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Evora Stereo System

116K views 209 replies 70 participants last post by  bigbird06815 
#1 · (Edited)
Does anyone know the model of the Alpine stereo the launch edition comes with and any other details about the sound system?
 
#4 ·
It has connectors for an ipod and Hdmi in the glovebox and you can use bluetooth with it. The screen flips out like on the Blaupaunkt one that came in my car, and you can put the cd in the back part behind the screen.

You can also download your own stuff to appear on the screen instead of using the default ones according to the Regional Lotus rep who was at a local showing.

The brochure says it has a 7 inch wvga touch screen display, 2x50w hi power amp, 6.25 coaxial speakers with dash mounted tweeters, 150w lightweight amp and subwoofer, Alpine Blackbirds Integrated Satellite Navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, and rear parking sensors are part of the technology package.

If you go for the package, additional other options are a Alpine Imprint dynamic EQ system, and reversing camera.
 
#6 ·
I got my launch edition Evora a week ago, and it has the Alpine IVA-W505. It is a neat unit, but rather flakey and difficult to use. My main complaint is as follows:

1. You must carefully read and memorize the manual in order to do anything with this unit.

2. They don't give you a printed manual. It is on CD-ROM.

3. The user interface is not very intuitive. You can get the unit into weird modes that you won't get out of unless you have read the manual.

I was planning to get the Alpine INA-W909 for my daily driver, but I am reconsidering that now. The main difference as I understand is that the INA-W909 has built-in GPS navigation. The model that comes in the Evora has a removable, portable GPS nav unit. It is fun to play with, but I'm not likely to ever do that.

I also have a problem with my unit. It won't play most of my commercial DVDs! It gives an error message "Regional Code Violation" which seems to indicate that it is not a US unit. The manual that came with it says it is a region 1 player and can't be changed, although there is a country code setting which was already set to USA.

I am curious, have any other US Evora owners tried to play any region-1 DVDs in the car?
 
#12 ·
I just tried to play a standard (U.S.) video DVD in the Alpine unit in my Evora, and it displayed the same message you got "Regional Code Violation" :(.
Is the only fix replacing the entire head unit with one that is North America DVD-compatible?

I've talked to Alpine about this. They can change the region coding, but we'll have to pull the unit and send it in. This confirms we won't have to completely replace the head unit.

I've talked to the dealer where I'll be getting my first 1,000 mile service. They are going to investigate the problem and see if Lotus will take care of it. I will post what I learn here.
 
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#15 ·
I've talked to Alpine about this. They can change the region coding, but we'll have to pull the unit and send it in. This confirms we won't have to completely replace the head unit.

I've talked to the dealer where I'll be getting my first 1,000 mile service. They are going to investigate the problem and see if Lotus will take care of it. I will post what I learn here.
Thanks for the research and effort.
On the one hand, it seems like the problem fix should certainly be a Lotus responsibility--on the other hand, I personally see little or no need to be able to play a video DVD so I would not pay to get it fixed.

I also have another problem with the sound system, though, in that there is no output from the rear speakers. Hopefully, this is just a missed connection that can be sorted at the first service.

As for sound quality, other than the rear speaker problem, I think the system sounds pretty good and is a nice complement to the generally quiet interior.
 
#9 ·
Hello folks. We thought we would let you know that we just finished upgrading the complete factory audio system in an Evora. I am assuming this car was equipped with the "technology" package as it had the factory Alpine nav system with iPod, Bluetooth and reverse camera. Our customer disliked the nav system which we didn't blame him. Even though this is a 2010 car the nav system from Alpine is about two years old. He had us replace it because he found out there were no map updates available for the unit. Here is some more info if you are thinking of upgrading your audio system. The factory components while being built by Alpine for Lotus are nothing to get excited about. When we first listened to the audio system we were rather dissapointed in the way it sounded as was the customer. The system lacked dynamics and definition. Once we disassembled the vehicle we found out why. There is no amplification going to the front speakers except for the power of the deck. At RMS power you are looking at 18 watts going to the components before the crossovers. The only amp in this vehicle was a little mono-block running the sub. The sub is another dissapointment. It is a free air unit in the rear passenger panel. I have attached a video of what we did to improve this vehicle. To the administrator- we are not trying to advertise by posting this video. It is just simpler to give all this info through a video than typing it. If you folks have any questions about the car please feel free to email us. Thanks.
 
#14 ·
When listening to it on my test drives I immediately thought it was dramatically better than my Elise. That's not saying a whole lot - and maybe a lot of that has to do with the Evora being significantly quieter to drive - but for me there wasn't even a comparison.

Listening to music on my cell phone speakers puts the Elise to shame.
 
#16 ·
Hmm, I just realized this weekend that there are no rear "speakers" :eek:, and it is just the subwoofer back there.
Too bad, IMO it would be nice to have a working fader control.
 
