# Old school processors



## ilikepinktacos (Jun 14, 2013)

I'm thinking about using a Coustic XM-5e and PG EQ-230 as opposed to the new DSP's I think the old cars sounded good to my ear, and I already have the eq. Is this a huge mistake with horns?


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Mistake...no. 

Possibly limiting tuning results...probably.

Pain in the butt to tune because you have to keep getting in and out of your car to move a slider...you bet.


I am always of the camp, use what you have first before you go out and buy something else. If you have the EQ and the sliders all work ok and have no noise, it will be ok. Will you have all of the latest and greatest toys to play with tuning? No. Do you NEED all of those toys? No, probably not. Make it sound good with what you have first and then start playing with new toys.


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Just get a HU that has time alignment available and you should do very well. 

Had a PG232 in my horn system and it really was a pain to tune (PG installed under the driver's seat)

Kelvin


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## ilikepinktacos (Jun 14, 2013)

subwoofery said:


> Just get a HU that has time alignment available and you should do very well.
> 
> Had a PG232 in my horn system and it really was a pain to tune (PG installed under the driver's seat)
> 
> Kelvin


Is there a double din that does the job? looking at charts doesnt seem to tell me much at crutchfield and other sites


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

ilikepinktacos said:


> Is there a double din that does the job? looking at charts doesnt seem to tell me much at crutchfield and other sites


Most of them do, I like Kenwood Excelon. 

Kelvin


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## Freudie2 (May 19, 2015)

ilikepinktacos said:


> Is there a double din that does the job? looking at charts doesnt seem to tell me much at crutchfield and other sites


Or use your OEM headunit (which probably has functions integrated into your car already) and add something like a Helix DSP Pro and be done with it.

Old school processors are just that....old. Why in the hell anyone wants to use old, large sized, slider based, custom converted, ancient gear is beyond me. The Helix unit is TINY and does more than most of that "pro" stuff from the 90's all from your laptop and a single usb cable.

FYI...even if you DO have a good deal on the old pro audio equipment (eq/xover/delay/etc units) would you rather mount a tiny do-it-all black box DSP or would you rather spend lots of added wood/fiberglass fab hours trying to make the old school gear look "good".

This is a no brainer.


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## ilikepinktacos (Jun 14, 2013)

Freudie2 said:


> Or use your OEM headunit (which probably has functions integrated into your car already) and add something like a Helix DSP Pro and be done with it.
> 
> Old school processors are just that....old. Why in the hell anyone wants to use old, large sized, slider based, custom converted, ancient gear is beyond me. The Helix unit is TINY and does more than most of that "pro" stuff from the 90's all from your laptop and a single usb cable.
> 
> ...


Well, I already have the EQ, so cost would be negligible. Also, I see a lot of thread about these new DSPs failing, losing settings, noise. And when they fail, they tend to take out upper range drivers with low frequencies.


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## freudie1 (Nov 16, 2009)

ilikepinktacos said:


> Well, I already have the EQ, so cost would be negligible. Also, I see a lot of thread about these new DSPs failing, losing settings, noise. And when they fail, they tend to take out upper range drivers with low frequencies.


Fail? You mean the end user fails to set the correct xover frequency on the correct output? Can't fix stupid.

Other than end user error, I completely disagree. Have you seen the Helix Pro? Replaces 3+ devices in a tiny black box. No power supply modifications, no space issues, no noise issues, can even save multiple tunes/configs.

Sell your EQ and get the Helix. You'll thank me.


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## freudie1 (Nov 16, 2009)

ilikepinktacos said:


> I'm thinking about using a Coustic XM-5e and PG EQ-230 as opposed to the new DSP's I think the old cars sounded good to my ear, and I already have the eq. Is this a huge mistake with horns?


FYI: I had a PG EQ-230 with a TBAT line balancer for years. Absolute piece of crap. The sliders are way too delicate and the entire EQ was a massive noise generator (not to mention the horrible Molex style input connector). There is a reason you can find those EQ's for $100 now.


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