I loved my Epicenter 30 years ago and continued to use one in each new system for the following years. Getting old sucks, but I am planning a final system for my latest vehicle and will be looking to add a new Epicenter as well as other AudioControl gear, as they have never let me down in the past. In terms of Bass Restoration and OEM integration, many higher end OEM retro-fit solutions, such as the ones offered from companies like AudioControl have a 'frequency summing' type of functionality to overcome factory systems that may have certain channels running active crossovers etc. so that an entire spectrum is output at line level after the signal is 'rebuilt' in the OEM amplified hi level signal. Great content as always.
I really like my Audio Control - The Epicenter Bass Restoration Processor & use it in every one of my car audio builds. It has worked flawlessly since I purchased it back in 1995.
I was wondering how long it would take before somebody mentioned the Epicenter! Some people really like the extra thump you get from the added bass. I would like to hook one up toe the RTA and see what it does. I bet it does the exact same thing as the XBBR2.
Ah I love those Bass Restoration Devices, I have an Audiocontrol Epicenter and with my Stock Radio from my 2019 Ford flex (Non sony Stock Amp system) I have a LC7i with their Accubass Tech which is like a bass boost for the subwoofer line output. Works pretty good. Sounds awesome with 80s Rock like Journey, the outfield, LED Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Sting and the police, man makes me want to go to my car right now and just sit there and listen to some tunes. I love your content man. You have some great knowledge. I'm 38 years old and still learn things everyday. The younger Generation needs to be watching your videos, they can learn alot from you. Your the man Justin. 😁👊
My channel stats show that very few guys in the 18-24 age group are watching me. Do these young kids just not like big speakers, are they all going the ear bud route? Do they not know what they are missing?
@@DIYAudioGuyyoung kid here!! Im a 19 year old have a 90's pioneer carrozzeria stereo with 4 prv 6.5 mids 2 super tweeters, a 400x4 amp 2 kicker comp r 12's under the back seat as well as a 800 watt skar amp
I've never owned the NVX, but I have owned the Epicenter and the Soundstream version of it and they both worked great. I noticed the biggest difference when listening to 80's rock music. Music that barely moved the sub would have deep bass after turning on the bass reconstruction unit.
I have the older nvx bass processor, looks like the other bass processors or the epicenter, but honestly it sounded odd specially compared to AC epicenter, some notes just sounded distorted, and had a cut off frequency at 35 hz. My friend had a soundstream one and it sounded worse, after a while he got a different one, maybe a cerwin vega, i forget which brand it was but it sounded clean almost like the epicenter. It put my bass processor to shame. I dont use it much, but i think its mainly because it doesnt give a clean sound. This nvx looks like a new and improved one tho :)
@@mexaknpwr5563 Audio Control came out with a Mexican edition Epicenter. When I used to work in a different location, we sold more Epicenters to Mexican guys than anyone else!
In regards to 1 vs the other when it comes to Bass Restoration. I have tried cheaper units after owning a few Epicenters and can say for certain that the Epicenter does IT best. The others seem like glorified EQ's that boost and stretch Q factors on the low end, whereas the Epicenter uses the incoming signal to produce 'harmonics' , or fake bass notes that it thinks should be there at lower frequencies when none are present. There is a HUGE difference in the overall sound of the Epicenter when feeding it with a full range signal vs feeding it with a pre-crossed over signal, say from the SUB-OUT of a head unit. It uses notes in as high as the 100-200Hz range to help generate those fake bass notes that it in turn spits out at 40+ Hz. In certain setups, I liked the sound of running an active crossover AFTER the Epicenter (feeding IT with full range mono) and in others, I preferred the sound of feeding it an 80-90Hz actively crossed over pre-amp signal. AudioControl suggest a full range signal for best results, but the subjective nature of ears and personal preferences sometimes say otherwise.
A main feature of devices like this one is that the bass restoration is active. The bass roll off in stock stereos increases with the volume so the restoration level must increase accordingly. I have used the Audiocontrol L2ci in multiple installations and it has always performed well. One caveat is that while the bass restoration is effective, it is not necessarily accurate. Even with careful tuning, the restored bass signal is not as accurate as the signal from the same head unit once the factory amp has been bypassed.
The NVX version of that is the XLCA2. They operate a little different than the XBBR2. I hope to get my hands on an XLCA2 so I can RTA that one as well.
I'm a SQ/BASShead. Even w/o the "need" for a bass restoration module... for many of us (we are Legion, lol), we NEED this device (or AC's). Play for the SQ, use that bass knob for when you NEED that BOOM listening to some Bass Boy or Techmaster P.M.B. where [low-end] SQ isn't all that important. *[EDIT] I forgot... it's a 'Bass Management Module', not necessarily a 'Bass Restoration Module'... DSP is for Full Range, Bass Mgmt. speaks for itself, IMO. Spending @$100USD on this device/module will get you more out of your low-end than $100 elsewhere... js.
@@DIYAudioGuy Phoenix gold was awesome until it got China’ed. I had some platinum amps and XS series amps. And some amazing component and subs from PG back in the late 90s and early 2000s. Wish I still had some of those.
if your test tracks are MP3 (your pink noise tracks) there's a cutoff in the compression of MP3. 128k mp3s all dropoff on the low end; the 'lossy' portion of Mp3 is by discarding a huge portion of low end. upgrade your music rips to 320k or Lossless files if you care about bass.
Okay so with this product in mind ... I'm running a turd for an aftermarket hu ( name brand not mentioned ) "ba" ... And into a taramps 2.4s pro dsp , would this give a guy any type of gain at all with using my current or do I pretty much already have the restoration through the DSP ?? Might be more complicated to answer than what it's worth so if you want just a simple yes or no will work for me 😊
I have Earthquake Sound's clone of the Epicenter which appears to have the exact same housing and board. It even has a plug for the 'audio control ' light on the top of the board which is unused. It appears to have come from the same assembly line but $100 cheaper.
