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Alpine KTX-100EQ

IMPRINT™ sound tuning kit for the Alpine CDA-9887 CD receiver

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Item# 500KTX100E offer details

Item# 500KTX100E

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Alpine

Our take on the Alpine KTX-100EQ

Use the KTX-100EQ sound tuning kit to tailor the audio settings in your Alpine CDA-9887 CD receiver to best match your vehicle's interior. Connect the included microphone and place it in your preferred listening position in the vehicle — the KTX-100EQ uses impressive automatic sound tuning to take the guesswork out of setting up your system.

IMPRINT sound tuning technology
Load the supplied software onto your laptop PC, connect it to the KTX-100EQ via the included USB cable, and you're ready to adjust your system. Let the computer set the adjustments, or use the software to do it manually. You'll find a built-in 3-band parametric equalizer, manual crossover controls, and manual time-correction controls as well.

Once you have the sound tweaked to your liking, your Alpine stereo stores the settings in its flash memory. Even if you disconnect the car battery, the sound settings are preserved until you use the IMPRINT kit to change them.

Use it once and send it back
Making sound adjustments with the IMPRINT is a one-time process, so there's no need for you to keep the KTX-100EQ kit after you've used it. Normally, this kit is sold only to dealers, but Crutchfield wants to make this special offer to all you car audio "do-it-yourselfers" out there:

Use the sound tuning kit and then return in to us within 30 days. We'll refund the purchase price, minus a $50 re-stocking fee — that's less than you'd pay a dealer to adjust the sound for you. On the other hand, if you decide not to use the kit, return it to us with the software unopened and we'll refund the full purchase price.

What if you get a new car?
Just give us a call if you move your Alpine stereo to a new car. You've already paid to use the KTX-100EQ kit once, so we'll send it to you again free of charge so you can make adjustments for your new vehicle. As before, just return it within 30 days.

From the review The ultimate in system tuning
"While I thought my system already sounded great, this easy, D.I.Y.-friendly process showed me that I was listening to a muddy mess in comparison to how a properly EQ'd car stereo should sound, and it fixed it for me. It's astounding to me that, without changing any equipment, an upgrade of this magnitude can be achieved.. I'm truly blown away and want to share this discovery with as many people as possible. This kind of sophisticated real-time analysis could help even the modest gear to perform much, much better."

— Michael, Crutchfield A/V Editor

Get more info on this product

Highlights:

  • IMPRINT sound processor for use with the Alpine CDA-9887 CD receiver to create the perfect listening space in your car
  • rental kit minimizes your expense — use it, then return it for a full refund minus a $50 restocking fee
  • automatic or manually adjustable 3-band parametric EQ, high- and low-pass filters, and time correction
  • included microphone lets the IMPRINT measure the acoustics in your vehicle
  • sound settings are stored in your Alpine stereo's internal memory
  • warranty: 1 year
  • Our 60-day money-back guarantee

Note: Sorry, Crutchfield cannot ship Alpine products to Guam or Puerto Rico.

 

Hands-on research from the Crutchfield Labs (what are the Labs?)

What’s in the box? | In-depth notes

Product Research

Product Research
What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

  • Imprint Sound Manager module
  • Audyssey microphone with attached 25' cable terminated by a gold-plated 3.5mm minijack
  • 16.5' USB cable with a USB type-A connector on one end and a mini-USB type-B connector on other end
  • 6.5' Connection cable with a proprietary connector on each end
  • KTX-100EQ/CDA-9887 Setup Disc V.1.1
  • Owner's Manual
  • "Display Properties" note
  • "Separate Amplifiers" note

Our Product Research Team

At Crutchfield, you'll get detailed, accurate information that's hard to find elsewhere. That's because we have our own in-house Product Research team — they open the box, verify contents, check the owner's manual, and record dimensions, features and specs. We stay on top of new products and technologies to help people make informed choices.

Features

Overview: The Alpine KTX-100EQ IMPRINT Sound Manager is a calibration software kit designed for the exclusive use with the Alpine CDA-9887 CD headunit and includes the following - Interface Module Box, Proprietary Connection Cable, USB Cable, Setup Microphone and Setup CD-ROM. The software program available on the included CD-ROM, used in conjunction with the included interface box, cables, microphone, CDA-9887 headunit and your laptop PC all work together to automatically capture and measure sound responses from inside your vehicle. Four microphone positions are recommended. The software offers an advanced application to correct time/frequency problems using MultEQ, and achieves the optimal listening experience from every seat in your car.

