Makes any system sound spectacular — even a factory system
Frustrated by the way your car audio system sounds? You're not alone. Even so-called "premium" factory systems often have serious limitations in the sound department. Alpine built the PXA-H800 digital sound processor for one purpose: to deliver pristine sound to aftermarket amps, speakers, and subs. It takes control over your sound before you send it to an amplifier, stripping away hard-coded factory settings and starting from scratch. You'll even find speaker-level inputs, which lets you hook up your factory stereo or another source that lacks preamp outputs.

If you can't replace your factory radio...
In many newer cars, the factory radio also controls critical functions like climate controls and safety systems. That makes for a convenient interface, but it can make it difficult or impossible to install a superior aftermarket receiver. But if you still crave pristine sound, you can keep your factory look and feel — and let the Alpine PXA-H800 handle the sound processing. (This processor works with aftermarket stereos, too.)

Audiophile-grade components are the key
The PXA-H800 features four Wolfson 24-bit digital-to-analog converters (DACs) — this is what turns the digital information from your iPod® or a CD into an analog signal your speakers can play. All systems have some sort of DAC, but the Wolfsons found in the PXA-H800 are normally only found in professional recording equipment — the same sort of equipment your favorite artist probably used to record your favorite song.

Advanced digital processing puts you front and center
The driver's seat has a built-in disadvantage in any audio system: it's not in the center. You have at least four, and more likely six or more speakers in your car. But you're sitting right next to one or two of them, so your music might sound like it's pulling to the left. The PXA-H800 adjusts the timing of all the speakers in the car so their sound arrives at your ears at the same time, effectively moving the soundstage to the center where it belongs. It's like sitting in the front row center at a concert.

Digital magic helps overcome car audio limitations
Alpine knows that a moving car creates somes challenges in the sound department, such as road noise and differing speaker configurations. To compensate for these and other situations, they've built some clever functionality into the PXA-H800, such as:

Optional RUX-C800 system controller

Control the PXA-H800 from your dash
Add the optional RUX-C800 in-dash controller, and you can tweak your sound on the fly. You can also change sources and view detailed info about your system. It looks a bit like an in-dash receiver and comes with an installation kit.

Hone your sound to razor-sharp perfection
Alpine gives you a bevy of ways to get exactly the sound you want. The easiest way is ImprintEQ, which uses an included microphone to optimize the signal for the acoustics in your car, then allows you to tweak the settings manually if you wish. If you'd rather take control from the start, you'll find some serious equalizers: 31 bands for each of the five channels, plus 10 bands for the subwoofer. You'll also find a 10-band parametric EQ for each of the five channels, plus a 5-band parametric EQ for the subwoofer. Connect the PXA-H800 to your laptop to get a nice graphical depiction of your audio settings, plus the ability to store different settings for later recall — handy if you plan to move the processor to another vehicle now and then.

Rear connections

Front connections

Variety of connections
Connections include front, rear, center, and sub channels with both speaker-level and RCA inputs, plus two digital optical inputs. There are also two Ai-NET connections for hooking up Alpine gear, along with 8-channel preamp outputs for feeding a 4-volt signal to aftermarket amplifiers. The preamp outputs are configurable to accommodate a variety of audio setups, from bi-amped front speakers, to full surround sound.