Does using a digitial equilizer on the phone you are playing music from have the same effect? I'm guessing the answer is no but I'm not sure how they would differ. BTW thanks for all the educational videos! best on youtube. you have answered so many of my car audio questions with data rather than anecdotes.
I have an Epicenter, if i didnt have it, Id pull the system out entirely. After having it, ill never not have one. The "in dash" epicenter has a built in SPL meter too. Is it accurate? Probably not even close, but cool nonetheless
Pretty neat to actually see what these devices do to the signal. I still think the extra $70 for a dsp408 is well worth it for the massive increase in functionality and signal quality.
@@darrensmith6104 Only if you need time alignment on it. However, I sat there for a couple hours just looking at my head unit, deciding if I wanted it straight from the Sub out, with all filters off, or to come off my DSP. I decided to tap off my DSP, because I was unsure that all filters off on the Sub out, was going to be truly full frequency. I also can change the left right balance easier with the DSP.
I wish I never bought this thing and got the lc2i or just a regular converter. The bass on this is all over the place one minute the bass can sound fine then the next it's crazy without touching the volume I'm afraid I'm blowing my speaker so I have to keep the levels way down and it just don't sound right I had it professionally tuned twice and was told that the bass enhancement is the problem
How is the xbbr2 different from the xlca2? I already bought the xbbr2 but I just watched a video by NVX on the xlca2. My xbbr2 that was lost in the mail was found and is being delivered today. Woot!
They are very similar. The XBBR2 adds bass that was never there in the first place or bass that was removed by a factory system. The XLCA2 is designed to combat a factory system that actively cuts bass as you turn up the volume.
Might be a dumb question, but is there such a device as a automatic bass volume attenuator? I listen to a wide variety of music and I've blown 2 subwoofers because i turned up the bass volume for track one (for example), but forgot to turn the volume down for track 2, which booms and damages my subwoofer. I would love a device that would just level out my bass automatically.
@DIYAudioGuy Any chance on dropping me make and model number just to give me an idea of what I'm looking for? I won't hold you responsible for my choices.
I plan on running a 660.5 kicker with p65.4c 2 10 inch comp C kickers what would you recommend with a stock headunit I’d be guessing a LC5i for bass roll off thanks for the video have a great day I’m going the pac advanced T harness connection to headunit stock wiring to power speakers
You've made several videos on bass lately. Will you be making videos on sound quality as well? Fun fact: I have the same set of HLCD's for about 28 years now, are these speakers still viable in the audio world? I still love the sound quality and the absolute percussive nature of their sound reproduction.
@@DIYAudioGuy not sure, I just couldn't get it to power on. I had the 12v, ground and rem running to my amp. My amp would turn on just not the bass restoration.
Nice one, fantastic content as per usual, I have never heard of this before, nice way to add sub bass to music lacking, would have been nice to hear a recording showing the A&B, yes I know it's hard to record sub bass with average mic, but even you listening to it switching from on and off would have reinforced product validation, along with the nerd stats, anyway I think you will become very popular, love how you blend the nerd & practical aspects, you are worthy of patron. Keep up the good work, amazing content
Thanks! You're exactly right. I need figure out a way to do a good quality listening test. Like an a/b test where I could hit a button and bypass the device.
@@DIYAudioGuy I feel like the creation/acquisition of an RTA should have been step one. Without one, you won't know if you're amplifing the original bass frequency, through use of a dsp, beyond the music track's original recorded amount as it was intended to be heard
I’ve been running the NVX for a couple of weeks now and I am not happy. It seems like even if the gain is set properly using DD1+. The effect knob will put out very high voltage. To the point that even a 1/4 turn on the knob is too much!! This would be a great product if it had a cap on voltage like the epicenter micro. I’m running the NVX into a JBL GTR mono amp and the gain on amp is all the way down. How can you control voltage going into amplifier with this thing.
Gain control is fine. But when playing rap or EDM music with knob down, sounds muddy. Mexican music sounds great with knob turned 1/4 up. It’s hard to get both to to align just right. Maybe amp can’t handle that voltage. Another thing to note is sweep is far right and wide is far left. Using a ported kicker compR box. Thanks for responding and love your channel!!
So it more or less just adds a subharmonic. Hmm... I'm just glad I have an aftermarket headunit that doesn't need something like this. Because playing my music that dips into the 15Hz territory I don't need this adding a 7.5Hz tone. I'm curious how it sounds? Does the bass it "restores" hurt the music, like does it sound unnatural? I guess it might depend on how you tune the device.
Haven't seen a comment from you in ages, good to see you again. As far as the sound, some people seem to really like reconstructed bass, some do not. I suppose I need to see about hooking this thing up in the truck and give an it a good quality sound check.
@@DIYAudioGuy Yeah sorry haha, I've been seeing your videos but not commenting as much. During this summer transitioned to a more busy job which honestly is a nice change of pace, but not on my phone much. But in a week out two I'll be back to my main position where I have 4-6 hours of time to kill on my phone watching RUclips and planning builds etc. I have a build coming up soon for some Lii Audio Fast 8 but might be a few weeks before I try and build them.
Good day, I have an idea for your channel. Do you think you can do a comparison of a bass tube vs a square box enclosure? Generally the same cu ft, sub and amp for testing purposes. Do you think the bass tube has different characteristics to the square box subwoofer enclosure?
Hi, can I use this kind of device in home theater? Between a receiver and a subwoofer? The 80hz crossover will reduce de effect of bass restoration? Thanks.
