# (Build 2.0) Niebur3's 2012 Acura TSX SE *DEMO CAR* SQ Build Log - Dynaudio/Sinfoni



## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

This is a 2.0 build Log for my 2012 Acura TSX SE.

The build is completed!

I never intended the build to take as long as it did, but there were many factors that contributed to the lengthy build and changes throughout (Life, equipment issues, and the ability to become a dealer again for (IMHO) the best amplifiers on the planet......SINFONI!!!!!)

Equipment List

*Source*
Factory Head Unit
iPod and Bluetooth control via the factory head unit

*Speakers*
Tweeters - Sinfoni Maestoso T25T
Midrange - Dynaudio MW152
Midbass - Dynaudio Esotar2 650
Subwoofer - Sinfoni Capriccio C250.2SW

*Amplifiers*
Tweeters/Midrange - Sinfoni Presto Ad-Lib.
Midbass - Sinfoni Presto Ad-Lib.
Subwoofer - Sinfoni Grave

*Processor*
Alpine PXA-H800 Processor
Alpine RUX-C800 Controller

*Capacitor*
IXOS CA670 5-Farad

Feel Free to ask questions or comment on my equipment list 

Again.......The Car (some of the initial pics will be redundant as I rehash what the car and parts I kept the same for the final build)










Door Panel










Sail Panel










Kick Area (panel removed)










Trunk










Now, on to the build!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

*Various Wiring Pics.
*
All wires were secured and covered in techflex.



























































































*Moving the Fusebox!*























































On to less boring stuff.....


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Doors:

Testing the fitting









Taking a little off the top!









Deadening

























Both side were done the same way (won't show)

Trim rings

















650's Mounted

















With the Door Panel on, looks 100% factory!!!!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Sails are next!!!!

Started off with the factory sail....


















*My wife drinks a lot of Diet Coke...this is my idea of recycling.*













































*After some sanding and shaping (and body filler)*




























*SEM Texture and Satin Paint*





































*Sinfoni Tweeters Mounted*



















*And before comments about the silver tweeters, I have lots of silver accents throughout (Door handle, paddle shifters, around the speedo and tach, on and on)*


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

On to the Kicks!!!!

I started building standard kicks that stuck out pretty far, but (no offense to anyone here) but I hate those pods that stick out like a sore thumb and wanted to do something non-factory, but more discrete. I don't even need the space, just went for a look and this is what I came up with.

Started cutting. Good things happen when you start cutting metal !










*Look what I found. A cavity...time to fiberglass!*














































*I incorporated a portion of the foot rest (dead pedal) for aesthetics and to cover the hole in the carpet left by removing the foot rest....it is not intended to have your foot rested on it*



















*The factory grill wasn't planned at first....but it fits so perfect!!!!*





































*Final Pics*


















































These were also textured and painted. They barely stick out at all form the carpet and I'm very happy with how they turned out.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

On to the Trunk....

Rear Deck Treated:









Initial Structure:































































Trim Pieces...























































*NOTE: This detail was done for matching of the seat inserts and door panel inserts*



















*Made a "floating" piece for the amps to mount to*



























*Mounted the amps....Stole the spacer idea from Bing (Thanks BTW)*



















Amps Mounted in the well.










*On to the sub box....Not a lot of pics...but you get the idea*




























*The rest of the trunk consists of the processor, capacitor, and woofer.*










*And lots of trim pieces.*




























*Had to make a piece for the underside of the package shelf*









*Lots of Trunk Pics:*








































































Now to the backseat!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Still had an amp to mount...



















*The posts allow me to change speakers to amps without having to tear anything apart.*

*Final Trim Piece....*



















*And last would be the controller for the H800 - the flash shined off a little funny....it is identical in color and look how it matches the coloring of the dash!!!!!*




































Flash shined


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Final thoughts....

There are a lot of details that I didn't go over or show (secured hex bolts on amps/speakers, tapping the signal from the factory head unit before the amp and running it into a Line Driver, deadening and clay inside the midrange pods in the kicks, deflex pad in the doors....and more I can't remember at the moment).

I am in the process of tuning the so far it is sounding wonderful and I'm really happy with it. 

