With a big sound to match
Published: 11/06/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: Motoring This week's highlight is a Porsche Cayman S which has a brand new multimedia audio system installed by Suchart Sound.
The restriction of this setup is that the owner wanted a minimum of components in his Porsche and insisted all new bits be installed in the original positions of the outgoing audio system. The original theme, so to speak, must remain unchanged.
Components- Alpine IVA-W502E head unit with iPod link.
- Focal 165KRX3 three-way front speakers.
- Focal 100KPS rear speakers which is a high-power type and feeds on power delivered from the head unit to all four channel speakers.
- The built-in power amp of the head unit works on a full load, especially the front channels which uses a three-way component speaker.
InstallationAll of the speakers are fitted into the original slots of factory-issue speaker mounts. The head unit is also installed in place of the original head unit.
The picture quality is clear and reflections do not interfere on the display, but the viewing angle from the driver's perspective is a tad too low which may cause the driver to look away from the road in front.
User-friendlinessI give it full marks for the easy operation, no complexities whatsoever. You can easily adjust the sound quality from the head unit's touch-screen menu.
Simply enter the various menus available. It's pretty easy and straightforward. You could say it's not as complex as the menus in Nokia mobile phones or the new iPhones available in the market.
Alpine has the perfect menu design for multimedia systems and you don't actually need to read the owner's manual before operating the component.
If you don't know how to adjust the Crossover properly (which is located on the head unit), then the sound quality might be off a bit.
But the speakers won't be damaged because the passive crossover (which comes with the speakers) is capable of filtering out unnecessary frequencies signals before feeding the sound into the speakers.
Sound qualityAt first when listening to the sound, I admit that the low frequency sound was like having a power amplifier and a subwoofer. Actually it's just a high-power amp and the interior cabin is small, in addition to the strength and high quality of the materials used in the vehicle. The result is great bass sound from a six-inch subwoofer.
The listening test was separated into Sound Quality and Sound Pressure Level. The SQ listening required adjusting the fader and channelling everything into the front speakers. In short, you are listening to a front stage setup.
The sound quality was much better than I expected in relation to the sound stage, image and focus. A key ingredient is the optimal speaker positions designed by Porsche audio engineers.
The tweeter is on top of the console, the mid-frequency signals are at the upper section of the door panels and the woofer is at the lower section of the door panel. The optimal distances of each speaker serve like time alignment and the end result is something on par with hi-end sound quality.
The SPL listening test requires using the rear speakers when you want to listen to something loud and exciting or AV (watching movies). The system delivered because it was able to create big sound, so to speak.
This was only the first stage because I was still waiting for an upgrade to stage which includes a Purist audio Super Tube One power amp. So we'll have to wait until next time.