# Shin John's 2011 Honda Pilot SQ Install...mucho pics!



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Hey guys,

So here is the project that spanned the last two weeks of last year and the first work week post CES of this year.

Its a SQ install for our own member Shin John, an old school SQ head right here in the bay area. It went into his 2011 Honda Pilot.

Because of the client, the goals for this project were a little bit different:

1. Install everything Shin John provided according to his design for best SQ

2. Heavily soundproof all the doors and rear hatch, using products Shin John provided from Sound Deadener Showdown and techniques from Don.

3. No cosmetic show off factor, instead the focus is on durability and retention of cargo space, as a result, almost all the gear went into the stock storage bin in the cargo area.

4. incorpoate an overhead flip down screen and a LCD mirror into the mix (only pieces i provided)

so you will get to see a bunch of pics, but mostly will be build pics as there isnt too much to see cosmetic wise of the finished product 

lets get started:

First under the hood, becuase naturally, Hondas dont provide a lot of room in the sill plate to run thick wires, two 4 guage cable were run back instead of a the normal single 0. I used a knukonceptz 0 in dual 4 out fuse holder for him, here you see that mounted next to the battery and the 2x 4 ga cable running back.










I also upgraded his grounding, running 4 guage cable from the negave terminal of the battery to this bolt:










then from there to a bolt on the passenger side:










and finally from that point to a bolt on the engine:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Moving to the interior, the signal source is a Pioneer DEX-P99RS, which of course also doubles as the systems DSP. it is mounted in the stock location via a BestKits dash kit, i also ran the USB/ipod cable into a Proclip Iphone mount for him:










quick shot of the harness behind the P99










I mounted the remote bass knob into one of the blank knockout panels to the left of the steering wheel for easy access:










basically i took the circuit board and knob out of the box module, shaved the insde of the knockout panel and mounted it through:










I provided and installed a Directus Navigation TD43BT LCD integrated rear view mirror with Bluetooth, here it is showing a picture:










A fahrenheit backup camera was mounted next to the hitch:










When the car is shifted into reverse, the mirror will turn on (if not on already) and automatically switch to the camera input:










A quick shot of the back of the mirror, with wires bundled up, techflexed (the portion that will show) and heatshrinked, with the honda mirror adapter mount that Directus provides:










The BT mic for the mirror i mounted on the center of the steering column for good reception:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

I also installed a NESA NSC-103MH 10.3" widescreen ceiling mounted LCD with integrated DVD player, i ran the video output from this screen into the secondary videio input on the mirror, and audio output into the aux2 input of the P99, so the entire car can listen and see what is being played on the screen:





































To mount the screen, i first cut the headliner, and installed six rivet threaded inserts, or rivnuts into the cross beam, Shinjohn was nice enough to let me borrow his rivet tool:










Becuase there is a lot of space in the headliner of the Pilot, i used this 1.25" MDF spacer to properly locate the screen, here it is along wtih the cap bolts used to secure it to the beam into the rivnuts:



















So here it is fastened to the beam:










you see also that there are six threaded inserts installed into the MDF spacer, this is so the mounting plate for the NESA flipdown can be secured to it using bolts:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Moving onto the front stage, the tweeters are a set of ScanSpeak Illuminator R3004/6020-10, 1" Ring Radiator Tweeters, they are molded into the A pillars. While i was away at CES, Shin John played with the aiming and here is how they are aimed. Essentially both each side is aimed one of his ears.  I finished the pillars in grey texture paint for now...but there are some imperfections that i will take care of in the near future -- the weather took a turn for the worse and trying to prep and paint in a 40 degree garage became a bit hopeless. 

anyway here they are:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

A few build pics. first the pillars were cutt and the rings aimed and attached. the obivous difficult one is the drivers side, due to the angle of the pillar and the orientation of the tweeter. I basically trimmed it as far up as i dare go without cutting out the mounting clip.



















then grille cloth was attached to the rings and pulled to the pillar, resin applied and allowed the harden. the pods were then reinforced from the inside with a duraglass/resin mixture:










Then the pillars were covered with body filler and sanded smooth. This is when it really started getting chilly and had a hard time working with the filler, basically added too much hardner and had it cure way too fast:



















Once that was done, the pillars were coated with texture paint and then dyed with SEM spray. Though its hard to see in the pic, there are a few small countour imperfections and pinholes...but soon they will get fixed, prolly sending them to my friends body shop and have him at it in his heated booth, and get the paint to match perfectly at the same time.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Here are the awesome, and awesomely DEEP Scanspeak Illuminator tweeters, ready to go into the pods:




























So thats for tweets, now came perhaps the most time consuming part of the entire project, the sound proofing and speaker installation of all four doors. 

So as mentioned before, Shin John got me a bunch of stuff from Don at Sound Deadener Showdown, and I installed it using instructions from Don (Rudeboy). This is my first time using his products and the first time doing it his way, so things took quite a bit longer. I did document it all though. 

First the driver side door. Don says that 25 percent coverage of CLD tiles on the outter and inner metal door skin is adequate, versus the full coverage that is more common seen. I sorta chose a compromise in between, and did roughly 75 percent coverage:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

After that, I ran a set of 14 guage speaker cables into the door, ziptied it to the stock loom and ran out the speaker opening, which was dremeled out to accomodate the massive speaker.




























Next a set of mounting rings were made for the front speakers, with holes to screw them into the metal (secured with speednuts) and threaded inserts for the heavy speaker mounting:










Next the ring was secured to the door, and sealed around the edges with butyl rope from Don:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Then came the REALLY fun part, which was attaching a layer of CCF and MLV barrier to the door. Using techniques suggested by Don, i first trimmed out a sheet of MLV and CCF both marginally smaller than the plastic door card, with holes cutout for the mounting clips. on the CCF squares were cutout to mount Heavy Duty vehcro strips that secure the composite layer to the metal door panel:



















next, using contact adhesive Don provided, the two layers were bonded together at the edges to form a single sheet, and the adhesive backed velcro was attached:



















Then, the speaker portion was trimmed out, and the panel gradually shaved (through many many test fitments and trial and error by putting the door card back on) to the desired shape. Even though its only one picture apart, it took roughly an hour or more to finally get it to the right shape for maximum coverage while still allowing the door cards to go back on:










so then this barrier was secured to the door with the velcro strips, the area around the speaker was held down by some butyl rope.










So about that midbass, Shin John chose a MASSIVE ScanSpeak Revelator 18S/8531G00 7" Mid-Woofers, here it is with the bolts used to attach it to the ring...check out the motor on this beast!



















