# New Cruze owner audio upgrade



## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Just picked up this 2015 LTZ yesterday and am wanting to upgrade the audio system. 

I have a few components that I saved from my last vehicle and am hoping to incorporate them into the new car.

Planning on keeping the factory deck but using aftermarket speakers and amps.

Here's a list of components I am planning on using.

Factory Cruze My Link Head Unit
miniDSP 2x4
miniDSP Isolator 
miniDSP 2 way advanced plugin
2-Dayton Audio RS180-4 7 Reference Woofer 4 Ohm
2-Seas Prestige 27TFFN/G Textile Dome Tweeter with Grill*
1-Kicker CRV in Factory Kicker box
1-Hifonics Juputer Series VII 
1-Memphis Audio 16-MC250D
1-PAC AA-GM44


Misc. Wiring:
17 feet of red power cable
6 feet of ground
3 RCA pairs
1 fuseblock
2 distribution blocks 
8-gauge cables

I've done a few installs in the past and have been wanting to do a build with miniDSP for quite a long time.

While this car will be my wife's daily commuter I am really looking forward to hearing what this all sounds like after its installed.

Thanks to XtremeRevolution for the awesome threads and write-ups!
















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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Welcome Aboard!:welcome: 

You should introduce yourself here.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Welcome to the cruze talk be cool stay cozy keep cruzen and best wishes with yer new audio install .


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

So after reading a few more of XR's posts I have decided to go with the Peerless/Silver Flute speaker combination which will leave some room in my budget for some sound deadening materials. I am also considering selling my current amps and sub to get something for appropriate for a SQ setup. The Silver Flutes are currently out of stock so that will give me some time to do more research and getting the rest of the materials ready.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

I ordered the minidsp stuff today along with the tweeters and Pac LOC. Tomorrow I plan on ordering the sound deadening materials and start researching boxes and subwoofers. I was just planning on using my kicker sub and box but I really want to do this build right.

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

The more research I do the more I want to order a couple 18" Peavey Black Widows and do an IB setup. If it was my daily driver I would totally do it. Being it's my wife's I better keep it simple.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

JerryGash said:


> I ordered the minidsp stuff today along with the tweeters and Pac LOC. Tomorrow I plan on ordering the sound deadening materials and start researching boxes and subwoofers. I was just planning on using my kicker sub and box but I really want to do this build right.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk


What's your budget for subs? How much space can you give up?


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

I'm trying to keep as much trunk space as possible. I traded in a 08' Impala SS for this Cruze so I am used to being able to haul bodies and groceries at the same time. Lol 

That said, ideally I would like have a box that will fit in the area directly behind the rear seats similar to the zenclosure box.









I would like to keep the costs of the total build around $1K so I probably can do $500-750 on the sub portion. 

I've been toying with the idea of building my own box but could really use some help with the design. I have a fairly decent tool selection including a table saw.

I am open to any suggestions you have.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

I recieved my tweeters and minidsp stuff over the weekend. Not sure why but I recieved 2 minidc isolators. 

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Looks like they gave up on being in stock mid may. It now says late may. Glad I'm not in a hurry to get this build done. 

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

I received my sound deadener from Don at SDS today. I'm temped to start popping the door panels and install it but it's probably best to wait till I get the woofers and speaker adapters before I start doing anything. I'm still trying to convince myself I don't need dual 18's with an IB setup like XR built but I really want to hear what it would sound like! I'll probably just use the Kicker sub and Memphis Audio 16-MC250D for the time being until I figure out what I really want. It seems like there are just too many choices. I guess I need to start thinking about how much trunk space I want to give up and go from there. My wife and I mostly listen to metal/rock so I guess I'm leaning towards a sealed box possibly with a pair of 10's???


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## Nightmistx22 (Mar 30, 2017)

I have decided to wait on my build until i get the woofers and baffles. Luckily I will be quite busy the next two weeks. 


As far as your sub dilemma is concerned you have the right idea... how much trunk space are you willing to give up. Right now I am looking at building a new box for my JBL P1022 so i can get the most out of it. oh the things I now know I wish I knew a few years ago.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

After a few weeks of debate I think I would like to build a sealed enclosure to house a single 15" Peavey Low Rider. I was temped to just use a pre built box and pick up a cpuple JL Audio 10w3v3's but I really want to build my own box and have something different and more cost effective.

