Radio Upgrade Time

[03cobra#2]

My 6 disc changer finally quit working. Unit is locked up, and won't respond to any command to get the disc's out. Also couple of the interior speakers are sounding a little distorted so it's probably time to replace those as well. At this point I guess I'll ditch the factory Mach 460 all together. So here's the plan:

1. Run a inexpensive Android head unit. This will allow me to install the Shadow Dash application and run it off the MS3 Pro so I can have ecu information in the screen while driving.

2. Replacing the front speakers with a 6.5 component set (Kicker Q), putting the tweeters inside the upper door pods. Back speakers will be a less expensive set of Kicker CS component set.

3. Subwoofer duty will be handled by a pair of Stereo Integrity SQL 12" subs, in a .89 cubic ft box per side.

4. Subwoofer duty will be a Taramps Smart 3 Bass for the subs, and a Taramps 4ch for the highs.

I started by removing the factory radio, emptied out the trunk, and removed the rear speaker grills. Tomorrow I plan on removing the door panels to get the front speakers out, and applying sound deadening in the trunk area in the trunk. I allready have a 0 gauge run to the trunk and a kmj 200 amp alternator. Hopefully the electrical is enough.

 

[01yellercobra]

2 12's should definitely bump.

 

[03cobra#2]

A little sound deadening. Parts ordered and arriving in the next few days.

 

[03cobra#2]

The front components came in. These are the nicest component speakers I've ever had. Kicker Q class.

The Tweeters fit perfectly in the Mach 460 pods.

The crossovers are huge

The speaker wire arrives today so I'll be able to start throwing everything in. The subs may take a bit to arrive but it will be worth the wait. I decided on these: dual 4 ohm coils with the optional carbon fiber dust caps.

SQL Series – StereoIntegrity.com

stereointegrity.com

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

i ran a little over 1000watts worth of amps on the stock alternator for like 83k miles and only got some headlight dimming at full tilt.

I'll be interested to see the MS3 display on the head unit.

i ended up doing the underside of the trunk lid in sound deadner to kill a good chunk of the rattle.

 

[mysticsvt]

3K might need a little more electrical than that alt. Extra car battery might do it, Lithium is better of course. Most don't want to deal with that.

 

[03cobra#2]

3K might need a little more electrical than that alt. Extra car battery might do it, Lithium is better of course. Most don't want to deal with that.

Well see how it goes. I have a kmj 200 amp alternator, and the big 3 done. If I have to I'll upgrade the under hood battery. Tyring not to add toooo much weight.

 

[mysticsvt]

Well see how it goes. I have a kmj 200 amp alternator, and the big 3 done. If I have to I'll upgrade the under hood battery. Tyring not to add toooo much weight.

I understand, If you ran lithium you could do a battery delete upfront and lessen the weight and run the car and the system easily.

Imagine the weight of my enclosure and two 15" Sundown Audio ZV6's...lol.

 

[98 svt]

You're adding like 200lbs with all that stuff, what's another 30lbs? Haha

I like the Kenwood radios. 700 Series and up for the most part.

 

[03cobra#2]

Yeah, I'm probably about +150 lbs. The sub boxes are very simple small sealed enclosures.

Doing a bit of research it seems the android head units don't give the best sound quality via the RCA outputs. Looks like there are a couple units that are priced higher but offer a coaxial digital input that can be connected to a dsp that will be much better sound quality. It would be a shame to put all this nice equipment in and have it sound like garbage from a $95 android unit. So I'm looking at this:

https://www.minidsp.com/products/ca...ervSEdUf76J7ZeR2BSJM7VhxNJRoCZDYQAvD_BwE[/URL

JOYING 7 Inch Touchscreen Double Din Car Stereo Android 10 Octa Core Car Navigation in-Dash Car Audio Receiver 4GB+64GB Newest UI Support Butoon 7-Color/Android Auto/DSP/FM https://a.co/d/cQm7prH

 

[vr4]

I have stereo integrity everything and wont go back. loving their products.

 

[03cobra#2]

I have stereo integrity everything and wont go back. loving their products.

I am very excited for the subwoofers to arrive. In the mean time I ordered up a Joying 7" Android Head unit and a Alpine Optim 6 DSP. Plan is to use a digital coax connection from the head unit to the dsp.

I think I'll get everything wired up and see how the system sounds without the subs after doing the sound correction ect. I bet it will sound really good without the subs.

Sound deadening is in, front components are in, and I'll be installing the rear comoenents this evening. Once I get all the interior speakers in, and the head unit in and get all the wires back there I'll start to figure out how I want to display / mount the amps.

 

[mysticsvt]

How do you plan to set your gains?

 

[03cobra#2]

Old school way. I'll start at half or 3/4 and run the correction software with microphone and see how it goes. Eventually I'll bust out the multimeter and do it that way. Not trying for cometerion sound. Just want it to sound clear and hit hard.

 

[mysticsvt]

Old school way. I'll start at half or 3/4 and run the correction software with microphone and see how it goes. Eventually I'll bust out the multimeter and do it that way. Not trying for cometerion sound. Just want it to sound clear and hit hard.

Never used a mic. I’ve had good luck with Oscopes and DD1’s. Oscope is 50 bucks on Amazon. Allows you too see clipping. Need to see what volume your head unit clips at. Then tune your amps at that volume, bass knob at max. Mine is 37 out of 40 so tuned at that volume. DD1 is expensive but detects distortion and light cones on. Like the oscope better actually.

 

[03cobra#2]

Never used a mic. I’ve had good luck with Oscopes and DD1’s. Oscope is 50 bucks on Amazon. Allows you too see clipping. Need to see what volume your head unit clips at. Then tune your amps at that volume, bass knob at max. Mine is 37 out of 40 so tuned at that volume. DD1 is expensive but detects distortion and light cones on. Like the oscope better actually.

Well it's a digital signal from the head unit to dsp so there should be no clipping from there. Probably need to check from the dsp to amps. Ill look into what you suggested. Thanks!

 

[98 svt]

I used a Kicker 800.5 amp when I did my stereo. 75w x4 and 500w x1
The gain knob actually blinks when clipping is picked up by the amp. It was all pretty simple to tune in really, and the simplicity of one amp.
Mounted it where the Mach stuff was.

 

[03cobra#2]

Had to get a little creative here. Since I have a light bar on the car I did not want to remove it to get the back side panels off to access the rear speakers.....so I just popped off the speaker grills. The top ones are easy, they just clip in. The lower ones however are actually plastic welded into place, so you actually have to break the plastic welds to get the grills off. Here was my solution to reinstall them and actually make them removable.

I drilled out the tabs and installed rubber grommets. Then added posts on the the grills so now they just pop on and off.

 

[03cobra#2]

Here is where I have trouble....in the creativity department. I don't want to get too elaborate.
First thought is to cut a pice of wood to fit in between the 2 boxes and mount them just like this, nice and simple.

The speaker boxes are easily removable just in case I have to get to the spare or just want the subs out if I need the trunk for anything... so that's a plus. Open to ideas here.

On a side note I ran 2 pair or RCA cables, a 14 gauge wire for remote power on, a 0 gauge for main power, and 1 RCA video cable to use for the digital coax. When the head unit arrives I'll run 1 USB cable to the MS3 Pro, and 1 to the center console so I can plug my phone in and hide it out of site.

 

[01yellercobra]

How easy is it to get the subs out of the amps are screwed down right there? Do you want the amps visible?