I agree with you about JL. I have a feeling that they’re quietly working on a new 12-16 channel DSP with all of the features in the MAX TuN for car audio only. JL definitely has the know how and the engineers to bring such a product to market that would be equivalent to if not better that the Helix DSP Ultra.
There is always going to be something better when there is competition, and there is a lot of competition in car audio and even cross over products like DAP’s etc.. JL Audio will most definitely bring out something I would think as OEM side of things just keeps getting crazier every year with 32+ channels
So far as I know the best dsp is Zapco or Brax. The benefit however of using a Brax or Helix is how they can create a center speaker that just completes the sound stage. All other dsp’s destroy the sound stage when implementing a center. JL cannot is no way near.
@@VeneraSGF I would never buy a Zapco DSP period as the software has issue after issue you just don’t hear Peter talk about it because he sells them but you hear a lot of other people that compete talk about the software issues. The benefit of the Helix/Brax/Match DSP’s is the software as it’s still better than every other DSP software on the market.
Hi Dave! I hope you can give me your opinion. I was using an audison bitone.1 and then it went to valhalla. Now i need a new DSP. My options here are Helix mini dsp and alpine pxe-0850x for similar price. Any other option is way over my budget. I run a morel hybrid ovation 6 2way kit and a jl 10w6v2, so i dont really need more than 6 channels. The car is a ford fusion with sync 3. Which one would you choose between the Alpine and Helix? Thanks man!!!
I would save your money and get the Helix DSP.3S as it has coaxial digital input and optical input whereas the mini only has optical input. It’s worth saving for so then in the future you have more options if you want to add things to your system. The worst thing you can do is buy something that isn’t 100% what you want. Trust me people do this all the time especially in car audio and end up losing a lot of money.
@@CarAudioHorizons Nice!! The problem is that in my country we actually have few options for a reasonable price as people here love to hear terrible music and spend as less as possible. When we go for some nice equip, the prices are ultra high and we have few options. We dont even have the Helix DSP3s here unless we import it and I have to dig for some old stock nice dsp some seller couldn't sell yet. Another option would be a chinese sennuopu. Very cheap and some russians tested it with good results. Do you have any experience with this brand? I know its not a traditional or fancy brand, but it seems to use some nice chips and capacitors and etc some good brands also use. The software seems to be simple and straightforward with no bugs. What do you think about the DP-X812, for example? Thanks, bro!
@@jeandippolito9880 Helix still has the best DSP’s so if you’re asking me I’m always going to suggest Helix or Brax for a DSP. That being said the most important part of car audio is the installation and tune.
Nice! The original Nakamichi had some great single din head units. Audio Control I believe just came out with their new DSP software which is much improved over their previous software.
Hi Dave, nice to see you as always. Back in the day, the Alpine PXI 099 DSP was my favorite for almost 20 years. I was then very happy with the sound but now the Alpine F#1 has reached the days of the happy hunting grounds and soon forgotten. As for Now times have changed and we had to move on and experience the modern models of DSP with a variety that could satisfy all needs, I also like the new Alpine Status DSP but I would be happier without a built-in amplifier as a stand-alone dsp . In Sweden, our EMMA cars are mostly equipped with Brax DSP, Hellix ulltra, Helix pro, Mosconi Areopace and Zapco DSP but the majority actually use Helix ultra dsp is the popular one, so I myself am happy with Mosconi aerospace it has been updated and I will soon to get it from my dealer. Thanks dave for leaving your wise opinions much appreciated. You are the king of car audio my friend. I enjoyed watching 🙏🙏
You will have to let me know what the Mosconi Pro 8/30 sounds like when it comes out, as you will most likely hear one before me. Well Peter seems to be influencing people over there with the Zapco’s so I would imagine more people will be running those in the future. I liked the new features of the Mosconi DSP software but I didn’t like the colour scheme they used, but that’s just me knit picking 😆
@@CarAudioHorizons Yes! the new Mosconi 8 channel is on my dealer list and two of his customers in the heat of the night are ready to place their order. I'll be sure to let you know if I'm there to review before you.
I wish you would have done a subjective 1 through 10 rating or a best high-end, mid-tier and budget recommendation! Other than that, this was a very informative video! Thanks for your hard work!
Yes, I’ll be doing that soon as this was kind of a part 1 video. There are so many DSP’s now as pretty much every company has multiple DSP’s and DSP/Amps.
@@CarAudioHorizons snuff out those alibaba processors - Crutchfield highest reviews, then do an audiophile one for home recievers and then charge for reviews when ur a pro
Had a DSR-1 but just bought a Helix DSP.3S for my new truck. Haven't installed the DSP yet though. I called Mobile Auto Solutions in Calgary and talked with Chris. Great company. They recommended a local shop to tune my DSP and said they trained them. Hope they are as good as Chris!
The Helix DSP .3s is an excellent DSP I think you will love it and it now has the coaxial digital input that the old .3 didn’t have along with better specs and the new ACO features. Yes, let’s hope they’re as good as Chris!
@@CarAudioHorizons I'm very excited about it. I have a Topping D10s to feed the signal to the DSP as well. Thanks for all your help. I have learned so much from you.
I am going with a Helix V Twelve and forget about it personally. for cheap options the fosgate DS1 or Dayton. But several good brands you cannot go wrong with. Obviously Audison and Mosconi are great also It's like asking wether to go with Alpine or Kenwood. If you want to pay the price many of them are good. And the features you get use to over time. Hopefully you set up a DSP and then that's it. It's not like you would be playing with the settings every day?
Just make sure you will never want a coaxial digital input as the Helix V Twelve and V Eight don’t have one. I would imagine the next alteration of them will have it.
ibasso DX320, setup with Audison Thesis speakers, and Audison Thesis AMps Quatrro and Duo and Rockford for Bass, with GB12's I had JL Anivarsary but not SQ sound so I went with GB for Bass Sq, my system is crazy tune buy Nick from ResoNix
Hello, Thank you fora the video and the feedbacks. I'm from Brasil, i'm looking for a new DSP. And i'm thinking about audison Virtuoso or the Forza M12.14 . Are there many diferences in the audio quality that those dsp process and give to the amplifier to play ?wich one you choose today thinking about
I will always go with the Helix DSP’s as all around there is still nothing out there that’s as good when you are talking software and then sound quality and last ability as it’s a solid product.
Getting a new system active three way hertz Mille pro for tweeter and 6.5 and voce 3 for the mid, Mille pro 6x9 for the rear, Jl stealth 12 for the subs. Looking at two shops one wants the new audison 8.9 prima that just came out (saying it’s better than helix because more power) and the other wants the helix V 8. I will not be doing the tune myself and curious to which amp is better for the setup? Down the road if i wanted to try to tune how hard is it to jump into? Thanks
Honestly I would go for the Helix P Six Ultimate over both those options as it has more power and has both optical and coaxial digital inputs. You can always add rear speakers at a later date. It’s more expensive but it’s also a better DSP/AMP. This is obviously based on budget but I always say it’s better to save up for the right one. You could also go into separates and do a Helix .3s which also has both coaxial and digital inputs and then get separate amplifiers.
@@CarAudioHorizons I wouldn’t mind paying a littler more but looks like 1k more and I lose two channels for the rear speakers. I’m not looking at playing the speakers super loud just comfortable listening in my daily with cranking it a little for one or two songs. How much better of a dsp/amp is the helix ultimate vs the helix v 8 besides clearly more power? I guess I could get a slightly better amp than the helix m one for the subs to also power the rear? (Which also increases the cost). As is with everything installed (sound deadening too) I’m around 10k projected. Also with helix conductor not mentioned above
I don’t believe there is anything out there that is as flexible as the Helix/Brax DSP’s when it comes to the software. Zapco’s 16 channel HDSP-Z16V is a beast but has been having some issues. Over here in Canada you don’t see much of Steg that’s more of a Europe thing and Fred & Sound has been marketing that brand for years. Peter from PSSound has used a few of their products in his videos but I haven’t ever seen him use their DSP’s as he is always using Zapco & Helix DSP’s in all his builds. I do see he sells them on his site though. Also I don’t see anything special when it comes to the specs of any of the Steg DSP’s. I also don’t see anything from them that’s Hi End like the other brands I mentioned have Hi End models. Audiotec Fischer has pretty much dominated the competition around the world when it comes to DSP’s and I don’t see this changing anytime soon. That being said if your products aren’t installed properly and the person doing your tuning doesn’t know how to tune then it doesn’t matter what brand you buy it’s going to sound bad. Over the last two years I have heard more bad sounding systems with good products than I have heard good sounding systems. In fact I have heard very few good systems but the ones I have heard that sounded good all had helix DSP’s in them.
I just got my Zapco hdsp v16 dsp with the es9038 pro chip upgrade but it's not installed yet,,but I can give you a update on it when I get it installed and tuned
This is definitely a DSP I want to hear especially with the upgraded Sabre DAC chips ES9038 Pro’s. Just curious what the regular one cost and how much did you have to pay for the DAC upgrade?