The woofer is then wired up using insulated spades:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

and installed into the door:



















the plastic door card received about 50 percent coverage as well with CLD:










The procedure was then repeated on the passenger side front door:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)




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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Phew...moving onto the rear doors. The produced was basically the same as the front, except a few small differences:

1. The rings are just predrilled for the speaker instead of threaded inserts (since the rear fill speakers are very light)

2. about 30 percent coverage of CLD on the rear door card
































































The wire was led down the B pillar cavity and comes out of a piece of OEM foam behind the seatbelt anchor:










rear speaker mounting rings:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Here are the rear fill speakers chosen by Shin John, Aurasound NS6-255-4A 6" Woofers, extremely lightweight:



















rest of drivers side rear door:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

and the whole thing was repeated for the passenger rear door:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)




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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)




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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

The fifth door cargo hatch also received a similar treatment, first about 50 percent coverage with CLD:



















then, i made a composite barrier with two pieces of CCF sandwiching a piece of MLV, secured togehter using contact adhesive, with holes cutout for the lock mechanisms:




























Next the plastic hatch cover was smothered with CLD, at this point we ran out of stuff from SDS, so Shinjohn provided an old roll of RAAMMAT:



















next the composite barrier i made earlier was attached to the door card using contact adhesive and velcro:



















So basically, this sandwiches between the plastic and metal.

Okay so i am tired just typing all that, all in all, the sound proofing of the five doors, plus speaker install took the better part of 4 days! Never have i spent that much time on something like this.

The end result? I think Shin John can speak better to that since he knows waht the car was like before, but from my experience, i think its very effective. I doubt a stock Pilot is this quite on the highway. its very noticable that any noise seems to come through the windows, versus anything through the doors at all. Now, would i do this again on another car? if the price is right...sure!


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Now comes the wiring...two bundles go from the front of the car to the back, on the driver side is the power cables, video cables for the overhead and mirror/camera, andt he driver side speaker wires:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

and on the passenger side went the rca cables (Shin John soldered ends using Stinger HPM cable for the most part) and speaker wires:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Okay, finally for the main part of the install in the cargo area. So as mentioned before, cosmetics wasnt part of the plan. we just wanted to figure out how to install three amps, two subs and all their wiring into the space occupied by the rear cargo tray.

Well, here is the end result. as you can see, its pretty much a stock look, the floor wasnt raised at all, infact, that is the OEM floor cover (with some modification) on top:




























Flipup the cargo floor cover and you see that its been modified and is now breathable. the stock strap that holds it up is still there. the bottom of the panel is done in black trunk liner, the top in grey non backed premium carpet. below that, where the cargo bin used to be, is now a simple breathable cover wrapped in black grille cloth:










A closer look reveales a raised PILOT logo, but thats about it. again, its purely to be functional, stealthy and space sacing:



















The stock tool storage bin is still there with all the tools:










Flip down the little door on the drivers side, and all the power distribution is readily at hand for easy troubleshooting. The werid looking module is a pot that we are using to vary the fan speed, it will probably be replaced by some resistors later:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

So okay, lift up the top cover, and everything is in bare MDF beneath. Two Peerless XLS 830532 10" Subwoofers reside in a sealed enclosure of around 1 cubic foot. Three Vibe Audio LiteBox Amplifiers power the entire system. 

(1) LiteBox Stereo 4: 2 channels running front tweeters, 2 channels running rear speakers
(1) LiteBox Stereo 4: bridged to 2 channels running front mid-bass
(1) LiteBox Bass 1: running subwoofers

i cant remember the wattage so you will need to ask Shin John about that.

This was literally the only way i can fit all three amps and two subs in there. its impossible to see in the pics, but special care was made so that no part of the subbox came into contact with the plastic tray, to ensure we dont get extra rattles and buzzing, especially from the door tray:





































Anyone familiar with the litebox amps will know that the werid thing about them is that all the controls, especially the gains, are mounted on the UNDERSIDE of the amp. So of course, there has to be a way to get to those knobs...

here is what i came up with.

for the four channel amp on the driver side, its on a hinged board, tied down tomally with a long strip of velcro. so you just grab it, and tilt it up, its not much, but enough to get at the gain controls:



















for the front two amps, as you can see they sit on an independent board. there are two wing nuts, one on each side:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

undo them, and you can slide the entire board out of two studs and lay them down like this, to get at all the controls, this also allows access to the OEM mechanism to lower the spare tire. its not the easiest of actions, but i can perform this task in about a minute:










The other thing we were concerned about was cooling for the amps. so you noticed that the back cover for the two amps were gone, and if you look down into the bin, you see two HUGE stinger fans pulling air from the floor cavity and forcing them into the amps and then out through the side slats on the amps. This is also why there is foam on the backside of the amp rack, to make as good of a seal as possible. I think we went a bit overkill on the fansize, as even after an hour of continuous playing the amps are lukewarm lol 



















some build pics:

This is the OEM cargo tray, it was removed wholesale from the car:










the bottom was trimmed out and gradually more and more was trimmed out to fit all the stuff and their wires:










eventually, it ended up looking like this. the two big fans are secured to the tray side walls using long bolts and nylon lock nuts, and the tray received a layer of CLD, at this point, i also ran out of the RAAMMAT that shinjohn gave me, so i dipped into my collection of Second Skin Deamplifier pro. LOL


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

This is the rack for the front two amps, before and after amp mounting:














































These are the two Peerless subs, wired up and then installed into the box. And the box itself, the hole you see on the bottom allows access to the spare tire lowering mechanism:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Here is the enclsoure bolted to the car, with various wires run into the area:



















the four bolts are locked in place via nylon lock washers, and then sprayed with silver bbq grille paint to prevent rust:



















this i the hinged board that houses the third amp:



















the cover above the equipment before and after carpeting:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Here is the OEM cargo floor covder, with all the hinges and carpeting removed (HUGE PITA, took me almost two hours pulling and gritting my teeth hahah) and sanded down:



















holes were cut into it to allow venting for the subs and amps, the edge rabetted:




























Grille mesh attached and carpeted:




























Okay!!!!!! so thats it...as you can see quite a bit different than my normal installs, but again, this is working with someone who has probably a better ear and knowledge of SQ than myself, so it was kinda nice just following instructions...though its still a lot of head scratching and asking "you want to fit what where?!?!" 

So the obvious question is, HOW DOES IT SOUND???

Well, i cannot give you a definite answer, becuase i was suppose to some light tuning today, but got a raging headache in the morning.

So basically, the car just has basic xovers set, all gains at minimum on the amps, and no eq, no time alignment.

but I can tell you that this should be a wonderful sounding car.

Tonally, there is very little wrong with it despite having zero EQ...detail is nice, warm and smooth. the midbass is REALLY REALLY REALLY BADASS, i mean i have not heard this level of impact, precision, transients all in one in a long time...the bass blends really well and fills the cabin...what i am REALLY surprised is that there is ZERO rattles from the subs, not the tools not the bin, not anything. 

I think with some more of Shin John's tuning, this car will be quite special.

I am sure he will chime in here.

okay, off to rest my aching head after taking the last 3 hours posting this log. :surprised:

enjoy.

b


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Bing, quick question for you...
How did you know the crossbeam was where it was in order to mount the dvd monitor? Did you remove the headliner to see what was there to attach the screen to or did you just get lucky, lol?


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## jtaudioacc (Apr 6, 2010)

simplicityinsound said:


> ...what i am REALLY surprised is that there is ZERO rattles from the subs, not the tools not the bin, not anything.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Lemme throw some E-40 and Too Short on it and take care of that problem for you. :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Just kidding, awesome job, Bing!


