shut up and take my money stereo install

[josby]

It was only when I added the DSP and amp that it sounded harsh - perhaps boosting midrange and tweeter.

I tried to check for this tonight (yes, I had a friend drive while I did this lol):


The bottom line is through my DSP's AUX in (just to confirm I get a flat measurement from REW first). The rest is a pink noise WAV file played on the Civic headunit/amp, connected to the DSP via the front mids, front tweets, and sub. The DSP input EQ is adjusted to flatten out the wonky OEM curve (can't quite flatten it 100%). I set the DSP for just a basic 2-channel fullrange output with no EQ on the output and these are readings from the left RCA output.

The bottom is 0mph, then 70 mph with SVC off. Just 1/10th of a dB difference - probably slightly higher amp output due to the alternator putting out more voltage while moving. Basically no difference, as you'd expect.

The next three are at 70mph with SVC low, medium and high. 2 dB bump, 6 dB, and 9 dB respectively. But no change in the shape of the curve the headunit is outputting, except a little tweak down above 17 KHz. There's so little music content that high, and it's such a small change (especially with SVC on Low), that I can't see that being what you guys are hearing, though.

But, this was done with volume at 30, so the SVC bumps the effective volume setting to 32, 36, and 39 in that case. The headunit doesn't change the bass at any of those volume levels.

So I tried it at volume 15 also, where the headunit does add a bass bump. The SVC low/med/high would then push the effective volume setting to 17, 21, and 24, and the bass bump is decreased as the volume goes up in that range. Results:



So maybe that's what you guys are hearing - as SVC turns up the volume, the bass doesn't increase in volume as much as the rest does.

If that's the case, adjusting your gains so most of your listening is done above about volume 25 will probably allow you to keep using SVC without that problem.

Another possibility is SVC is changing the balance between left and right volume, which I didn't check, or that it's changing the balance between front and rear volume. I don't use the rear outputs for anything so I wouldn't catch that - not sure if you guys might be using both front and rear.

 

[2016TouringSLC]

Great information -- and supported by "science." It appears SVC only boosts the volume and not the freq response (except a little less on the bass).

I'm think you are correct that it is a gain issue as there are four gains on my system: (1) two for the LC8i (one for midrange and one for tweeter that are merged into a single output); (2) gain on the DSP; (3) and then gain on the amp. If I've set these correctly for an average listening volume of 18, then they may be distorting when SVC is applied. I'll spend some time tweaking gains.

Thanks for an interesting analysis.

 

[MrMann204]

I tried to check for this tonight (yes, I had a friend drive while I did this lol):


The bottom line is through my DSP's AUX in (just to confirm I get a flat measurement from REW first). The rest is a pink noise WAV file played on the Civic headunit/amp, connected to the DSP via the front mids, front tweets, and sub. The DSP input EQ is adjusted to flatten out the wonky OEM curve (can't quite flatten it 100%). I set the DSP for just a basic 2-channel fullrange output with no EQ on the output and these are readings from the left RCA output.

The bottom is 0mph, then 70 mph with SVC off. Just 1/10th of a dB difference - probably slightly higher amp output due to the alternator putting out more voltage while moving. Basically no difference, as you'd expect.

The next three are at 70mph with SVC low, medium and high. 2 dB bump, 6 dB, and 9 dB respectively. But no change in the shape of the curve the headunit is outputting, except a little tweak down above 17 KHz. There's so little music content that high, and it's such a small change (especially with SVC on Low), that I can't see that being what you guys are hearing, though.

But, this was done with volume at 30, so the SVC bumps the effective volume setting to 32, 36, and 39 in that case. The headunit doesn't change the bass at any of those volume levels.

So I tried it at volume 15 also, where the headunit does add a bass bump. The SVC low/med/high would then push the effective volume setting to 17, 21, and 24, and the bass bump is decreased as the volume goes up in that range. Results:



So maybe that's what you guys are hearing - as SVC turns up the volume, the bass doesn't increase in volume as much as the rest does.

If that's the case, adjusting your gains so most of your listening is done above volume 25 will probably allow you to keep using SVC without that problem.

Another possibility is SVC is changing the balance between left and right volume, which I didn't check, or that it's changing the balance between front and rear volume. I don't use the rear outputs for anything so I wouldn't catch that - not sure if you guys might be using both front and rear.

Right on!

I tried to check for this tonight (yes, I had a friend drive while I did this lol):


The bottom line is through my DSP's AUX in (just to confirm I get a flat measurement from REW first). The rest is a pink noise WAV file played on the Civic headunit/amp, connected to the DSP via the front mids, front tweets, and sub. The DSP input EQ is adjusted to flatten out the wonky OEM curve (can't quite flatten it 100%). I set the DSP for just a basic 2-channel fullrange output with no EQ on the output and these are readings from the left RCA output.