When I bought it from woofers etc it was $2,399.99 and there was a box to select if I wanted the upgrade and it's $799.99 for the front channels and a extra $799.99 for rear channels I got the front cause that's what Zapco recommend, it was $3500 and some change all said and done usd,,after you purchase it from the dealer it has to be directly shipped to Zapco for upgrades,,I just got it back and It comes with a custom es9038 stamped top plate and certificate of authenticity
@@kcemery7406 Damn that’s like $4500.00 Canadian!! 😳 I bet you’re excited to get that fully tuned. Hopefully someone over here gets one and is tuned properly because I definitely want to hear what they sound like. I love how they give you all the options though like the music player and Bluetooth all in one. Lets us know what it sounds like once everything is done!
Thanks for such informative description.. I have a doubt though…. Would Forza C 8.14 (65W per channel) be capable enough to power Voce AV K6 (125W ) as Helix V8 MK2 despite being 75W per channel can drive such speakers.
The Helix would do more than 75 watts as it’s not bridgeable but it’s disperses the power where needed. For example it’s 8 + 75 watts but if the tweeters are only getting 10-20 watts then that would give the 6.5’s more to work with. Larry & Chris were telling me about it when I was thinking about going with the Helix V Eight. I always like more power, but that’s just me. My Audio Frog GB60’s I have put 300 + watts on them and they handled fine, it’s more just for headroom. You also have to remember the Audison speakers are extremely efficient at 91db which are similar to my old Hertz Mille 1650’s
Thanks for such prompt reply with loads of info..Sir having an option to go with either Bit AP f 8.9 or Forza C 8.14..which would be a better choice for 3 way active setup with Voce..
@@CarAudioHorizons As I am planing to install 8 channel DSP Amp..It will be highly appreciated if you could shed some light on reason behind avoiding Audison.This way I can make right choice
@@vk9423 If you’re going Audison then definitely go with the newer Forza’s not the old AP’s. You can also get the F20 expansion card which has coaxial digital input if needed to go with a DAP. Not sure the price difference between the C version compared to the M but more power is always a good thing. I have heard a couple cars with the AP amp/DSP’s and they were underwhelming to say the least. So hopefully the newer ones are better
Hello , alpine pxe r600 and helix dsp 3 which is better , is it worth considering the helix over Alpine will the difference be noticeable if there is difference in performance what are those ?
I would go with the Helix DSP.3s over the Alpine as the .3s has optical and coaxial digital inputs and it specs are better and the software is the best there is.
Kicker L7T 10inch shallow sub or the JL 10TW3 D4 which one is better, the kicker is with 500rms and the JL is 400rms .. is it worth spending extra to get the JL 10TW3
JL Audio products are always more expensive than almost every other brand out there. It’s up to each individual person if they think they’re getting the value out of them for what they pay. I had a lot of Kicker products back in the late 80’s and 90’s and I feel they were more on the high end side back then. I believe these days they’re more on the value side of things. That being said I’m not a big shallow mount subwoofer guy and I would go with the traditional subwoofer unless it’s impossible to fit in your vehicle. Also the whole RMS thing especially if it’s only 100 watts isn’t going to make a big deal. Go with what your instincts tell you and what brand you like better. I would go with a W6 or W7 if I’m going JL, if I’m going Kicker I would go with their newest Square sub. Obviously huge difference in price as the JL’s are like 2-3 times the price.
After watching numerous videos from you, i'm looking at purchasing my first DAP, it's the iBasso dx170, then running into a yet to buy Helix DSP, my question, (i have many) how to connect to the spdif direct from the DAP, The DAP has both 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm but i can't find a single 4.4mm to coax spdif cable? What would you recommend? Your videos are very informative and i apologise if you've already been over this. Thanks in advance!
I just ordered a couple of these from AliExpress as they’re the FiiO Coaxial Digital Audio adapters. -> m.aliexpress.com/item/1005004822949683.html?gatewayAdapt=Pc2Msite That will work with your Ibasso DX170 out of it’s 3.5 output. You will also need a coaxial digital cable as well. Just look in the description of my FiiO M17 review for the link of the cables I use.
I have both the jbl dsp and its little brother the infinity dsp. SUPER CHEAP for 14 channels of dsp and amplification, only downside is you dont get a huge amount of power
I was looking at some of the specs on their hi end model and it almost looks like the Helix DSP Ultra. The signal to noise ratio is the exact same on the analog and digital inputs. They also talk about the velvet sound of the AKM DAC’s. I wonder what their software looks like 🤔
Helix helix helix,, zapco had been round since the 70s, way before helix and zapco hdsp is arguably superior in functions but you haven't even mentioned them 🤷♂️
I talked about Zapco and their DSP’s and they have had nothing but software issues. If you have been around the competition scene the last few years you would have known this. Having a product with all kinds of issues wouldn’t be something I would ever recommend to anyone regardless of its potential. You must not know Zapco’s history all too well. Thats like saying MB Quartz has been around for 50 years. The brand name means nothing if the best people left the company and now their DSP’s are buggy as a Bethesda game on launch. 🚀
Just the specs online as nobody around me has those DSP’s. The Awave 6-8 looks entry level so if you have to choose between those two then I would definitely go with the Steg. That being said the Brax, Helix DSP’s I would go with over everything else on the market for many reasons.
Dave Dean. Love your videos love the system great info ans thank you. Life-long music enthusiasts. Never really did the deep dive into car audio tried when i was younger and was quickly overwhelmed. Looking at getting my first dsp ans 3 way going. Narrowed it down to hybrid audio speakers. Then quickly realizing in Canada there not easy to get ahold of. So that's become B2 audio. Research I've done has helix as a front runner for center channel summing. You have any input there?
I would never do anything with a Center channel as all the options are mediocre at this point in time. I like Hybrid Audio and Audio Physics but like you said they’re hard to find a shop in Canada that deals with those brands. That being said if I ever add anything to my system it will more than likely be the Dynaudio Esotar 2 E430’s as they’re still to this day the best mid I have ever heard but they’re not cheap. I would spend a lot on sound deadening and install and then just go with the brands you like for amps as they’re the easiest to find solutions for. The Helix DSP’s as far as I’m concerned are still the best because of the software, reliability and flexibility.
@Car Audio Horizons everyone is really saying to drop the center. I wish I had more exp. with it. Because just being me makes me want to have one all that much more, just to be different. I'll have to figure out and understand it and why it shouldn't be done further in order to drop it. However, buying a pair and using one doesn't exactly get me excited. It doesn't make full sense to me. No disrespect intended at all here to you or bose or anythinf like that. That bose could make use of one but a company like Helix can't. And that's not a put down on bose either. Do you have an opinion on b2? And I'll have to find some of those mids just to have a listen. Cheers Dave, appreciate the input.
@@zbandick Music isn’t recorded with a Center channel other than some Super Audio CD’s and DVD Audio discs and a few other formats from the past. Then you needed the appropriate equipment to play it back and for the most part that was home audio and it just didn’t catch on. Will see how the new formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS X, etc… do in the next few years. For Music streaming services, CD’s etc… that’s all recorded in two channel stereo so at this point in time no company’s DSP’s really do a good job on vehicles with Center channel’s. You say Bose sounds good, but any Bose system I have heard sounds terrible compared to any aftermarket system. I actually like the Bose 700 system for the home but only for TV sound, not music. That being said everyone likes different sound signatures so if you like the sound of the bose systems then you can always just keep it and then use a DSP to go channel for channel if it’s possible with your system. I have heard stock systems that just add a DSP/Amp that sounds good that just use channel for channel and just stock everything.
@@zbandick I haven’t heard any vehicle with B2 audio and the first time I seen that brand was on Steve Meade’s UA-cam channels a long time ago. But, like I said amps are the easiest thing to do in a system and pretty much the last thing I would worry about in a system. The install, and tune will make the biggest difference. You can buy the best most expensive products and have a bad sounding vehicle if those two things aren’t done right. I honestly would research the best installers/Tuners even if you have to drive a long way to get the install done.
@Car Audio Horizons just to put this out there also. The bose system sucks donkey ****. I just didnt understand how or why they made use of the center channel, i wasnt implying there on any level i would consider pleasing to the ears, but within the confines of their budget and corperate considerations they did ok. I've removed the front 6x9s and the rear door 6.5s for HAT's. I got second hand for cheap cheap lucky me. What you're saying does actually shed a lot of light on the whole center channel discussion, though. So, thank you for the simplistic explanation. The first thing that came to mind was Andy from audiofrogs Mercedes. I don't think I've seen a video or recording of it demo'd unfortunately. But I'm a big fan of Andy, and audiofrog would love to get some GB60s, but $$ for me it would be GS, and for that price, I'd rather do something else is all. But funny enough because of his views on center channels and two seat tunes. If memory serves me correctly, he has basically a 3 way per person set up for a two seat tune in the car. I'd love to do something along those lines, even maybe. I agree with you 100% on the installation and tuning. I wish i had gotten a dsp first. Got it tuned. And let that ride to aquire the rest of the gear. Sounds good audio has 2 local shops. I'm in vancouver, and 100% will get Mike to do it there. If you could start over on ur system, what would you do differently? Also, did you do the install yourself or had someone help with that? It's a lot of work and time. Honestly, I'd like to try, but realtically, it would just never be as good as a proper shop would do. Cheers Dave
I mention the Zapco in other videos as this video I was talking about the newer DSP’s and DSP/AMP’s. Zapco’s 16 channel has been having some software issues of late.
