When I got my Max, it had some bullsh1t JVC HU in it, but I decided to run it until I got some other stuff squared away w/ the car so I left it in there. I recently got an Alpine CDA-9831 off a friend of mine who needed some cash, so I got it REAL cheap.

To add some adjustability to my system, I got one of the Precision Audio DCX-730's or whatever a few months ago, and that helped alot b/c the JVC had some pretty puccy a5s pre-out voltage(and only 1 set) and virtually no adjustability when it came to shaping the sound.

Well supposedly the Alpine has got mucho adujustability built right into the HU, and it already has pretty decent pre-out voltage and 3 pre-outs, so I do not really think I need the processor any more.

I guess my question is:

Is it better to make your sound adjustments at the furthest point upstream possible(read: HU), or would it be better to give a flat signal to the processor and let it do the shaping work?

EDIT: I have got Alpine 2 ways in the front doors w/ factory tweets hooked up powered by 600w MA Audio HARDKORE 2ch, Pioneer 3 way's in the rear deck ran off head unit, and 2 Earthquake 12's in a custom ported box powered by a 1600w mono amp

 

If your a picky audio fanatic, and like to get a really fine tune and best sound possible out of your speakers i would suggest you keep the processor.

 

Well, I am definatley picky, and that is a major contribution to my problem. The processor worked great and like I said introduced a world or adjustability into my system, but being a line driver it did also bring in a certain amount of noise. I tweaked it as best I could and got most of it out, but not all - there is still some hiss but no alty whine thank god. I haven't had a chance to mess w/ it yet after installing the new HU, so maybe with the Alpine having higher pre-out voltage I can turn down the processor and get rid of the rest of the noise...

 

I thought I had read that these processors were actually pretty good with the noise floor. Did you try turning down the gains on you amps?

 

It is always better to use a seperate audio processor. All you want form your HU is a flat sound. I have always used Alpine and love the true flat sound, but I always bought the ampless receivers intil now ( I have a W200). Just turn the defeat option ON and you will have a flat signal comming out form the HU.

 

It's not like there is alot of noise, but there is just some hiss when the volume is low that I couldn't get out. Yeah, I tried messing lowering the amp gains and going up on the output voltage of the processor, and vice versa- it is about as good as it's going to get.

That's what I figured, the processor can handle to job better than the HU. Turning off the internal amp in the HU supposedly yields better SQ from it- only problem is right now my rear speakers are driven off my HU...

 

Thats ok you don't need rear fill .

I would keep the processor. Did you turn the levels on the processors down? This hiss may be something associated with the wiring as well but sounds like it's coming from some where in the processor's settings.

 

if you take the processor out.. would it be for sale?

 

I didn't think so either, but turning the defeat on and killing the rear-fill makes the sound seem to beam from the front- with the rears going it "pulled" the music away from the A-pillars.

But I turned the defeat on and am ust running the fronts off the amp for now- until I can find another 2ch to run the rears. I am thinking of pulling my old school Orion 2ch amp off the shelf and hooking it up to them