can a carputer compete with a head unit for sound quality?

**Blackrazor** · 03-25-2005, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by edscholl

that is absolutely NOT the point if you're into SQ! SQ, from a purely technical perspective, is ALL about accurately reproducing the sound of your source.

No its not. SQ, from a purely technical perspective, is about creating a sound that is ambient, defined, lively, and that people enjoy as much as possible. You can have the worlds most accurate reproduction, and still have it sound nasty...

Trying to recreate exactly the sound of 'the source' is an impossible goal, as the guys on the mixing desks and pre/post edit stages at recording studios have already tinkered to their hearts content anyway... whats on the CD is not 'the source', but the editors rendition of what the source SHOULD sound like

If music was all about accuracy only, then noone would use tube amps, and we would have abandoned cone drivers long ago and worked on ways to fit electrostatic drivers in-car

**sansoo24** · 03-29-2005, 05:49 PM

I would have to say a carpc is way better than a typical or even high end HU. I mean think about all the ways that with the proper card and software you can fine tune your sound. Each vehicle is different and the acoustics are different for each vehicle and system. With a carpc you should be able to really fine tune the its acoustics to fit your car and system.

just my 2 cents

**dusty** · 03-30-2005, 02:31 PM

to the question a most definete yes... its good to see so many other people thinking outside the box so to speak and not being ruled by the.."you need a hu for sq"

http://www.audio-one.co.uk/gallery/d...n&cat=0&pos=14

**dusty** · 03-30-2005, 02:34 PM

the answer to the question.. a resounding.. yes, its good to see so many other people thinking outside the box.

and not being ruled by the usual "you need a headunit for soundquality", "you cant get good sound quality from a computer"( my pet hate)

http://www.audio-one.co.uk/gallery/d...n&cat=0&pos=14

**Gavc** · 04-07-2005, 05:24 AM

what about the fact that most soundcards output around 1-2mv and a head unit outputs 5mv. considering most car amps are made for car headunits, is sound quality from the pc source worst because it is amplified wiht a 5mv signal ?

**Nic** · 04-07-2005, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by Gavc

what about the fact that most soundcards output around 1-2mv and a head unit outputs 5mv. considering most car amps are made for car headunits, is sound quality from the pc source worst because it is amplified wiht a 5mv signal ?

if you look at the signal noise to ratio of good soundcards it can be better than good headunits, so even if you have to amplify the signal more you can still end up with better sound, the only downside is that in lower voltage signals theres a higher tendancy to get more noise induced by the cables.

Also i have no idea where you got 5mv and 1-2mv values from because they are terribly incorrect, try removing the m to get a closer value

**RedGTiVR6** · 04-07-2005, 07:57 AM

on the onboard sound on the M10000, it's something like .5v

most headunits are in the 2-5v range

**plaiming2** · 04-10-2005, 09:55 AM

I just thought i would throw in another bone to this discussion.
In the Home Audio world, there is something known as DRC.
(Digital Room Correction) This means you use your PC to realtime
correct for imperfections in the reproduction of the Source material.
It can be used to optimize the sound for a particular listening position
to make it very close to perfect....

And as far as whether or not sound reproduction is supposed
to enhance or just perfectly reproduce a source....that is a
whole different philosophical discussion.

**Nic** · 04-10-2005, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by plaiming2

I just thought i would throw in another bone to this discussion.
In the Home Audio world, there is something known as DRC.
(Digital Room Correction) This means you use your PC to realtime
correct for imperfections in the reproduction of the Source material.
It can be used to optimize the sound for a particular listening position
to make it very close to perfect....

And as far as whether or not sound reproduction is supposed
to enhance or just perfectly reproduce a source....that is a
whole different philosophical discussion.

have a look at the alpine unit red is running if you are into that stuff, its nuts