While the unit is not going in my E, I would like to know if anyone has had experience with the Imprint system for Alpine head units. I have a new IDA-X100 (http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500IDAX100/Alpine-iDA-X100.html?tp=5684) that is destined for the wife's VW tonight and reading through some of the included materials is causing me to wonder if I should have bucked up for the imprint system. I have extensive experience with home audio and smart house integration, but I am having trouble tuning the b.s. meter in regards to mobile audio. Any thoughts would be appreciated as I cannot seem to make heads or tails out of this thing.

BE,

So this is real basic,

The little box tells the Head unit to emit certain tones... The little box pics up the tones and "analyzes" the acoustical characteristics of the car. It then EQ's the system to what it thinks the average listener wants.... So they claim.

A) Something tells me you and your wife know what sounds good to you. So you could add a better after market EQ if you think the built in one needs help.

B) In theory this is all good, but that little box doesn't have the computational power to REALLY do the job, nor does it have a $5,000 reference mic AND they prolly want you to mount up under or behind some thing...

C) B.S. meter is sold separately for a reason.

J M O.

Thanks for the feedback. I have to say that I was approaching this from the side of skeptical to begin with. Even some of the best similar home systems that I have used always fall a little flat or end up exactly where I did, but take twice the money and three times the effort. Guess that is a few bucks back into the E........ darn.

BTW, Crutchfield has impressed me once again by refunding me the difference in price from when I ordered the unit to today's pricing. They have, and continue to provide some fine customer service.

Although I have never ordered from Crutchfield, I have never heard anything but positive comments from those who have. Merry Christmas!