Timpano TPT-SP4BT Bluetooth DSP 4 Output Channel- Full Digital Signal DSP Car Audio Processor - Built-in Voltmeter and Remote Relay

Purchased this because I wanted to retain my stock head unit but I was having some gain balance issues and couldn't get the sound stage centered like I was used to with aftermarket head units using time alignment. This is going to a 4ch amp powering my door and dash speakers on the front channel (factory wired as 4ohms) and a bridged 10in subwoofer After working with the time alignment I am a lot more satisfied with the imaging. Because of the way the speakers are wired I'm still dialing in the time alignment but I've got the band singing to me from the hood. I also had some balance issues with the head unit making my left side quite a bit louder than the right. Using the individual channel gain controls I've got that issue under control. The included crossover points are infinitely adjustable so my front speakers are better matched to what they can actually play. The preset EQs are a great start and with some more fine tuning I should have this dialed in. If you're amping a factory head unit I STRONGLY suggest buying this so you can overcome the factory tuned EQ curve and bass rolloff Very easy to connect inbetween my amp and head unit, just run a bridge wire over to your amp +/- and remote. If you're using speaker level inputs and your converter voltage is turned up you MAY have issues with the unit not powering off as I do. At this point it's a small draw and I probably need to tap a different line on my converter's remote wire but that isn't a fault of the unit, but it is something to watch out for as idk how many amps it's pulling. At the moment it may just be the blue led, time will tell.

Functions very well and very easy to program. Very nice to operate also and reliable.

I bought another brand of DSP. It was more than this Timpano, but it's still Not exorbitantly high. The thing about traditional DSPs is, that they're confusing. I wished that someone would make a ‘DSPs for idiots’ video, which is difficult for me to admit. But hey, you'll never get what you need if you're not honest with yourself. If only there was a way for me to sit in the driver's seat, adjust my DSP, and hear how each adjustment sounds. Hmmmm… wait a second. The Timpano DSP has an app ! I hooked up my new, $89 DSP, and as I dialed it in, I found the sweet spot for every adjustment ! AND, I could hear every adjustment exactly as it would sound, in the position that I'd be hearing my music every time I slipped behind the wheel ! I had a very small issue with the first Timpano DSP, but a new one arrived the next day, and all I had to do was sync it with my phone, and all of my settings were set. THIS is the DSP you want ! It makes your music, coming from your system, sound exactly as you like it. Did I mention it has an app ?