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## trumpet (Nov 14, 2010)

I refresh this subforum every 30 minutes to wait for your next build log. Great write-up on the SDS products.


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## Mirage_Man (Jun 29, 2007)

Nice work as usual Bing. 

Getting that MLV to fit is fun isn't it? I did my entire car sans the trunk with it. 

I'm curious about those tweets. I've got the D3004/6020 for my build but when I got them I was planning on an off axis location. Now I'm considering on axis and was thinking I might be better of with the RR's. Please let us know your thoughts when you're able.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Jon, i played my usual rattle song, a techno that starts with noting but a fat bassline, so any rattles comes loud and clear since there are no other music, and nothing 

Mirage, about thoughts ont he tweeter, ask Shin John


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

bikinpunk said:


> Bing, quick question for you...
> How did you know the crossbeam was where it was in order to mount the dvd monitor? Did you remove the headliner to see what was there to attach the screen to or did you just get lucky, lol?


there are two ways i do this, funny thing is i havent done an overhead in like 5 hyears, but used to do a ton of them.

1. usually, when you remove the B pillar covers, you can pull the headliner down a bit to see where it is.

2. if thats impossible, you can take a long pin or long needle, and start jabbing into the headliner, when it doesnt go in that far you know its the cross beam, when it goes far its the roof. when you get a good feel for where the beam is, cut a really small hole, shine a light and you will see the limits of the beam.

for this car, shin john told me to mount the unit as far forward as possible, so i located the beam via a combo of those two methoids, since its hard to see where the beam was from the B pillar.

b


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

well, i was lucky in that this door was flat for the most part, on the doors where an indentation in the door card (such as pocket or cup holder) goes into a curved indentation in the metal, getting the mlv to fit would have been uh...tougher


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

trumpet said:


> I refresh this subforum every 30 minutes to wait for your next build log. Great write-up on the SDS products.


i hope thats not true lol cuase you are gonna wear out the F5 button lol


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## GS3 (Feb 19, 2006)

Excellent install and write-ups as always bing.

It's good to see an OG sq member getting back in.

what's up Shin John? Hope all is well with you and the family.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Mirage_Man said:


> Nice work as usual Bing.
> 
> Getting that MLV to fit is fun isn't it? I did my entire car sans the trunk with it.
> 
> I'm curious about those tweets. I've got the D3004/6020 for my build but when I got them I was planning on an off axis location. Now I'm considering on axis and was thinking I might be better of with the RR's. Please let us know your thoughts when you're able.


Go with the RR's.




simplicityinsound said:


> there are two ways i do this, funny thing is i havent done an overhead in like 5 hyears, but used to do a ton of them.
> 
> 1. usually, when you remove the B pillar covers, you can pull the headliner down a bit to see where it is.
> 
> ...


Great advice.

Hopefully this year my wife will get a new car and we'll be installing monitors. I may go headrest but it's good to know the methods you used.

Shin John, you may be the person to answer this question: why not headrest monitors rather than an overhead? Was it simply because of the number of folks riding in the backseat or ???


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## Wheres The Butta (Jun 6, 2009)

I love it. Rugged and stealthy. Really nice work.


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

Bing does it again. Great Install.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

bikinpunk said:


> RR > Domes on axis. And I still say RR > dome in most every case. But, of course, everyone will argue with me because for some reason the popular opinion is that a dome somehow does better off axis, even though it has more comb filtering in it's response than most RR's do. In general, RR's are more smooth while rolling off where a dome just doesn't exhibit this same characteristic.
> 
> A generalization, yes, but one I find to hold up pretty well. YMMV.
> 
> ...


we briefly discussed this, more stealthy, less theft prone.


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## DAT (Oct 8, 2006)

SUB'd Wondering what it sounds like..... Shin John????


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

I think Shin John's too busy making Iphone 8 or something


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

Great install like always.I would like to hear your input on the Aurasound drivers,was looking at getting a pair for my Accord since they're so cheap & should be better than the OEM woofers even off HU power.


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## bbfoto (Aug 28, 2005)

simplicityinsound said:


> I think Shin John's too busy making Iphone 8 or something


I hope he's working on the new iPhone by now, because the new iPad 3 is already done and ready to hit the shelves! 

Bing, absolutely fabulous work, man. I'm a big fan of high-quality stealth installs, in addition to keeping nearly all of the stock cargo area usable. Those A-Pillars may not be so stealthy, however. 

Funny, because I am in the market for a new SUV/Crossover and was just at the Honda dealer a few days ago looking at the new 2012 Pilot. I'm seriously considering it, along with an install VERY similar to what you have done.  I really like the new cosmetic changes Honda did on the 2012, and although subtle, IMO they make a big difference for the better.

Also for 2012, supposedly Honda has done A LOT to cut down on the road and cabin noise, which has been a major complaint of all the past models. When I hopped-in the driver's seat and shut the door, it seemed at least as quiet and "tomb-like" as the 2001 S430 Benz sedan I used to have, so that's a good start.

Honda incorporated triple door and window seals, "Acoustic" window glass (thicker glass all around with a specially-laminated center layer in the windshield), and ample use throughout the vehicle with that white flexible foam you saw in the B-Pillar. They also did away with the roof rack to cut down on wind noise (you have to order it as a separate option now). 

Unfortunately, the engine is still a fair bit underpowered IMO, and most owners are reporting abysmal gas mileage, not even coming close to the updated 2012 EPA ratings. In addition, I want the AWD which doesn't help. But hey, it's an SUV, right?

A few questions when you find the time:

1. Is there is any room in the Kickpanels for 5.25" midrange or midbass drivers??? I need 1.5L sealed each side.

2. What about 3", maybe 4" shallow mids in the pillars?

3. Using similar mids as the SS 18W's, is there room behind the door panel to angle them up at all with a mounting ring?

Although I think I'm ready to KISS and just go with a 2-way front stage like shinjohn. I've done 2-ways in several of my cars and for others, and I know it can work extremely well if you have the right subwoofer-to-mid, and mid-to-tweeter integration.

Once again, MAD PROPS, Amigo! I really appreciate that you continue to take the time and energy to post your build logs. REALLY...THANK YOU! It's great for your customer to have as a reference, and it benefits all of us here on DIYMA immensely. Can't hurt to promote your business as well! 

I can appreciate the quality of your photos as well. I'm a fashion/advertising photographer by trade and the last thing I want to do when I come home from a shoot to work on one of my cars is to have to take more photos!

Well, are you ready to tackle some more sound-deadening in another Pilot? If I end up with one I just might want to send her up to you, haha! Hopefully the 2012 won't need as much.

Thanks again. Will look forward to shinjohn's comments.


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## Bluenote (Aug 29, 2008)

Great install Bing, looks like the start of a great year. Much success to you!


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

1. if you can relocate the hood latch and the window or is it gas filler latch ont he driver side, you can squeeze a fair bit of volume out of it.

2. for a SUV, the A pillar isnt huge, so i would say better 3"...

