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Audison Bit One - From Genius to Junk!

75K views 65 replies 37 participants last post by  yogegoy 
#1 ·
My review boils down to a simple experience. I went from being on top of the world thinking I had found the perfect product for my system, to actually buying the Audison Bit One....to finding out there were major problems with my Bit One. Major...MAJOR alt. whine....and digital beeping commonly referred to on this forum as the infamous Digital Morse Code. Audison / Elettromedia USA talked to me directly about this unit and acknowledged that they knew of the issues and were working on them. They agreed to allow me to return the unit for a new one. I did this and today I got my new unit back from Elettromedia and had a whole new renewed level of excitement as I plugged her back into my brand new 1200w install (see my sig below for a diagram of my system and all of its components).

Boy was I surprised that the new unit not only had the exact same issue as the original unit, but it was even worse on this unit. Additionally, when I went to plug the USB port from my computer to the DRC unit, instantly there was a pop and the volume level of the digital beeping and the alt whine were MASSIVELY amplified four fold with no other adjustments made to the system at that moment.

I have posted two new You Tube videos to record my exact experiences.

And before you go and try to diagnosis my system, its alt whine and the digital beeping, please hold your breathe and your thoughts. I have spent many hours isolating the system, testing, experimenting, etc. It IS the Bit One. Audison KNOWS it is the Bit One.....end of story. If you want to discuss the Bit One here is a thread with almost 800 posts worth of discussion: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diy-mobile-audio/52240-audison-bit-one-hi-res-56k-go-make-some-coffee-take-nap-31.html

My recommendation is to NOT BUY A BIT ONE! Here is my video evidence of why not to buy a Bit One.

Part 1 of 2


Part 2 of 2
 
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#2 ·
How about an entirely new issue just discovered a few moments ago. Totally new design flaw.

When I do an initial install of the Bit One (software already installed on laptop)...so technically this is the initial "setup" of the unit....and I am controlling the Bit One from the laptop the system sounds great (yes the whine and Beep are there) but if I touch even one button.....of any kind on the Bit One software my entire left stage drops out. No sound from the tweeter or midbass. NONE. As if I dont even have speakers.

I can reinitialize the Bit One (restore factory settings) and shut the software down. Turn the system off...etc. Turn system back on....Bit One back on, the start over with a new set up. The system sounds fine.....touch one button and boom the left stage drops out again.
 
#4 ·
Damn! :eek:
I can see that origin of morse code is a Bit One, but engine whine can be from another source.. Anyway, they replaced old unit with a new one and you have the same problems? Check the number of the unit and if both are from the same party the reason can be some manufacturing issue.
Let them change it again. :)
I work as Elletromedia dealer for a long time and there was absolutely no problem with warranty questions. I had couple of Srx amps with ground issues, Dieci series 13 coaxials, one Lrx amp and all was solved under warranty and a customers were satisfied. Contact Elletromedia again and help them to solve a problem ;)
 
#5 ·
As stated in my fist post...the alt whine is sourced to the Bit One without question. I will call Elettromedia again as they were easy to deal with. However, I will be asking much tougher questions this time. My first inclination is to ask for a refund, but I will let them plead their case.

You mentioned checking the number of the unit, same party etc. Can you elaborate. I have the SN from each unit, but I have no idea how to decipher what that means in terms of point of origin.

Thanks,
 
#6 ·
Wow, that is some pretty ridiculous noise! That's unfortunate because in theory, that unit would be one of the best things to happen to car audio in a long time. It looks like the execution of that idea is less than desirable though.
 
#9 ·
Yeah the noise with the rev makes me laugh too....well kinda. I wanted to show the RPM gauge to demonstrate how loud it is even without revving....and how much louder it gets. When I am driving down the road, normal cruising RPM is about 2800-3500. At that point the whine is just stupid. I wanted to show those ranges on the video.


As for anyone with a Bit One in the package, I would send it back. But of course, you cannot claim any issues with an unopened Bit One, so I would be curious as to a retailers stance on taking a unit back "just because." You can quote the known issues, but that does not mean your unit has the problems.
 
#10 ·
The alt whine is Bit One based. I help a friend with one and he had the alt whine problem with the Bit One then when we replaced the Bit One with an Alpine H701 (a known noisy unit) and the alt whine went completely away. Nothing was any different than the processor, same RCA's, power, ground, & remote wire were all the same with both units. Only the Bit One produced alternator whine. He also sent his back to get a replacement only to have the same problems. When first hooked up there were no noised then the whine came back first, then the morse code started and it only went down from there. VERY downhill.
 
#15 ·
The alt whine is Bit One based. I helped a friend with one and he had the alt whine problem with the Bit One then when we replaced the Bit One with an Alpine H701 (a known noisy unit) and the alt whine went completely away. Nothing was any different than the processor, same RCA's, power, ground, & remote wire were all the same with both units. Only the Bit One produced alternator whine. He also sent his back to get a replacement only to have the same problems. When first hooked up there were no noised then the whine came back first, then the morse code started and it only went down from there. VERY downhill.
I am said friend.

I concur.

What's more ****ed up is that the first unit I had was actually better than the 'replacement' I got back.
 
#11 ·
When I left my truck last night, the Bit One had dropped the entire left signal path to the tweeter and mid bass. Keep in mind, each driver is connected to different amps, so it is not the amps. I changed nothing. I shut the system down in disqust.

When I started the truck today....the Bit One is on....the Hu is on....all three amps are on.....NO SOUND AT ALL.....NONE....nothing is muted..etc. I have a center channel connected directly to the HU high level outputs, which I use to have conversations with on my cell phone (only). The speaker is toggled switched, so it is not on during any of my testing or in the videos.

