Setting up an EQ on a headunit?

[probedb]

Hi all,

Any of you have any experience of setting up EQs on headunits? My Alpine CDA-9855R has something like a 5 band EQ where I can move the bands about, alter the volume and also widen them. But I haven't a clue where to start with it.

Currently have Alpine SPS-171A components up front and will be getting a 10" sub...have removed the rears.

Cheers!

Paul.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Just messed around setting my up yesterday, since every unit differs its hard to give a guide unless someone has that exact system, even then your setups won't be the same.

Best place to start is turn the sub off first, disable any bass boost and turn off the loudness control.

Adjust the Low / Mid / High frequencys, to 0 for bass + treb and set all the frequencys to mid settings.

Turn the units volume up 75 - 80% of total and start messing.

I changed my High then low then mid - each time adjusting the frequencys & widness / then after that added some bass and a little bit of treble, adjusted the high pass filter then went onto changing the sub setups.

If you have a good amp you don't need to turn on the loudness control it just screws with the sound

 

[Lowe]

Loudness is there for listening at low levels. It's actually something that was added to hifi amps back in the day. See, the ear's sensitivity varies with frequency. In particular, at low sound levels the ear isn't very responsive to low frequencies meaning they 'appear' to sound quiet, when in reality they're not. If you do a Google for 'equal loudness curves' you'll see the actual graphs of how the human ear perceves sound at different volumes.

The loudness button (if done properly) should boost the low frequencies at lower volumes to flatten out the loudness curve. As you turn it up, it should reduce the amount of lower end boost. I'm not sure how many headunits do this since car audio isn't my thing (weighs too much!) but this is what it's there for, and why it's on in my car.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Problem that i've found with my last 4 headunits (All expensive ones) is that the loudness function does indeed boost the low end volumes, however the amount it increases the volume by doesn't drop off the higher you turn the volume up, so by 26 things start to sound pants and you actually loose top end loudness / clarity cause the frequencys are shot to bits.

 

[probedb]

Cheers peeps! I think I'll have to play as the exhaust will play a part in the sound...just after it not sounding so tinny basically!

 

[agw_01]

I've found that the loudness feature on my DEH-P80MP increases the volume throughout the entire frequency range.

I might actually try and set it up with the loudness function turned off. Problem is, is because I'm used to the loudness turned on, anything else just sounds like absolute crap.