afeuer

This is the 6th F150 I've owned, but the first where I've retained the factory hu. This model came with the touch screen, Sync, Bluetooth, Sony "premium" audio system.

I took the truck to an authorized JL Audio dealer and had them install and HD900/5, 2 sets of Morel Virtus 602 component sets, the JL Audio Stealthbox with the 13", an Audio Control LCQ-1, Epicenter, and a Compustar alarm.

After a mere $6K, It sounds like complete s**t! I mean terrible, and I've been into car audio since 1990 when I turned 16. I've spent about 5 hours trying to tune it with the 11 band of eq I have on the LCQ-1, and that's not helping much.

The shop took the rear door signal off of the factory Sony amp and used that signal as the full range signal into channel 1-2 of the LCQ-1 and the sub output into channel 5-6. Channel 5-6 goes to the Epicenter, and into the sub input of the HD900/5. Channel 1-2 out of the LCQ-1 (full range supposedly) go to channel 1-2 of the 900/5. The amp then is sending 100W X 4 to the 2 sets of Morel separates (using the passive crossovers), and the 5th channel sending 500W to the JL sub.

The shop agrees that it sounds terrible, and my bluetooth (phone) doesn't work anymore. That's probably because they took the rear door signal instead of the front tweeter and midrange signal and summed them.

I've researched everywhere I could think, and saw a couple of people here (JoeBoost) that have used the Audison Bit One. I've read the entire 66 page Bitone owners manual and understand it's features.

Can anyone let me know what they think of that processor before I waste even more $?

Wyo11Scab

iTrader: (1)

Why would they take the signal from the rear outputs of the factory amp to feed the rest of your new system? I would think before the amp would be the place to go. Why your BT doesn't work should have nothing to do with your new system. It is handled by the HU.

afeuer

My understanding is that you have to take the signal after the amp, to get the speaker outputs (high level). Out of the back of the hu is just a signal to the amp. It's not speaker wires or RCA outputs.

jbone14

The Bitten would actually be fine for you and would cut costs down. The Bitone is great because it allows you to go active with 8 channels as opposed to 5 on the Bitten. Take a look at the Bitten because it is likely all you would need. I agree that it would have been best to sum the signals using the tweeter and mid.

I would HIGHLY suggest having a scope and RTA because to really get the full benefit of the Bitone or Bitten you will need these instruments. At the minimum have the ability to match voltage outputs to get your max un-distorted volume whether it be with an SMD CC-1 or a portable RTA. The dual processing of the factory signal through the Audiocontrol and the factory amp is destroying any chance at SQ. I would also suggest getting rid of the Epicenter as it really isnt necessary and isnt going to benefit you in your application.

I worked for the Canadian Audison distributor for nearly 5 years and sat through a half dozen training sessions on the Bitone/Bitten so dont hesitate to send me a PM with any questions. Ill be flying for business tomorrow and tied up most of Friday but ill do my best to answer them quickly for you.

afeuer

JBone,
Thank you so much for your insight and advise. I just looked into the Bit Ten, and you're right I think that would do what I need it to do.

I think I'm going to stick with the Bit One for a couple of different reasons though. In my truck (from the factory amp) the front tweeters and midranges are separate channels. So those channels will go into the Bitone 1-4. The rear speakers are coax, so those will go to channels 5-6, and the sub output on the factory Sony amp is dual voice coil, so those will take channel 7-8.

On the output side, I was planning on bi-amping the front stage using channels 1-4 on the HD900/5 for the tweeters and mids. I want to do that because the Morel tweeters are in the A-pilars and are very bright. This way I have control over crossover fq, time alignment, phase, etc. For the rear fill I'll have to buy another little amp or maybe a 4 channel amp so I have more control over those as well.

The shop I'm dealing with is taking the Epicenter and the LCQ-1 back for a full refund. They have an Audio Control RTA, and they tell me the Audison rep is coming there to oversee the operation and even walk me through the paces.