With no sound....I just had to toggle my center channel on since it has no amps or Bit One to travel through....and wouldnt you know it....no issues. Sound was nice and clear.

So my Bit One is going VERY downhill as well.

I think it is time Audison stepped up to the plate and admitted there are major issues with this product.

TOTAL FAIL!
 
#12 ·
I think it is time Audison stepped up to the plate and admitted there are major issues with this product.

TOTAL FAIL!
Agreed. I contacted a buddy yesterday that was giving the bit one a shot last week and what do you know, he now has whine and morse code....



I wonder who is supervising electromedia's customer service.... Audison has been known to have great, no questions asked, customer service and I feel they wouldn't just keep turning around faulty products unless they were instructed too by the top dog.

They aren't stupid, and the repair techs and quality control guys know whether or not the unit being sent and received is in fact defective...

Maybe the in house guys just don't want to risk their jobs by admitting a huge problem the top dog is trying to fix meanwhile....
 
#13 ·
It sounds as if the morse code noise is coming from the controller. It goes away when you control the unit with the software and comes back when you are controlling it with the physical controller.

I bet the morse code noise is induced from the communication data between the controller and the actual unit.

Sorry to hear there are so many bad things happening with this unit.

I would send it back again and if it fails, I would demand my money back.

Good luck!
 
#16 ·
I would send it back again and if it fails, I would demand my money back.

I sent audison my SECOND unit last Tuesday. It shouldn't have even gotten that far.

instantly there was a pop and the volume level of the digital beeping and the alt whine were MASSIVELY amplified four fold with no other adjustments made to the system at that moment.

The 2nd unit also went on the fritz and screeched extremely loud (just like Kevin's stated in his OP)... but in that case, it blew out scanspeak d2904 tweeters.
So, not only am I out the time (time is money) I spent installing 2 of these units, and returning 2, but I'm also out $400 in speakers that is "my fault" because I wasn't supposed to plug the DRC in with the unit on... though when the drc was connected it emitted beeping noise and I had to leave it removed unless I wanted to hear it beep... and the only way I could change sub level was to plug it back in. But, yep, it's my fault, even though it was the only workaround and no one ever made note of that being an issue (how many times have you unplugged your cat5 cable from your computer without issues).
 
#17 ·
does audison have a warning in the manual about unplugging the controller while the unit is on? I know Alpine does regarding the controller for the 701.

If they did, then you're screwed. However, to me that doesn't change the fact that the unit is still faulty from the other issues.

Further, if Audison knew unplugging the DRC could ruin the unit like that and they didn't have a warning stating that, then they need to cover the unit and any other equipment damaged as a result.
 
#22 ·
If they did, then you're screwed. However, to me that doesn't change the fact that the unit is still faulty from the other issues.
Like I said... if that is indeed my fault, then lesson learned. It's a hard lesson to learn, but I'm not going to blame someone when something is my fault. I don't recall it being said explicitly, but then again, I never looked. But it still doesn't excuse any of the other problems with it.

Edit: Just went back through the manual to see. I don't see anywhere where it says anything about disconnecting/connecting the piece when the unit is on:
http://download.elettromedia.it/files/audison/Bit One manual 1_2a.pdf

Further, if Audison knew unplugging the DRC could ruin the unit like that and they didn't have a warning stating that, then they need to cover the unit and any other equipment damaged as a result.
The one thing I can say is that Elettromedia seems to be helpful in resolving these issues. At least I'm not being met with any resistance in that department. I know the obvious reply to that would be "Well, that should". Well, I'm just glad they are.
 
#38 ·
Interesting update on my Bit One as of 5 pm EST today.

Joe, my dealer, who is insistent upon trouble shooting this silly thing, (even though I am asking for a refund) has spent quite sometime on the phone with Larry. He is relaying to me, 100% information that I already know from Larry and you guys. With a couple of new exceptions. Here is my outline of new things:

1. I agreed, for the sake of allowing Joe his due process, to remove my case and connect my Bit One with no case on it. Joe was told by Larry it would fix the whine and MIGHT even fix the beeping. He DID say that only one customer told him that removing the case WOULD fix the beeping.

Drum roll.............

It didnt do ****. It took all of one sec worth of music to play across my speakers to tell that the naked circuit board STILL produced horrendous whine and beeping. I shut her down.

2. Joe told me that "the people at Audison" are saying that there are just a few bad units out there. I really wish I had Erins list at that point, because I know of about 6 own my own.....let alone within the broader picture known as EARTH. This was new to me. If there is a list, I want my name, address and phone number as well as B1 serial number on it!

3. Larry has told Joe that the new adapter to be connected between the Bit One and the DRC are schedule to arrive in the US as soon as tomorrow. Joe has requested one for me. Joe told me he has put in a request for one for me because I am on my second unit. But I told Joe that if removing the case did not fix the issue, I would want only a refund. I might consider coming back as a customer when they issue a new signal processor.

4. There is supposed to be new software issued to the Audison Bit One website any day now. I know nothing more than that....

I WISH they would fix this thing...and be done with it for no other reason than I could move on with my system. I now have a Zapco DSP 6 en route to my house.....
 
#39 · (Edited)
I WISH they would fix this thing...and be done with it for no other reason than I could move on with my system. I now have a Zapco DSP 6 en route to my house.....
It would be nice if they did get it working for you. It would be nice to do a head to head between the two...
 
#47 ·
I am so sad about the bit one product happily I have a friend that works at a shop that sells Rockford I am not a fan of Rockford but at least the 360.two doesn't have these problems though I wish it would allow me to do a 3 way active front stage as the bit one does. I hope the bit one is fixed at some point and I will get one then. Till then can't beat the 220 for accommodation pricing of the 360.two still need to put together a R.T.A to set the 360.2 but hope to get a whole new level of SQ once I do.
 
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