[APMonkey]

I was told there are frequency restorer devices that can be placed in cars, is this true? I have one for my stereo at home but never heard of one for cars.

Basically I have tons of Gigs of music on CD an MP3 from the net and some of the bit rate and quality is not the best but with a certain device you can fill in the lost information. Where there was none to little bass and low volume,once the device is on there is full bass and higher volumes.

So does anyone have one or heard of it before?

My installer is trying to sell me one for $150 and want to make sure its legit.

 

[flapperdink]

audio control epicenter?

 

[APMonkey]

I think its actually a spatial restorer?

Something like this:
Audiocontrol ESP-2 Spatial Restoration processor

They mount out of site then I would put a nob control in one of the extra slots under the radio for amount control depending on the media quality.

I think they do the same thing, anybody have one?

Edit: After looking around they are the same, just have a few names for them I guess.

 

[IS300included]

You cannot make compressed music sound good. The information that was once there is gone. There is no bringing it back.

CD quality audio has over 75x the sample rate of what are considered "good" mp3s. It has 24x the sample rate of even the most "high quality" lossless audio formats.

I don't care how fancy your outboard gear is, it won't make mp3s sound good. Especially if you have a high quality stereo.

 

[APMonkey]

/\ /\ /\
Then why do they make them if they don't fill in the missing sound? Do they just make the sounds louder.

The one for my DJ gear is great for burned MP3s so why would it not work?
If it didn't work they wouldn't sell them.

Just like a PC audio program it just extends whatever info there is for the waveform, it does not replace what is not there just expands what is.

Guess I need to do some more research but thats why I'm asking to see if anyone has it to see what the difference really is.

 

[IS300included]

It just makes things louder. It sucks all the dynamic properties away from the mix, and cranks the trebble and the bass )usually about +6dB at 100Hz and 15kHz).

Mp3s are garbage, and there's no way to make them not garbage. If you think some piece of gear is making them sound good, you're fooling yourself.

 

[APMonkey]

It doesn't seem worth it then really. Thanks for the input.

 

[Johnnysks]

Generally speaking, people buy things based on marketing. You only know if it works well or not only after you have bought it already. And even after you buy it, you may be incline to percieve it as working because you want it to work.

 

[APMonkey]

Generally speaking, people buy things based on marketing. You only know if it works well or not only after you have bought it already. And even after you buy it, you may be incline to percieve it as working because you want it to work.

Wise words and very true, that is why I was asking peoples opinions, so I don't buy into the hype.

 

[IS300included]

JBL's MS-8 is gonna be the hotness for in car processors. It's designed to integrate with your OEM system and make it sound amazing.

Gary Biggs is winning IASCA competitions with a BMW 3-series running factory speakers in factory locations with an MS-8 processor and a couple GTi subs.

Although there's no word on availability on the processor yet....

JBL MS-8 Sweeps Sound Quality Competition at Spring Break Nationals

It won't make your MP3s sound good, but it's arguably the best new soundfield processor for cars.

 

[APMonkey]

Ill have to check the JBL MS-8 out, I already have the Avic D3 unit with full JBL GT series components in front n rear with a 12" woofer and JBL amps to match with two headrest monitors also but the whole thing is to make my downloaded iTunes and other files sound better but sometimes there is nothing you can do. If you get crap files they will always be crap.

The main reason I am curious is that I have some CDs in and AC4 format from iTunes that I burn to CD and before I installed my system the OEM radio played the CD and it sounded just like it did on the computer but when in the Avic the CD sounds hollow (my EQ is set for great SQ and Bass) so I know its not the levels or anything.

Does the Avic have a good sound processor? Maybe an external is worth it?

 

[IS300included]

I'm not sure what you can hook to the AVIC-D3... if it has Pioneer's optical interface, then there's a possibility you can drive the good old Premier DEQ-P9 processor, which, IMO, is one of the best pieces of car audio gear ever created.

If you're willing to give up navigation, Pioneer DEX-P9/DEQ-P9 combos can be had for around $700 now. It's what I run in my car, and I swear by it. You can run a fully active 4-way setup, with true 1/3 octave EQ, full-blown DSP with time alignment... the works.

Another route that is popular nowadays, and it will allow you to keep your navigation capabilities, is the Alpine H701 combo. It's a DSP/single DIN controller unit combo that will interface with any deck out there (including your D3). It's not as feature-laden as the P9 combo, but lots of very reputable competitors use it with amazing results.

 

[APMonkey]

The DEQ-P9 looks great and would work with the D3 optical out.
Im going to goin and ask around the AVIC411 forums to ask their opinions also.

IS300Included, you the man, thanks for all the help so far, I only know so much, thats why Im on the forums to read and learn.