Helix DSP Mini

Extremely powerful “fixed point” Audio DSP with 64 Bit resolution and 1.2 billion MAC operations per second
High Resolution audio bandwidth up to more than 40 kHz for unrivalled sound quality
ACO – Advanced 32 Bit CoProcessor for all control and communication tasks
10 internal memory locations for sound setups
Setup switching within milliseconds
High-speed data transfer and improved usability
HELIX Extension Card slot (HEC) for system add-ons
Smart highlevel input with ADEP.3 circuit and Auto Turn-On function
Start-Stop capability down to 6V supply voltage
Unique DSP Sound Effects such as the “Augmented Bass Processing” which dynamically optimizes the bass response of the subwoofer, the “StageXpander” that significantly widens the stereo perspective, the “RealCenter” function, which allows a perfectly focussed sound staging for both driver and co-driver and much more
Freely definable signal routing with separate matrices for line, SPDIF and HEC/AUX
Optimal signal path and power supply for further improved sound quality
“Ground lift” switch to avoid ground loops
Very compact dimensions for easy integration into the vehicle
Easiest configuration via the intuitive DSP PC-Tool V4 software


Special features:

96 kHz sampling rate
The HELIX DSP MINI allows to handle all signals with the doubled sampling rate of 96 kHz. Thus the audio bandwidth is no longer limited to usual values like 22 kHz but allows an extended frequency response to more than 40 kHz. Doubling the sampling rate requires significantly higher DSP power as the number of possible arithmetic operations is halved.
Only the implementation of the latest DSP chip generation allows raising the sampling rate to 96 kHz and adding new features at the same time.

Smart highlevel input ADEP.3
Modern, factory-installed car radios incorporate sophisticated possibilities of diagnosing the connected speakers. In particular the latest generation of car radios are equipped with additional monitoring functions so that failure messages and loss of specific features (e.g. fader function) quite often appear if a signal processor will be hooked up - but not with the DSP MINI.
The new ADEP.3 circuit (Advanced Diagnostics Error Protection, 3rd Generation) avoids all these problems without loading the speaker outputs of the OE radio during high volumes unnecessarily.

ACO - Advanced 32 Bit CoProcessor
The HELIX DSP MINI incorporates an extraordinary powerful 32 Bit CoProcessor of the latest generation for all monitoring and communication tasks, both internally and externally. In opposite to the 8 Bit predecessor generation this MCU achieves way higher speeds with respect to setup switching and data communication with our DSP PC-Tool software. A further significant advantage is the integrated, native boot loader of the CoProcessor. It allows software upgrades of all components of the DSP in order to adjust the microcontroller-controlled ADEP.3 circuit for example at future modifications / changes in the diagnostic system of factory radios or if the device will be extended with additional interfaces. In addition, thanks to the new flash memory, the ACO offers 10 memory locations for sound setups instead of the common two.

Start-Stop capability
The switched power supply of the HELIX DSP MINI assures a constant internal supply voltage even if the battery’s voltage drops to 6 Volts during engine crank.

Power Save Mode
The Power Save Mode is incorporated in the basic setup. It allows to significantly reduce the power consumption of the amplifiers that are connected to the HELIX DSP MINI once there’s no input signal present for more than 60 seconds. Please note that in many up-to-date cars with “CAN” or any other internal bus structures it may happen that the radio remains “invisibly” turned on for up to 45 min. even after locking and leaving the car! Once the “Power Save Mode“ is active the remote output and therefore the connected amplifiers will be turned off. The HELIX DSP MINI will reactivate the remote output within a second if a music signal is applied. It is possible to either modify the turn-off time of 60 sec. or completely deactivate the “Power Save Mode” via the DSP PC-Tool software.

Start-Stop capability
The switched power supply of the HELIX DSP MINI assures a constant internal supply voltage even if the battery’s voltage drops to 6 Volts during engine crank.

Automatic Digital Signal Detection
Switching from analog input to the digital input is done automatically as soon as a signal is detected on the Optical Input. This feature can be deactivated in the DSP PC-Tool software. Alternatively you can use an optional remote control for manual switching between analog and digital inputs.

Specifications:

Inputs
4 x RCA / Cinch
4 x Highlevel speaker input
1 x Optical SPDIF (12 - 96 kHz)
1 x Remote In

Input sensitivity
RCA / Cinch 2 - 4 Volts
Highlevel 5 - 11 Volts

Outputs
6 x RCA / Cinch
1 x Remote Out

Output voltage 4 Volts
Frequency response 10 Hz - 44,000 Hz
DSP resolution 64 Bit
DSP power 295 MHz (1.2 billion MAC operations/second)
Sampling rate 96 kHz
DSP type Audio signal processor
Signal converters A/D: Asahi Kasei
D/A: Asahi Kasei
Signal-to-noise ratio digital input 106 dB (A-weighted)
Signal-to-noise ratio analog input 103 dB (A-weighted)
Total harmonic distortion (THD+N) digital input 0.001 %
Total harmonic distortion (THD+N) analog input 0.002 %
IM distortion (IMD) digital input 0.004 %
IM distortion (IMD) analog input 0.004 %
Crosstalk 90 dB
Operating voltage 9.6 - 18 Volts (max. 5 sec. down to 6 Volts)
Current draw 400 mA
Max. remote output current 500 mA
Additional features HEC slot, Ground lift switch, Control Input, 32 Bit CoProcessor, ADEP.3 circuit, Auto Remote switch
Dimensions (H x W x D) 40 x 177 x 104 mm /
1.58 x 6.97 x 4.09”