# How does Alpine MX work?



## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

Anyone know exactly how Alpines MX (media Xpander) works. Its different from the traditional "LOUD" button.
There are several things Ive listened to that sounded better with MX turned on.

Im curious to know what its actually boosting and by approx how much and what else its doing.
Cant find much info online about it, other than promotional explanations.


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## ItalynStylion (May 3, 2008)

I had a similar situation when I had the 9887. It did sound better but I shunned it because I knew not what it was doing.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

It adds distortion...similar to the BBE processing.


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## SSSnake (Mar 8, 2007)

> It adds distortion...similar to the BBE processing.


Says the audio purist 

I tried to find concrete info on MX and couldn't. I have heard it add a little low end and I have heard it add massive SLUDGE. Unpredictable results made me abandon it long ago.


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## T3mpest (Dec 25, 2005)

Makes my FM radio stuff sound more like a CD. Other than that I can't find a good use for it. Makes the treble really harsh, so unless your listiening at a low volume it sucks, kinda like a loud button.


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

so noone knows how it works?


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

got an RTA?

If so, plug it in to the preouts. measure with mx off.
then measure with it on.

If you want to send it to me, I can do this for you, post up the results, and bring it back to you next weekend at finals.


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

bikinpunk said:


> got an RTA?
> 
> If so, plug it in to the preouts. measure with mx off.
> then measure with it on.
> ...


good idea. thats pretty much a "DUH< why didnt I think of that" idea....oh yeh bc I get lazy about those kind of things bc id rather rebuild something...

I'll see what I can figure out tomorrow. Would work similarly if I just measured response before and after as well


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

yea, it should. but, if you measure system response, it might be a bit harder to interpret exactly what changed.


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## SSSnake (Mar 8, 2007)

If I'm not mistaken it is level dependent. So make sure your volume setting is the same for both measurements.


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## tophatjimmy (Dec 16, 2005)

I know this is totally bumping a long dead thread, and no one may care at this point, but I've always wondered what the MX does on my CDA-9887.

I got access to an RTA and took some pics of the different settings.

Here are the shots using a Rockford Fosgate setup disc track 23 - Correlated Pink Noise and all deck settings at 0:

OFF/Non Effect:


MX1


MX2


MX3


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## Onyx1136 (Mar 15, 2009)

Interesting. Looks really similar to the Harmon house curve. No wonder people like the way it sounds.


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