Alpine UTE-73BT Review (Head Unit)

[ROOSKIE]

There are headunits that cost more with more power and there are autosound power amps that cost peanuts with gobs of power.
Assuming it has 4 channels.
This 5watts @4ohms will drive a system of 4, 90db sensitive speakers to 103db at 1meter.
If you use the 10 watt 1% figure, 106db.
Factor in cabin gain and you go over 110db SPL.
For the intended user, who plans to power their car with a budget headunit, this will work
$99 seems fair, top of the line headunits reach over $1k. I do use power amps myself, though I have no head unit at all.

 

[SoundsGood2Me]

Thanks Amir! Careful: Car Audio is a huge market, you might get some pressure to keep measuring 12v devices.

I'm just glad you've pointed out the best home audio gear, there's some GREAT VALUES out there!

 

[Rottmannash]

A side note: much of the research at Harman in speaker preference was funded by the automotive division as they were in the same group for good few years ("luxury division"). They wanted premium sound for automotive applications so funded the research. Harman really pioneered the premium stock car audio performance starting with the Mark Levinson branded system in Lexus cars (Toyota).

My '09 MB C350 has the Harmon Kardon upgrade system. Has a 5.1 DVD player and actually sounds quite good.

 

[Rottmannash]

How much power does an average factory head unit output? And does one company make most of them? And do most of them use class D amps?

 

[fieldcar]

Anyone knows witch chip amp does this head unit uses?.

I wouldn't be surprised if it's something like the STPA002. From what I gather, there is rarely any innovation for head unit power. The Deh-4800FD and the sony MEX-XB100BT are rare and discontinued exceptions to this rule.

STPA002
4 x 52 W quad bridge power amplifier with low voltage operation
(52W is at 2ohm and 10%THD)
https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/stpa002.pdf


Here is some guy doing benchmarks on the Sony.

 

[Frank Dernie]

You have every right to think so but the others act otherwise.
View attachment 129404

I had never seen this data.
Now the "loudness wars" is more easy to understand, or even see as a good thing for most listeners!
If I want to listen to classical music in my car I find Classic FM, which is heavily compressed, much better balanced than the high quality files I can play via USB or Radio 3 but it sounds poor on my home system.
I suppose that is why so many radio stations are compressed before broadcast.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Depends on the music. Some music is best enjoyed while driving dangerously fast. 90s techno, house and breakbeat in particular. I remember good times with for example that ↓. The car isn't so good for Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique.

Yes, big symphonic music, my favourite, like the Symphony Fantastique, are what I mean when I find a car unsuited to me for listening.
When driving fast I tend to have the stereo off to concentrate and my V8 at 8500 rpm drowns the stereo anyway - I only put it on in traffic jams

 

[Lorenzo74]

The quietest ones seem to be close to 60dB cruising at 60mph though, even with hundreds of pounds of sound deadening and double glazed windows.
Mine is supposed to be one of the quietest 10 tested, I'm going to check it out when I get a chance - I certainly don't consider it a place suitable for enjoying music at all.

hi Frank, may I ask you which car you drive (the quietest) and which soft top sport car?

maybe pressure level should be coupled with frequency right? my hobby measurements shows a reduction of noise as frequency increase due to interior dampening material.
aerodynamics, tires, engine (vibs and pipe noise) and gears have different sound emission spectrum, so the curve (the noise inside car) changes in intensity and frequency according to speed and gear (keeping speed constant of course to remove one variable that is engine torque)... make sense?

 

[Frank Dernie]

hi Frank, may I ask you which car you drive (the quietest) and which soft top sport car?

maybe pressure level should be coupled with frequency right? my hobby measurements shows a reduction of noise as frequency increase due to interior dampening material.
aerodynamics, tires, engine (vibs and pipe noise) and gears have different sound emission spectrum, so the curve (the noise inside car) changes in intensity and frequency according to speed and gear (keeping speed constant of course to remove one variable that is engine torque)... make sense?

The quiet one is a Toyota Prius PHEV, very low aero noise and electric most of the time, the sports car a Ferrari.
The type of music I like goes effectively silent for long periods in the car because it is below the ambient noise level. That is what I don't like. If I turn the level up the loud parts are way beyond what my car stereo or ears can cope with.
70dB used to be good for a car interior - Rolls-Royce - but with heavy luxury cars with double glazing 60dB is achieved in Merc S class and Lexus LS.

 

[Lorenzo74]

The quiet one is a Toyota Prius PHEV, very low aero noise and electric most of the time, the sports car a Ferrari.
The type of music I like goes effectively silent for long periods in the car because it is below the ambient noise level. That is what I don't like. If I turn the level up the loud parts are way beyond what my car stereo or ears can cope with.
70dB used to be good for a car interior - Rolls-Royce - but with heavy luxury cars with double glazing 60dB is achieved in Merc S class and Lexus LS.

indeed better to enjoy Ferrari engine... V12 are the best but also V8 are amazing.

