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

**fordrule** · 04-11-2005, 03:52 PM

i am also setting up my car for sq. I am stationed at fort campbell ky. so hopefully i can get involved in sq events in nashville. I am as of now researching the project before i just jump into it. i am liking the alpine pxa-h700 digital processor. but i am looking for a sound card that has digital outputs since the processor has digi input. alpine also does have digital amps in the inventory. for speakers i like diamond audio and jl for subs.

i was searching around and had the same initial question about a headunit vs a computer repoducing the sound guality. thanks for the answers.

here is my question, since we can say the answer is yes the cpu can perform up to and even better than a headunit, what is a good sound card that has digital out i know red is using the sb audigy laptop card is there any other card that offers digtal out and rca output

**got2liv4him** · 04-11-2005, 04:41 PM

[off-topic]
Who is Dr. Ule?
[/off-topic]

**nubz69** · 04-16-2005, 10:38 PM

It seems a lot of you do not know what is involved in a SQ comp. car. Most of the cars that are winning SQ comps they are using active crossovers. Also depending on which group you are compeating with your carputer has too boot in a certin time.

The question is can a carputer provide enought outputs. For most cars that is at least three pairs of RCA outs. The next question is are there any programs that will allow you to setup the crossovers, eqs and time alignment for each channel. The last may sound trivial but volume control is very important.

DRC for those of you that don't know is the use of reverse impulse responce filters with the intent of removing the "room" from the audio equation. It is complicated and has it's largest impact on freq below 300hz. I have wanted to use it in a car though but currently I don't know linux and I am not building a carputer.

**RedGTiVR6** · 04-17-2005, 12:51 AM

it sounds like you are talking about only using a car computer....not a computer WITH a processor....because a processor is going to provide what you are asking for....3 RCA outs

it sounds to me that you are talking about 100% computer...with no other products....correct?

**nubz69** · 04-17-2005, 03:42 AM

I don't really see the point of using a carputer with a processor. It is redundant equipment. A PC can do what a processor can do and more but the question is is there a program designed for this. I know that there is bruteFIR for linux that can do all this but I don't know how to use linux.

**bigaaron** · 04-17-2005, 05:56 AM

All I know is that my sound blaster audigy nx sounds every bit as good as my $400 headunit did. What sucks is software eq's in general. A good hardware eq (eg. Alpine ERE-G180 or better) makes all the difference in the world. Also, BBE works supprisingly well at bringing mp3's back to life. When people complain about popping, hissing, or engine noise it is usually an installation error, not an inherant problem with the equipment.

**Nic** · 04-17-2005, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by nubz69

I don't really see the point of using a carputer with a processor. It is redundant equipment. A PC can do what a processor can do and more but the question is is there a program designed for this. I know that there is bruteFIR for linux that can do all this but I don't know how to use linux.

my computer can do the same thing as my stereo, my tv and my dvd player, but i still have a stereo a tv and a dvd player... why? because dedicated components often do a better job, theres no disputing that the computer couldnt do the same job as a signal processor but id much rather have a properly engineered signal processor than have to engineer one myself, just a personal opinion tho

**vr4** · 04-21-2005, 06:12 PM

here is my question, since we can say the answer is yes the cpu can perform up to and even better than a headunit, what is a good sound card that has digital out i know red is using the sb audigy laptop card is there any other card that offers digtal out and rca output

Check out the AG Gigaport External USB. It is 24 bit, has digital out and 6 RCA outs which allow you to split the sound into 5.1 surround output at the soundcard. The soundcard actually decodes Dolby Pro Logic and DTS meaning you don't actually need another surround sound processor and it can even be configured for 7.1 surround sound.

It works with Macs as well.

**nubz69** · 04-21-2005, 09:47 PM

intresting idea but I am not looking for surround I am looking for an active three way front stage. For people looking to do in car theater that would be a cool peice.

**Tekmazter** · 04-22-2005, 04:48 PM

It's suprising that a lot of you immediately jump onboard with saying a PC can produce the same quality as a high end HU or better, yet none of you recognize the true problem here. While a PC with an outstanding sound processor can certainly keep up, if not surpass a highend HU in PURE sound processing, adding a pc to do the processing of a HU into the mix GREATLY complicates an audio setup in any environment not at least of which a car would probably be one of the most difficult.

I think the true question here would be: Can a PC with the right software, codecs, and power components compete with or beat a standard HU front end setup? I mean look at what you'd be adding with a PC ... a harddrive alone has moving discs and heads not to mention that if you're playing from a test dvd, you've also added even more moving parts to the mix. There's more room for failure. More room for wiring problems, and more room for noise in your sound environment. I'm thinking that a PC competition vehicle that dominates if very possible but it's not going to be easy as more would need to be done wiht your setup than with JUST a HU.

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Of course all of this goes w/o saying that the front end is only one part of a true competition setup. You're only as strong as you are an installer