[l3g0l4s]

Well i recently upgraded the stock HU in my SX4 to an Alpine 9886 . The other config is as follows :
JBL 100.4 amp
JBL 607c components
JBL 937 ovals
JBL GT5 12 boxed enclosure

The question that i have got is : Does the imprint kit really make any NOTICEABLE difference ? The entire kit (the sound provessor and the tuning kit) costs 21k here in hyd . I am plannin to get it shipped from US and it roughly comes up to around 12k for the entire kit . So would like to know from the gurus if the money is worth the experience ?

Thanx
Harsha

[nura]

Hi! The 9886, unlike the 9887, does not have in-built Media Expander. So you, as you rightly pointed out, you need to buy the the sound-processor PXA-H100 as well as the Imprint Kit KTX-100EQ. For my 9887, I used a measuring tape & tweaked the time-alignment feature. This certainly resulted in a much better front soundstage & I haven't felt the need to buy the Imprint kit. I gues you can start by picking up just the PXA-H100 (MRP USD 180) & play around with the settings. If necessary, you can add the KTX-100EQ (MRP USD 30) later.
You would probably have saved about USD 50 if you had bought a 9887 & full speed cable or USD 80 if, like me, you skipped on the cable.

[nura]

I want to sincerely apologise for the inadvertent errors in my previous post. The facts are as follows.
The 9887 costs USD 450 & does not come with the ipod cable (cost USD 30). To use Imprint with the 9887, one needs to buy the KTX-100EQ Sound Manager. This costs USD 250.
The 9886 costs USD 350 & comes with the ipod cable. To use Imprint with the 9886, one needs to buy the PXA-H100 (cost USD 180) + the KTX-H100 Sound Manager Kit (cost USD 30).
The latter works out as the cheaper package.

[hydrashok]

23 pages of interesting reading on the 9887 + IMPRINT: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ad.php?t=22136

[s0uljah]

Iv been using the 9887 for about a month and it is a jump by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately my entire setup now lacking tuning, advanced damping & amplification in that order.

The imprint probably aint worth the money ie: In my case can put it to better use like amp etc.

[ST7677]

23 pages of interesting reading on the 9887 + IMPRINT: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ad.php?t=22136

If you have already read it, Can you please summarize it? Thanks!

[prince85]

Originally Posted by l3g0l4s

Well i recently upgraded the stock HU in my SX4 to an Alpine 9886 . The other config is as follows :
JBL 100.4 amp
JBL 607c components
JBL 937 ovals
JBL GT5 12 boxed enclosure

Thanx
Harsha

Hi harsha, please do put some pics of your ICE especially the Head Unit install. There are hardly any SX4 ICE pics on the forum.

[l3g0l4s]

First of all my sincere apologies to everyone for such a delayed response .. Got stuck up with my university exams !
And yup i did go through the article before placing the order . Got the sound processor pxa-h100 and the tuning kit ktx-h100 a couple of days back .. Firstly i must say that the instruction manuals suck an they hardly provide you required information . The RCA plugs need to be connected to the processor while a data cable transmits the signals from the head unit to the processor . Since the rear channels were previously powered by the head unit , i had to go for a mono block (JBL GT0 3501) to free up a pair of RCAs for my rear speakers .
Took it to a bunch of installers and everyone was unaware about the connections .. SO i took things into my own hands and with a little help from my cousin , connected everything , installed the tuning software on the laptop , connected the mic and started the tuning process .. I am not too sure about the technical aspects but could see from the graph generated (before vs after) that it smoothens out the output one into a more linear wave (which i was told is a feature of good sound) .. After tuning for all the 6 locations , saved the data onto the processor , plugged out the mic and the usb cable and fired my system to "enjoy the fruits of your hard labour" (thats wat the last line in the manual says!) .. BUT NO SOUND ! Then tried plugging the RCAs back to the head unit while it was still connected to the processor .. It sounded like crap ! The freaking volume maxes out right from the first level !
All this after spending close to 6 hours (driving from one shop to another etc) Was too tired and thought i must have done something wrong while tuning . Got up real early the next morning . Got the mic fixed to the tripod and repeated the same process .. Weirdly i kept getting an "ERROR -2" . Having spent some hard earned money(me being a student) , i persisted .. Did the tuning and it again took me a couple of hours .. Saved the settings but again no volume !
Got back home disappointed and after several hours of googling , i came across an article which says that the internal amplifier of the head unit must be turned off . And turning it off aint an easy thing ! Had to remove the panel out of the dashboard and then ya gotta slide a couple of switches localed under the head unit .. ( Can you believe that it is not mentioned in the official Alpine manual ?) Was too tired by then already so just tuned it for the drivers seat and trust me it sounds sweet ! Am yet to tuned it for all the locations but trust me , there is clearly a perceivable difference in the way my system sounds that too only after getting it tuned for a single listening location . I will tune it for the entire car and post a detailed review about the same .
But the number of manual tuning capabilities increase once the processor is connected . Additionally ya get Time alignment , parametric and graphic eqs and a whole lot of other options too !
I shall post a detailed review real soon ..(Apologies for the real long post !)

OT: Can someone help me with like a n00bs guide for tuning .. The whole parametric eqs , Xovers are kinda new to me .. So it would be of great help to me incase someone can help me with the same .. Thanx a zillion

[l3g0l4s]

Originally Posted by prince85

Hi harsha, please do put some pics of your ICE especially the Head Unit install. There are hardly any SX4 ICE pics on the forum.

