door speakers at 100 hz. Is there a problem if I set my bass center frequency at 100 hz too? Will it get something similar to phase distortion. I've tried setting it at 80hz and 200hz, but I just can't get it to sound right. I'm trying to blend in my subwoofer and coaxial speakers.
Gilberto Gutierrez Hi Gilberto. You can certainly try setting the EQ center frequency at 100Hz - it shouldn't cause any phase issues. At 80Hz, the HP filter will stop any boost in the EQ from having any real effect - at 200Hz it is going to be much too far from the sub frequencies. By setting center freq to 100Hz and boosting, you should get some boost even with the HP filter set to 100Hz. You didn't say how big your door speakers are and how they are powered - if they are quite small and/or under-powered then they will struggle to give much bass/midbass however you set the filter and EQ. But if they are good 160mm drivers (or very good 130mm maybe) powered by an external amp and well installed, then it should sound OK. Good luck!
Thanks for replying. I used to have 3 way 6x9s in the front doors and 2 way 5 1/4s for rear fill (in a single cab truck). The 6x9s were very underpowered, so I sold them and moved the 5 1/4s to the doors. They're 45 w rms each (93 db sensitivity) and are powered by an alpine power pack that is 45w x 4 (rms). They sound best at 100 hz high pass. The thing is I have a 750 rms 12 inch sub with the gain set at about 550 w rms. It blended in better with the 6x9s. I'm looking at buying 6 1/2s rated at 45-60 watts rms. Maybe that will fix my problem. What do you think?
Gilberto Gutierrez The 6x9 inch speakers gave you quite a bit more cone surface area than the 5 1/4s, so I would expect them to usually sound better on mid-bass, but it very much depends on the power amp driving them and how well they have been installed. To be honest, a full answer needs a lot more than I can post here. It's not what the speakers are rated at that really matters (although it obviously limits the amp you can use with them), but the amount of power going into them. But anyway, trying to get a smallish speaker to match a 12 inch sub driven with around 500W is... well, all but impossible unless you use lots of small drivers wired series/parallel the old 'Rockford' way. But can't get into that here! But OK, a set of 6 1/2 with a good amp will give you 'some' sense of bass up front IF you install them well (don't let the rear pressure leak out to the front). And you'll probably need them rated more like 100-150W minimum, not 45-60W. That way you can drive a (good) 50-80W amp into them and they'll have a decent amount of headroom. Don't drive 50W into a speaker rated 50W max - it would be pushing it too hard, especially when you want bass out of it. Kevin.
hi...how to setting 3 band alpine wde 233 e for SQ ( 2 way fullrange & midwoofer ) can anyone helping me to find right setting ( level, Q, freq ) thanks
Hi, everybody my english is bad sorry. For 3-way active system for my pioneer 80prs please advise Parametric EQ setting. For example, for the club-pop-dance music? my car VW Polo Hatchback 1999.Audio system front doors Focal 165v1 , the trunk Hertz ES300 25cm subwoofer, amplifier srx3 AUDISON. Thank you to everyone.
Confusing as tell me about it lol. I have a 32 band EQ built into my deck. 4DAC's to my knowledge. Which is enough to pull your hair out. Add that to it's L/R independent EQ settings for each range. In addition to all my crossover points also being L/R independent if i so choose. This deck will make your head swim. However is the best i've heard but a huge nightmare as well. I am not a audio engineer so where do i even begin. :(
This is informative, but it does not talk about how to adjust the equalizer to the system. So what, you will adjust it every time the song changes? It's cool for pro stuff, but who the hell has time for that crap? That's why Alpine has the app to integrate so that the HU can, with the app, make all the settings, with little user input. Gone are the days of technocomplicated gizmos that no one knows how to use.
Rob, I think you've misunderstood it, or maybe it's just not clear enough, but matching the output from the audio system to the acoustics of the interior of the vehicle and to the listener's preference is what I'm talking about here. Of course I don't suggest the EQ is changed every time you choose a new song (though if your own personal taste in music is very varied then it can help to set several different preset curves in memory if available on your unit). What do you think the Alpine app does, behind the interface? It simplifies the same process I describe. That's fine if you don't want to be hassled to make the tweaks yourself, but it takes away a certain amount of personal preference if you allow automation to take over completely. Lots of people can't be bothered to spend the time, I know that, and so the latest technology is great, but others want to fine tune their system but don't understand the process. All I've tried to do is explain the process.
