I keep warning people who use those low resolution o'scopes they may not be seeing everything they think they are. Low resolution plus questionable calibration is cause for concern. DD-1, AMM-1 and Amp Dyno are invaluable tools!
My new $240 Owon oscilloscope shows waveform distortion long before the AMM-1 clipping indicator. My DD-1 Distortion detector light comes on right about when I notice waveform distortion. What I like about the o-scope is I can see if there is any waveform distortion at the centerline where the signal goes from positive swing to negative swing. This would be switching distortion between the push and pull output devices. No single tool does everything, so I am glad I have all three.
Do not listen to these reviews with machines. I have the 149 bt and tried to switch to a Kenwood Excelon 704 it sounded terrible! And the Excelon did very well on various videos like this. What counts is the quality of the components inside the radio. I run the krx2s and class ab focal amps with external high capacitors and the 149 is one of the very few single dins on the market that can run these speakers cleanly!
+DJ Inclined Although we didnt show it in the video, Tony and Juan can validate, we did throw a CC-1 CD in and tested other tones, same problem, the tones are distorted, although we didnt test lower tones other than 40hz, it was pretty evident that anything over 1kHz produced the same result with distortion.
Hi Tony. Have picked up a strange issue on a Mobridge DA3. If I set the crossover in the DSP to full range I get normal readings on the DD1. If I use a low pass filter 24dB LR at 60Hz then the distortion light comes on before the signal detect light.
Thanks again Tony and Juan for testing this and validating to show what is exactly happening. @Michael, I bought 3 different 149's, 2 of them did this exact same thing at 22 vol, the 3rd one I settled on did it at vol 27. I could not get/find a clean full vol 149
they never were, they were better than sony and panosonic, Well not sure how old you are. Maybe in the 80's they were where it was at, pioneer has been better for many years now.
Could it be because the alpine is set flat at 0 for all the setting and is not sending out a good 1k hz signal but is a 40hZ? I honestly don't know just guessing really.
Interesting. The last Alpine HU I bought was the 9886, I got rid of that garbage quick smart, I bought my first Eclipse HU and haven't looked back (still using it, even over my Pioneer P99RS).
So I know this is old. But I can't get clean signal at loud volumes on mine. Thought it was my mid and tweeter. Than my amp. Tried to eq but still gets bad after about 22. So will this never change with tuning?
+ickythumptahoe ickythumptahoe only way to tell for sure is to test it, id say if its a newer deck, the ones i had problems with were Nov 2015 and Dec 2015 MFG dates, we cant honestly say which ones are affected, you just have to test...
are you also testing this 1k freq on the subwoofer outputs fully maxed out???? what channels are you using???? why not do a real life test and try front or rear output and also mabee try listening to this deck and see if you can hear the distortion.. it is not even possible to adjust the front or rear outputs to a + 15 setting,,,,,, this should factor into your test
I have the same issues with mine, 1khz distortion after 23, 40hz distortion free & clip free all the way up. I've had 4 of these and they all have the same exact issues. This most recent one that I have now maxes out at 2v. I called Alpine tech-support today and the kid told me he laughs at videos like this and that there's probably something wrong with my 100MHz Fluke ScopeMeter 105B II - You would think they'd be trying to correct the issue. I have a cheap kenwood that I reviewed on my channel that puts out a perfectly clean signal with no issues and with more voltage. I'm speechless.
Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS: $175 - Bluetooth, Spotify, USB, HD Radio, Sirius/XM Ready, 4v preouts, Time Correction/EQ x-overs. Best h/u for the price, I have the one below it the X7800BHS and that one's great too
I keep warning people who use those low resolution o'scopes they may not be seeing everything they think they are. Low resolution plus questionable calibration is cause for concern. DD-1, AMM-1 and Amp Dyno are invaluable tools!
+Dereck BigDWiz Yeah I get a kick out of folks ordering 25 dollar pocket scopes...lol.
My new $240 Owon oscilloscope shows waveform distortion long before the AMM-1 clipping indicator. My DD-1 Distortion detector light comes on right about when I notice waveform distortion. What I like about the o-scope is I can see if there is any waveform distortion at the centerline where the signal goes from positive swing to negative swing. This would be switching distortion between the push and pull output devices. No single tool does everything, so I am glad I have all three.
Do not listen to these reviews with machines. I have the 149 bt and tried to switch to a Kenwood Excelon 704 it sounded terrible! And the Excelon did very well on various videos like this. What counts is the quality of the components inside the radio. I run the krx2s and class ab focal amps with external high capacitors and the 149 is one of the very few single dins on the market that can run these speakers cleanly!
Testing 1khz on the sub out? Is that how it's supposed to be?
It's hard to tell? Are you coming out of the Sub output? No problems w mine. Video Posted a while back.
interesting results, but how often with you have a song with 1khz voice or synth at 0db for more than a split second?