I started messing around with Sketchup last night. I don't think making a sealed enclosure is going to be to terribly difficult. I'm not sure how I'm going to do the bracing yet though. 


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

JerryGash said:


> After a few weeks of debate I think I would like to build a sealed enclosure to house a single 15" Peavey Low Rider. I was temped to just use a pre built box and pick up a cpuple JL Audio 10w3v3's but I really want to build my own box and have something different and more cost effective.
> 
> I started messing around with Sketchup last night. I don't think making a sealed enclosure is going to be to terribly difficult. I'm not sure how I'm going to do the bracing yet though.
> 
> ...


I can help you with the box design. 

Do you have a router?


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> I can help you with the box design.
> 
> Do you have a router?


I don't have one but I have a buddy who has a fairly extensive wood working shop and has offered to help build the box. I thought about just buying my own router but he's already got a router table, table saw, dust collector, planer, lathe, and a bunch of other sweet gear. I might as well just build it there. I'll have to bring a 30 pack but it beats making a huge mess in my shop.

I'd appreciate the help XR.

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

JerryGash said:


> I don't have one but I have a buddy who has a fairly extensive wood working shop and has offered to help build the box. I thought about just buying my own router but he's already got a router table, table saw, dust collector, planer, lathe, and a bunch of other sweet gear. I might as well just build it there. I'll have to bring a 30 pack but it beats making a huge mess in my shop.
> 
> I'd appreciate the help XR.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk


Have a look through my imageshack album. Scroll down till you get to the images that start with "20130512" and you'll see how I designed and built my subwoofer enclosures. It would be best if you did this from a computer, not a mobile device. 

https://imageshack.com/user/XtremeRevolution

I'll model up some dimensions this week for you.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Haha! Holy crap! Definitely going to need a pc to get through all those pics. 

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

One thing is for sure.....I'm gonna need more clamps.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

I started messing around with Sketchup tonight and came up with this. It has a volume of 2.26 cubic ft. without accounting for the woofer or bracing.



I haven't had a chance to actually measure the trunk space or look for obstacles under the rear deck lid so I really have no idea if it will fit.

One thing that is of concern is that the vertical bracing gets very thin (1/4") towards the front of the box.


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## txcruze26 (Jul 7, 2015)

Looking forward to more updated, welcome.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Started sound deadening the trunk area with cld tiles today. It doesnt look pretty but they really make a huge difference when doing a "knock test" on the panels. I only took a "before" pic cause it's **** hot out. Before I put all the fasteners back in I'm going to install some foam in a few places mainly on the truck lid.










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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

This could be a mid life crisis kinda thing but after having the trunk tore apart I've decided to go a different route with the the subwoofers. This is going to be awesome!









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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Look what the FedEx guy dropped off today.









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## Nightmistx22 (Mar 30, 2017)

Nice! That should put some boom in the boot. 

Maybe I missed it.... but I thought you were going with a single 15 sealed. Looks like now your going with XRs IB setup.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I can't wait to hear your impressions once the install is done. 

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Nightmistx22 said:


> Nice! That should put some boom in the boot.
> 
> Maybe I missed it.... but I thought you were going with a single 15 sealed. Looks like now your going with XRs IB setup.


Lol! The IB setup just has so many advantages over a sealed enclosure it was kind of a no brainer. Cost was comparable, build time probably about the same, you get more than twice the cone area and use less trunk space than a sealed box would.

I play bass guitar and have played on Peavey Black Widows for years. Having a chance to hear a couple of 18's using the entire car as a cabinet kind of gave me a stiffy.

I also just ordered a CAB 1600.1 to power them. 

Certified:

4 Ohm 694W @ 14.4v
2 Ohm 1255W @ 14.2v
1 Ohm 1608W @ 14.2v

Hopefully Madisound gets their Silver Flute shipment soon!


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## bostonboy (Apr 8, 2015)

I still looking for an answer on where to grab an audio source from, on the amp before or after the amp in the rear?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

bostonboy said:


> I still looking for an answer on where to grab an audio source from, on the amp before or after the amp in the rear?


