JBL MS-2 Car Audio System

During last year, I installed my daily car with a JBL speakers and this portable DSP. You can read the detail review in here. It is been a month since I install it and I can say the sound improvement using this JBL MS-2 is very good.

Using this JBL MS-2 has problem on how messy the cables around it. That is why, I am trying to relocate this unit inside the car dash board and out of sight. First things first, the power adapter need to be replace. This MS-2 will amplify from the Tripath amp that I made before. You better check this out.

The power adapter plug into the cigarette lighter are produce 6.13 volt DC. Without checking anything, I trying to make my own regulated power supply using LM317T.

Cut the DC wire to connect it directly to this regulated power supply.

The result is pretty promising, simple regulated power supply that hoping can improve the sound from changing the SMPS to linear power supply. But I was wrong!

This common ground from regulated power supply effect to ground loop in MS-2. Resulting whine noise during engine running. Totally great failure project and I should stick to the included power adapter after all. To continue this project, then I crack the included power adapter to check what inside.

Just like I thought, this is a SMPS with separate ground. Quite nice components in my opinion.

No other option other than using it. I only change the input voltage capacitor to Sanyo Os-con. I Hope I can do more upgrade in the future, especially upgrade the output capacitors.

The relay here are actually trigger to the power amplifier. Now this relay also operating this MS-2 power adapter as well.

This is where I hide the MS-2. I am make sure I already complete all setup before put it in there. No future setting requirement to this MS-2 once you have the optimal setting.

This MS-2 also lead me to change the audio source to iPhone 5S. The reason with this changing is because the limitation of the voltage input to the MS-2 can accept. Higher than it required will make the sound distorted. That is why the MS-2 manual also recommend the user only using third quarter from maximum output volume from the audio source. My previous audio source which is the iPod 5th gen using pure audio line output adapter can cause input distortion due to the high voltage audio to this MS-2.

Despite those limitation, I can say that this MS-2 sound quality is the best for the bucks! I only paid for US$60 to get the improvement in sound. The most noticeable improvement is every music note are separate correctly and the bass are solid. I can hear as loud as I can without ear fatigue, and I am feeling like blend in the music! Very transparent and dynamic!

This satisfy result are also contribute from the amplifier that I am using, Tripath TA2024. This tiny class D amplifier can reduce what people claiming about this MS-2 especially from high frequency are too dominant. If you ever using this Tripath amplifier, then you know how the high frequency behave in it. I am not try to saying that this Tripath are dull in high frequency either but it just right combine with this MS-2.

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