@@CarAudioHorizons you are correct that Zappco 16channel DSP i broght 3 months back and it gave me a defective one, They replaced it.. and now its working But i am very disappointed with sound quality and this DSP picks noise from electrical system, earlier i was using helix mini with no noise on same wiring. I will never recommend anybody Zappco DSPs
@@Somesh-Ji Apparently the 16 channel Zapco is supposed to sound really good when working, but that seems to be the issue “when working”. That’s the nice thing about the Helix DSP’s they seem to be flawless now and have excellent software as well. I’m sure Zapco will work out it’s kinks in the future
@@CarAudioHorizons hmm.. I also believed it till the time i hear it by myself. Just install both Helix entry model and Zappco flagship 16channel, Don't eq it ,tune it. Just put crossover points... And even a deaf will hear the diffrance. Helix will be any day better than that zapco flagship. Zapco is actually a over hype
Trying to build a budget audio for my subaru crosstrek limited. I will be using my stock head unit. Any suggestion for $1200 to $1500 budget..For 2 way 6.5"component speaker and amp with dsp. Thanks
@@CarAudioHorizons I don't think i have that. What do you think about Installing just the match m 5dsp, will solve the issue of integrating my stock head unit to the upgraded speakers?
I’ve seen the specs on their Tune 12 and wasn’t to excited about it, but no I haven’t heard one yet. That being said the price seems to be pretty decent but for DSP’s it’s usually what the software can do is one of the most important factors.
@@kennethbarber620 I personally haven’t heard a Steg DSP but I don’t see any Hi End model as they seem to top out under $1,000 Canadian which is around the same price as a Helix .3s DSP. I can tell you after owning the Helix DSP Ultra for almost two years I haven’t had one issue and I live in Edmonton Alberta where in the winter time it gets below -40 sometimes and the Helix DSP turns on no problem as we had some -40 days last winter 🥶 It’s been flawless!
It’s always going to be Helix as they have the best software on the planet! I would say their hardware is second only to Zapco but Zapco’s software is terrible 😆
Yes, I have heard a couple of cars with them and they sound almost identical to the AS amps. They’re nice sounding amplifiers and are my favourite looking amps. I have been eyeing up the 4/30 class A/AB amp and might get one next Spring
@@CarAudioHorizons Nice! I ended up pulling the trigger on the 4/30. Once I found out that it was class A-AB I had too. Some reviewers say its a masterpiece💯
I need some advice ...if i have to choose between mosconi 4to6 and prv audio 2.8x which one would better ....im a cheap guy can't afford the newer dsps...
Neither I would just save up a bit more money and get a better DSP. There’s no point in buying something you’re probably not going to be happy with. Get one of the Match DSP’s if you’re on a tight budget as they use the same software as the Helix & Brax DSP’s and are a decent price depending on which one you go with.
@Car Audio Horizons Great! Thanks for your reply. Can I use it with my JBL Club A5055 5-Channel Power Amplifier Car Radio Amplifier 4 x 50 Watt RMS + 1 x 500 Watt RMS for Car Speakers and Subwoofer
I have to do my install on a budget a piece at a time but im going with a brand that gives real bang for the buck ill report back later what it is and how i like it.
@@Jigaboo1929 The AD & DA converters are 32bit not 64bit. You might want to go read the specs so you have a better understanding of the DSP -> www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/helix/processors/dsp-ultra
@@mountain.audio247 Non of them sounded that great because they weren’t tuned properly. I know a lot of DYI guys buy them and I heard they’re supposed to be decent.
@@CarAudioHorizons cool, the way I figure it spec wise there pretty much on par with the other brands, tuning is half the battle, is very true, I have heard masconi, the helix and the arc all professionally tuned, iasca winning cars and found it hard to tell the difference between those set ups and what have currently (alpine and jl audio combo semi active) but sound is subjective, and I am an old school tuner so I do have a decent knowledge of system tuning and layout
@@mountain.audio247 Yes, there are lots of good products out there. I went with the Helix DSP Ultra because I wanted the coaxial digital, optical and Auxiliary inputs. Most of the DSP’s only do optical and that just wasn’t going to work for me. Especially since I Test/Review products I almost need more inputs. The WiiM Mini has been the best product that I have tested so far with an iPhone and I wanted to use it in my system but I’m already using my optical toslink out from my PAC Audio Amp Pro. That being said they just released a new version the WiiM Pro which now has optical SPDIF in & out as well as Coaxial Digital out. I’m just hoping it sounds as good with my DSP as the WiiM Mini Streamer. So I’ll bring doing the review on it in a week or so as I’m just waiting to receive it.
Upgrading to Helix DSP Pro MK3. Was going to upgrade from Audiocontol DM-608 to 810 but after watching your video and doing research going with Helix this time around. The new DSP PC-Tools 5 looks awesome.
I´m at the moment hoping for some black friday price drops, like everyone I think ^^ I´m looking to buy either a M Six DSP / DSP MK3 or a DSP.3s, not sure already but I think M Six DSP is best choice in price/value. Sadly it doesnt have the Hi-Res Audio stuff but my ears can´t handle 40 kHz, so why should I spend a lot on money when my ears just hear to about 16-17kHz ?! ;)
You can’t go wrong with any of the Helix DSP’s or DSP/Amps. You just have to decide if you want a Amp/DSP or stand alone DSP. The .3s is excellent and gives you the coaxial digital input you might want at some point in time and the stats are excellent. I always like to buy things that have the extra inputs just in case you want them at a later date.
@@CarAudioHorizons shot the M Six DSP for 650€ on Black Friday, I´m stoked for finally stepping up from 2 2-channel amps with passive 2 way Crossover with 2 Subs to a nice DSP with active channels =)
@@tommyshoe-star1426 That’s good news congratulations! I’m sure you will notice a difference going active as long as you get someone that knows how to tune your system.
Not really a DSP, I had a Clarion that was pretty much the same as the Alpine with all the Hall, Church, Jazz effects which were all crap just like the home receivers had.
I hated the musway 12 channel amp with dsp....the software was GARBAGE and glitched out....helix has that new p six DSP ultimate with optical out that can connect to the helix C four through optical which is great ... I wish Zapco would come out with something new that is available but great video bro...you have a new follower
Thanks for the follow, much appreciated! I haven’t heard the Musway DSP’s but I don’t see anything ground breaking with them. I would like to hear some of the Zapco’s as I heard they sound good but have software issues. You can’t go wrong with the Helix DSP’s and DSP/Amps. The P Six Ultimate and DSP Pro MK3 both look like winners
The brax is in a league of its own but it’s just unrealistically priced! Minidsp 8x12DL is a good price point with excellent software. Helix Ultra if you like fine tuning. What’s your take on the Helix V Twelve and V Eight? I’m considering those but idk if I can justify getting the combo as idk if i’d have enough power to push my HAT L6se’s as the channels are not bridgeable.
The Brax is their best sounding DSP but it’s getting older now and it depends what the rest of your system is. If you had a FiiO M11’s with a Brax DSP and another guy had a FiiO M17 with a Helix DSP Ultra I’ll take the M17 and Ultra over the Brax and M11s with everything else being identical. For me personally I would always go for a separate DSP and Amplifier’s over an all in one. Most all in ones are not really all in ones as you still have to buy a subwoofer amplifier. The all in ones save on space and money which a lot of people like. The sound quality has also improved dramatically with them. I also like power and midbass but the more power you have the more rattles and buzzes your going to have and try to fix 😆 Unfortunately this hobby can be extremely expensive, especially if you have to pay someone to do everything for you. The most important thing is the installation and if you can put your 6.5, or 8’s etc.. in the kicks and not the doors you will be way ahead of 99% of the systems out there if it’s tuned properly. If you ever get a chance to just play your mid woofers in your doors and no other speaker you will see how bad they really sound 😆 If I could change one thing in my SUV it would be getting my Audio Frog GB60’s out of the doors and into Kick panels. I’ll definitely do this if I have enough room. Then I have to sound deaden the sunroof area and the light fixture and part of the hatch. People always get fixated on the products (I’m guilty of that as well) but forget about the most important things install in the right places and sound deadening the crap out of your vehicle which cost the most out of everything if like I was saying you have to pay someone else to do it. Custom Kick panels 2-3k, Custom A pillars 1.5-3k depending on finish. Sound proof your whole vehicle 2-3k…there like almost 10k right there with no products bought 😅 Last but not least the tuning of the vehicle which 99% of people don’t know how to do including the installers. We picked a difficult and expensive hobby this Car Audio thing 😂 Now we now why people leave this hobby to just do home audio as home audio is so much easier.