Most people I know just use the PAC AA-GM44.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

bostonboy said:


> I still looking for an answer on where to grab an audio source from, on the amp before or after the amp in the rear?


While I'm sure it's totally possibly to get it from before the factory amp, I'm using the PAC AA-GM44 just so I don't have to tap into any factory wiring.

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## Nightmistx22 (Mar 30, 2017)

If I the email I got from Madisound is accurate, late next week is when their shipment of Silver Flute woofers should come in.


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## bostonboy (Apr 8, 2015)

thanks where does this pac plug into? behind the stereo? or splice into the speaker wire? thanks guys too


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

bostonboy said:


> thanks where does this pac plug into? behind the stereo? or splice into the speaker wire? thanks guys too


Behind the stereo. 

http://amzn.to/2svFX2P


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## bostonboy (Apr 8, 2015)

PS I have the 9 speaker pioneer but I think you knew this w/ me saying about the amp in the back factory. I have read somewhere on this site that the front driver door is where this pac thingy should plug too because of the chime goes through this speaker. If this is the case doesn't that wire come from the amp back in the trunk? thanks again


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

This PAC harness plugs into the back of the radio and creates all of the connections for you without any cutting or splicing. Just run RCAs to the back as if you had an aftermarket head unit and you'll be all set. The front driver door is where the factory deck sends the signal for the door chimes and etc. You don't need to worry about that.


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## Nightmistx22 (Mar 30, 2017)

JerryGash said:


> Lol! The IB setup just has so many advantages over a sealed enclosure it was kind of a no brainer. Cost was comparable, build time probably about the same, you get more than twice the cone area and use less trunk space than a sealed box would.
> 
> I play bass guitar and have played on Peavey Black Widows for years. Having a chance to hear a couple of 18's using the entire car as a cabinet kind of gave me a stiffy.
> 
> ...





XtremeRevolution said:


> I can't wait to hear your impressions once the install is done.
> 
> Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk



I have a fairly eclectic taste in music, I'll listen to just about anything. Is this a good all around solution? How does this setup fair with synth bass e.g. EDM, rap, and dubstep? 

I'm not trying to go for massive SPL just the best SQ at a comfortable listening level.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

I recieved the CAB 1600.1 and my order for wiring from Knuconceptz.com today. The amp looks very nice and has all the features I need.

Now I just need the Silver Flutes, speaker rings, big 3 kit, wood/hardware for frame and baffle, and I'll be in business.

I might start running wire this weekend so the following weekend I can begin work on the frame and baffle.

I'm planning on taking plenty of pictures and starting a new thread being I have lost my flipping mind and am now running 18's.









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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Nightmistx22 said:


> I have a fairly eclectic taste in music, I'll listen to just about anything. Is this a good all around solution? How does this setup fair with synth bass e.g. EDM, rap, and dubstep?
> 
> I'm not trying to go for massive SPL just the best SQ at a comfortable listening level.


They are a bit raw. Very accurate, and therefore very revealing of bad recordings and synthetic bass. Synthesized bass really doesn't have a reference point, so you'll be hearing about the most accurate base you can, which may make some bass tracks sound...odd. You'll find yourself more looking forward to tracks with natural bass, as that's where these really shine. 

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

JerryGash said:


> I recieved the CAB 1600.1 and my order for wiring from Knuconceptz.com today. The amp looks very nice and has all the features I need.
> 
> Now I just need the Silver Flutes, speaker rings, big 3 kit, wood/hardware for frame and baffle, and I'll be in business.
> 
> ...


Once you realize what you achieved and how little space you had to give up to get it, it will all make sense. I don't think you've lost your mind, I think you've evaluated your listening preferences and have chosen the solution that provides the best sound quality achievable in a package that leaves an unbelievable amount of trunk space while delivering that sound with some serious authority. It's no SPL setup, it's the front row of a rock concert. 

