So, after a few weeks of ownership and listening to the HK system, I have some observations.
1. The system is bass heavy from 80hz down. It extends to 30hz but is NOT well balanced.
2. . The system has NO CONTROL, other than overall volume, of frequencies above the ~80hz crossover up to ~600hz.
3. The EQ LOW band is a low pass sub only.... 80hz and lower. The MID band is narrow and centered around 1khz. The HIGH band is 4k and up.
4. The 80hz to 600hz region, which is unaffected by EQ, is -10db down and the result is unintelligible bass since the fundamental notes are suppressed. It yields a scooped bass with a fat sub bass but doesn't have articulation or clarity. The sub bass around 40-60hz is +6db and combined with the -10db mid-bass, sounds boomy to my ears. Listeners accustomed to artificial bass ("Bass heads") might like this but it is not a realistic reproduction of the original recording.
5. The highs have a narrow +4 db boost around 10k that can't be addressed with EQ since the HIGH band adjustment is a high pass at 4khz.
6.. Optimal settings to my ears are Bass -6 Mids -2 Highs 0
7. Overall volume is loud and fairly clean at 38 (max) with the EQ settings I used. Measured max volume is 102db. It's not like sitting 10 rows back at a rock concert but plenty loud. Bass response (compression) is lost when any window or the sunroof is open. That is expected.
The system has good coverage throughout the cab. The best listening position I found is the center of the back seat.
The system could be tuned much better than it is...if a 5 band or more EQ was available. The DSP in the amp probably has the capability but I have not found any method to access it.
Overall, it sounds pretty decent. No audio system is perfect. Ever.
Note: I used an app called AudioTool for Android that I calibrated to my studio monitors that have a known response. I let my ears guide me but I like to confirm my findings with an analyzer.
