# MediaXpander on Alpine Head Units, good or no?



## turbinez (May 7, 2009)

I have an Alpine CDA-9833 with thix MX option, It really makes my music come alive. I am wondering if you guys use this or not? And when tuning your system like xover points, eq, should you have MX mode off?


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## dawgdan (Aug 10, 2006)

I was just playing around with this today on my way to work. I've been around the car audio scene for a long time, and I've always gone with the conventional thinking that any sort of compression or loudness is an absolute sin. but I've gotten a little bored with my setup lately and started messing with it.

I listen to my iPod 99% of the time (and XM). My 9887 has three levels of MX. MX2 and MX3 were too much to handle. But MX1 REALLY woke my system up. I mean, a LOT.


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## turbinez (May 7, 2009)

That is the same MX setting I am using also. MX Level 1 and it sounds really great on all my sources. It really does make my music come alive. Since I listen to a lot of old 80's stuff which lacks a lot of bass or clarity. MX Level 3 is a bit too much for me. I find 1 to be the best.


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## sk3383 (Apr 1, 2009)

By saying the MX feature makes the "music come alive", I agree that it enhances low end frequecies but I also find that it makes the original recordings sound artificial or unnatural. The feature definately will bring some kick...

If your Alpine deck has MX, it more than likely has advanced bass controls. I find you will have better results fine tuning the bass frequency, levels and bass width controls. This will bring some life to your low end without altering the actual recordings.


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## frankmehta (Jan 20, 2009)

so what exactly does MX do? Anyone have a graph of the before and after?


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

quote


MediaXpander
Alpine's MediaXpander function (MX) restores audio information lost in the recording and compression processes. On Alpine's 2004 head units, you can apply MediaXpander to six different sources (FM, CD, MP3/WMA/XM, Music DVD, Video DVD, and AUX). You can also adjust the MX in one of three "expansion modes."

MediaXpander treats each source slightly differently — FM radio, for example, can only broadcast between 50 - 15,000 Hz, so crucial information is packed into the midrange frequencies between 350 Hz and 2,000 Hz. Therefore, MediaXpander targets the midrange and enhances the clarity of vocals on FM. According to Steve Piceno, Product Marketing Specialist at Alpine, the head unit can differentiate what type of media you are playing when the changer is in use, and apply the proper MX setting. "So if you have a changer that contains a store-bought CD-DA album, and a CD that contains folders with MP3 files, the head unit will recognize what type of media it is and assign the appropriate MX compression settings — MP3 MX or CD MX," Piceno told me.

But does it work?
Yes. Despite my early misgivings, MediaXpander proved itself to be much more than just a glorified "Loudness" button. MediaXpander opened up Neil Young's reverb-drenched epic "On the Beach," for example, into a broad musical canvas etched in stark relief with Young's scraggly guitar lines. Hard-hitting tracks like The Mooney Suzuki's "It's Not Easy" benefited from the enhanced high-frequency treatment. The tambourine is nearly eclipsed behind drummer Sam Rockwell's vicious ride cymbal on my iPod's earbuds; but listening to the track in my car with the MediaXpander on, the tambourine emerged as a distinct instrument in its own right, the soundstage tightened, and the music was more focused in general. 

quote


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