Speaker Upgrade

[3925blue]

The point of the hide-away processor is to fix the issue when people cannot or don't wan't to replace the OEM head for various reasons. Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, JVC and others all have the EQ, TA, XO and other configurable parameters. Alpine would be pretty down on output compared to an eXcelon Kenwood unit, and you are forced to use their "Tune-It" app via a smartphone to get the cool nitty gritty controls, but that's beside the point.

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[charleswrivers]

This 100%

Changing speakers, adding amps, subs, will just make the crappy signal from the head unit louder. I’d recommend the JL Audio Fix 86 digital signal processor.

Once you get the Fix, you can correct any EQ, Polarity, time delay, and any other wonky stuff the stock HU is doing that was put in by Honda. Once you’ve done this, you can add your amps, subs, and speakers.

If you want to do a small cheap upgrade that will sound good, I’d recommend adding a powered sub. You’d spend around $200 - $250 for the sub with proper wiring. This will give a much better sound than upgrading just the speakers alone.

I read up on these last night. It seems pretty cool... I didn't know about things like this, though I'm not an audio guy.

Do you just match one of these devices to the number of channels you have (SI has 10 I think) run it between the HU and amp and get much better sound? I understand you're still limited to the quality of the speakers and the meager power output of the amp.

 

[3925blue]

I read up on these last night. It seems pretty cool... I didn't know about things like this, though I'm not an audio guy.

Do you just match one of these devices to the number of channels you have (SI has 10 I think) run it between the HU and amp and get much better sound? I understand you're still limited to the quality of the speakers and the meager power output of the amp.

One would not want one of these between the OE head and OE amp; those are already well matched. The Fix, and products like it, are designed to go after the OE amp to take all the individual signals sent out - from tweets to mids to sub - and patch it all back together, flatten it out, smooth it up slightly (without any complicated file/bitrate "fixing") and spit out a plain ol' stereo signal that can then be broken back down in another processor or via the very basic crossovers in aftermarket amps.

 

[charleswrivers]

Interesting.

Having had a bunch of computers over the years, I guess this would be along the lines of ditching onboard audio and going with a dedicated sound card. The better processing makes the sound better... albeit at the limitation of the speakers. More... 'depth'

 

[3925blue]

Interesting.

Having had a bunch of computers over the years, I guess this would be along the lines of ditching onboard audio and going with a dedicated sound card. The better processing makes the sound better... albeit at the limitation of the speakers. More... 'depth'

I would venture to say that the analogy is closer to that if you were to move from built-into-the-headunit power to external amp power, but the premium trims of the Civic like the touring & Si already have an outboard amp. It's just weak.

Also, beware of the logical fallacy much of us fall victim to about external processors - one cannot ever "add quality", you can only hope to add as little damage to the sound as possible. Even the best stuff will add tiny amounts of distortion. It is the additional control of a high end device and the additional headroom and power of bigger amps that Allow one to dial in a better sound overall, but one can just as easily dial in a terrible sound with that much control.

 

[charleswrivers]

I would venture to say that the analogy is closer to that if you were to move from built-into-the-headunit power to external amp power, but the premium trims of the Civic like the touring & Si already have an outboard amp. It's just weak.

Also, beware of the logical fallacy much of us fall victim to about external processors - one cannot ever "add quality", you can only hope to add as little damage to the sound as possible. Even the best stuff will add tiny amounts of distortion. It is the additional control of a high end device and the additional headroom and power of bigger amps that Allow one to dial in a better sound overall, but one can just as easily dial in a terrible sound with that much control.

I see what your saying. So it more adds in Eq abilities... as if the sound it received is already of poor quality, there's only so much that can be done... barring replacing the source of the poor quality.

Still, interesting device. I didn't realize they existed. Thanks.

 

[Craigfc1]

I got a ex hatch. I replaced the front speakers with some JBLs. I left the rear speakers alone cause of their bass. Just not enough bass for me. So I picked up a powered Rockford Fosgate P300-10 I'll be putting in the back this weekend.

With the front speakers being changed, did you put them on an amp? Or just used stock wires.

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