Ive set a lot of systems for people and every time they'll have their amplifiers turned all the way up crossovers totally wrong I usually tell them to go in the house and give me 45 minutes and every time that I do this they cannot believe their ears because before they were convinced they bought junk all I do is. Knowing the point of distortion of each component in the single chain adjusts it just below that level measurement of the sound stage is critical setting the Xover for each speaker to manufacture specs then the hardest part the eq for the longest time I do everything by ear but now I have a spectrum analyzer a distortion checker
@mdubya66 That was helpful. I was able to google sibilance and I found out it occurs in between 6-8k. But of course my EQ has a big gap between 2-10k. Oh well nothing I can do now, don't have the money for a seperate EQ.
that was fantastic thanks very much. I have got a 5 point parametric on my alpine and was struggling with where to start. I feel like my stabilizers have just been taken off lol
Really appreciate your feedback, loved the comment about the stabilizers lol. It's truly nice to hear whenever I've managed to unravel a mystery for someone.
Thank you Kevin for the excellent tutorial. 6 years later, and it's still one of the best videos on parametric equalization anyone has posted.
Wow, that's very kind of you, thank you Joseph.
Thanks very much for the comments guys, it gives me the motivation to look at doing some others. Setting active crossovers could be one, and another pet interest of mine is time alignment, both physical (speaker placement in the car) and calculating electronic compensation and the pros and cons. I did quite a lot on it years back - very interesting. But is anyone interested now I wonder?
This was very helpful. Your tutorial filled in many blanks. Thank you.
Thanks for that, glad it helped.
I would like to chime in and offer my thanks as well. I had done a bit of research prior to watching this video and felt that I had a good handle on setting a parametric EQ. But after watching this detailed demonstration, I really feel I have stumbled onto a valuable learning tool. Thanks again.
I was absolutely clueless fumbling through the settings of my new Kenwood Excelon head unit for the first time today. I'm actually pretty excited about going at it again tomorrow with what I've learned from watching this video. Thanks!
Wow, I've been struggling to understand the parametric eq in my Alpine x0008u for years now. I've read all about how it should work, got distracted by stuff like pink noise and setting up microphones to display what my HU and speakers are doing and I've never gotten very far. In this almost 11 minute video someone has finally set me straight. Understanding what was roughly where (vocals, bass, cymbals, etc) I went right out and finally fixed my setup. What a difference! Thank you for making this simple enough for the rest of us!
Thanks for the kind words John, it really is good to know it's helping people get to grips with the parametric EQ thing. It's such a powerful feature once you get a handle on it. I learned years ago from my own struggles with stuff that a lot of techy people go in way over the top of the heads of their customers, without ever really explaining the basic concepts etc. I've always tried not to fall into that, though I never know for sure if I've succeeded unless I get feedback like yours. Thanks again.
Just bought a Alpine CDE-172BT and this tutorial helped me out a ton. I had all my q settings set high and it’s very bright in certain areas. With this information I can finally blend some of these frequencies together.
Have the same Head unit and love it? what are settings for your parametric EQ
I found this really informative. Thanks for sharing. Many tutorials assume a certain depth of knowledge that the majority of folk simply don't have. Car audio isn't an exact science - what sounds great parked up on the driveway can sound terrible on the move and there's no shortage of pro installers happy to sell you another expensive piece of equipment when a little knowledge and time could probably improve the situation.
Thanks Billy. Totally agree with your comments on car audio not being an exact science, and yes, listening to a system while parked up (such as during an autosound contest, something I've done often) is a lot different to when the car is moving. The first thing you tend to say is "where did that great bass go?" You turn the bass up, then park up again and it's so overblown now! It's a tough environment and challenging. To be fair to the pros, they will often use the profit they make on the new piece of kit to cover the value of their advice, and if there's an improvement then fine. But you're right, with a little knowledge and some tweaks and improvements in, for example, panel dampening, existing kit can be made to perform noticeably better.
I'm glad there's somebody willing to explain things like this I know a lot but always willing to learn more I don't understand some of the technical terms I will admit it took me awhile to learn exactly what a parametric EQ was but I learned from my 2005 Kenwood Excelon 25th Anniversary it still has better features than a lot of car stereo receivers today. For starters, Bur Brown 24bitDAC 5volt sprouts F,R,SW fully independent 4 band parametric eq for front & rear
Band 1. 60-200HZ
2. 250HZ-1.0KHZ
3. 1.25-4.00KHZ
4. 5.00-16.00KHZ
Q-Factor .25-2.00 in 4 increments
Digital Time Alignment 0-20.33'
XOver 12-18-24 DBO
Through 30-250HZ all that was front rear and sub completely independently from one another this receiver has more processing then some Standalone processors I've seen especially with the time alignment! I started car audio as a hobby but it's becoming more like a second job that I like
Brilliant! I've had a very basic handle on EQ in the past, but this has been enormously enlightening in explaining the nuances of fine settings. Gonna go out to the car and play around right now...
I hope you have more videos like this in the works. This is a great way to explain a parametric EQ!
thank you so much. that was immensely helpful. I've been an alpine hu user for the last 10~14 years and i've always just tuned by ear. thanks for the detailed explanation
Great video and explanation, very much appreciated. I'm used to old school eq's, this was new to me. Now I appreciate it a lot more.