A huge thanks to Emilios at Audio Excellent (the new distributer of Sinfoni)! He is truly world class and the Sinfoni products are simply amazing. The amps are very small for class A/B and are the best sounding amp in the world, IMHO, with outstanding build quality. The tweeters are very sweet sounding as well and are incredibly detailed without any harshness. The sub is silky smooth and had a lot out output. Very impressed. Overall the best combination of components I have ever put together in my personal demo car. Come by anytime for a listen!!!!!

Hopefully you enjoy this build and let me know if you have any questions!


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## strong*I*bumpin (Oct 3, 2005)

Niebur3 said:


> reserved 6


Your post dont count,so I'll be #6...lol


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Don't stop now keep posting pics !


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

strong*I*bumpin said:


> Your post dont count,so I'll be #6...lol


Nope...you were #9....lol!


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## Darth SQ (Sep 17, 2010)

Nice work Jerry.
BTW that's one of my fav Techflex colors. 


Bret
PPI-ART COLLECTOR


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## rdubbs (Sep 26, 2012)

Wow! Love your craftsmanship! The design and colour scheme is really well thought out! Great work! Thanks for sharing!


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## Guest (Dec 23, 2014)

Fantastic install Jerry !

Love your TSX and choice of equipment....

Looking forward to completing and showcasing my own TSX...


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Looks awesome Jerry. I like how you cut the floor metal to get those mids in.


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## shutmdown (Aug 24, 2008)

may I ask where you got your carpet fabric from? Did you have to dye it or was it just a perfect match right off the shelf?


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## casey (Dec 4, 2006)

very nice build. Those amps are gorgeous.


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

It's funny that we both use the same processing but I went with an Alpine 910 which I'm now selling. I want my factory radio in there as I've currently have a factory look and would like to stay that way.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

SQ_TSX said:


> Fantastic install Jerry !
> 
> Love your TSX and choice of equipment....
> 
> Looking forward to completing and showcasing my own TSX...


Thanks! I look forward to seeing it.



captainobvious said:


> Looks awesome Jerry. I like how you cut the floor metal to get those mids in.


Yeah....sometimes you just have to cut some metal. There is the cavity and between the cavity and all the carpet padding, I could have recessed them all the way and carpeted over if I wanted.



shutmdown said:


> may I ask where you got your carpet fabric from? Did you have to dye it or was it just a perfect match right off the shelf?


The trunk liner just matched perfect and there isn't much other fabric involved.



casey said:


> very nice build. Those amps are gorgeous.


Thanks. Coming from you that means a lot. I love the Sinfoni amps.


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## strong*I*bumpin (Oct 3, 2005)

Nailed it ,good job


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## ben54b (May 30, 2014)

Beautiful work. Did you consider dyn tweeters or esotar110 or did the sinfonis just fit better. Love the trunk, am I correct that the sub is running ib. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

strong*I*bumpin said:


> Nailed it ,good job


Thanks!



ben54b said:


> Beautiful work. Did you consider dyn tweeters or esotar110 or did the sinfonis just fit better. Love the trunk, am I correct that the sub is running ib.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I did strongly consider the 102's and 110's. I wanted the tweeter to be placed up high and the 110's just wouldn't fit without looking out of place. And in an A/B comparison, I liked the sinfoni tweeters better than the 102's. They had a little more upper end detail I was seeking. 

The sub is reverse mounted in a sealed enclosure.


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## subterFUSE (Sep 21, 2009)

Very nice install!

I won't be far behind you. 4 Sinfoni amplifiers are going into my car as we speak, including a Prestigio. 


I can't say enough how impressed I have been by the construction of the Sinfoni amps.
They are so compact and elegant. The entire case is the heat sink. There seems to be no wasted space in their design.
The little Presto 2-channel amps are tiny. Way smaller than a JL Audio HD series. Yet they are class AB.

Can't wait until they are installed and playing.


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## evo9 (Jul 6, 2005)

Niebur3 said:


> Doors:
> 
> Testing the fitting
> 
> ...




*I see you finally found the light, that the Dynaudio E650 would fit in the stock location.*


.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

evo9 said:


> *I see you finally found the light, that the Dynaudio E650 would fit in the stock location.*


It was so close that my measurements kept saying it wouldn't fit. I had to trim the window rail guide a little and it fit by the slimest of margins. Zero rattles. I am very happy.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

subterFUSE said:


> Very nice install!
> 
> I won't be far behind you. 4 Sinfoni amplifiers are going into my car as we speak, including a Prestigio.
> 
> ...


