JBL MS-8
supposed to be the hot ticket but I would wait a little bit. It seems that alot of these systems that come out seem to have at least one achilies heel or some sort of problem that seems to work its way to the surface from noise to adjustibility...
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
..(no funny biz)-
oldskoolmseriesfan
- Sherlock Homey
- Posts: 2517
- Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:03 pm
- Location: WEST SIIIIDE!!
I have one. Haven't installed it yet, as I just moved, but am looking forward to it. I've been keeping up on the development of this thing for about 18 months now. The accounts I've heard thus far seem to indicate that it is amazing. Does in 5 minutes what it takes a good tuner weeks to do with EQ, T/A, etc. So they say. A few of the folks who've posted reviews over at DIYMA.COM are very experienced and know what they are doing, and love the thing.
As to what it does, I've heard a lot misconceptions. Here's my take, based upon what I remember off the top of my head:
1.) Factory Integration - Yes, it does this, but integration is NOT the reason you would want a MS-8. It will un-EQ a factory deck, in order to get a flat signal to start with. If you have an aftermarket deck, you just skip this part.
2.) Electronic x-over - The simple way to put it is that you can set your x-over on any of the 8 channels as high, low or band pass. You can choose your x-over points with 1 Hz resolution, and can choose 12, 18, or 24 dB/octave slopes. In actuality, there are some "rules" on what you can select, based upon what you designate the channel as being for (full range, sub, midbass, midrange, tweeter, whatever)
3.) Acoustic Calibration - This is the cool part. You stick the binaural microphones on your head and follow some instructions for a few mins. (look ahead, look at the side mirror, etc...) It'll run some sweeps on your various channels and then apply time alignment and EQ to each channel to get a properly imaged and flat signal. The target curve it uses is flat from 160 Hz - 20 KHz. Apparently, beginning at 160 Hz it begins to boost bass, maxxing out at +9 dB @ 60 Hz.
4.) EQ - In addition to a bass boost that is designed to increase your bass without the side affect of dicking over your effective x-over points, it also gives you a 31-band "drawing tool" with which you can modify the target curve to your taste. That's right, you aren't stuck with JBL's target curve, you can adjust it to whatever you want. And they did it with some fancy algorithms to do away with adjacent band summing that you get with a graphic EQ.
5.) Logic 7 - I haven't checked too far into this aspect since I won't be putting in a center channel right away, if ever, but apparently it works really awesome for optimizing both front seats simultaneously. It can do some other stuff too, like adding depth with rears, but I don't know much about that aspect.
That's what I remember right now, anyway...
The product manager at JBL has been spending a lot of time on the DIYMA.COM forum helping people out with getting it set up properly, which is kinda cool. Hell, he was answering PMs and shit while on vacation.
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diy ... r-148.html
However, there have been a few issues. Some cars with bluetooth have been having some echo issues (or something like that) when making phone calls that end up going through MS-8. JBL is working on a solution. Most of the other issues I've heard of involve people not doing the setup or calibration quite right. Stuff like picking bad x-over points, or having gains set too loud, or vastly different when doing the acoustic calibration. Apparently if you do it too loud, and clip the mic inputs, it really fucks up the t/a party.
Anyway, as soon as I learn how to use fiberglass, I'll be starting on my install with MS-8 using some MS series amps. Once I get it done, anyone in the DC area who wants to hear a MS-8 system is more than welcome to check it out.
As to what it does, I've heard a lot misconceptions. Here's my take, based upon what I remember off the top of my head:
1.) Factory Integration - Yes, it does this, but integration is NOT the reason you would want a MS-8. It will un-EQ a factory deck, in order to get a flat signal to start with. If you have an aftermarket deck, you just skip this part.
2.) Electronic x-over - The simple way to put it is that you can set your x-over on any of the 8 channels as high, low or band pass. You can choose your x-over points with 1 Hz resolution, and can choose 12, 18, or 24 dB/octave slopes. In actuality, there are some "rules" on what you can select, based upon what you designate the channel as being for (full range, sub, midbass, midrange, tweeter, whatever)
3.) Acoustic Calibration - This is the cool part. You stick the binaural microphones on your head and follow some instructions for a few mins. (look ahead, look at the side mirror, etc...) It'll run some sweeps on your various channels and then apply time alignment and EQ to each channel to get a properly imaged and flat signal. The target curve it uses is flat from 160 Hz - 20 KHz. Apparently, beginning at 160 Hz it begins to boost bass, maxxing out at +9 dB @ 60 Hz.