I remember explaining this to quite a few people years ago when I used to do the calibration on the sound system (for plays, bands) in different locations. Even after innumerable attempts, they never understood it. ce la vie.
@24HzICE Yes, it's news coinciding with CES. Pioneer has the DEH-80PRS. Kenwood offers time alignment on the DNX9990HD double DIN and the KDC-X996 single DIN. Clarion has the new CZ702 single DIN and NX702 double DIN. I haven't yet found out yet if the new Alpine models have t.a. as well.
Im so glad I found your video. Been going crazy trying to figure out the parametric eq in my Alpine 163bt. I have such a better understanding of how it works and what does what. Thank you
Thanks for taking the time to post that, nice to know it helps people.
Very informative! Really helped me get a better feel for the settings on my stereo. Would love to see more!
@MrTrumpet187 I almost forgot to thank you for posting this in your blog. I would have never found it otherwise.
@MrTrumpet187 Thanks for the heads up, I'd not picked up on that yet - presumably news coming from CES? That is very interesting, especially at those prices. I'll check it out - hopefully we'll get them here in the UK too. Meanwhile if you happen to get the model numbers let us know. Surprised if Alpine aren't amongst them too.
Very nice tutorial. Easy to follow, helpful and informative. Thank you!
@24HzICE Kenwood, Clarion, and Pioneer are all releasing new head unit models this spring for under $400 SRP that feature time alignment. This is a welcome resurgence of T.A. to the market at very accessible prices. If you've got time to make a video(or 2) on this subject this is a good time to educate a lot of people.
I forgot to mention in my last response, I would be VERY interested in a similar tutorial covering active crossovers and time alignment. There are a few head units out there now that offer both for $250-350. Also, I'm sure there are quite a few of us who are willing to make "modifications" for the sake of minimizing path length differences, and would appreciate your insights.
Thanks for the explanation!!!!!!! I can't wait for the sun to come up so I can get started on trying to see what happens with the mid 2.5 hz seeing.
Great tutorial, Broadened my knowledge on EQ substantially.
This was super helpful in showing just how 'wide' you can get with the Q on an equalizer like this.
I'm getting a new Kenwood deck with a 3 band parametric EQ next week. hopefully I'll be able to take some of the harshness away from my tweeters. Cymbals and and s's in vocals just do not hit my ears right coming from them.
10 minutes of my life just flashed before my eyes. Walking onto highway now.
@24HzICE Some of the models I was referring to include the Alpine CDA-117, Kenwood KDC-X995, and JVC KD-A925BT.
Thanks alot for the video,
Never had a clue of that q. I tried iT today and works grate, many thanks.
I would love to see what you have to show about active crossovers and time alignment. I featured this video on my site.
This video was recommended but i was just thinking about this. Fantastic thanks!
@MrTrumpet187 I've been promised one of the Clarion units when they get to the UK, probably not till the spring though. They sound very nice indeed. Also waiting to hear back from my guy at Alpine UK on news from those guys.
Under Audio, if I choose the preset Flat, Country or Hiphop, does it affect these 3 band eq thing too? what I'm trying to say is, can I just go with Hiphop and won't have to worry about setting the 3band thing or, I'll still need to play with it to get the best sound?
Secondly, when I'm at the 3band thing, there is Bass, Mid and Treble and they all have: Width Q, Centre frq and Level, where do you advice is a good starting point put these settings for it to work for most music genres from Pop to rock, country and hiphop?
And lastly, there is the Extra Bass (kinda like a dot button between forward & rewind button in the ALPINE UTE-201BT model)thing that when I press it, everything just becomes one huge bass mess, what does one do about that?
Hi. Choosing one of your presets (Flat, Country or Hiphop) is the same as manually setting the 3 band EQ. 'Flat' does what it says - it doesn't boost or cut at any frequency. It gives you a starting point, like a blank canvas, to then tweak using the 3 band EQ (left as it is it will normally make the music sound lifeless, but it will depend on your audio system; sometimes Flat is the best setting!). The Country and Hiphop settings will create an EQ curve that supposedly suits that type of music (but that will depend a lot on your audio system and personal preferences). 'Country' will be the one suited to a wider range of music. You can pick a preset that sounds closest to what you like, then tweak it with the 3 band EQ, then save it as your favourite setting. Short answer is yes, you will almost certainly need to set the 3 band EQ to get the best sound; presets usually just get you closer.
Your second question is answered in the video, where to have the centre freq, width and level (level being the cut or boost at the chosen centre frequency). With only 3 bands, the width control should normally be set to a wide setting (less of a defined peak) as this smooths (i.e. makes more natural) the transition between bass, mids and highs. The actual settings will depend on your audio system (especially the speakers) and personal preference; there isn't a one-size fits all. But 'in general', some lift at the bass end and in the treble, along with either a slight cut at 1k or a slight lift at 2.5k or closest option you have to that (which adds presence to vocals) is a good starting point.