@@CarAudioHorizons I have a Helix Ultra in my area for $1200 with a director create that im considering pulling the trigger on but like you said 99% of people don’t know how to tune so I want to ensure that I have an expert before I drop that kind of coin. Doug Dobson lives in my area and I recently tried contacting him via DIYMA and FB but I don’t believe he works for mobile solutions anymore and i’m sure he’s got bigger and better things to do than tune some rando’s dsp. It’s funny, I saw your initial reaction video to your Ultra and you mentioned Doug as being the go to guy in the states so I looked him up and sure enough he’s an hour away! I would absolutely love to learn from him! In the mean time though, I will focus on sound deadening per your recommendation. CLD, CCF, and MLV seem to be the combo for sq builds without getting too sophisticated i.e. filling your doors with clay lol. I was going to do those 3 in the doors and floorboard and then just cld across the rest of the chassis. will that suffice? Yeah im kind of butt hurt because q logic enclosures makes custom kick panels for 4runners but only up to the generation before mine :( that would’ve saved me a lot of cake. I am close to mexico though and they’ll do solid fab work for a fraction of the cost so there’s always that option… I better finish up my accounting degree if I want to be able to support this habit $$$. Anyways, what are your future plans for your system? Send me your phone number or tag your social I would love to pick your brain!!!
@@dirtel1297 Doug would have been the perfect person to tune your vehicle but he works for another company now as I see him on Five Star with Dean & Fernando all the time. I pretty much have no time anymore as I’m back working in the Oil Field Industry. I might not even be able to respond on here as much as I was in the past just because I have no time at all. I pretty much just stick to UA-cam as all the other social media platforms are pretty much useless.
@@CarAudioHorizons ahh that’s too bad man I love watching your vids! If I have a hard time finding a tuner should I get a minidsp with dirac or would it be worth waiting until I find a tuner for a helix ultra ?
Audison AP8.9-bt isn’t in the same ballpark you would have to go with one of Audisons new Forza DSP’s. But Helix software is just too good and their products don’t have issues. I’ll personally would go Helix over everything. I would throw Zapco in there but their DSP’s have been having some issues of late. They also have the Helix P Six Ultimate now that gives you a ton of power six channels of power and twelve channels of DSP
@@surajbhan6549 The Helix V Eight is great but if you need more power to the subs then go with the V Twelve and then to control it get a Conductor. I have heard them both and they sound great! Also get a hold of Chris or Larry at Mobile Solutions Calgary Alberta Canada who are the North American distributors and they will set you with the nearest distributor to you. Just ask them also who is the best tuner in your area.
@@badrealamhakeem2083 Depending on your power requirements and budget you might want to go into a six or eight channel amp/dsp from Helix. The Helix M SIX DSP is nice and is a six channel amplifier with ten channels of DSP. Then there’s the Helix V Eight DSP MK2, eight channels of amplification and ten channels of DSP. If those two are out of your budget then check out the Match line which are still great DSP/AMP’s and you can always add on to them in the future. You can check out there website-> www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/match/amplifiers/ Then just add a conductor -> www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/brax/accessories/conductor If you need more options just call Larry or Chris at Mobile Solutions in Calgary who are the North American distributors and can set you up with a Helix/Brax/Match dealer near you. Ph 1-403-828-8191
@@eazy69ful Nothing on that as well. The main DSP’s where I’m at are Helix/Brax/Match, Audiocontrol, Hertz/Audison, JL Audio, Alpine, Arc Audio and a few others.
@@CarAudioHorizons I have a Brax dsp and a Zapco HDSP, but both are less precise than Bewith DSP. Even if given the same slope, it is far more accurate to Bewith. It supports up to 300db, which is something to be proud of.
@@user-ob7rz4ig7z I see they have quite a few products. They should probably certify everyone that has DSP’s that way the shops will know how to use them lol
@@CarAudioHorizons I'm watching your video Dave, i'm very fine and you? Anyway, for respond on this video, my dream it's listen the Alpine f1 status DSP and the Brax, maybe with an Audison Hv20 amplifier. What a dream... 😋 did you ever listen an Audison Hv20 in action? What do you thing about that?
@@enisbenslama7014 I have heard pretty much everything from Audison except those amps. I had the LRX amps in the past and the VRX 6.420 which I sold last year. The hi end Brax amps are like $7500 CAD here. It’s only a four channel amp 4+300 watts at 4ohm. For that price it should be a 10-12 channel amp 😆 That being said I would take two of them and the Brax DSP with my Fiio M17 and whatever hi end speakers and subs over the Alpine F1 Status 3rd Gen.
@@mr.niceguy2524 Just curious what was the price on the Steg DSP? The Helix DSP Pro MK3 just came out this month and I have heard it is a lot better than the previous model.
@@mr.niceguy2524 I have been seeing a lot more Steg videos lately from various UA-cam channels and they have been saying good things about the products. One day hopefully I run into someone that has their products installed so i can hear what it sounds like.
I agree with you about JL.
I have a feeling that they’re quietly working on a new 12-16 channel DSP with all of the features in the MAX TuN for car audio only. JL definitely has the know how and the engineers to bring such a product to market that would be equivalent to if not better that the Helix DSP Ultra.
There is always going to be something better when there is competition, and there is a lot of competition in car audio and even cross over products like DAP’s etc..
JL Audio will most definitely bring out something I would think as OEM side of things just keeps getting crazier every year with 32+ channels
So far as I know the best dsp is Zapco or Brax. The benefit however of using a Brax or Helix is how they can create a center speaker that just completes the sound stage. All other dsp’s destroy the sound stage when implementing a center. JL cannot is no way near.
@@VeneraSGF I would never buy a Zapco DSP period as the software has issue after issue you just don’t hear Peter talk about it because he sells them but you hear a lot of other people that compete talk about the software issues.
The benefit of the Helix/Brax/Match DSP’s is the software as it’s still better than every other DSP software on the market.
Hi Dave! I hope you can give me your opinion. I was using an audison bitone.1 and then it went to valhalla. Now i need a new DSP. My options here are Helix mini dsp and alpine pxe-0850x for similar price. Any other option is way over my budget. I run a morel hybrid ovation 6 2way kit and a jl 10w6v2, so i dont really need more than 6 channels. The car is a ford fusion with sync 3. Which one would you choose between the Alpine and Helix? Thanks man!!!
I would save your money and get the Helix DSP.3S as it has coaxial digital input and optical input whereas the mini only has optical input. It’s worth saving for so then in the future you have more options if you want to add things to your system. The worst thing you can do is buy something that isn’t 100% what you want. Trust me people do this all the time especially in car audio and end up losing a lot of money.
@@CarAudioHorizons Nice!! The problem is that in my country we actually have few options for a reasonable price as people here love to hear terrible music and spend as less as possible. When we go for some nice equip, the prices are ultra high and we have few options. We dont even have the Helix DSP3s here unless we import it and I have to dig for some old stock nice dsp some seller couldn't sell yet. Another option would be a chinese sennuopu. Very cheap and some russians tested it with good results. Do you have any experience with this brand? I know its not a traditional or fancy brand, but it seems to use some nice chips and capacitors and etc some good brands also use. The software seems to be simple and straightforward with no bugs. What do you think about the DP-X812, for example? Thanks, bro!
@@jeandippolito9880 Helix still has the best DSP’s so if you’re asking me I’m always going to suggest Helix or Brax for a DSP. That being said the most important part of car audio is the installation and tune.
I just bought my first DSP. It is the Nakamichi 4085AU. I like it, but when my budget grows, I would like to try the Audio Control DSP.
Nice! The original Nakamichi had some great single din head units. Audio Control I believe just came out with their new DSP software which is much improved over their previous software.
@@CarAudioHorizonsYeah, and with their accubass controls integrated into the DSP, I think it may be worth checking out.😊
i currently have the dm608 installed first dsp ever @@JayRays1truck
Didn’t know zapco software issue. Personally use helix v18. I have seen pssound use zapco often. Was thinking they might be a alternative
@@VeneraSGF Yes, the high end Zapco’s with the replacement 9038pro DAC’s have had a lot of issues along with many software issues.
They are one of my favorite channels out there. It’s for dealers but give access to the masses
Yes, they have excellent information but I don’t think too many people know about that channel because they don’t get many views.
Hi Dave, nice to see you as always. Back in the day, the Alpine PXI 099 DSP was my favorite for almost 20 years. I was then very happy with the sound but now the Alpine F#1 has reached the days of the happy hunting grounds and soon forgotten. As for Now times have changed and we had to move on and experience the modern models of DSP with a variety that could satisfy all needs, I also like the new Alpine Status DSP but I would be happier without a built-in amplifier as a stand-alone dsp . In Sweden, our EMMA cars are mostly equipped with Brax DSP, Hellix ulltra, Helix pro, Mosconi Areopace and Zapco DSP but the majority actually use Helix ultra dsp is the popular one, so I myself am happy with Mosconi aerospace it has been updated and I will soon to get it from my dealer. Thanks dave for leaving your wise opinions much appreciated. You are the king of car audio my friend. I enjoyed watching 🙏🙏
You will have to let me know what the Mosconi Pro 8/30 sounds like when it comes out, as you will most likely hear one before me.
