JustRight
13-09-2010, 07:43 PM
Hi All,
On a recent thread I described, with a few pics, how I had performed a Focal speaker and Amplifier upgrade on my CU2 Lux. http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?137735-CU2-Accord-Euro-Focal-speaker-upgrade
Despite the Focal system offering a significant improvement to the overall performance of the standard system, I still found that the quality of the sound just was not what I was looking for. The problem seemed to be in the equalisation curve used in the factory Head Unit/Amplifier combination. Mid-Range and Treble seemed really over done and harsh, whilst there was a real lack of decent bass. The result being that as soon as the volume got up a bit it became really 'loud' with the mid-range, and particularly vocals seeming to be way louder that other components of the music.
Anyway, after a lot of listening to various types of music, and a lot of research, I realised that the only way to get real quality sound out of the system was to insert a Digital Signal Processor into the mix. For this purpose I chose a Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.2 This seemed to have the best overall flexibility and tuning capabilities.
So, installing the 3Sixty was easy as I had already done all the hard work. I kept the PAC SOEM4 transformer based LOC as it provided excellent isolation and high quality RCA outputs. This provided 4 input channels to the 3Sixty and then the RCA outputs from the 3Sixty straight to the Focal Solid4 amplifier. At this time I have not used the 'Center' or 'Sub' channels on the 3Sixty, leaving the original factory sub and center speakers connected to the factory Panasonic amplifier.
The results are nothing short of astonishing! The 3Sixty setup procedure for OEM installs goes through a process of measuring the existing EQ from the factory system. It then attempts to set up a 'flat' EQ as a starting point for your own tuning. The Honda (Panasonic) system has an absolutely dreadful EQ curve as standard, with very little bass going to the Front or Rear, an elevated Mid-Range and and astronomic upper Mid-Range and Highs. No wonder the system sounded so bright and harsh!
After some initial tuning where I used the display of the factory EQ curve as a guide to where I needed to add, or subtract, I have been able to completely change the character of the sound in the car. It now has warmth and some real Bass, delivered by the Focal 165VR's in the doors, rather than the factory sub-woofer! I have been able to switch the Focal tweeters back to 0db, whereas previously I was running them with the maximum attenuation that the crossover allowed. The tweeters now provide detail and quality, without any of the nasty harshness that the standard system introduced. Still some fiddling to go I suspect with regard to the tuning. No doubt this will be an on-going, endless pusuit for perfection :-) But what a fabulous start!
All in all this has been a revelation. An expensive exercise certainly, but worth every cent. I can highly recommend the RF 3Sixty.2 if you need to 'fix' the EQ of your own sound system.
16010
The RF 3Sixty.2 documentation, CD and a Dell X51 PDA to run the Windows Mobile version of the software. I chose to use a PDA as I don't have a laptop. However RF do have a Windows PC version of this software for use on laptops. I find the PDA pretty handy though as it is very easy to manage inside the car, although setting the 31 band equaliser on such a small screen can be challenging!
16011
The 3Sixty.2 installed and ready to go. Checkout the maze of cabiling! It turned out pretty neat however.
16012
The 'Front' EQ curve comparison. The red line is the factory EQ, the blue line is the 3Sixty's attempt to get a flat reponse curve. See on the red curve how there is a noticable gain in the lower mid-range with bugger all bass and bucket loads of gain at the top end. I did not use the 3Sixty's attempt at a 'flat' EQ, instead I created my own curve, boosting the bass and attenuating the mid-range and top end in order to compensate for the factory systems dreadful EQ.
16013
The 'Rear' EQ curve comparison. This is even worse than the front. Although in Honda's defence I guess they set the rear up for fill only. Same gain in the mid-range with bags of high treble.
16014
Finally the completed installation with trim etc in place. Only the very top of the 3Sixty is visible, and it sits behind the trim without any struggle. (Would not want to be any bigger though!)
Cheers, hope some of you may find this interesting or even useful.
PS: The Focal Polyglass range of speakers provide an oustanding value for money basis for the upgrade of our Honda based systems. I can't speak highly enough of their quality and performance!