The Extra Bass button... if it sounds bad, leave it switched out. I don't know where it's boosting the bass on the UTE-201BT, probably around 80Hz. Some bass speaker systems will like it, others will, like you say, turn the bass to mush. Instead, play with the Bass setting on the 3 band EQ - increase the boost (EQ level) to close to max. Don't have the volume on the head unit too high! Now, try different Centre Freq on the Bass (sorry, I don't know how many options the UTE-201 gives you, but just cycle through them). Some may sound like mush, others may sound okay but a bit too much, and in that case stick with the Centre Freq and reduce the boost (level) a bit. Like I said, the Width control (with only 3 bands to play with) is probably best left on its widest setting, but you can try to experiment with this, especially on the bass. Happy tweaking! Good luck!
@@24HzICE Now, how do I save it once I've set everything according to my taste? because I keep losing it each time I disconnect my battery.
The Width control should be set to a "wide setting" what is a wide setting? you said each of the 3 Bands have 4 frequencies, what's the "wide" frequency? how do I do the smoothening thing and where do I set the levels? step by step please. As your average viewer don't have that fancy tool you used in monitoring the smooth transition, how can I smoothen things straight from the Alpine stereo in my car without attaching any fancy tools?
And lastly, how do I reset everything back to factory default?
Everything would have been clear if you explained it using the actual Car stereo and not some fancy tool with graph displays, something no one watching owns.
@@Sir-Kay It's just too much for me to cover in a reply here. Your best move is to visit a specialist car audio dealer/installer. The guys there will be able to step you through it, showing how to set up your particular Alpine unit. Yes, you will lose the setting every time you disconnect the battery, that's normal. But you shouldn't need to disconnect the battery very often. You don't need 'fancy tools' to make any of the settings I described, but you do need a little knowledge to understand even just the basics. I tried to help and it seems I failed in your case, sorry. Go visit a store and let the guys explain it. I put time into trying to help you, for which I earn zilch, so I don't much appreciate the jibe.
Incidentally, to reset it to factory... disconnect the battery.
The essentials of setting up digital EQ should be very similar on the different models, though some will obviously have more advanced features, others less advanced. When it comes to reviews, I have to rely on my contacts for review samples and there's not many left at Pioneer GB that I know... all changed since I worked for Pioneer back in the early eighties, which gives my age away :-)
I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the response.
great video I'm just starting to understand this parametric eq stuf. swapped out my 16 year old clarion for a new clarion. the sound quality has come a long way it was like my old radio was a pos the whole time. my new head unit has 3 band parametric base mid and high. does the base affect the sub output? my sub sounds wicked clean now not sure if it's just from having a better unit or what. well explained tutorial now I have a better grasp on what to do. thanks
+CIA Assassin Thanks for that. I can't say for sure if the bass EQ on your model will affect the sub output as well as the main speakers but probably not, not if your unit has a dedicated subwoofer output channel. The bass EQ is usually just for setting the low-end tonal balance on the main speakers. Since the sub-bass is quite a narrow band of frequencies, it's usually enough just to vary the level - the type of sub-box you have (sealed/ported/bandpass etc), where it's fitted and what car you have, will largely dictate the type of bass sound you get. As for why your sub bass suddenly got better (I assume you didn't just buy a better amp!), does your new unit have a dedicated sub out with low-pass filter built in? That could be it, the LP filter. Anyway, sounds like you're enjoying your new audio system, great stuff.
Thank you so much ! Hard to find many resources that break this down for the layman to understand. This is super helpful.
However, when head units like alpine or kenwood (in addition to the parametric eq) have a "bass boost" and/or "bass extend" feature, do you happen to know what bass freq ranges your generic "bass boost" feature affects ? The manuals always tend to be vague.
Hi Wes. I can't remember if I ever measured the curve on those bass boosts, and they will no doubt vary a bit, but generally they are probably centered around 80Hz - that tends to be the frequency a lot of producers/recording engineers will work around in general pop/rock to give the track 'substance' without making it sound 'muddy' on some hi-fi, phones, radios etc. The boost curve may start to raise the output from as 'high' (in bass frequency terms) as 120Hz, then roll off below 80Hz to protect standard speakers from over extending. It can work ok (though very dependant on the speakers), and if just using the stereo's built-in amp then it can quickly run out of juice (i.e. headroom) and sound very muddy or distorted. On the other hand, if there's a separately amped subwoofer system tuned to, say more like 50-60Hz, the boost around 80Hz can fill a gap and provide better mid-bass. But again, it's all down to the quality of the speaker system, and the amplifiers; generally it's best to avoid engaging 'bass boost' but occasionally it can work magic.