A prestigio??? Lucky man!!! Do u have a build log yet?


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## subterFUSE (Sep 21, 2009)

Niebur3 said:


> A prestigio??? Lucky man!!! Do u have a build log yet?



In progress. Coming soon. ☺


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## JSM-FA5 (Nov 18, 2012)

Great build man! Love the look of those amps.


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## kizz (Jun 22, 2009)

As always Jerry, Fantastic work. The kicks look even better in person. The pictures just don't do them justice.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

The 102 is nice, but like almost all Dyns, it falls of above 16KHz. I'd have gone another route as well. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2014)

I must say, the Sinfoni Maestoso tweeter is really nice... Jerry's description of extremely detailed yet not bright is dead on... 

One of my favorite small format tweeters...


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## so cal eddie (Oct 1, 2008)

I really like the work you did, especially the on-axis kicks. Very cool. Just wondering what mids those are. They obviously aren't 152s. Are they home audio mids?


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## SouthSyde (Dec 25, 2006)

Nice build Jerry!!


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

i like how when you show the car your Adidas barricades match the Interior of the car &#55357;&#56833;


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

so cal eddie said:


> I really like the work you did, especially the on-axis kicks. Very cool. Just wondering what mids those are. They obviously aren't 152s. Are they home audio mids?


Good eye. I copied some of my original thread and forgot to change it.

Those are 15W38 mids from the home audio line. They extend way higher than the 152's (don't go nearly as low though) so blending with a tweeter is really easy. I was trying to find a speaker I could do in the kicks that would extend high for blending with the tweeter, but would also play low enough to encompass the entire voice. These can really close as they play very well from 125Hz to 3.2kHz without any struggle at all and suburb detail. They use the exact same basket as the 152's. Not good for a 2-way application, but a 3-way is perfect.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

optimaprime said:


> i like how when you show the car your Adidas barricades match the Interior of the car ��


Apparently I like red/black...lol!!!


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Niebur3 said:


> Apparently I like red/black...lol!!!


There great together ! Your Install is very slick! Love how tweets flow with rest of silver in the car. And how you have you amps placement is slick to. You can show off gear then throw all your luggage in back and take off. Or in your case tennis rackets


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

optimaprime said:


> There great together ! Your Install is very slick! Love how tweets flow with rest of silver in the car. And how you have you amps placement is slick to. You can show off gear then throw all your luggage in back and take off. Or in your case tennis rackets


Used to be tennis rackets. I broke my ankle paying tennis in 2010 and where the break was, the Doctors didn't know for 4 months that it was broke. I was playing competitive tennis on a broken ankle 2 times a week. 

4 surgeries and permanent nerve damage later and I haven't played tennis in 2 years and probably never will. 

I still like the shoes though. Fit great, extremely supportive and stable, and very comfortable.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Bummer man that really sucks tennis is ton of fun. The shoes are built to take beating to .


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

I just want to add that the Sinfoni tweeters are REALLY good. I've spent some time with them now and they are impressive.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

There damn pretty to!


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## truckguy (Sep 2, 2013)

Amazing install man! I can't believe I didn't see this until now. Very detailed work.


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2015)

Just thought I would add my $0.02 worth on the Sinfoni Capriccio C250.2sw subwoofer....

Like Jerry I have an Acura TSX, however mine is the 1st. Gen 2006 model. I've been testing various subwoofers to determine which will suit my needs and taste the best. Looks like I'll be going with the Sinfoni Capriccio 10" subwoofer, actually two of them. The subwoofer has been tested in various enclosures ranging from 0.5 ft3 to 1.5 ft3 per sub due to various modeling software runs. According to my ears... 0.8 ft3 to 0.9 ft3 seems to be the sweet spot for them... Providing a very nice balance of low end response with a little "fun" factored in also... The 0.9 ft3 sealed enclosure resulted in a total system Q of .9...

These subwoofers are quite beefy and very well constructed... So much so, I'm in the process of designing and building an enclosure to show off the baskets... I believe these will be a wonderful way to anchor the lowest frequencies in my system... Looking forward to getting these in the TSX...

