# Audible Physics / Zapco Install in an 08 Acura MDX



## simplicityinsound

Okay, it’s a brand new year and time to kick things off with the first full install of the season. This is a pretty unusual vehicle and one that I have never touched before: A 2008 Acura MDX.

After going over things with the customer, we decided that utilizing the Audible Physics XR DUO, with its super wideband 3" driver, will be ideal for this truck like interior.

Let's start with the goals:

1. Achieve a good level of sound quality utilizing the stock signal source

2. Do a simple install in the back and retain as much usability and cargo space as possible

3. Mount the amps within the stock in floor tray and maintain usage of the jacks and tools, along with the 3rd row seats.

Let’s get started...

As it turns out, this generation of Acura MDX utilizes a different stock system than the last gen TL...in that it’s a data link system where the headunit does not control the volume but instructs the stock amplifier via a data link signal chain. The main system amp powers the interior speakers directly while sending a line level signal to a secondary subwoofer amp, mounted within the stock sub enclosure on the passenger side rear panel.

What this means is that we cannot tap the signal before the stock amp and have to utilize the speaker level signal post-amp for front stage and the line level signal for subwoofer. Happily though, there are no separate signal wires for midbass and tweeter so no summing was needed.

In order to flatten out the signal response and provide a master volume control (all OEM processing and level adjustment is within the stock amp thus affected by the stock volume knob), a JL audio Clean Sweep 441DSP unit was used. The master volume knob for the unit was mounted in a blank switch panel to the left of the steering wheel, within easy reach:










As the system uses Zapco DC Reference amplifiers, all tuning is done via a laptop from the front seat:










As mentioned before, the front stage consists of the Audio Physics AR DUO, the 3" XR3M super wide band transducer was molded into the stock A pillars, rewrapped in dash matching vinyl, with a press fit grille over the speaker itself. The XR is designed to work well off axis and they are done around 60 degrees off axis in this case:


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## simplicityinsound

Pop off the grilles and the XR3M stares at you with its exotic rosewood phase plug. 




























Some build pics of the pillars, first, the ring baffles with their flush mounting walls made out of low heat plastic was aimed and secured to the stock pillar:










Next, grille cloth was pulled to form the shape; resin applied, allowed to cure and strengthened from the inside via a generous helping of duraglas/resin milkshake:










Then, filler was applied and the entire shape blended together and sanded smooth:










The interior of the pods received a layer of modeling clay to kill resonance:










Supplemented with another layer of deamplifier pro which also aids in holding the clay in place. More damper went onto the back side of the pillar panel:


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## simplicityinsound

Then, medium dark pewter vinyl was stretched and wrapped around the pillars, this was quite a difficult job due to the drastic curvature of the pod, but in the end, with enough pulling, I got them done:




























Here are the neat little XR3M wideband drivers:



















Speaker cables were soldered to the terminals and wrapped in heat shrink:










They were then mounted in the pillars:



















Here are the rings that make the press fit grilles:


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## simplicityinsound

The midbass drivers went into the stock lower door location, and for the first time, I didn’t have to cut any metal on a Honda/Acura door to properly fit an aftermarket 6.5" speaker!

A combination of Closed Cell Foam and vibration damper sealed the door panel, and new speaker wires were run into the door. Oddly, the driver side door featured a Molex plug connection with a totally empty plug for me to drill and pass wires thru, while the passenger side was a simple plug in rubber boot...not that I am complaining, just find it a bit odd to have different architecture from the factory 










Here is the XR6 midbass driver, reminds me a little of the Seas Lotus Reference but with a less pronounced phase plug and a more open basket design, wires were soldered in place and heat shrinked once again.



















The stock speaker mounting baffle proved to be a near perfect fitment for the XR6, so they were retained, a layer of vibration damper went onto the inside:










And the speaker was mounted in place:



















The entire structure was then bolted back into the car with the stock screws:



















The bottom portion of the plastic door card received its dose of deamplifier to help kill resonance; there was simply too much electrical component up top for me to lay much damper on.


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## simplicityinsound

The passenger side received the same treatment:














































Next up are a series of pics showing the wiring bundle as it goes from the front to the rear, zip tied to the stock loom every few inches:


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## simplicityinsound

Moving to the cargo area. As mentioned, the goal was to save as much trunk space as possible. So here is the normal view with the cargo mat in place, the only thing visible is the new sub enclosure on the passenger side, in the same general area as the stock subwoofer, but molded out of course. I had no carpeting that matched the dark titanium color; so instead, I went for a close match to the pewter colored leather/plastic trim. A black breathable carpet grille protects the subwoofer, the black color was chosen for its resistance to dirt and smudges, versus the lighter pewter colored carpet.










Remove the cargo mat and it still looks pretty much stock, with the 3rd row seats folded flat and 95 percent of the cargo space retained:










Flip up the door for the stock storage compartment and here is what you see. Two Zapco DC reference amps sits in the well trimmed on top with a vinyl covered board. A DC 500.1 sends 500 watts to the subwoofer, while a DC 650.6 is run in four channel mode powering the XR6 and XR3M with 180 and 150 watts a piece, respectively. The subwoofer is a Zapco ZSS10 10". Simple and straightforward:


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## simplicityinsound

Here is the view with the 3rd row seats flipped up:










Now comes the build pics. 