I also took this possibility into account. My Yamaha Aventage RX-A2080 it has enough analog inputs to be connected to the rca output of a dvd player or a cd player( I have both in my system). To address both options, 10 - 80hz home cinema vs. stereo full range spectrum, even at an experimental level, building a DIY switching relay is not rocket science. My profession is electronic debugging technician. I will have seismic bass in one way or another in my old music collection ( Queen, Scorpions, Pink Floyd, Vangelis, A-ha, Alphaville, J.M.Jarre, Kitaro, etc...their music albums released before the 90s they have a shy bass ) Any small improvement can result in sufficient or enormous satisfaction, it depends on everyone's expectations.'Only a Sith deals in absolutes' 😉
Aside from bass restoration, it's funny how in today's time we "need" all of these hi tech measuring devices to get sound in our vehicles, and without them you're blowing speakers and God knows what else. Back in my day, hardy har har, we didn't blow speakers anywhere near how easy it is to do today.
The real difference is that back in the day a DIYer could not afford test equipment. Shops that could afford it did not always know how to use it and charged out the butt to pull the big audio control RTA off the shelf. The RTA in this video is literally an old cell phone and a free app, Plus a few bucks for a few wires and adapters.
The problem isn't that you'll blow speakers without this. (It's actually harder to blow speakers without factory integration) The issue is that nowadays the head unit and audio system are designed for exactly 1 set of speakers in 1 location in 1 car. While aftermarket equipment is designed to work for all speakers in all locations in all cars. The purpose of factory integration devices is to bridge that gap.
@@blakebrockhaus347 I wasn't trying to highlight factory integration in my response. I was highlighting the task of adding aftermarket speakers in general. Mostly apart from factory. I never blew speakers in the past as I do today and that's when I never knew what gain control was
Is that really distortion that showed up on the oscilloscope? Wouldn't the processor add extra harmonic frequencies in like it's supposed to and that's what we're seeing? To me it looks like there are multiple frequencies showing up oon the oscilloscope in the form that looks like they are being added together like they normally would whilst passing through a cable. I may be wrong but that's what it looks like to me.
Anytime you add or subtract something that was not in the original signal then you technically have distortion. But in this case the distortion is deliberate. It is like an electric guitar, the musician adds distortion to get a specific sound.
Is there a 'home audio' equivalent to the epicenter? I've tried to figure out if DSPs could be used to do so? From what i understand,The Epicenter can fill in bass when playing rock and other bass light music.. I believe by following an existing note at a lower octave with a slight increase in db.
I have issues with my Kick and bass and sometimes I think it's my kick drum being around and snappy and then gets blown over with the bass. I can't seem to get it right
Is it true that power capacitors can kill you? I want to use one for more power but im just gonna make sure im not holding a device that can kill me accidentally
It only takes half an amp of current to kill a person. So literally everything you touch in car audio is a potential killer. It is mostly safe because low voltages can't overcome your skins internal resistance. Fires from short circuits are the bigger concern. Capacitors can sometimes deliver a surprise shock because they hold a charge, and it can be a HUGE charge so expect it to hurt. Don't play around with it. Treat it like a loaded pew pew. The good news is that you are aware of the danger so now you can do some googling and read up on 12v safety. The people that get hurt are the ones that are not aware of the danger. ruclips.net/video/BzjVzg_aWcY/видео.html
Also, if you are worried about safety then get one of these pre-packaged ones: lddy.no/1c5hb Skip the old school style that looks like a big can of beer. Those don't have enough capacitance to do anything, total gimmick, almost fraudulent product.
The problem I have using the audio control lc2i is I can't play lower than 32 hertz what do you recommend getting a nice headunit or some kind of bass proscessor
The LC2i uses different technology and does something different. It is designed for use with a factory head unit that turns the bass down as you crank the volume up. The NVX version is the XLCA2. If your factory head unit is completely cutting out bass below 32 hz then you need XBRR2.
@bass caddy’ The problem isn’t your factory stereo’ it’s the LC2i. I had the same problem in my car’ no bass below 29hz. I called audio control and the tech told me it has a built in subsonic filter set to 29hz because most music doesn’t play that low. I explained to him I have 2 12’s in a 2-1 4th order ported thru the back seat on a synergy 3500 and I need it to play down to 15hz. He sent me a modified version that supposedly played to 20hz. It was a little better but I switched to the Jl LOC and its better than the modded lc2i. Im sure you listen to bass boosted music like me and the only way to get a good full range signal is to ditch the factory head until. My car has all the stereo navigation and car settings built into the stereo (bmw) so Im planning to put an aftermarket head unit in the glove box and rewire all the speakers to aftermarket amps and completely bypass the factory stereo. There is no device that will give us a good clean signal below 29hz. Ive tried all the bass restoration devices and they are simply not made for bass heads. No matter what anyone tells you’ they don’t work for low bass below 29hz. I hooked my amp up to my buddies car’ he has a pioneer head unit and a similar box/amp setup. We ran long RCA cables from his subwoofer output into my amp and my box easily plays down to 15hz with authority and when playing with my factory stereo and any LOC with bass restoration’ absolutely nothing!!
@@TacticalBuffoonary yeah I contacted audio control because I read it only put out down to 32 hertz they said that it's on a slope so there still should be plenty of signal yeah right can't wait to get a head unit
@@TacticalBuffoonary I am wondering if it would be worth buying a cheap pioneer head unit from wallmart until I can actually afford a nice one! I'll just use the crossovers on my amp!!
@@DIYAudioGuy Room EQ Wizard, a decent laptop (I use an old Dell XPS12 because its ability to convert into a tablet with touch screen comes in handy), a calibrated USB mic (I use the UMM-6) and a decent external sound card are basically all the tools I use for audio spectrum testing and analysis. REW's RTA feature is great! Enough options to play with to keep you busy for hours. And you can capture the FR and use REW's "EQ" option to generate EQ settings to meet a target curve. That's what I did when I installed the new DSP in my car a few weeks ago.
@@DIYAudioGuy Yup, it does. I've been using it for quite a while and I'm still discovering or learning new uses for it. For example, do you know it can be used for impedance and t/s param measurement, and you can use the DATS3 device with it for this purpose? It can actually provide more accurate impedance response details than the software that comes with the DATS. And a few weeks ago I used its "EQ" function to programmatically identify what settings I had to program into my new DSP in my car to get the target response that I was aiming for. REW is versatile enough to deserve its own video (hint, hint :-)) For oscilloscope use though, I think it would be best to DIY an external i/f rather than connecting anything directly to the computer's sound card - they tend to not be fond of higher voltages :-).