Imprint Technology: IMPRINT technology automatically overcomes your vehicle's inherent acoustical challenges, and improves the sound stage, tonal balance, and definition. The system measures the entire listening area of your vehicle, capturing frequency and time domain information from each listening location inside your vehicle, and then applying a proprietary method for combining this information to represent all seat locations of your vehicle. This results in a maximized listening experience in all seats. It does all this by using the following techniques.

  • Time And Frequency Alignment: It corrects both time and frequency problems simultaneously, resulting in improved sound stage and smoother, more natural sound.
  • Dynamic Frequency Allocation: It uses dynamic frequency allocation to apply hundreds of points of correction to those areas where the sound problems are greatest. This results in better sound using less computing resources (MIPS) Millions of Instructions per Second than other systems.
  • Low-Frequency Crossovers: It determines optimized blending points for low-frequency crossovers.

MultEQ: MultEQ, developed by Audyssey Labs, automatically corrects the audio for the listening environment inside your vehicle. The system is optimized for selected positions in the vehicle. Using MultEQ, the system can be tuned to match your taste, with the complete tuning process taking approximately 20 minutes. MultEQ along with the IMPRINT software and hardware captures frequency and time domain information from the vehicle's actual acoustical environment and quickly identifies any problems. It then creates a set of equalization filters to correct frequency response and time domain problems for each speaker in the vehicle. It also removes sound distortion caused by the specific acoustical problems in the vehicle by applying unique FIR filters, using more than 500 points along the frequency spectrum per channel. This optimizes the sound reproduction to the specific vehicle listening environment with much greater precision than has been achieved up until now using typical graphic or parametric equalization. The result is a more accurate, dimensional soundstage, and smoother, more natural sound optimized to match your vehicle.

Computer Requirements: The Alpine KTX-100EQ Imprint Sound Manager CD-ROM software requires the following PC system environment - Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack-2 System),
Microsoft.NET Framework 1.1 (If this application is not installed on your PC, the application is automatically installed with the software program.

Note: The measurement data cannot be stored on your PC hard disc but is memorized by the Alpine CDA-9887 headunit.

Interface Module: The Imprint Sound Manager interface module features the following connections.

  • To MIC: This is a 3.5mm minijack output on the right side of the module used to connect the supplied Audyssey setup microphone.
  • To HU: This is a proprietary port on the right side of the unit used to connect the supplied connection cable from the interface module to the Alpine CDA-9887 headunit.
  • To PC: This is a mini-USB type-B port on the left side of the interface used to connect the supplied USB cable from the module to your laptop's USB type-A port.

Note: PC or laptop operation should be operated outside the vehicle during system calibration.

Setup Microphone: The Audyssey Setup Microphone features a non-skid padded base and a bottom-mount threaded tri-pod insert. The setup microphone also includes an attached 25' cord terminated by a gold-plated 3.5mm minijack. The microphone is placed inside the vehicle during calibration. It should be place in a vertical position at ear level according to the location required by the Imprint Sound Manager screen on your PC or laptop. A minimum of two measurement locations should be taken but four measurement locations are recommended. A maximum of six measurement locations are available. Six measurement locations will take approximately 40 minutes to complete. 

Dimensions: Dimensions for the included interface module and setup microphone.

  • Interface Module (with cables): Width = 5.969", Height = 0.715", Depth = 2.702"
  • Setup Microphone: Width = 1.597", Height = 2.935", Depth = 1.597"
 

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1-10 of 27 items >> Sort Results By: Date Reviewed | Rating | Helpfulness
 
5 out of 5

It Works Exactly As Intended

Written By Emil, Aurora, OH on Wednesday, August 24, 2011
 
I have been a very spoiled audiophile in my life. I know what sound should "sound" like. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a way to bring a true audiophile- grade sound to my mobile listening experience. Until now. This equipment helped me get as close to the sound I wanted in my automobile like nothing else ever has. It is very, very good with all the bass I could ever ask for. It is an odd quirk of software that one needs to back off a bit on the subwoofer gain during measuring and then have to adjust the gain upwards afterwards in order to balance the system. It is also peculiar that one must back off on the high frequency gains ever so slightly after measurement because it will end up a tad too bright. I don't know why the unit can't set those gains appropriately, but that is a small matter. When set up properly during measuring, it gets everything else right and that's all that mattered to me in the end. Other than that, it is a shame that Alpine provided such poor documentation for this spectacular equipment. A comprehensive how-to guide is only available by reading through countless user forums. Anyways, only by utilizing this equipment was I able to approach a hi-fidelity listening experience in my car. I had always had to settle with sonic compromises that drove me nuts. Now I can just go down the road and listen to the music without being distracted by the fact that there are offending frequency anomalies.
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5 out of 5

Why isn't everyone using Imprint?

