Cool Car Audio Score

[rwest]

About 20 years ago I tinkered a bit with car audio as a "hobby," I had a Sony XES system in my 911- still do.

Well, anyways if you went to a high end stereo dealer or competed in a "sound off," there was a good chance that they had an Alpine 4780 real time analyzer(RTA) to judge the frequency response of your system. I always thought they were very cool and if I begged my sales guy, he might hook it up to my car and let me tweek the equalizer for a few minutes- not really enough time to get it perfect.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and for some unknown reason I thought about that RTA and went to eBay where I found one listed; good shape and untested; starting bid $50, what the heck, I put down $150 for my max and was the only bidder, so for $50 plus $20 shipping it was mine.

Came on a Friday, only has a car plug so I went out to the winter car and hooked it up, pushed the power button, power light comes on, nothing on the screen. Okay, I see a contrast knob, turn it up and the screen comes on, except the bars are frozen, so I turn it off and back on- YES! works like a charm. Original price in 1987- $1650! this thing just reeks of quality, even the case is well built.

Display of frequency response



Display of sound pressure level

[Chocaholic]

Dude! There's an app for that.

Seriously, congrats!

[RANDY P]

Dude, that's bad ass!

I love old skool audio- My silverado has a P150HD running everything, caps and coils, old skool.

I used to be in the biz in the 80's-90's.

rjp

[rwest]

Thanks guys,

I was seriously walking around as "giddy as a school girl" for about two days after it showed up- I think it was one of unobtainable things from your younger years that you finally get to own.

I have seen the apps, but wonder if the microphone in the device really has the frequency response necessary to get an accurate reading.

Anybody in the MN metro area that wants to tweak their system, just let me know.

Rutager

[RANDY P]

I use a cheap spectrum analyzer program with a Technics home stereo mic plugged in, I just adjust for differences.

My BMW has a Soundstream Reference 405, EQL, pioneer kevlar 5.25 seps (I paid $39 shipped off EBAY) , factory rear mids only rear fill, and a Punch 15.

rjp

[rwest]

Nice set up Randy,

I have the Sony XES signal processing and crossover with an HD radio and iPod adapters that a real smart guy in PA built a few years back feeding a couple Precision Power Art Series amps, the black ones with the circuit diagrams silkscreened on in black for a subtle look. I have a 10" ADS sub and a set of MB Quartz coax speakers in the kick panels that I have bi- amped.

I need to do a better install this spring to tidy the trunk up.

[RANDY P]

Art Series, those are killer.

I got an endless collection of old Punch amps, Orion XTR, Alpine / Clifford alarms, Soundstream -- all the USA stuff.

All for imaginary builds, down the road.

PS if you need a good place to repair stuff, I know of a really, really good shop in NC. Jason Gibson at Freeman's Car audio will fix anything. He's done a few of my amps, always right the first time.

PS I love the pioneer separates, esp. for the price. They sound nice and uncolored. Too bad about MBQuart- those are my 1st choice. Back in the day the 218CX I ran.

rjp

[bell]

Cool stuff man........after walking away from car Audio as a profession for 20+ years and being a porsche wrench the audio bug is back......
currently pouring together something massive for my 924s......alpine head, rockford symmetry, 4 big ass ppi pc amps......etc......

[rwest]

Just finding this RTA has got me interested again too. I started looking around to see what is out there both old and new.

I thought that because of the integrated systems in cars these days that aftermarket had to be almost gone, but no, it appears that many manufacturers have adapted by making processors that take the speaker level from a factory head and then allow you to add amps and your own speakers and then be able to tune for great sound.

I also have a complete Sony XES system that I've been meaning to install in my Toyota Yaris daily driver, just need to get amps and speakers.

[afterburn 549]

How come old stuff sounds better?
I will argue tubes sound a lot better.

[bell]

Cause everything is Chinese now. ...well most everything.
pm me and I'll link you to our fb page to show off old school gear and our buy /sell / trade page. .....I've gotten everything i have through there and made a few bucks selling old stuff....awesome group, better than ebay

[Rusty Heap]

carver car amps.

still have some in a box, as well as Carver and Sunfire home amps/preamps/subwoofers. I've got 4000 watts of twin Sunfire subs in my media room.


The Carver car amps made in Seattle were honest 240 watts 120x2 with discrete output mosfets, or you could bridge it mono.


I've got home gear for sale if anyone is interested.

pm me.

[aschen]

Originally Posted by rwest

Thanks guys,

I was seriously walking around as "giddy as a school girl" for about two days after it showed up- I think it was one of unobtainable things from your younger years that you finally get to own.

I have seen the apps, but wonder if the microphone in the device really has the frequency response necessary to get an accurate reading.

Anybody in the MN metro area that wants to tweak their system, just let me know.

Rutager

Good Mics are still expensive

Electronics, not so much.

[rwest]

Bell,

Can you tell me a little bit about the Symmetry system? I have a old issue of Car Stereo Review that shows it as being a box that different modules slip into; might have been a prototype though.

Rutager

[bell]

The older original symmetry had a pc based module system, the evolution of that was the above symmetry epx and epx2.
the epx2 had the ability to ad a 28 band eq board, there is also an available dsp card but i don't have one of those yet.
the crossover section is awesome....
front hp, front band pass, rear high pass, rear bandpass, and sub out. All digital and programmable.
the eq will let you adjust l & r channels individually, along with programming it to change eq presets at different banks of volume ranges 3 or 4 times through the volume range....
i have 2 of them but need to find a second controller

[rwest]

bell,

Nice, I think there are some of those on eBay. Do you feed a signal to it from a head unit and then from it to the amps?

Rutager

[bell]

Yes, it has 2 stereo source inputs.....I'm using an old school alpine

[bell]

I'm also running 4 ppi pc amps totaling around 1200 watts, i have tons of headroom....
all running @4ohm

[Ayles]

Great thread!! Love the old school gear. I always ran alpine and forgate equipment in the early 90s.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by Ayles

Great thread!! Love the old school gear. I always ran alpine and forgate equipment in the early 90s.

Car Toys or Sound Advice?

I used to be insurance mgr. Fed Way CT a long, long time ago.

Only place I really called Nirvana was Magnolia

rjp