Stopped at 5:52 This device on paper is amazing and it's application is huge Rockford Fosgate messed this up with their 600-800 dollar 360 which sad to say was a piece of garbage! I had one like 8 years back had engine noise and all sorts of ground issues it was a crazy expensive overblown line level converter that sucked lol. Not to mention it felt like it was made of tinfoil. But carry on lol
I'll jump on the wagon with other praising audio control. Not sire what wizardry they use but music that doesn't have any bass, suddenly has clean, powerful bass. Paired with the dm608 you can really dial things in the way you want it
You can look up the patent, it is actually very old technology. Since the patent expired people can save some money getting the NVX model. Now if Audio Control wants to send me one I would be glad to do a shoot-out video.
@@DIYAudioGuy they should, that'd be an excellent shoot-out. Audio control dominates that area, where I live anyway. I am curious about Daytons dsp. The software is def different n would take some time to figure out. Audio controls did too
I’m seeing too many bad reviews on this nvx regarding seconds delay when adjusting head volume, inconsistent bass requiring constant adjustment from song-to-song. I didn’t see you mention any of these issues, but when I read reviews for the AC Epicenter there are very minimal complaints.
Ploc2 appears to be an LCi2 clone. This device here is an epicenter clone. NVX has their own version of the LCi2 clone. I think the nbx will be cheaper after you use my discount code (DIYaudio10) at NVX.com
These are very dangerous and cause many people to blow their subs. Problem is at low volume it's pushing way to much bass into the subs. Sounds dirty and unnatural sounding.
*Unfortunately what your test did was prove that NVX is fake.* As a several time IASCA and dbDrag winner, and Epicenter owner, now and several times over the years, I can assure you, if you feed a clean frequency to the Epi, you're not getting that bump down low, because there is no such thing as a "backwards harmonic". Epicenter reproduces what was there, the NVX made some sht up. If you feed an 80Hz signal to the Epicenter, that is what you get out of it. Nothing else. Why would you get another freq out? Now, if you feed a Drum and Bass track that has been processed 3 times and output by a cheap B2th, with the top and bottom cut off, you'll experience all kinds of missing data on the ULF. The epicenter will reconstruct that. Here's how you can tell... Cheap fake, NVX, watch the ULF match upper "heard" frequencies. Epicenter, watch the ULF not be in lock-step with higher freq. The harmonics are just that, barely heard, they are not the primary freq that you are hearing.
For a sealed sub I would start with both all the way to the left. Then increase the width and see how it sounds. If you do that with a ported sub you're going to be fighting against your infrasonic filter. So for a ported subwoofer I would start with everything all the way to the right and then gradually turn the sweep down and see how it sounds.
I loved my Epicenter 30 years ago and continued to use one in each new system for the following years. Getting old sucks, but I am planning a final system for my latest vehicle and will be looking to add a new Epicenter as well as other AudioControl gear, as they have never let me down in the past. In terms of Bass Restoration and OEM integration, many higher end OEM retro-fit solutions, such as the ones offered from companies like AudioControl have a 'frequency summing' type of functionality to overcome factory systems that may have certain channels running active crossovers etc. so that an entire spectrum is output at line level after the signal is 'rebuilt' in the OEM amplified hi level signal. Great content as always.
I really like my Audio Control - The Epicenter Bass Restoration Processor & use it in every one of my car audio builds. It has worked flawlessly since I purchased it back in 1995.
I was wondering how long it would take before somebody mentioned the Epicenter! Some people really like the extra thump you get from the added bass. I would like to hook one up toe the RTA and see what it does. I bet it does the exact same thing as the XBBR2.
@@DIYAudioGuy I would love if it took the place of dj Russticals
I tried you Discount Code at the NVX website Check Out and its Not Working Sir .. ??
Ah I love those Bass Restoration Devices, I have an Audiocontrol Epicenter and with my Stock Radio from my 2019 Ford flex (Non sony Stock Amp system) I have a LC7i with their Accubass Tech which is like a bass boost for the subwoofer line output. Works pretty good. Sounds awesome with 80s Rock like Journey, the outfield, LED Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Sting and the police, man makes me want to go to my car right now and just sit there and listen to some tunes. I love your content man. You have some great knowledge. I'm 38 years old and still learn things everyday. The younger Generation needs to be watching your videos, they can learn alot from you. Your the man Justin. 😁👊
My channel stats show that very few guys in the 18-24 age group are watching me. Do these young kids just not like big speakers, are they all going the ear bud route? Do they not know what they are missing?
@@DIYAudioGuy wow really? That is just sad. Yeah maybe they like that air pods life thing 😂 they definitely don't know what they are missing.
@@DIYAudioGuyyoung kid here!! Im a 19 year old have a 90's pioneer carrozzeria stereo with 4 prv 6.5 mids 2 super tweeters, a 400x4 amp 2 kicker comp r 12's under the back seat as well as a 800 watt skar amp
I've never owned the NVX, but I have owned the Epicenter and the Soundstream version of it and they both worked great. I noticed the biggest difference when listening to 80's rock music. Music that barely moved the sub would have deep bass after turning on the bass reconstruction unit.
That is exactly what this is for.
Mexican music like banda gets a needed bass boost as well
I really liked the first one (nvx xbbr) i still have it in my garage packed away . Still new looking .
I have the older nvx bass processor, looks like the other bass processors or the epicenter, but honestly it sounded odd specially compared to AC epicenter, some notes just sounded distorted, and had a cut off frequency at 35 hz. My friend had a soundstream one and it sounded worse, after a while he got a different one, maybe a cerwin vega, i forget which brand it was but it sounded clean almost like the epicenter. It put my bass processor to shame. I dont use it much, but i think its mainly because it doesnt give a clean sound. This nvx looks like a new and improved one tho :)
@@mexaknpwr5563 Audio Control came out with a Mexican edition Epicenter. When I used to work in a different location, we sold more Epicenters to Mexican guys than anyone else!