3. thats a good questions, not quite sure to be honest, maybe a tiny bit? but not enough to make a difference IMO...maybe 5 degrees?  

overall...from a sq standpoint, the car is pretty good, not the easiest to work on, as hondas never are sometimes...but i think once dialed in, it should be pretty good.

if this my own car, i would have gone with a single shallow 12, and used mosconis amps and a 6to8 dsp, and did off axis tweets, may be done and tweet off axis or slightly on axis


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## bbfoto (Aug 28, 2005)

Bing,

Thanks for the quick answers to my questions! Great to know. I asked about the A-Pillars because like you said, they aren't that big for an SUV, so I wanted to know how much room there was behind them. Awesome re: the kicks, too. Thanks!

Another question and comments:

1. Why not a 0-ga. negative power wire from the battery to at least the first bolt on the body instead of a single 4-ga.? I realize it's probably not necessary with the amps shinjohn is currently using, but maybe for future upgrades? IIRC, and for future installer's reference, I think that alternator is 150-amp as well, maybe 170-amp on the EX-L and Touring models.

2. And I think you may have been able to incorporate that rear-view camera into the OEM display that is in the dash directly above the P99RS. A rear-view camera is now standard on all trim levels of the 2012 Pilot, and they use that display for the rear-view camera, unless you have the NAV package which will then use the larger display (I think it's 8" now, too!). Even with the NAV option, the smaller display is still there as well as an "information display" or something to that effect.

_^CORRECTION. The rear-view camera is standard on all trim levels of the CR-V for 2012, not the Pilot. However, the Pilot does use that same type of small display and NAV options with the rear-view camera as the CR-V._

Anyway, I just wanted to post this information so others that might do an install in a Pilot in the future have it.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

1. thats a good question, i guess i have always used 4 guage for grounding kits, never really thought about that. in all honesty, i have yet to really see a big difference of any kind on newer cars by doing grounding wires  i measured my car with a multimeter and nothing seems to change. hehe

2. thats interesting...had no idea, shin john didnt tell me hahaha that would have saved some trouble  but hey, at least he gained BT right?


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## bbfoto (Aug 28, 2005)

Thanks again. I think I am mistaken about the rear-view camera being standard on all trim levels of the Pilot...it is a standard feature on the CR-V now, sorry. But they use that same small display.

And re: BT, Bluetooth calling & A2DP music streaming is standard on the Pilot EX and up trim levels for 2012.

What shallow 12's are you liking these days?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Si bm...im interested in how the new illusion drivers sound.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Hey Guys,
Sorry for being late to the party. 
Busy night with a dinner thing and work. 
Anyhow, I'm glad to provide my opinion, however much it's worth.

First and foremost, I really want to thank Bing of Simplicity in Sound for working with me on this install! A true professional, a skilled craftsman, and just a great guy! Can't say enough good things about him!!! Thanks Bing!!!!!

Second, kudos to Don at SDS for providing some great sound treatment materials, and best of all, great technical support for this install. I think the results of this install really speak to his wealth of knowledge.



bikinpunk said:


> Bing, quick question for you...
> How did you know the crossbeam was where it was in order to mount the dvd monitor? Did you remove the headliner to see what was there to attach the screen to or did you just get lucky, lol?


Erin,
On top of what Bing said, having myself done an overhead screen install in an Odyssey as well, I would advise checking vehicle specific forums for this info. There are usually lots of guys who post pictures and measurements of where the cross members are. 



GS3 said:


> Excellent install and write-ups as always bing.
> 
> It's good to see an OG sq member getting back in.
> 
> what's up Shin John? Hope all is well with you and the family.


Thanks for the shout out! Things are good, just busy. Too busy for me to work on my own vehicle these days, LOL. I had to bring out the big gun for this one.  And in retrospect, completely glad I did!! Totally worth it! I think it's been too long since we had a bay area get together. I think someone has to organize one soon.  That is after I get some good tuning done on this system! (I now have no excuse for not having good sound now)



Mirage_Man said:


> I'm curious about those tweets. I've got the D3004/6020 for my build but when I got them I was planning on an off axis location. Now I'm considering on axis and was thinking I might be better of with the RR's. Please let us know your thoughts when you're able.





bikinpunk said:


> Go with the RR's.


Listen to this Erin guy, he knows what he speaketh. 

My take: for an on axis install, I think the ring radiators are a no brainer. They are just the best, most detailed, and fullest "compact" tweeter I've been able to get my hands on, bar none.

If you want dispersion, yes a dome is better, but you're going to be better off IMO with the smaller 0.75" version if you want off axis response. The tradeoff being lower output capability, as well as more limited bandwidth.

But again, your install is not mine so I can't say for certain what would actually be better for you. For example, (this is going to probably sound a bit like a mini-rant...) I just don't get pillar installs with tweeters pointing at each other. If you have something with good dispersion, you screw yourself with reflections off the windshield; if your dispersion is limited, then you don't get any of the high frequency response directed at your ears anyway. It doesn't solve the 2 seat problem either. I just don't get it. Need to tame a harsh tweeter? EQ it down, or just get a better tweeter if you don't have the ability to tune it. Don't point it away from you. OK /end rant. 

p.s.- I make no claim to be an expert in audio, car, or otherwise. Just my own opinions, based largely on my own experience; take it all with a grain of salt and seek opinions of some of the smarter folks on this and other forums. 



bikinpunk said:


> Hopefully this year my wife will get a new car and we'll be installing monitors. I may go headrest but it's good to know the methods you used.
> 
> Shin John, you may be the person to answer this question: why not headrest monitors rather than an overhead? Was it simply because of the number of folks riding in the backseat or ???


Bing covered part of it, but the other reason is size. It seems for my kids that the larger single screen tends to be easier to see, and the added viewing distance helps prevent motion sickness. Try holding a small screen next to your face still as opposed to a larger screen further away and see what you think. 

My Odyssey has a 15" widescreen and my kids LOVE that. Everyone in the 2nd and 3rd rows of the van can view it with ease and very comfortably. However it COMPLETELY blocks the rear view when down, which is annoying. 

I plan to cart kids back and forth to the mountains for skiing/boarding with the Pilot alot (thus the 4WD SUV), and so 3rd row seat usage in that scenario is much less common. The 10" diagonal is big enough to cover viewing from the 2nd row really well, and it doesn't block my rear view completely. I can still see pretty well behind me with the screen down.



DAT said:


> SUB'd Wondering what it sounds like..... Shin John????


It sounds good. 

Actually, the system being not fully tuned up I will only say this:
Amazing potential. The tweeters are amazing (2nd to none, really), the mid bass impact is already all there. Stage height won't be a problem with the tweets up high. Just need to work out the integration of tweet to mid, clean up the lower midrange, and get the staging right. (yeah, just those little things, LOL!) I told Bing that I expect this system to out perform my old 3-way system from my now retired (totaled) '99 Accord.



strong*I*bumpin said:


> Great install like always.I would like to hear your input on the Aurasound drivers,was looking at getting a pair for my Accord since they're so cheap & should be better than the OEM woofers even off HU power.


At $6 each, it's a no-brainer to try them out. Price/performance ratio there probably isn't a better speaker I can think of. Best for every application? Definitely not. My plans are to experiment a bit with rear fill, and also use them to provide rear seat sound for the kiddies when needed. WAY better than factory, IMO. Much better controlled response, smooth roll of on the top end, easy to work with.