Thanks to Jerry for bringing attention to the fantastic Sinfoni products and Emilios for bringing them into the States.

I'm about to break out some "Old School" Sinfoni goodness for my Maestoso front stage.... Looking forward to it....


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## Guest (Apr 4, 2015)

Bumping up this great install.... 

Just FYI, I've started my own build log for my older model TSX....
http://diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175069


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## juiceweazel (Jul 28, 2014)

My god, this has to be one of my favorite installs on here. It helps this is one of my favorite cars ha ha. You sir has some serious skills, and balls of something stronger than brass. I wouldn't be able to bring myself to cut my floor for this midbass speakers. Truly a work of art.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

SQ_TSX said:


> Just thought I would add my $0.02 worth on the Sinfoni Capriccio C250.2sw subwoofer....
> 
> Like Jerry I have an Acura TSX, however mine is the 1st. Gen 2006 model. I've been testing various subwoofers to determine which will suit my needs and taste the best. Looks like I'll be going with the Sinfoni Capriccio 10" subwoofer, actually two of them. The subwoofer has been tested in various enclosures ranging from 0.5 ft3 to 1.5 ft3 per sub due to various modeling software runs. According to my ears... 0.8 ft3 to 0.9 ft3 seems to be the sweet spot for them... Providing a very nice balance of low end response with a little "fun" factored in also... The 0.9 ft3 sealed enclosure resulted in a total system Q of .9...
> 
> ...



And people wonder why most of JL's spec enclosures have a Q of 0.9-1.0...


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## DLO13 (Oct 24, 2010)

When I look at this build.. all i can think of is the tax write off.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

GTG just around the corner. Anyone else planning on showing up?

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...15-omaha-ne-high-definition-mobile-audio.html


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

I made some minor tweaks, taking out a line driver for my sub (realizing with my Grave, it is not needed) and a few other tweaks and tuning. I really wish I could display the amps better, like so I could see them all the time. They are SOOOOOOOOOO pretty!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Well guys, I made a pretty major change for me. Those who know my know I have run the Dynaudio Esotar2 1200 in my cars for several years now. I decided on making a change......3 AudioFrog GB10's!!!! 

Before......









After......

All buttoned up!



















Start removing the covers!













































That's it. How do they sound??? Absolutely awesome. I love it. Great sound quality and lots of impact. They dig real deep too. Couldn't be happier.


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## teldzc1 (Oct 9, 2009)

Wow! That's awesome!!!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Thanks. It's hard to catch in the pics, but the red piece around the subs is about 1/2" out from the vinyl trim piece to create a nice 3-D effect (and in person, it does the job)!


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

Wow


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## Bluenote (Aug 29, 2008)

Sub Bass is covered!


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## truckguy (Sep 2, 2013)

Great work man! The Frogs look pretty good in there.


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## xxx_busa (May 4, 2009)

Nice - this is Super Clean!!!


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## jb4674 (Jan 29, 2015)

Wasn't too crazy about the half of a foot rest install. IMO, it should've been removed altogether (it just looks out of place). Also, the tweeter should've been painted black to match the sail panels. IMO, spending that much time to meticulously install the system in the car deserves to have it looking as stealth as possible. 

Aside from that, I thought the install was fantastic and the OP did an awesome job


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Well guys, a few updates since this thread was posted......

My wife was less than thrilled about floor mounted speakers and the grills were getting kicked by everyone that entered my car, even though I warned them.

Also, as this is my demo car and the kicks showed off something interesting and different, I could see some people getting the wrong idea (that this was needed for the car to sound good).

So, I decided to go back to a 2-way. 

First of all was the tweeters. I bought new said panels, and after testing, I found the Sinfoni Tempo 10 tweeters sound really good off-axis. When I popped the factory grill off, they fit almost perfectly.



















I then received a pair of the new Sinfoni Tempo 65's for the doors. 





































However, I ran into the issue that has plagued me ever since I bought this car, extremely shallow door locations. The Sinfoni Tempo 65's were just a tad too deep. Although they improved on the Sinfoni Maestoso T165W speakers they replaced, the Maestoso were contoured just enough to clear the window. So, Emilios sourced me the very last pair of Maestoso T165W's that were made and they now are at home in my doors.

(Pictured are a set I test fitted before receiving the new ones....they were from another dealer off their demo board and for some reason, dust caps are just meant to be pushed in )










I also found that the factory head unit was introducing some very odd noises into my system. For instance, if someone sat in the passenger front seat and it cause the airbag circuit to engage, then I would hear a transformer like sound through my speakers. This was something constant from day 1 with this car and no matter how the RCA's were run, this issue would never go away. I also had a fair amount of noise floor with the factory head unit. So, after finally giving up on the factory head unit, I decided to install a Pioneer P99 as purely the source. I also installed a PS8 (with upgraded Op Amps) as my processor.

The factory radio has the air vents intergraded into it and they have a slight indent for the vent "open" and "closed" circles. I found that these were just stickers. The CARAV dash kit I ordered (from the Ukraine) had the indentions molded into the plastic for this, something the Metra kit didn't have. It also has the factory indented lines that separate the head unit area from the vents, just like the factory head unit. I was able to use a small razor blade and pry off the "open" and "closed" stickers and transplant them to the CARAV dash kit to look more factory.

Here are the white circles (open and closed) on the factory head unit:









Here are the indentions in the plastic on the CARAV kit:









Here is the kit all ready for the P99









I then cut a piece of plexi to fill in the dap around the P99 and painted the backside black. Here is the finished result:



















The P99 seems to match the dash lights perfectly!!!!









More to come......


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Like I said, I went with a PS8 as my processor and it was mounted where the 3rd Sinfoni amp had been, behind my back seat. I used the same look there as the trunk has for the amps.










I also had quite a bit of vibrations in my rear package shelf when the 3-10's hit. I decided to finally tackle fixing this. The rear package shelf had been throughly deadened, but the problem seems to be the shelf rattling against the metal, so I applied a thick piece of mass loaded vinyl/closed cell foam to decouple it.



















This absolutely did the trick. Zero Rattles in the rear deck now 

Most recently, the car needed some new brakes.....









And I bought some new wheels/tires.....









I have more changes planned as we all do, so more to come soon!!!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

I would also like to take a moment to comment about the Sinfoni 2-way setup now that I have a couple months on them. Honestly, this is my favorite 2-way to date. Every day they impress me more and more. As a long time Dynaudio fan (and I still am), I didn't think I'd find a speaker that I liked better. And it is a real testament to these that they do this in factory locations with no custom work involved. They are easy to tune and very detailed but without any harshness. I really enjoy their sound. I know the tune/install makes or breaks any set of speakers, but these with a good tune seem to come alive. The midbass has great impact (I have mine down to 80hz, although I've also have them at 63hz with zero problems) and they can get stupid loud without losing their composure. I love these speakers!!!!


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## JimmyDee (Mar 8, 2014)

Niebur3 said:


> I found the Sinfoni Tempo 10 tweeters sound really good off-axis...


They do sound surprisingly good off-axis!
I also have mine mounted in the factory sails (off-axis), and I was surprised at how much detail they reveal. 
Of course, if you cup your hand behind them, and bounce that signal toward your ear, they do sound a bit 'crisper'...


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## strong*I*bumpin (Oct 3, 2005)

Man that's awesome,looks like the wheels from the new Accord Sport


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

That is exactly what they are from.....except with Acura center caps!!!


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## Bluenote (Aug 29, 2008)

Jerry did you change the sub amp for the AF GB10's?


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

The sub amp is a Sinfoni Grave. This amps puts out gobs of power and controls the subs really well AND is 2ohm bridged safe. My final load is 2.66ohm, so it's good there. The amp is rated at 925 watt at 13.8 volts at 2ohm and they are known to underrate their amps.


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## Bluenote (Aug 29, 2008)

Like!


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## subterFUSE (Sep 21, 2009)

Niebur3 said:


> The sub amp is a Sinfoni Grave. This amps puts out gobs of power and controls the subs really well AND is 2ohm bridged safe. My final load is 2.66ohm, so it's good there. The amp is rated at 925 watt at 13.8 volts at 2ohm and they are known to underrate their amps.




Sinfoni definitely under rates their amps power.

