Alpine PXA-H701 Questions - Page 19

JasonWW · 04-03-2007, 09:24 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by isamu

Thanks for the reply Jason. I've enjoyed reading your posts here at the forums. You've got good knowledge about these things. If there is anything in my many questions above(sorry) you can help me with I'd appreciate it

Let me ask you this though... assuming I decide not to go with a PC, and get the Alpine iDA-X001 HU instead, can that particular unit control the H701 in the same fashion the RUX-C701 can?

I don't know about the iDA-X001. Normally you can go here and download the owners manual, but this one hasn't been released yet so they don't have the owners manual available yet.
http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...category=AV_HU

It doesn't show it has the optical out, but the preamp out will still work, just a tad bit not as clean. Just like any HU a preamp out can be susceptible to noise depending on how the cable is run. It does show Ai Processor control, but I can't say for sure if that's the same amount of control as the RUX. You may have to contact Alpine and ask them.

You have so many questions about your stereo side of things that I don't know where to begin.

The PC would be quite difficult to use with a trackball, much less a mouse. It needs to be easy to control at all times so you don't have to take your eyes off the road for very long. You'll wreck for sure with a mouse. The frontend software puts all your controls into nice big buttons and organizes all the common programs you will use, like MP3, GPS, Sat Radio, video, etc.... I don't have a touch screen right now, but I have my steering wheel controls. I would highly recommend a touch screen LCD. You'll need to run the signal and power cables to it. I think most touchscreens have the USB cable for the TS built into the signal cable.

If you plan to use all 8 speakers you may need 4 amps. It depends on how the Bose system is setup. If it is just 2 front mids and tweets and 2 rear mids and tweets and you use passive x-overs between the mids and tweets you can cut it down to 2 amps or a single 4 channel amp. I would always recommend a sub and that will need an amp as well, but it can wait and be added later.

You may be able to keep that Bose system and interface it with a new HU. I think that is what the Rockford 360 does. You need to talk to some aftermarket stereo guys that deal with the Bose systems. There's no point in replacing 8 speakers and the Bose amps unless you have to or want to.

planetg · 04-11-2007, 03:24 AM

Just got off the line with Alpine Technical.

He told me it's not possible to control the 701 with the Alpine CDA-9857.

From post 142, it seems possible but the technical dude from Alpine confirmed that it's not possible.

I'm confused. Has anyone gotten the 9857 to control the 701?

Cheers

JasonWW · 04-11-2007, 07:05 AM

The Alpine guy is probably right. For some reason it looks like only the DVD units have the optical out. I know some of the regular CD players had that, but they may have updated their webpage or something. I don't know. I would ask Alpine to confirm what models can control the H701.

planetg · 04-11-2007, 09:53 AM

It doesn't really matter if there's an optical out from the HU or DVD.

What I was looking for was just one HU for FM Radio and to control the H701 if possible. Else I'll have to resort to buying the RUX-701 for control.

The idea is still getting the sound card's optical out to the optical in of the H701 but still using the HU to configure the H701.

Any more ideas?

bigbull · 04-14-2007, 06:39 PM

Go the easy way buy a "RUX 701" to control and solve your problems for good.

planetg · 04-15-2007, 03:10 AM

i've got space constraints but i think i'll probably go for 9861, which will be able to control the 701 when i get it in future.

bigbull · 04-21-2007, 05:25 AM

Things goes very slow when useing 9861 only anyway you will be needing RUX 701 to make things 100%.

planetg · 04-22-2007, 09:26 AM

hi there bigbull.

appreciate if you elaborate why it'll be slow using non other than the RUX?

thanx

disker · 04-28-2007, 04:54 PM

I have a DVA-9861 and was wanting to use one of these units, but I don't want to add more amplifiers - can I still use the powered output from the 9861 and take advantage of the sound processing from this unit, or do I NEED to add amplifiers to the H701's output and forget about the HUs internal power?

THANKS!
BTW: Good thread guys!

JasonWW · 04-29-2007, 11:40 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by disker

I have a DVA-9861 and was wanting to use one of these units, but I don't want to add more amplifiers - can I still use the powered output from the 9861 and take advantage of the sound processing from this unit, or do I NEED to add amplifiers to the H701's output and forget about the HUs internal power?

THANKS!
BTW: Good thread guys!

You would need to add amps to the H701's outputs. Usually anyone spending $1300 or so for this source and processor can at least pony up for a simple 4 channel amp for like a 100 bucks. That will sound way better than the internal amps. I'm sure the 9861 has internal EQ and such, is it not good enough?

disker · 04-29-2007, 10:24 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by JasonWW

You would need to add amps to the H701's outputs. Usually anyone spending $1300 or so for this source and processor can at least pony up for a simple 4 channel amp for like a 100 bucks. That will sound way better than the internal amps. I'm sure the 9861 has internal EQ and such, is it not good enough?

When it was in my wife's Saturn, it sounded amazing - but now that I have it in my Rodeo, I can hear many acoustical differences that the built-in EQ just isn't capable of compensating for. It still sounds good, just not as good.

I'm really looking for a way to decrease midrange and increase midbass - sub bass and highs are excellent but midbass is muddy and midrange too prominant.

Thanks for the quick response - I think I know what direction I need to go now knowing that the H701 will need external amps.

JasonWW · 04-30-2007, 07:43 AM

Maybe the speakers in the Rodeo are just not as good as the ones in the Saturn. You should always try and get the sound as good as you can without EQ and then fine tune it with the EQ as the last step. All the EQ in the world won't make a poor speaker sound good.

disker · 04-30-2007, 08:04 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by JasonWW

Maybe the speakers in the Rodeo are just not as good as the ones in the Saturn. You should always try and get the sound as good as you can without EQ and then fine tune it with the EQ as the last step. All the EQ in the world won't make a poor speaker sound good.

I appreciate the advice, but they are the same MB Quart 6.5s that were in the Saturn - so, it is due to vehicle environment and not speakers.

The problem is the 6.5's when installed in the door (factory hole was for 4" ) are not reproducing the midbass as clear as they did in the saturn and are producing too much midrange - what I really need to do next is dynamat and fluff the doors (the doors in the saturn are fluffed and I believe that's one of the reasons they sounded better in there) to try to get a more neutral resonance chamber. One that lets the speaker talk without trying to throw it's own jumble back in with it. (kinda like getting Dick Chaney away from George W... LOL)

JasonWW · 06-04-2007, 09:13 PM

For those controlling their H701 through and Alpine deck, when you change the volume on the deck does the volume on the H701 controller change as well? It may be that none of you are using both as the controller wouldn't be necessary.

It's the lack of remote volume control on the H701 that is killing me right now. It seems clear that Alpine designed that unit to be the master volume control. Both with the PC using the SPDIF and now my old CD player using analog out you have to set the volume on the H701 fairly high so you can then control it with the PC or CD player. The problem is that at low volumes the noise floor is noticable. As far as I know there's no other way to remotely control the volume unless you buy an Alpine HU and they don't have any models that appeal to me. I may have to ditch the H701 for something else.

Have any of you guys seen any new devices from Alpine that can control the H701's volume?

turbocad6 · 06-04-2007, 09:39 PM

once you connect this processor to an ai-net unit you would never know it has it's own level control, all control is through the head, they work great togeather... there HAS to be ONE ai-net head in existance that you can live with, the alpine remote controls everything... alpine really does make a nice system...