This definitely wasn't about skimping or reducing cost. I put the speaker I wanted to put in there. I don't plan to pound on them. They're simply not designed for that. Run off HU power I think they would do great!


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

bbfoto said:


> Those A-Pillars may not be so stealthy, however.


I agree. In this instance I chose sound over any other consideration. And I wanted to try and challenge Bing to try and make it look as good as possible.  



bbfoto said:


> I really like the new cosmetic changes Honda did on the 2012, and although subtle, IMO they make a big difference for the better.


HUGE difference. Notice I replaced the grill with the Honda Accessory grill, which IMO is WAY better. 












bbfoto said:


> Also for 2012, supposedly Honda has done A LOT to cut down on the road and cabin noise, which has been a major complaint of all the past models. When I hopped-in the driver's seat and shut the door, it seemed at least as quiet and "tomb-like" as the 2001 S430 Benz sedan I used to have, so that's a good start.
> 
> Honda incorporated triple door and window seals, "Acoustic" window glass (thicker glass all around with a specially-laminated center layer in the windshield), and ample use throughout the vehicle with that white flexible foam you saw in the B-Pillar. They also did away with the roof rack to cut down on wind noise (you have to order it as a separate option now).
> 
> Unfortunately, the engine is still a fair bit underpowered IMO, and most owners are reporting abysmal gas mileage, not even coming close to the updated 2012 EPA ratings. In addition, I want the AWD which doesn't help. But hey, it's an SUV, right?


This is no luxury car. Granted I have an LX vs. the Touring which has more factory treatment, but it's still a big, relatively loud SUV-box. WAY quieter than my 10 year old Odyssey, but loud compared to the similar MDX, etc... Honda in general has lagged behind Toyota and other competitors IMO in the area of NVH, but major strides in recent models.

For my driving pattern, the gas mileage is terrible; I average about 14mpg. But I drive city mostly, live 3 miles from work, and drive like a grandma (25mph) alot because I'm carting kids to and from school (school zones). Highway mileage is acceptable. If you want raw power, look at another vehicle. I find it ample for what I do, but I never plan to tow a boat/trailer/etc... with it.



bbfoto said:


> 1. Is there is any room in the Kickpanels for 5.25" midrange or midbass drivers??? I need 1.5L sealed each side.


I thought about the kick thing myself too (was thinking, hey, why not go 3-way?) and I think it would be a mistake in this vehicle. You sit so upright and so high, I don't think the results would be very favorable. Why don't you give it a try and report back. 



bbfoto said:


> Well, are you ready to tackle some more sound-deadening in another Pilot? If I end up with one I just might want to send her up to you, haha! Hopefully the 2012 won't need as much.
> 
> Thanks again. Will look forward to shinjohn's comments.


I don't think Bing ever wants to do deadening in a Pilot again.  Funny thing is we scaled back from my original thinking of gutting the vehicle completely and going CLD/decoupled MLV on the entire floor as well as roof treatment. 




bbfoto said:


> Bing,
> 
> Thanks for the quick answers to my questions! Great to know. I asked about the A-Pillars because like you said, they aren't that big for an SUV, so I wanted to know how much room there was behind them.


One other thing I'm not sure Bing mentioned: the side curtain air bags occupy the upper half of the A-pillar. Bing's trimming of the pillars and placement of the tweeters were specifically to avoid interfering with that. Just keep that in mind.



bbfoto said:


> 2. And I think you may have been able to incorporate that rear-view camera into the OEM display that is in the dash directly above the P99RS. A rear-view camera is now standard on all trim levels of the 2012 Pilot, and they use that display for the rear-view camera, unless you have the NAV package which will then use the larger display (I think it's 8" now, too!). Even with the NAV option, the smaller display is still there as well as an "information display" or something to that effect.
> 
> _^CORRECTION. The rear-view camera is standard on all trim levels of the CR-V for 2012, not the Pilot. However, the Pilot does use that same type of small display and NAV options with the rear-view camera as the CR-V._
> 
> Anyway, I just wanted to post this information so others that might do an install in a Pilot in the future have it.


The display in my Pilot is a discrete LCD (text) display. It can't display video at all.

Also note, the '11 EX (non-navi) Pilot also did come with a backup camera with mirror mount display option, but the retrofit to my LX would have been as much as what I have in equipment here, and not as versatile (no AV input for DVD player, etc..). The 8" video capable display in the EX didn't arrive until '12. Navi models obviously always had video capability, but I chose not to get factory Nav in favor of my iPhone. 

I also thought about getting the housing for the larger display and doing an aftermarket display retrofit, but then you lose the A/C control functions. A '12 model year screen and camera retrofit is probably possible at this point too, but If the mirror display was as much as it was, then a retrofit to the larger video capable panel would probably be ridiculous. There's really not a good solution here so I took the path of least resistance and cost.



bbfoto said:


> And re: BT, Bluetooth calling & A2DP music streaming is standard on the Pilot EX and up trim levels for 2012.


Through the dang factory stereo. 

FYI, the Pioneer BT module evidently doesn't work with iPhone 4 or 4S (based on what I read) The Directnav mirror is working great with my 4S, at least so far.


----------



## bbfoto (Aug 28, 2005)

Thanks for all of the info and corrections, shinj! 

Nice grill! You're right, MUCH better than the standard one! Well, I also took the Pilot EX-L AWD for a test drive and was really impressed with how quiet it was. Almost wonder if additional deadening would be worth it. Might be a lot of work for little gain. Not so impressed with the acceleration for FWY on-ramp and passing, etc.

I was thinking of going with the EX, but probably EX-L. The Touring model comes with the Nav and Rear Entertainment System that I really don't want or need. I don't have any kids but have a bunch of nieces and nephews that visit often and they all have iPads, lol, so the RES wouldn't get much use.

I've been using my Euro version Androids...Samsung Galaxy Note 5.3" "Phablet" or 4.3" SGSII for my phone, Turn-by-Turn Google Nav, FM Tuner, lossless and mp3 Music and video sources, free Wi-Fi hotspot/tethering, etc. Had an iPhone 3G when it was first released, tried the new 4S, but am much happier with the Androids for the moment. Could have lived with the 4S if the [email protected] screen was at least 4"...but just can't go back to 3.5" now. Interested in what's to come with the new iPad and iPhone though.  We'll see. Anyway...

The Pilot is on Bing's blacklist, eh? LOL. So I guess I'll have to do all of my own deadening?!  I would've gone ahead treated that ceiling, even though I know it's a MAJOR PITA...and probably would've added at least an entire day to the labor. But IME, in vehicles like this with a larger roof area it's made a big difference. Wheel wells, too...inside and out. The floor is usually pretty well covered from the factory.

BTW, do you have the stock tires? I think on the 2012 LX they use low-rolling-resistance tires which tend to be a harder rubber compound and supposedly creates more road noise. FYI, usually not too good in the snow either. Not sure if this is the same on the '11.

