Santiago's sound system build out, stealth SQ build!

[santiagodraco]

Hopefully this is the right forum for this, but we'll see if the hand of god comes and smacks my thread to another dimension

So, I've gotten my parts and started the project. My overriding goal was twofold. 1) sound quality. 2) completely invisible even with all the doors open (ie looks stock).

Components:

Alpine PHA-H800 sound processor with RUX-H800 remote
Alpine PDX-V9 5 channel amp (100x4, 500x1) front tweeters, midbass and sub)
Alpine PDX-F4 Center channel and rear fill speakers
Hybrid Audio Technology Clarus 6.5 midbass (front door)
Hybrid Audio Technology Legatia L1Pro R2 ring tweeter (front dash)
Hybrid Audio Technology Legatia L3V2 (front center dash)
Hybrid Audio Technology Imagine 6.5 (rear fills)
More Ultimo SC 12" Sub

Alpine Processor and remote:

Alpine PDX amps (each looks identical and they stack):

Legatia L1ProR2 tweeters


Hybrid Clarus 6.5 midbass

Morel Ultimo SC 12 Subwoofer

Future gear:
Samsung HomeSync to play streaming video and other media wired via HDMI to composite video+SPDIF into the Infiniti video in and PHA-H800 aux digital audio in (for full 5.1 video viewable via the dash screen).

Current Capabilities Audio:
2. channel stereo
5.1 surround sound
Dolby PLXII
Dolby Digital
DTS

Connections:
Stock headunit (made by Clarion for those that care) line out 4 channel ---> Alpine PHA-H800 processor ---> Alpine PDX amps.

Sub and amps:
(photos soon once build starts on this piece)
In the rear deck we're building a sub enclosure that will be the bottom half of the spare tire area (ie half moon) with height to the top of the lower lip. The other side of the half moon will host the amps/processor on a raised floor that places the amps at the same height as the sub with a trim panel flush mounted with the amps. This creates a flat first floor across the tire area. On top of this will be a second floor layer that will cover an area equal to the removable cover. This removable cover will have cutouts for the sub and amps and two venting fans for the amp area. On top of this will be strong mesh then covered by sound permeable carpet. In essense this is a full enclosed carpeted sub/amp area that has a removable false floor. With the floor on you see the normal deck. With the floor off you see a same size area carpeted the same but with the sub and amps/processor visible.


Progress shots:
Stage 1 today: Door speakers and sound deadening of rear deck and doors (not much is needed in the doors, these things are rocks and fully sealed! Infiniti I love you!)
Note the left door has had the stock speaker replaced by the Clarus with an MDF spacer ring. Also note how the door is fully sealed, no holes to fill in here!

Note the silver GTMat deadener applied. I added this just because... but I can tell you these doors are solid. Almost no resonance when knocking on them.

Passenger side without deadener and with stock speaker still in.


Rear deck with deadener applied (this was really necessary - lots of resonance/vibrations before the deadener):

Lots more to come. Shots of the enclosure, speakers, parts and the cool hidden Alpine RUX-H800 controller. Can you guess where it's hidden in the car? :D

 

[Fire0nic3FX]

I did a sound deadening project last year. I forget where I posted it. But another good thing to do and I noticed a difference was taking the metal panel off the door and applying the deadening to the outer door skin. BIG difference!

 

[santiagodraco]

I did a sound deadening project last year. I forget where I posted it. But another good thing to do and I noticed a difference was taking the metal panel off the door and applying the deadening to the outer door skin. BIG difference!

I was afraid someone would point that out.... we were hoping it wouldn't be necessary. But if you say it helped... well I guess I'll be dissasembling door panels tomorrow.

Was there any issues with the motor assembly and such or did you simply pull the bolts and have easy access?

 

[Fire0nic3FX]

The back rear doors there is no panel to remove just the clear plastic moisture barrier. Remove that which is easy and you'll have access right away.

The front doors are a total pain in the ass. If you remove those metal panels on the front door you need to make sure someone is holding the glass or it will fall inside after the bolts for that panel are removed. After that its all easy.