@@24HzICE Thanks Kevin! Been trying to avoid purchasing a sub or aftermarket speakers if possible for as long I drive this '09 camry that came w/ a 'premium' JBL sound system (ext. amp & 8 speaker setup, no sub)
I prefer a flat tone, or as close to the originally intended sound production as possible, but of course the "flat" eq setting on any commercial head unit is never actually flat (marketing).
I replaced the factory HU w/ with a Kenwood that utilizes the car's external amp. If I want to stick with the OEM speaker set-up - and I know this depends a lot on speaker specs, etc - but in general, are the rear speakers going to put out the most bass?
If so, and if you're going to stick with an OEM speaker set-up w/ no sub, to get the best sound possible, is it generally going to be a good idea to apply a high-freq cut-off to the rears if you have a HU with that capability?
Thanks a lot!
@@Wes_5kyph1 I don't know the system you have without doing some research on it Wes, but generally OEM systems would use the larger speakers for the lower bass, and that usually means the ones fitted into the rear, also because they usually have the biggest area of air under them (into the trunk space) to work in. So yes, usually the rear speakers in a saloon car will give the lowest bass - and you should be able to clearly hear it. And yes, if they are full-range speakers with separate tweeters or coaxially mounted tweeters, then putting a high-freq cut-off (ie. low pass filter) on the output feeding those speakers will generally help the staging (the sense of the stage being in front of you), and it can often help the stereo left/right imaging too, and the 'placement' of instruments/vocals across the dash. Having high frequencies coming at you from behind that are not natural reflections you'd get in a room or hall (these are different in time, phase and frequency span), plays havoc with our ear/brain system that allows us to 'place' sounds. Just bear in mind it's not great though for rear seated passengers! Also, if you feel the bass from the rears is a tad boomy (not tight enough) and you have the ability to add a high-pass filter (sometimes called a subsonic filter when it's set very low), try it, set to perhaps 50Hz (though depends on the speakers and the roll-off of the High-Pass filter - anyway, just experiment). In other words, feed the rear speakers with a 'bandpass' signal - remove the very low end that the speaker might be struggling with (or over-doing - some OEM systems are designed boomy in the bass, because the designer thought that's what everyone wants!!), and cut some at the high end that tends to pull the image behind you, or at best confuses the front/rear staging.
Hi, there's no straightforward answer to that, it depends on how the overall frequency curve looks when measured by an RTA. Your vehicle and the kind of audio system you have will have a huge bearing on that. For example, if you have a sub-bass system that's giving lots of bass low down at around 40-50Hz, the car's acoustic will boost that and you won't need to lift it with EQ.But if it's only delivering down to 70Hz then you will. Also depends on your personal taste in music and sound balance.
Fast forward another six years and we have nine band parametric EQ's with the ability to not only modify the q but also select the frequency, any frequency 20-20k. Oh and time delay. At a cost of around $250 usd. I can remember paying over $1000 for a separate box just to get that functionality.
Yes, as in so much tech, things have certainly progressed but as much in terms of affordability as features/performance.
@mdubya66 You're welcome. So far it's rare that I get genuine feedback from my blog. :)
Thanks for this video. The one thing that did not come out clearly is what a narrow Q and wide Q is. Eg, on my Alpine CDE178BT I and adjust the Q on 9 bands with Q ranging from 3 - 5. Now does 3 give you a narrow Q or does 5 make it narrow? I'll be playing with the tone generator on my phone to try and answer my own question...
generally the higher the Q the more narrow
HI, Kevin. I wanted to know if the middle frequency is set to 2.5 and width is 2. What is the bass and treble frequency and width set to?
Thanks! This helped a ton!
great stuff..thank you so much helping open my ears up to parametric EQ :)
Great video sir from San Antonio Texas. What is a good method in choosing where the best crossover points are in/on car stereo aftermarket speakers.
I’m having a little difficulty with my Focal Flax expert 165fx two way 6.5’s front active stages
Rear passive matching Focal Flax Co axial- using them full range .
And my subwoofers low pass set at 40-120hz thanks for any input!