My Prestigio is rated at 60W X 2 but it was measured at 135W X 2.

Likewise for the 60.1HD. Rated 60 W but measured at 125W.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

So, I'll get your guys' thoughts....

The next phase of this build is something I've been thinking about for a couple months. I've sourced a Sony RSX-GS9 and as this is best controlled by the Sony app. I am thinking of installing this with these 2 options....

1) iPad mini where the p99 is (if it fits, which from what I've measured will be really close) and mount the Sony below in the cubby. My thought is to buy an iPad mini with wifi only (no monthly fee) and use my phone as a hotspot so I can have navigation through google maps. From my research, iTunes is rumored to be coming out with hi resolution files later this year. If they don't, they can be played through a few other apps. 

2) just use my iPhone and mount the Sony where the p99 is currently mounted. I'd have to control the music through the iPhone which may be a little inconvenient, but I'd be fine. 

I also have another update of something recently installed to show you guys. Just have to get some pics....this is pretty cool.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Where are the the pics of said upgrades!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Okay, okay......

I just got back from a very long weekend, so I don't have this the exact way I wanted to present it, but I will do my best.

Pretty much all door mounted midbass have an issue with the center console. This causes a null that can't be fixed with EQ. So, I've had an idea for quite some time on how to correct this. I have a cavity on the drivers side of the car, under the dash that I have always thought would be a good spot for a midbass driver. Having this being the only midbass in the car would be questionable, but having this as a helper for the frequencies that are just not there (thanks center console) might be sometime pretty neat. 

So.......I made a fiberglass enclosure with a solid wooden front baffle. I used a GB60 that I had, as it was available and would fit the enclosure. 




























(I hope this next part is okay to post here.....if not, I'm sorry Andy!!!!)

So, I contacted Andy for a single GB60 and he told me he had something better. Apparently Andy had at least one prototype made called a GB60s (the "s" stands for subwoofer). This was built with very different T/S Parameters with the goal to launch a small subwoofer built on the same frame as the GB60. Apparently this is *NOT* going to happen, so Andy (hearing of my plan) thought this would be the perfect driver and sent it to me.

Here is the final result (running off an ARC Audio 2075se):









The pic is a little crooked, but you get the idea. If the underneath dash panel was in place, it would be exactly flush with the enclosure, so it is completely up and out of the way of feet, the elements, and line of sight.

The results are exactly what I was looking for. A huge thanks to Andy!!!!


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## danno14 (Sep 1, 2009)

Very cool update!
That's gotta be the first coke-box enclosure I have ever seen &#55357;&#56847;


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

^^^^hahahaha. I have plenty of coke can boxes lying around. I like using them because they are thin and easy to cut/hot glue together. I didn't want fiberglass dripping on my head, so I make a frame out of the cardboard and then I lined the inside with 5-6 layers of of fiberglass mat. The enclosure was strong enough to stand on without the front baffle. I then secured the front baffle and sealed it in. I lined the inside of the box with stuffing and mounted it.


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## strong*I*bumpin (Oct 3, 2005)

Maybe car makers should take notes.So it's on the drivers side?


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Yep. What you see in the pic is the fuse panel just above the kick panel and part of the brake pedal. It is sandwiched in a cavity up in there.


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## gregerst22 (Dec 18, 2012)

Stellar build so far and what a great idea tucking that little sub in there. So I'm guessing it fixed the null in the midbass region? how do you have it crossed?
btw it looks like your website is down. 404 error


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

gregerst22 said:


> Stellar build so far and what a great idea tucking that little sub in there. So I'm guessing it fixed the null in the midbass region? how do you have it crossed?
> btw it looks like your website is down. 404 error


My website should be working. HiDef Mobile Audio

Right now I have it crossed at 60-200, I believe but I am still playing with the range. It completely fixed the null.


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## crxsir121 (Oct 18, 2006)

Niebur3 said:


> Well guys, I made a pretty major change for me. Those who know my know I have run the Dynaudio Esotar2 1200 in my cars for several years now. I decided on making a change......3 AudioFrog GB10's!!!!
> 
> How many cu. ft are the 3 GB10's in? Looks awesome!!!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

If I remember correctly, it is about 2.25ft^3 total


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## truckguy (Sep 2, 2013)

Fantastic job! I'm not sure how you're going to keep topping your build after this current setup. Looking forward to seeing what else you come with in the future!