The subwoofer enclosure design posed by far the biggest challenge of this install: How do we obtain the proper amount of air space and mounting depth without having the subbox come past the opening threshold of the storage compartment door? After all, we only had about 5" of usable distance from that point to the side wall.

After some thought, I decided to utilize the stock subwoofer enclosure to form a two part design.

So here is the stock subbox that resides behind the carpet. It houses an 8" driver in roughly .25 cubic foot of space. The space behind the carpet is odd enough that I felt retaining this enclosure actually offered me the best utilization of air space.










The enclosure is two halves secured by half a dozen or so screws, so I took it apart. Note the subwoofer amp located within:










Next, I removed the amp and dumped a can of spray-on dampening followed by two full cans of rubberized undercoating into the interior of the enclosure to help deaden it against resonance:



















The enclosure was then screwed back together with a bead of silicone caulk around the edges to ensure a perfect seal:










Next, a MDF ring was mounted to the front of the enclosure via the stock subwoofer mounting bolts and industrial grade epoxy, while the back and side received a layer of deamplifier and CCF to prevent rattling against metal:


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## simplicityinsound

The opening that used to house the wiring plug for the stock sub amp was sealed up and new wires run into the enclosure. The whole structure was then bolted back into the car like before:










The stock side trim panel was then put back into place, minus the stock subwoofer grille. The wooden ring attached to the sub box now peaks through the opening in the carpet:










Next, I taped up the section to be fiberglassed, and secured an identical ring to the front of the sub enclosure’s ring, and made a floor piece out of 3/4" MDF:










So the idea here is there will be a ring attached to the outer portion of the subbox which will mate with the ring on the stock enclosure to form one continuous box. Here is the outer portion pulled out of the car after a dozen or so layer of fiberglass cloth:










This was then trimmed to the desired shape, and an additional 1/8" spacer ring was attached to the back, this will help account for the thickness of the carpet once the enclosure is wrapped:



















Test fitment of the mold into the car, note how the two rings match up:










Next, the ring baffle with its flush mounting walls was aimed and secured to the back mold:


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## simplicityinsound

Fleece pulled across, resin applied, allowed to cure, and then the entire structure was reinforced from the inside with 6 layers of mat and about a gallons worth of Duraglas/resin mixture, the edges and the opening for the sub sanded smooth, this results in roughly .4 cubic foot of space, making for a total interior volume of .65 or so cubic foot, well suited for the ZSS10.



















Carpet was then applied:










Then the enclosure went into the car. Screws were used to bond the two rings together forming a seal, and a later of caulk went onto the mating edge for good measure. The Subwoofer was then wired up:










And done:










Here is the grille before and after carpet:



















Here is the JL Cleansweep 441DSP residing under the third row seat:










And the cosmetic top panel for the amps before and after vinyl:


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## simplicityinsound

Finally, some wiring pics of the amp rack, note that the jack is still accessible, simply undo the door holding the tools, unscrew the DC500.1 to flip it out of the way, and the jack can be removed by sliding it towards the driver side just as before.














































So...that’s it...quite labor intensive but the end result was worth it for me. I will be posting a review of the XR DUO shortly, but to sum it up, they are AWESOME! Having this much of the frequency range (300 Hz and up) above the dash really makes a huge difference in an interior like this. The midbass is excellent, on par with the seas lotus reference I am used to, midrange resolution is SUPERB, and there is absolutely no lack of energy at the top end of the spectrum, in fact, there is a slight bump above 15khz built into the design...in other words, this is a two way system that sounds like a really good 3 way!

Anyway, that’s all for now...cheers!


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## BlueAc

Nice work as usual Bing!!! Do you have plans on a true shop or are u happy with things as is right now?


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## simplicityinsound

done the "true shop" thing...unless i win the lottery and can start a shop and yet dont have to worry about overhead...out here in super expensive norcal...i will stick with this for now


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## BlueAc

I was just wondering... Just a heads up, prices are cheaper on the East Coast. You just gave to put up with slightly lesser weather conditions... lol!


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## rain27

Looks great as usual. Thanks for sharing pics and the quick review of the speakers. 

Curious to know how you fastened the midbass to the stock baffle. It looks like it only had 3 screw holes?


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## simplicityinsound

as the screw went down, the threads bites into the two side walls of that little slot, and torquing it quite well, to the effect that it would engage the clutch on my cordless at setting 5, which is what i use to torque down screws into mdf anyway, add to that i put a bunch down, it should be plenty secure. 

b


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## steffanan

hey, nice install! im a bit curious about that sub. is that their "street" sub, the 10? i have never heard them, and am really curious how they do? i heard that they sound pretty good and take decent power, but in the SQ world its too dirty sounding? any thoughts?


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## steffanan

and what tool do you use to trim the sides off of your fiberglass after you lay it down? like when you cut out the shape of the back part of that box? it just looks so clean! i normally use a dremel, and a LOT of the little wheels for it, and im curious what your secret is


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## elm3c

Some great work, Bing! Looking forward to hearing this one sometime. Might be headed to some MECA events, right?


