Finished audio project...FINALLY
 

just wanted to share my project...a month in the making. sorry theres no actual build pics, since i was doing this slowly and didnt really feel like dirtying up my camera. but here goes:

not shown...Crescendo Audio CCX65 components. the midbass is strong and clear, and the tweets (at -3db on the crossovers) are clear and not overly bright. i took a huge gamble buying these based on little reviews on the interwebs, but hey..for 90bucks shipped i wanted to see what they could do. would definitely buy them again!

also, the entire car is covered in RAAMat BXTII, and ensolite (my entire interior was removed and each piece was covered in ensolite). also had the windows tinted 50% ceramic while the interior was out :)

next...Pioneer X920BT with nav bypass and AUX/USB/3.5mm mounted plugs:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/...12ec241b_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/...385c484a_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5129/...e47b6ee4_b.jpg

next...JL XD400-4...this thing is tiny. about the size of a paperback book (but about 2.5inches thick) and puts out 100 watts to each of my comps, and 200 watts to my sub:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5086/...30140814_b.jpg

and finally...Image Dynamics ID8 in my custom fiberglass box. yea this 8" is louder than the 10" elemental designs in my daily driver (corner loading ftw):
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5170/...91cbef37_b.jpg
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I really like where you mounted the amp and especially like the sub utilizing that otherwise useless indent. Can you now shake your doors loose and break windows? JK!

Wow clean build! I immediately noticed your amp. How is it? I currently have 2x NINE.2 amps for the components and sub, but would like to scale things down some day. Do you think it can handle a single 12W6? I don't really bump my music and prefer having moderate natural sounding bass.

if you wanted to downsize you could run a single XD600-1 (600watts RMS @ 2ohm, 400watts RMS @4ohm), and a XD200-2 (75watts RMS x 2 @ 4ohm) . the 600-1 is the same size as my 400-4, and the 200-2 is a few inches smaller! you could easily fit these 2 amps where the foam piece between the strut bar and wheel archs are...(where the OEM Bose amps are)

i realize alot of people think JL is overpriced, but you really cannot beat the size/output of these amps. after some research @ diymobileaudio.com i settled with the XD series...small, efficient, cool, and awesome sound. i purchased mine from al-eds.com and they pricematched the lowest price on the internet! (they're also an authorized JL reseller, so warranty is valid)

this is exactly what i wanted! but a shop quoted 2000 for subs on both sides and a amp and dynamat on hatch and trunk... so i didnt go for it

if you can spare a few weeks in the spring time you can do it for a fraction of the cost. the RAAMat and ensolite (sound deadener and foam sound deadener) cost me a grand total of 150 shipped (enough for the entire car, minus the floor boards. i did the entire top hatch for the hell of it since i had extra

the fiberglass enclosure took me 3 weeks (it rained for 2 of those weeks). i would do some work, then let it dry for a day or two, even though i put enough hardener, the 40 degree weather and moist air did not help drying. i spent about 100 in materials to make the enclosure - 30 for a respirator (fiberglass resin/dust is not lung friendly), fiberglass cloth and mat for around 30, resin for about 20, paint brushes and gloves took up the rest.

Rear (side) sub enclosure
 

What holds the sub enclosure in place in the event of a accident?

i havent exactly figured out a way to safely secure the enclosure yet...but im currently using these:

Clear Hook-and-Loop Superlock™ Fasteners (4-Pack) - RadioShack.com

basically its velcro, but 10x stronger. temporary solution of course. the mold is also slightly bigger, so i had to cram the damn thing in, so we'll see what i can rig up!

Really love that you went with the ID sub NICE!!!

bahaha..that thing has been sitting in my closet for a month waiting to go in. everytime i get dressed for work i was thinking. "i cant wait to hear how this thing sounds"

figured you'd like it :icon17:

and finally...Image Dynamics ID8 in my custom fiberglass box. yea this 8" is louder than the 10" elemental designs in my daily driver (corner loading ftw):
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5170/...91cbef37_b.jpg[/QUOTE]

Do you have to remove the sub enclosure to access the spare tire?
Also, is their approx. a 1" clearance behind the sub speaker and the back of the sub enclosure? If so, I may be interested in the fab process for the sub enclosure.

i added another pic above..the enclosure does not impede access to the spare tire nor the tools/jack. i purposely built it so i could easily access the tools and the spare tire (hence why i went with an 8" sub). im not a bass head, just need some bass to fill in the low end frequencies so this was a good setup for me. theres probably 2-3inches worth of space behind the sub as well, so i could've used a different a different more SPL oriented sub, but im all about sound quality, hence the ID8.

the pic does show that there is a minor gap though, which is because of the vinyl wrap, and the hook and loop straps (velcro), but if i could do it over, i wouldve made the mold slightly smaller to account for the added thickness of the wrap

Nice install! And a good clean fit in that small compartment - I guess a lot of sub builders don't realize that you can fit an 8 or even a shallow 10 neatly in that spot and still have good enclosure volume! And keep your trunk space! Great job!

