ACTIVE - Imaging - Center Image - Center focus

[mcsoul 10+ year member]

OK, I'd look at a relatively complex passive crossover with a good set of instructions;

namely the alpine type x component manual. They have pretty detailed strategies in there

for dealing with different speaker locations using phase and attenuation.

But in the end I fear it would not be enough and i would either buy a new headunit

or give up on that non dsp external crossover I was thinking about.

Edit:

Unless it was for someon else's car or a non-daily driver, then I would be perfectly satisfied I had done everything I could.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

amplitudy.

 

[Rudy 10+ year member]

so what would you do to get a center image without time alignment?

Time alignment is the icing on the cake - you should be able to get very close by balancing left and right levels. Use a mono source and and adjust until it sounds centered. Depending on your processing this may either be speaker set by speaker set or by individual EQ bands. Once you've centered the mono source it should sound pretty well centered when playing stereo. T/A gives you precise control. You can get very close with L/R balancing alone. You can't get close with T/A alone.

To you original question, the benefits of going active are going to depend on the processing available. Even if that is minimal, being able to select your own x-over points can make a huge difference or none at all. If your configuration matches well with the assumptions made when the passive x-over was designed - degree off axis, vehicle size, driver distance from the listener and each other, etc. a well designed passive x-over will be very close to a well tuned active setup. Once you move away from those assumptions, changing x-over points can compensate and give you a much better result. Having active capabilities also gives you nearly unlimited driver options.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

Time alignment is the icing on the cake - you should be able to get very close by balancing left and right levels. Use a mono source and and adjust until it sounds centered. Depending on your processing this may either be speaker set by speaker set or by individual EQ bands. Once you've centered the mono source it should sound pretty well centered when playing stereo. T/A gives you precise control. You can get very close with L/R balancing alone. You can't get close with T/A alone.
To you original question, the benefits of going active are going to depend on the processing available. Even if that is minimal, being able to select your own x-over points can make a huge difference or none at all. If your configuration matches well with the assumptions made when the passive x-over was designed - degree off axis, vehicle size, driver distance from the listener and each other, etc. a well designed passive x-over will be very close to a well tuned active setup. Once you move away from those assumptions, changing x-over points can compensate and give you a much better result. Having active capabilities also gives you nearly unlimited driver options.

Hey, you're pretty cool. I don't care what Fox says about you.

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

Hey, you're pretty cool. I don't care what Fox says about you.

fox doesnt like him?

 

[Beerdrnkr 5,000+ posts]

Ugh, not this again.So at a concert you EXPECT the band to get up and move in front of you? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

A stereophonic center image is an illusion created by the crosstalk of the L and R speakers. If you want perfect stereo imaging, you have to nail the sweet spot. That means in a car you either put your head at equal vectors and path lengths from the speakers, or buy a McLaren F1, or you compromise in several different ways, OR you don't set up stereo, but panned mono or some other type of replay.

Looks like I'll need to buy a McLaren F1 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

fox doesnt like him?

He stole my Dukes of Hazard lunchbox in 4th grade. I know it was him because I brought a PBnJ sammich with grape jelly to school that day and low and behold the little fartknocker had a purple stain on his Hypercolor shirt after lunch on recess (it was orange in the jelly spot). It was a long time ago, but I just cannot let something like that go, sorry.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

What were we taking about again, now? Oh, JB can't get an active center image without passively aggressively axin' the xpert tunerz here at ca.com (extreme SQ stage heaven.)

 

[Rudy 10+ year member]

He stole my Dukes of Hazard lunchbox in 4th grade. I know it was him because I brought a PBnJ sammich with grape jelly to school that day and low and behold the little fartknocker had a purple stain on his Hypercolor shirt after lunch on recess (it was orange in the jelly spot). It was a long time ago, but I just cannot let something like that go, sorry.

I thought it was because I stole your girlfriend in 6th grade? I gave her the lunchbox once I realized I couldn't see Daisy's *** when I opened it, so take it up with her.

 

[Fiercetimbo17 10+ year member]

Are you trying to say it's impossible to get a center image without time alignment?

I dont think so, i think it is just much easier to get a centered image by playing with TA than all the modifications and construction it takes for proper speaker placement and alignment.

And i image my car centered on the vehicle, I feel centering to the driver give you a very uneven stage, you have a very narrow left side of the stage and a much wider right side.

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

first you need to recognize how wide your stage is in your car. then find the center and of that stage and time correct to that spot.

example, lets say your left side extends further past the door but the right side stage only extends to boundary of car. your center would be more closer to the driver side in front of you.

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

I just get rebecca Pidgeon to sit on my hood //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

on the hood? i prefer her on my lap

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

on noes.

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

I hope that helps.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

I hope that helps.

yeah, it helped a whole bunch. Thanks a lot.