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## elm3c

By the way, I like the use of the original sub box to maximize the total sub box volume too. Very innovative!


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## simplicityinsound

hey Steffanan, 

1. the zss is the "street" sub...to be honest, its just one of those decent all around subs, very nice output, decent overall performance, good transients...its not a pure sq sub by any means, but its not unlike an IDQ to be honest...a little meatier on the bottom end, but also to me works better in a smaller box like this, we thought about going with an idq, but i prefer that sub in a larger box say around .8 or more.  in the end, for a car like this with such a large interior and only a single 10, having a bit of extra output is not a bad thing 

2. i use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade, slowest setting. followed by fine shaping with a palm sander and 40 grit. if you are asking about around the mdf ring...thats just a lot of sand paper done by hand slowly after rough cut with the jigsaw. 


Elmer, yeah you should get to listen to it at sacramento, and perhaps let some of the other guys with better ears help tune it a bit more


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## Bluenote

Bing, that is very awesome work and you're giving me new ideas..and that's Not Good - Not Good at all..lol


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## simplicityinsound

lol, i was waiting on when you'd see this Thomas.

well, looks like we are going to ourselves a nice little party in Sac-town in a few weeks...

btw, you spelled AREA wrong in our info below your name


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## trojan fan

Bing strikes again, looks like it just rolled off the factory assembly line

What is your impression of the tweeter-less front end, not sure if I have seen an install of yours without tweeters


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## simplicityinsound

i have a small review at the end of my last pic posting  and i will be doing a full review for CAE soon...but three simple words, I LOVE THEM!


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## trojan fan

simplicityinsound said:


> i have a small review at the end of my last pic posting  and i will be doing a full review for CAE soon...but three simple words, I LOVE THEM!


Thanks for the response BING, I see it now, my bad


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## bertholomey

Fantastic job Bing! You did a superb job with those pillars - the XRs look incredible. I am really looking forward to getting mine installed. I'm also looking forward to reading your review in CAE. Great job once again!


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## JayinMI

Out of curiousity, since you used the Cleansweep (with Master Volume), couldn't you have just grabbed the signal before the factory amp?
I got the impression you grabbed it after, but I may have misunderstood.

Jay


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## dtm337

great work as allways ....so clean


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## chefhow

Bing, LOVE the way you utilized the factory sub box and the integration. Way to think outside the box!! (HAHAHA get it outside the box.)


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## simplicityinsound

JayinMI said:


> Out of curiousity, since you used the Cleansweep (with Master Volume), couldn't you have just grabbed the signal before the factory amp?
> I got the impression you grabbed it after, but I may have misunderstood.
> 
> Jay



Hey Jay,

on a data bus type of signal like this, i am fairly certain you cannot tap the signal before the amp, the signal arrives not in any kind of normal line level or speaker level or even optical line, but in some type of proprietary data bus signal that nothing can really interface with, think of it perhaps as optical interms of no volume control at the headunit, but at the same time, its not optical but a different kind of signal. I am not a tech guy so cant really explain it well...

perhaps there is more to it. but this is just how i was taught on this kind of stock systems.


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## mSaLL150

This is an awesome install! I look forward to your thoughts on the AP drivers. I sure like mine.


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## shawnk

Nice work man! Clever use of the factory sub enclosure! Very clean..I love it


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## ErinH

Bing, I really like those pillars. Great looking work there.

How are the mids aimed? Look to be about 60* off axis or so????
thoughts on how this setup sounds?


Edit: holy fail... I just re-read the OP and see where you said they're about 60* off axis. *smacks head*


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## aeon

As usually very nice and clean install. Looking forward to your review on those speakers.


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## simplicityinsound

Erin hehe, from talking to Mark and Zach, and from looking at the rta on pink noise, i truly think these babies are meant for off axis or 60 degree off axis. the designed rise above 15-16khz seems to become more apparent as you turn it more on axis, which to me can result in fatigue. when you have it off axis or 60 degree like this, a few notches of eq, -5db q2.5 high shelving at 15khz toned it right now and it sounded beautifully balanced.

i would have done this car fully off axis, but i wanted it aim it up and out a bit to at least clear the instrument shroud a lil.

but it could also have to do with the car so i suggest doing some mock ups before you decide for yourself.


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## simplicityinsound

i will try and get the review up this weekend...


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## Melodic Acoustic

bikinpunk said:


> Bing, I really like those pillars. Great looking work there.
> 
> How are the mids aimed? Look to be about 60* off axis or so????
> *thoughts on how this setup sounds?*
> 
> 
> Edit: holy fail... I just re-read the OP and see where you said they're about 60* off axis. *smacks head*





simplicityinsound said:


> So...that’s it...quite labor intensive but the end result was worth it for me. I will be posting a review of the XR DUO shortly, but to sum it up, they are AWESOME! Having this much of the frequency range (300 Hz and up) above the dash really makes a huge difference in an interior like this. The midbass is excellent, on par with the seas lotus reference I am used to, midrange resolution is SUPERB, and there is absolutely no lack of energy at the top end of the spectrum, in fact, there is a slight bump above 15khz built into the design...in other words, this is a two way system that sounds like a really good 3 way!
> 
> Anyway, that’s all for now...cheers!