On a recent thread I described, with a few pics, how I had performed a Focal speaker and Amplifier upgrade on my CU2 Lux. http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?137735-CU2-Accord-Euro-Focal-speaker-upgrade
Despite the Focal system offering a significant improvement to the overall performance of the standard system, I still found that the quality of the sound just was not what I was looking for. The problem seemed to be in the equalisation curve used in the factory Head Unit/Amplifier combination. Mid-Range and Treble seemed really over done and harsh, whilst there was a real lack of decent bass. The result being that as soon as the volume got up a bit it became really 'loud' with the mid-range, and particularly vocals seeming to be way louder that other components of the music.
Anyway, after a lot of listening to various types of music, and a lot of research, I realised that the only way to get real quality sound out of the system was to insert a Digital Signal Processor into the mix. For this purpose I chose a Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.2 This seemed to have the best overall flexibility and tuning capabilities.
So, installing the 3Sixty was easy as I had already done all the hard work. I kept the PAC SOEM4 transformer based LOC as it provided excellent isolation and high quality RCA outputs. This provided 4 input channels to the 3Sixty and then the RCA outputs from the 3Sixty straight to the Focal Solid4 amplifier. At this time I have not used the 'Center' or 'Sub' channels on the 3Sixty, leaving the original factory sub and center speakers connected to the factory Panasonic amplifier.
The results are nothing short of astonishing! The 3Sixty setup procedure for OEM installs goes through a process of measuring the existing EQ from the factory system. It then attempts to set up a 'flat' EQ as a starting point for your own tuning. The Honda (Panasonic) system has an absolutely dreadful EQ curve as standard, with very little bass going to the Front or Rear, an elevated Mid-Range and and astronomic upper Mid-Range and Highs. No wonder the system sounded so bright and harsh!
After some initial tuning where I used the display of the factory EQ curve as a guide to where I needed to add, or subtract, I have been able to completely change the character of the sound in the car. It now has warmth and some real Bass, delivered by the Focal 165VR's in the doors, rather than the factory sub-woofer! I have been able to switch the Focal tweeters back to 0db, whereas previously I was running them with the maximum attenuation that the crossover allowed. The tweeters now provide detail and quality, without any of the nasty harshness that the standard system introduced. Still some fiddling to go I suspect with regard to the tuning. No doubt this will be an on-going, endless pusuit for perfection :-) But what a fabulous start!
All in all this has been a revelation. An expensive exercise certainly, but worth every cent. I can highly recommend the RF 3Sixty.2 if you need to 'fix' the EQ of your own sound system.
16010
The RF 3Sixty.2 documentation, CD and a Dell X51 PDA to run the Windows Mobile version of the software. I chose to use a PDA as I don't have a laptop. However RF do have a Windows PC version of this software for use on laptops. I find the PDA pretty handy though as it is very easy to manage inside the car, although setting the 31 band equaliser on such a small screen can be challenging!
16011
The 3Sixty.2 installed and ready to go. Checkout the maze of cabiling! It turned out pretty neat however.
16012
The 'Front' EQ curve comparison. The red line is the factory EQ, the blue line is the 3Sixty's attempt to get a flat reponse curve. See on the red curve how there is a noticable gain in the lower mid-range with bugger all bass and bucket loads of gain at the top end. I did not use the 3Sixty's attempt at a 'flat' EQ, instead I created my own curve, boosting the bass and attenuating the mid-range and top end in order to compensate for the factory systems dreadful EQ.
16013
The 'Rear' EQ curve comparison. This is even worse than the front. Although in Honda's defence I guess they set the rear up for fill only. Same gain in the mid-range with bags of high treble.
16014
Finally the completed installation with trim etc in place. Only the very top of the 3Sixty is visible, and it sits behind the trim without any struggle. (Would not want to be any bigger though!)
Cheers, hope some of you may find this interesting or even useful.
PS: The Focal Polyglass range of speakers provide an oustanding value for money basis for the upgrade of our Honda based systems. I can't speak highly enough of their quality and performance!