Setting Up an Audio Control DQDX

[ZoSoIV 10+ year member]

hey guys just picked up a Audio Control DQDX and trying to set it up, my system Alpine INE-W927HD head-unit,Focal 165 KRX3 3 way components speakers, JL HD 600/4 bi-amp to run component speakers and JL W7 12" powered by a JL HD700/1 and sound deadening throughout the truck which is a Toyota FJ Cruiser, I have it installed (in the signal path between the source

unit and amplifier(s).. and been playing with the EQ and haven't had much luck getting it to sound good,I level match the DQDX with the source unit and amps and it just sounds flat any input would be great from someone thats set one up if anybody, I'm thinking maybe the crossovers of the Focal KRX3s need to be adjusted first before i go any farther, thanks for any input.

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[Jepalan]

Can you get your hands on a real-time audio analyzer? Beg borrow or steal one? Only way to properly set up the EQ on the DQDX is with an analyzer - even an iphone analyzer app with a decent mic will get you further than by-ear.

 

[ZoSoIV 10+ year member]

Thanks yes after further research a real RTA is what i need . i don't even think a iphone app is going to help that much, i found a good shop in the area that has set one up before and talked to them today and they have complete confidence they can set it up correctly which makes me feel a whole lot better because right now the system sounds worse with it than without it

 

[ZoSoIV 10+ year member]

ok update on the Audio Control DQDX, the piece is garbage we worked with it 5 hours and it sounded so bad we just took it out and sent it back packin , ATTEN: the Focal 165 KRX3 don't need a processor period save your money people they don't work, the trick is with the Focal KRX3 is placement 6-1/2 in the doors with lot of sound deadening and the mids and tweeters in the A Pillars within 4" or so from eachother, I am going to look into the Pioneer DEX-P99RS unless anyone thinks that is a mistake

 

[fly_marlin]

The audiocontrol piece sounded bad as in it colored the music or you just weren't able to EQ it the way you wanted?

 

[ZoSoIV 10+ year member]

We had a RTA , it muffled the music making the Focal KRX3 sound so flat it was ridiculous and the speakers would not handle high volume at all with the DQDX

 

[fly_marlin]

What voltage did the audiocontrol put out? What's the highest voltage your amp accepts? Not sure what else it could be.

 

[ZoSoIV 10+ year member]

,we level match the DQDX with the source unit and amps, at this point i can't remember what it was, all i can say the DQDX wasn't even close to sounding good and there was no way it was going to improve working with it, i would not recommend this with Focal component at the very least, it may work for a lower end speaker set-up

 

[fly_marlin]

Duly noted. I have high end comps and I'm getting the PS8 installed this week //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Bpwells]

I had the same problem with my DQDX. Problem was I had not setup the time alignment feature. I think I turned it on at one point with the remote unconnected to the unit. Then I turned it off on the DQDX itself. What this does is activate the time alignment feature with an extreme setting which makes it impossible to tune. Easy fix is to follow time alignment instructions.

Additionally I found the use of a multimeter very helpful in tuning input and output levels. The instructions will get you close but but the process I followed was to set the input gain at the precise point where output voltage was maximized. If you adjust the input gain too high output voltage will slowly begin to drop. You really want the spot where output voltage is the highest and maximized light remains off. I then set output gain solely based on instructions.

One other note. This unit is advertised as a line driver. Problem is that ince you cut any of the bands, you don't get 7.5 Vrms. Just something to consider when tuning.

 

[kingtj]

I realize I'm responding to a pretty old thread here -- but I can't find very many people with experience setting up the DQDX.

I purchased one before the holidays to put in my Jeep Wrangler. I'm still using the factory stereo head unit (RHR730n), but running a 6 channel JL Audio 700 watt power amp with it, via a PAC Audio C2A-CHY-23 adapter and all of the factory speakers have been swapped out. (I have a Pioneer subwoofer in the factory housing, for example, and Infinity 6032si speakers in the sound bar. Alpine 610c's in the front, and factory tweeters disconnected.)

I had some initial headaches getting the DQDX working right, until AudioControl tech support told me I needed to set the jumper in the unit to "balanced" (unbalanced RCA is the default), in order to get it to behave well with the PAC harness. (For whatever weird reason, in the default unbalanced mode, the PAC harness would randomly seem to get "mixed up" when you adjusted the volume on the head-unit and suddenly go really loud, and not respond to turning the volume dial down, etc.)

Well, I now have the unit neatly mounted in the rear of the Jeep, on a tray covering up the floor jack. Everything was sounding clean and pretty good, with nothing left to do but program all of the time alignment stuff.

But this morning, I got in the Jeep and a hissing/popping noise was coming out of my front driver-side speaker and the audio level of the music seemed to be lower than normal from it. I turned the radio off (which of course also powered off the amp and DQDX via their remote wires). Turned it back on and it sounded better again .... until I changed my input source from the FM radio station I was listening to over to XM. Then the audio suddenly shifted to only playing out my rear speakers while a constant (louder) hiss played from them too! I tried pushing the DQDX's remote dial to toggle it into "bypass" mode, but that didn't fix the noise.

Turning the radio head unit off and back on a second time made things return to normal.

Right now, I'm thinking this indicates a defective DQDX? But I suppose if the time alignment feature really does need to be properly configured, maybe it can cause the unit to act up like this too? I still haven't gotten around to that....

Are these units really any good, or is there a growing consensus that they're often flaky and defective like this? (Over on Crutchfield's site, the product only has a few reviews, but I think it has only a 3 star rating because of a 1 star from someone complaining they got 3 bad units in a row?) On Amazon, I've seen a similar thing -- where some people like the DQDX, but just as many say they have problems the company doesn't ever get resolved for them.

 

[ZoSoIV 10+ year member]

As far as quality Audio Control is top notch so I wouldn't be concerned about that ,I would rule out a bad RCA cord first if that is not the problem take it out of the loop of the system and see if that solves the problem .... My opinion these processes are only

good for very few setups ... I'm in the Ted Nugent camp the less between the source and the amp the better especially with hi end gear like I have , but it just may work with your full range speakers BUT what you need to do to find out for sure is use an RTA and mic the front seat and tune it from there , let us know how you come out