You don't need to deaden the other door skins but it will make a more noticeable difference. For me when I did it, the stock sound system sound 40% better than before. It also makes the doors close like a bank vault.

---------- Post added at 12:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 AM ----------

No issues with the motor assembly either

 

[Logan]

Sound deadening aside the system components look tight. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on performance when the project is complete!

 

[GetLuckiFX]

This sounds like a great project and love your list. Can't wait to see it all put together.

 

[jdTrader]

moved from FX community

 

[Ed@TunerStore]

Great items:good:. Where are you going to mount tweeters?

 

[turbocad6]

niiice, I'm a big SQ freak and many of my previous cars have had nice music, never got around to it in the fx though... awesome choice of components man, do it once and do it right...

I won't bore you with all the reasons why I personally wouldn't do a surround system with a wimpy center channel because I know you're set on doing that and truth is unless you're a real diehard sq enthusiast I'm sure you'll be happy with it anyway, but about the only advice I'll give you is simple,:

vibration creates sound

that's what speakers do and how they create the sound you hear. ANYTHING else that vibrates that is NOT the speaker itself will be like mud on a clear window pane and will be a negative to the sound you are trying to recreate. to eliminate sound in a vehicle is impossible but reducing the worse offenders will go a long way towards helping to remove the negative vibrations that ruin the perfect sound your expensive speakers are trying to reproduce.

realize that the difference between a $1,000 set of components and a $100 set of components are not as far from each other as you may think. also realize that a $100 set of components installed the right way will sound BETTER than a $1,000 set just "installed" and you'll realize that not adding some dampening to your front enclosures(doors) is just wasting the potential of those fine speakers you have. you should at least add some dampening to the doors and then anything else that vibrates excessively. not dampening the doors will really be a big waste. the install is MORE important than the components themselves when it comes to speakers.

the reason why your speakers are soo much more expensive than cheaper speakers is simply because your speakers are engineered to more precisely control the vibrations it can produce. that's it... exotic cone material, high tolerance voice coils and exotic magnet structures are all really done for that one reason and that one reason alone, to better and more precisely control the vibrations it can produce from the electrical impulses it recieves... if you throw a high end speaker in a tin box that resonates you've just completely negated all the "betterness" of that speaker and you may as well just use a cheaper, less accurate driver...

 

[santiagodraco]

niiice, I'm a big SQ freak and many of my previous cars have had nice music, never got around to it in the fx though... awesome choice of components man, do it once and do it right...

I won't bore you with all the reasons why I personally wouldn't do a surround system with a wimpy center channel because I know you're set on doing that and truth is unless you're a real diehard sq enthusiast I'm sure you'll be happy with it anyway, but about the only advice I'll give you is simple,:

vibration creates sound

that's what speakers do and how they create the sound you hear. ANYTHING else that vibrates that is NOT the speaker itself will be like mud on a clear window pane and will be a negative to the sound you are trying to recreate. to eliminate sound in a vehicle is impossible but reducing the worse offenders will go a long way towards helping to remove the negative vibrations that ruin the perfect sound your expensive speakers are trying to reproduce.

realize that the difference between a $1,000 set of components and a $100 set of components are not as far from each other as you may think. also realize that a $100 set of components installed the right way will sound BETTER than a $1,000 set just "installed" and you'll realize that not adding some dampening to your front enclosures(doors) is just wasting the potential of those fine speakers you have. you should at least add some dampening to the doors and then anything else that vibrates excessively. not dampening the doors will really be a big waste. the install is MORE important than the components themselves when it comes to speakers.

the reason why your speakers are soo much more expensive than cheaper speakers is simply because your speakers are engineered to more precisely control the vibrations it can produce. that's it... exotic cone material, high tolerance voice coils and exotic magnet structures are all really done for that one reason and that one reason alone, to better and more precisely control the vibrations it can produce from the electrical impulses it recieves... if you throw a high end speaker in a tin box that resonates you've just completely negated all the "betterness" of that speaker and you may as well just use a cheaper, less accurate driver...

