Ax-dsp install questions.

[rotwiler]

Found a new in box ax-dsp for $100 on ebay, so going to replace the Lc2i with it. Will the dsp stop the OEM alpine dsp from cutting lows as volume increases? So far my setup in my 2013 quad cab is: Replaced the 8.4a with a 2015 8.4AN, bought custom built fiberglass dual 12 box from member here, 2 Pioneer Champion 12 inch subs, 1000 watts rms Amp, jbl gx302 3.5s up front, Jbl power series 6x9 rear doors, butyl sound deadened front and rear doors and used high density foam to stop any rattle in doors. Front doors I will be removing the OEM 6x9s and I have some 2 ohm carbon kenwood 6.5s(was best kenwood offered in 2011) from another car left over, worst case can go back to OEM front door speakers since I only had to buy less than $15 worth of adaptors and harness. I also bought the ch5 harness for the ax-dsp and bass knob for it. When I install the dsp I am also installing a fakra antenna booster to help with radio reception. Maybe in future with add a separate Amp for door speakers, since both the front and rear doors can handle 150+ watts rms and I have the crossovers and tweeters for the kenwood components. Overall the setup hits hard and tight bass, the highs also sound great. I am frustrated with having to adjust bass knob all the time to fight the OEM dsp was main reason I bought the ax-dsp.

 

[MadGumby]

I went back and forth, back and forth about using the stock wiring...I would suggest just running the new wires because I don’t think 150rms is a great idea for the stock wiring.

As for the load resistance of the dsp, I can’t find that. AudioControl products don’t, but I’m not sure about the Ax-Dsp but the manual has their tech support number as 1-800-253-TECH


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rotwiler]

If I do a Amp for the door speakers, I probably wouldn't do anything over 75 watts rms per speaker. More for the reason of being able to use the dsp 31 band eq and clean up sound quality, as it is now the highs really sound pretty good.

 

[rotwiler]

The Ax-dsp is installed, fought with it for a few days but figured it out.

 

[rotwiler]

Ok, after a few days messing with the ax-dsp I should be able to give a good install diy soon and my opinion on the dsp. For those wondering, all I did with install the Ch5 harness on my 2013 Ram, my radio is from a 2015 8.4AN and I have the alpine system. I plugged T harness into the ax-dsp, then plugged the output harness in. Ran blue wire from output harness to remote turn on on my aftermarket sub amp, ran rcas to sub Amp. Bass sounds fantastic, but I messed up, volume would not change with radio, so I contacted tech support. On the T harness there are 8 wires and on the input harness there are 8 wires both need to be connected together, this is what controls the can bus etc. I Doh, didn't do this, so in app I couldn't get sound unless I selected no OEM amplifier. So later will be connecting those wires and should solve my issue. Will update once everything is perfect. If you connect those 8 wires before installing the T harness should be a 5 minute install and simple. I am not the greatest at car audio installs so anyone with some car audio knowledge this should be simple. For some reason plugging the OEM harness to the new Ch5 T harness took me like 10 minutes, not sure why, but then all of a sudden was able to lock it down. Also, if any issues with app on Android oreo, I found a old version of the dsp app 2.0 and worked perfect on my oreo phone, seems iPhone has no issues. App has the 31 band Eq, can set speaker distance, crossover feq(not just preset, but if you want it set to 80, 85, 91, 96, 99 whatever you type in. I have $150 invested in this dsp including the T harness and optional bass knob, found a great deal on the dsp new in box then paid 29 for ch5 T harness and $13 for optional bass knob. This is going to a 1,000 watt rms Amp, 2 Pioneer Champion 400 watt rms 12s, in a fiberglass dual 12 sub box I bought off a member here.

 

[rotwiler]

Ok, finally have the ax-dsp working perfect and sounds much better than the Lc2i. My issue was my phone and the ax-dsp I received wasn't latest update. There is a issue with newer phones(mine runs 9.0) the app won't let you adjust settings, so I found a old version of the app 2.0 and worked perfect. Also the 1.04 version of the ax-dsp firmware doesn't recognize the digital Amp in the 13 up Rams. I upgraded the firmware to 1.08 installed old version of the ax-dsp software and it adjusts with the radio volume perfect and uses all the channels to get a signal, so the Bass sounds really good and hits very hard and clean. Happy with this dsp, really sounds good now. So if you buy one(I got mine used for cheap on ebay) then I bought the vehicle specific harness new. Was a simple plug and play install and I ran the remote turn on wire for my Amp to the back, that was only wiring I needed to do, rest just plugged in. I could never get the bass to sound right with the pac or AudioControl loc, now it's perfect.

 

[rotwiler]

Just a update, software is junk. Right now if you have a amplified oem setup, android software doesn't work correctly. They say Apple app works, but I don't even know anyone with a iPhone, so yay, kinda irritated. I could hook it up to the bass output, but then lose the reason I wanted the dsp to bypass the crossovers in oem Amp.

 

[FF1899]

Did you have to use resistors?

 

[rotwiler]

No resistors if using just for sub Amp. If using 4 channel Amp it comes with a resistor plug in that's optional for that. The Ax-dsp made huge difference in bass since it sums the front and rear channels, but only had it working one time correctly. I still use the dsp, but controlling my subs by a bass knob until I can try someone's ipad to set it up. If they fixed the android software issue this dsp would be excellent.

 

[78Staff]

I had one installed with my setup - 8.4AN RA4 non-alpine HU
JL Audio RD400/4 for the doors/dash
JL Audio RD500/1 for a single 12w3 in a Fox Acoustics Box.
AX-DSP with same harness.

The App will occasionally force close when connecting to the DSP, but will connect when I restart the app. I've read of issues with the Android app, they haven't updated it in over a year. I almost swapped to the RF at the last minute because of it, actually. But the shop assured me they haven't had any issues.

Still getting used to it but started out with the Ram 1500 Vehicle Definition and went from there. Right now Front/Rear are cut at 80 and the Subs at 65 - but I'm still experimenting with that one, but the Sub sounds great. Not pushing it too hard yet as I'm still in break-in on the sub, although technically JL Audio says it's not necessary.

My door speakers are not the best - Pioneer 6966's and they can't really handle the power of the RD400/4, so looking at maybe getting some C2's. Dash has Kicker KS35's and they are very bright under good power - highs are a bit to high so have been tweaking the EQ settings. I had thought they would run the dash speakers off the HU stock (non-alpine) amp but they said the Dash speakers are wired together with the Front Doors. I've got to run back by and pickup a grill so going to confirm that to make sure I didn't misunderstand. My Kickers in the dash actually have 4 ohm resistors I soldered into the speaker harness adapter, I'm going to remove them as soon as I get replacement harnesses, get better door speakers this week and then really fine tune it.

 

[rotwiler]

I stopped using the ax dsp, is a nice setup, but with the alpine system I couldn't control the canbus volume, I contacted manufacturer and they said to use the resistors plug if a non alpine Hu. So I had to control my Amp volume with a bass knob. I updated firmware, it worked excellent, controlled bass volume using radio perfect, decided to try to change some EQ settings. Then the ax dsp basically locked me out of changes and would not work with the volume control again. I reset it, updated firmware again, tried the newest, previous and one before that android app, tried 4+ phones from Android 6.0 to 9.0 nothing worked, emailed them 10+ times. Only answers I got were, update firmware and use a Apple phone. So I bought a Amp pro ch41 and works perfect.

 

[78Staff]

That's interesting - when you say canbus volume, you mean the radio volume knob?

Since I don't have the alpine setup I am not seeing that issue. Still figuring it out really though, only had it a few days.