michep21

Hey all,

So all of this has been paid for and I'm set to get my install done for the following

Kicker RS series comps: Front door
Infinity Refs: Rear Door
MTX Thunder 3404 4 channel for mids/highs
Bazooka BA1300 for SUBS
2 kicker 10" comps
4 gauege wire kit
1 capacitor
1 JL OEM Cleansweep

Okay, so I should be getting Mercman's harness AND balun by the end of this week.
In addition to that, I have a JL cleansweep that the audio shop is also going to install

So here's my questions:

1 How should I go about using the BALUN and cleansweep, I understand that the cleansweep judging by prior posts is said to be uncessary. (This ElDuderino guy...who in his FAQs contradicts everything that Mercman cleared up)

But the fact remains I have both a BALUN and a cleansweep. Even though the cleansweep accepts balanced/diff should I still hook the balun up and then the cleansweep (or no, does the BALUN take anything away from the signal quality wise)

ADVISE PLEASE, lol

2 4 gauge wire kit is sufficient right?

3 Any other comments/suggestions/ pointers on my setup?

Thanks again to people like Mercman and wong for helping me out

Reach

4ga is good.

Sell the cleansweep on eBay and recover some costs. You just won't need it with the rest of that equipment. The cleansweep is designed to be an OEM integration unit, and you're ditching practically all the OEM stuff! ElDude was wrong on a few notes (mostly the TSX wiring) but he was right about the cleansweep. uncald4 may have a similar opinion, but I don't want to put words in his mouth. There are cars it works well for, and cars it doesn't work well for. Its my understanding it doesn't work well in the TSX, and since you're replacing all the shitty OEM equipment with all that nice equipment you mentioned above, why would you use it anyway?

uncald4

iTrader: (3)

The CleanSweep works the best when left in the box. I agree with Reach. Your audio system will be much happier without the CL441dsp.

michep21

Thanks for the responses. I can't really sell it since the insurance company is paying for it and its install

...And I've always wanted an aux input

Wow, negative opinions lol. Here's my question though, how can it it HURT the system, the worst it can do it make a relatively flat signal flatter an add an aux input right?

michep21

And Reach, correct me if I'm wrong. But the cleansweep is meant to be able to add aftermarket amps/speakers to a stock headunit. I think the premise is that, since some stock headunits have steeper curves to make the shitty stock speakers sound nicer and cover flaws...the cleansweep corrects these so new speakers can have fully flat signals.

So again, teh ? is it can't possibly HURT right? and how should i go about using the BALUN and cleansweep?

mercman

Send the clean sweep back.
First the TSX HU is flat with no EQ, All the eq is in the external amp which you are ditching. The clean sweep will do nothing but add noise and degrade the signal.
The clean sweep does an A/D conversion and then a D/A conversion. Your music goes through enough format conversions before you get it so why do it again. Each format conversion degrades the signal.
A few of my customers that had clean sweeps installed report less noise when they removed the clean sweep and went straight to the amp via the BALUN and harness.
Also for a A/D conversion to work right you have to have a constraint input level so if you use the HU volume control you will get various levels of conversion quality.
Also, even if you did have some eq you were trying to remove, when you try to amplify a previously attenuated signal you get a lot of noise.

Send the thing back and put the money into better speakers or more amp, or a custom sub box from unclad4.

Since you are having a shop do the work, don’t let them sell you the super gorilla helix double balanced ion depleted mega directional interconnect cables. Just use a short RCA patch cable with 100% shielding from the Active Interface Converter to your amp(s) and you are good to go.

Jeff

michep21

Haha, you sure have a vendetta against those gorilla cables don't you.

Anyways guys thanks for the responses...I'll report back once I figure everything out.

mercman

Not really a vendetta against the gorilla guys but the snake oil industry in general. I have well over 30 years of electronics and audio experience; I have been doing audio since the vacuum tube days. It has never been proven in any double blind tests that fancy interconnects or speaker wires have any impact on sound quality. It is true that a low quality cable poorly constructed with loose fitting connectors and less then 100% braided shielding can wreak havoc in an audio system. Hi end cables only serve to boost the profit margin of the dealer.

As far as the opinions on the clean sweep in the TSX, the fact is that I have spent hours with my test equipment connected to the factory HU to determine its output characteristics so that I could design the Active BALUN as a perfect match. The fact is, based on the measurements from my test gear that the HU is flat with no volume related EQ. The clean sweep is a waste of money, space and SQ when used with the TSX HU. You are better off without it in the TSX. It will also create a cabling nightmare since the harness is designed to carry the balanced signal all the way to the trunk to take advantage of the balanced audio noise canceling properties. Running unbalanced lines back to the JL and then from the JL to the amps are defeating that function as well as opening you up for ground loop’s like nobody’s business.

With audio, the best sound is always achieved if you take the minimalists approach.

jeff

uncald4

iTrader: (3)

Well..... The mad scientist is right. You gotta keep it simple. You can spend thousands of dollars on makeup, fake boobs and nice clothes. But an untainted country girl always tastes better....... Word?

Mr330i

I dont wanna jack the thead, but how about adding a graphic equalizer to the stock HU? Will this work good?

smazzurco

i didnt even read the thread...but i fried 2 cleansweeps and one of the JL summing devices. If you can opt to not buy them i would. If they are purchased and not installed sell them.

Im not against JL, and im sure in the right application those are awesome, but i had nothing but bad luck with them.

I have used many JL subs in the past and been happy, but these digital products they have seem to be pretty troublesome...