Will I lose sound quality going to a Carpc with my Quality System?

ddotderek · 07-25-2005, 01:26 PM

hey whats up guys, I am somewhat a newbie to this carpc subject but not a newbie with pcs. Ive been reading up on this topic for quite a while and it looks good, but here's the deal. Im currently running a alpine h/u but I really want a 6.5" or 7" screen in my dash to watch dvd's and use navigation. i have a 02 mustang saleen and both the eclipse/kenwood 6.5" will fit nicley. But so will a Lilliput or a Xenarc 7" vga touchscreen. It seems the carpc will allow a little more functionality besides having a computer in your car!! which is awesome. I currnelty have 2 JL W6's 12inch subs getting power from a 750.2 Zapco amp and some Cdt audio 2-way comps getting powered from a 4 channel jl audio amp...obviously the eclipse/kenwood will be plug and play but the carpc will be some work..I now have 3 questions for you experienced users.

1. I have a nice system that sounds awesome and hits hard, even in my convertible. (good with the top down, insane with the top up). Going to a carpc setup, is their anyway to maintain or improve sound quality over my current alpine h/u or the kenwood 7017/eclipse I was planning on purchasing?
Am i going to loose sound quality?

2. How difficult is the setup going to be and am I going to have any compatibility issues? From what i read, My amps will be plugging into my soundcard with some type of stereo/rca adapter and that will create sound.

3. The navigation systems for the carpc, are they better/same/worse compared to what comes on today's Lexus/Infiniti/Audi cars. Will the navigation system "speak" to me?

I debating whether to get the kenwood 7017 6.5 indash or setup a nice carpc system. thanks for the response in advance!!!

Cheekz185 · 07-25-2005, 01:36 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ddotderek

hey whats up guys, I am somewhat a newbie to this carpc subject but not a newbie with pcs. Ive been reading up on this topic for quite a while and it looks good, but here's the deal. Im currently running a alpine h/u but I really want a 6.5" or 7" screen in my dash to watch dvd's and use navigation. i have a 02 mustang saleen and both the eclipse/kenwood 6.5" will fit nicley. But so will a Lilliput or a Xenarc 7" vga touchscreen. It seems the carpc will allow a little more functionality besides having a computer in your car!! which is awesome. I currnelty have 2 JL W6's 12inch subs getting power from a 750.2 Zapco amp and some Cdt audio 2-way comps getting powered from a 4 channel jl audio amp...obviously the eclipse/kenwood will be plug and play but the carpc will be some work..I now have 3 questions for you experienced users.

1. I have a nice system that sounds awesome and hits hard, even in my convertible. (good with the top down, insane with the top up). Going to a carpc setup, is their anyway to maintain or improve sound quality over my current alpine h/u or the kenwood 7017/eclipse I was planning on purchasing?
Am i going to loose sound quality?

2. How difficult is the setup going to be and am I going to have any compatibility issues? From what i read, My amps will be plugging into my soundcard with some type of stereo/rca adapter and that will create sound.

3. The navigation systems for the carpc, are they better/same/worse compared to what comes on today's Lexus/Infiniti/Audi cars. Will the navigation system "speak" to me?

I debating whether to get the kenwood 7017 6.5 indash or setup a nice carpc system. thanks for the response in advance!!!

1. Well Mp3's play at 128kbs while your car cd's play at 192kbs. There is a slight difference in sound quality but not much. YOu can always convert you mps tot 192kbs.

2. Did you install your own sound system? IF you didnt then i wouldnt recomment installing a carPC system. It is far more complicated than installing amps/speakers. If you go to the "FAQ Emporium" go to where it says HOW TO: Hook up PC to sound card and it will tell you how to do it.

3. It all depends on what you like. I guess the OEM navigation systems are nicer but there are some really nice navigation software. I am currently using iGuidance and i Love it. ANd yes it had Voice Recognition. It does speak to me. But not all software speaks back to you. If you live in the States i would reccomend going with iGuidance.

My suggestion is to go to the Faq Emporium and read up on all the topics that interest you. You will learn a lot.

emdzey01 · 07-25-2005, 01:39 PM

no loss in sound quality, if you pick up a good sound card to connect to your amps with. someone here has won a number of sound quality competitions with a carputer setup (with the right equipment, of course). that's how good it is.

compatibility issues are pretty much rare, if you read well before you start off. getting the right equipment goes a long way in reducing the number of headaches you get while setting it up and getting it to work.

from what i've heard, oem navigation systems are a little bit better than a carputer setup's navigation system. however, a carputer-based navigation system has more possibilities to improve itself. for example, you can download the database for the speed camera locations in your area, and adding other locations/points of interest.

a nice carpc systems looks better than having an indash system. it looks better, you have more sense of pride in building a carputer system rather than having mad spending money on a headunit that'll eventually become obsolete.

and yes, computer also do become obsolete after a while. but at least it won't cost you much if you upgrade piece by piece.

where are you located? there are tons of mp3car meets where you can see actual installs of the people here, maybe you could come by, check out different setups, and decide on your plans.

