# Pioneer Auto -Eq : what exsctly does it adjust?



## enduro (Oct 14, 2009)

I'm trying to decide whether or not it is worthwhile to purchase a Pioneer CD-MC20 microphone to use the Auto EQ feature on my AVH P4300DVD headunit.

My setup is P4300D to an Alpine PDX-5, front channels SPX17 Pro tweets, rear channel SPX 17 mids , sub channel Type R 10". The SPX speakers are ran thru the alpine passives crossovers .

Anyhow does anyone know what the AutoeQ actually adjusts on the P4300DVD?. The HU itself has limited user adjustments - an 8 band EQ, high pass filter for the front/rear and low pass for the sub.

Pioneers info on the Auto EQ is vague at best. Is there any type of time alignment done and are any more frequencies adjusted other than the 8 presets?


----------



## KillerBox (Jan 7, 2011)

I don't know what it adjusts but, to me it did sound better but, it was subtle.

I didn't like the way it changed my x-over settings to 125hz on the sub and 125hz on the midranges though. But, you can easily change them back.


----------



## cadgeek (Jul 4, 2012)

I had the same question and wasn't able to find any info on what it does. I have the 8400 and the shop I bought it from loaned me their CD-MC20 so I could auto-tune. The results were pretty good but I discovered that there are some rather annoying limitations to auto-eq. My main complaint is that after you have run auto-eq, you aren't able to tweak the eq settings! You get five pre-set curves which are locked. The standard eq pre-sets can be used as a starting point and tweeked to create custom settings. With auto-eq, you just have to live with the settings it comes up with. It would seam easy enough to just copy the auto-eq curve that you like best into the standard equalizer and then tweek it, right? Well, the problem is that the auto eq does some pretty effective time alignment which you can't do outside of auto-eq...

Bottom line, I do use the auto-eq because the time alignment significantly improves imaging, soundstage and separation. The down side is, I find myself jumping between the pre-set eq curves alot trying to find a setting that best compliments the music I am listening to. Eventually I'm going to invest in a processor but for now, the auto-eq does an okay job.

I think the CD-MC20, at only $30 was a worthwhile expense for me but, the results aren't perfect. 

One thing I should also mention is that you do still have full control over your crossovers and sub controls when using auto-eq but, controlling everything above 125hz is a problem. Through trial and error, I have found that placement of the microphone can have a big affect on the curves that are generated. Ie. Placing on the headrest, as the manual suggest, results in overly bright sounding curves. Placing lower in the seat tends to attenuate the highs. Hope this helps!


----------



## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Resurrecting an old thread. So upon reading in the manual everything should be flat and amp crossovers should be off. But what about Passive crossover settings. Should those be set 0db prior to doing tuning? Also should the crossovers of the amp actually be bypassed before doing this?


----------



## cadgeek (Jul 4, 2012)

My approach is to set the passive crossovers to most efficiently use the speaker components based on their published curves. That puts you in the ballpark and the auto-eq will get you even closer. I messed around with the AMP crossovers and the speaker crossover hunting for the right settings for quite a while before realizing that the auto-eq compensates pretty well for the other setting if they are a bit off. 

Interesting that you revived this thread now. I hadn't messed with the auto-eq for the last few years but, last week I had a dead battery and lost the settings. The sound wasn't bad, but it was just kind of dead and unfocused. Forgetting my own advice in this thread, I ran auto eq with the mic on the headrest and the sound came to life but was noticeably brighter than it had been. I'm going to run it again with the mic down lower in the seat and see if I can attenuate the highs and bring out a it more punch. Good luck and let us know how it goes.


----------