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Once you realize what you achieved and how little space you had to give up to get it, it will all make sense. I don't think you've lost your mind, I think you've evaluated your listening preferences and have chosen the solution that provides the best sound quality achievable in a package that leaves an unbelievable amount of trunk space while delivering that sound with some serious authority. It's no SPL setup, it's the front row of a rock concert.
> 
> Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk


Haha! Thanks for the sanity check. It feels a little extreme installing subs this large on my wife's daily driver. ****, I've never had subs this big or have ever done this type of somewhat permanent install in a vehicle in all my life. I just turned 41 last week. All my friends think I'm crazy or am having some sort of "midlife crisis". 


That said, a few of them are now all of a sudden wanting to do after market systems in their vehicles. I helped my buddy with the wood working shop finish up a prototype for his "under the rear seat" box for his new truck. The JL Audio 12w4's he has had since 1998 didnt last long and ended up leaving behind chunks of foam under the box. LOL

But I agree with you 100 percent. 
This is truly the best use of space and hopefully the best sound quality system I could possibly build on this sort of budget. While I've pretty much blown over my $1k budget by 50 percent I think it will be money well spent. My wife commutes in this car well over 1.5 hours a day. There's not a single doubt in my mind she's going to be in audio bliss her entire commute.

Hopefully, she'll let me drive it every once in awhile so I can enjoy it too. 

Speaking of front row, I just realized I'm less than a month away from Rock Fest 2017 in Cadot WI. I'll be front row for Slayer, AX7, Rob Zombie, Korn, and Lamb of God.

I'm totally bummed about missing Metallica last week. Apparently, they are using some new Meyer Sound gear featuring an array of VLFC's that are playing at 17-32Hz and several arrays of tm-1100's.

Here's a pretty good article about it.
https://meyersound.com/news/metallica-vlfc/

Getting a little off topic but this gives you an idea of what my expectations are when I think of front row at a rock concert.

Also, check out some of Mick Hughes interviews on Youtube. They are very entertaining and somewhat informational when it comes to live sound environments.

So yeah, I'm pretty stoked to hear it's all going to sound. I wish I had more time during the week to work on it but my wife and I have opposite work schedules and she works every Saturday leaving me with only Sundays to get the work done. It'll probably take me quite a few Sundays but I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

You'll have fun with the build as long as you don't rush yourself. Just follow the build I put together. A few tips that may help you:

Get the latex backed cabinet fabric from parts express to cover the frame and baffle and glue it in place with 3m super 77 spray adhesive. Get a decent 1/2" drill bit and don't forget to use oil. Use 2x3 wood for the frame. When drilling out the bolt holes for the baffle, try to remember where your frame bolts are. Order your baffle-to-frame bolts ahead of time since it will be difficult to find the size you need in sufficient quantity locally. I had to drill out the baffle a bit so the bolts would go deeper since I couldn't find long enough ones. Measure the baffle after you've carpeted the frame and bolted it into place with the trunk liners back in. You'll need a circle jig for your router for the cutouts for the subs. If you don't have one, get one. Start thinking about grills for the subs. I bought the large heavy duty ones off parts-express but am not 100% sold on the mounts. Since my subs were flush mounted to the baffle, the mounts look awkward. 



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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> You'll have fun with the build as long as you don't rush yourself. Just follow the build I put together. A few tips that may help you:
> 
> Get the latex backed cabinet fabric from parts express to cover the frame and baffle and glue it in place with 3m super 77 spray adhesive. Get a decent 1/2" drill bit and don't forget to use oil. Use 2x3 wood for the frame. When drilling out the bolt holes for the baffle, try to remember where your frame bolts are. Order your baffle-to-frame bolts ahead of time since it will be difficult to find the size you need in sufficient quantity locally. I had to drill out the baffle a bit so the bolts would go deeper since I couldn't find long enough ones. Measure the baffle after you've carpeted the frame and bolted it into place with the trunk liners back in. You'll need a circle jig for your router for the cutouts for the subs. If you don't have one, get one. Start thinking about grills for the subs. I bought the large heavy duty ones off parts-express but am not 100% sold on the mounts. Since my subs were flush mounted to the baffle, the mounts look awkward.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice. I was wondering what I was going to use for grills. I didn't see any pictures of your setup with grills on so I didn't know you were using them.

