Does anyone else think factory (audophile) h/u sounded better than Alpine? 2004 3.gen

[GregV8]

====This is on a 2004 Eddie with Audiophile 6-disc Head unit======

I have installed an expensive top-of-the-range Alpine radio some time ago in order to have better ipod controls. I used the recommended harness so I could retain the factory sub and amp.
I've been very happy with the new setup, finding songs on the ipod is a breeze...
...but...
I have to come out with this...
I just think the factory radio sounded nicer. The Alpine only seems to do one thing right: able to play LOUD.
Sure, I couldn't crank up the old radio as high BUT the music was just warmer, more dynamic and more enjoyable.
The new sound is too flat. Loud but flat.

*confused*

 

[SilverSPL]

Are you still using the factory speakers and subwoofer?

 

[GregV8]

Are you still using the factory speakers and subwoofer?

Partially. Upgraded the rear two speakers to aftermarket. The rest is stock.

 

[SilverSPL]

is there a factory subwoofer, and if there was were you able to connect it to the new headunit?

 

[GregV8]

Yes, like I said, I used the recommended harness , factory sub works.
It's just the dynamic range that's missing.

A good example is that Timbaland song, "Get it right". You know it starts with that drunken singing "is it going..is it going..I don't know.." then the drums kick in.
On the old radio those drums sounded like thunder after the vocals.
On the Alpine they have the same volume as vocals. Just too flat.

 

[Infinity08]

It must be teh EQ settings on the Alpine. Is there a compression circuit? Are you using CD, or MP3's? It could simply be the BassEngine settings in the Alpine. I for one, detest the factory heads. Even a cheap head unit seems to have far better dynamic range and a LOT more head room (if using internal power). But, I haven't used an Alpine in about 6 years, they may not have the same tendencies that I remember.

 

[GregV8]

It's the new IDA-X001 unit. I'm using an ipod. (used the same on the factory unit so it's not the ipods fault)

played with all the EQ and various settings on the alpine but no luck. Compression is off, MX is on (without MX it just sounds sh*t).

 

[SilverSPL]

Ok heres whats going on, The factory headunit doesn't give out a flat frequency response, Certain frequencies are boosted and cut out to work to the best of its ability with the cheap speakers to make it sound better. Most bass noted are toned down and the mid bass is boosted usually. and the real high frequencys are toned down also.
So now you go and put in a headunit that has a flat frequency response and alot more power. So now the factory speakers can't hang in there and produce the same kind of sound they did before, because they have a much broader frequency pushed to them that they cant reproduce. So notes get faded out now and it just doesn't sound good.

So what to do,
First replace the front factory speakers with some half decent speakers that require low wattage (around 20 to 40 watts because the headunit is only putting out around 15 Watts)
So that will fix the low quality of sound from the front speakers and match the sensitivity better with the rear aftermarket speakers so everything sounds balanced.

Next you want to set the headuint to cut out low frequencies below 60 Htz because the subwoofer will take care of notes lower than that.

Next you want to match the factory subwoofer output with that of the speakers to a desirable level. Hopefully your headunit has an adjustment for the subwoofer preamp output.

Next if still can't get the desired sound, mess with the headunits frequency adjustments to get the desired soud output.
If you still cant get the desired sound an external amplifier and eq will be needed. but most likely not.
It will never sound exactly like the fractory sound system because they alter the sound frequencies allot to make it sound the best with junk.
What you will hear after you do everything i described is the real way its suppost to sound.

I hope I explained this in a way you can understand

 

[Joe Dirt]

I agree- I think a lot of the factory systems sound better. Thanks for the info SilverSPL- that was more helpful than the responses to audio threads that no matter what the issue is, the solution from reply-ers is "all you can do is get aftermarket speakers if you want better sound", or "get an aftermarket head unit if you ever want hopes of hearing anything remotely appealing" - and then they sound like crap. I bought 4 Pioneer mid-range speakers for one of my old cars, and they sounded 1/2 as good as the factory units I took out. Now your post explains why...

 

[GregV8]

Thanks for the insight SilverSPL ; that explains a lot. Are there any particular aftermarket speakers you would recommend for this job? Cost gotta be under control too

 

[SilverSPL]

well heres a list from cheapest to better that I would go with.
Pioneer TS-G6841R
Pioneer TS-A6871R
Boston Acoustics S85
Boston Acoustics SL80 ( need external amplifier )

To get a desirable sound similar to the factory tone while sounding better will take some work to get it there and can't fully be accomplished by getting the cheapest components you can buy.

I could talk about this subject for hours if I had the time and go into detail about all aspects but I don't so if you have any more questions just let me know.

Factory stereos are best sounding is you leave everything factory once you change out a prat of the system it's not going to sound better. If you want to go aftermarket on one thing you gotta replace everything factory to get a better sound output and allot of tuning with and eq to get a similar tone to factory system.

I would reccomend that you replace the factory subwoofer with an 8" aftermarket one and get a 4 chanel amp, 2 chanels for the front speakers and the other 2 will be briged for the subwoofer. Doing this will give you a much beter sound and make it easier to alter the way things sound to you're liking.