Clean Sweep - JL Audio

ludge18 · Mar 13, 2006

Has anybody tried the clean sweep from JL Audio. ITs this new product they have that is supposed to solve the problem of poor sound quality in factor head unit. Also, it gives aux inputs adn outputs for subs. If anybody has tried this or know someone that does let me know, I might use it my self.
http://www.caraudiomag.com/testreports/0602cae_clean/

BrianG · Mar 13, 2006

I haven't used it, but my initial response was "How can it accurately re-create the original signal that has lost some of its clarity from the factory HU?". Then I read and it used a calibration CD and measures the response and makes adjustments to the overall curve to compensate for weak frequency response zones. Makes sense. Although, I question its ability to compensate for distortion being introduced by the deck but I suppose it's possible...

mazda3zoom · Mar 13, 2006

my friend owns a sound shop out by my shop and he told me about this a few months ago. Its supposted to be bad-ass. Im gonna talk to him tomorrow and see about getting one. Ive already got a 4 channel amp sitting around so i can finally amp my door speakers. If i get one ill let everyone know how it works out.

boardumb · Mar 14, 2006

mazda3zoom said:
my friend owns a sound shop out by my shop and he told me about this a few months ago. Its supposted to be bad-ass. Im gonna talk to him tomorrow and see about getting one. Ive already got a 4 channel amp sitting around so i can finally amp my door speakers. If i get one ill let everyone know how it works out.

Nice, another...$400 I'm going to have to find? =)

Sorry to sound like a noob (well i am one) but what's the installation going to be like/where?

tsunami · Mar 14, 2006

i am bidding on one on ebay now... i have deffinatly noticed a lack of clarity lately coming from my hu and am hoping this will clear it up as i really like the seamless look and don't want to go to an am hu....

ludge18 · Mar 14, 2006

ludge18 said:
Has anybody tried the clean sweep from JL Audio. ITs this new product they have that is supposed to solve the problem of poor sound quality in factor head unit. Also, it gives aux inputs adn outputs for subs. If anybody has tried this or know someone that does let me know, I might use it my self.
http://www.caraudiomag.com/testreports/0602cae_clean/

I spoke to a local car audio place near my town. It is on sale for 249.99, special promotion from JL Audio. They are installing it for another 100. I think i'm going to give it a shot. He said everyone who has tried it, loves it. Better than replacing the smooth/clean look.

tsunami · Mar 14, 2006

wow that is a deal, i thought retail was 4bills... 100$ install seems a bit steep though...

chuyler1 · Mar 14, 2006

Umm, do a search on this thing guys.

It's a glorified LOC that is designed as a solution for cars with premium sound systems and integrated components (nav, steering wheel controls, blue tooth cell phone controls, etc) that won't work with aftermarket head units. Many premium systems don't put out a flat signal but instead optimize the signal for the factory speakers. Tuning such a system for use with aftermarket speakers and amps can be a nightmare.

The clean-sweep is basically an EQ for your head unit. It is not an EQ for your system. It basically make the frequency response of your head unit equal to an aftermarket unit. However, that doesn't mean that the sound quality is going to be on par.

The clean-sweep comes with it's own volume knob. You are instructed to set the factory system's volume at a specific level, configure the unit, and then never touch the factory volume again.

For the price they charge, I would not recommend it to any Mazda3 or Protege owners. You can get much better SQ from an aftermarket unit at a fraction of the price.

mazda3zoom · Mar 15, 2006

chuyler1 said:
Umm, do a search on this thing guys.

It's a glorified LOC that is designed as a solution for cars with premium sound systems and integrated components (nav, steering wheel controls, blue tooth cell phone controls, etc) that won't work with aftermarket head units. Many premium systems don't put out a flat signal but instead optimize the signal for the factory speakers. Tuning such a system for use with aftermarket speakers and amps can be a nightmare.

The clean-sweep is basically an EQ for your head unit. It is not an EQ for your system. It basically make the frequency response of your head unit equal to an aftermarket unit. However, that doesn't mean that the sound quality is going to be on par.

The clean-sweep comes with it's own volume knob. You are instructed to set the factory system's volume at a specific level, configure the unit, and then never touch the factory volume again.

For the price they charge, I would not recommend it to any Mazda3 or Protege owners. You can get much better SQ from an aftermarket unit at a fraction of the price.