Well Peter seems to be influencing people over there with the Zapco’s so I would imagine more people will be running those in the future. I liked the new features of the Mosconi DSP software but I didn’t like the colour scheme they used, but that’s just me knit picking 😆
@@CarAudioHorizons Yes! the new Mosconi 8 channel is on my dealer list and two of his customers in the heat of the night are ready to place their order. I'll be sure to let you know if I'm there to review before you.
I wish you would have done a subjective 1 through 10 rating or a best high-end, mid-tier and budget recommendation! Other than that, this was a very informative video! Thanks for your hard work!
Yes, I’ll be doing that soon as this was kind of a part 1 video. There are so many DSP’s now as pretty much every company has multiple DSP’s and DSP/Amps.
@@CarAudioHorizons do the cheapest to most expensive and the be the determining factor
@@stevenjones5226 I’m just waiting to see if anything new is coming out
@@CarAudioHorizons snuff out those alibaba processors - Crutchfield highest reviews, then do an audiophile one for home recievers and then charge for reviews when ur a pro
Had a DSR-1 but just bought a Helix DSP.3S for my new truck. Haven't installed the DSP yet though. I called Mobile Auto Solutions in Calgary and talked with Chris. Great company. They recommended a local shop to tune my DSP and said they trained them. Hope they are as good as Chris!
The Helix DSP .3s is an excellent DSP I think you will love it and it now has the coaxial digital input that the old .3 didn’t have along with better specs and the new ACO features. Yes, let’s hope they’re as good as Chris!
@@CarAudioHorizons I'm very excited about it. I have a Topping D10s to feed the signal to the DSP as well. Thanks for all your help. I have learned so much from you.
@@isaacsmith79 Thank You 🙏 The topping d10s and d10b are both excellent units and will pair well with the Helix DSP .3s
I am going with a Helix V Twelve and forget about it personally. for cheap options the fosgate DS1 or Dayton. But several good brands you cannot go wrong with. Obviously Audison and Mosconi are great also It's like asking wether to go with Alpine or Kenwood. If you want to pay the price many of them are good. And the features you get use to over time. Hopefully you set up a DSP and then that's it. It's not like you would be playing with the settings every day?
Just make sure you will never want a coaxial digital input as the Helix V Twelve and V Eight don’t have one. I would imagine the next alteration of them will have it.
ibasso DX320, setup with Audison Thesis speakers, and Audison Thesis AMps Quatrro and Duo and Rockford for Bass, with GB12's I had JL Anivarsary but not SQ sound so I went with GB for Bass Sq, my system is crazy tune buy Nick from ResoNix
What about the AudioControl 810
What about it?
Hello, Thank you fora the video and the feedbacks. I'm from Brasil, i'm looking for a new DSP. And i'm thinking about audison Virtuoso or the Forza M12.14 . Are there many diferences in the audio quality that those dsp process and give to the amplifier to play ?wich one you choose today thinking about
I will always go with the Helix DSP’s as all around there is still nothing out there that’s as good when you are talking software and then sound quality and last ability as it’s a solid product.
Thank you very much !
Thank you for posting. I had wonder by having DSP enclosed from amplifier or car Deck was "only"way.,.. so what is the best brand DSP model?
My friend .. do you now what dac a bluetooth connection use? From my alpine ilx to my helix dsp ?
Grt jermain
Bluetooth is a codec not a DAC. So your Helix DSP would be the DAC that does the conversion.
@@CarAudioHorizons thanls for the info my friend
@@Leysner77 No problem, thanks
Getting a new system active three way hertz Mille pro for tweeter and 6.5 and voce 3 for the mid, Mille pro 6x9 for the rear, Jl stealth 12 for the subs. Looking at two shops one wants the new audison 8.9 prima that just came out (saying it’s better than helix because more power) and the other wants the helix V 8. I will not be doing the tune myself and curious to which amp is better for the setup? Down the road if i wanted to try to tune how hard is it to jump into? Thanks
Honestly I would go for the Helix P Six Ultimate over both those options as it has more power and has both optical and coaxial digital inputs. You can always add rear speakers at a later date. It’s more expensive but it’s also a better DSP/AMP.
This is obviously based on budget but I always say it’s better to save up for the right one.
You could also go into separates and do a Helix .3s which also has both coaxial and digital inputs and then get separate amplifiers.
@@CarAudioHorizons I wouldn’t mind paying a littler more but looks like 1k more and I lose two channels for the rear speakers. I’m not looking at playing the speakers super loud just comfortable listening in my daily with cranking it a little for one or two songs. How much better of a dsp/amp is the helix ultimate vs the helix v 8 besides clearly more power? I guess I could get a slightly better amp than the helix m one for the subs to also power the rear? (Which also increases the cost). As is with everything installed (sound deadening too) I’m around 10k projected. Also with helix conductor not mentioned above
@@alwayza9er Either way you go it should sound good as long as they tune it properly
Looking into the steg dsp do u know if there just as good as helix im stuck deciding between the 2 ?
I don’t believe there is anything out there that is as flexible as the Helix/Brax DSP’s when it comes to the software. Zapco’s 16 channel HDSP-Z16V is a beast but has been having some issues.
Over here in Canada you don’t see much of Steg that’s more of a Europe thing and Fred & Sound has been marketing that brand for years.
Peter from PSSound has used a few of their products in his videos but I haven’t ever seen him use their DSP’s as he is always using Zapco & Helix DSP’s in all his builds. I do see he sells them on his site though.
Also I don’t see anything special when it comes to the specs of any of the Steg DSP’s. I also don’t see anything from them that’s Hi End like the other brands I mentioned have Hi End models.
Audiotec Fischer has pretty much dominated the competition around the world when it comes to DSP’s and I don’t see this changing anytime soon.
That being said if your products aren’t installed properly and the person doing your tuning doesn’t know how to tune then it doesn’t matter what brand you buy it’s going to sound bad.
Over the last two years I have heard more bad sounding systems with good products than I have heard good sounding systems. In fact I have heard very few good systems but the ones I have heard that sounded good all had helix DSP’s in them.
Best digital input for DSP ? FiiO ?
Coaxial digital
Mosconi 4to6 vs helix mini mk2 please reply which one to buy and which is better
Need urgent reply please 😢😢
Helix Mini MK2 👍
Mosconi software can be basic or pro as you get better! Like their software better.
Well they finally upgraded it, so that’s a good thing.
I just got my Zapco hdsp v16 dsp with the es9038 pro chip upgrade but it's not installed yet,,but I can give you a update on it when I get it installed and tuned
This is definitely a DSP I want to hear especially with the upgraded Sabre DAC chips ES9038 Pro’s. Just curious what the regular one cost and how much did you have to pay for the DAC upgrade?
When I bought it from woofers etc it was $2,399.99 and there was a box to select if I wanted the upgrade and it's $799.99 for the front channels and a extra $799.99 for rear channels I got the front cause that's what Zapco recommend, it was $3500 and some change all said and done usd,,after you purchase it from the dealer it has to be directly shipped to Zapco for upgrades,,I just got it back and It comes with a custom es9038 stamped top plate and certificate of authenticity
@@kcemery7406 Damn that’s like $4500.00 Canadian!! 😳 I bet you’re excited to get that fully tuned. Hopefully someone over here gets one and is tuned properly because I definitely want to hear what they sound like. I love how they give you all the options though like the music player and Bluetooth all in one. Lets us know what it sounds like once everything is done!
@@kcemery7406 how does it sound ?
Thanks for such informative description..
I have a doubt though…. Would Forza C 8.14 (65W per channel) be capable enough to power Voce AV K6 (125W ) as Helix V8 MK2 despite being 75W per channel can drive such speakers.
The Helix would do more than 75 watts as it’s not bridgeable but it’s disperses the power where needed. For example it’s 8 + 75 watts but if the tweeters are only getting 10-20 watts then that would give the 6.5’s more to work with. Larry & Chris were telling me about it when I was thinking about going with the Helix V Eight. I always like more power, but that’s just me. My Audio Frog GB60’s I have put 300 + watts on them and they handled fine, it’s more just for headroom.
You also have to remember the Audison speakers are extremely efficient at 91db which are similar to my old Hertz Mille 1650’s
Thanks for such prompt reply with loads of info..Sir having an option to go with either Bit AP f 8.9 or Forza C 8.14..which would be a better choice for 3 way active setup with Voce..
@@vk9423 I wouldn’t touch the Audison AP DSP’s
@@CarAudioHorizons As I am planing to install 8 channel DSP Amp..It will be highly appreciated if you could shed some light on reason behind avoiding Audison.This way I can make right choice
@@vk9423 If you’re going Audison then definitely go with the newer Forza’s not the old AP’s. You can also get the F20 expansion card which has coaxial digital input if needed to go with a DAP.
Not sure the price difference between the C version compared to the M but more power is always a good thing.