+DJ Inclined Although we didnt show it in the video, Tony and Juan can validate, we did throw a CC-1 CD in and tested other tones, same problem, the tones are distorted, although we didnt test lower tones other than 40hz, it was pretty evident that anything over 1kHz produced the same result with distortion.
So are all the Alpine head units trash now?
Hi Tony. Have picked up a strange issue on a Mobridge DA3. If I set the crossover in the DSP to full range I get normal readings on the DD1. If I use a low pass filter 24dB LR at 60Hz then the distortion light comes on before the signal detect light.
How are you hooking the scope up to the head unit?
Have you guys found any problems with the 8" alpine double din stereo?
Thanks again Tony and Juan for testing this and validating to show what is exactly happening. @Michael, I bought 3 different 149's, 2 of them did this exact same thing at 22 vol, the 3rd one I settled on did it at vol 27. I could not get/find a clean full vol 149
I've had 3 of them. all from different years. all clean. Got one on my "channel"
What happened to Alpine? back then, there were *real* hi-end HUs
they never were, they were better than sony and panosonic, Well not sure how old you are. Maybe in the 80's they were where it was at, pioneer has been better for many years now.
Pre 200's they were *the* $h!t, since they have just been, $h!t...
Could it be because the alpine is set flat at 0 for all the setting and is not sending out a good 1k hz signal but is a 40hZ? I honestly don't know just guessing really.
But would testing 1khz on the sub output yield accurate results? I'm guessing it would barley pick up that signal anyway.
You are correct, you’d have to use the 40Hz track for that
Interesting. The last Alpine HU I bought was the 9886, I got rid of that garbage quick smart, I bought my first Eclipse HU and haven't looked back (still using it, even over my Pioneer P99RS).
I figured this out with my 149bt last year. I'm not to happy about it either. So I now have a pioneer 80prs.
What impedance show DD1 to Radio. Same as amplifier?
it's possible that it's wrong for being without correct impedance
Is there a problem with particular 149 or does every 149 do this? Good stuff, I need to order a DD1 soon from you.
+Michael Gravenstreter we have heard reports of good 149s and bad 149s
+DAmoreEngineering What school or type of school would u learn this from?
So I know this is old. But I can't get clean signal at loud volumes on mine. Thought it was my mid and tweeter. Than my amp. Tried to eq but still gets bad after about 22. So will this never change with tuning?
Is this deck no good this is the one I have 😢
+ickythumptahoe ickythumptahoe only way to tell for sure is to test it, id say if its a newer deck, the ones i had problems with were Nov 2015 and Dec 2015 MFG dates, we cant honestly say which ones are affected, you just have to test...
I also found a fault like this on an Alpine radio. Took it in to Alpine and they reset some function in a hidden menu. It’s fine now. DD1 works well!
Wow, real hi-end is going on...
are you also testing this 1k freq on the subwoofer outputs fully maxed out???? what channels are you using???? why not do a real life test and try front or rear output and also mabee try listening to this deck and see if you can hear the distortion.. it is not even possible to adjust the front or rear outputs to a + 15 setting,,,,,, this should factor into your test
So WTF man... do they all do this or are you just picking apart radios for the fun of it?
EMF sent me here
Me to lol. Used to like emf but learned today he is a tool
I have the same issues with mine, 1khz distortion after 23, 40hz distortion free & clip free all the way up. I've had 4 of these and they all have the same exact issues. This most recent one that I have now maxes out at 2v. I called Alpine tech-support today and the kid told me he laughs at videos like this and that there's probably something wrong with my 100MHz Fluke ScopeMeter 105B II - You would think they'd be trying to correct the issue. I have a cheap kenwood that I reviewed on my channel that puts out a perfectly clean signal with no issues and with more voltage. I'm speechless.
I have your smd dd1 I have the exact same stereo and the smd dd1 those not detected distortion at all ;) JUST TO LET YOU KNOW
Seems like there are some good ones and some bad ones out there. Glad yours is a good one 👍🏼
what's a head unit you would recommend in the single din category? best of the best.. your top 3
Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS: $175 - Bluetooth, Spotify, USB, HD Radio, Sirius/XM Ready, 4v preouts, Time Correction/EQ x-overs. Best h/u for the price, I have the one below it the X7800BHS and that one's great too
i just bought one of these and i am having the same issue. it was brand new from car-tunes
What is going on? Next video please...
They must have had a bad batch, I've tested 3 of them from different year. All clean. *oscope+DD!
yep my 149 did this
Nice the dd1 does what them 3 things do but that cd is a chappy Panasonic branded alpine.
good to know
Folks when checking for distortion at 1k htz you must play at - 10db. Track 2 plays 1k htz at 0db that's why it's showing clipping
explain why.
Why
thanks God 😥
Yikes! That's really poor.
its an Alpine what did you expect