Helix DSP PRO MK3 – 10-channel digital sound processor with TwinDSP Power
The HELIX DSP PRO MK3 is the successor to the DSP PRO: it keeps the familiar HELIX design but offers twice the processing power of its predecessor. With 8 highlevel, 8 RCA, optical and coaxial digital inputs, a HEC slot and 10 line outputs, it is made for integration with aftermarket head units as well as factory radios and multi-channel OE systems.
Two 64-bit Analog Devices audio processors, a 96 kHz sampling rate and AKM Velvet Sound converters provide high-resolution processing. The proprietary 32-bit ACO platform, Virtual Channel Processing, revised highlevel inputs with three-stage sensitivity up to 32 V – which also allow connection of high-power OE amplifiers – and a compact Smart Control Port are key upgrades.
Key Features
- TwinDSP Power: two 64-bit fixed-point audio DSPs with 2.4 billion MAC operations per second for ten separately processed channels at 96 kHz.
- AKM converters: 32-bit AKM Velvet Sound A/D and D/A converters.
- ACO platform: 32-bit coprocessor for control tasks and switching between up to ten sound setups, with ISA, Input EQ, TuneEQ and SFX sound effects; its boot loader allows firmware updates of all DSP components including ADEP.3.
- Virtual Channel Processing (VCP): flexible configuration of complex sound systems.
- ADEP.3 highlevel input: eight smart inputs that avoid the diagnostic faults factory radios often report, without unnecessarily loading the radio outputs at high volume.
- Three-stage input sensitivity: adjustable per channel pair; highlevel up to 32 V, RCA up to 4 V.
- Time alignment: up to 20 ms delay per channel plus reverse time alignment for in-phase summation.
- Flexible routing: freely definable, with separate matrices for line, S/PDIF and HEC/AUX.
- HEC slot: for add-ons such as Bluetooth HD audio streaming and high-resolution USB audio streaming.
- Automatic digital signal detection: switches to the optical or coaxial input when a signal is present; can be disabled in DSP PC-Tool or switched manually by remote control.
- Power Save Mode: enabled by default – switches off the remote output and connected amplifiers after 60 seconds without input signal and restores it within about one second; timeout adjustable or mode disabled in DSP PC-Tool.
- Start-stop capability and ground lift: operation down to 6 V supply; ground lift switch reduces ground loops.
Inputs & Outputs
- Inputs: 8 x RCA/Cinch (sensitivity 2 / 3 / 4 V)
- Inputs: 8 x highlevel speaker input (sensitivity 4 / 7 / 11 V or 12 / 22 / 32 V) with ADEP.3
- Inputs: 1 x optical S/PDIF (12–96 kHz) and 1 x coaxial S/PDIF (12–192 kHz)
- Inputs: 1 x remote in
- 1 x HEC slot
- Outputs: 10 x RCA/Cinch with up to 8 V output voltage
- Outputs: 1 x remote out (max. 500 mA)
- Smart Control Port (SCP) for remote controls and accessories
DSP & Sound Tuning
- Two 64-bit audio signal processors, 2 x 295 MHz, 2.4 billion MAC operations per second
- Sampling rate 96 kHz (audio bandwidth above 40 kHz), frequency response 10 Hz – 44,000 Hz
- TuneEQ: one measurement per channel or channel pair (e.g. with the MTK1 microphone) adjusts the parametric equalisers (centre frequency, Q-factor, gain) to a reference curve
- ISA (Input Signal Analyzer) and channel-separated Input EQ for compensating factory radio signals
- RealCenter: centre signal from content common to the front channels, silent when only one channel carries signal, for a wider soundstage for driver and passenger
- Augmented Bass Processing: Dynamic Bass Enhancement (independent of head unit tone settings) and optional SubXpander (subharmonics in the 50–100 Hz range)
- Time alignment up to 20 ms per channel, plus reverse time alignment
- Up to ten sound setups
- Configuration with DSP PC-Tool 5
Installation & Connectivity Notes
- Operating voltage 9.6–17 V; max. 5 seconds down to 6 V – the switched-mode supply stays stable during engine cranking
- Accessories listed by the manufacturer for this model: DIRECTOR CREATE, CONDUCTOR, URC.1, URC.3, DIRECTOR display remote control, HEC HD-Audio USB Interface, HEC BT HD, HEC ANALOG IN and BT HD STREAMER
- Power Save Mode is useful in modern cars that keep the radio powered for up to 45 minutes after locking
- Ground lift switch and auto remote switch
Technical Specifications
| Inputs | 8 x RCA / Cinch 8 x Highlevel speaker input 1 x Optical SPDIF (12 – 96 kHz) 1 x Coax SPDIF (12 – 192 kHz) 1 x Remote In |
| Input sensitivity | RCA / Cinch 2 / 3 / 4 Volts Highlevel 4 / 7 / 11 or 12 / 22 / 32 Volts |
| Outputs | 10 x RCA / Cinch 1 x Remote Out |
| Output voltage | 8 Volts |
| Frequency response | 10 Hz – 44,000 Hz |
| DSP resolution | 64 Bit |
| DSP power | 2 x 295 MHz (2.4 billion MAC operations/second) |
| Sampling rate | 96 kHz |
| DSP type | 2 x Audio signal processor |
| Signal converters | A/D: AKM Velvet Sound 32 Bit D/A: AKM Velvet Sound 32 Bit |
| Signal-to-noise ratio digital input | 116 dB (A-weighted) |
| Signal-to-noise ratio analog input | 111 dB (A-weighted) |
| Total harmonic distortion (THD+N) digital input | < 0.0005 % |
| Total harmonic distortion (THD+N) analog input | < 0.001 % |
| IM distortion (IMD) digital input | < 0.002 % |
| IM distortion (IMD) analog input | < 0.004 % |
| Crosstalk | > 90 dB |
| Operating voltage | 9.6 – 17 Volts (max. 5 sec. down to 6 Volts) |
| Power rating | DC 12 V ⎓ 3 A max. |
| Current draw | 650 mA |
| Max. remote output current | 500 mA |
| Additional features | HEC slot, Ground lift switch, Smart Control Port, 32 Bit CoProcessor, ADEP.3 circuit, Auto Remote switch |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40 x 177 x 150 mm / 1.58 x 6.97 x 5.91“ |
Scope of Delivery
1 x Signal processor HELIX DSP PRO MK3
1 x Control Input-to-SCP adaptor
1 x USB cable
1 x Mounting material
1 x Instruction manual