Yep, the kick-panels probably aren't a good idea for the reasons you've stated. I've had that problem in other vehicles I've owned and ended up with mids in the doors because of the upright seating position. Doesn't help that I'm really short so the seat is usually pretty far forward, making this even worse.  I can't even think about extending the seat rails farther back for better PLDs, haha.

And yeah, I'm always mindful of the A-pillar airbag system when working with pillar installs. Would never want to compromise that part of the vehicle. If you understand how they deploy it's really not a problem with most installs. You just don't want to bolt or screw the trim to the actual A-Pillar metal frame, or compromise the factory mounting system in any way.

Despite the BT not working with the Pioneer, have you been happy with the P99rs as far as SQ and tuning capabilities? iPod/iPhone music integration, etc?

Thanks again. Time for me to get some shuteye. Will look forward to your thoughts after you get some tuning done.


----------



## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Fantastic job Bing! I remember hearing Shin John's Accord at Marv's and it was excellent - I'm quite sure he will get this on sounding right. This gives me some motivation to do something in my wife's Pilot (fortunately I won't need to do much deadening - she doesn't mind a rattle or two). As stated previously, great start to 2012.


----------



## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

Very nice job as always Bing. It probably didn't make a lot of difference to you since you spend so much time inside doors but it is generally easier to hang the MLV alone on the inner skin, using the Velcro Strips. Then you can remove it at will to move back and forth between the inner skin and trim panel and make small adjustments in registration. Once the trim panel goes back on with the MLV in place, remove it and attach the CCF. Tacking in a few places is usually enough.

I couldn't tell if you put the Extruded Butyl Rpe under the speaker mounting plates or along the outer edge. If you put it under the ring, it will squeeze out when you torgue it down, filling air voids and creating a very effective vibration damper.

All minor points. Beautiful looking project.


----------



## cnut334 (Oct 17, 2009)

Great work once again!!!!


----------



## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

Great work and nice choise of speakers! I think it should sound awesome after some tuning. What is the planned crossover frequency for the tweeter?


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

ouch Shin John about the tweeters facing each other statement  

for me its more a matter of cosmetics, but i think certain aspects of certain tweeters to me sounds better off axis than on...and plus my listening taste is for a really smooth top end..maybe dull to some... you and Eng should have a discussion on this someday 

bfoto: i think i will attack another sound proofing on a pilot. now that i have had one under my belt i know what to expect. i would much rather do it as part of a bigger install though, because sound proofing alone is to me, one of hte most mind numbing patience testing and least favorite part of my daily routine (sorry don )

but if i know its working towards a bigger end result, i get more motivated hehe

i got a LOT more motivated on Shin John's doors after i got the driver side door completely finished...really felt like i'd accomplished something there hehe.


Don: Thanks for the tip! I am showing the pics to a bunch of industry insiders, i wonder what they will think as most of them just smother CLD, or like me, do CLD and foam as a barrier. 

b


----------



## d5sc (Aug 14, 2007)

Bing,

That's an awesome install (as always) and Shin John selected some great components! I imagine the system sounds really good as of now and will get even better as the tuning tweaks progress... 

Systems like this make me interested in car audio again as my interest in it has waned over the past several years...

Thank you,

George


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

d5sc said:


> Bing,
> 
> That's an awesome install (as always) and Shin John selected some great components! I imagine the system sounds really good as of now and will get even better as the tuning tweaks progress...
> 
> ...


love to see you get back into it again George...maybe a new project car?


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

bbfoto said:


> I would've gone ahead treated that ceiling, even though I know it's a MAJOR PITA...and probably would've added at least an entire day to the labor. But IME, in vehicles like this with a larger roof area it's made a big difference. Wheel wells, too...inside and out. The floor is usually pretty well covered from the factory.


Something I'm definitely still considering doing at some point, but timing/schedule was a factor here.



bbfoto said:


> BTW, do you have the stock tires? I think on the 2012 LX they use low-rolling-resistance tires which tend to be a harder rubber compound and supposedly creates more road noise. FYI, usually not too good in the snow either. Not sure if this is the same on the '11.


Stock tires, yes, but they are not low rolling resistance, IIRC. Reasonably soft and therefore not bad from a road noise standpoint.



simplicityinsound said:


> ouch Shin John about the tweeters facing each other statement
> 
> for me its more a matter of cosmetics, but i think certain aspects of certain tweeters to me sounds better off axis than on...and plus my listening taste is for a really smooth top end..maybe dull to some... you and Eng should have a discussion on this someday


LOL.
Hey Bing - Wasn't making a comment that was directed at you specifically.  Car audio is all about compromises, and cosmetics is extremely important too. It's just my preference here.  




d5sc said:


> Bing,
> 
> That's an awesome install (as always) and Shin John selected some great components! I imagine the system sounds really good as of now and will get even better as the tuning tweaks progress...
> 
> ...





simplicityinsound said:


> love to see you get back into it again George...maybe a new project car?


George, good to hear from you. Like Bing said, I think you need to do another car.


----------



## screamatamonkey (May 15, 2009)

simplicityinsound said:


> if this my own car, i would have gone with a single shallow 12, and used mosconis amps and a 6to8 dsp, and did off axis tweets, may be done and tweet off axis or slightly on axis


I'm a big fan of monsoni stuff myself. Have you actually gotten your hands on a 6to8 yet?


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

screamatamonkey said:


> I'm a big fan of monsoni stuff myself. Have you actually gotten your hands on a 6to8 yet?


this is whats on my computer desk 

going into a car starting next week, followed by another 6to8 install after that




























i tried to talk Shin John into one but we didnt know it would actually arrrive or not in time.


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

simplicityinsound said:


> this is whats on my computer desk
> 
> going into a car starting next week, followed by another 6to8 install after that
> 
> i tried to talk Shin John into one but we didnt know it would actually arrrive or not in time.


I was totally on board to try the Mosconi 6to8 had we known for sure we could have hit the schedule! 

The P99 is working out good; I'm still getting used to the interface though!


----------



## GS3 (Feb 19, 2006)

simplicityinsound said:


> this is whats on my computer desk
> 
> going into a car starting next week, followed by another 6to8 install after that
> 
> ...


hope someone can help shed some light on what's all the rage with the mosconi 6to8 at this point in time? 
is it that much better than the helix p-dsp, zapco dsp-8 or arc ps8 etc...? is it due to one single factor at this time is availability of the mosconi 6to8?


----------



## DAT (Oct 8, 2006)

NICE, Where do you live Bing? Hmmm LOL


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

bbfoto said:


> Despite the BT not working with the Pioneer, have you been happy with the P99rs as far as SQ and tuning capabilities? iPod/iPhone music integration, etc?


Oops, a couple more quick comments on this. 

1) The P99 does take some time to get used to navigating and tuning with. I think using the remote helps alot. I just need to figure out a better mounting solution for that remote now.  I like the remote alot.

2) The knobs on the P99 IMO, are just too small/flush to be very usable all the time. They look cool/sleek, but not the most user friendly IMO.

3) Tuning capabilty/SQ, I don't yet feel there's anything lacking here.