Because the trunk will be used for hauling things quite frequently I definitely want grills. All the grills I have looked are seem to be designed for speakers not flush mounted. That said, maybe I should just not do the flush mount so the grills attach properly.



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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

JerryGash said:


> Thanks for the advice. I was wondering what I was going to use for grills. I didn't see any pictures of your setup with grills on so I didn't know you were using them.
> 
> Because the trunk will be used for hauling things quite frequently I definitely want grills. All the grills I have looked are seem to be designed for speakers not flush mounted. That said, maybe I should just not do the flush mount so the grills attach properly.
> 
> ...


It shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate some mounts for grills on flush mounted speakers, I just haven't had the time. 

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> It shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate some mounts for grills on flush mounted speakers, I just haven't had the time.
> 
> Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk


Sounds good. I'll order grills and carpet from PE this week. I was thinking instead of wrapping the frame with carpet I might just use Duplicolor Truck bed coating. It'll save me a little time also I'm horrible at gift wrapping so I can only imagine how bad I'd suck wrapping lumber with carpet. I don't think wrapping the baffle will be much of a problem though.

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Nightmistx22 said:


> If I the email I got from Madisound is accurate, late next week is when their shipment of Silver Flute woofers should come in.


Any day now....

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Finally! These are definitely quality speakers. The motors on them a huge! I can't wait to hear them. 

The wires are all ran am I'm shooting to get most of the install done on Sunday and Monday.

I'm ordering carpet and grills today and will start buying supplies for the frame and baffle sometime this week.































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## Nightmistx22 (Mar 30, 2017)

Wow they are looking nice. 


According to my tracking email, mine should be coming into tomorrow.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> It shouldn't be too difficult to fabricate some mounts for grills on flush mounted speakers, I just haven't had the time.
> 
> Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk


How about some neodymium magnets for the grills? They are steel so they should stick well. It wouldn't be to bad to sink 8 small magnets with the holes in them into the baffle so they are flush with the carpet.

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

This is gonna be fun.









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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Just a heads up, I used 2x3 for the frame. Hope you didn't buy 2x4. 

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

JerryGash said:


> How about some neodymium magnets for the grills? They are steel so they should stick well. It wouldn't be to bad to sink 8 small magnets with the holes in them into the baffle so they are flush with the carpet.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900R4 using Tapatalk


That's actually an excellent idea I hadn't even thought of. 

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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

JerryGash said:


> Finally! These are definitely quality speakers. The motors on them a huge! I can't wait to hear them.
> 
> The wires are all ran am I'm shooting to get most of the install done on Sunday and Monday.
> 
> ...


Well worth the wait IMO. The value of those drivers is just incredible. 

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> That's actually an excellent idea I hadn't even thought of.
> 
> Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk


Weird thing is, I was thinking about it. An hour later Mark at Car Audio Fabrication made a video about using magnets with his speaker box builds.

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Just a heads up, I used 2x3 for the frame. Hope you didn't buy 2x4.
> 
> Sent from my STV100-1 using Tapatalk


Those are 2x3. I've got pages of notes from your build. I'm not screwing this up.

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

It took 10 hours to get from a bare trunk to test bump.








































































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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Just needs carpet and it'll be good to go. I also need to fill the upper areas with fiberglass fill and seal off the rear deck somewhat.

I'm planning on building a nice amp rack next week sometime as well.

Fun stuff!
















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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

So after a few days of listening to the 18's I am starting to hear and feel them loosen up a little. It's amazing how stiff and tight they are when brand new.

Another thing I noticed is they are very accurate which really makes it easy to hear the differences between good and crappy audio sources. FM radio and streaming Pandora via Bluetooth is somewhat disappointing. Some tracks sound better than others of course but you can tell something is definitely missing. It might be about time to dig out the old CD collection!

I haven't tried using the headphone jack on my phone yet. Maybe that will help. It'll be interesting to hear the dynamic differences between an audio cable and bluetooth. 

I'm hoping this weekend I can find time to carpet the wall and finish up sealing the rear deck. I haven't even blocked off the factory speaker holes. It'll be interesting to hear the difference after that's done. I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to tell the difference.