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

^^^There is something new coming!!!!


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## CoLd_FuSiOn (Jun 25, 2012)

Amazing build Jerry... keep up the good work


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## gregerst22 (Dec 18, 2012)

Niebur3 said:


> My website should be working. HiDef Mobile Audio
> 
> Right now I have it crossed at 60-200, I believe but I am still playing with the range. It completely fixed the null.


Looks like you updated your website recently. It used to have www.hidefmobileaudio.com/Products.html page. It was still in my autocomplete so when I clicked on it I got the 404 error. You might want to consider putting in a redirect on your site so that any non-existent URLs redirect to your homepage.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

More updates already.....

Originally my first thought for this car, 3 years ago, was to install an iPad mini, but that never happened as my measurements showed the fit would be extremely tight. So, I went a different direction and most recently installed a Pioneer DEX-P99RS. This is one of my all time favorite head units. 

The thought always stayed in the back of my mind and most recently when the Sony RSX-GS9 came out, it resurfaced. I looking into high resolution audio and the different sources for it and how I can play high resolution files from an iPad and decided this was the route to go. Consequently, through all my internet searching, it seems that Apple my be releasing high resolution files through iTunes very soon. 

I didn't take fab pics as most were small, tedious things that took lots of time and patience. I did order an additional CARAV dash kit, bit cut the bottom corners and used a heat gun to open it up more to fit the iPad Mini. The iPad mini fit with literally just 1-2 millimeters to spare. I even had to trim the lip from the top of the dash opening so the top of the iPad would clear and had to carefully cut the top of the hazard button so it would continue to slide in/out while the iPad was resting on it (and this was after changing the angle in which it mounted by heating the mounting posts and bending them, to create a few addition millimeters). I finished by reforming the bottom corners (that were now large gaps because of the cutting/reshaping) and creating a small half circle to reach the home button.

The Sony RSX-GS9 was mounted with the brackets from a NAV version of the car (this pocket in the non-nav version is replaced with the nav/cd drive in the technology package versions). I then fabricated out of metal and plexiglass a small piece to bridge the gap between the RSX and the other pop up cubby/12 volt car charger port. The RSX works perfectly with the steering wheel controls via the Axxess steering wheel module.

Here are the pics:



























Oh, and I threw on some new wheels and new Koni's:


















Oh, and this is what 100+ MPH Downburst winds will do:

Our River Birch









Neighbor's House









We go off pretty lucky considering our neighbors and the rest of the neighborhood.


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## gregerst22 (Dec 18, 2012)

wow! that looks great! Awesome job. the iPad looks like belongs there. Hows that setup sound compared to the p99?


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Much better....night and day!


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## gregerst22 (Dec 18, 2012)

crazy what that wind can do. A few years ago we got some wind like that, called straight line winds up here. Took out a lot of trees in my neighborhood including one that has a 5' - 6' dia trunk.


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## iroller (Dec 11, 2010)

The i pad mini is that much better ? so is the ipad the best source available?


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## gregerst22 (Dec 18, 2012)

Can the sony control the ipad? whats the sony plugged in to? still using the alpine dsp?


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## gregerst22 (Dec 18, 2012)

iroller said:


> The i pad mini is that much better ? so is the ipad the best source available?


The ipad is just the source for digital output. He's using the DAC in the sony or optical out to a DSP.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Correct. The iPad Mini is connected to the Sony via the lightning cable (so digital). The Sony is analogue to the ARC PS8. Honestly, it is either the DAC in the Sony or the upscaling or both that is making for better SQ.

The Sony controls the iPad through the SongPal App. And the iPad controls all the settings of the Sony through the app.


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## m3gunner (Aug 6, 2008)

Have you tried some high resolution files in the Sony?

If so, notice any difference?


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Not yet....I have some downloaded and hoping to real soon!


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## Elektra (Feb 4, 2013)

Did you connect via optical or RCA and did you try both? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

I connected via RCA. I want the convenience of the Steering wheel controls and ability to use the volume knob it need be. Plus the DAC inside this is better than any processor on the market.


