Going full active with my Alpine PXA-H800 DSP

[JohnKuthe]

John, you're taking this conversion in reverse gear. It's not the number of available amplifier channels at hand, it's
The Signal Processing

Vs

Maximizing the sound quality of all these speakers.

I would rather have the bulk of the DSP standard capabilities - delays, crossovers, and EQ, utilized for the left side of the frequency spectrum. If it cannot possibly satisfy you after you have tried it this way then switch it up to do it your way. Or don't.

My ideal basic system would have a separate discrete amp for each speaker/driver. But I don't have nor am I going to get NINE separate amplifiers. I'm using two 4+1 channels Alpine amps, which I'm sure are internally electrically tied to each other in some strange ways. And since my H800 Alpine DSP has 8 output channels it seems like it should allow me to individually control 8 separate driver/speakers, although Alpine has documented two of those eight outputs are for subwoofers, which I questioned about if these designated subwoofer outputs can be used as full range outputs, which no one answered.

John Kuthe...

 

[The_Quiet_One 10+ year member]

Where are you planning to get the subwoofer input for the PDX V9? It sounds like you have 8 channels already tied up between your component set and 4 coaxials?

 

[staan]

This is my real suggestion, rewire the rear 6x9's to the headunit speaker outputs, they are going to be full range anyway and there will be no reason for the dsp to time align or filter them. Use the dsp in 3way front + sub mode. I mean its not like the rear channels need much power anyway if your looking to have any kind of descent sound stage. As an added bonus, when you cant figure out how to use all the equipment you bought at least you can still listen to music when driving.

 

---------- Post added at 12:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 PM ----------

 

i don't remember seeing any post phd install photos, where did you and your installer put the tweeters?

 

[JohnKuthe]

Where are you planning to get the subwoofer input for the PDX V9? It sounds like you have 8 channels already tied up between your component set and 4 coaxials?

OK, the Alpine CDE-153BT has 6 RCA outputs, two being "subwoofer" outputs. All 6 of these RCA outputs are going into the 6 RCA inputs of the H800 DSP despite "everyone" here telling me I only needed two to do the job. Then the H800 DSP has 8 RCA outputs, two of which are said to be subwoofer outputs but I am hoping I can use all 8 DSP RCA outputs as full range. My two 4+1 amps each have 6 RCA inputs, two being called "subwoofer" inputs. Since I'm planning on using the PDX-V9's 500W subwoofer outputs (only one of them as I only have one subwoofer driver) I plan on letting the PDX-V9 amp's internal "passive" subwoofer output to drive my subwoofer driver, leaving me what I hope are 8 full range outputs to 8 different drivers/speakers, NONE being the subwoofer for my full active plans.

I'd LOVE to pull all this stuff out and set it all up in a nice climate controlled test bench environment, but that's not gonna happen. :-(

John Kuthe...

John Kuthe...

 

[JohnKuthe]

John u seem to have an answer for everything... u ask peoples opinions and then say well I could do that but I don't want to and I'm gunna do it my own way.... THEN WHY THE FVCK ARE YOU ASKING US FOR HELP IF YOUR JUST GOING TO DO IT YOUR OWN WAY .

Because I am trying to work with the equipment I have. Alpine audio equipment, a 2006 base level Grand Caravan, etc. I need some folks who really know the equipment I have and not folks who want to redesign my entire system. That's easy and it's just "armchair coaching" too. Making my Alpine equipment work optimally evidently not so easy! Nor is finding folks who know a lot about it.

John Kuthe...

 

[Flipper245]

yeah quit trying to troll, this guy aint no dummy. Its not like he bought 2 5 channel amps, or cant get a dsp working.

Haha! Yeah nothing gets by this guy. ?

 

[NSTALN 10+ year member]

OK John…I have your solution, for real…pay attention…you asked for someone who knows your equipment…I am entirely familiar with the capabilities of your equipment.

Here we go…Just so I understand what you're trying to accomplish:

(8) full range adjustable RCA outputs to represent (2) PHD tweets, (2) PHD mids, (2) 6x9 pair A, (2) 6x9 pair B…AND subwoofer control as well.

If this is the case then I have the answer and it will require just a tiny bit of re-wiring but utilizes YOUR CURRENT equipment.

First lets cover your RCA inputs into the PXA. In my suggested system you will run(2) pairs of RCA's off the HU. Set 1 will come from the FRONT output of your HU and go into the first pair of RCA inputs (1) of the PXA. The second set of RCA's will come from the SUBWOOFER output of you HU, this RCA will BYPASS the DSP and go directly to your PDX-V9 SUBWOOFER input. This will allow you to control the subwoofer crossover and level right from the HU and it will allow you (8) RCA full range outputs from you PXA.

In the Alpine software you can disable the 'subwoofer' channel crossover and you can add a second 'subwoofer' channel as stereo…in other words (2) full range channels.

Problem solved.

Take my advice…and take my advice.

 

[JohnKuthe]

OK John…I have your solution, for real…pay attention…you asked for someone who knows your equipment…I am entirely familiar with the capabilities of your equipment.
Here we go…Just so I understand what you're trying to accomplish:

(8) full range adjustable RCA outputs to represent (2) PHD tweets, (2) PHD mids, (2) 6x9 pair A, (2) 6x9 pair B…AND subwoofer control as well.

If this is the case then I have the answer and it will require just a tiny bit of re-wiring but utilizes YOUR CURRENT equipment.

First lets cover your RCA inputs into the PXA. In my suggested system you will run(2) pairs of RCA's off the HU. Set 1 will come from the FRONT output of your HU and go into the first pair of RCA inputs (1) of the PXA. The second set of RCA's will come from the SUBWOOFER output of you HU, this RCA will BYPASS the DSP and go directly to your PDX-V9 SUBWOOFER input. This will allow you to control the subwoofer crossover and level right from the HU and it will allow you (8) RCA full range outputs from you PXA.

In the Alpine software you can disable the 'subwoofer' channel crossover and you can add a second 'subwoofer' channel as stereo…in other words (2) full range channels.

Problem solved.

Take my advice…and take my advice.

Thank you, sounds very interesting. I'm getting ready to go out in just a few mins, so my attention's very divided right at this moment, but I will look over this post a lot more later. Yes as I said if I'm going to have to rewire at this point I think I want to just go ahead and go "full active" as much as that means.

John Kuthe...

 

[NSTALN 10+ year member]

Thank you, sounds very interesting. I'm getting ready to go out in just a few mins, so my attention's very divided right at this moment, but I will look over this post a lot more later. Yes as I said if I'm going to have to rewire at this point I think I want to just go ahead and go "full active" as much as that means.
John Kuthe...

This solution require very minimal re-wire and is full active.

 

[JohnKuthe]

This solution require very minimal re-wire and is full active.

Cool! Yes looks good. I just tried to go out to my car/minivan, and the ICE outside is what I call Lethal Ice. 32F and barely frozen so when you apply pressure it becomes liquid slippery instantly under your foot! How fast can your cranium hit the pavement? ;-)

I;m staying home! Luckily I negotiated with my nursing agency to have today off! I thought I was gonna drive down to my boiddy's house, but not NOW!! Father Darwin's not getting this kid! Not today!

John Kuthe...

 

[JohnKuthe]

This solution require very minimal re-wire and is full active.

So this is the additional RCAs I need (2):

"The second set of RCA's will come from the SUBWOOFER output of you HU, this RCA will BYPASS the DSP and go directly to your PDX-V9 SUBWOOFER input."

I need to measure and order one from https://www.droppinhzcaraudio.com, the purple ones!

John Kuthe...

 

[JohnKuthe]

Here's what I've got now:

The six RCAs coming in through the notch in the pit cover area are 7.5 feet to the HU, I need two a little longer to bypass the DSP and go straight to the PDX-V9 subwoofer inputs.

The existing four of the RCAs from the DSP to the inputs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the PDX-V9 are OK but I need four more a little longer to get to channel 1 2 3 and 4 inputs to the PDR-V75. I'm gonna remove and the two pairs of RCAs into the V75 in this pic and run four new pairs of properly sized for the application. I could put them in myself but I will probably contract with my installer guy to do it because I like his work and I understand this system schematic! I should have the laptop I ordered by then too. And I'll have him rewire the tweeters to the other pair of speaker wires I wisely had him install already with visions of going full active! They ARE connected at channel 3 and 4 outputs on the V75 already!

Sound like a sound and correct plan going to full active?

John Kuthe...

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

Thanks but everyone here wants to redesign my entire system, and I'm trying to RETAIN my system's main components. I "could" do many different systems, and maybe I "should" but I am choosing stock speaker locations mostly and running the DSP and amps I have. Yes the PDX-V9 is my main 4+1 amp and the PDR-V75 is my secondary 4+1 amp as I say. I'm using the 500W subwoofer output off the PDX-V9 and the other 4 100W channels to the 6x9s, and only the front two PHD speakers and their tweeters off the 75W per four channels of the PDR-V75 amp. And I'm running my two rear 6x9s at full volume because I want to. May have need for that someday! It's been working great for me over the stock speaker wires before we cut over to the new 12AWG speaker wires. Also when I had the Alpine SPR-50s up on the dash, which were actually a little too loud and bright and obfuscated the 6x9s pretty much. I' looking for much more control over the individual speakers via the DSP. Time correction is a nice bonus!
John Kuthe...

Because you are clueless. Lord have mercy

 

[JohnKuthe]

Because you are clueless. Lord have mercy

You ignored my question. Please read, I think I got a clue!

John Kuthe...

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

Because I am trying to work with the equipment I have. Alpine audio equipment, a 2006 base level Grand Caravan, etc. I need some folks who really know the equipment I have and not folks who want to redesign my entire system. That's easy and it's just "armchair coaching" too. Making my Alpine equipment work optimally evidently not so easy! Nor is finding folks who know a lot about it.
John Kuthe...

Because you are an idiot and made it difficult.