I'll readily admit that I've been a fan (and an owner) of the AudioControl products coming out of the Pacific Northwest's rain forest since the early '80s. Whenever I think of AudioControl, I'm reminded of the goofy sense of humor and tongue-in-cheek attitude you find on all their product boxes and throughout their manuals. The first time I saw a "Do not deep fry or saut," or the classic "Somebody's suffering stereo's sure gonna sound stunningly superb ..." on the boxes, I knew these folks were just a little bit different. I guess living in a place where you're more likely to rust than tan can do that to you. However, even though they have a sense of humor, they take their products' performance very seriously. Everyone knows how important OEM integration is becoming; and this 8-channel processor combines OEM integration, auxiliary source connectivity and system tunability in one very flexible and easy to use unit.
DescriptionThe new AudioControl DQL-8 comes in a box that still includes some of the classic humor printed on it, but it also says the word "Digital" on it no less than eight times and at least once on each side. Make no mistake about it, this new OEM interface product is all about being binary with a 24-bit DSP and makes full use of all the power that digital signal processing brings to the application.
In the case of the DQL-8, that DSP brings an unreal amount of tuning capability. It's one of the most powerful processors I've seen recently, with eight inputs plus auxiliary, six output channels, -24dB crossovers for all channels, 1/3 plus 1/2 octave EQs, and a pair (yes, two!) of fully adjustable parametric EQs per pair of channels. There are even eight memory settings to store your favorite tuning setups. Very cool! All this capability can be a bit intimidating to control, but the user interface proved pretty straightforward ... more on that later.
The unit itself is a moderately sized piece of gear, measuring about 12.3" x 7.2" x 1.25". The low height allows it to fit in many tight places that you couldn't put other components, but you'll need access to the top of it to manipulate the menus and read the large blue LCD display. Or you could spring for the DDC (Digital Dash Control) and run the whole shebang from your seat.
At this point, I sat down with the thick 33-page "Owner's Enjoyment Manual" and a fresh cup of what my friends call "Cogent coffee" (it's not for the faint of heart). The owner's manual is typical AudioControl. It explains what you bought, what it can do, how to use it, and what to do if things go wrong without being at all technical. And it provides a chuckle or three along the way. You'll also learn not to mount it to your front bumper, don't connect it to your toaster, and what causes "speakerus explodus." Everything you need to know is in here, and if you take the time to read it, I'll almost guarantee you'll learn something. If you have never read a manual from these folks, you should. Great stuff. Now, back to the unit, and another cup of coffee.
The connections are well labeled and easy to use. There are four sets of stereo high-level inputs that allow you to connect virtually any OEM system regardless of configuration to the DQL-8. You can have front inputs, or dual front inputs from separately amplified mids and tweeters, plus rear inputs, and a subwoofer input. Additionally, there's a pair of RCA inputs to allow you to connect an auxiliary source like a portable MP3 player or satellite radio.
Each of the inputs has a gain control to allow you to adjust the right amount of input sensitivity for whatever amount of OEM amplifier power you have. The high-level inputs of the DQL-8 are designed to accept 400 watts (at 4 ohms) or 40 volts of input signal, so there's nothing out there that it'll be scared of.
The four input pairs can be summed to front, front and rear, or front, rear, and subwoofer outputs, allowing virtually limitless configurations of systems behind the AudioControl piece. If you only have front or front and rear inputs, a clever feature called AutoMode allows you to generate a subwoofer signal without a subwoofer input.
As typical of all AudioControl products, there are also level matching output controls for each of the three pairs of RCA outputs. This allows you to adjust the output voltage of the DQL-8 to match the input sensitivity of your amplifiers, and maximize the signal-to-noise and dynamic range of the entire system.
Also in the box is a dash-mounted volume control that can be configured to adjust the overall system volume or just the subwoofer volume. A press of the knob conveniently facilitates the switching between the main and auxiliary inputs.
The optional dash-mounted control panel (DDC) allows full system tuning control from the comfort of the front seat and allows you to "bury" the DQL-8 in the install. The ability to change the color and brightness of the display to best match your dash was thoughtfully included, as was a clipping indicator to let you know you may need to make an adjustment. In my opinion, the DDC is the only way to go, allowing you to sit and listen while tuning, which is always the fastest and best way to do it.