Dayton 408 or similar DSP

[Maxmil982]

This will be my first setup ever, 3way active. So far have SA12, Orion amp, ppi 900.4, Steven's MB8s, Faital 4F32, MA ct-2, just need a good DSP. Thanks in advance

[Jdunk54nl]

Dayton is a decent unit for $150, but I find it beneficial to pick up a used Helix dsp ($250-300), dsp pro (~$350(|), or dsp.2 ($~350).

For reference, I have a helix dsp.2 in my truck and a dayton 408 in my wife's SUV. The helix has quite a few more options that are beneficial.

If you don't want helix, there are a bunch of other brands out there that you can get for around the same prices used that are better than the dayton.

[Donanon]

I like the miniDSP C-DSP 6x8. Yes, it is over $100 more than the Dayton 408 but IMO
it is money well spent.

https://www.minidsp.com/products/car...-dsp/c-dsp-6x8

[Maxmil982]

I like the miniDSP C-DSP 6x8. Yes, it is over $100 more than the Dayton 408 but IMO
it is money well spent.

https://www.minidsp.com/products/car...-dsp/c-dsp-6x8

What specifically makes the mini a better choice?

[Jdunk54nl]

Music choice doesn't really matter all that much. Clarity is clarity. Peoples cars on this forum get stupid loud too. They just sound amazing doing it.

[Hillbilly SQ]

Music choice doesn't really matter all that much. Clarity is clarity. Peoples cars on this forum get stupid loud too. They just sound amazing doing it.

Yup. I've had people tell me that I'd tap out before their system did. Most of them were right but it sounded so good until I decided enough was enough.

[Maxmil982]

Yup. I've had people tell me that I'd tap out before their system did. Most of them were right but it sounded so good until I decided enough was enough.

Hey man is the Dayton 408 output only 2v? If so, is that a big deal? I've heard a good head unit should have 4v output, and also that the Dayton replaces the h/u when using BT...

[Jdunk54nl]

Rca output is 3.5v

[Theslaking]

and also that the Dayton replaces the h/u when using BT...

That's up to you. You can stream directly to the Dayton.

[Hillbilly SQ]

The only time rca output voltage is a big deal is if your amps get noisy as the gains get increased to match the output voltage of the headunit/processor. I've had as little as .9 (yes "point nine") volt going to my amps from a popular budget processor years ago. Amp gains were maxed out but had no audible noise. Was running a pair of Mosconi One 120.4's at the time and those weren't budget amps by any means by a lot of people's standards including mine. I've noticed with a lot of the more budget amps I've run that the noise floor is way more temperamental and class d amps seem to have a lower signal to noise ratio from my observations. For signal to noise ratio you want the number to be as high as possible...preferably 3 digits in my opinion.