I have heard a couple cars with the AP amp/DSP’s and they were underwhelming to say the least. So hopefully the newer ones are better
I used audiocontrol dsp D-4.800 ❤ the best for me
Nice! I hear the software is a lot better now
Hello , alpine pxe r600 and helix dsp 3 which is better , is it worth considering the helix over Alpine will the difference be noticeable if there is difference in performance what are those ?
I would go with the Helix DSP.3s over the Alpine as the .3s has optical and coaxial digital inputs and it specs are better and the software is the best there is.
Kicker L7T 10inch shallow sub or the JL 10TW3 D4 which one is better, the kicker is with 500rms and the JL is 400rms .. is it worth spending extra to get the JL 10TW3
JL Audio products are always more expensive than almost every other brand out there. It’s up to each individual person if they think they’re getting the value out of them for what they pay. I had a lot of Kicker products back in the late 80’s and 90’s and I feel they were more on the high end side back then. I believe these days they’re more on the value side of things.
That being said I’m not a big shallow mount subwoofer guy and I would go with the traditional subwoofer unless it’s impossible to fit in your vehicle. Also the whole RMS thing especially if it’s only 100 watts isn’t going to make a big deal.
Go with what your instincts tell you and what brand you like better. I would go with a W6 or W7 if I’m going JL, if I’m going Kicker I would go with their newest Square sub. Obviously huge difference in price as the JL’s are like 2-3 times the price.
Thank you soo much for you idea and opinion 😊
After watching numerous videos from you, i'm looking at purchasing my first DAP, it's the iBasso dx170, then running into a yet to buy Helix DSP, my question, (i have many) how to connect to the spdif direct from the DAP, The DAP has both 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm but i can't find a single 4.4mm to coax spdif cable? What would you recommend? Your videos are very informative and i apologise if you've already been over this. Thanks in advance!
I just ordered a couple of these from AliExpress as they’re the FiiO Coaxial Digital Audio adapters.
-> m.aliexpress.com/item/1005004822949683.html?gatewayAdapt=Pc2Msite
That will work with your Ibasso DX170 out of it’s 3.5 output. You will also need a coaxial digital cable as well. Just look in the description of my FiiO M17 review for the link of the cables I use.
I have both the jbl dsp and its little brother the infinity dsp. SUPER CHEAP for 14 channels of dsp and amplification, only downside is you dont get a huge amount of power
Well you can always add more powerful amps into your system if you have the DSP channels already to get more power if it allows it.
I heard the ESX Quantum DSP is excellent. Anyone has experience with it?
I was looking at some of the specs on their hi end model and it almost looks like the Helix DSP Ultra. The signal to noise ratio is the exact same on the analog and digital inputs. They also talk about the velvet sound of the AKM DAC’s. I wonder what their software looks like 🤔
Helix helix helix,, zapco had been round since the 70s, way before helix and zapco hdsp is arguably superior in functions but you haven't even mentioned them 🤷♂️
I talked about Zapco and their DSP’s and they have had nothing but software issues. If you have been around the competition scene the last few years you would have known this.
Having a product with all kinds of issues wouldn’t be something I would ever recommend to anyone regardless of its potential.
You must not know Zapco’s history all too well. Thats like saying MB Quartz has been around for 50 years. The brand name means nothing if the best people left the company and now their DSP’s are buggy as a Bethesda game on launch. 🚀
Great video do you know anything about the Steg 68 and the Awave68 Dsp
Just the specs online as nobody around me has those DSP’s. The Awave 6-8 looks entry level so if you have to choose between those two then I would definitely go with the Steg.
That being said the Brax, Helix DSP’s I would go with over everything else on the market for many reasons.
ESX D68SP vs MUSWAY DSP68, Which is best from both?
I have never heard either so I have no idea
Dave Dean. Love your videos love the system great info ans thank you. Life-long music enthusiasts. Never really did the deep dive into car audio tried when i was younger and was quickly overwhelmed. Looking at getting my first dsp ans 3 way going. Narrowed it down to hybrid audio speakers. Then quickly realizing in Canada there not easy to get ahold of. So that's become B2 audio. Research I've done has helix as a front runner for center channel summing. You have any input there?
I would never do anything with a Center channel as all the options are mediocre at this point in time.
I like Hybrid Audio and Audio Physics but like you said they’re hard to find a shop in Canada that deals with those brands. That being said if I ever add anything to my system it will more than likely be the Dynaudio Esotar 2 E430’s as they’re still to this day the best mid I have ever heard but they’re not cheap.
I would spend a lot on sound deadening and install and then just go with the brands you like for amps as they’re the easiest to find solutions for.
The Helix DSP’s as far as I’m concerned are still the best because of the software, reliability and flexibility.
@Car Audio Horizons everyone is really saying to drop the center. I wish I had more exp. with it. Because just being me makes me want to have one all that much more, just to be different. I'll have to figure out and understand it and why it shouldn't be done further in order to drop it. However, buying a pair and using one doesn't exactly get me excited. It doesn't make full sense to me.
No disrespect intended at all here to you or bose or anythinf like that. That bose could make use of one but a company like Helix can't. And that's not a put down on bose either. Do you have an opinion on b2?
And I'll have to find some of those mids just to have a listen. Cheers Dave, appreciate the input.
@@zbandick Music isn’t recorded with a Center channel other than some Super Audio CD’s and DVD Audio discs and a few other formats from the past. Then you needed the appropriate equipment to play it back and for the most part that was home audio and it just didn’t catch on.
Will see how the new formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS X, etc… do in the next few years.
For Music streaming services, CD’s etc… that’s all recorded in two channel stereo so at this point in time no company’s DSP’s really do a good job on vehicles with Center channel’s. You say Bose sounds good, but any Bose system I have heard sounds terrible compared to any aftermarket system. I actually like the Bose 700 system for the home but only for TV sound, not music.
That being said everyone likes different sound signatures so if you like the sound of the bose systems then you can always just keep it and then use a DSP to go channel for channel if it’s possible with your system.
I have heard stock systems that just add a DSP/Amp that sounds good that just use channel for channel and just stock everything.
@@zbandick I haven’t heard any vehicle with B2 audio and the first time I seen that brand was on Steve Meade’s UA-cam channels a long time ago.
But, like I said amps are the easiest thing to do in a system and pretty much the last thing I would worry about in a system.
The install, and tune will make the biggest difference. You can buy the best most expensive products and have a bad sounding vehicle if those two things aren’t done right.
I honestly would research the best installers/Tuners even if you have to drive a long way to get the install done.
@Car Audio Horizons just to put this out there also. The bose system sucks donkey ****. I just didnt understand how or why they made use of the center channel, i wasnt implying there on any level i would consider pleasing to the ears, but within the confines of their budget and corperate considerations they did ok. I've removed the front 6x9s and the rear door 6.5s for HAT's. I got second hand for cheap cheap lucky me.
What you're saying does actually shed a lot of light on the whole center channel discussion, though. So, thank you for the simplistic explanation. The first thing that came to mind was Andy from audiofrogs Mercedes.
I don't think I've seen a video or recording of it demo'd unfortunately.
But I'm a big fan of Andy, and audiofrog would love to get some GB60s, but $$ for me it would be GS, and for that price, I'd rather do something else is all.
But funny enough because of his views on center channels and two seat tunes. If memory serves me correctly, he has basically a 3 way per person set up for a two seat tune in the car.
I'd love to do something along those lines, even maybe. I agree with you 100% on the installation and tuning. I wish i had gotten a dsp first. Got it tuned. And let that ride to aquire the rest of the gear. Sounds good audio has 2 local shops. I'm in vancouver, and 100% will get Mike to do it there. If you could start over on ur system, what would you do differently? Also, did you do the install yourself or had someone help with that?
It's a lot of work and time. Honestly, I'd like to try, but realtically, it would just never be as good as a proper shop would do. Cheers Dave
Hi.
Could you please add shortcut of recommended channel in description.
Thank you.
No sure what you mean by recommended channel?
You did not menstion the Zappco DSPs That 16Channel.
I mention the Zapco in other videos as this video I was talking about the newer DSP’s and DSP/AMP’s. Zapco’s 16 channel has been having some software issues of late.
@@CarAudioHorizons you are correct that Zappco 16channel DSP i broght 3 months back and it gave me a defective one, They replaced it.. and now its working But i am very disappointed with sound quality and this DSP picks noise from electrical system, earlier i was using helix mini with no noise on same wiring.
I will never recommend anybody Zappco DSPs
@@Somesh-Ji Apparently the 16 channel Zapco is supposed to sound really good when working, but that seems to be the issue “when working”. That’s the nice thing about the Helix DSP’s they seem to be flawless now and have excellent software as well. I’m sure Zapco will work out it’s kinks in the future
@@CarAudioHorizons hmm.. I also believed it till the time i hear it by myself.
Just install both Helix entry model and Zappco flagship 16channel, Don't eq it ,tune it. Just put crossover points... And even a deaf will hear the diffrance.
Helix will be any day better than that zapco flagship.
Zapco is actually a over hype
Too many software issue and in general their software sucks!