In regards to 1 vs the other when it comes to Bass Restoration. I have tried cheaper units after owning a few Epicenters and can say for certain that the Epicenter does IT best. The others seem like glorified EQ's that boost and stretch Q factors on the low end, whereas the Epicenter uses the incoming signal to produce 'harmonics' , or fake bass notes that it thinks should be there at lower frequencies when none are present. There is a HUGE difference in the overall sound of the Epicenter when feeding it with a full range signal vs feeding it with a pre-crossed over signal, say from the SUB-OUT of a head unit. It uses notes in as high as the 100-200Hz range to help generate those fake bass notes that it in turn spits out at 40+ Hz. In certain setups, I liked the sound of running an active crossover AFTER the Epicenter (feeding IT with full range mono) and in others, I preferred the sound of feeding it an 80-90Hz actively crossed over pre-amp signal. AudioControl suggest a full range signal for best results, but the subjective nature of ears and personal preferences sometimes say otherwise.
That's sooo cool it's compacted and packs a punch bought one to try it out
How’d it go
Good education. This shows me how to go forward with a dilemma I've been facing. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
It took a while to get it tuned to my taste, but it brought so much life back to disco and funk on my sealed box!!
👍
Just received my XBBR2! Can't wait to set up and calibrate.
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it.
Another use for this is voltage boost. Decks with low RCA Voltage benefit from this device.
Yes, up to 9.5 volts!
A main feature of devices like this one is that the bass restoration is active. The bass roll off in stock stereos increases with the volume so the restoration level must increase accordingly. I have used the Audiocontrol L2ci in multiple installations and it has always performed well. One caveat is that while the bass restoration is effective, it is not necessarily accurate. Even with careful tuning, the restored bass signal is not as accurate as the signal from the same head unit once the factory amp has been bypassed.
The NVX version of that is the XLCA2. They operate a little different than the XBBR2. I hope to get my hands on an XLCA2 so I can RTA that one as well.
Just ordered this bad boy your coupon code didn’t work but at half the price of the epicenter it was a easy choose thanks man!
I'm sorry the coupon code did not work. I think the code DIYaudio10 will work if you order anything else from them.
So did this work for you?
I'm a SQ/BASShead. Even w/o the "need" for a bass restoration module... for many of us (we are Legion, lol), we NEED this device (or AC's). Play for the SQ, use that bass knob for when you NEED that BOOM listening to some Bass Boy or Techmaster P.M.B. where [low-end] SQ isn't all that important. *[EDIT] I forgot... it's a 'Bass Management Module', not necessarily a 'Bass Restoration Module'... DSP is for Full Range, Bass Mgmt. speaks for itself, IMO. Spending @$100USD on this device/module will get you more out of your low-end than $100 elsewhere... js.
Never tried a NVX product but this looks solid.
I think they've got some pretty solid amplifiers, looking forward to trying out their subwoofers!.
I always used the bass cube from Phoenix gold. It was awesome!
Phoenix Gold used to be one of the top brands.
@@DIYAudioGuy Phoenix gold was awesome until it got China’ed. I had some platinum amps and XS series amps. And some amazing component and subs from PG back in the late 90s and early 2000s. Wish I still had some of those.
Your the man you got the right answer for everything 👍🏻
if your test tracks are MP3 (your pink noise tracks) there's a cutoff in the compression of MP3. 128k mp3s all dropoff on the low end; the 'lossy' portion of Mp3 is by discarding a huge portion of low end.
upgrade your music rips to 320k or Lossless files if you care about bass.
Okay so with this product in mind ... I'm running a turd for an aftermarket hu ( name brand not mentioned ) "ba" ... And into a taramps 2.4s pro dsp , would this give a guy any type of gain at all with using my current or do I pretty much already have the restoration through the DSP ?? Might be more complicated to answer than what it's worth so if you want just a simple yes or no will work for me 😊
Who knew ? Love this video. Thanks
Glad you liked it!
I have Earthquake Sound's clone of the Epicenter which appears to have the exact same housing and board. It even has a plug for the 'audio control ' light on the top of the board which is unused. It appears to have come from the same assembly line but $100 cheaper.
Once the patent expires everybody can make an exact copy.
Does using a digitial equilizer on the phone you are playing music from have the same effect? I'm guessing the answer is no but I'm not sure how they would differ.
BTW thanks for all the educational videos! best on youtube. you have answered so many of my car audio questions with data rather than anecdotes.
No, this is not an EQ. All an EQ can do is boost or cut. This adds low frequencies that did not originally exist.
@@DIYAudioGuygot it, thanks man!
So can I run my sub-out RCA's directly into this from my aftermarket head unit and then from this into my amplifier?
Yes, exactly!
Absolutely great video exsplaining this technology
Yes! I was really shocked when I saw what it did. I had always assumed these things were just bass boost. It is so much more than that.
I have an Epicenter, if i didnt have it, Id pull the system out entirely. After having it, ill never not have one. The "in dash" epicenter has a built in SPL meter too. Is it accurate? Probably not even close, but cool nonetheless
Cool.
Pretty neat to actually see what these devices do to the signal. I still think the extra $70 for a dsp408 is well worth it for the massive increase in functionality and signal quality.
This device is very different from a dsp. It has no time alignment, no crossovers, and it's only one channel of input and one channel of output.
@@DIYAudioGuyCan you add this device downstream after a DSP?
@@darrensmith6104 Only if you need time alignment on it. However, I sat there for a couple hours just looking at my head unit, deciding if I wanted it straight from the Sub out, with all filters off, or to come off my DSP. I decided to tap off my DSP, because I was unsure that all filters off on the Sub out, was going to be truly full frequency. I also can change the left right balance easier with the DSP.