Bing as always great build love the pillars and sub enclosure. Looking for to the CAE write-up.

Thanks for giving the Audible Physics line of drivers a chance.


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## ErinH

I don't personally plan to change anything in my own car anytime soon... however, I'm quite certain I'll be running Mark's products in my wife's next car. Just curious what you thought of these as I haven't gotten a chance to listen to them yet (dangit, Mark!).


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## simplicityinsound

Bravo Mark on a great product, and thank you so much for your support in getting these to me in time and also helping with setup and tuning tips.

now i just wish more cars had big enough pillars that i can do them more often...as i usually dont get to do dash pods based on cosmetic factor from the customers 

how about a set of 6.5" full range next Mark?  i had a chance to listen to such a thing not too long ago in a car, and it was quite neat


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## MB Z34

Beautiful work!!!!


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## Melodic Acoustic

simplicityinsound said:


> Bravo Mark on a great product, and thank you so much for your support in getting these to me in time and also helping with setup and tuning tips.
> 
> now i just wish more cars had big enough pillars that i can do them more often...as i usually dont get to do dash pods based on cosmetic factor from the customers
> 
> *how about a set of 6.5" full range next Mark?  i had a chance to listen to such a thing not too long ago in a car, and it was quite neat *



Well sir you have been already. You just install a set. The XR6.5M is a Ultra Wide-Band. It will do 70hz-up, Yep it can do it all, mid-bass, 2 way with tweeter or a Ultra wide-band.

Also the H-Audio 6.5" Prolific Ultra Wide-Band will be ready soon.


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## simplicityinsound

H-Audio Inc. said:


> Well sir you have been already. You just install a set. The XR6.5M is a Ultra Wide-Band. It will do 70hz-up, Yep it can do it all, mid-bass, 2 way with tweeter or a Ultra wide-band.
> 
> Also the H-Audio 6.5" Prolific Ultra Wide-Band will be ready soon.



damn! i wish i had known, i would have tried a setting with just them running full range to see how it sounded...:blush:


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## Melodic Acoustic

simplicityinsound said:


> damn! i wish i had known, i would have tried a setting with just them running full range to see how it sounded...:blush:


They start to roll of round 17khz @ about 12dbs per octave so at 20khz they are bout 7dbs down. Get them about 30 degrees to on-axis and they are just wonderful.


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## ryan s

The SUV drivers are spoiled with that nice cargo space in back and the big pillars/dash board :laugh:

Just curious about the CA&E article...how did that come about? Since H-Audio/AP is an unknown company outside "our" little circle, were you able to leverage some editorial might to get to write about what you choose?

It's awesome, don't get me wrong :rockon: Wondering about the politics (if any) to get a smaller brand into the normally "commercialized" CA&E mag  Looking forward to reading it...


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## jace314

Awesome install as always! Maybe there should be a "Bing" forum on here for all the great installs you have done, and still continue to do!

The blue low heat plastic stuff you use for your baffle area, what and where you getting that? Unless its a trade secret...

Thanks


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## chefhow

ryan s said:


> The SUV drivers are spoiled with that nice cargo space in back and the big pillars/dash board :laugh:
> 
> Just curious about the CA&E article...how did that come about? Since H-Audio/AP is an unknown company outside "our" little circle, were you able to leverage some editorial might to get to write about what you choose?
> 
> It's awesome, don't get me wrong :rockon: Wondering about the politics (if any) to get a smaller brand into the normally "commercialized" CA&E mag  Looking forward to reading it...


CA&E is Car Audio and Electronics.


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## Melodic Acoustic

simplicityinsound said:


> Erin hehe, from talking to Mark and Zach, and from looking at the rta on pink noise, i* truly think these babies are meant for off axis or 60 degree off axis.* the designed rise above 15-16khz seems to become more apparent as you turn it more on axis, which to me can result in fatigue. when you have it off axis or 60 degree like this, a few notches of eq, -5db q2.5 high shelving at 15khz toned it right now and it sounded beautifully balanced.
> 
> i would have done this car fully off axis, but i wanted it aim it up and out a bit to at least clear the instrument shroud a lil.
> 
> but it could also have to do with the car so i suggest doing some mock ups before you decide for yourself.


I forgot to touch on this. You are correct sir. They where design to be very good off axis and/or for kick panel mounting. I like to call it *Phantom off-axis response* or *P.O.A.R.*. Finebar install is one of the very best examples of this effect or P.O.A.R. I say Phantom because we can't beat physics, and as we know beaming is real, so we use amplitude to combat the beaming effect on the top end. So we many not be able to beat Physics but we can put up one hellva fight. *Audible Physics at its best!* 

Just you guys know what the above bold statement is about: 

*Name: Audible Physics*

*Audible:* Capable of being heard; loud enough to be heard; actually heard.
*Physics:* The Science of matter, energy, motion and force that can be actually heard!! 

Audible Physics = Basically a speaker.


Many will try to tell you cone designs and material doesn't make a very big difference, but I'm here to tell you it does! A great Super wide-band is all brought together by a great cone design. No matter how great the motor design is, if the cone design is not of the wide-band nature you will just have a very good small midrange, which is not a bad thing either.


