Newwwb moment

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

So recently I had to reset all of my settings in my HU (see sig). I'm now wondering. What is up with all the intense as hell stuff i can set. Idk what any of it does really.

main point. This HU is seemingly more SQ oriented that I thought it was. Not a bad thing. It sounds great. But i'm wondering if their are any general tips to make anything else sound better.

System notes: all stock speakers, just sub stage added.

thanks,

Brett

[Impious 1,476]

Which particular functions are you confused by?

[orlando144 20]

What headunit do you have??

[Freshh 11]

What headunit do you have??

Kenwood KDC X995

According to his signature anyways.

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Which particular functions are you confused by?

Pretty much. all of them. The 5 band EQ is pretty intense for me. used to a 3 band. And all the cross over stuff that are in it. Something called DSP, and some other stuff i can't think of right now.

What headunit do you have??

Kenwood KDC X995According to his signature anyways.

Correct sir. I keep my sig up to date best as possible.

[shizzzon 461]

have you at least read the manual?

DSP stands for Digital Signal Processor or at least that's what i'm familiar with.

DSP function in home theater receiver's typically create a new acoustical environment such as Pop, Rock, Hall, Concert, etc...

It is also used to emulate surround sound in a receiver without a surround sound source by using Dolby Prologic, for example.

So, i would at least read your book and see if what i said fits your headunit.

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

The book literally tells me

1. How to install the HU properly,

2. How to navigate to the different playing modes,

3. How to use bluetooth/iPod and such.

Other than that. Doesn't say a damn thing bout the EQ and other audio features.

[yzfool78 0]

Nice Deck! I just bought my first Kenwood HU to try & really like it! But, its the lower version minus the blue tooth & so on...

Hopefully this helps ya, its the full manual & should help ya out, although im really surprised it didnt come with a full one... My link

Im one of those aswell (I should know by now lol) who dosent fully understand it all, but did get some knowledge from a post made!

[audio-neon 34]

***Copied From Crutchfield***

Audio Section

24 Bit D/A Converter: The Kenwood Excelon KDC-X995 utilizes a 24-bit digital to analog converter for superior CD sound quality.

MOSFET Amplifier: The Kenwood Excelon KDC-X995 is equipped with a MOSFET amplifier. Compared to conventional power supplies, the MOSFET amplification circuit is smaller and more efficient, and it delivers increased power with less distortion and absolutely zero on/off switching noise. More power means louder and cleaner music at higher volumes because you're not pushing the limits of the amplification circuit. The power output specs for the KDC-X995 are as follows:

Full Bandwidth Power: 22 watts RMS x 4 channels (at 4 ohms, 20-20kHz, 1% THD)

Maximum Output Power: 50 watts x 4 channels

6ch/4V Preamp Outputs: The KDC-X995 features front, rear and subwoofer 4-volt preamp outputs. The front and rear speaker preamp outputs are balance and fade adjustable. The subwoofer preamp output is non-fading. The front, rear, and subwoofer preamp outputs are fixed to the rear chassis of the head unit.

Note: You can turn the KDC-X995's built-in amplifier off to improve the quality of the sound from the head unit's preamp outputs.

Front & Rear High-Pass Filter: The KDC-X995 features an independent High-Pass Crossover for the front & rear channels when your front & rear speakers are connected by the unit's speaker-outputs or preamp-outputs. You can adjust the high-pass crossover from "Through", 30, 40, 60, 80, 90 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250Hz. The "Through" selection is a full-range setting. This feature is very helpful when you have smaller-type speakers in the front and larger-type speakers installed in the rear of the vehicle. You can also select the high-pass crossover slope ( for the front & rear channels.

Subwoofer Controls: The Kenwood Excelon KDC-X995 provides the following subwoofer preamp output controls.

Low-Pass Filter: The receiver features a built-in Low Pass Filter control for the unit's subwoofer preamp output. You can select from 30, 50, 60, 90, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 250Hz, or "Through". The "Through" setting allows your external amplifier's crossover network to do all the filtering for your subwoofer.

Subwoofer Phase: You can adjust the phase of the subwoofer output between 180-degrees (Reverse) or 0-degrees (Normal).

Subwoofer Level: You can independently control the subwoofer preamp output level from the CD receiver. You select levels between -15 to +15.

Rotary Volume Control: The CD receiver uses a 7-way rotary volume control that increases and decreases the volume of the stereo from 0 to 35. The rotary knob also controls other audio settings such as Balance, Fader, Bass, Mid, Treble and preset EQ settings. In addition, the rotary knob allows you to scroll through and select your music tracks when the Music Search function is activated.