I wish I never bought this thing and got the lc2i or just a regular converter. The bass on this is all over the place one minute the bass can sound fine then the next it's crazy without touching the volume I'm afraid I'm blowing my speaker so I have to keep the levels way down and it just don't sound right I had it professionally tuned twice and was told that the bass enhancement is the problem
How is the xbbr2 different from the xlca2? I already bought the xbbr2 but I just watched a video by NVX on the xlca2. My xbbr2 that was lost in the mail was found and is being delivered today. Woot!
They are very similar. The XBBR2 adds bass that was never there in the first place or bass that was removed by a factory system. The XLCA2 is designed to combat a factory system that actively cuts bass as you turn up the volume.
Might be a dumb question, but is there such a device as a automatic bass volume attenuator? I listen to a wide variety of music and I've blown 2 subwoofers because i turned up the bass volume for track one (for example), but forgot to turn the volume down for track 2, which booms and damages my subwoofer. I would love a device that would just level out my bass automatically.
What you're looking for is a limiter or a compressor. These are very common in pro audio / live music. I have a mini DSP 8x12 and it has one.
@DIYAudioGuy Any chance on dropping me make and model number just to give me an idea of what I'm looking for? I won't hold you responsible for my choices.
I see the LC2I pro cuts off at 30hz? This claims 10? Is this true? And what would be the benefit of this over the LC2I or pro other than price.
Price is the main thing.
@@DIYAudioGuy 👍thank you for your reply. Keep up the great videos, 👍
Great video Justin
Thank you sir!
I plan on running a 660.5 kicker with p65.4c 2 10 inch comp C kickers what would you recommend with a stock headunit I’d be guessing a LC5i for bass roll off thanks for the video have a great day I’m going the pac advanced T harness connection to headunit stock wiring to power speakers
You've made several videos on bass lately. Will you be making videos on sound quality as well? Fun fact: I have the same set of HLCD's for about 28 years now, are these speakers still viable in the audio world? I still love the sound quality and the absolute percussive nature of their sound reproduction.
Not planning on a SQ specific build any time soon. Just lots of general content.
I bought the spider bass restoration from walmart wired it up to my amp and nothing. Took it back the same day.
What was wrong with it?
@@DIYAudioGuy not sure, I just couldn't get it to power on. I had the 12v, ground and rem running to my amp. My amp would turn on just not the bass restoration.
Nice one, fantastic content as per usual, I have never heard of this before, nice way to add sub bass to music lacking, would have been nice to hear a recording showing the A&B, yes I know it's hard to record sub bass with average mic, but even you listening to it switching from on and off would have reinforced product validation, along with the nerd stats, anyway I think you will become very popular, love how you blend the nerd & practical aspects, you are worthy of patron. Keep up the good work, amazing content
Thanks!
You're exactly right. I need figure out a way to do a good quality listening test. Like an a/b test where I could hit a button and bypass the device.
This was all as clear as mud
Let me summarize it for you, magic box makes your subwoofers go boom. Click on link and buy one.
@@DIYAudioGuy from what little I understood, it's pointless to buy one without an RTA
@@texasboy2005 I made my RTA out of an old cell phone, cost virtually nothing.
@@DIYAudioGuy I feel like the creation/acquisition of an RTA should have been step one. Without one, you won't know if you're amplifing the original bass frequency, through use of a dsp, beyond the music track's original recorded amount as it was intended to be heard
Do you think this would work on a home receiver subwoofer out line?
Yes you can, but just because you can does not mean you should.
So this is only really usefull if you are using a factory head unit and not with an aftermarket? Am I getting this right?
Only if the factory system uses a crossover to block the low frequencies. Some people use them to add more bass to music that is not bass heavy.
I’ve been running the NVX for a couple of weeks now and I am not happy. It seems like even if the gain is set properly using DD1+. The effect knob will put out very high voltage. To the point that even a 1/4 turn on the knob is too much!! This would be a great product if it had a cap on voltage like the epicenter micro. I’m running the NVX into a JBL GTR mono amp and the gain on amp is all the way down.
How can you control voltage going into amplifier with this thing.
The device has a gain control, try turning it down? If that does not help reach out to nbx for tech support.
Gain control is fine. But when playing rap or EDM music with knob down, sounds muddy. Mexican music sounds great with knob turned 1/4 up. It’s hard to get both to to align just right. Maybe amp can’t handle that voltage.
Another thing to note is sweep is far right and wide is far left. Using a ported kicker compR box.
Thanks for responding and love your channel!!
@@bonks425try epicenter indash; it actually has a button to turn it off
So it more or less just adds a subharmonic. Hmm... I'm just glad I have an aftermarket headunit that doesn't need something like this. Because playing my music that dips into the 15Hz territory I don't need this adding a 7.5Hz tone.
I'm curious how it sounds? Does the bass it "restores" hurt the music, like does it sound unnatural? I guess it might depend on how you tune the device.
Haven't seen a comment from you in ages, good to see you again. As far as the sound, some people seem to really like reconstructed bass, some do not. I suppose I need to see about hooking this thing up in the truck and give an it a good quality sound check.
@@DIYAudioGuy Yeah sorry haha, I've been seeing your videos but not commenting as much. During this summer transitioned to a more busy job which honestly is a nice change of pace, but not on my phone much. But in a week out two I'll be back to my main position where I have 4-6 hours of time to kill on my phone watching RUclips and planning builds etc.
I have a build coming up soon for some Lii Audio Fast 8 but might be a few weeks before I try and build them.
Good day, I have an idea for your channel. Do you think you can do a comparison of a bass tube vs a square box enclosure? Generally the same cu ft, sub and amp for testing purposes.
Do you think the bass tube has different characteristics to the square box subwoofer enclosure?
It should be the same, but I don't have any data to prove that.