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## ryan s

chefhow said:


> CA&E is Car Audio and Electronics.


Yeah, Bing writes over there. I was wondering how he got to write about the specific brand of drivers instead of installs and techniques


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## simplicityinsound

part of being an editor is that i can pick and choose what to write about, not being a print mag means that we really do have the freedom to review what we want, and not worry about politics...less cost involved overall you know?

i for one, will always be wanting to review gear that is less known versus the more common brands, but there are other editors who do a great job at reviewing the more mass market stuff.

no politics, no bribes, i didnt even get a discount for this set, just wanna write and shed some light on stuff that i think is good 

as to why i dont write about fabrication techniques, this is something i have said a lot, i am so under qualified to teach anyone about fabrication techniques its really a non starter for me to write those kinds of articles, especially consider the caliber of true craftsman we have that does write those things  simple truth.


as for the low heat plastic, i get it from selectproducts.com

b


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## jace314

I figured thats where you got it. I dont think they let anyone buy now? I went to there products page and there a form you have to fax to them, and it says "You must be an existing AAMP member"?

Anyother places?
Thanks


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## ryan s

simplicityinsound said:


> part of being an editor is that i can pick and choose what to write about, not being a print mag means that we really do have the freedom to review what we want, and not worry about politics...less cost involved overall you know?
> 
> i for one, will always be wanting to review gear that is less known versus the more common brands, but there are other editors who do a great job at reviewing the more mass market stuff.
> 
> no politics, no bribes, i didnt even get a discount for this set, just wanna write and shed some light on stuff that i think is good
> 
> as to why i dont write about fabrication techniques, this is something i have said a lot, i am so under qualified to teach anyone about fabrication techniques its really a non starter for me to write those kinds of articles, especially consider the caliber of true craftsman we have that does write those things  simple truth.
> 
> 
> as for the low heat plastic, i get it from selectproducts.com
> 
> b


Awesome...I'm sure that's going to show through once the article is up  I really enjoy the weird stuff that sometimes pops up over there :laugh: It should also cause Mark to become busier :surprised:

As for install stuff, you should write about techniques...just search for your name in this forum and see how many people follow and mimic your installs in their own car...I see references to it quite often


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## chtaylor71

Your build are always ultra clean...if I only lived in CA...I would love for your to do my install


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## JayinMI

By now, I'd just add "I get low heat plastic from Select Products" to my signature 

Jay


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## King Nothing

Amazing work as usual


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## cannan

I'd drive from VA to CA for one of your installs, there are always so clean and well thought out. Kudos again to you:thumbsup:


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## wdemetrius1

Another great install. I look forward to your projects.


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## Bluenote

Haha Bing you are a master of the details! I will get the Bay Area corrected. And yes I'm looking forward to attending the SQ meet in Sac, it will be fun.



simplicityinsound said:


> lol, i was waiting on when you'd see this Thomas.
> 
> well, looks like we are going to ourselves a nice little party in Sac-town in a few weeks...
> 
> btw, you spelled AREA wrong in our info below your name


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## NSTar

simplicityinsound said:


> hey Steffanan,
> 
> 1. the zss is the "street" sub...to be honest, its just one of those decent all around subs, very nice output, decent overall performance, good transients...its not a pure sq sub by any means, but its not unlike an IDQ to be honest...a little meatier on the bottom end, but also to me works better in a smaller box like this, we thought about going with an idq, but i prefer that sub in a larger box say around .8 or more.  in the end, for a car like this with such a large interior and only a single 10, having a bit of extra output is not a bad thing
> 
> 2. i use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade, slowest setting. followed by fine shaping with a palm sander and 40 grit. if you are asking about around the mdf ring...thats just a lot of sand paper done by hand slowly after rough cut with the jigsaw.
> 
> 
> Elmer, yeah you should get to listen to it at sacramento, and perhaps let some of the other guys with better ears help tune it a bit more


Did you say sacramento? when and where? details please. I wanna hear it too.


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## simplicityinsound

check the events section, feb 12th as part of the autorama car show


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## NSTar

simplicityinsound said:


> check the events section, feb 12th as part of the autorama car show


nice! calexpo.


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## Cdub

Bing,

Thanks again for all your hard work It has really paid off! All of the goals of the install were executed perfectly. I have to pry the keys out of my wife's hands to get into the drivers seat!.

A couple quick comments:

-Bing's work looks better in person than in pictures. I think his nickname should be "OEM". Its that clean.

-I first approached Bing 15 months ago about my install. He was very patient and came up with the best solution possible to meet my goals. We had some delays and equipment changes along the way but the wait was worth it.

-I couldn't be happier with the AP XR Duo. Originally the plan was to use the HAudio 3 way, but is was dicontinued. Having the ability to bring 300hz and up above the dash in one driver is REALLY nice. 

Again, Bing is a true professional in every way. Everyone in the Bay Area is lucky to have the opportunity to have him as an installer.


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## Cdub

I almost forgot to give my quick review of the AP XR DUO:

Disclaimer: I enjoy music, but I am by no means an expert or have golden ears. I would say most people on the forum have more experience than I do, so take my comments with a grain of salt.