RAAMat supplier
 

Where did you purchase the RAAMat BXT II and ensolite?

Very Nice.

RAAMat & Ensolite Quantity
 

[QUOTE=chops;882881]if you can spare a few weeks in the spring time you can do it for a fraction of the cost. the RAAMat and ensolite (sound deadener and foam sound deadener) cost me a grand total of 150 shipped (enough for the entire car, minus the floor boards. i did the entire top hatch for the hell of it since i had extra

How much of the RAAMat & ensolite did you order? Who did you order it from?

i ordered half a pack of raamat and 4 sheets of ensolite. i ordered through the owner rick directly at diymobileaudio.com - he is a vendor there and offers a discount for members.

however, if you were to literally do the entire car, i would recommend the entire pack (i didnt cover the floor area, nor the entire doors. just strategically placed areas in the door/door card. i didnt want to cover any bolts). 4 sheets of ensolite should be enough to cover the entire hatch, trunk of hatch, and every interior panel though

Why not pull the sub out screw the box to the panel, and put the sub back in?

RAAMat placement
 

Where did you strategically install the RAAMat? Any pics?

nice install! I was thinking about building a fiberglass box in the front corner of the hatch behind the drivers seat in between the wheel well and back of the seat with the sub pointing towards the hatch. do you have any experience with fiberglass? This will be my first

wow, this is really clean! I now want a similar setup...

When you installed the Pioneer AVIC X920BT, did you have to buy something to get the tight fit or does it fit perfectly where the OEM stereo went?

Nice install

itd be a pain in the *** if i ever wanted to remove it haha

after some research i found a website that sold no bs sound deadening solutions..

Sound Deadener Showdown - Your Source for Sound Deadening Products and Information

after watching the videos and reading the "research" he conducted. i realized you dont need to completely cover the entire cabin with sound deadener. small pieces placed on panels can kill resonance fairly effectively. what i did cover everything in was ensolite (closed cell foam). sorry no pictures of the install as i was working in the dark (dimly lit garage) most of the time

this was my first attempt at fiberglassing. if i can do it...so can you. just remember that it gets messy and you're gonna throw away a few shirts after its all said and done. make sure you also buy a 40 dollar respirator at home depot or your favorite hardware store. those fumes will get you high as a kite.

nope...i used the stock nismo/base brackets and dash. nothing special was done! it looks great, and there is a slight gap, but you really cannot notice it

So with the base model Z the fit should be the same right? Last question, were you able to use the controls on the steering wheel?

My tax money is going to my audio project...

Thanks

yes..base model has the same shoddy radio :tiphat:

as for steering wheel controls, yes they do work. i used the metra axxess steering wheel control. manually programmed of course - however there is a quirk with the way pioneer designed their radios in that, when listening to the radio, (any steering wheel controller will do this be it the PAC or the AXXESS) when clicking the rocker up to change the preset, it will actually tune to the next station instead of the preset. while in CD or iPod mode, the rocker will work as usual. Click up to change to next track, and hold up to fast forward. to get around this, i manually programmed the "Source" button on the steering wheel control to preset up, since i dont really see the need in a source button. its easy enough to click ipod or FM radio on the screen..

Thanks for the quick reply, just ordered it..

Amazing quality. I wish I had the ability to make this for both sides. I have a weird need for things to be symmetrical.

Something like this! http://www.the370z.com/audio-video/6...ure-build.html

So how did you tackle this if it was your first time?? Just do a lit of research with reading and videos?

totally gonna bite off your idea of where your sub is mounted. for a few days i've been pondering that location dilemma for a while since trunk space will always be something in the back of my mind haha. great work!

If you want to save some more space, you may consider mounting the sub inside out. That way the basket and magnet assembly don't take up air space in the enclosure. That's how mine are mounted and I was able to make it kinda compact.

do you have pics?