Hi, can I use this kind of device in home theater? Between a receiver and a subwoofer? The 80hz crossover will reduce de effect of bass restoration? Thanks.
It's not really designed for home theater but you can definitely do that. You will need a 12 volt power supply.
I also took this possibility into account. My Yamaha Aventage RX-A2080 it has enough analog inputs to be connected to the rca output of a dvd player or a cd player( I have both in my system).
To address both options, 10 - 80hz home cinema vs. stereo full range spectrum, even at an experimental level, building a DIY switching relay is not rocket science. My profession is electronic debugging technician. I will have seismic bass in one way or another in my old music collection ( Queen, Scorpions, Pink Floyd, Vangelis, A-ha, Alphaville, J.M.Jarre, Kitaro, etc...their music albums released before the 90s they have a shy bass ) Any small improvement can result in sufficient or enormous satisfaction, it depends on everyone's expectations.'Only a Sith deals in absolutes'
😉
Is this just as good as the Epicenter Micro ? or what would be the upside of spending more to get the epicenter over this
I can't say for sure, but that seems to be the case.
Aside from bass restoration, it's funny how in today's time we "need" all of these hi tech measuring devices to get sound in our vehicles, and without them you're blowing speakers and God knows what else.
Back in my day, hardy har har, we didn't blow speakers anywhere near how easy it is to do today.
The real difference is that back in the day a DIYer could not afford test equipment. Shops that could afford it did not always know how to use it and charged out the butt to pull the big audio control RTA off the shelf. The RTA in this video is literally an old cell phone and a free app, Plus a few bucks for a few wires and adapters.
The problem isn't that you'll blow speakers without this. (It's actually harder to blow speakers without factory integration)
The issue is that nowadays the head unit and audio system are designed for exactly 1 set of speakers in 1 location in 1 car. While aftermarket equipment is designed to work for all speakers in all locations in all cars. The purpose of factory integration devices is to bridge that gap.
@@blakebrockhaus347 I wasn't trying to highlight factory integration in my response. I was highlighting the task of adding aftermarket speakers in general. Mostly apart from factory. I never blew speakers in the past as I do today and that's when I never knew what gain control was
You know audio control is the best for this application And all it is is A-line driver there's no need to make it complicated
The RTA disagrees.
@DIYAudioGuy what is the app that your using as an Oscilloscope?
Audio Tool
Is that really distortion that showed up on the oscilloscope? Wouldn't the processor add extra harmonic frequencies in like it's supposed to and that's what we're seeing? To me it looks like there are multiple frequencies showing up oon the oscilloscope in the form that looks like they are being added together like they normally would whilst passing through a cable. I may be wrong but that's what it looks like to me.
Anytime you add or subtract something that was not in the original signal then you technically have distortion. But in this case the distortion is deliberate. It is like an electric guitar, the musician adds distortion to get a specific sound.
Have you hooked it up in your truck and tested it? Do I have to have full signal plugged into it or can I use my sub out outs?
I would recommend using the subwoofer out. That way you can use the crossover on your head unit.
@@DIYAudioGuy I went with the audio control epicenter micro. Seems like overall better product.
Is there a 'home audio' equivalent to the epicenter?
I've tried to figure out if DSPs could be used to do so?
From what i understand,The Epicenter can fill in bass when playing rock and other bass light music.. I believe by following an existing note at a lower octave with a slight increase in db.
You just need a 12v power supply and you can run this in a home.
I have issues with my Kick and bass and sometimes I think it's my kick drum being around and snappy and then gets blown over with the bass. I can't seem to get it right
Yeah, I've been tinkering with this kick drum for a while. I can't seem to get it right. Might need a new head.
I tried to use your nvx discount code and it's not working sir... ??
It is no longer active.
Is it true that power capacitors can kill you? I want to use one for more power but im just gonna make sure im not holding a device that can kill me accidentally
It only takes half an amp of current to kill a person. So literally everything you touch in car audio is a potential killer. It is mostly safe because low voltages can't overcome your skins internal resistance. Fires from short circuits are the bigger concern. Capacitors can sometimes deliver a surprise shock because they hold a charge, and it can be a HUGE charge so expect it to hurt. Don't play around with it. Treat it like a loaded pew pew. The good news is that you are aware of the danger so now you can do some googling and read up on 12v safety. The people that get hurt are the ones that are not aware of the danger.
ruclips.net/video/BzjVzg_aWcY/видео.html
Also, if you are worried about safety then get one of these pre-packaged ones: lddy.no/1c5hb
Skip the old school style that looks like a big can of beer. Those don't have enough capacitance to do anything, total gimmick, almost fraudulent product.
@@DIYAudioGuy meh ill just buy 2 batteries then
The problem I have using the audio control lc2i is I can't play lower than 32 hertz what do you recommend getting a nice headunit or some kind of bass proscessor
The LC2i uses different technology and does something different. It is designed for use with a factory head unit that turns the bass down as you crank the volume up. The NVX version is the XLCA2. If your factory head unit is completely cutting out bass below 32 hz then you need XBRR2.
@bass caddy’ The problem isn’t your factory stereo’ it’s the LC2i. I had the same problem in my car’ no bass below 29hz. I called audio control and the tech told me it has a built in subsonic filter set to 29hz because most music doesn’t play that low. I explained to him I have 2 12’s in a 2-1 4th order ported thru the back seat on a synergy 3500 and I need it to play down to 15hz. He sent me a modified version that supposedly played to 20hz. It was a little better but I switched to the Jl LOC and its better than the modded lc2i. Im sure you listen to bass boosted music like me and the only way to get a good full range signal is to ditch the factory head until. My car has all the stereo navigation and car settings built into the stereo (bmw) so Im planning to put an aftermarket head unit in the glove box and rewire all the speakers to aftermarket amps and completely bypass the factory stereo. There is no device that will give us a good clean signal below 29hz. Ive tried all the bass restoration devices and they are simply not made for bass heads. No matter what anyone tells you’ they don’t work for low bass below 29hz. I hooked my amp up to my buddies car’ he has a pioneer head unit and a similar box/amp setup. We ran long RCA cables from his subwoofer output into my amp and my box easily plays down to 15hz with authority and when playing with my factory stereo and any LOC with bass restoration’ absolutely nothing!!