Agree completely. I have (and always had) intentions to do a full on sound deadening exercise on the car. I have tons of MLV (some already in, more to come) along with closed cell foam liner for the floors under the carpet (which will be over mlv). I expect to have a nice sound tight car ready to rock and roll.

Btw, for my center channel I'll be running HAT a HAT Legatia L3v2, so the center will be anything but wimpy in this setup

The enclosure is coming along nicely. I'm a bit worried I might be a bit under volume (Morel calls for .9 cu ft for the SE, but most feel 1.25 is ideal) for the enclosure, but with my processor and a bit of polyfill I should be good.

I can't wait!

 

[turbocad6]

when I say wimpy, I mean strictly in comparison to you're left and right front stage... unless your center channel is equal in every sense to your left and right front stage throughout the whole frequency spectrum that it is reproducing then it will not be 100% adequate as a center channel. it will work and it will sound "good", but if you really know what you are listening for you will hear the difference as a voice or sound originates on one side, then pans across the front stage to the other side... as this voice or sound is handed off from one side to the center it will change and then change again as it continues to the other side... most people aren't even going to notice or think anything of it unless it was pointed out in a demonstration while auditioning the system.

when you're done with the system listen specifically for this, and you may see what I mean with the right source material. if you then switch it to phantom center you will see the difference. again this all depends on how discerning and critical your ear is and how intent you are in trying to reproduce as accurate a stage as you can. most people are not going to ever realize the difference but a true audiophile will and if you're a critical listener then it will sound better in phantom center mode than it will with that center channel actually working...

 

[santiagodraco]

Understood. Interestingly enough the center won't be in immediately so I will have a chance to audition with a phantom center. We'll see how it sounds.

Now I need to find more ccf/mlv.

 

[blackfx]

That is gonna be a crazy good sounding system. Im a big fan of Alpine myself. They make good quality stuff for the price. All I have done is Boston tweeters and an Alpine sub. Lol. Would insulation in the doors and around the dash speakers help the stock stuff?

 

[santiagodraco]

In the doors definitely. The doors will have a dampener applied (reduces vibration/resonance) on the outer skin + a sound barrier (to reduce sound from outside) + a speaker backwave diffuser behind the midbass.

The dash speakers don't really need much since they are tweeters.

One area that is a huge noise/vibration generator is the rear deck underneath the spare tire. I've fully dampened the areas that need it and will be adding a layer of closed cell foam to block sound. I'm doing the same with the floor under the carpets in the car when I have a chance to pull the seats. A lot of vibrations come up through the floor.

Lastly if I get ambitious I'll pull the headliner and dampen the roof. We'll see :D

Super excited about the project. The install should be completely finished by Wednesday. Well most should be done before then but I'm waiting on the PDX-F4 amp to be delivered. I have all the rest of the parts.

Thanks!

 

[santiagodraco]

Ok a few update shots. So far things are coming along. The Hybrid Clarus are in the doors and the doors are closed and completed (except that I will need to do further dampening). The RUX-H800 remote is installed in the overhead (see pics) and the lead run back. Tweeters are almost done, just waiting for the arrival of the Hat L1Pro R2 ring tweeters, probably Tuesday. For now using a set of L1Pro regulars to prep the mounts. They will be angled from the shot below. Lastly the base rear enclosure is in progress. Very rough at this point as you can see, but it will come together fairly quickly over the next day or two. Additional fiberglass is being applied along with additional internal reinforcement. The amp/process/media player deck needs to be added and the false floors fitted.

 

[santiagodraco]

Some updates of the work in progress:



Don't mind the dust!



These will be mounted up on a sub floor, then another floor over them with a mesh cover, then a main floor over everthing that will look completely stock.

 

[angeljr8282]

Looking good

 

[Ed@TunerStore]

Looks nice. Great job:good:

PS I PM'd you

 

[RIPnFX]

Nice looks good so far

 

[la_fx35]

Nice work. Keep the pics coming :good: