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Posted to rec.audio.car
MOSFET MOSFET is offline
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Posts: 810
Default OK, let me try to get something started....

This group has turned into a ghost-town but I know there are those like
myself who come here from time to time to see if anyone's posted anything.

This is my favorite hobby (car audio) and I love to talk about it, so in the
desperate attempt to start SOME kind of discourse let me throw out a
question:

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT CAR AUDIO TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED THE MOST IN THE LAST
10-15 YEARS?

Perhaps this is a cop-out answer, but IMHO, I would say it's a tie between
head-units and speakers.

First, the reason I say HU is because today's HU's can do SO MUCH MORE than
their older couterparts. There was a day when you needed a HU, an outboard
X-over, an outboard EQ and other outboard DSP or other such processors like
BBE or noise-gates. Today, ALL of those functions can be found on the
modern HU. Add to that the fact that today's HU's can play MP3's on a
burned CD or even DVD, AND they generally all sound fantastic! Many new
units now have SD card slots or USB interfaces. ON TOP OF THAT, the
displays on modern HU's have become much more advanced utilizing the best
imaging technogies like LCD, ect. This makes for a display that can
"display" more information as well as frankly looking cooler. But again,
for me, the biggest improvement is the fact that today's HU can basically
do-it-all, something I vividly recall wishing they could do many years ago.

And then speaker technology advances. EVERY TIME I'm in my car and listen
to my system I am utterely impressed at the SQ and in particular, the
incredible amount of midbass I get out of my Alpine Class R 6.5" midbass
speaks. I have owned several top-of-the-line 6.5" speperates over the years
from companies including BA, JL and MB Quart. None of those could produce
the quantity of midbass I get from my newer Alpine's. I have NO DOUBT that
this is largely due to technology spill-over from the REMARKABLE
improvements in subwoofer technology. Newer cone materials, larger formers
and magnets, improved spider and surround materials, have helped produce
subwoofers with AMAZING Xmax and yet still sound great and don't break the
bank. The same can be said for all other types of speakers. It is frankly
amazing how little you have to spend anymore for a good set of subwoofers OR
seperates or even coaxials.

Anyway, I enjoy this technology improvement EVERY TIME I drive my car so I
really have to put speaker technology improvements right up there with HU
technology improvments. I mean, if HU's were still the same as they were 15
years ago I could certainly go out and buy outboard X-overs and EQ's, but
when you have just a 6.5" hole in your door, you're a little stuck. So
although it would be easy to state that the HU has progressed the most in
terms of technology, from the perspective of what has changed the SOUND of
my system the most, it most definately has been improvements in speakers.

That's my $.02. I would really like to hear other opinions or comments
about what I have said. Anything to get a discusion going...

Take care all,

MOSFET


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Mister.Lull Mister.Lull is offline
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Posts: 143
Default OK, let me try to get something started....

You're right - that was a cop-out answer. ;-)

I'll be far more specific. I'm going to say the circuitry and
peripherals within the head unit are what's improved the most.

There used to be a damn good reason to want to build a PC to put in my
car. Not so much any more. The deck I've been drooling over recently
(http://www.crutchfield.com/p_105KDAV...KD-AVX44.html?
tp=20217) does everything that I would build a PC for, costs about the
same, and I don't have to do a damn thing to program or build it.

CDs - yes
CDRs - yes
CDRW - you betcha
DVDs - yup
DVDRW - you got it
PreAmped outputs? - 6 (FL, FR, RL, RR, SubL and SubR) at 5 volts...
GUI - 3.5 inch full color screen
EQ - 7 BAND!
AUX In - iPod, USB, AND 1 A/V...
Oh yeah - BUILT IN BLUETOOTH!!!!!

You couldn't * COULD NOT * get these features for under $1500 in a
head unit two years ago, and even then most of the options were units
that plugged into the actual head unit. This beauty is one piece that
fits into a standard DIN slot for $500 (probably less if you went
online bargain hunting)... Can I get a "Holy ****"?!

I priced out a basic build for a PC that could handle all of this and
JUST THE PARTS cost around the same amount - this is to say nothing of
the research that would go into all this, and the extra battery I
would probably want to hook up. Not to mention the things I would
have to do to either augment an operating system or write one...

Admittedly, this would bring my two hobbies together - and I would
probably have the greatest time of my life putting a PC in my car; but
that's part of what kills me. I can't really justify (to myself or my
wife) spending ungodly amounts of time and personal resources on
building something when I can buy it for the same price ready to go...

Damn New-Fangled Technology,
~Mister.Lull

On May 20, 4:29*pm, "MOSFET" wrote:
This group has turned into a ghost-town but I know there are those like
myself who come here from time to time to see if anyone's posted anything..

This is my favorite hobby (car audio) and I love to talk about it, so in the
desperate attempt to start SOME kind of discourse let me throw out a
question:

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT CAR AUDIO TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED THE MOST IN THE LAST
10-15 YEARS?

Perhaps this is a cop-out answer, but IMHO, I would say it's a tie between
head-units and speakers.

First, the reason I say HU is because today's HU's can do SO MUCH MORE than
their older couterparts. *There was a day when you needed a HU, an outboard
X-over, an outboard EQ and other outboard DSP or other such processors like
BBE or noise-gates. *Today, ALL of those functions can be found on the
modern HU. *Add to that the fact that today's HU's can play MP3's on a
burned CD or even DVD, AND they generally all sound fantastic! *Many new
units now have SD card slots or USB interfaces. *ON TOP OF THAT, the
displays on modern HU's have become much more advanced utilizing the best
imaging technogies like LCD, ect. *This makes for a display that can
"display" more information as well as frankly looking cooler. *But again,
for me, the biggest improvement is the fact that today's HU can basically
do-it-all, something I vividly recall wishing they could do many years ago.

And then speaker technology advances. *EVERY TIME I'm in my car and listen
to my system I am utterely impressed at the SQ and in particular, the
incredible amount of midbass I get out of my Alpine Class R 6.5" midbass
speaks. *I have owned several top-of-the-line 6.5" speperates over the years
from companies including BA, JL and MB Quart. *None of those could produce
the quantity of midbass I get from my newer Alpine's. *I have NO DOUBT that
this is largely due to technology spill-over from the REMARKABLE
improvements in subwoofer technology. *Newer cone materials, larger formers
and magnets, improved spider and surround materials, have helped produce
subwoofers with AMAZING Xmax and yet still sound great and don't break the
bank. *The same can be said for all other types of speakers. *It is frankly
amazing how little you have to spend anymore for a good set of subwoofers OR
seperates or even coaxials.

Anyway, I enjoy this technology improvement EVERY TIME I drive my car so I
really have to put speaker technology improvements right up there with HU
technology improvments. *I mean, if HU's were still the same as they were 15
years ago I could certainly go out and buy outboard X-overs and EQ's, but
when you have just a 6.5" hole in your door, you're a little stuck. *So
although it would be easy to state that the HU has progressed the most in
terms of technology, from the perspective of what has changed the SOUND of
my system the most, it most definately has been improvements in speakers.

That's my $.02. *I would really like to hear other opinions or comments
about what I have said. *Anything to get a discusion going...

Take care all,

MOSFET


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Posted to rec.audio.car
MOSFET MOSFET is offline
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Posts: 810
Default OK, let me try to get something started....

Yes, that is a much more specific answer and you certainly make a good
argument for advances in HU technology being the most significant as they
are approaching the capabilities of computers.

I know you were talking about integrating a computer into your system some
time ago. I've considered doing that myself (with power inverters, ect.) as
I have an older P4 just sitting around. But as my Sansa and DVD player with
9" screen is already integrated into my Alpine, I realized I already had all
the capability I could want and the addition of the computer would be more
just an excercise in "doing it because I can do it" rather than something I
would really benefit from. For instance, in 1998 I put a Hi-Fi VHS player
and DVD player in my car, but I had to tear this DVD player apart (it was
designed for home use) so I could mount the remote control "eye" in my dash
and of course I had to get a 12 volt to 120 volt power inverter. Now I
actually used the DVD player all the time as I burned MP3's onto DVD's and
it was really nice for the VERY FIRST TIME (now it is common) to see a long
list of titles on the 5.4" screen I had mounted to my dash. But I never
ONCE used the VHS player, except to initially test it (I still have it in my
garage today, IT was actually designed for automotive use and was where I
got the LCD monitor, it came as a kit). Also I had a toggle switch I
mounted on my dash to toggle between VHS and DVD that again never saw any
use. The point is that I went through all that hassle just because I COULD
do it, though I never played a single VHS tape in my car.

So I know the temptation of doing something and having something no one else
will have (it was very cool back in '98 showing people music videos playing
over my LCD monitor and car stereo). But you are exactly right, today's
HU's have become much like computers with USB ports, SD card slots, hard
drives, video capability, DVD capability, ect.

And I would have to agree that the HU HAS advanced the most in terms of
differences between their older couterparts.

The ONLY reason I included speakers was because, when I thought about it,
there are two questions that can be derrived from my initial question: A)
what component has changed the most in the last 10 years, obviously the
answer is the HU and B) what component has improved sound quality the most
in the last 10 years, there IMHO, you would have to give the nod to
speakers. So my cop-out answer was really due to the fact I didn't make the
question specific enough, or I was really answering two different questions,
whereas you were rightly answering one.