Thanks John. I know Focal, though I don't know those specific drivers you have. But first of all, take note of what the manufacturer says in terms of the lowest frequency the driver can handle at rated power, especially when using an active xover; that's true of tweeters as well as mids... subs too, for that matter. That's basically the mandatory safety warning done. The crossover point for the 165fx 2-way ought to be close to where Focal advise - they know their stuff & will have figured the ideal xover point. You can adjust it a little by ear while listening ONLY to the 165fx (if you have any other speakers working it will confuse the hell out of you!). If I'm reading it right that you are using co-axials in the rear, full-range, that likely to be a problem. The upper frequencies from front and rear sets will be overlapping, causing additions, cancellations, phasing issues and messing up the staging. If you can, put a low-pass filter on those rear co-axials set around 1-2khz (you'll need to experiment). All you really want from them is the sense of reflections you'd get in an auditorium, mostly midrange, and keep the level from the rears low, subtle. In a live scene, high frequencies get absorbed by the audience, soft seating etc, so we want to try to mimic that and, at the same time, stop the highs clashing with the highs from the front speakers. First thing to do, switch out the rears and subs and listen only to the fronts. Get them sounding right. Listen to the staging too, if it's across the windscreen - it should be, without the rears working (depending on how/where the front drivers are installed). Then bring up the rears and hear how the staging and imaging gets destroyed :-) So then roll-off the highs from the rear and listen again - the staging and imaging should be back, but with just a little sense of something going on behind you. Then bring the subs in and match by ear. Of course, if you have an RTA handy, or a local installer who can help, even better as you can then see peaks and dips. But your system is not too complex (no bad thing) and so you can do it by ear. Good luck.
@mdubya66 A similar tutorial on crossovers (using the PC RTA) should work but getting time alignment across to people, that's tricky. But we did it back in the old days off of static magazine pages, so I guess it ought to be easier these days! I'll find a way. I'm not as 'on it' with the models these days as I used to be - I know numbers may differ from the ones in UK/Europe, but give me some model numbers with good crossover functions and T.A. built in and I'll try to source one.
I don't understand how to make the curve smoother. I don't see it on the unit's display (Alpine UTE93) Also, in Alpine's Tune it app smaller numbers for the Q look like a sharper curve, is that right? Any advice on these questions, please? I'd like to get a cleaner, punchier bass, even if that means reduced volume, I don't like that boombox - like bass that most units produce with factory settings.
Hi Zach. Unfortunately I don't know the Alpine UTE93. The Tune It app - yes the smaller numbers indicate a sharper (narrower) curve around the centre frequency, so it affects the centre frequency and not much of the frequencies around it. If you are trying to get smoother curves (which is generally right; normally you will only use a sharp or narrow Q to get rid of resonance at a specific frequency, such as when a panel is resonating - you'll need an RTA to measure it), then you need a broader Q and that will help to blend the overall boost or cut across a range of frequencies which is going to sound more natural.
To get cleaner, punchier bass involves a few things, and the starting place is not the EQ. The speaker and the box it is in will dictate the quality and/or type of bass. The EQ can be used to tweak it, but it won't correct a poor setup. For example, if you have a free-air type system, where the subwoofer is working into the entire boot/trunk space or a very large enclosure, you are unlikely to achieve truly 'clean, punchy bass' no matter how much you EQ it (a few subs have come close in various tests I did, if they have a very stiff suspension and the amp is top class in the way it controls the speaker). In most cases it will give you a lot of low end rumble, but you have to be careful not to over-power/over-extend the speaker, because there's not much pressure in terms of trapped air behind it to support the cone, and that's also why the cone continues to vibrate after the musical signal has finished (not for long, of course, but long enough to smear the bass sound and give that unnatural boominess). Do you want plenty of low end extension? Then it's a sealed enclosure with a well-matched sub. Or do you prefer a lot of output where it matters in most pop/rock music, at around 50Hz? Then go vented, again with a well-matched sub. For high output, a lot of 'punch' but not so much low end extension, you could go with a bandpass enclosure. Once you've made that choice, and the sound is just about right, then you tweak it with an equaliser, and perhaps add a high-pass filter at the low end (from 20-40Hz, depending on what you're trying to achieve and the roll-off of the filter) to reduce the very low end extension (which has the effect of making the sound punchier, and helps prevent the speaker from over-extending.
Believe it or not, that's a short answer to a long question. There's a lot more to the subject of getting a good bass, but I hope it helps.
@@24HzICE Thank you very much Sir! I don't have a subwoofer, but I compare the sound to my previous, older Alpine unit. It sounded punchier on the factory Bose speakers. I believe they aren't of very low quality. Today I played with the equaliser, set the 1st band at 32.5 Hz, this one I got at -6 dB. Second band, the bass, at 80 Hz, +1 dB, Third is at 250 -1 dB, then up to 1 KHz curve goes down to -4 dB, then gradually up to the ninth band goes up to +3 dB. Still, maybe I'm more used to hi-fi sound, it needs "something" maybe an external amplifier......? Yes, I did too use the crossover. -12db slope at 63 Hz for the front (6.5") and again -12db at 50 for the rear (these are ellipses 6"x9" sitting on the rear deck with backs facing the trunk). The Bose speaker setup also has separate tweeters near the windshield, I hope setting crossover will not hurt them? They must be having their own crossovers from the factory? The UTE-93DAB doesn't have HPF setting for tweeters.