The Biggest compliment I can give the the AP XR Duo is that you just hear the music. 

I'm sure we have all been in cars or listening to a home stereo where things sound OK at low levels, but when the volume is increased the sound becomes fatiguing or harsh. 

With the XR Duo as you turn up the volume there is no fatigue on my ears, just the increase in volume. Its almost deceptive because you don't really realize that the volume is as high as it is. Smooth, detailed, and easy on the ears at all volume levels is how I would describe the sound.

I am very happy that Bing made the suggestion to use these drvers in my install. Kudos to Mark Brooks for providing the audio community with such a high quality product.


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## Melodic Acoustic

Cdub said:


> I almost forgot to give my quick review of the AP XR DUO:
> 
> Disclaimer: I enjoy music, but I am by no means an expert or have golden ears. I would say most people on the forum have more experience than I do, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
> 
> The Biggest compliment I can give the the AP XR Duo is that you just hear the music.
> 
> I'm sure we have all been in cars or listening to a home stereo where things sound OK at low levels, but when the volume is increased the sound becomes fatiguing or harsh.
> 
> With the XR Duo as you turn up the volume there is no fatigue on my ears, just the increase in volume. Its almost deceptive because you don't really realize that the volume is as high as it is. Smooth, detailed, and easy on the ears at all volume levels is how I would describe the sound.
> 
> I am very happy that Bing made the suggestion to use these drvers in my install. Kudos to Mark Brooks for providing the audio community with such a high quality product.


Sir I extremely happy your happy with the XR Duo. I'm just as happy you gave a unknown brand a chance. The Support my Diyma have shown me i just can't begin to say how it makes me feel and every time I hear a great review it just near bring my to tears and that is real. To see all the hard work of me and *my designer/builder* pay off in the effort to bring you guys great and new and exciting products. 

All I can say is *Thank You* to everyone that has supported H-Audio / Audible Physics and we will do our best to keep improving on the designs and to bring you world class transducer and to give great deals when every we can.

Just know this sir, they will get a even better with a little more play time. The XR Duo is a special set of drivers. Where both drivers are a 3" Super wide-band and a 6.5" Ultra Wide-Band. Xtended Range Duo

Please continue to enjoy the music and my just as excited to hear your wife likes the system also. Now that is when you know the install has done an amazing job. When the wife doesn't what to stop listening. Much praise to Mr. Bing as always great job.

Audible Physics 
*"Music At Its Purest"*​


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## Cdub

H-Audio Inc. said:


> *Sir *I extremely happy your happy with the XR Duo. I'm just as happy you gave a unknown brand a chance.


HAHA...Don't call me "Sir". It makes me feel old. I'm only 34.

Thanks again for the excellent products. I wish you the best of luck as your company grows:thumbsup:


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## Schnitz

I'm always anxious to see your builds. Inspirational is the only word I can think of.


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## Melodic Acoustic

Cdub said:


> HAHA...Don't call me "Sir". It makes me feel old. I'm only 34.
> 
> Thanks again for the excellent products. I wish you the best of luck as your company grows:thumbsup:


You know everyone tells me to stop calling them sir, Old habits hard to brake being in the US Army. But it is more of a respect thing for me. As you are the guys spending your hard earn money on products and on my products at that and I will do my best to show you as much respect as I can. Age has no baring on you being a Sir, it's what you do in life and how you treat others that does. 

Any question you many have feel free to contact me at anytime. I here to support my dealers and the end user as much as humanly possible. 

So thank you sir, Man done it again sorry:laugh::blush: for you kind words.


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## Boostedrex

Great install Bing. I can't wait to get some seat time in this car (assuming Cdub is cool with it) and get it dialed in before Autorama. Anyone that is planning to go/compete in this MECA event is welcome to swing by my house the night prior as I will be tuning some cars. Bing, Aubrey, and I will all be there.

Zach


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## vwtoby

awsome install bing..

did you do any other deadening in the car? or was the OEM treatment sufficient?


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## simplicityinsound

for me, i either do just the doors and some in the trunk, other vital areas depending on the car. and/or rear deck (if there is one) or...i strip the entire car and do it all, in between it just a lot of labor and materials with less than significant results.

i think its best to have the customer spend money on things that count the most towards overall enjoyment.

but yeah this car had a ton of damping stock wise.


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## DAT

Excellent build.... Excellent Equipment used


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## Cdub

Zach, 

I would really appreciate it if you want take a listen to the MDX and help dial it in. As we get closer to the date of the show let me know what works best for you, as far as when to meet up.

Chris


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## Boostedrex

Cdub said:


> Zach,
> 
> I would really appreciate it if you want take a listen to the MDX and help dial it in. As we get closer to the date of the show let me know what works best for you, as far as when to meet up.
> 
> Chris


Chris,

Just let me know what works for you. Between Bing being a friend of mine and me being part of the H-Audio/Audible Physics team I will clear time in my schedule to help out. It's the least I can do. 

Zach


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## simplicityinsound

Chris, i will get out little crew organized with a few emails next week about the show. 

tuning jam friday night!! woo woo! lol


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## SNEAKY

awesome work.