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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

It's been awhile since the last update. I still need to treat the doors with sound deadening but the project is nearly complete. I've also ordered a bigger amp for the front stage. Instead of 35x4 I'll be running a Hertz ep4x which is rated at 100x4. It should make a fairly substantial difference in mid bass.







































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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Here it is with the new amp. Tight fit but it sounds great!









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## jie90561 (Aug 29, 2017)

JerryGash said:


> That said, a few of them are now all of a sudden wanting to do after market systems in their vehicles. I helped my buddy with the wood working shop finish up a prototype for his "under the rear seat" box for his new truck. The JL Audio 12w4's he has had since 1998 didnt last long and ended up leaving behind chunks of foam under the box. LOL


Heh, I have a pair of 12w4s (or maybe 8s?) and a single 15w4 in the garage, in sub boxes. Haven't been used in at least a decade.


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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Time for a long overdue update. I have made several equipment changes over the last year. What started it was the desire to hear what time alignment and eq would do for the subwoofers. I thought about adding another MiniDSP 2x4 but decided to just replace it with a MiniDSP C-DSP 6X8. This not only gave me control over my subs but also allowed me to upgrade my front stage to a 3 way active system.

Using a 3 way system allowed me to use larger drivers in the doors. I decided to use the Peerless 8" SLS. They were a VERY tight fit and required cutting the factory door panels. I was able to find some nice metal grills in eBay to protect them and still look fairly stock in appearance.

That's where things started to go from looking "stock" to mounting speaker pods right on the dash. 

For drivers I decided to go with the very popular and sexy looking Tang Band W3 1364a's and the Peerless NE25VTS silk dome tweeters. The "speaker pods" are actually PVC end caps that have been stuffed with polyfil and painted. They are currently just attached with Velcro. They were very rushed and unfinished but they sound great. Someday I would like to build some custom A-pillars to mount them in. For now the PVC pods will suffice.

Being the amp I was using for the 2 way system was only a 2 channel, I replaced it with a PPI 600.2 and. PPI 900.4. The 600.2 powers the 8" door speakers and the 900.4 powers the mids and highs.

I was fairly happy with this system but always knew the factory HU and LOC were the weakest link in my signal path. The output, while was very clean even turned to max had low voltage. While I would have liked to have just replaced it with an aftermarket deck, I decided to keep it installed and just use an alternative source for listening to music.

I ended up choosing an Android tablet. The Nexus 7 was the obvious choice here. The main reason was, while using a custom Kernel it allowed the tablet to charge and use the USB Audio output at the same time. It also allows me to have up to 4 hard drives hooked up at once along with camera support.

Now, instead of having an analog signal path, I am able to run a digital signal via USB all the way to the back of the car where it connects to a portable USB DAC. From the DAC I used SPDIF to feed the digital input on my DSP, and then very short RCA cables from the DSP to the 3 amplifiers. 

Here's the cool part. Using the tablet took away my ability to pair my phone with the factory HU right? Nope. I kept analog signal from the HU hooked up to the DSP. The DSP allows you to run the analog and digital signals at the same time! 

I can still pair my phone to the factory HU for hands free calling. Bonus!

I'm still working on getting everything tuned and have more ideas for things I'd like to change. I'm considering trying some different subwoofers and possibly building some sealed door pods for the 8" drivers.

That will be another post. To be continued....

How about some pictures?!!



































































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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Man this really needs updated again!

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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Being I've never built a speaker box before i decided to try and build the most difficult shape and design possible. Lol

These ended up with far less volume than in had hoped but still seem to work OK.

Admittingly, after I realized they were going to be much smaller than I hoped i rushed the finish.

They were still fun to build and a great learning experience.


























































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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Ugly but finished. 8" Peerless SLS midbass.









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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

How about some new gear?

Taramps HD3000 for the subs
Helix DSP.2 with HEC-USB and URC.3






























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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

Let's try some different subs!

Dayton Um18-22's 

Had to modify the bracing and baffle to get them to fit.

These things are beasts!






























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## JerryGash (May 5, 2017)

I'll never be done with this car.
Let's replace the Tang Band w3-1364sa's with some higher end drivers.

How about some Stereo Integrity M3's?

Aren't they sexy? They sound as good as they look!









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