@@zacmich6472 Hi Zach, Sorry, I misunderstood the kind of system you have there, just the head-unit. Much of what I said still applies though, because the 'punch' comes from the bass and lower midrange and so how the bass speakers are fitted and powered makes a big difference. Your EQ settings sound okay to me, though it's difficult for me to say without hearing the system. -6dB at 32.5Hz helps to protect the speaker, and +1 at 80Hz will add some punch. I checked the specs of the UTE-93 and it has some very nice features. It will probably be limited only by the built-in amplifier, especially when trying to produce low bass and a punchy lower-mid 'kick'. This is where an external amplifier (and woofer, but you have the 6x9s so they may be okay for now) can help a lot, and the UTE-93 gives some nice connection options. On your question about the Bose system, yes there will be a passive HP filter protecting the tweeter.
You say you have the crossover set at -12dB at 50Hz on the rear 6x9. That will help reduce boominess (especially as they are firing into the trunk, although those 6x9s will have a fairly stiff suspension I guess, which helps to restrict their movement) but you may be losing a lot of the bass with that setting. Try to set the xover point a little lower (say 40Hz) but with an 18 or 24dB per octave slope (according to the specs the UTE-93 has these settings). The built-in amplifier will still be the main limitation though, so it may not make much difference, but if you add an external bass amp just for the rear 6x9s then this might be a good setting to test.
@@24HzICE Yes, I too think the integrated amplifier is the downfall, after all you can't have this power coming from such small components without a compromise, so I will think of upgrading it. Thanks again for a great advice!
Can you tell us good settings to start with line by line for this unit?
Hi Steve, Impossible to answer in a meaningful way because it will depend very much on the set-up in your vehicle (your speakers etc), the acoustics of the car itself, and your personal preference. The starting point would be to achieve a 'flat' or relatively consistent response (no big dips and peaks) by using an RTA to measure the curve of a full band pink noise track. After you can see the response is smooth, all the way up from bass to treble (or best you can get it), then tweak the various frequency settings to give the sound YOU prefer (more top, less mid, more bass, upper mid emphasis on vocals, and so on). Bear in mind that trying to do the first step by ear is near on impossible - you will need an RTA or more simply (but far more time consuming) plot the level on paper using a hand-held SPL meter and test disc with individual test frequencies on it.
KEVIN O'BYRNE I figured that would be your response and I absolutely understand that from the brief research I have been doing. I think my concern is more for this particular unit though..
Hellow Kevin, i been thinking on intalling a "Home stereo 31 band graphic EQ" in my car. I know i will need the proper power inverter, But the questuon is,
when i run my Rcas from the xlr's adapter comming out of my 31 band EQ into my power Amplifiers,, i'm i gonna run into any issues like engine Noise or diffrent Ohm impediance in my Rca's signals??
I hope you can Help me, iv'e been trying to google my dilema but can't seem to get the rite answer.
Thank You Sir!, 👍
Hi Hector. Yes you might run into some problems with noise. Equalizers designed for use in a car have separate grounds (signal ground, power ground and chassis ground are kept apart on the PCB, or electronically isolated), but they are probably not fully separated in a 120/240V model (though maybe isolated in the higher spec pro models for better S/N). You may well hit bad problems with alternator and ignition noise because of the common grounding. Your EQ has XLRs for balanced output; it will become unbalanced as soon as you connect to RCAs, but it could mean that they have isolated some or maybe all of the grounds of your EQ inside... just maybe. Impedance probably wouldn't be a problem. If your EQ is a pro model then the signal output may be higher than home/car audio, but I doubt that would cause a problem unless your amps are very low on input headroom. To be honest, there are very good car EQs around and I would just use one of those and save the cost of an inverter and all the headache! But if you want to try your EQ, hook it up temporarily first before you start any real installation work. You will need to power it from an inverter so it is running on the car's supply and ground. And remember to run the engine to test for noise - it will probably sound great till you switch on the engine ;-)
How do I set the clock?
Thanks alot, it helped me alot
@y2kbug77 When you say "s's in vocals" what you are referring to is "sibilance." I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, but I thought you'd like to know the proper term so you can impress your friends.
Google "Interactive Frequency Chart" and check out the first hit.
This was amazing!
I have an alpine too, but unfortunately it only has a 2 band EQ ( bass, treble). I have my high pass filter for my door speakers at 100 hz. Is there a problem if I set my bass center frequency at 100 hz too? Will it get something similar to phase distortion. I've tried setting it at 80hz and 200hz, but I just can't get it to sound right. I'm trying to blend in my subwoofer and coaxial speakers.