I bought the Timpano DSP mostly as a limiter because I was not satisfied with a competing product. The Timpano has a lower input noise and wider dynamic range. It should do a great job for most applications if you understand how it works. Adjusting it is not really for beginners, so for those new to this please keep an open mind that you may discover things you didn't know and may need to seek out an expert or do some research. You need some supporting tools to do this and even with tools, expect to take some time to optimize things. You don't want to "wing" it or tune by ear or you won't get everything that your system is capable of and you could waste a lot of time. Before going through the tuning process here are some important features of the Timpano: Low cost Light plastic case with simple 2-fastener mounting. Low profile and small size Free Bluetooth app which worked perfectly with my Samsung Android phone The RCA inputs are semi-floating, low noise, differential inputs (nice!) The "high" or Spr input is also differential and attenuated by 20dB and has a 1K impedance. Up to 15dB gain Limiter threshold is based on signal's 1/2-wave rectified average value, referenced to the full output. Full output (0dB) is about 5.6vpp or +8dB VU. There was a gradual drop in output above 12KHz but this can be managed with the EQ. Power supply rejection is as good as most other equipment but be sure to feed it clean power. The "auto" settting of the limter is 100mS attack and "1600mS" release - but please see below. The EQ is applied at the input and affects all outputs There are separate adjustable parametric filters for the individual ouputs, before the limiter. The unit's best feature is the low noise differential input which the mfr does not mention. All gear with RCA inputs should be made this way. This design breaks any ground loop on the input, making it easier to interconnect this with other devices without having ground currents flow and picking up noise in the process. This makes the unit perform well even with the plastic case. I found no extra noise resulting from the unshielded case. I'm not sure I would use this device for recording just in principle, but the noise figures look great actually. Setting the maximum input level reaching the Timpano is important because the Timpano inputs clip at around 5.6vpp or +8dB. Some gear powered by 120V can generate an output significantly greater. I have a mixer/preamp which generates more than +18dB which would be a huge overload. In order for things to interoperate properly, I built a -11dB resistive divider to permit the full output from my preamp to be fed to the Timpano. To offset this the 15dB of internal gain on the Timpano was needed. The noise performance was impacted slightly but was still completely acceptable. Some customers mentioned the flimsy RCA jacks. At this price I'm not concerned but be smart. I would not under any circumstance plug a "monster" cable into this. Monster cables are for looks only, waste money, and damage fragile jacks. Use only soft, thin RCA cables whose connectors are neither loose or tight. You don't need to spend a lot of money on RCA cables. The power terminals are well-made if you treat them properly with wire that is not stiff and you do not overtorque the terminals. They are recessed and have square washers for a secure fit. They depend on the circuit board for support so don't abuse them. My only "complaint" is the release time of the limiter is shorter than advertised. The "attack" time works properly at up to 100mS. The release time is actually about 1/4 of the advertised 1600mS or 400mS. The limiter lamps don't turn off until about 1200mS but by then the audible effects of the release have long decayed. 400mS is a short release time and will give a pumping effect if the limiter is hard-driven on music with a pulsing bassline. For "normal" use the decay is OK but there isn't extra room to adjust it. It should be advertised as a smaller number. The limiter threshold tends to work a little differently on devices from different manufacturers. This is not a peak limiter or RMS limiter, but approximately a half-wave averaging limiter and the threshold needs to be adjusted based on that. A threshold of around -18dB (1/2-wave rectified, averaged, with respect to the peak output) is good. This allows a sin wave to generate a peak VU output of around -6dB. With this setting, music or white noise will peak at about +3dB VU. The Timpano output clips at about +8dB VU so there is still 5dB headroom within the limiter and the musical output can remain unclipped or nearly so, depending on the musical attack. I would not recommend increasing the threshold above -13dB or music may be clipped if you drive the system hard. The above paragraph gives hints on how your amp should be adjusted. I would suggest a VU meter that handles the full amp output. Wear hearing protection and play a sin wave and increase the amp gain until clipping, then back off by 6dB. Final adjustment would be with your ears, being careful if you need protection. With the limiter driven hard, increase the amp gain until you can just hear the distortion, then back it off until you can't. With this setting the amp will still be clipping slightly on the attacks which are already exaggerated by the 100mS response of the "auto" setting on the limiter. The effect of the exaggerated attacks will be offset by them being clipped and the result is the effects largely cancel. This is the loudest your amp could play and sound fairly clean using the limiter's "auto" setting. It should be slightly "fatter" and clearer than what you get without the limiter and should have no distortion "crunch" unless that's what you tuned for. You should also be able to increase your input volume all the way and it will not get louder or sound much different. I haven't even mentioned the EQ. An inexpensive but amazing RTA tool was used for tuning the EQ. I used a Dayton Audio iMM-6 (older generation) calibrated mic with Bofinit "Audiotool" app installed on an old unused Android phone. I also used a white noise test file. Full volume is not required so save your ears and play the white noise at medium volume without the limiter kicking in. After calibrating the mic by downloading and installing the Dayton Audio calibration file, play the white noise and record the speaker's profile with the audiotool RTA app at full resolution. My speakers were EV SX100+ and the profile I recorded using the RTA matched the engineering data sheet from the mfr almost exactly. I made two tweaks, using the parametric EQ to tame down a ringing of the tweeters at 18K, and using the graphic EQ to push down the response at around 6K. The speakers sound smoother and I'm very satisfied with the DSP doing its job. The additional tools I used for tuning were absolutely necessary but not expensive. I used an old PC with embedded line in and out jacks. The software was Cool edit 96, Audacity, and VLC media player. I also needed a peak VU meter which was the most expensive tool. A cheap AC voltmeter can work instead of the VU but skills are needed to understand the reading. If it's an averaging or true RMS meter the reading will continue to increase even during clipping and the results can be misleading. Resistors were needed to give the VU meter enough range to handle the maximum voltage from the power amp, making the peak output fall into the middle of the VU meter range. Resistors were also needed to level shift between my preamp and the Timpano. To sum up, a limiter should be used to complete just about any audio system big or small. To me the graphic EQ of this product is just a free bonus. Together these features make the Timpano a great product. If adjusted properly you will be able to hear the difference and your system will be more forgiving and enjoyable.

This is really the only product of its kind, as far as I can tell. Was looking for a simple stereo DSP to use inside a classic jukebox for volume and EQ. But this unit is four channel, which is fine. All audio adjustments are made through an iPhone app, which is very nice for a jukebox, as most of those controls were originally internal and not easy to access. Sound quality is good, and the unit is fairly intuitive to setup and use. One quirk with the software, however: You have to use the app’s “connect” button to establish a Bluetooth connection. Trying to do it with your phone causes it to fail. Other than that minor annoyance, it’s a good product that I would get again.

Muy buen equipo fácil instalación y cumple muy bien con el procesamiento de sonido