4.) EQ - In addition to a bass boost that is designed to increase your bass without the side affect of dicking over your effective x-over points, it also gives you a 31-band "drawing tool" with which you can modify the target curve to your taste. That's right, you aren't stuck with JBL's target curve, you can adjust it to whatever you want. And they did it with some fancy algorithms to do away with adjacent band summing that you get with a graphic EQ.
5.) Logic 7 - I haven't checked too far into this aspect since I won't be putting in a center channel right away, if ever, but apparently it works really awesome for optimizing both front seats simultaneously. It can do some other stuff too, like adding depth with rears, but I don't know much about that aspect.
That's what I remember right now, anyway...
The product manager at JBL has been spending a lot of time on the DIYMA.COM forum helping people out with getting it set up properly, which is kinda cool. Hell, he was answering PMs and shit while on vacation.
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diy ... r-148.html
However, there have been a few issues. Some cars with bluetooth have been having some echo issues (or something like that) when making phone calls that end up going through MS-8. JBL is working on a solution. Most of the other issues I've heard of involve people not doing the setup or calibration quite right. Stuff like picking bad x-over points, or having gains set too loud, or vastly different when doing the acoustic calibration. Apparently if you do it too loud, and clip the mic inputs, it really fucks up the t/a party.
Anyway, as soon as I learn how to use fiberglass, I'll be starting on my install with MS-8 using some MS series amps. Once I get it done, anyone in the DC area who wants to hear a MS-8 system is more than welcome to check it out.
Octane Limited Edition (maybe for sale soon)
MS2125TA MS2250TA (Thanks Wakeup)
MS2125 x 2 (white, need caps)
MS275 (Burr Browns and fresh caps - Thanks, Matt)
MS2125TA MS2250TA (Thanks Wakeup)
MS2125 x 2 (white, need caps)
MS275 (Burr Browns and fresh caps - Thanks, Matt)
-
rscecil007
- Posts: 562
- Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 7:38 pm
- Location: Seattle
I'm interested in one but I'm going to wait and see what happens. I wouldn't mind getting one of these eventually to mate with my Pioneer 800 prs, or the other option is to get a new P99 deck, also a tuner's dream.
Either way I plan on going 3 way up front, which I heard can be a bitch to tune.
Either way I plan on going 3 way up front, which I heard can be a bitch to tune.
"Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity."
I agree. I have been hearing about EQs since the days of symetry and ID EQ one(isn't that the name) that there is this mystical magical eq that was going to come out and fix everything. They always make it out to sound like they will unite the world in perfect sound and harmony like Wild Stallions in Bill and Teds Excellent adventure, but then they come out and have some sort of fairly significant problem that either limits them or makes them virtually unusable, or obselete before they even really hit the market. I am at this very moment anxiously waiting for my eq215ix from hosehead to take care of my instant eq needs, lets be honest a good slider is still what us tweekers NEED!rscecil007 wrote:I'm interested in one but I'm going to wait and see what happens. I wouldn't mind getting one of these eventually to mate with my Pioneer 800 prs, or the other option is to get a new P99 deck, also a tuner's dream.
Either way I plan on going 3 way up front, which I heard can be a bitch to tune.
what else can I say I am a grumpy asshole most of the time.
The best EQ in my eyes is still the TiDEQ, if you worked it out it ended up being a 33 band parametic EQ, you cannot get better then that. It had everything you needed, would have been slightly better if it had a more flexible x-over , multiple outputs and individual TA.
Other then that it is stunning.........therr are loads of things that PG did well and that was one of them , I am sure if the x-station ever came out it would have been the perfect compliement to the TIDEQ
Other then that it is stunning.........therr are loads of things that PG did well and that was one of them , I am sure if the x-station ever came out it would have been the perfect compliement to the TIDEQ
AKA Shaheenk
Hey TOny
Been reading a lot about this on a number of forums, they seem to have the TA all sorted on it , you can adjust x-over points and EQ , but TA is all done for you . Wish you the best of luck , let us know how it sounds, would love one myself but not right now.
What I would not mind is some AVI's.......
Been reading a lot about this on a number of forums, they seem to have the TA all sorted on it , you can adjust x-over points and EQ , but TA is all done for you . Wish you the best of luck , let us know how it sounds, would love one myself but not right now.
What I would not mind is some AVI's.......
AKA Shaheenk