Yup mate .. Got a proper plank installed too in the boot to accomodate the recently purchased monoblock .. I shall take the pics tomorrow and post them

[l3g0l4s]

Originally Posted by nura

I want to sincerely apologise for the inadvertent errors in my previous post. The facts are as follows.
The 9887 costs USD 450 & does not come with the ipod cable (cost USD 30). To use Imprint with the 9887, one needs to buy the KTX-100EQ Sound Manager. This costs USD 250.
The 9886 costs USD 350 & comes with the ipod cable. To use Imprint with the 9886, one needs to buy the PXA-H100 (cost USD 180) + the KTX-H100 Sound Manager Kit (cost USD 30).
The latter works out as the cheaper package.

Yup mate .. Everything included USB etc , 9886 will work out to be a cheaper option if i am not wrong .

[l3g0l4s]

Originally Posted by s0uljah

Iv been using the 9887 for about a month and it is a jump by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately my entire setup now lacking tuning, advanced damping & amplification in that order.

The imprint probably aint worth the money ie: In my case can put it to better use like amp etc.

Since your using a similar HU , could ya help me out with the tuning mate ? The options are overwhelming for an audio n00b like me

[hydrashok]

@l3041s, guess you must be the first guy on the forum to spring for an IMPRINT. Congrats!

The hardware switch under the HU is not meant to turn the internal amp off. You can turn the internal amp off through the HU interface.

- Press the "Setup" button on the front for a few secs and you enter the settings. (this button is the button to the immediate left of the 1 2 3 4 5 6 buttons).
- Select the "General" menu by turning the Vol Knob.
- Enter the menu by pressing the ">/||" (Play/Pause) button.
- Scroll to the "Power IC" item by turning the knob.
- Press the >/||" (Play/Pause) button to turn the internal amp off.

The hardware button on the botton of the HU selects the two modes the HU runs on -- "front + rear + sub" or "front + sub". Unless you are running the system active (I don't think you are) the "front + rear + sub" is the correct setting. In Alpinespeak, this is the "4.2" mode. The "front + sub" is called the "2.2" mode *rolling eyes*.

If you ran IMPRINT after switching the switch to "2.2", you might want to run it again after setting the switch to "4.2".

BTW, there are quite a few 9887 owners on the forum (they should be along soon) and I think you will be able to get a bit of your investment back by renting the kit out. I think there was talk before of a group buy. After all IMPRINT is a tune once, forget it setup, until the equipment changes, or the car changes.

@ST7677, from what I could gather in general, I think an active setup would benefit more from IMPRINT than a passive setup would. I have no plans of going active at all (touching wood) anytime soon, and well, I'm also looking for a good HU upgrade option, so personally, the decision is easy. Right now, if you ask me, I'd prefer to remain un-IMPRINTed.

BTW, I still am yet to listen to an IMPRINTed setup. A first-hand "before-after" listening session of an IMPRINTed setup would have helped more.

[speedzak]

Wow! The first IMPRINT kit on Team-bhp! :
To fully extract the benefit of the IMPRINT, you've got the PXA too. Nice! Drive down to Cochin and there're enough Alpine fanatics here to help you out with your PXA and IMPRINT.

I would suggest Hydra to contact this guy and use the imprint kit on his setup. If you don't like, it's just a matter of one RESET. Give it a try!

[l3g0l4s]

Originally Posted by hydrashok

@l3041s, guess you must be the first guy on the forum to spring for an IMPRINT. Congrats!

-----

I would suggest Hydra to contact this guy and use the imprint kit on his setup. If you don't like, it's just a matter of one RESET. Give it a try!

Thanx mate ! The first time i came across this forum , i was looking for an ordinary amp , and 1000 WATTS XPLOD woofer ! Spent 6 times over my initial budget !
And yup planning for an outing in the second week of jan .. Would love to drive down to cochin !
And mate as i have just posted , the tuning kits for the 9886 and 9887 are totally different :( . However I will be able to share KTX-100 for anyone having a 9886

[hydrashok]

Originally Posted by hydrashok

...

- Press the "Setup" button on the front for a few secs and you enter the settings. (this button is the button to the immediate left of the 1 2 3 4 5 6 buttons).
- Select the "General" menu by turning the Vol Knob.
- Enter the menu by pressing the ">/||" (Play/Pause) button.
- Scroll to the "Power IC" item by turning the knob.
- Press the >/||" (Play/Pause) button to turn the internal amp off.

The hardware button on the botton of the HU selects the two modes the HU runs on -- "front + rear + sub" or "front + sub". Unless you are running the system active (I don't think you are) the "front + rear + sub" is the correct setting. In Alpinespeak, this is the "4.2" mode. The "front + sub" is called the "2.2" mode *rolling eyes*....

Uhhh... confusion, confusion! I thought you had a 9887. The steps I mentioned were for a 9887. Same for the hardware switch thing. Duhhhhhhh!!!!

Originally Posted by speedzak

...Drive down to Cochin and there're enough Alpine fanatics here to help you out with your PXA and IMPRINT.

I would suggest Hydra to contact this guy and use the imprint kit on his setup. If you don't like, it's just a matter of one RESET. Give it a try!

Yep. A minimum of three 9887 owners here. I'm sure there are more Alpine 98xx series owners (who can use the processor to get IMPRINT activated in their HUs that are compatible). A drive to Kochi maybe worth your while