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## SfTrainer

I had the pleasure of hearing this car last week in the early tuning stages and all I can say is wow. I have no regrets about my decision to buy these drivers, can't wait to have them installed by Bing in march.


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## dakine

You have some amazing installs. The next car I get I will give you a ring. I spend days trying to install and it doesn't look nearly as good as yours. Very impressive. Keep up the good work!


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## GSlider

Bing, I hate you! We have an 01' MDX as our family car and I've been wanting to do that exact same thing with ours. But, the wife says no! 

Install is amazing as usual. Nice work bud!


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## circa40

Very clever sub enclosure idea my friend


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## bardo

Bing, I wanted to thank you for your design/post. I was able to replicate (albeit probably not as good) your design and I'm really pleased with the results! I'd post pictures/links but it says I need more posts


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## bardo




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## wdemetrius1

^^

This is a Great Way to pay homage.


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## eviling

I like how you mounted that sub, that was very simple and effective.


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## simplicityinsound

bardo said:


>


looks absolutely fantastic! i would be proud to call that one my own 

b


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## digital_04

i registered on this site just because of this post. This is so awesome. I am no carpenter but I figure things out and do them myself. This job though is really tough. I wish you lived on the east coast. preferrably columbus oh to assist me in doing this mod to by MDX.


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## eviling

digital_04 said:


> i registered on this site just because of this post. This is so awesome. I am no carpenter but I figure things out and do them myself. This job though is really tough. I wish you lived on the east coast. preferrably columbus oh to assist me in doing this mod to by MDX.


I'm east coast but thats like a 15 hour drive for me  plus i'm not quite as handy as these gentleman. if you want any tips we're all more than happy to answer any specific questions you have (granted in your own thread  )


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## scorpioinny

I am looking for something similar. Can you create an enclosure for the sub for me? I have a 2010 but i think its pretty much the same and should fit no problem. Let me know if you can do it and how much it would be.


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## simplicityinsound

scorpioinny said:


> I am looking for something similar. Can you create an enclosure for the sub for me? I have a 2010 but i think its pretty much the same and should fit no problem. Let me know if you can do it and how much it would be.


sorry i cannot...i dont hvae a MDX to work with and this is something that really needs to be built in the car anyway.

b


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## robert_wrath

Can't believe I missed this build. How are those Zapco subs? They hittin?


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## scorpioinny

simplicityinsound said:


> sorry i cannot...i dont hvae a MDX to work with and this is something that really needs to be built in the car anyway.
> 
> b


That's what I thought, it was worth a shot. I'll find someone close to home to do the work. Thanks anyway.


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## jpeezy

Bing, as usual really clean nice work!is that a cypress clock on your wall?does it work?i used to use a lot of the zapco, mostly the ag series when they were being produced.

Bardo,nice work neighbor,are you going to that meet in sept. Russ's shop.the more the merrier!

Bing also nice job documenting,I've done a lot of that in the past I know what a pain it is.i hope everybody appreciates the detail.the more people interested in audio the better!


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## simplicityinsound

jpeezy said:


> Bing, as usual really clean nice work!is that a cypress clock on your wall?does it work?i used to use a lot of the zapco, mostly the ag series when they were being produced.
> 
> Bardo,nice work neighbor,are you going to that meet in sept. Russ's shop.the more the merrier!
> 
> Bing also nice job documenting,I've done a lot of that in the past I know what a pain it is.i hope everybody appreciates the detail.the more people interested in audio the better!



its uh some type of clock  left there by my land lord  it used to work before it ran out of battery like 3 years ago hehe.

b


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## nismo4life

0_0...I'm blown away at how OEM you made the A pillar covers look.


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## k24_powered_dc5

Thanks Bing I have an 03 MDX I'm going to be starting on in a few weeks and this has given me some great ideas. I can hardly wait to see how much room I have in the upper dash and in the center console. I'm looking for a good place to mount some JL 6w3's. Also want to run a center in the dash with the Audio Control ESP-3. 
One question can you point me in a good direction to find vinyl match for my dash, My MDX is Black on Black.


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## simplicityinsound

its really hard to be honset, i have a bunch of sample books and i just flip through and find the closest match both color and pattern, sometimes, you cant find the right color, in that case, the best way is to get a pattern that match and go to your local body shop supply place and have them mix you some SEM in a can and dye it.

b


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## k24_powered_dc5

Thanks, I wish I had more store fronts locally.
One more question 
When glassing to plastic panels such as a pilliars or kick panels do you think bulldog would work as a good for a adhesion promoter so the glass would stick? About a year ago I tryed to use stock plastics in a set of pods and the glass didnt really stick. I thought maybe if I used the bulldog it would. Bulldog if your not familiar is used to prep plastic/abs for paint prep.
Love the blue plastic trick, 15 years ago i used that card board panel seem cover for wall paneling but didnt quite work as well as the "blue plastic" I love stories that start with "back in the day"


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## DAT

k24_powered_dc5 said:


> Thanks, I wish I had more store fronts locally.
> One more question
> When glassing to plastic panels such as a pilliars or kick panels do you think bulldog would work as a good for a adhesion promoter so the glass would stick? About a year ago I tryed to use stock plastics in a set of pods and the glass didnt really stick. I thought maybe if I used the bulldog it would. Bulldog if your not familiar is used to prep plastic/abs for paint prep.
> Love the blue plastic trick, 15 years ago i used that card board panel seem cover for wall paneling but didnt quite work as well as the "blue plastic" I love stories that start with "back in the day"


you have to rough the area up and sometimes drill small holes for the stuff to grab to...