Volume Offset: The level of each source may be independently adjusted to prevent radical leaps in output volume when switching from one source to another. The available settings range from -8 to 0.

Supreme+ Setting: When MP3, WMA, and AAC files encoded at a low bit rate (less than 96 kbps, 44.1k, 48kHz) are played, the Supreme+ Setting function restores their high frequencies so the sound quality is closer to files encoded at a high bit rate. The processing is optimized for the compression format and the bit rate used. When the Supreme+ Setting is Off, the unit plays the original sound stored in the audio file.

Sound Excellence DSP: In order to optimize the sound quality, you can use the Sound Excellence DSP to set the type of vehicle and speaker sizes, locations, distances and x-over points. The DSP settings include the following:

Car Type: Choose from Compact, Full Size Car, Station Wagon, Mini Van, SUV, Mini Van (Long), or Off

Speaker Setting: The speaker X'over is automatically set when the position and size of each speaker are select from the following items.

Front: Location (Door, On Dash, or Under Dash); Size: (6-1/2", 6-3/4", 7", 4"x6", 5"x7", 6"x8", 6"x9", 7"x10", OEM, 4", or 5"); Tweeter (None or Use)

Rear: Location (Door, Rear Deck, 2nd Row or 3rd Row; Size (6-1/2", 6-3/4", 7", 4"x6", 5"x7", 6"x8", 6"x9", 7"x10", OEM, 4", or 5")

Subwoofer: Size (15", 12", 10", 6-1/2", 8", or None)

Digital Time Alignment (DTA): Choose from 0.00 to 14.44 feet for the Front pair of speakers, Rear pair of speakers, and Subwoofer distances in reference to the distance between your listening positioning and the locations of the particular speakers.

X'Over: The Kenwood Excelon head unit provides independent high-pass crossovers for the unit's front and rear speaker/preamp outputs, as well as a subwoofer low-pass crossover.

Front High Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80,90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); or you can also select full-range

Rear High Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); you can also select full-range

Subwoofer Low Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250 Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); Phase (Normal/Reverse); or you can also select full-range

Note: The DSP function can be bypassed.

Equalizer Control: Equalizer Control allows you to use one of the System Q presets, or set your own custom settings using the 5-band Equalizer. The EQ adjustments are as follows:

Preset EQ: You can select from Natural, Rock, Pops, Easy, Top 40, Jazz, Game, iPod (you can select from 22 EQ curve types), or User.

5-Band EQ: The User mode allows you to adjust the following 5-Band EQ (62.5Hz, 250Hz, 1kHz, 4kHz, 16kHz) settings.

Band Levels: Independent front and rear EQ level of -9dB to +9dB.

Bass Effect: Enhances the bass response of Band 1 (62.5Hz).

Note: You can store equalizer settings for each source (CD, Tuner, Aux, USB, and iPod/iPHone).

Position Control: For a better sound-stage you can select your optimal listening position. You can choose from All, Front Left, Front Right or Front. You can also select to manually fine tune the sound stage by selecting the distance for each individual speaker in the vehicle compared to your listening position. You can select between 0.00 to 14.44 feet for the Left Front Speaker, Right Front Speaker, Left Rear Speaker, Right Rear Speaker, Left Subwoofer and/or Right Subwoofer.

Audio Preset: You can register two audio settings into the unit's preset memory to be recalled at any time. The Audio Preset memory can save Car Type Selection, Speaker Setting, Fine Adjustment, X'Over Setting, Equalizer, and/or Listening Position.

Bass Boost: The Kenwood Excelon KDC-X995 features a two level Bass Boost to increase bass levels.

Highway Sound: This features compensates the low volume or bass sound being lost by road noises to make vocals sound clearer. You can set the Highway Sound function to 1, 2, 3, or off.

Dual Zone: The Dual Zone mode allows you to output the Main source and the Auxiliary input separately for the front and rear channels. You can select whether the auxiliary input will play in the front or the rear. You can adjust the volume of the rear channels independently from the front channels (0-35).

[audio-neon 34]

So a couple quick questions and I will help where I can...

What speakers are amplified.

Do your front speakers have a built in crossover?

Do your amps have crossovers and are they set?

Yes your headunit has a lot of features that SQ nuts will love and many things that you will never need. I used to own an sq car and an sq headunit so I will help the best I can.

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

So a couple quick questions and I will help where I can...