Take care,
Nick

"Mister.Lull" wrote in message
...
You're right - that was a cop-out answer. ;-)

I'll be far more specific. I'm going to say the circuitry and
peripherals within the head unit are what's improved the most.

There used to be a damn good reason to want to build a PC to put in my
car. Not so much any more. The deck I've been drooling over recently
(http://www.crutchfield.com/p_105KDAV...KD-AVX44.html?
tp=20217) does everything that I would build a PC for, costs about the
same, and I don't have to do a damn thing to program or build it.

CDs - yes
CDRs - yes
CDRW - you betcha
DVDs - yup
DVDRW - you got it
PreAmped outputs? - 6 (FL, FR, RL, RR, SubL and SubR) at 5 volts...
GUI - 3.5 inch full color screen
EQ - 7 BAND!
AUX In - iPod, USB, AND 1 A/V...
Oh yeah - BUILT IN BLUETOOTH!!!!!

You couldn't * COULD NOT * get these features for under $1500 in a
head unit two years ago, and even then most of the options were units
that plugged into the actual head unit. This beauty is one piece that
fits into a standard DIN slot for $500 (probably less if you went
online bargain hunting)... Can I get a "Holy ****"?!

I priced out a basic build for a PC that could handle all of this and
JUST THE PARTS cost around the same amount - this is to say nothing of
the research that would go into all this, and the extra battery I
would probably want to hook up. Not to mention the things I would
have to do to either augment an operating system or write one...

Admittedly, this would bring my two hobbies together - and I would
probably have the greatest time of my life putting a PC in my car; but
that's part of what kills me. I can't really justify (to myself or my
wife) spending ungodly amounts of time and personal resources on
building something when I can buy it for the same price ready to go...

Damn New-Fangled Technology,
~Mister.Lull

On May 20, 4:29 pm, "MOSFET" wrote:
This group has turned into a ghost-town but I know there are those like
myself who come here from time to time to see if anyone's posted anything.

This is my favorite hobby (car audio) and I love to talk about it, so in
the
desperate attempt to start SOME kind of discourse let me throw out a
question:

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT CAR AUDIO TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED THE MOST IN THE
LAST
10-15 YEARS?

Perhaps this is a cop-out answer, but IMHO, I would say it's a tie between
head-units and speakers.

First, the reason I say HU is because today's HU's can do SO MUCH MORE
than
their older couterparts. There was a day when you needed a HU, an outboard
X-over, an outboard EQ and other outboard DSP or other such processors
like
BBE or noise-gates. Today, ALL of those functions can be found on the
modern HU. Add to that the fact that today's HU's can play MP3's on a
burned CD or even DVD, AND they generally all sound fantastic! Many new
units now have SD card slots or USB interfaces. ON TOP OF THAT, the
displays on modern HU's have become much more advanced utilizing the best
imaging technogies like LCD, ect. This makes for a display that can
"display" more information as well as frankly looking cooler. But again,
for me, the biggest improvement is the fact that today's HU can basically
do-it-all, something I vividly recall wishing they could do many years
ago.

And then speaker technology advances. EVERY TIME I'm in my car and listen
to my system I am utterely impressed at the SQ and in particular, the
incredible amount of midbass I get out of my Alpine Class R 6.5" midbass
speaks. I have owned several top-of-the-line 6.5" speperates over the
years
from companies including BA, JL and MB Quart. None of those could produce
the quantity of midbass I get from my newer Alpine's. I have NO DOUBT that
this is largely due to technology spill-over from the REMARKABLE
improvements in subwoofer technology. Newer cone materials, larger formers
and magnets, improved spider and surround materials, have helped produce
subwoofers with AMAZING Xmax and yet still sound great and don't break the
bank. The same can be said for all other types of speakers. It is frankly
amazing how little you have to spend anymore for a good set of subwoofers
OR
seperates or even coaxials.

Anyway, I enjoy this technology improvement EVERY TIME I drive my car so I
really have to put speaker technology improvements right up there with HU
technology improvments. I mean, if HU's were still the same as they were
15
years ago I could certainly go out and buy outboard X-overs and EQ's, but
when you have just a 6.5" hole in your door, you're a little stuck. So
although it would be easy to state that the HU has progressed the most in
terms of technology, from the perspective of what has changed the SOUND of
my system the most, it most definately has been improvements in speakers.

That's my $.02. I would really like to hear other opinions or comments
about what I have said. Anything to get a discusion going...

Take care all,

MOSFET



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