How to operate the Sound Adjustment Mode
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Time Alignment
With vehicle audio systems, the installation position of the speakers and the position of the listener
mean that the distances from the listener to the left and right speakers are almost always different.
These differences in the distance from the listener to each speaker in turn means that the time taken
for the sound to reach the listener is different for each speaker. The result of this is that the phases
of each speaker (biases) become mismatched and the sound becomes unnatural, as though the
sound stage is not wide enough.
The "time alignment" function corrects the time taken for the sound waves to reach the listener in
order to set the optimum phase for the listening position so that the sound becomes more expansive
as though it is being listened to on a sound stage.
The basic adjustment method involves measuring the actual distances to each speaker and
calculating the differences in distance relative to the most distant speaker in order to derive the
delay time for the sound from each speaker.
When this deck is in normal mode, a simplified time alignment function is available. You can use this
function to adjust only four parameters (position selector, vehicle type, tweeter settings and rear
speaker position settings), and so you can make basic time alignment settings without measuring
the actual distances to each speaker. In addition, in pro mode you can adjust the time delays and
levels for each individual speaker based on the actual speaker layout.
Crossover
The frequency band that is stored by audio media such as CDs is a fairly wide range from 20 Hz to 20
kHz, and it is difficult for a single speaker to be able to play back all frequencies in such a wide range.
Because of this, several speakers can be used, with different frequency bands (such as treble,
medium and bass) allotted to each speaker so that wide frequency ranges can be played back.
The "Crossover" function is used to allot the frequency ranges that are to be played back by each
speaker in accordance with the installed speaker units and the layout of the speakers, in order to
obtain the maximum level of performance from the speakers and to provide the most stable
frequency characteristics.
The crossover function includes a high-pass filter (HPF) for playing back treble sounds, and a low-
pass filter (LPF) for playing back bass sounds. In addition, the HPF and LPF are used in
combination in order to play back sounds in the medium range.
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