What speakers are amplified.

Do your front speakers have a built in crossover?

Do your amps have crossovers and are they set?

Yes your headunit has a lot of features that SQ nuts will love and many things that you will never need. I used to own an sq car and an sq headunit so I will help the best I can.

Thank you!!

I'm currently running all 4 stock speakers. No amps other than sub stage. (duhh. lol)

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

You've ran an SQ car before. So what settings did you address first on your HU and how did YOU proceed through a set up process?

Any tools other than your own ears used? No o-scopes, or SMD DD1's??

[audio-neon 34]

Oscilloscope was used to set gains and prevent clipping.. My ears and that of a fellow SQ pro competitor were used to set the time alignment and eq. I used the high pass filters instead of a passive crossover.

The main settings to change are the high pass/low pass filters. I would start out with high pass at 80 hz and low pass at 90 hz.. That head unit can't support a tweeter high pass, but it shouldn't be an issue with stock speakers.

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Oscilloscope was used to set gains and prevent clipping.. My ears and that of a fellow SQ pro competitor were used to set the time alignment and eq. I used the high pass filters instead of a passive crossover.

The main settings to change are the high pass/low pass filters. I would start out with high pass at 80 hz and low pass at 90 hz.. That head unit can't support a tweeter high pass, but it shouldn't be an issue with stock speakers.

... I have no Oscilloscope. And no pro ears. Just my own. and I dont have High/Low pass filters. Just passive crossovers. Unless i just haven't figured out how to get to that feature. since nothing is amp'd. I dont have ready access to filters.

[audio-neon 34]

Your High Pass crossovers etc are in your head unit, you already listed that you found them in a previous post... If your speakers already have passive crossovers than you don't need to worry about it.

A rule of thumb for EQ is never move a band more than 2 settings lower than the next one... Generally speaking SQ competitors don't ever move a band up, but only down because up = artificial amplification.

You shouldn't need many features with passive crossovers and factory speakers.

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Your High Pass crossovers etc are in your head unit, you already listed that you found them in a previous post... If your speakers already have passive crossovers than you don't need to worry about it.

A rule of thumb for EQ is never move a band more than 2 settings lower than the next one... Generally speaking SQ competitors don't ever move a band up, but only down because up = artificial amplification.

You shouldn't need many features with passive crossovers and factory speakers.

Ohh. My crossover's are labeled as "front, rear, sub" so I'm assuming that the front and rear are high pass. and sub is low pass. but idk for sure. I have my eq set up as you say to. But some go up and some go down. I'll move all of them consecutively down. So they dont change. But go down. I suppose by doing so i'll have to use a higher volume setting to achieve the same volume output, correct?

And what should i start at for my crossovers then? you said 90hz on the high's and 80 on the lows?

What's the slope then. From factory it starts at 12db/ idk what goes after the slash. But theres somethin lol. The slope thing totally confuses me.

[audio-neon 34]

The slope is measured in db/hz... The sharper the slope, the faster the cut off between lows and highs... Your deck uses a single highpass front and another high pass rear. And one low pass on the sub out.

As far as the eq is concerned, it shouldn't make a huge difference, you are just trying to get it to a point where it sounds best to you... You aren't going to compete in SQ so do what sounds best to you and your ears, the guidelines I set forth were the ones given to me by an Iasca pro who takes sound quality to a whole new level.

The biggest thing lesson I learned is use a notebook and write down your settings before you change them, and what you changed them to. That way you can look back and adjust more effectively in the future.

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

The slope is measured in db/hz... The sharper the slope, the faster the cut off between lows and highs... Your deck uses a single highpass front and another high pass rear. And one low pass on the sub out.

As far as the eq is concerned, it shouldn't make a huge difference, you are just trying to get it to a point where it sounds best to you... You aren't going to compete in SQ so do what sounds best to you and your ears, the guidelines I set forth were the ones given to me by an Iasca pro who takes sound quality to a whole new level.

The biggest thing lesson I learned is use a notebook and write down your settings before you change them, and what you changed them to. That way you can look back and adjust more effectively in the future.

Thanks man. I'll look into it. I think i'm just gonna have to use a higher volume level and reset my gain on my amp again.

[Davecshrode 0]

Just curios...did you get your HU on track, I ordered the same one and was wondering how you like it?!

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Haven't been on SSA in a while. But yeah. I got my HU on track and workin great. I've loved the HU since the day i installed it. I'd recommend it to any of my friends.

Great buy!!

:drink40: