Goldhorn P1 DSPA | 10 Channel DSP/DSD Player

Complete System: $1,489 Total

Vehicle: 2019 Honda Civic EX (factory audio)
Goal: Transform weak factory system to audiophile-grade 2-way active setup

Component Selection:

• DSP/Amp/Player: Goldhorn P1 DSPA @ $799
• Front Speakers: Morel Maximo Ultra 102 MKII (tweeters) + 602 MKII (midbass) @ $270/set
• Subwoofer System: Dayton Audio RSS265HO-4 (10") + Rockford Fosgate R500X1D amp @ $270
• Sound Deadening: Noico 80mil (50 sq ft) @ $150
• Total: $1,489 (DIY install, saves $800 labor)

Channel Allocation:

Internal Amp (Ch 1-4): Front tweeters L/R + midbass L/R (65W each, Class AB)
RCA Pre-Out (Ch 5): Subwoofer mono → Rockford amp (500W @ 2Ω)
Reserved (Ch 6-10): 5 channels for future expansion (rear fill, center channel)

Results: Factory 15W/channel @ 10% THD → P1 DSPA 65W/channel @ <0.03% THD = +333% clean power. Frequency response improved from 120Hz-15kHz (±12dB) to 20Hz-20kHz (±3dB). DSD256 native playback vs. factory MP3/AAC only. Owner verdict: "Night and day difference—vocals are crystal clear, bass hits deep without mud. Best $1,489 I've spent on this car."

Many enthusiasts make the mistake of over-buying initially—spending $2,000-3,000 on 16-20 channel systems they'll never fully utilize. The P1 DSPA offers a smarter approach: Start with what you need now, expand when you're ready.

Phase 1: Initial System ($1,500)

• P1 DSPA ($799), Front Components ($200-300), Subwoofer System ($250-350)
• Result: Professional 2-way active front + subwoofer

Phase 2: Add Rear Fill ($500, 6 months later)

• Rear Speakers ($150-200), External 2-Ch Amp ($200-250)
• Channels Used: 4 internal (front) + 2 RCA (rear amp) + 1 RCA (sub) = 7 of 10

Phase 3: Upgrade to 3-Way Front ($800, 1 year later)

• Add Midrange Drivers ($200-300), External 2-Ch Amp for midbass ($250-300)
• Channels Used: 4 internal (tweeters + midrange) + 2 RCA (midbass) + 2 RCA (rear) + 1 RCA (sub) = 9 of 10

Total Investment Over 18 Months: $2,800 (vs. $4,000-5,000 if bought all at once). Benefits: Spread costs over time, master 2-way active tuning before adding complexity, P1 DSPA's 10 channels accommodate expansion without replacing DSP. If you outgrow P1 DSPA, sell it ($400-500 used) and upgrade to P2/P3—net upgrade cost only $400-800.

Statistics from Professional Installers:

• 65% of builds: 2-way active front + subwoofer (5 channels) — P1 DSPA has 5 channels unused
• 25% of builds: 2-way front + rear fill + sub (7 channels) — P1 DSPA has 3 channels unused
• 8% of builds: 3-way active front + sub (7 channels) — P1 DSPA has 3 channels unused
• 2% of builds: 3-way front + rear + center + sub (10 channels) — P1 DSPA fully utilized

Reality Check: 98% of car audio systems use 10 or fewer channels. The 16-20 channel systems are for competition vehicles (<1% of market) or ultra-luxury OEM integrations. For enthusiasts building 2-way or 3-way active systems, the P1 DSPA provides every channel you'll realistically need—without paying for unused capacity.

Q: Is 65W per channel enough power?

A: Yes, for 95% of aftermarket speakers. Most component tweeters are rated 50-100W RMS, midbass 75-150W RMS. 65W sits perfectly in the middle—enough to drive speakers to full potential without over-powering. Power handling is maximum safe power, not optimal power. A 100W RMS speaker sounds best at 50-75W.

Q: How does P1 compare to P2 DSPA Pro?

A: P2 has more channels and power. P1: 10 channels, 4x 65W Class AB, $799. P2: 16 channels, 8x 80W Class D, $1,599. Choose P1 if: 2-way/3-way front active system, prefer Class AB sound, budget <$1,000. Choose P2 if: 4-way active front, need 16 channels, can spend $1,600.

Q: Can I use with factory head unit?

A: Yes, that's exactly what it's designed for. 8 high-level inputs tap factory speaker wires (no cutting—use parallel tap connectors). P1 DSPA intercepts signals, processes with DSP, drives upgraded speakers. Factory controls (steering wheel, touchscreen) remain functional. Preserves warranty, resale value, factory aesthetics.

The P1 DSPA answers a simple question: "What's the minimum I need to spend for professional car audio DSP + amplification + Hi-Res playback?"

The P1 DSPA isn't a stripped-down budget product—it's a strategically designed solution for the exact system configuration most enthusiasts actually need.

✅ Perfect For:

• First-time DSP buyers wanting professional results without $2,000+ investment
• 2-way active front builds (tweeter + midbass + subwoofer)
• Budget enthusiasts who prioritize sound quality over channel count
• Daily driver upgrades from factory audio systems
• DSD/FLAC music collectors needing hi-res playback under $1,000
• Compact vehicle owners (tight installation spaces)

❌ NOT Ideal For:

• 4-way or 5-way active builds (need 12+ channels → P2/P3)
• Competition SQ vehicles (need maximum channel count/power → P3)
• High-power requirements (need >65W per channel → P2 8x80W)

What It Does: Divides audio spectrum (20Hz-20kHz) into 31 separate frequency bands. You can boost or cut each band independently (±12dB), adjusting the tonal balance of each speaker.

Why It Matters: Car interiors are acoustic nightmares. Door-mounted speakers excite cabin resonances (200-400Hz "boom"), dashboard reflections create peaks (2-4kHz harshness), glass windows reflect high frequencies. Parametric EQ corrects these problems—resulting in flat, neutral sound.

Real-World Example: Your door midbass sounds "boomy" at 250Hz due to door panel resonance. Use P1 DSPA's EQ to create a -6dB cut at 250Hz (Q=2.0 bandwidth). Boom disappears, midrange clarity improves dramatically.

What It Does: Adds digital delay (0-20ms) to each channel, compensating for asymmetric speaker placement. Driver sits closer to left speakers than right—time alignment delays left-side signals so both sides arrive simultaneously at your ears.

Why It Matters: Without time alignment, your left speaker reaches your ears ~3ms before right speaker. Result: Soundstage is pulled hard left, vocals appear to come from left door panel. Time alignment centers the soundstage on the windshield—vocals appear "in front."

Real-World Example: Measure distances: Left tweeter to driver's ear = 2.5 feet, Right tweeter = 5 feet. Speed of sound = 1.13 feet/ms. Right arrives 2.2ms later. Add 2.2ms delay to left tweeter. Both arrive simultaneously—centered vocal image achieved.

What It Does: Splits audio frequency spectrum between drivers (tweeter plays highs, midbass plays mids/lows). Unlike passive crossovers (external components), active crossovers use DSP digital filters before amplification—offering adjustable slopes (6-48dB/oct) and precise cutoff frequencies.

Why It Matters: Passive crossovers have fixed frequencies and waste power as heat. Active crossovers are lossless (no power waste), fully adjustable (change instantly via software), and offer steeper slopes (48dB/oct protects tweeters from low frequencies).

Real-World Example: Your tweeter's frequency response is flat down to 2kHz but distorts below that. Set P1 DSPA active crossover: Tweeter high-pass @ 3kHz (24dB/oct), Midbass low-pass @ 3kHz (24dB/oct). Result: Tweeter receives ZERO energy below 3kHz (protected), midbass handles all content below 3kHz. Smooth handoff, no distortion.

What It Does: Shifts the phase relationship between speakers. When tweeter and midbass play the same frequency (at crossover point), they can either reinforce (in-phase) or cancel (out-of-phase). Phase rotation ensures reinforcement.

Why It Matters: If tweeter and midbass are 180° out of phase at 3kHz crossover point, they cancel each other—creating a "notch" (volume dip) at 3kHz. Vocals sound muffled or distant. Phase rotation fixes this by aligning waveforms so they add constructively.

Real-World Example: After setting crossover @ 3kHz, you notice vocals sound recessed. RTA measurement shows -10dB dip at 3kHz (phase cancellation). Rotate tweeter phase 180°. Remeasure: 3kHz dip is gone, vocals are clear and forward.

Measured Results:

Frequency Response: ±8dB factory → ±2dB DSP-corrected
THD @ 90dB SPL: ~2% factory → 0.3% Scan-Speak
Hi-Res Playback: 16-bit/48kHz factory → DSD256 native
Soundstage Width: ~90° factory → ~150° time-aligned
Shop Tuning Time: 2 hours calibrated RTA tuning (included in $800 install labor)