#17 ·
To the folks asking about the sound quality between the Evora and Elise. There is a huge difference between the stock systems as we have worked on both models. I will tell you the performance of your factory Evora system can be drastically improved by simply adding an amp to the front speakers. The car's seperate mid and tweet speakers are ran off of deck power which is not a good thing to do with seperates. The crossover that goes between the mid and tweet robs most of the power coming out of the deck. As for the subwoofer, the only way to really improve it is to do something like we did in the youtube video. If you guys have any tech questions concerning the audio system please let me know as we went through that complete car. soundsfast@bendcable.com
 
#22 ·
As for the subwoofer, the only way to really improve it is to do something like we did in the youtube video. If you guys have any tech questions concerning the audio system please let me know as we went through that complete car. soundsfast@bendcable.com
Soundsfast,

I would appreciate some quick directions on disassembling the back seat to get at the sub. I am thinking of the JL XD400/4 amp and sealing the enclosure as you did without at first changing any drivers.

How about the stock desk drive the tweets only sans crossover, and the JL running the midbass drivers and sub?

To anyone doing this, don't forget the JL Audio Remote Level Control (HD-RLC) for the sub! A working sub needs a physical adjustment knob.
 
#18 ·
Evora sound system is very good to begin with... Perhaps not to audiophiles, but it suffices quite nicely for my ears. There are built in adjustments that I've used to refine the midrange and bass to my liking, but I can honestly say the system is not so horrible that everyone should consider upgrading....


I feel the work done on this Evora was done at the cost of increased weight and reduced cabin noise (a good thing if you want a quieter ride)... The Evora's appeal is it's ability to balance between the performance experience and comfort. It's never leans heavy in any direction (except maybe price!)... I wouldn't want the car to be any more quiet or louder than it currently is.
 
#19 ·
I can assure you we didn't add more than an extra 8-10 pounds to this car doing what we did. The sound deadening was only used where needed. I promise you the upgrades made a night and day difference compared to factory. And the weight difference is not going to be noticeable. That was our main concern with upgrading the audio
 
#23 ·
I really apologize for the late response to this post. Some of you have have contacted us directly with some of your questions. To the question about replacing the nav system, yes everything except for the reverse camera has to be replaced if you want to keep those features. The factory Sirius antenna and tuner can be used but you will have to change the interface that goes between the deck and the tuner. We also just had something pop up with the vehicle we did. The vehicle ended up having a very small amount of engine noise when we got done. After three days of trouble shooting we found that the factory installed antenna was not grounded properly so we installed an aftermarket amplified antenna and the noise went away. So keep this in mind if you decide to do any amplified audio upgrades. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us at soundsfast@bendcable.com or through our web site at More Than Just Music | Sounds Fast
 
#25 · (Edited)
Just finished my upgrade...

Well, I copied some of what SoundsFast did:
  • JL Audio XD400/4
  • JL Audio W1 series 8" 4 ohm subwoofer
  • Sealed the sub box
  • Added Alpine IMPRINT processor

And the sound is incredible! If you did not order the IMPRINT option, you are really missing out. When I turn off the IMPRINT EQ curve, it goes right back to the cardboard, paste-eating sound it had from factory.

Dear Lotus: Make IMPRINT a standard part of the tech package...without it, where is the "tech"?

If you haven't heard, IMPRINT is a computer controlled and calibrated parametric equalizer with, I think, as many bands as it decides it needs...hard to tell from the spec sheet. It sets up just like your home theater, with a microphone and that THWIP! THWIP!! sound. When complete, it has a perfect, even time-adjusted, sound.

There are 3 choices for the EQ curve: REFERENCE (tried this, it is great), MID-BASS BOOST (crappy as all getout...skip this one), and LINEAR.
You can only try 2 curves at a time, so I will test LINEAR after I reassemble the rear seats, etc.

I can only guess that those satisfied with their stock system have the IMPRINT option, as it is night and day, well beyond what I could do with an EQ setup.

I ended up powering the fronts from the JL amp as well, per SF's advice.
I kept the same drivers, and they are now far from the milquetoast speakers they sounded like before. They rattle the doors, so I will next need to seek out some DYNAMAT and DYNASORBS to correct that condition.

Dismantling Evora's interior is an awfull experience! I plan to write up the specific steps for those that follow me. Let's just say I broke a few fasteners I had no idea would be there. (I think I found Evora's weight problem...each panel is attached with 10x as many fasteners as would be needed to secure it. :panic:) Many time I found myself saying: "Now this is the hardest thing you will ever have to do to get this car apart."

On the bright side, the seats come out easier than Elise/Exige, and re-installing them is a simple process of lining up the tracks with 4 giant washers at each end. No crazy "T-shaped thingies"...you know what I mean. With a fixed roof, you have to fold and rotate the seats backwards to get them out the doorframe.

The whole operation took about 2 weeks (it is 100 degrees down here every day...I can only last about one trim panel's worth each visit to the garage), and I just now backed out of the garage to test for alternator whine. There was none!

Let me give a quick road test review of backing out of/into the garage:
"This is such a great car...such a smooth running engine, transmission/clutch feel great. It literally blasted back into the garage, but had more than enough braking power to handle it. It is by far, the Best Lotus Ever!"
:shift:

PS: The Chinese-built Alpine "amp" that powered the old sub is hilarious. It does not even exist at the Alpine website, and it's punyness goes beyond the pale.
 