Written By SlashP, Bismarck, ND on Wednesday, July 13, 2011
 
Holy Cow! I have been installing and setting car stereos for over 20 years. One of the most frustrating and time consuming things is setting up the sound stage. Anyone car slap in some speakers, a sub and an amp or 2 and get it loud and boomy. It takes a good ear and patience to tune it in correctly. Well not anymore! I was a bit apprehensive about how well the Imprint software could actually work, but after reading reviews and doing research on the internet I took the plunge. And I'm glad I did. I've been using Alpine head units for years as I've found the quality to be outstanding (you get what you pay for). Now with the Imprint technology it takes 40 minutes or so and you have an audiophile quality sound setup that some could never hope to achieve after MONTHS of tweaking. If you are hesitant, don't be. You are going to be amazed at the difference. I can't believe people would buy anything else.
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3 out of 5

Excellent device for imprint capable headunits

Written By horn, Dallas on Monday, February 07, 2011
 
Product takes a little time to get familiar with. Lousy documentation. The biggest drawback
has to do with the memory settings that limit you to a single sampling with the three curves
of which two can be put into memory. It would be great if you could sample for the driver and
all the passengers and put that into the two memory slots. The compromise is between the
driver's seat and the passengers. You have to choose between optimizing for one or the
other. Seems like it wouldn't be hard to set it up with more flexibility.
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1 out of 5

Just wouldn't work

Written By tllado, Dallas, TX on Monday, August 16, 2010
 
After 20 or 30 tries I finally gave up. I spent hours and hours trying to get this processor to run its tests and do what it's designed to do. Over and over I just kept getting the same error message from the program: "Error Code -2". Isn't that descriptive and helpful? I usually got this error immediately after I clicked the start button, before the tests even began. Sometimes it waited until the tests were 2-3% complete then gave me the error. I spent hours on the phone with Alpine tech support and that's the farthest I ever got. They couldn't provide me with any useful suggestions. I am not a happy customer.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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4 out of 5

Great Product

Written By Marco, Torrance,CA on Friday, April 16, 2010
 
Well first of all I want to explain why I gave it 4 stars. The product does take some researching and playing with the gains.

Ok know let me explain my set up.

Alpine CDA-9887(Had it for a 1 1/2 years before buying the imprint)
Polk db Audio 6 3/4 Components Up front (the switch on the crossovers set to +3db)
Polk db Audio 5 1/4 Components in the Rear(the switch on the crossover set at 0 db)
Alpine PDX 5
Alpine 10" Type S SWS-1023 Dual 2 Ohm set in series to show 4 ohms( the enclosure is a Qlogic custom enclosure for an Acura RSX)

Ok Now to how i setup the Imprint. Before I set up the imprint I wanted to make sure my gain were setup correctly because I did some reading on how to setup gain and I learned my could had been off. I originally had my Mids/Highs to a little bit more than half and the Subwoofer all the way up. I was noticing the subwoofer was distorting at High volume. To adjust my gains i used the test tone method. I used a 1Khz test tone for the Mids/Highs and found that my gain should had been at exactly 12'oclock on the gains for channels 1/2 and 3/4. My Crossovers on the Mids/Highs on the amp are turned off and set to full range. Next I used a 70 Hhz test tone for the subwoofer and found that the gain should be set to 12 o'clock and the crossover to 75Hz on the amplifier.

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5 out of 5

Definately worth it

Written By Dan, Norfolk, VA on Wednesday, April 07, 2010
 
I just entered the car audio world not to long ago and am a bit of a research feind! I looked and looked around for what I wanted via personal prefference, reviews and advice from others including the crutchfeild staff. I ended up with,
2000 toyota 4runner
alpine 9887 HU
the alpine KTP-445 power pack
Polk db 6501 components up front
And the db 651 in the rear ( had to build a custom bracket but measured before ordering)

I thought this was such a huge differnce from what the previous owner had installed and was hesitant to go for the Imprint kit. Prior to the imprint my tuning of the system sounded pretty good and again the system already was a big improvement. I just had no idea that it could be improved this much. Followed the directions and read up on some forums and the imprint system has totally outdone itself! My system sounds amazing! Previously I could only turn it up to about 19-20ish before it started to get distorted but now I can crank it up to about 25-26ish and it is sooo clear and haven't had any issues with the bass like previous reviewers. I will eventually put In a sub but am in no hurry As the system sounds good as is! Was going to rent and return but I will probably keep as i will probably look to do the same to my wifes car and maybe a convinced friend! If you are on the border of doing this read up on the forums and follow the directions, you will not be dissappointed!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

INCREDIBLE

Written By Jacob, Madison, WI on Tuesday, July 14, 2009
 
I read some pretty bad reviews on this site, and I don't understand why.

