Adam, did you ever get the chance to hook up your expensive hi-end home audio cd player to your car and compare the differences to your Alpine head unit ????

 

Yes.

I'll dig up the post...it's around here somewhere.

Realy busy right now...so I may be a few days.

Adam

 

Keith, I can't find it...but I do remember writing it here on CCA.

The home CD player is a specially modified Rotel transport with upgraded D/As and a tube output stage. (All done by Dennis Had of Cary Audio Designs)

To summarize, I found the tonality of the home CD player to be better than the Alpine. Straight up with no EQ or Time alignment, the Home Cd player was pleasantly better. It wasn't a huge leap forward in tonality, but it was really nice. I found that image depth was about 10% better, but it was hard to judge as my car is set up for use with mild time alignment to image. Over all, the Home Cd player was a pleasant surprise in that my deck(Alpine DVA-7996) was not that far off in terms of detail and tonality. I easily prefered the home cd player though, as it was certainly a bit more liquid with the tube output stage.

Using the time alignment on the deck was a totally unfair advantage. Imaging depth and width of the deck greatly surpased that of the home CD player. If I could get time alignment on the home cd player, it would have been a more even comparison. Time alignment in my car, with my equipment, brings details in music to life that otherwise are mired in jumble of phase cancelation.

Fast forward to today. I'm using an optical feed from my DVA-7996 to an Alpine PXA-H900 processor. Head to head in tonality and image depth, the H900 walks all over the Home CD player. I'm not surprised people purchase the H900 for home theater or 2 chanel music system use. Without touching ANY of it's adjustment and tuning features, the H900 is a totally awesome D/A straight out of the box. Freaking pricey though!

I hope this answers your questions Keith.

Adam

 

Fantastic asnwer Adam....Thanks.

Well, I already have the cash to purchase the Alpine F#1 system but this cash will have to come out of my home audio system budget unfortunately. I will have to consider this option a bit more or save like a mad-man for another 2 years before I buy the F#1.

Again, a very well written answer Adam !!!

 

Thanks Keith.

Despite the fact that for me, speakers are the most important peice of an audio system, the H900 is the ONE piece of gear in my system that I will NOT replace. It's so flexible, that you will be able to upgrade other parts of a system for years to come and still not have to get a new processor. In terms of musicaly enjoyment, my system rivals most all of the home systems that I have heard. It still has major work to be done to get where I want to go, but the H900 has brought my systems capability to a whole new level. As someone else on this forum has said to me, "no more excuses"


Personally, I would start a dialog with Jason Hay (at Audio Concepts Mobile) about your intrest in the H900. I hold both the product and the person in the highest regard.

Adam

 

Um....just a little footnote here.

My car system does not rival the home system's clarity and resolution that I've heard. But I find myself having more fun listening to the car system than the home stuff.

Adam

 

her is my question i have the following
alpine iva-d900
phoenix ti 800.1 and 500.4
i am thinking to put either the pxa 510 or audiocontrol eqs
eqs gives me more eq.bands and +6 channel linedriver but trunk mount no control from front wich i dont change a lot
the 510 has control from front 6 channel memory dolby digital(not important at this time) but less band and i have to adjust most of it from controller and the sub adjustment is on the 510 and no line driver wich i need for my pg amps any input would be great thanks

 

From a tuning standpoing, I'd go with the PXA. Crossover slope and gain flexibility are worth more than EQ points.

EQs are over rated.

Adam