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Helix Sound upgrade dongle official rental thread!

StealthGTI

Autocross Champion
Location
Newport News, VA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
Question for those who have said that bass response is improved, more pronounced, or other descriptions: Will the bass actually dip into lower frequencies after the flash? I believe that either the head unit is attenuating the lowest frequencies or that the unflashed Helix is. If it's the head unit, I'm not sure if Helix or any other upgrade will fill those notes. I hope I'm wrong.

I found a tone test in YouTube that should allow me to figure out which frequencies are deficient. I'll run the clip in the morning once I'm out of my neighborhood. Until then, I'm curious to see what some of you have to say on the subject. In short, is the bass increased, tighter, deeper, lower, etc? How did it change?

I listen mostly to rock and metal, so 95% of my music sounds great at this point. But the 5% gets under my skin a little. ;)

Thanks,

Scott
 

britet

New member
Location
CT
Question for those who have said that bass response is improved, more pronounced, or other descriptions: Will the bass actually dip into lower frequencies after the flash? I believe that either the head unit is attenuating the lowest frequencies or that the unflashed Helix is. If it's the head unit, I'm not sure if Helix or any other upgrade will fill those notes. I hope I'm wrong.

I found a tone test in YouTube that should allow me to figure out which frequencies are deficient. I'll run the clip in the morning once I'm out of my neighborhood. Until then, I'm curious to see what some of you have to say on the subject. In short, is the bass increased, tighter, deeper, lower, etc? How did it change?

I listen mostly to rock and metal, so 95% of my music sounds great at this point. But the 5% gets under my skin a little. ;)

Thanks,

Scott

Hard to say as I got mine programmed about a month ago, but my sense is it is less that it provides for lower frequencies as that it tightens up the bass. Before programming it was more diffuse, ambient; after it was punchier and more focused, and better balanced with the rest of the sound. I don't know if it made it louder, but it certainly seemed that way, probably more as a result of the balancing and lessening of distortion at higher volumes. The programming to me was more for the overall balance than improving the bass, which I thought was pretty solid even beforehand, but there was a definite noticeable improvement in the tightness and punchiness of the bass after dongling.
 

copperbricks

Ready to race!
Location
Ohio
Just a heads up everyone, I'm selling my helix PP7E sub that is plug and play with this box, and won't make you lose your spare tire. I also have the dongle for programming, and I'd be happy to lend it out if you buy the sub.
 

wy2sl0

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Ontario
JohnPT just got back to me, but buddahbus answered first and has paid so it is going out today to him. I have updated the OP. JohnPT will be next.
 

copperbricks

Ready to race!
Location
Ohio
To address the question about Bass response, I know people have said the stock HU cuts off below 40hz, but testing with an android app seems to indicate it rolls off right below 30hz. Maybe with the programming the soundbox does something similar to accubass on the lc2i?
 

1fastminivan

New member
Location
DFW,TX
not sure about the cut off but i did notice it to hit harder in the "lower" notes than before the dongle. My buddy has fender in his and i feel the fender digs deeper to me (that or it doesn't play the higher bass notes as loud as the helix can't tell sometimes)
 

copperbricks

Ready to race!
Location
Ohio
For what it's worth I experimented with an android app that plays bass frequencies and I found a cutoff point at about 28-30hz. Everything I've seen about the stock setup says the bass drops off at 40hz, so it's possible the helix scales up that 10hz range.
 

crazyivan45

New member
Location
Memphis, TN
Hey everyone - just got the Helix installed in a 17 Golf 4-door. Had requested to get on the list but since I'm an impatient child I just ordered a dongle from Germany, should be here in ~2 weeks. Will be interested in loaning it out once I receive it. For those that did buy it, does it come with the pre-programmed SD card? If not can you download the data yourself onto an SD card?
 
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jettaguy

New member
Jetta dongle programmed

Just an update, I programmed my helix with the dongle and really didn't notice any improvement to the sound. I think I may have received one of the helixes that were preprogrammed. When I first installed the helix there was an immediate improvement in the sound quality and the bass. Reprogramming it with the dongle for my specific car really didn't change that so I guess it varies from unit to unit with regard to whether it is factory programmed or not. I suspect there is not really not that much difference between the programming for a Jetta and a golf (which is apparently how some of the units are programmed at the factory). Bottom line is that if you noticed an immediate big improvement when you installed the helix, programming it with the dongle may not provide any additional value.
 

wy2sl0

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Ontario
Not true. Even the default settings sound massively different than the stock stereo. Are you sure you pressed the button in and let it load? There is a considerable difference.
 
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