Lspade69

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys, I asked about TA before but I didn't quite get the answers I was looking for so I was wondering if anyone could give these questions a shot.

Ive heard time alignment can be in HU's or time alignment machines. I don't exactly know how they work or anything. I am actually totally confused on the subject. I am pretty sure that they are used to make the subwoofers, mids, and tweets hit earlier or later.

What companies make TA machines like this?

Where would I buy a TA system?

Thanks guys for the help.

veeman

iTrader: (3)

Basically, TA is available in many head units as part of their internal sound processing, for example, Alpine's bass engine. It is also available in external sound processors that have it as a feature. As with everything else out there, some are better than others, some are more adjustable, some have more channels etc... The idea of TA is to delay the output of all the speakers individually (and by different amounts of delay) depending on how far away they are from the listener (driver usually). For example, in a 4 speaker system, the furthest speaker from the driver is the rear right. This speaker would be left alone, and the other three would be delayed accordingly so that they all deliver sound waves to the driver at the same time. This equal arrival time allows for better imaging, staging, and gets the sound more centralized and not seeming to just be coming from the driver's door. Obviously, there's way more involved, but that is the basic idea behind it.

BigRedGuy

iTrader: (11)

Nicely put Veeman.....

As an example, my Kenwood KDC-X889 has a pretty good TA system in it. It will allow you to input your vehicle type and cabin size, and then give you a basic setup, which you can tweak to your heart's content....

It's definitely on the list of things that can really screw up the sound in your ride if you over-do it....fortunately it can be defeated with one touch of the right button......

HTH

Hardwrkr

iTrader: (5)

Looks like it was hit on there by Veeman pretty good. TA is a delay in the signal getting to the speaker.
Stand in front of your home stereo with a speaker in front of you with one to your left and one to your right. Take a couple steps to your left and the speaker you're closest to is the one you hear the most from (and the one your ears are directed to). Now if you were to delay the sound from getting to that left speaker by a couple milliseconds you could get the right speaker to sound just as close as the sound from the right would be hitting you at the same time as the sound from the left.
In a car your driver's seat can't go left or right so you're pretty much stuck being closer to the left speaker. See where I'm going with this?

Lspade69

iTrader: (2)

Ohhhh, awesome, i get it. So do like some crossovers and eq's come with TA equipment? I want to buy something with TA technology in order to learn more about imaging in vehicles and bettering my sq.

SweetnLow91SC

Most TA or time delays processors used in car audio are "only" good enough to correct position of instrument placement. their time increment are way too course to line up drivers... example: tweeter is 2.5ms away and mid is 3.7ms. (1.2ms diff) most caraudio time delays have about .5ms increments or more, with using delays to line up divers.. all the driver must be near peak or dips free... otherwise it'll wander with different music. and timing must be dead on...... otherwise it'll sound thin or hollow. other use to get the bass upfront etc. is o.k to some degree...... just remember that the more delay is applied the smaller the image will gets and the dynamic performance is out the window.




Car Audio: Zapco, Rockford Fosgate, Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood, etc.

Pro Audio: Rane, Lexicon


Custom Shops like: Audiolines, Audiomotion, Hzemall, etc

Pro Audio Shops like: Long & Mcquade, Commercial Electronics, etc


~

jasondh

Alpine's increments are .1ms and Pioneers (if I remember correctly) can go as low ans a centimeter (~.03ms?). I agree with you're comments buy it works fine for a non competing daily driver.

SQTaco

I got a question, WHat speakers do you delay, the drivers or passenger ones?

BigRedGuy

iTrader: (11)

You delay the ones closer to your ears, so the sound from the ones further away get there at the same time.....

Twenty2

I just recently set up the TA on my pioneer HU, so far I'm impressed by how much control I have over where the sound is now, but I still have alot of tweaking to do.

but to clarify (at least on the 8600) the minimum adjustment is 1 inch/2.5 cm