Yeah but have you seen the dash kits they have out for the 3? Their pretty ugly, i think i gain about 2 cubic feet of cargo room with one of those metra kits.lol. The looks of the factory headunit are way better IMO. And the review said that you CAN use their volume control, or continue to use the one on the HU.

mazda3zoom · Mar 15, 2006

tsunami said:
wow that is a deal, i thought retail was 4bills... 100$ install seems a bit steep though...

i called arond today and got $250 as the price, then i think $350 with the extra input box thingie.
Then i got outbid by someone for on on EBAY!!!!! (deadhorse

lol j/k

TStar · Mar 15, 2006

i don't know who to applaud .. the people who are willing to spend 250$ just to compensate OEM sh*tness or JL audio for developing such a fly strip...

BrianG · Mar 15, 2006

mazda3zoom said:
Yeah but have you seen the dash kits they have out for the 3? Their pretty ugly, i think i gain about 2 cubic feet of cargo room with one of those metra kits.lol. The looks of the factory headunit are way better IMO...

I guess it's all up to presonal preference then, because I never really liked the look of the OEM radio. And even if I did, it lacks a lot of the features I like in a HU: crossover, time alignment, EQ, MP3 playback, true iPod integration, more power (if you elect to use HU power), etc. Sure, some of these things can be added to the factory deck, but the price starts rising, and then you have these little modules all over the place, and even then integration is not usually totally seamless. I've even added sterring wheel controls to the aftermarket deck, so I haven't lost anything at all. The only thing I don't like about the 3 kit is the LCD replacment pocket - it's not textured like the rest of the kit. To each his/her own I guess.

boardumb · Mar 21, 2006

I was wondering, since I'm kind of broke from buying the car and new tires...

I'm getting some component speakers for the front, rear speakers in the back, and an amp. Would it be a hassle to install the cleansweep after I installed the speakers and amp, or should I just get the stuff now and wait for the cleansweep later?

chuyler1 · Mar 21, 2006

Buy a LOC for $25 and hook everything up. If you're happy with how it sounds you will have saved yourself $300. If you're not happy with how it sounds, you can quickly install, configure, and critique the CleanSweep. If it doesn't seem worth the $300, then buy something else.

El Ropo · Mar 22, 2006

For that kind of money, you could just buy a super nice aftermarket HU with high voltage rca outs, digital time alignment, flexible crossover points, that plays MP3s and ACCs....

Seems like a waste of money, and I personally don't think it could ever sound as good as a quality aftermaket HU.

chuyler1 · Mar 22, 2006

It won't sound as good...which is why it is intended for integrated factory units that have navigation, voice control, steering wheel controls, eqs optimized for factory speakers (which wreak havoc in an aftermarket system), and other gadgets. When removing the factory unit would be too expensive (or simply isn't possible)...the CleanSweep comes to the rescue to conquor the optimized eq settings and provide a flat signal for you to power amplifiers with.

boardumb · Mar 24, 2006

Does anyone know if the stock HU changes the equalization curve as the volume changes? The JL audio would be kinda lame, cutting out the use of the volume buttons on the steering wheel.

I'm definitely going with an LOC first, but is there an alternative to this Cleansweep, like buying an equalizer that I can mount in a remote location?

chuyler1 · Mar 24, 2006

The stock head unit in the protege5 does some odd things as you turn the volume up...it starts out with a boost around 100Hz and 10KHz (and a vally in between) and then it smooths out as the volume increases. At all levels, the response below 100Hz sucks ass.

BrianG · Mar 25, 2006

chuyler1 said:
The stock head unit in the protege5 does some odd things as you turn the volume up...it starts out with a boost around 100Hz and 10KHz (and a vally in between) and then it smooths out as the volume increases. At all levels, the response below 100Hz sucks ass.

That sounds like variable loudness. Loudness buttons usually boost the bass and treble at low volumes so it will sound "better", but lessen the effect as the volume is turned up. Human hearing tends to be more sensitive to midrange at low levels, so it helps even things out a little (supposedly anyway).

boardumb · Mar 26, 2006

Looks like Rockford Fosgate is jumping on the bandwagon...

I got an email from crutchfield looking for an alternative to the Clean Sweep, and they told me...

We will be carrying a new product from Rockford Fosgate called the 3
Sixty.1 Factory Stereo Signal Processor that will give you incredible
control over your amplified system. It will be $299.99 in it's due to be
released soon.

Edit: Nevermind, Rockford Fosgate has it on it's website stating a release date in April 2006, and there's two different models, with MSRP of 399-699.

3 Sixty.1
3 Sixty.2
Some Differences

Sounds a bit different than what JL Audio was offering, but is this simliar to the Audio Control EQS?

Clean Sweep - JL Audio

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