Alpine "Tune It" App...Thoughts?

[handman84 60]

Just came across Alpine's new CDE-HD149BT HU and was wondering what others think of their latest and greatest. The new twist is that you can tune it via a smartphone app. Supposedly you can tweak time correction and crossover frequencies, plus a 9 band parametric EQ. The app also lets you share your tuning settings via facebook and apparently lets you save tons of settings and makes tuning easier...hype?

 

I am looking for an active capable hu but haven't fell in love with anything yet. Hear nothing but good things about Alpine but can't find one that seems to open my wallet. I really liked this when I first saw it but the more I think of it the more it seems a little hokey...IDK

 

Has anyone seen this HU? Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on it? 

[Impious 1,476]

Quick google search, couldn't find any real information about the actual tuning capabilities/functionality. 

 

 

The sharing and learning aspect of TuneIt is especially helpful for novices without much sound tuning experience, since it allows those with similar setups to use the same settings for the best results. The more frequently the user is active within the app, the higher his or her status progresses, from the “Roadie” level all the way up to the advanced level of “Master Golden Ear.”

 

I think the database of other user's settings and share-ability isn't very useful or wise.  Settings are all going to be different for each user's preference, system design & equipment, as well as vehicle.  What works for Joe Blow in facebook world doesn't mean dick to my system.  And downloading his settings thinking it's going to be "great" for my system simply because he was the most active and obtained the level of "Master Golden Ear" is simply going to fuck people up. 

 

I also found this little blurb interesting;

 

 

TuneIt’s sound setting activities are all done through a graphical user interface on the smartphone; the phone only needs to be connected via USB when downloading the sound setting into the Alpine receiver.

 

So it doesn't sound like adjustments are real time?  Can they be real time or do you have to make all of the adjustments then download them to the receiver for them to actually take effect?

 

If it's the later, then that would be a major PITA to use.

[handman84 60]

Thats what was so confusing! It doesn't seem like it is real time, but if it isn't that is a complete PITA. Maybe you can set it and download it or use it real time if your phone is connected via usb...as far as others settings, ya completely useless. I can't even find out for sure if you can tune it without the app. I'm sure you can, but the limited info seems to focus only on the app. That sucks because this is the first hu that has what I'm looking for, (rear usb, hd radio, bluetooth, active tuning, cd player, and a look and design I like) Then they have to complicate things

[///M5 2,833]

As long as it is easy to use and let's you MANUALLY control the settings the more integration into my phone the better. I'm dubious though.

[Impious 1,476]

Thats what was so confusing! It doesn't seem like it is real time, but if it isn't that is a complete PITA. Maybe you can set it and download it or use it real time if your phone is connected via usb...as far as others settings, ya completely useless. I can't even find out for sure if you can tune it without the app. I'm sure you can, but the limited info seems to focus only on the app. That sucks because this is the first hu that has what I'm looking for, (rear usb, hd radio, bluetooth, active tuning, cd player, and a look and design I like) Then they have to complicate things

 

I couldn't verify from the information I could find that it actually has "active" tuning.....it says it has HPF/LPF but I saw no mention of bandpass.  If it doesn't do bandpass, it doesn't do a true active for front stage purposes.

[altoncustomtech 773]

I don't see the app being all that handy either.  I think there's better options out there for active capabilities, especially from Alpine.  I've been using the Clarion CZ702 now for several weeks and I'm enjoying it thoroughly.  It's fairly quick to get to the EQ, crossover and DTA settings and offer's a multitude of settings that upon first look seem almost overwhelming.  I'm still tweaking and tuning the crap out of it, as much for the enjoyment of learning it as doing it for the improvement in SQ.  The adjustments on it happen on the fly, there's no momentary pause to the output like on the Kenwood or Pioneer units I used before when making adjustments which is kinda nice.  Plus it's fairly modest price makes it pretty hard to pass up in comparison to most of the others.  My only complaint is that it doesn't have 24dB crossover slopes and the amount of time it sits idle in the menus when making adjustments is a bit too short, luckily it only takes a few button presses to get back.

 

Just my .02

[handman84 60]

That is the HU I have been looking to get. The only thing it doesn't have is HD radio and I can live without that. Also not too sure about the look, but now I'm just being picky. Got excited about this new Alpine at first, but the more I read the less interested I become

[eggyhustles 33]

As long as it is easy to use and let's you MANUALLY control the settings the more integration into my phone the better. I'm dubious though.

the day we can tune via phone...will be a good damn day. 

[lithium 358]

As long as it is easy to use and let's you MANUALLY control the settings the more integration into my phone the better. I'm dubious though.

the day we can tune via phone...will be a good damn day. 

 

wish the minidsp guys could do it via blutooth or something

[///M5 2,833]

As long as it is easy to use and let's you MANUALLY control the settings the more integration into my phone the better. I'm dubious though.

the day we can tune via phone...will be a good damn day.

As long as it is easy to use and let's you MANUALLY control the settings the more integration into my phone the better. I'm dubious though.

the day we can tune via phone...will be a good damn day.

 

wish the minidsp guys could do it via blutooth or something

Someone HAS to have a USB cable for a Windows 8 phone. If so, it'd do it.

[Impious 1,476]

As long as it is easy to use and let's you MANUALLY control the settings the more integration into my phone the better. I'm dubious though.

the day we can tune via phone...will be a good damn day. 

Meh.  I don't have a smart phone, don't want one, and the times I've used them I end up getting really annoyed.