4) iPod/iPhone integration - one of the reasons I like the P99 is that it bypasses the DAC in the iPod/iPhone. The UI is pretty typical for a single DIN, which is to say acceptable. I kinda wished the Pilot had space for double DIN, both for iPod interface/usability, and so I could have omitted the mirror monitor, keeping the system up front simpler. However, I would have needed an outboard DSP. All tradeoffs.


----------



## crxsir121 (Oct 18, 2006)

Just curious, how you ran rear fill with that pioneer deck? I know it has 4 preouts just for high,mid,midbass and sub outs. No rear rca preout...


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Why the shielded midbasses?


----------



## screamatamonkey (May 15, 2009)

simplicityinsound said:


> this is whats on my computer desk
> 
> going into a car starting next week, followed by another 6to8 install after that


So sexy!  I can't wait!


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

crxsir121 said:


> Just curious, how you ran rear fill with that pioneer deck? I know it has 4 preouts just for high,mid,midbass and sub outs. No rear rca preout...


Rear is run off of the "mid" output.
All outputs have independent adjustment for level, crossovers, time alignment, phase, and EQ so it didn't matter much whether I used the "mid" or "low" for the rear speakers. "Low" has more adjustability wrt gain so that's why I elected to use it for the front mid-bass. And in the future if I do decide to try 3-way, I don't have to swap around the outputs. 



thehatedguy said:


> Why the shielded midbasses?


Because I got them from Madisound for $200 for the pair.  They have been NIB sitting on my garage shelf waiting for this install.  There was room to fit them in the doors without debucking too.


----------



## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

shinjohn said:


> Oops, a couple more quick comments on this.
> 
> 1) The P99 does take some time to get used to navigating and tuning with. I think using the remote helps alot. I just need to figure out a better mounting solution for that remote now.  I like the remote alot.
> 
> 2) The knobs on the P99 IMO, are just too small/flush to be very usable all the time. They look cool/sleek, but not the most user friendly IMO.


I like the remote as well. The only button I use on the face is eject - helps to keep the black polished face clean. My bimmer steering wheel seems to have been made for this remote (or vice versa ) It's going to be a lot more challenging to find a good place for yours.


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

bertholomey said:


> I like the remote as well. The only button I use on the face is eject - helps to keep the black polished face clean. My bimmer steering wheel seems to have been made for this remote (or vice versa ) It's going to be a lot more challenging to find a good place for yours.


Yeah, Bing originally mounted the remote to my steering wheel like that but:
a) the remote doesn't fit as neatly to my steering wheel; it's actually too tight to fit where I want it with that strap mount. (it has to tilt out toward me a bit)
b) I hate the feeling of those straps on the outside of the wheel when I'm driving. Just can't live with it that way.


----------



## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

simplicityinsound said:


> bfoto: i think i will attack another sound proofing on a pilot. now that i have had one under my belt i know what to expect. i would much rather do it as part of a bigger install though, because sound proofing alone is to me, one of hte most mind numbing patience testing and least favorite part of my daily routine (sorry don )


Didn't you figure out that that's what the HH-66 is for? You must have had too much ventilation. Inhale those fumes for awhile and the time FLIES - of course nothing gets done and you drool a lot 

One thing I've been doing since Shin John's order is lining the trim panels with 3M Thinsulate acoustic. Helps with rattles and buzzes and absolutely sucks up middle to high frequency noise. Doesn't replace the MLV though, that's a necessary evil.


----------



## quietfly (Mar 23, 2011)

Rudeboy said:


> .........One thing I've been doing since Shin John's order is lining the trim panels with 3M Thinsulate acoustic. Helps with rattles and buzzes and absolutely sucks up middle to high frequency noise. Doesn't replace the MLV though, that's a necessary evil.


that is a cool idea!!!
Thanks!


----------



## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Nice score! And it seems the shielded drivers have a much higher Q than the unshielded ones...perfect for IB.


----------



## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

quietfly said:


> that is a cool idea!!!
> Thanks!


Just found out yesterday that Acura is doing exactly the same thing. Still going to claim it as my idea - Acura is like the other guy who invented the light bulb


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

GS3 said:


> hope someone can help shed some light on what's all the rage with the mosconi 6to8 at this point in time?
> is it that much better than the helix p-dsp, zapco dsp-8 or arc ps8 etc...? is it due to one single factor at this time is availability of the mosconi 6to8?


there is no rage, its just finally available.

for over a year now it has been the bitone and ms8 show. the helix been out but kinda limited representation retail wise so not a lot of people get to experience it, hell i didnt even know about it, cause no one ever talks about it amoing retailers 

so finally, another tune your own processor is available.

the zapco and the arc are both a few months away.

b


----------



## bbfoto (Aug 28, 2005)

simplicityinsound said:


> bfoto: i think i will attack another sound proofing on a pilot. now that i have had one under my belt i know what to expect. i would much rather do it as part of a bigger install though, because *sound proofing alone is to me, one of hte most mind numbing patience testing and least favorite part of my daily routine* (sorry don )
> 
> but if i know its working towards a bigger end result, i get more motivated hehe


Bing, why do you think I was wanting to have you do it for me, haha?!  It's not my favorite thing in the world to do, either! I'd don't mind the rest of it, though.

shinj, glad to hear you're generally happy with the P99rs. I still prefer the separate DEX-P9/DEQ-P9 setup just for keeping the wiring simpler by having the processor and RCA's close to the amps. I don't enjoy running 3-4 sets of RCA's from the dash to the trunk! I sure wish this setup had the iPod/iPhone integration of the P99rs, though! I think you can get that functionality now in the newer RS-D7x-III/RS-P99X processor combo, but the processor alone is just crazy money at > $3,300.

Hope you come up with a good spot for that remote.


----------



## jtaudioacc (Apr 6, 2010)

shinjohn said:


> FYI, the Pioneer BT module evidently doesn't work with iPhone 4 or 4S (based on what I read)


My iPhone 4 works fine with the P99 and BTB200. Hard to compare the bluetooth quality unless I'm on the other end. On my end, it's fine.

Streaming bluetooth audio is pretty good. Better quality than the cd changer I also have installed. lol.


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

jtaudioacc said:


> My iPhone 4 works fine with the P99 and BTB200. Hard to compare the bluetooth quality unless I'm on the other end. On my end, it's fine.
> 
> Streaming bluetooth audio is pretty good. Better quality than the cd changer I also have installed. lol.


thats cause you dont have the special in-company iphone 4 that shin john has  (he works for Apple  and rumor is that hes designed Siri! hahaha jk)


----------



## Se7en (Mar 28, 2007)

Wow! Just seeing this. Nice work Bing and congratulations Shinjohn! 

It's great to see you with tunes again! Hopefully I'll get to hear it when I get back!


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

when are you coming here Se7en?


----------



## Se7en (Mar 28, 2007)

simplicityinsound said:


> when are you coming here Se7en?


The initial move could be as early as a month from now. I've been in SFC interviewing for the last few days. 

I'll have to go back to Austin to get the Caddi once settled and I've found suitable parking for it.

Want to redo my trunk???