I think most of my issues with the Audio Control pieces are due to their lack of de-EQ. Kind of like shining a turd, the best drivers, amps, Dynamat, etc isn't ever going to sound good if the signal is flawed.

I would appreciate your advise on bi-amping in lieu of using the passive crossovers?

jbone14

My pleasure, sounds like the shop is well setup, glad to see a positive experience so far.

bi-amping/active is the way to go when using a Bitone. Have you ever played around with Bitone software or seen it in use at all? If you have the $$ and ability to go active using a Bitone then plllleaaaasseee doooo especially if the shop has an RTA & scope. One of the greatest strengths of the Bitone is the software as there is SO MUCH flexibility. I dont even sell the product any longer but it is by far the best processor I have laid hands on. The Cleansweep is cheap and basic, the MS-8 is riddled with "issues" and does not have the processing abilities of the Bitone and then you have the Zapco DSP8 etc etc which are far overpriced (in my personal opinion)

When your initially setting up the Bitone you can choose whether or not you are using passive x-over's or if you are running active. Its really hard to describe without having a demo system loaded into the Bitone software and being able to show you what I mean.

You appear to be well verses and knowledgeable with car audio and audio in general so you can appreciate my next point. With a passive crossover all you have is a capacitor, coil and resistor (if not multiple resistors depending on available attenuation) All of these components have fixed values and have little to no flexibility when tuning, especially if your goal is SQ. Where as the Bitone gives you full digital tuning where you can choose whether you want a 6dB Butterworth slope or a 12dB Linkwitz slope, like I said the sky is the limit and you will be astonished at the difference in sound by switching to the Bitone for processing and going active with your components.

I believe that may have been a rant... sorry.

Jimaa66

Fantastic Post guys. I too have just installed my Audison 5 channel and Hertz speakers with the factory nav unit, and am completely dissatisfied with the sound. I am thinking of pulling the Nav and replacing it with a Kenwood nav unit in the spring.
This thread has me thinking on the Bit One as well.
Thank you so much for this information.
jBone, if you live in Canada, I'd love a PM to see if you know my installer and his shop.
afeuer- good luck with this. I'd love to see pics and get your reactions once completed. I too have been installing aftermakets since....wow...the 80's (insert he's old here). My goal was always quality sound over boom. I know the components you've picked and know how unreal they can sound.
Good Luck!

afeuer

JBone,
Thanks again for your advise. The Bitone should arrive within the next couple days, and my truck goes back to the shop. That will probably take a couple days since they have to take the rear seat, front seats, center consoule, carpet, run another set of speaker wires to the front doors, mount the DRC, add another amp for the rears, more RCA cables, etc..

I think I'm going to have the Audison rep just tune it EQ flat, and I'll create the other 3 EQ curves for the different type of music I listen too. I'll also play with the time alighnment, and crossover slopes. I haven't tried using anything but 12db and 24db slopes, so tuning with all the options I have is going to be fun (and very time consuming).

Just so the others know, if you buy a 2013, the sync layout has changed from 2012. The screen has 4 quadrants, different nav, telephone, completly different screen layout. + getting an aftermarket head unit would eliminate the use of your heated and cooled seats (they can only be controlled through the head unit.. FYI).

Thanks again!!

fx4phil

The seats could easily be rewired to run off switches like the older models. If thats the only thing keeping people from doing aftermarket head units I think it's pretty sad. As much as I like the factory head units there are way better options to encorporate everything u can think of.

JoeBoost

Selling my 1yr old Bitone for $500 if anyone is interested. Was only in truck for 6 months until I replaced HU with a Pioneer P99. Shoot me a PM if interested. Best processor out there IMO. Works perfectly and comes with DRC and all original cables, disks, etc.

I started with basic HU system with the Bitone and it made a huge improvement in my 4way active setup. Nirvana was found with the P99

Current setup is P99, HAT L6's in front doors, Fostek fr88 3" in sails, Fosgate T2 tweets in pillars, JL XD's front stage, 3x pioneer 12" ibFlats on a Fosgate 1k.