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## Elektra (Feb 4, 2013)

Niebur3 said:


> I connected via RCA. I want the convenience of the Steering wheel controls and ability to use the volume knob it need be. Plus the DAC inside this is better than any processor on the market.




You still using the Alpine DSP? How does the Sony DAC work with the H800 DAC - ultimately it's the H800 DAC your listening to - right? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Looks like a sweet setup Jerry! Nice job on fabbing up the mounts cleanly.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

^^^Thanks

The current processor in the car is a PS8


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I'm putting one of those in mine currently as well. Giving it a try as I've been using the DSP Pro (which is also excellent).

Fabbed up the controller mount last week actually.










Are you using one of the controllers as well? How about the BT module for the PS8- used that yet? I'm still working on getting the install wrapped up so I haven't gotten these pieces connected up to try them out just yet.





.


-Steve


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Nope, not using a controller or BT module. The Sony RSX has a nice Bluetooth Connection. 

Your controller piece looks very nice.


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## truckguy (Sep 2, 2013)

Niebur3 said:


> ^^^There is something new coming!!!!


You weren't kidding! Your install skills and creativity continue to impress. You have an amazing setup there.


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## BassBrat (Mar 26, 2009)

Hey Niebur3,
can you tell me what is that blue green paste you used making your sail panels. They came out great.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

BassBrat said:


> Hey Niebur3,
> can you tell me what is that blue green paste you used making your sail panels. They came out great.


duraglass and other body filler


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## BassBrat (Mar 26, 2009)

SkizeR said:


> duraglass and other body filler


Thanks for the answer, I thought so, he didn't need any fiberglass it seems, I might try that, fiberglassing sails looks tricky


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

Niebur3 said:


> On to the Kicks!!!!
> 
> I started building standard kicks that stuck out pretty far, but (no offense to anyone here) but I hate those pods that stick out like a sore thumb and wanted to do something non-factory, but more discrete. I don't even need the space, just went for a look and this is what I came up with.
> 
> ...


How did this turn out for you? Would it have been better to add a little sound deadening around the hole you cut? Was there any resonances or issues that arose from mounting them like this?


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

^^^I removed them because my wife complained about them being where her feet should be. Happy wife, happy life.

As far as mounting them like that, they sounded great. I did use plenty of sound deadening, lined the inside metal with non hardening modeling clay and stuffed some poly fill in the hole. There was ZERO resonance.


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## oabeieo (Feb 22, 2015)

I can't believe I missed this thread. Wow 
Nice work ! Looks fantastic! 
Love the drivers


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## JimmyDee (Mar 8, 2014)

Niebur3 said:


> ^^^I removed them because my wife complained about them being where her feet should be. Happy wife, happy life.


Funny... as I was looking at the pics, I was thinking the EXACT SAME THING!
I know my wife would complain if I mounted drivers where her feet should be.
Somehow, she'd keep kicking them, and scratching them... and it would be my fault.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

It wasn't the passenger side, it was the drivers side. She uses the foot rest and I never do. So, she didn't like it.


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## rain27 (Jan 15, 2009)

Do you have the single GB60 doing all midbass duty?

Where are you crossing the 2-way set?


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

I tried it and it was a little funky, so I am adding a second one near the firewall on the other side, hopefully soon.

My crossover point on the 2-way is 3K.


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## rain27 (Jan 15, 2009)

Was the 2-way playing the same midbass frequencies as the GB60 or did the GB60 handle all of the midbass region?

Liking the unique install.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

I was overlapping some but won't be on the final install crossover point.


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## Swaglife81 (Oct 15, 2016)

I wanted to get a few details about your tweeter sail panel pods. I saw the coke can, cardboard molds than pics with body filler. Did the tweeter pods in the sail panels get any glass at all or just a high quality filler. Curious what materials you used on the tweeter pods besides the SEM texture paint at the end. My factory sails are a flat and I might could mount them flush but they would be facing each other so I probably will do something just like you did.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

I used Duraglass to build them up and Body Filler to finish the surface before texture and paint. I didn't use any actual fiberglass. Maker sure to drill some holes in the plastic and scuff it so the duraglass can bond better.


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## Swaglife81 (Oct 15, 2016)

Thanks for the reply. I actually haven't worked with duraglass before but good to know it works well in that type of application.


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