Upgrading my audio to the modern age - can I get a reality check/second opinions?

I have a setting for that (currently turned off), but it doesn't make a diff since bass/treble settings (your typical +/- increments) are already set to zero. The HU doesn't have any EQ beyond that; you had to pay extra for a separate module, which was about $100

Will do soon, about 40 more minutes at work here.

This. So much this. This is the issue. I'm betting money on it. It makes total sense, based on how I tuned that 4ch. This is going to be the root of the matter. I'm practically bouncing in my chair right now with this revelation.

Ugh, I don't trust myself much with that, but I at least err on being over-cautious. I'll probably set it to under-perform, but it should be miles different here with just some knob turning. My neighbors might hate me this evening if all goes well.

 

Would you go with test tones or just random songs? I think random songs would give you poor results. I have a Knife Party song that runs really hot on the subs, while Beastie Boys would be far tamer, just for example.

 

The hissing you are hearing is probably a combination of gain settings that someone pointed out and a possible failure in your ground. Given the moisture in our area, I would double check your ground location for surface rust. I'd remove the bolt and clean up the location anyway.

 

I turned the 4ch to zero last night and the setup acts like it never needed any gain to begin with. I thought zero on the amp would mean zero sound - guess not? This video is with the amp zeroed out, HU filter set at 80Hz, defeat = on. Sounds awful.

Ground would be in the cab of the truck, so I doubt it's a rust issue, but I can track that down later.

https://youtu.be/I76IzgOB5dE

Some more videos.
First video shows original amp settings (sorry for making the funny sound, I get that from my dad)
Second shows box measurements

I will get a video showing me adjusting the sub later today, I realized I had made a mistake in the video and need a do-over.


https://youtu.be/NoAvq2QUrjw

https://youtu.be/K6G7CxHO6MA

 

Man, that definitely sounds like you're picking up noise/interference from somewhere in your system... I'm not sure if I missed it... are you running active or passive?

I've heard that hiss from RCAs going bad (dirty signal) or from your tweeters picking up too much background noise.

The other thing, set your head unit filters to off/flat/etc. Changing your HU filters and then messing with the amp filters will counteract each other. Control it with one or the other.

Doesn't sound like a ground issue. That's usually a "hum."

 

I've suspected the RCAs because they seemed like poor wire despite being Memphis Audio's 'good' cables from back in their heyday. I'm not keen on pulling the HU until I'm going to put in a new unit because the little clips shoot off the trim piece and I have to go buy $10 worth of the little feet each time.
HU doesn't have a low pass filter, only a high pass, which is currently at 80Hz. if I wanted to set it through the amp, I'd need a lot more help since I know less about the buttons and switches on that.

 

I'd try setting HU to 0 or flat and your amp to 0 gain and turn on the HPF.

 

If you could tell me how to do that on the amp, I'd give it a try.
I'm also in a holding pattern until tomorrow, my battery was running low and I sent it in to Sears for an overnight charge.

 

Sure.

The gain on your amp should be a dial. There is a notch or mark that you can align for "0."

The HPF is a slideable button that is usually LPF/off/HPF. Slide the button for your tweeter channel to HPF.

 

Oh, I assumed the button, when set to HPF or LPF, turned on the filter, which you then dialed in. In that case, what are the slope select and x1/x10 settings for? Is that like what @ItalynStylion was talking about with the Fo and Q settings that were on head unit?

 

So small update, I disabled the HU filters and set the 4ch high pass filter to ON. This did have an immediate effect of cleaning up the hiss. Kitsym wins a cookie
On another note, I've got permanent white noise static on the left channel (in the past, I could bang on the dash trim and it would silence it), but the left channel doesn't drop out completely as much like it used to. However, I get more crossfading from left to right, so every song sounds like the breakdown from Led Zepplin's Whole Lotta Love . I'm trying to spend my evenings deciding on a replacement HU, but haven't made my decision yet. I kinda liked Pioneer 4200NEX or the SPH-DA120, sound guy wants me to go Kenwood DDX9903S or DDX6903S, and I haven't heard much about Alpine.

 

Great news!

I'm not able to look those PNs up right now, but they look like single DINs.

I would strongly urge you to consider Alpine's highest end single DIN. Audiophiles love it but mainstream folks don't know about it.

Even at full retail it runs $330 I believe. I picked mine up much cheaper at Stereo King in Aloha. They also gave me a killer deal on the Hertz Mille components.

 

The ones I posted were all double DINs, I just figure there's enough benefit to make the change.
The biggest thing that bugs me is that it's been 8 years and everyone still does a crap job of searching through an iPod. My deck does percent search, alphabet search, and linear search (I use alphabet. Push in on the dial and hold until J, let go and scroll to James Brown, you got James Brown).

 

Double DIN, for the most part, sacrifice sound quality for fancy user interfaces. With the improvement of Bluetooth, it's pretty damn good. If you're not going to run a sound processor, I would consider the single DINs for audio quality. They have built-in time alignment/delay as well. Pretty slick for a single DIN in my opinion.

 

FYI, most double DIN have auto time alignment as well.
I assume you are talking about the Alpine CDE-HD149BT? I can't figure out how well it works with Android (does it have AOA or MTP?). The absolute nicest part of that, though, is it keeps that alphabet search I love.
However, if I was venturing down that path, I'd probably go with a Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS since it does FLAC, seems to have better phone support, and costs less. Sure, the DEH-80PRS is better sound quality wise, but I'm not that dedicated to haul CDs. If I was, I'd be probably one of those guys with a DSP and I'd still have my old Eclipse deck from back in the day. That's more fiddling, money, and knowledge than I care to mess with.
Even cheaper is the JVC KD-R980BTS, but I'm skeptical about JVC since they used to be 'cheap' back in the day and it seems weird that a $100 deck would have similar stuff as what these other guys are touting.

My big worry with going too much that way is that I'm a set-and-forget type, and most of what I'd be paying for is stuff that I would be too lazy/too stupid to use (13 band EQ? Only if I'm in a control room for a live show). While I like some quality, I'm also glad I live with some level of ignorance as well. If you want to lose your mind, a tiny glimpse into madness starts here (side note, I think it's funny that I almost bought an Alpine 9887 when they were new, but I thought my unit was nicer to operate, lol)

The primary proponent for double DIN at this point is the idea of an easier to interpret interface, and I'd talk myself into a backup camera, because I totally misjudge how short I am. Android auto might make things more convenient, but I think having the phone continue to do navigation on its own screen is probably still OK.
The biggest gamble is how well the deck interfaces with Android. I still expect my iPod to do the heavy music lifting, but I can get tired of my collection, too.

 

Wow, so Google now has it that Android Auto works natively on the phone provided there's a Bluetooth connection (any BT connection), so I had a chance to play around. Nothing revolutionary, and completely reveals that there's no need to have it available on the HU.
That leaves the only selling point for 2 DIN is cameras. Talking to a friend and scoping Amazon, I can get that taken care of for cheaper with a standalone setup. My bud also argued that the screen on a HU is in an unnatural position, so having something up higher on the dash is a better idea. I can toss away the old Garmin that's been sitting in the middle of the dash and use the area for the screen instead.

That leaves me to a 1 DIN, with the choices I mentioned in my last post. Has anyone done any review that I should know up front before I delve?

 

Can't disagree with your friend. I'm not a fan of the double DINs anyway.

In terms of what unit to get... if you need a unit that plays FLAC then you will be limited in your options. It really depends what you want the unit to do. Since Google allows you to control everything through bluetooth, pick the options you want then look at brands.

 

FLAC isn't a big deal at this point, the stuff of iTunes is generally doing OK. I know I can tell a difference when listening on quality headphones with an amp and DAC, but I don't care as much when I'm mobile.
The phone would be plugged to the deck for audio purposes, though, because there's a solid, ready benefit there. BT is for phone use.

My concerns are reliability, ease of day to day operations while driving, quality. For example, the JVC boasts being able to upsample compressed formats, but does that actually do anything? Pioneer has the most EQ bands, but do I care? So on, so forth.

 

If you're okay with iTunes quality just pick the deck that looks the best and functions the way you want it. You can get a decent tune using the deck's menus.

Our smart phones have enough EQ functions to make up for the rest.

I pay for Spotify and use their high quality stream via BT. Plenty good through my stock Tacoma system (IMO).

 

I run an 80PRS active and do the bulk of my listening through Apple music. For normal, day-to-day listening, the Apple music quality is perfectly enough for me. I've always felt that the vehicle cabin is already a less-than-ideal environment to begin with, and when you throw in road noise while driving, you're not to realize the full benefit of the highest bitrate digital tracks.

I have an ipod classic that contains all of my CDs ripped WAV permanently connected to the HU's second USB port for when I feel the need for a good sounding track. But that listening is done with the engine off.

I recommend you find a store that carries the HUs you're interested in and just play around with them. My wife has an Alpine W535HD and it's terribly slow...I can't say if new Alpine units are faster. I've read Pioneer double din units are pretty fast.