Equalizers for 6 channel setup - SQ comp?

Howdy all,    Can anyone recommend a good equalizer or multiples for someone that possibly will enter IASCA competitions for SQ in the near future that wount break the bank? I'm looking for 6 channel capability, or a combination of eqs for 6 channels. Currently I'm running a Alpine F340 (55x4 RMS) to the front and rear (Infinity 63.5 3-ways front and rear) and a Alpine M300 (150x1@4ohm right now) to a Infinity 10", with the planned addition of another 10". The head unit is a Alpine 7893 which has 3 pairs of 4v preamp outs. I was looking at both the AudioControl EQL which is a 13 band stereo EQ running around $160 for both the front and rear and using a combination of my amp and the HU to tune the bass channel, or getting a AudioControl EQS, which is a 7 band front, 7 band rear, and 6 band bass stereo EQ which would cover all 6 channels. Would a unit like this still get you into the running for SQ comps? The alpine HU allows some room for customizing but not that much. I'd hate to spend $200+ per channel for something like a EQT as I honestly don't think I'll ever notice the difference. I've looked at offering from Pheonix Gold, Pioneer (especailly there dash mounted DSP units...), and others but think the AudioControl EQS has about everything for under $300. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Thanks. Allan.

I like the EQT myself in my system ( it's great to have 31 bands of EQ flexibility ). How much do you want to spend ? If IASCA is what you want to enter, you will ne as much EQ capabilities as you can get your hands on. Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

Well I bought a EQS, couldn't passup the offer I got. Now I have a couple questions: 1. Canyou rent RTA's or would I have to have the cars EQ settings done professionally? I'vee seen a bunch f software programs that claim to be able to do it with the right mic. 2. I'm getting two different "noises". First is a hiss, louder the volume, more hiss. If I pause a CD its completely gone, but when it starts up its back. Loud music covers it but during soft parts it obvious. 3. Second to above is a "click" noise when changing the volume at high levels, again only noticable when the music has a soft part. Each click on the volumn control (12 -> 13 -> 14 etc) has a distinct clicking noise over the speakers. Its a Alpine 7893, wired to battery and grounded to chassis. Any ideas on either the RTA or noise please let me know.

My volume CLICKS also when I turn the knob up and down, that's just in the head-unit (Infinity sound system), since it's not SMOOTH turning, you can sense the little clicks in the knob, and each one comes through the rear speakers sometimes. . . My EQ is built in, and I have no HISS with anything but Tape player (adapter), which I only use for the Satellite Radio. If you get no HISS from anything when the CD player is paused, then it's coming from the CD player or just from the head unit. If the CD was digittaly recorded, and digitally mastered, you should not get a hiss. Any older music, what was recorded on tape, then digitally mastered to CD, you'll get some hiss. If you are going through an EQ, then maybe that is thge cause. Could be anytything, you'l have to eliminate componetns one by one to get the root cause.

Dosn't seem to be the EQS's fault. It did this before but the difference is now I can play the radio crancked up loud without distortion, and before I oculdnt do this. You may be right on the digital CD part, I've bene playing older CD's (read as >6-7 years) and I tried out a new CD I have. Crystal clear until the vocals came in, a split second before them you could here a bit of hiss like the couldn't clean up the signal without loosing some vocals, which actually makes perfect sense. I also tried some purly digital music and that was also very clear without noise. Seems my system is actually reproducing the music too well. I'm going to add another post about the RTA. Other then that if anyone has some ideas on how to reduce the hiss at all let me know. Allan.

Check your RCA's and ground connection to the HU & to the EQS.Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

RCA's are all tight. Ground for radio is directly to metal. Ground for EQS is the same ground the two amps are going to, I have a clean spot of metal with 4ga running to a ditro block with 8 ga from there. Then the 8ga goes to a smaller block with a 16ga to the EQS (the recommend 16 - 22..its only a 2A unit). I turned the gains down on the EQS input and put the output as high as it goes. The hiss is better, not as noticable, but still there. I tried lowering the gain even more and turning up the amps gains (which are all at minimum right now) but this ended up giving the speakers a bit of distortion. I rather have a small hiss at loud volumes with crystal clear music then no hiss and a bit of distortion. Also checked the internals of the EQS which lets you switch to unbalanced inputs but its correctly on balanced for all inputs. Any other ideas? Allan.

I went up to my local auto sound place and ask a guy there about my problem. He went througha couple things that I've looked over and then gave me the ISACA 2001-2002 CD and had me run Track 27 (zero bit track). Said if there is no hiss when the volume is all the way up on this track then the sound system is clean, its the media playing that is giving the hiss. Sure enough it was silent, I ha to put my ear on the tweeter to hear anything and even then it was so faint a hiss that as soon as I got a few inches away I couldn't hear it. So it turns out my setup should be good. I tried a bunch more CD's and found some that dont have this low hiss when the volume is up. He explained it as anything purly digitally mastered sould be as clear as a bell, things that are analog recorded and transfered to digital media will probably have a bit of hiss because the system is so acurate its picking all this up. Does this make sense to others in here? Kinda makes sense to me, I wanted to know if anyone has heard of this and if there is anyway to minimize the effects Allan.