Dice Sound Quality Issues

[Ash]

I really want to hear abt your experience with Dice's "quality", not the convenience aspect. I found it to be an extremely poor performer. Muddy, no detail, cloudy bass, and horrible voice rendering.

After replacing all stock speakers with Rainbows and the stock sub with BSW's kit with Alpine Amp, the CD Changer had new life breathing into it. Then I installed the Dice and was apalled by the sound. Then I converted a whole bunch of songs into Apple Lossless (at over 800kb). That made no difference.

My theory is that the unit suffers from cheap quality parts and a real cheap and long 2-meter cable that loses everything. Just to make it clear, when I hear the same lossless files via my etymotic headphones or via my home hifi system connected to a bryston amp, you almost cannot make out any difference between CD and iPod.

There are lots of threads and ideas around Dice's "features", but anyone out there has any suggestions on how to make it listenable? Thanks

[Tom G.]

Originally Posted by Ash

I really want to hear abt your experience with Dice's "quality", not the convenience aspect. I found it to be an extremely poor performer. Muddy, no detail, cloudy bass, and horrible voice rendering.

After replacing all stock speakers with Rainbows and the stock sub with BSW's kit with Alpine Amp, the CD Changer had new life breathing into it. Then I installed the Dice and was apalled by the sound. Then I converted a whole bunch of songs into Apple Lossless (at over 800kb). That made no difference.

My theory is that the unit suffers from cheap quality parts and a real cheap and long 2-meter cable that loses everything. Just to make it clear, when I hear the same lossless files via my etymotic headphones or via my home hifi system connected to a bryston amp, you almost cannot make out any difference between CD and iPod.

There are lots of threads and ideas around Dice's "features", but anyone out there has any suggestions on how to make it listenable? Thanks

You can try checking the iPod's EQ settings to verify they are in the OFF position and SOUNDCHECK is turned off. If any of these settings are ON, the iPod will manipulate the audio before it reached the OEM head unit, causing poor audio quality.

[el_duderino]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with that unit. That sort of thing is very frustrating.

I politely suggest that your experience with this one car and one unit are not sufficient data to draw too many global conclusions. We install DICE units and others every day, and we do not find the DICE units to sound bad inherently. We often integrate them with systems that have a factory HU, Dynaudio and DLS speakers, and Zapco and DLS amplification.

You should have heard a significant difference when you upgraded to Apple Lossless. If you didn't, I believe that you had a HW problem - regardless of the relative performance merits of the DICE.

Remember, the CD changer sends audio down a cable the length of the car too... down what I believe to be a balanced line.

The DICE HW module has an audio buffer IC positioned near the iPod cable connection of the internal iPod interface PCB - the Rohm BD3805F. I have no experience with this part, but the deleterious effects of cable length should be minimized by this device (data sheet available here: http://www.tranzistoare.ro/datasheets/70/489212_DS.pdf

It is possible that you had a unit with a bad MUX IC. The DICE uses two MUX ICs, one to switch between the iPod and the AUX audio in, and the other - well, I don't know what the other one is used for, it's on the OEM interface board, not the iPod interface board.

It's also possible that you had a bad or miswired cable.

Since we seem to be slapping our audiophile credentials on the table, let me mention that I use an Audio Research LS7 tube line drive preamp, a modified Counterpoint amp, Theta DAC, Thiel, and Grado headphones.

Doesn't affect the truth or falsity of my statements, but might get me in the club

Have you tried a second unit and second cable, in a test situation?

[BradATL]

Originally Posted by Ash

I really want to hear abt your experience with Dice's "quality", not the convenience aspect. I found it to be an extremely poor performer. Muddy, no detail, cloudy bass, and horrible voice rendering.

I have been pleased with the sound quality of the DICE.