Anyone have any experience with Musway? Getting a system with the musway 12 amp/dsp and bridgeable
Trying to build a budget audio for my subaru crosstrek limited. I will be using my stock head unit. Any suggestion for $1200 to $1500 budget..For 2 way 6.5"component speaker and amp with dsp. Thanks
Are you doing the install and tuning yourself?
@@CarAudioHorizons I'm just buying the equipment and let the shop install and tune it. I've listen to your advice. "Include dsp on your build".
@@TheJeof1000 Is there any interface for your vehicle like a PAC Amp Pro?
@@CarAudioHorizons I don't think i have that. What do you think about Installing just the match m 5dsp, will solve the issue of integrating my stock head unit to the upgraded speakers?
@@TheJeof1000 What year is your vehicle?
You never seen n heard a system with the Musway dsp it a different beast trust me n it's user-friendly
I’ve seen the specs on their Tune 12 and wasn’t to excited about it, but no I haven’t heard one yet.
That being said the price seems to be pretty decent but for DSP’s it’s usually what the software can do is one of the most important factors.
What amp do you have connected to your ultra?
I ran almost every DSP and Helix makes the best DSPs ..hands down, so fuckin easy to use
I agree 💯%
How about steg dsp how are they and are they better than helix?
@@kennethbarber620 I personally haven’t heard a Steg DSP but I don’t see any Hi End model as they seem to top out under $1,000 Canadian which is around the same price as a Helix .3s DSP.
I can tell you after owning the Helix DSP Ultra for almost two years I haven’t had one issue and I live in Edmonton Alberta where in the winter time it gets below -40 sometimes and the Helix DSP turns on no problem as we had some -40 days last winter 🥶
It’s been flawless!
currently have audio control...thought of going to mosconi...@@CarAudioHorizons
I have the audiocontrol dm-810
Yep for sure helix dsp software is very nice bro
It’s definitely the software that keeps them at the top when it comes to DSP’s
Hertz s8 mini vs helix dsp mini mk2 ?
It’s always going to be Helix as they have the best software on the planet! I would say their hardware is second only to Zapco but Zapco’s software is terrible 😆
Has anyone heard the Mosconi Pro 5/30? I ordered one but cant find any reviews on it. Any help is appreciated
Yes, I have heard a couple of cars with them and they sound almost identical to the AS amps. They’re nice sounding amplifiers and are my favourite looking amps. I have been eyeing up the 4/30 class A/AB amp and might get one next Spring
@@CarAudioHorizons Nice! I ended up pulling the trigger on the 4/30. Once I found out that it was class A-AB I had too. Some reviewers say its a masterpiece💯
@@edwinsprojects7039 Yes, that’s supposed to be one of if not the best sounding amplifiers out today. You will be happy with that for sure
@@CarAudioHorizons Awesome!! Cant wait to get it installed💯😎
@@edwinsprojects7039 Let me know what you think of it once you have everything dialled in
I need some advice ...if i have to choose between mosconi 4to6 and prv audio 2.8x which one would better ....im a cheap guy can't afford the newer dsps...
Neither I would just save up a bit more money and get a better DSP. There’s no point in buying something you’re probably not going to be happy with. Get one of the Match DSP’s if you’re on a tight budget as they use the same software as the Helix & Brax DSP’s and are a decent price depending on which one you go with.
@@CarAudioHorizons Thanks a lot..I will do so...
@@CarAudioHorizons
Hi,
Would you recommend this Helix DSP Mini - 6-Channel Signal Processor
@@DanDan-dn5lt Yes, any of the Helix DSP’s are excellent.
@Car Audio Horizons
Great!
Thanks for your reply.
Can I use it with my JBL Club A5055 5-Channel Power Amplifier Car Radio Amplifier 4 x 50 Watt RMS + 1 x 500 Watt RMS for Car Speakers and Subwoofer
I have to do my install on a budget a piece at a time but im going with a brand that gives real bang for the buck ill report back later what it is and how i like it.
I can assure you the Helix will be worth your money!
I can second that as I have had the Helix DSP Ultra for about a year and a half
To bad no one recordeds in 64 bit
@@Jigaboo1929 The AD & DA converters are 32bit not 64bit. You might want to go read the specs so you have a better understanding of the DSP -> www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/helix/processors/dsp-ultra
Have you seen or played with the minidsp 8/12v2?
I haven’t used one personally but I have heard some of their DSP’s in vehicles.
@@CarAudioHorizons how did those vehicles sound?
@@mountain.audio247 Non of them sounded that great because they weren’t tuned properly. I know a lot of DYI guys buy them and I heard they’re supposed to be decent.
@@CarAudioHorizons cool, the way I figure it spec wise there pretty much on par with the other brands, tuning is half the battle, is very true, I have heard masconi, the helix and the arc all professionally tuned, iasca winning cars and found it hard to tell the difference between those set ups and what have currently (alpine and jl audio combo semi active) but sound is subjective, and I am an old school tuner so I do have a decent knowledge of system tuning and layout
@@mountain.audio247 Yes, there are lots of good products out there. I went with the Helix DSP Ultra because I wanted the coaxial digital, optical and Auxiliary inputs. Most of the DSP’s only do optical and that just wasn’t going to work for me. Especially since I Test/Review products I almost need more inputs.
The WiiM Mini has been the best product that I have tested so far with an iPhone and I wanted to use it in my system but I’m already using my optical toslink out from my PAC Audio Amp Pro. That being said they just released a new version the WiiM Pro which now has optical SPDIF in & out as well as Coaxial Digital out. I’m just hoping it sounds as good with my DSP as the WiiM Mini Streamer.
So I’ll bring doing the review on it in a week or so as I’m just waiting to receive it.
How is Alpine PXE- X800?
I’m sure it’s ok, I’m not a big fan of it. For an all in one DSP/Amp the amp section is under powered.
@@CarAudioHorizons I basically need it only for dsp purpose will it be a good buy?
@@Divit2121 I’m always going to recommend the Helix DSP’s. I would buy a Helix DSP.3S or higher over that Alpine.
Upgrading to Helix DSP Pro MK3. Was going to upgrade from Audiocontol DM-608 to 810 but after watching your video and doing research going with Helix this time around. The new DSP PC-Tools 5 looks awesome.
The Helix DSP Pro MK3 is pretty much the Ultra as the specs are almost identical so it’s definitely going to be a big step up from the Audiocontrol
Loving my new DSP 👍🏻
@@MrWolfman727 That’s great! How’s the tune?
Sounds great, we can meet up if you like and check out each other's systems.
@@MrWolfman727 Are you in Alberta?
I´m at the moment hoping for some black friday price drops, like everyone I think ^^ I´m looking to buy either a M Six DSP / DSP MK3 or a DSP.3s, not sure already but I think M Six DSP is best choice in price/value.
Sadly it doesnt have the Hi-Res Audio stuff but my ears can´t handle 40 kHz, so why should I spend a lot on money when my ears just hear to about 16-17kHz ?! ;)
You can’t go wrong with any of the Helix DSP’s or DSP/Amps. You just have to decide if you want a Amp/DSP or stand alone DSP. The .3s is excellent and gives you the coaxial digital input you might want at some point in time and the stats are excellent. I always like to buy things that have the extra inputs just in case you want them at a later date.
@@CarAudioHorizons shot the M Six DSP for 650€ on Black Friday, I´m stoked for finally stepping up from 2 2-channel amps with passive 2 way Crossover with 2 Subs to a nice DSP with active channels =)
@@tommyshoe-star1426 That’s good news congratulations! I’m sure you will notice a difference going active as long as you get someone that knows how to tune your system.
Zapco dsp Z8 IV II good or no?
Yes, but it doesn’t have coaxial digital input, only optical
@@CarAudioHorizons ah..i see i see..thanks bro..
Alpine era g320
Not really a DSP, I had a Clarion that was pretty much the same as the Alpine with all the Hall, Church, Jazz effects which were all crap just like the home receivers had.
@@CarAudioHorizons ehh I guess so, us guys out here in Hawaii got the tuning down for the g320, so the tunes be good!
@@slickwiit96 That’s where my favourite UFC fighter is from Max Holloway! 👊
I hated the musway 12 channel amp with dsp....the software was GARBAGE and glitched out....helix has that new p six DSP ultimate with optical out that can connect to the helix C four through optical which is great ... I wish Zapco would come out with something new that is available but great video bro...you have a new follower
Thanks for the follow, much appreciated! I haven’t heard the Musway DSP’s but I don’t see anything ground breaking with them. I would like to hear some of the Zapco’s as I heard they sound good but have software issues. You can’t go wrong with the Helix DSP’s and DSP/Amps. The P Six Ultimate and DSP Pro MK3 both look like winners
The brax is in a league of its own but it’s just unrealistically priced! Minidsp 8x12DL is a good price point with excellent software. Helix Ultra if you like fine tuning. What’s your take on the Helix V Twelve and V Eight? I’m considering those but idk if I can justify getting the combo as idk if i’d have enough power to push my HAT L6se’s as the channels are not bridgeable.
The Brax is their best sounding DSP but it’s getting older now and it depends what the rest of your system is. If you had a FiiO M11’s with a Brax DSP and another guy had a FiiO M17 with a Helix DSP Ultra I’ll take the M17 and Ultra over the Brax and M11s with everything else being identical.
For me personally I would always go for a separate DSP and Amplifier’s over an all in one. Most all in ones are not really all in ones as you still have to buy a subwoofer amplifier.
The all in ones save on space and money which a lot of people like. The sound quality has also improved dramatically with them.
I also like power and midbass but the more power you have the more rattles and buzzes your going to have and try to fix 😆
Unfortunately this hobby can be extremely expensive, especially if you have to pay someone to do everything for you.
The most important thing is the installation and if you can put your 6.5, or 8’s etc.. in the kicks and not the doors you will be way ahead of 99% of the systems out there if it’s tuned properly.
If you ever get a chance to just play your mid woofers in your doors and no other speaker you will see how bad they really sound 😆
If I could change one thing in my SUV it would be getting my Audio Frog GB60’s out of the doors and into Kick panels. I’ll definitely do this if I have enough room. Then I have to sound deaden the sunroof area and the light fixture and part of the hatch.
People always get fixated on the products (I’m guilty of that as well) but forget about the most important things install in the right places and sound deadening the crap out of your vehicle which cost the most out of everything if like I was saying you have to pay someone else to do it. Custom Kick panels 2-3k, Custom A pillars 1.5-3k depending on finish. Sound proof your whole vehicle 2-3k…there like almost 10k right there with no products bought 😅
Last but not least the tuning of the vehicle which 99% of people don’t know how to do including the installers.
We picked a difficult and expensive hobby this Car Audio thing 😂 Now we now why people leave this hobby to just do home audio as home audio is so much easier.
@@CarAudioHorizons I have a Helix Ultra in my area for $1200 with a director create that im considering pulling the trigger on but like you said 99% of people don’t know how to tune so I want to ensure that I have an expert before I drop that kind of coin. Doug Dobson lives in my area and I recently tried contacting him via DIYMA and FB but I don’t believe he works for mobile solutions anymore and i’m sure he’s got bigger and better things to do than tune some rando’s dsp. It’s funny, I saw your initial reaction video to your Ultra and you mentioned Doug as being the go to guy in the states so I looked him up and sure enough he’s an hour away! I would absolutely love to learn from him!
In the mean time though, I will focus on sound deadening per your recommendation. CLD, CCF, and MLV seem to be the combo for sq builds without getting too sophisticated i.e. filling your doors with clay lol. I was going to do those 3 in the doors and floorboard and then just cld across the rest of the chassis. will that suffice?
Yeah im kind of butt hurt because q logic enclosures makes custom kick panels for 4runners but only up to the generation before mine :( that would’ve saved me a lot of cake. I am close to mexico though and they’ll do solid fab work for a fraction of the cost so there’s always that option…
I better finish up my accounting degree if I want to be able to support this habit $$$.
Anyways, what are your future plans for your system? Send me your phone number or tag your social I would love to pick your brain!!!
@@dirtel1297 Doug would have been the perfect person to tune your vehicle but he works for another company now as I see him on Five Star with Dean & Fernando all the time.
I pretty much have no time anymore as I’m back working in the Oil Field Industry. I might not even be able to respond on here as much as I was in the past just because I have no time at all. I pretty much just stick to UA-cam as all the other social media platforms are pretty much useless.
@@CarAudioHorizons ahh that’s too bad man I love watching your vids! If I have a hard time finding a tuner should I get a minidsp with dirac or would it be worth waiting until I find a tuner for a helix ultra ?
Nice information bro keep up the good work
Thanks, I’ll be doing a part 2 on this as there are so many DSP’s these days
helix v8 or audison 8.9 vhich is best
Audison AP8.9-bt isn’t in the same ballpark you would have to go with one of Audisons new Forza DSP’s. But Helix software is just too good and their products don’t have issues. I’ll personally would go Helix over everything. I would throw Zapco in there but their DSP’s have been having some issues of late. They also have the Helix P Six Ultimate now that gives you a ton of power six channels of power and twelve channels of DSP
@@CarAudioHorizons but I want 8 channel amp inbuilt 9 to 10 channel dsp plz suggest good option
@@surajbhan6549 The Helix V Eight is great but if you need more power to the subs then go with the V Twelve and then to control it get a Conductor. I have heard them both and they sound great! Also get a hold of Chris or Larry at Mobile Solutions Calgary Alberta Canada who are the North American distributors and they will set you with the nearest distributor to you. Just ask them also who is the best tuner in your area.
C-DSP 8x12 V2.0
Which dsp amplifier is best for SQ setup
I need 4 channel
What speakers are you running where you only need four channels? Going active just with a set of components is four channels.
@@CarAudioHorizons
I have steg mlg in front and steg leo in rear. Need to do passive setup
@@CarAudioHorizons
I need 4 channel and 6 out
@@badrealamhakeem2083 Depending on your power requirements and budget you might want to go into a six or eight channel amp/dsp from Helix. The Helix M SIX DSP is nice and is a six channel amplifier with ten channels of DSP. Then there’s the Helix V Eight DSP MK2, eight channels of amplification and ten channels of DSP. If those two are out of your budget then check out the Match line which are still great DSP/AMP’s and you can always add on to them in the future. You can check out there website-> www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/match/amplifiers/
Then just add a conductor -> www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/brax/accessories/conductor
If you need more options just call Larry or Chris at Mobile Solutions in Calgary who are the North American distributors and can set you up with a Helix/Brax/Match dealer near you. Ph 1-403-828-8191
@@CarAudioHorizons
SXE1000.5
ESX AUDIO
can u give me the review of this 5 channel amplifier
What's your take on the steg SDSP6TO8
Steg seams to make decent products but I have zero experience with Steg as it’s hard to come by in Canada.
What about the Awave DSP6-8
@@eazy69ful Nothing on that as well. The main DSP’s where I’m at are Helix/Brax/Match, Audiocontrol, Hertz/Audison, JL Audio, Alpine, Arc Audio and a few others.
im just and average guy so i got "DSR1"😁🥳🥳
I almost went with one on my last vehicle but decided to just do passive then with a PAC audio amp pro
Hehehe im using a pioneer carrozzeria deq p9 5.1 dsp
Bewith AZ-1 and Pioneer ODR System
Interesting, I have never heard of the Bewith AZ-1 but it seems to have decent specs.
@@CarAudioHorizons I have a Brax dsp and a Zapco HDSP, but both are less precise than Bewith DSP. Even if given the same slope, it is far more accurate to Bewith. It supports up to 300db, which is something to be proud of.
@@CarAudioHorizons But to use it, you need a certified program. Someday you'll know what I mean.
@@user-ob7rz4ig7z You should definitely do a video on it as I read all the info and it seems like an interesting piece of equipment.
@@user-ob7rz4ig7z I see they have quite a few products. They should probably certify everyone that has DSP’s that way the shops will know how to use them lol
Helix twelve V MK2
Nice! Great product
Hola opiniones del pxe-x09? Gracias
Hi Dave 😍
What’s up Enis?
@@CarAudioHorizons I'm watching your video Dave, i'm very fine and you?
Anyway, for respond on this video, my dream it's listen the Alpine f1 status DSP and the Brax, maybe with an Audison Hv20 amplifier. What a dream... 😋
did you ever listen an Audison Hv20 in action? What do you thing about that?
@@enisbenslama7014 I have heard pretty much everything from Audison except those amps. I had the LRX amps in the past and the VRX 6.420 which I sold last year.
The hi end Brax amps are like $7500 CAD here. It’s only a four channel amp 4+300 watts at 4ohm. For that price it should be a 10-12 channel amp 😆 That being said I would take two of them and the Brax DSP with my Fiio M17 and whatever hi end speakers and subs over the Alpine F1 Status 3rd Gen.
👍
Helix v 12 dsp
You can’t go wrong with that beast! Excellent all in one solution!!
Wrong title for video..... "Which DSP is The Best in 2022?" ...should be " Which car DSP is The Best in 2022?"...
No it’s the correct title for the video as the thumbnail tells it all…That and the channel is called Car Audio Horizons…Key word Car Audio 😆
STEG SDSP10 😌
Nice! you must be a Fred & Sound subscriber
@@CarAudioHorizons hahaha i just changed my helix dsp pro mk2 to steg sdsp 10 😊
@@mr.niceguy2524 Just curious what was the price on the Steg DSP? The Helix DSP Pro MK3 just came out this month and I have heard it is a lot better than the previous model.
@@CarAudioHorizons plus Tax $1.350.
Why i change? Simple setup.
3 way, SDSP10, monoblock, subwoofer
@@mr.niceguy2524 I have been seeing a lot more Steg videos lately from various UA-cam channels and they have been saying good things about the products. One day hopefully I run into someone that has their products installed so i can hear what it sounds like.
dsp is a waste. most people cant even set it up
You obviously haven’t heard a properly tuned vehicle before.
Hehehe im using a pioneer carrozzeria deq p9 5.1 dsp