The bottom is 0mph, then 70 mph with SVC off. Just 1/10th of a dB difference - probably slightly higher amp output due to the alternator putting out more voltage while moving. Basically no difference, as you'd expect.

The next three are at 70mph with SVC low, medium and high. 2 dB bump, 6 dB, and 9 dB respectively. But no change in the shape of the curve the headunit is outputting, except a little tweak down above 17 KHz. There's so little music content that high, and it's such a small change (especially with SVC on Low), that I can't see that being what you guys are hearing, though.

But, this was done with volume at 30, so the SVC bumps the effective volume setting to 32, 36, and 39 in that case. The headunit doesn't change the bass at any of those volume levels.

So I tried it at volume 15 also, where the headunit does add a bass bump. The SVC low/med/high would then push the effective volume setting to 17, 21, and 24, and the bass bump is decreased as the volume goes up in that range. Results:



So maybe that's what you guys are hearing - as SVC turns up the volume, the bass doesn't increase in volume as much as the rest does.

If that's the case, adjusting your gains so most of your listening is done above volume 25 will probably allow you to keep using SVC without that problem.

Another possibility is SVC is changing the balance between left and right volume, which I didn't check, or that it's changing the balance between front and rear volume. I don't use the rear outputs for anything so I wouldn't catch that - not sure if you guys might be using both front and rear.

There seems to be some switching of balance between left and right even with the svc turned off. I think the cameras turning on and off and signals augment the sound? Seems random but I have noticed it.

Looking at your readings about seems that the factory deck doesn't actually take much off the bass end of the sound, so I might just kick out with my lc8i feeding my sub channel with out the bass restoration found in the lc7i?

 

[josby]

Looking at your readings about seems that the factory deck doesn't actually take much off the bass end of the sound, so I might just kick out with my lc8i feeding my sub channel with out the bass restoration found in the lc7i?

Good question - it depends on whether you have the factory sub or not (I think Canadian trims are somewhat different, and also coupe and sedan are different, so not sure). The factory sub output provides a usable bass signal. I haven't had a chance to measure a Civic trim that doesn't have the sub to see how much bass rolloff is done to the signal it sends to the midranges, but I bet it does.

So, if your car has the factory sub, you don't need an LC7i, but if it doesn't have the sub, my hunch is that you should get an LC7i.

 

[MrMann204]

Good question - it depends on whether you have the factory sub or not (I think Canadian trims are somewhat different, and also coupe and sedan are different, so not sure). The factory sub output provides a usable bass signal. I haven't had a chance to measure a Civic trim that doesn't have the sub to see how much bass rolloff is done to the signal it sends to the midranges, but I bet it does.

So, if your car has the factory sub, you don't need an LC7i, but if it doesn't have the sub, my hunch is that you should get an LC7i.

Is there any way to adjust the factory cut off? I already bout the lc8i thinking it has the bass restoration

 

[josby]

Is there any way to adjust the factory cut off? I already bout the lc8i thinking it has the bass restoration

From what I've read, people have found a way to go into the diagnostic menus on the headunit and turn on a DSP flat mode which presumably disables all the signal processing the headunit does. So that should get rid of the cut off. But they haven't found a way to make the setting stay once the car is turned off. So you'd have to enable it every time you start the car.

 

[MrMann204]

From what I've read, people have found a way to go into the diagnostic menus on the headunit and turn on a DSP flat mode which presumably disables all the signal processing the headunit does. So that should get rid of the cut off. But they haven't found a way to make the setting stay once the car is turned off. So you'd have to enable it every time you start the car.

Thanks a ton! Now I have something to do today lol

 

[Brandons2697]

What speakers/tweeters did y'all upgrade to? I have an aftermarket sub for the extra boost, but now the rest of the car is lacking.

 

[DeMeKeighty7]

Yo everyone,

Just got my first 17 Ex hatch 2 weeks ago,
Really needing that bass kick. Never messed with stock head units. What's the rundown for getting an aftermarket amp hooked up to the new infotainment system? Searched for last hour or so for direct info on it (probably can't see right) lol. But couldn't find. Thanks everyone

 

[GENX4ME]

Yo everyone,

Just got my first 17 Ex hatch 2 weeks ago,
Really needing that bass kick. Never messed with stock head units. What's the rundown for getting an aftermarket amp hooked up to the new infotainment system? Searched for last hour or so for direct info on it (probably can't see right) lol. But couldn't find. Thanks everyone

I used the LC2I to take the input to my sub and convert to RCA out for amp since it has bass restoration it works great. If you don't have a factory sub, you can tap in to left or right speaker input in rear. If you use the Metra cable you can make tap that will not cut you factory wiring and will also allow you to keep that speaker plugged in. If you want even more low end bass, audiocontrol makes a product you can put between the LC2I and the amp to really boost the bass signal.

 

[DeMeKeighty7]

Awesome thanks GENX4ME I'll get what I need and start on it next weekend. Thanks

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