#26 ·
Added Alpine IMPRINT processor

Notorious L.R.G.,

How much $ is the Alpine IMPRINT processor installed? I think it was a $1400 option, I did not know you could add it after the radio is installed in the car at Lotus. I could see maybe considering it,if it is not crazy $.
Ron
 
#27 ·
Notorious L.R.G.,

How much $ is the Alpine IMPRINT processor installed? I think it was a $1400 option, I did not know you could add it after the radio is installed in the car at Lotus. I could see maybe considering it,if it is not crazy $.
Ron
The Alpine PXA H-100 IMPRINT processor is very inexpensive. The labor to install it will cost a lot more than the hardware itself unless, of course, you're capable of doing the work yourself.
 
#28 ·
I paid $150 for mine on Ebay. PXA-H100 & KTX-H100 are the part numbers for the module and the required tuning kit. Sold together for the best price...not sure why they are sold separately.

PXA-H100 adds 4 volt pre-outs, another bonus when amplifying.

I thought it was a $500 option, but not sure.

The hard part to the install, besides the trim panels from Hell, is that the Sirius module is installed somewhere up inside the dash. If you want to keep the Sirius (and I did not), you will have to get the dash apart better than I did to retain that functionality, as the IMPRINT must be at the end of the AI-BUS, after the Siruis module. I simply pulled the Sirius plug and plugged in the IMPRINT.
 
#145 ·
The "aluminum" faceplate has 4 securing clips, as highlighted below:
(They DO NOT ever want to let go of the dashboard.)


Sorry for thread resurrection, but any of you guys remember if there's actually any tools required to pull this trim piece? Or was it just brute force ti get the retainers off? I need to do some proper realignment of the trim with the headunit as it was knocked slightly off from when the service removed the trims for my airbag cover replacement a few months ago.
 
#33 ·
But they were too big to really do any good here. Useful later, but for now I needed something small and plastic with a 90 degree grip:
(So I cut up some DVD covers...the ones with the hole worked especially well.)

The order I was told was to pull the 2 left side clips first, then work over to the right and top clips. In the end I had to "cheat", and removed the drivers side knee bolster, which gave me direct finger access to the lower left clip. I essentially squeezed it from behind the dash as I pulled, and that finally got the first clip to let go.

I'd like to say the other clips get easier, but not so much. As an angle develops, you have to guard against cutting the leather. Probably best to put painters tape on before you start. (I did not, but as things got rough, I wish I had.)
 

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#34 ·
At this point, it's just 4 obvious screws to remove the radio.
(No helpful photo required.)

Once loose, it needs to be pulled straight out. There is a plastic nub screwed into the back of the radio that fits into a slot in the dash. This may hang up a bit, but if you wiggle it, and pull straight, it will come out.

At that point, you are faced with a hundred connections on the back. A very busy radio. Refer to your PDF that came with the car (or look it up at Alpine.com
http://vault.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_INA-W900_EN.pdf

Here is where I ditched the old subwoofer out cable, disconnected the Sirius, plugged in the IMPRINT to that same plug, and cut and spliced into the speaker wires. The original plan was to go into the kick panels, but the magic of Lotus interior assembly goes beyond my capability at that point.
I had removed lots of pieces, but it seems the entire glove box, everything below the "color band" must come out to get at those. No thanks!
 
#35 ·
Getting to the subwoofer...

First comes the passenger side sill cover. There is a king's ransom of Velcro fasteners under here, and 2 pull type fasteners, one at the rear, and one halfway down. The front of the sill cover has a metal guide slot that grabs the kick panel, but this let's go without a fight.

When I reinstalled, I removed the long Velcros, and omitted the pull fasteners, to make the next trip in easier.
 

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#36 ·
Passenger seat removal

Four 6mm Hex/Allen head bolts secure the passenger seat rails at the four corners. Remove these without fear, fold the seat, rotate counterclockwise until the headrest can be angled out the door opening. The Evora seats are 2x-3x heavier than Elise, so be ready with some muscles.

Removing the seat gives easier access to the rear area and allows more creative running of cables underneath. Space is TIGHT in this car. The bottom of the seat brushes the carpet as you slide it up/back.
 
#37 ·
Rear bench removal.

OK, the bottom seat cushion is just Velcro'ed on, so peel up from the far side and remove. Easy.

The headrests must be pulled off next. They also love their job, and do not want to let go. A photo of the backside will give you an idea what you are fighting here. 4 clips attached to two horizontal rods in the seatback. Pull/push upward.
(Some will fall off as you remove and remain on the rods. Re-attaching them to the plastic is a bit of a pain as well.)

The bandage is due to an incident with an exacto knife while running the power wire. (I only got to photographing these pieces after the wiring was finished up.)

Once those are off, the rear cushion is not bad, two 7mm nuts on top (under the headrests) and two 8mm bolts down below.
 

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