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

jtaudioacc said:


> My iPhone 4 works fine with the P99 and BTB200. Hard to compare the bluetooth quality unless I'm on the other end. On my end, it's fine.
> 
> Streaming bluetooth audio is pretty good. Better quality than the cd changer I also have installed. lol.


Interesting. Lots of people who reviewed it on Crutchfield seemed to have problems, but glad yours seems to be working well. 

I'm pretty happy with the wired iPhone connection, and my BT mirror works great too. Only wish my BT mirror speaker could play loud enough to keep up with the stereo. 




Se7en said:


> Wow! Just seeing this. Nice work Bing and congratulations Shinjohn!
> 
> It's great to see you with tunes again! Hopefully I'll get to hear it when I get back!


Gabe! Good to hear from you again. Keep us posted on your progress. We'll definitely hook up when you arrive.


----------



## aV8ter (Sep 4, 2009)

How did you score those Revs from madisound for $200 a pair? 

Also, how do you like the subwoofers? Any reason for going with the XLS instead of XXLS? How big is the enclosure?


----------



## SouthSyde (Dec 25, 2006)

Se7en said:


> The initial move could be as early as a month from now. I've been in SFC interviewing for the last few days.
> 
> I'll have to go back to Austin to get the Caddi once settled and I've found suitable parking for it.
> 
> Want to redo my trunk???


Whoa Gabe... So you are leaving the dirty South? 

And giving Bing no limit on a build??? Will be anxiously waiting! hehe


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

aV8ter said:


> How did you score those Revs from madisound for $200 a pair?
> 
> Also, how do you like the subwoofers? Any reason for going with the XLS instead of XXLS? How big is the enclosure?


A few years ago, Madisound had a special deal on them.
Every once in awhile you'll see a pair of these used (often debucked) on the forums. I kept mine and glad I did.

The XLS 10s, I got off eBay, also the shielded version that I debucked myself to reduce mounting depth. (I paid less for the subs than the revs, btw ) So the XLS vs other options had more to do with opportunity than anything else. I wanted either a pair of 10s or a single 12 for a bit of margin for dynamics and the 12 just would not fit the install. Things lined up really well for me as all the gear was stuff I had on my garage shelf for some time waiting for a great install.

Love the XLSs. They are in about 1 cube total, and honestly they don't model very well for low end response. However they work great once cabin gain is added in the equation. I have some data posted on another forum showing some of that.


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## pjc (May 3, 2009)

bikinpunk said:


> Bing, quick question for you...
> How did you know the crossbeam was where it was in order to mount the dvd monitor? Did you remove the headliner to see what was there to attach the screen to or did you just get lucky, lol?


I've done alot of tvs back when I was installing and it's almost a guarantee that there is a crossbeam where the overhead light is. Like mentioned its usually right inline with the B pillars. 

Absolutely great install! I love to see stuff like this where it takes lots of ingenuity to get a good amount of equipment completely out of sight. An install like this is so much more impressive than the big flashy installs. Great job.


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## Tnutt19 (Dec 22, 2010)

Excellent Install! Great choice on speakers, I loved my Scanspeaks!


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## dingaling (Apr 14, 2005)

nice install dood, hope i can hear it at the next meet.


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

dingaling said:


> nice install dood, hope i can hear it at the next meet.


Definitely, bud! Will be good to see you. We gotta make sure we get all the old gang out. 

System really is sounding pretty darn good IMO after some tuning. Me like. I'm sure you could make it sound even better.


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## GS3 (Feb 19, 2006)

dingaling said:


> nice install dood, hope i can hear it at the next meet.


wow, ding how have you been? its been a long time. are you heading down southbay anytime soon? need to get together and grab a bite or something.


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## abdulwq (Aug 17, 2008)

love the whole build


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## vwjmkv (Apr 23, 2011)

simplicityinsound said:


> there is no rage, its just finally available.
> 
> for over a year now it has been the bitone and ms8 show. the helix been out but kinda limited representation retail wise so not a lot of people get to experience it, hell i didnt even know about it, cause no one ever talks about it amoing retailers
> 
> ...


ive heard somewhere that AudioControl will be coming out with a succesor to their DQXS... how soon? not quite sure. should include all we ask for T/A, EQ, X/O all bells and whistles. hopefully enough out puts to run 3-way active with rearfill and sub... thats 10 channels right?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

no idea, for me with AC, its once bitten, twice shy...or may be ten times bitten elevenths time shy


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Thread resurrection here.

A quick update.

I went from KISS to borderline overly-complex.  I did exactly what I always say people should not do, LOL. Here's my rationale though:

Basically wanted Carplay, which meant:

1) needed space for double DIN - dash mods required
2) no built in DSP available in any Carplay unit -> external DSP needed
3) wanted to maintain ability to play CDs, and also have a digital signal path for this connection -> found the NESA 1/2 DIN DVD player with optical digital output for this purpose

Digital source path + Carplay analog source -> need volume/DSP controller

So it ended up really as simple as it gets.  

In the process, I ditched the Directus mirror monitor/BT module and hooked everything up to the Alpine. And obviously, I had to get rid of the beloved P99 head unit I had. Was very sad to see it go, but good to know it will be used in another install hopefully sometime soon. 

Special thanks to Joey, Jesse, and Bing at Simplicity in Sound for squeezing me in and getting this all done for me in a pinch. Very happy with the results.

A couple of quick pictures:








Rebuilt Pilot dash with Carplay double DIN, 1/2 DIN DVD, and Mosconi controller. This alone was a big challenge due to the fact that the dash trims taper to narrow as it goes down. I think Joey did a great job working it out so it all looks well integrated.

Here's what stock looks like:









And... bad picture, but Mosconi 6to8v8 mounted beneath passenger seat...


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## BigRed (Aug 12, 2007)

Nice!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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

So top display is dead?....nice integration


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

They did a great job ShinJohn!


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Thanks for the kind words, guys.



strong*I*bumpin said:


> So top display is dead?....nice integration


Top display is needed for climate control display, so it's still functional and needed.

Since I have an LX model, the only thing I lost was the ability to show (stock) radio station/function on that screen. It can't do anything else.


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

Looking forward to hearing the SQ sidegrade. Need to make use of channels 5/6 of the 6to8 up front.


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

In the pic above it appears dead.In my Accord I had a aftermarket DD HU and lost the display because it's the LX-P model which comes with the manual climate.The models above with the dual/ automatic climate will still display the clock & temp.


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## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Yup. Its completely blank unless I'm running the A/C .

Such a shame, the climate control indicators are a tiny sliver on the bottom right of the screen. Lost radio indicators, clock, and compass. What a boneheaded design IMO.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Looks really good.


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

shinjohn said:


> Yup. Its completely blank unless I'm running the A/C .
> 
> Such a shame, the climate control indicators are a tiny sliver on the bottom right of the screen. Lost radio indicators, clock, and compass. What a boneheaded design IMO.


Thats why I yanked it and just went with a LOC.Atleast in my Accord it annoyed the heck out of me,the aftermarket just did not look at home unless I added one of those aftermarket unit that go on top for aesthetics purposes.


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

Bump from the grave. Still sound pretty good?


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