0l33l · 07-25-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cheekz185

1. Well Mp3's play at 128kbs while your car cd's play at 192kbs. There is a slight difference in sound quality but not much. YOu can always convert you mps tot 192kbs.

Once you've encoded your mp3s to 128, upconverting them to 192 will not do anything since you already lost their quality.

Cheekz185 · 07-25-2005, 01:40 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 0l33l

Once you've encoded your mp3s to 128, upconverting them to 192 will not do anything since you already lost their quality.

SO is there anyway to make them at 192??

rsd212 · 07-25-2005, 01:50 PM

You need to choose 192 when you initially rip your CDs. Also, some MP3 download services allow you to select quality. Go with 192, or maybe higher if you have hard drive space to burn. If you're downloading these MP3s illegally, well then I guess you get what you pay for.

b8bboi · 07-25-2005, 01:59 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cheekz185

SO is there anyway to make them at 192??

Yes. But that's like you convert your grandpa's collection of VHS into DVD's. They're DVD's now but they'll still have ****ty VHS-like quality.

0l33l · 07-25-2005, 02:26 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by b8bboi

Yes. But that's like you convert your grandpa's collection of VHS into DVD's. They're DVD's now but they'll still have ****ty VHS-like quality.

Exactly! Great analogy

ddotderek · 07-25-2005, 04:07 PM

thank you for the quick response. So getting a SB audigy2 NX will give me better quality then my current alpine HU? please let me know. also whats the audigy2 ZS and what does the expensive platinum model offer? you guys are making me lean toward the carpc route..a good soundcard is *all* i need right? and the soundcard will plug into both of my amps?

0l33l · 07-25-2005, 04:11 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ddotderek

thank you for the quick response. So getting a SB audigy2 NX will give me better quality then my current alpine HU? please let me know. also whats the audigy2 ZS and what does the expensive platinum model offer? you guys are making me lean toward the carpc route..a good soundcard is *all* i need right? and the soundcard will plug into both of my amps?

I'd go with a PCI Audigy because you can use the kXProject drivers on it.

for the features of the kXProject. It can do time correction, EQ, etc

Tidder · 07-25-2005, 04:58 PM

Personally, I'd not go any lower than 224kbps mp3 encoding. Comparing to a CD, there's no loss that can be heard. At 192kbps, there is still a little loss that is audible.

Whoever said that CD's are 192kbps are wrong. They are 1411kbps, so there is always going to be a loss of quality.

ddotderek · 07-25-2005, 05:09 PM

hey what about my question ?

i will get better sound with a audigy2 soundcard then a new kenwood 7017 6.5" or my current alpine unit? sound is big concern. and i hear iguidance is the best navi to use if i live in the usa..as im from palm beach,fl. I dont want to loose sound with my 2 w6's 12inch and my cdt audio eurosport 620's..

Tidder · 07-25-2005, 05:12 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ddotderek

hey what about my question ?

i will get better sound with a audigy2 soundcard then a new kenwood 7017 6.5" or my current alpine unit? sound is big concern. and i hear iguidance is the best navi to use if i live in the usa..as im from palm beach,fl. I dont want to loose sound with my 2 w6's 12inch and my cdt audio eurosport 620's..

Here's what I think. I think you should keep with your alpine unit, maybe just relocate it so you can fit a screen. Get the Audigy2 soundcard, and run it thru your HU. That's my $0.02

I would do this just so you can get more control out of your stuff.

Does your Alpine HU have an aux in?

accentsound · 07-25-2005, 05:27 PM

You can always go the digital route. Using a MOBO with Spdif out or a Turtle Beach USB sound dongle that has optical Spdif digital out and pump that to a quality DAC.

Cant get much better than that. It will cost you though for the DAC. Audiobahn has one. Oh yes and you get true Digital Dolby 5.1 stereo surround with that set up. You'll need to add a center channel though.

ddotderek · 07-25-2005, 05:54 PM

thanks tidder, interesting idea, i'd have to re-locate my alpine h/u since their's no where else in the car to put a screen..atleast that'll look good. regardless tidder, it seems if i get the audigy2 soundcard i am overall in good shape right?im not decreasing from my current h/u? and accentsound. is the digital route better then the audigy2 soundcard route? will the digital give be better SQ and BASS?..because ive seen mobo's with the spdif digital out. a quality DAC..sorry for the newbie question, but what is a DAC, and how would it work with my current setup? appreciate the answers!! .