Alpine Imprint VS. Pioneer's Auto-EQ

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

Who has had experience with both? I've used Imprint several times and there's things I like and things I hate. Who has heard both and which did you like better? I'm in the market for a new CD player and not sure if I want to go Alpine or Pioneer.

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[TaylorFade 10+ year member]

I just Auto EQ'ed my 80prs like yesterday. It got it pretty close. The T/A was off center left, but that's an easy fix and the EQ was a little flat for my taste, but again, easy fix.

I was going to RTA my "ear tune" and then RTA the auto tune to compare them if you're interested.

I have no experience with Imprint though. Sorry.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

With Imprint the issue is once it Imprints you cant change the settings.

What I have read is people will use Imprint to get a base line, make the changes manually to the settings and use it again to get closer. Then they will make changes manually again, and on the 3rd time they let Imprint save.

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

Interesting... anyone else have input. Taylor, I would be very interested in seeing your results.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

You are better off using a RTA and centering your frequencies on your own.

Auto EQ is meh at best.

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

No access to an RTA.

Here's my thought process. I had an Alpine CDA-9887 w/ Imprint in the past and really liked it. I got a Honda Pilot w/ factory Nav which didn't allow me to install a CD player so I sold it and bought an OEM integration unit w/ Imprint again. Now, I bought a second vehicle (2008 Maxima) cuz I'm ballin and want to put a deck in it. I've narrowed it down to buying a used CDA-9887 w/ Imprint or a brand new DEH-80PRS. The DEH comes with everything for Auto EQ, buying the Alpine would mean I'd have to find the deck and the IMPRINT module.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

No access to an RTA.
Here's my thought process. I had an Alpine CDA-9887 w/ Imprint in the past and really liked it. I got a Honda Pilot w/ factory Nav which didn't allow me to install a CD player so I sold it and bought an OEM integration unit w/ Imprint again. Now, I bought a second vehicle (2008 Maxima) cuz I'm ballin and want to put a deck in it. I've narrowed it down to buying a used CDA-9887 w/ Imprint or a brand new DEH-80PRS. The DEH comes with everything for Auto EQ, buying the Alpine would mean I'd have to find the deck and the IMPRINT module.

Are you just going to use the factory amplifier and speakers?

 

[West]

You can get RTA software and hardware for

Its worth the money if you are serious about SQ...

For possibilites:

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/advanced-sql-spl-discussion/556425-true-rta-spectrum-analyzer.html

I would not trust any decks auto-tune features, espeically Pioneers. It's really off base on the p99rs, and I would guess the 80prs isn't that much better.

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

Are you just going to use the factory amplifier and speakers?

No sir. I have a DD C4 on the way for mids and highs (100x4 @ 4). It will most likely be a 2 way active front stage with a possibility of some light rear fill later down the road.

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

You can get RTA software and hardware for Its worth the money if you are serious about SQ...

For possibilites:

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/advanced-sql-spl-discussion/556425-true-rta-spectrum-analyzer.html

I would not trust any decks auto-tune features, espeically Pioneers. It's really off base on the p99rs, and I would guess the 80prs isn't that much better.

I was just browsing that RTA thread. Looks like I may have to invest in one if they're that reasonable for price.

 

[West]

I was just browsing that RTA thread. Looks like I may have to invest in one if they're that reasonable for price.

Even the free version of trueRTA is ok if you have a 7-8 band eq...

You do have to move the microphone around while you test. Try not to have the laptop in the way of the speakers path to the mic.

 

[West]

The high frequencies may need to be tweeked to your ears a bit.

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

How do you think the Alpine Imprint mic would work? I've heard it's not bad, just the algorithms used to do the thinking are suspect.

 

[West]

How do you think the Alpine Imprint mic would work? I've heard it's not bad, just the algorithms used to do the thinking are suspect.

You would need to know how the mic is calibrated in order to use it effictively with RTA software.

(No microphone that I know of has a perfectly flat frequency response.)

The dayton mic I got has a text file you can download and upload to the true rta software to correct for peaks/valleys in freq response.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

You would need to know how the mic is calibrated in order to use it effictively with RTA software.(No microphone that I know of has a perfectly flat frequency response.)

The dayton mic I got has a text file you can download and upload to the true rta software to correct for peaks/valleys in freq response.

You can do the same with the mic from Alpine. There is a way with TrueRTA to calibrate any mic.