 

[Asinus]

The quiet one is a Toyota Prius PHEV, very low aero noise and electric most of the time, the sports car a Ferrari.
The type of music I like goes effectively silent for long periods in the car because it is below the ambient noise level. That is what I don't like. If I turn the level up the loud parts are way beyond what my car stereo or ears can cope with.
70dB used to be good for a car interior - Rolls-Royce - but with heavy luxury cars with double glazing 60dB is achieved in Merc S class and Lexus LS.

In a couple of years when road-noise cancellation is more widespread it could gain back another 10dB, maybe a bit more coupled with engine-order cancellation. Currently the Genesis GV80 has RNC and the Cadillac EV will also have it. Luxury cars normally also have loudness compensation curves and dynamic EQ based on speed and cabin noise so you can turn the volume up to hear quiet parts and not blow your eardrum when the loud parts come.

 

[Frank Dernie]

In a couple of years when road-noise cancellation is more widespread it could gain back another 10dB, maybe a bit more coupled with engine-order cancellation. Currently the Genesis GV80 has RNC and the Cadillac EV will also have it. Luxury cars normally also have loudness compensation curves and dynamic EQ based on speed and cabin noise so you can turn the volume up to hear quiet parts and not blow your eardrum when the loud parts come.

I had a feeling the JBL system in my Toyota had a dynamic level control, but if it does it doesn't work or has defaulted to off. I certainly can't find it in the menu system, but I can't find where one sets the clock either

 

[Jazz]

Can modern autos take DIN head units now? I thought that automakers condemned autos to all having integrated-into-all-the-junk-on-the-center/dash head units only?

 

[thunderchicken]

I love this- I just bought an Alpine headunit and wondered how ICE compared to home setups. It's a totally different environment with unique challenges, but still fun to see.

 

[amirm]

Can modern autos take DIN head units now? I thought that automakers condemned autos to all having integrated-into-all-the-junk-on-the-center/dash head units only?

Car makers have done a great job in obsoleting aftermarket head units. To the extent other functionality beside audio is integrated into the display, then you can't change that primary display. You can add a secondary system but not modify that. Many though use standard touchscreen dedicated to just navigation and audio in which case you can still upgrade.

 

[amirm]

From what I gather, there is rarely any innovation for head unit power. The Deh-4800FD and the sony MEX-XB100BT are rare and discontinued exceptions to this rule.

I tested a couple of high power head units (Sony MEX-XB120BT and Dual AM505BT) because I needed one for my boat: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ex-xb120bt-and-dual-am505bt-car-stereos.3695/

They definitely deliver far more power:

 

[Martin]

I know the Bowers & Wilkins audio system in our Volvo XC90 never ceases to amaze me. Car audio has come a long way since I installed a Kraco in-dash radio, 8-Track tape deck, 20 watt power booster and Jensen 4" coax in the kick panels and 6"x9" triax speakers in custom rear quarter panels in my 1974 Honda Civic.

Martin

 

[KaMiKaZeCATS]

The wild wild west of car audio, where manufacturers specs are questionable or simply don't exist, and where 10% distortion is completely normal.

I have a hard time even bothering trying to get better audio out of my car. Simply due to the lack of proper measurements of amps and dacs. Even finding speakers measurements is bit of a pain but at least some manufacturers still provide them.

Its a shame as i think i listen to the awful stereo im my car more then any of my other audio equipment.

 

[roog]

I know the Bowers & Wilkins audio system in our Volvo XC90 never ceases to amaze me. Car audio has come a long way since I installed a Kraco in-dash radio, 8-Track tape deck, 20 watt power booster and Jensen 4" coax in the kick panels and 6"x9" triax speakers in custom rear quarter panels in my 1974 Honda Civic.
View attachment 129568

Martin

Cool little car Martin

 

[SMc]

There are headunits that cost more with more power and there are autosound power amps that cost peanuts with gobs of power.
Assuming it has 4 channels.
This 5watts @4ohms will drive a system of 4, 90db sensitive speakers to 103db at 1meter.
If you use the 10 watt 1% figure, 106db.
Factor in cabin gain and you go over 110db SPL.
For the intended user, who plans to power their car with a budget headunit, this will work
$99 seems fair, top of the line headunits reach over $1k. I do use power amps myself, though I have no head unit at all.

I made a similar assumption when I bought my Alpine system but, no, the internal amp was not enough to overcome road noise without clipping.

Mine has four channels.