AudioControl Three.2

For over two decades, AudioControl has been designing and manufacturing award-winning auto sound products at our factory located in the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. During this period, countless sound-off winning contestants have chosen AudioControl products to give them the competitive edge. "Can you really win without AudioControl", was part of an article written commenting on competition winning systems? Nothing sounds better than an awesome recording played back on a kick-butt system. Unfortunately, the acoustics of your vehicle can take away from your system's performance. While AudioControl products do not change the laws of physics (although they act as they do), auto sound enthusiasts have long known that AudioControl products "make a good stereo sound better".

If you want great sound and love to "tweak" your system, then you will truly appreciate the AudioControl THREE.2. Affectionately called the "EQ on steroids", the THREE.2 is a high-end pre-amplifier that offers equalization and crossover controls for enhanced sound quality. Multiple audio inputs, both front, and rear allow for maximum connectivity with all of your favorite source units.

While being housed in a compact ½ DIN sized chassis, the THREE.2 is truly a feature-laden processor. The THREE.2 starts with four stereo equalization filters including AudioControl's proprietary Para-BASS controls, which give subwoofers extra kick and detail as needed. It also features a 4 channel, 2-way, 24 dB/octave car audio crossover with a fader. To round out the package the THREE.2 also includes a subwoofer level control, master volume control, and the ability to select the backlighting illumination color between Cool Blue and Hot Red.

Given that many of today's audio enthusiasts like to carry their music with them, the THREE.2 is equipped with dual, 3.5mm auxiliary input jacks located on the front and rear of the chassis. This helps facilitate the permanent installation of cabling or lets a user plugin their portable audio device on the fly. Like all AudioControl auto sound products, the THREE.2 is built in our factory in the Pacific Northwest, USA, and carries full 5-year parts and labor warranty when installed by an authorized dealer.

Graphic Stereo Equalization:

The THREE.2 turns the dashboard of your car into a mini-mixing board, just like that in a recording studio. The THREE.2 has three frequency controls set at 125Hz, 1.25KHz, and 10KHz respectively. The frequencies were selected to provide you with just enough control to make dramatic improvements in any system.

Para-BASS®:

You want bass, we got bass. This specially designed equalizer control lets you adapt the bass response of any system to your listening desire. Given all of the various types of music combined with numerous possible bass response anomalies in every vehicle, single control for bass just doesn't cut it. It's like painting a picture with only one color... BORING!

Input Selection:

The THREE.2 provides a "Main" RCA input on the back panel of the unit. It also provides two choices for an Auxiliary input. One is on the back panel for a permanent Aux-in, and the other is located on the front panel. If you just want to be able to plug an iPod in on occasion, then you can use the front panel 1/8" input. Also, the THREE.2 Aux-ins have been optimized with extra gain to compensate for weak signals from iPods and other MP3 players.

24dB/Octave Linkwitz Riley Crossover:

What is the benefit of fine-tuning your system if you cannot accurately route the proper frequencies to the proper amplifier channels? The programmable audiophile crossover in the THREE.2 is the same crossover in many other award-winning AudioControl components. Know who else gives you a 24dB Linkwitz-Riley in their in-dash EQ? Nobody! This is also a far cry from the wimpy crossovers that find their way into some amplifiers these days.

Pre-Amp Line Driver:

Talk about your ironies. Amplifiers require a high voltage input signal (generally 2 to 5 volts) to operate with maximum dynamic range and the best signal-to-noise ratio. On the other hand, typical source units only produce 1 to 2 volts, if you are lucky. In a system where the source unit is located in the front of the car and the amplifier(s) are located in the rear, the length of the connecting cables can have a negative impact on the strength of the signal. The THREE.2 includes a line driver that takes the weak output voltage of a head unit and increases it 20dB (up to 13 volts peak) and then delivers it downstream to the amplifier inputs.