Alpine Media Expander ? with Poll

[Sirfatty 10+ year member]

Does Alpines Media Expander cause distortion

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[titanle 10+ year member]

When I turn on MX, I have to adjust my eq, crossover and level settings on my deck. If I dont, it will start to distort.

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

mx on my 9855 always made everything sound quieter. and in a weird way i think it prevented distortion and clipping on mine. when youd get to like 24 on the volume no matter how much you turned it up the volume didnt get any higher....

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

I'd say it'll probably increase the likelihood of distortion, for it is similar to the loud feature on other HUs.

 

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

I hate MX. No need for it at all.

 

[crunktimes.com 5,000+ posts]

I used MX, if I don't my HU sounds really low so I usually just leave it on, seems to give me more bass etc.

I also don't know how to set and EQ either so it could be the fact that I **** at that. Does anyone know where there is a listing of how to set an EQ? For example if I set the bass it can be like 10hz 20hz or whatever but I really can't tell much difference in them.

I do realize I will prob get bashed for such a dump question but would really like to know how to do it, For example on my home receivers usually everything in the EQ just goes all the way up.

 

[envengineer 10+ year member]

I hate MX. No need for it at all.

x2

Who cares if there is distortion or not, it sounds like shit. Tonality is totally wrong.

Toasted1 - You can either tune by ear or use an RTA. I try to only make cuts when tuning and avoid boosting frequencies by more than a db or two. If you are tuning by ear here's a guide:

FREQUENCY:

USES:

50Hz

1. Increase to add more fullness to lowest frequency instruments like foot, toms, and the bass. Peak equalization with a 1.4 Q.

2. Reduce to decrease the "boom" of the bass and will increase overtones and the recognition of bass line in the mix. This is most often used on loud bass lines like rock. Shelf equalization.

100Hz

1. Increase to add a harder bass sound to lowest frequency instruments. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0 to 1.4..

2. Increase to add fullness to guitars, snare. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0..

3. Increase to add warmth to piano and horns. Peak Equalization. For piano use a Q of 1.0. With horn use a Q of 1.4..

4. Reduce to remove boom on guitars & increase clarity. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0 to 1.4..

200Hz

1. Increase to add fullness to vocals. Peak Equalization with a Q of 0.7 to 1.0..

2. Increase to add fullness to snare and guitar ( harder sound ). Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

3. Reduce to decrease muddiness of vocals or mid-range instruments. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

4. Reduce to decrease gong sound of cymbals. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

400Hz

1. Increase to add clarity to bass lines especially when speakers are at low volume. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

2. Reduce to decrease "cardboard" sound of lower drums (foot and toms). Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

3. Reduce to decrease ambiance on cymbals. Peak Equalization with a Q of 0.7 to 1.0. Alternately try a shelf EQ with a 320 Hz frequency setting.

800Hz

1. Increase for clarity and "punch" of bass. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

2. Reduce to remove "cheap" sound of guitars. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

1.5KHz

1. Increase for "clarity" and "pluck" of bass. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4..

2. Reduce to remove dullness of guitars. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

3KHz

1. Increase for more "pluck" of bass. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

2. Increase for more attack of electric / acoustic guitar. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

3. Increase for more attack on low piano parts. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

4. Increase for more clarity / hardness on voice. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

5. Reduce to increase breathy, soft sound on background vocals. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

6. Reduce to disguise out-of-tune vocals / guitars. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

7. Increase for more attack on the snare or other drums. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4 to 2.8.

5KHz

1. Increase for vocal presence. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

2. Increase low frequency drum attack ( foot / toms). Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4 to 2.8.

3. Increase for more "finger sound" on bass. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

4. Increase attack of piano, acoustic guitar and brightness on guitars (especially rock guitars). Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

5. Reduce to make background parts more distant. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

6. Reduce to soften "thin" guitar. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

7KHz

1. Increase to add attack on low frequency drums ( more metallic sound ). Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4 to 2.8.

2. Increase to add attack to percussion instruments. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4 to 2.8.

3. Increase on dull singer. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

4. Increase for more "finger sound" on acoustic bass. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

5. Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers. Peak Equalization with a Q of 2.8. Sweep frequency slightly (between 7 kHz and 8 kHz) to find the "exact" frequency of the S

6. Increase to add sharpness to synthesizers, rock guitars, acoustic guitar and piano. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0 to 1.4.

10KHz

1. Increase to brighten vocals. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

2. Increase for "light brightness" in acoustic guitar and piano. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

3. Increase for hardness on cymbals. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

4. Reduce to decrease "s" sound on singers. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4.

15KHz

1. Increase to brighten vocals (breath sound). Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

2. Increase to brighten cymbals, string instruments and flutes. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.0.

3. Increase to make sampled synthesizer sound more real. Peak Equalization with a Q of 1.4 to 2.8.

...

cleen version

useful frequencies for several instruments:

Voice: presence (5 kHz), sibilance (7.5 - 10 kHz), boominess (200 - 240 kHz), fullness (120 Hz)

Electric Guitar: fullness (240 Hz), bite (2.5 kHz), air / sizzle (8 kHz)

Bass Guitar: bottom (60 - 80 Hz), attack (700 - 1000 Hz), string noise (2.5 kHz)

Snare Drum: fatness (240 Hz), crispness (5 kHz)

Kick Drum: bottom (60 - 80 Hz), slap (4 kHz)

Hi Hat & Cymbals: sizzle (7.5 - 10 kHz), clank (200 Hz)

Toms: attack (5 kHz), fullness (120 - 240 Hz)

Acoustic Guitar: harshness / bite (2 kHz), boominess (120 - 200 Hz), cut (7 - 10 kHz)

---

or this: http://emusictips.com/downloads/Frequency_ranges.pdf

or this site: http://www.mojopie.com/mix.html

and here is a program called simple feedback trainer that teaches you to identify frequencies by ear: http://sft.sourceforge.net/