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## k24_powered_dc5

DAT said:


> you have to rough the area up and sometimes drill small holes for the stuff to grab to...


Yeah I tried cleaning it with a wax/ degreaser prep and then roughed it up with 60 grit but no drilled holes. I thought about drilling after of coarse "after".
I have some extra kick and apillar panels from my junk yard of dc5 parts im going to experiment with the bulldog multiple coats and then a good high build primer and of coarse some small drill holes and a roughed up surface.
im on my way now to Joanne for some "ponte" material.


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## simplicityinsound

the drilling through the hole is one way to do it, but i find that if you rough it up good, and allow the filler to harden completely first near the joints, it does fine, but the hole and push filler thru method is tried and true. 

b


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## benyaki

This has been the inspiration for my install. Using some JL slash series amps, Cleansweep with CL-SSI, and some high energy hertz speakers. Copied the sub enclosure install, turned out great!


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## optimaprime

Love bings installs with the zapco dc amps he seems to use them to max potential and make them look so oem . And that's a complement !


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## SQLnovice

I really like this build. As the new owner of a 2012 MDX, I'll try and replicate that sub inclosure. This is an old build log, but thanks for the detail log.


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## SkizeR

the good ol' days of bings driveway installs. that sub enclosure is pretty creative


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## SQLnovice

SkizeR said:


> the good ol' days of bings driveway installs. that sub enclosure is pretty creative


Yea, The key word is i'll "try"
I just got an extra sub enclosure I picked up online for cheap. So I'll experiment and see what happens. I have no idea what sub to go with. I was thinking about the 10tw3, but not sure if the output will be satisfactory. The 10w6 is a little out of my budget, but i'll see what happens within the next few weeks. I figured I'll start build it and leave the sub cut-out for last.


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## simplicityinsound

Hey hey now...i never installed in the driveway..


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## SkizeR

simplicityinsound said:


> Hey hey now...i never installed in the driveway..


sorry, two car garage lol. did you actually have all the room you needed? because i only have very basic tools, and i already have no room for anything else in my garage.


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## simplicityinsound

i made do...and i parked two cars in the garage almost every night


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## SliderJeff

Fantastic install, as everyone else has already stated! Out of curiosity, what spray dampener and rubberized undercoat do you prefer for the stock enclosure? I'm thinking of ONLY using the stock enclosure, some polyfill, and the Kenwood KFC-XW800F 8" Subwoofer for my 2011 Acura MDX. Saw a video on YouTube of a 2010 install that used that and emailed the installer. Sounds like it worked out very well.

Thanks,
Jeff


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## luisalfredosanchezm

I can't look picture of the work. Please I want do this work in my MDX 2008.


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## Preissler

luisalfredosanchezm said:


> I can't look picture of the work. Please I want do this work in my MDX 2008.


This topic is from 2011, the pictures gone...


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## k24_powered_dc5

luisalfredosanchezm said:


> I can't look picture of the work. Please I want do this work in my MDX 2008.


Heres a link to his FB page that shows most of all the pictures except for the sub work.

https://www.facebook.com/simplicityinsound/photos/a.240514369306455/240514405973118/?type=3&theater


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## Dpett98

Why are the images “blocked”. I can’t see the installation pictures.


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## carman91

Hey Bing! Hoping you're still around as this is the closest post I've found to what I'm attempting here soon. I just bought a 2012 Acura MDX with ELS etc. The whole nine yards with nav (wish I could've gotten a base model, but the deal was too good to pass up). Your photo links all appear broken, so first off I was wondering if you'd be willing to do me, and anyone else who comes across thisa solid, and upload an album here or somewhere easy like imgur. 

So, I've got an Arc Audio PS8 DSP (the older one), an arc audio XDI 600.4, and a Zapco ST-1650XM II which was powering a large box I built, with an image Dynamics sub in it. I've been searching for many hours on many forums trying to figure out the best way to install this stuff, I'd like to utilize my DSP if possible, and replace the speakers too (idk about ALL TEN, but I like the way you did yours so maybe that'll be the route for speakers..) 

So my questions are, after doing this install once, what would you recommend I do re: the speakers and dsp? And do you have any links, photos, or resources you'd be willing to share? I'm an ex installer, so I've got experience, just never has to deal with this damn ELS setup. Sounds like summing won't be an issue, but I'm just at a loss about what I should do with this dsp. It seems to me it's be best to install it if I'm running aftermarket speakers etc. But I really just don't know at this point. 
.Any advice would be greatly appreciated, and if you help me sort this out a bit, I'll be forever in your debt. 

Thanks a ton for your time Bing! And I hope to hear back!

Matt


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## mikechec9

There should be an annual forum drive to contribute to an image fund whereby we collectively pay to have images displayed. I wanna see


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