Here's what I have for speakers in my '02 Trailblazer:
Infinity Kappa 60.9cs in the front, Infinity Kappa 62.9i in the rear (front and rear running off Infinity 475a), and 2 old Audiobahn subs running from a 1200 watt Legacy amp.

I turned the levels on the Legacy amp just under half-way like the instructions said, and I have had absolutely no problem with the bass lacking. The bass in all speakers and the subs is crisp and punchy, and the overall sound is just incredible. I think that those who haven't had the best results may not have powered speakers and are just running them from the head unit, because like I said there is no problem with the bass.

Everything was easy to set up, and it took around 35 minutes for the entire setup. I had thought that the sound in my car was pretty good before this, but this honestly was the best $ I've ever spent. The sound is incredible.
3 out of 3 people found this helpful
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5 out of 5

LOVE IT

Written By James, Omaha, NE on Friday, July 03, 2009
 
I had ALOT of worry about purchasing this item but decided to go for it. I'm
glad I did.

I have a 350z that has a terrible soundstage. The cabin is tiny, my subs
which sounded awesome in my older cars, sound terrible in this car.
Going into this I probably spent about 20 hours researching and reading up
on the IMPRINT on how to tune it, how it works etc. Ultimately, I had
everything proffesionaly installed. System is an Alpine 9887, Boston
Acoustics SX60 6.5" components powered by a 90x2 Fosgate and 2 12"
Kappa Perfects powered by 800watts of Fosgate.

The Imprint tune sounds incredible. Seriously. And I listen to everything,
country, rap, rock, classical, stand-up comedy, etc. I really believe that
those who have negative reviews did something wrong. Read up on the
bass issue. My bass is a little softer(that isn't even the right word) but it
still gets plenty loud. Granted there are times where I wish I could turn it
up a little more on certain tracks, but its rare and if I really wanted to I
could probably adjust this by re-tuning and turning the gain on my sub amp
down and then back up a little after tuning. The bass sounds wonderful in
my car again. The subs blend perfectly with the music and are tight and
punchy again(Metallica's kick drums sound glorious). I can hear things I
couldn't hear in my car before. The soundstage is where it should be. You
can hear where different instruments are coming from, etc.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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1 out of 5

Worthless

Written By Brad, Cincinnati on Friday, May 01, 2009
 
I should have listened to the previous 2 reviews. This piece of equipment is basically worthless. As mentioned in the previous reviews, it reduces your bass to a level of non-existence. I was not even impressed with the sound staging after performing measurements multiple times. I got better sound stage results when I measured the distance of the speakers to the driver seat and input the time correction values myself. I currently use the EQ presets along with the manual input time correction values and I am very happy with the sound. Based on the advertizing of this devise and some of the positive reviews, I expected to see some improvement in sound from the current condition, but did not. I am thoroughly disappointed. If you know anything about car audio and tuning don't waste your money. I'll be sending this one back with a $50 loss.
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1 out of 5

Also Thoroughly Disappointed

Written By Joe, Maryland on Sunday, April 12, 2009
 
This was a monumental waste of money and time! I bought this for the sole purpose of using it with the Imprint software. After 6 hours of tuning and re-tuning, I'm giving up. This is the last piece of Alpine I'll ever buy. I've had to dig deep into many audio forums to learn how this over- priced piece of hardware (and companion software) is supposed to work. Why? Because the instructions give you nothing but a brief overview of each new function in the dizzying array added to the already poorly laid out options on the head unit (in my case a iDA-x100).

I wont repeat what Joshua below wrote but I will say he's exactly right. I've re-tuned about 15 times and each time I get different results (none have been great). The staging does improve but there's a huge loss of bass and the extreme highs (ride cymbals, hi hats, etc).

In a few years, we'll all look back on these purchases and know why no one buys Alpine audio any more.

I wont repeat what Joshua (see next review) wrote but it's worth mentioning that he is 100% correct in his findings. This is Alpine junk!
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1-10 of 27 items >>

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7/2/2010
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For a more in-depth review and enhanced detailed information on the Alpine KTX-100EQ, please visit the Crutchfield website product page (/ISEO-rccbcspd/p_500KTX100E/Alpine-KTX-100EQ.html ).

Alpine KTX-100EQ