@@TacticalBuffoonary yeah I contacted audio control because I read it only put out down to 32 hertz they said that it's on a slope so there still should be plenty of signal yeah right can't wait to get a head unit
@@TacticalBuffoonary I am wondering if it would be worth buying a cheap pioneer head unit from wallmart until I can actually afford a nice one! I'll just use the crossovers on my amp!!
How about REW's built-in RTA feature? Just run it on a laptop or PC...
That might work. I might give it a try.
@@DIYAudioGuy Room EQ Wizard, a decent laptop (I use an old Dell XPS12 because its ability to convert into a tablet with touch screen comes in handy), a calibrated USB mic (I use the UMM-6) and a decent external sound card are basically all the tools I use for audio spectrum testing and analysis. REW's RTA feature is great! Enough options to play with to keep you busy for hours. And you can capture the FR and use REW's "EQ" option to generate EQ settings to meet a target curve. That's what I did when I installed the new DSP in my car a few weeks ago.
Oh, REW has an Oscilloscope feature as well, but I've never played around with it.
@@Grommet2007 REW does a lot.
@@DIYAudioGuy Yup, it does. I've been using it for quite a while and I'm still discovering or learning new uses for it. For example, do you know it can be used for impedance and t/s param measurement, and you can use the DATS3 device with it for this purpose? It can actually provide more accurate impedance response details than the software that comes with the DATS. And a few weeks ago I used its "EQ" function to programmatically identify what settings I had to program into my new DSP in my car to get the target response that I was aiming for.
REW is versatile enough to deserve its own video (hint, hint :-))
For oscilloscope use though, I think it would be best to DIY an external i/f rather than connecting anything directly to the computer's sound card - they tend to not be fond of higher voltages :-).
Stopped at 5:52 This device on paper is amazing and it's application is huge Rockford Fosgate messed this up with their 600-800 dollar 360 which sad to say was a piece of garbage! I had one like 8 years back had engine noise and all sorts of ground issues it was a crazy expensive overblown line level converter that sucked lol. Not to mention it felt like it was made of tinfoil. But carry on lol
I'll jump on the wagon with other praising audio control. Not sire what wizardry they use but music that doesn't have any bass, suddenly has clean, powerful bass. Paired with the dm608 you can really dial things in the way you want it
You can look up the patent, it is actually very old technology. Since the patent expired people can save some money getting the NVX model. Now if Audio Control wants to send me one I would be glad to do a shoot-out video.
@@DIYAudioGuy they should, that'd be an excellent shoot-out. Audio control dominates that area, where I live anyway. I am curious about Daytons dsp. The software is def different n would take some time to figure out. Audio controls did too
I’m seeing too many bad reviews on this nvx regarding seconds delay when adjusting head volume, inconsistent bass requiring constant adjustment from song-to-song. I didn’t see you mention any of these issues, but when I read reviews for the AC Epicenter there are very minimal complaints.
Recoil PLOC2 vs this please explain if anyone knows:-)
Ploc2 appears to be an LCi2 clone. This device here is an epicenter clone. NVX has their own version of the LCi2 clone. I think the nbx will be cheaper after you use my discount code (DIYaudio10) at NVX.com
I run a earthquake epic center....20 years strong good for old music with way less bass
Never heard of that one.
@@DIYAudioGuy audio control epic center...very old school ...the best on market ever 😎😎
A word of advice for those ready to go buy one, DO NOT use them with rebassed/decaf music. It's not what they're for.
That would be a bad idea!
so basically a glorified line output converter?
No, not at all.
LC7i is the best.
AP”
These are very dangerous and cause many people to blow their subs. Problem is at low volume it's pushing way to much bass into the subs. Sounds dirty and unnatural sounding.
Some people like the sound, it does after all add more bass. Regarding equipment damage, if it's set up correctly that should not be an issue.
@@DIYAudioGuythat's true for those who like quantity over quality of sound.
Wilson Kimberly White Jason Garcia Christopher
Garcia Kevin Walker Charles Gonzalez Lisa
Walker Edward Hernandez Cynthia Davis Amy
Wilson Eric Jones David Thompson Thomas
so techincally you're not really making more bass;you're just restoring what was lost through a subpar signal.
It will add bass to music that never had it.
AudioControl is better they invented bass restoration enough said.
Jackson Mark Taylor Sarah White Laura
*Unfortunately what your test did was prove that NVX is fake.*
As a several time IASCA and dbDrag winner, and Epicenter owner, now and several times over the years, I can assure you, if you feed a clean frequency to the Epi, you're not getting that bump down low, because there is no such thing as a "backwards harmonic". Epicenter reproduces what was there, the NVX made some sht up.
If you feed an 80Hz signal to the Epicenter, that is what you get out of it. Nothing else. Why would you get another freq out?
Now, if you feed a Drum and Bass track that has been processed 3 times and output by a cheap B2th, with the top and bottom cut off, you'll experience all kinds of missing data on the ULF. The epicenter will reconstruct that.
Here's how you can tell...
Cheap fake, NVX, watch the ULF match upper "heard" frequencies.
Epicenter, watch the ULF not be in lock-step with higher freq.
The harmonics are just that, barely heard, they are not the primary freq that you are hearing.
Where do you recommend the positions of the sweep and wide settings? Yes, I know everyone’s system is different as well as sound “taste.”
For a sealed sub I would start with both all the way to the left. Then increase the width and see how it sounds. If you do that with a ported sub you're going to be fighting against your infrasonic filter. So for a ported subwoofer I would start with everything all the way to the right and then gradually turn the sweep down and see how it sounds.