Gilberto Gutierrez Hi Gilberto. You can certainly try setting the EQ center frequency at 100Hz - it shouldn't cause any phase issues. At 80Hz, the HP filter will stop any boost in the EQ from having any real effect - at 200Hz it is going to be much too far from the sub frequencies. By setting center freq to 100Hz and boosting, you should get some boost even with the HP filter set to 100Hz. You didn't say how big your door speakers are and how they are powered - if they are quite small and/or under-powered then they will struggle to give much bass/midbass however you set the filter and EQ. But if they are good 160mm drivers (or very good 130mm maybe) powered by an external amp and well installed, then it should sound OK. Good luck!
Thanks for replying. I used to have 3 way 6x9s in the front doors and 2 way 5 1/4s for rear fill (in a single cab truck). The 6x9s were very underpowered, so I sold them and moved the 5 1/4s to the doors. They're 45 w rms each (93 db sensitivity) and are powered by an alpine power pack that is 45w x 4 (rms). They sound best at 100 hz high pass. The thing is I have a 750 rms 12 inch sub with the gain set at about 550 w rms. It blended in better with the 6x9s. I'm looking at buying 6 1/2s rated at 45-60 watts rms. Maybe that will fix my problem. What do you think?
Gilberto Gutierrez The 6x9 inch speakers gave you quite a bit more cone surface area than the 5 1/4s, so I would expect them to usually sound better on mid-bass, but it very much depends on the power amp driving them and how well they have been installed. To be honest, a full answer needs a lot more than I can post here. It's not what the speakers are rated at that really matters (although it obviously limits the amp you can use with them), but the amount of power going into them. But anyway, trying to get a smallish speaker to match a 12 inch sub driven with around 500W is... well, all but impossible unless you use lots of small drivers wired series/parallel the old 'Rockford' way. But can't get into that here! But OK, a set of 6 1/2 with a good amp will give you 'some' sense of bass up front IF you install them well (don't let the rear pressure leak out to the front). And you'll probably need them rated more like 100-150W minimum, not 45-60W. That way you can drive a (good) 50-80W amp into them and they'll have a decent amount of headroom. Don't drive 50W into a speaker rated 50W max - it would be pushing it too hard, especially when you want bass out of it. Kevin.
@mdubya66 It's great to get the feedback - appreciated, thanks.
Great explanation!
Thanks for that, Steven.
hi...how to setting 3 band alpine wde 233 e for SQ ( 2 way fullrange & midwoofer )
can anyone helping me to find right setting ( level, Q, freq )
thanks
Very informative! Thanks!
Hi, everybody my english is bad sorry.
For 3-way active system for my pioneer 80prs please advise Parametric EQ setting.
For example, for the club-pop-dance music?
my car VW Polo Hatchback 1999.Audio system front doors Focal 165v1 , the trunk Hertz ES300 25cm subwoofer, amplifier srx3 AUDISON.
Thank you to everyone.
Confusing as tell me about it lol. I have a 32 band EQ built into my deck. 4DAC's to my knowledge. Which is enough to pull your hair out.
Add that to it's L/R independent EQ settings for each range. In addition to all my crossover points also being L/R independent if i so choose.
This deck will make your head swim. However is the best i've heard but a huge nightmare as well. I am not a audio engineer so where do i even begin. :(
That sounds badass! What head unit is it?
im waiting !!!
This is informative, but it does not talk about how to adjust the equalizer to the system. So what, you will adjust it every time the song changes? It's cool for pro stuff, but who the hell has time for that crap? That's why Alpine has the app to integrate so that the HU can, with the app, make all the settings, with little user input. Gone are the days of technocomplicated gizmos that no one knows how to use.
Rob, I think you've misunderstood it, or maybe it's just not clear enough, but matching the output from the audio system to the acoustics of the interior of the vehicle and to the listener's preference is what I'm talking about here. Of course I don't suggest the EQ is changed every time you choose a new song (though if your own personal taste in music is very varied then it can help to set several different preset curves in memory if available on your unit). What do you think the Alpine app does, behind the interface? It simplifies the same process I describe. That's fine if you don't want to be hassled to make the tweaks yourself, but it takes away a certain amount of personal preference if you allow automation to take over completely. Lots of people can't be bothered to spend the time, I know that, and so the latest technology is great, but others want to fine tune their system but don't understand the process. All I've tried to do is explain the process.
Ive set a lot of systems for people and every time they'll have their amplifiers turned all the way up crossovers totally wrong I usually tell them to go in the house and give me 45 minutes and every time that I do this they cannot believe their ears because before they were convinced they bought junk all I do is.
Knowing the point of distortion of each component in the single chain adjusts it just below that level measurement of the sound stage is critical setting the Xover for each speaker to manufacture specs then the hardest part the eq for the longest time I do everything by ear but now I have a spectrum analyzer a distortion checker
@mdubya66 That was helpful. I was able to google sibilance and I found out it occurs in between 6-8k. But of course my EQ has a big gap between 2-10k. Oh well nothing I can do now, don't have the money for a seperate EQ.