# New Install- Pioneer Premier, single cab S10



## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

So I have started on the new install (blowthrough). The setup is:

DEH-P880PRS (possibly 800PRS- haven't ordered yet)
TS-C720PRS
PRS-D4100F
2 Premier TS-W2502SPL 10" subs
2 PRS-D1100M 
Box vented/shown through bed and cab

I built the enclosure yesterday. Here are a few pics:









































































I coated the enclosure in 3 layers of fiberglass resin to weatherproof it. It will get a few more coats/sanding and paint before install:



















This saturday the bed will be coming off to take the old enclosure out and install this one. The HU should be here by then, and everything should drop in without much hassle.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

It will look similar to this when it's done, except with 2 subs and the Premier logo obviously. This is one I did last year:




























Trim Panel:










Spray-in Bedliner over box:


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## BEAVER (May 26, 2007)

I wish I had the guts to do a blowthru. I'm sure it will look great when you're done.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

I think the difference is I'm not doing it on a 2007 F-150 or anything...  I don't think I'd have the guts to do it at that point. But, being that my truck is 5 years old, and was picked up for about $5k, I wasn't super worried about it. It's funny- I posted up my previous build over on CA.com, and people were so quick to criticize something because they were afraid to try it themselves. People mentioned all these options for subs I had without cutting through, like I hadn't looked into them all. I even had one guy suggest I put some crazy pedestal-like fiberglass enclosure above my center console in between the 2 seats.  I guess to each their own.


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

I remember a lot of folks recommending those subs in the past....I think they're decent...

An old SIN member has an S-10 that has held 4 15" Tempests, RE SEs,etc in his blowthrough for the last few years...BRUTAL.


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## Dougie085 (May 2, 2006)

Nothing beats a blowthrough for that all around bass feel if you ask me. First time I heard one was with 2 15" L7 Solobarics. Not the best sounding subs but they were LOUD.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Yeah, I am not going so much for SPL, but would like a little more low end on tap if I'm in the mood  This is my first vented enclosure build, so that is half the reason I am doing the build this way. I am eager to see how it sounds. I'd really like to get my hands on a PRS 12" or two and do a vented enclosure but they are hard to come by.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Okay... a few updates. The install is pretty much complete. I spent all day yesterday on the amp rack, wiring, trim panel, and install of components after installing the box about a week ago. All that remains is the top portion of the amp rack that will flush the amps. I still need to work on getting it to fit right... pretty tight squeeze between the seats and the back of the cab. Anyway, here are some pics of my work:

Here is the box installed, sealed, and painted. I will be doing a spray-in bedliner over it, so it will look a little more streamline:










The box is bolted down with 2 large carriage bolts through the bottom of the bed:










Here is the trim panel sitting in place, and the uncarpeted amp rack in for a test fit:










And another shot:










Here is my new pride and joy 



















Continued...


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

A few more shots of the amp rack:



















A rough idea of what it will look like:



















Power distribution underneath the amp rack:










Amp rack in place, running wires:





































And a night shot of everything powered up (crappy- sorry)


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

And a few pics from this morning:
































































There's still some clean-up to do, and about 3 weeks worth of tuning per Marv's tuning tutorial, but first impressions are pretty awesome. These little ICE amps are EXTREMELY impressive. They put out loads of power for how small they are, and I noticed no decrease in SQ or range compared to an Alpine A/B amp on the same components. Granted, that was with an 880PRS, but they are essentially the same HUs. There is plenty of sparkle up top, even with the EQ flat as of now. I need to get the flush mounted amp trim panel finished and vacuum the hell out of the interior, but it's not bad for a little beater S-10. I wish I had access to a shop so I could achieve a little more of a refined finished look like what Bing and some of the other guys can do, but I'm satisfied with how it turned out, considering I did everything out of my garage with a jigsaw, skil saw, and a socket set.


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## Nitr0racing21 (May 25, 2008)

This is bangin


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## placenta (Feb 2, 2008)

That is a crazy install, mainly the sub box. I might have used some 1/2" - 3/4" spacers under the amps and had the wire holes hidden under the amps. But its way more install than I could ever do as it is. That sub action must be the most sub feel of any S10.


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## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

Awesome!! I'd love to see finished pics w/ the bedliner. That is ballsy.

I like the amp rack and component choice as well. Those amps seem like a great deal in a small package.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

They really are, and to be able to fit the amps between the back seat and the cab wall in a single cab S-10 was like finding the toy at the bottom of a box of Lucky Charms!  I wanted to do an entire PRS setup, and accomplished it with the exception of the subs, which are Premier's SPL subs from last year. If I can find a nice pair of the PRS 12" that will complete everything. Honestly though, these subs are very underrated. They've got excellent response and perform very well in the vented enclosure I built. Extremely punchy and accurate, but can dig deep as well. Overall I am very impressed with Pioneer lately. I had the 880PRS and have had the 720s before, but these new amps are amazing, and the subs are great as well. Kudos to Pioneer. The best part about it is I have less than $1250 in all the equipment, and probably under $200 in the rest of the install.


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## beerdrnkr (Apr 18, 2007)

How much better is the 800prs over the 880prs?


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## placenta (Feb 2, 2008)

beerdrnkr said:


> How much better is the 800prs over the 880prs?


ya i keep forgetting to find out the differences.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Well technically it is pretty much the same deck. The interface is slightly different, but as far as SQ, I'd say it is the same. The only difference is the copper chassis really. It does have the ASR, which I'll probably never use (if it is selectable) but other than that I think the features are the same. I wanted the darker face and the copper chassis, plus I just wanted to own something I haven't already had. I have had 2 Alpine headunits since my 880, so it is hard to really say what the differences are SQ-wise. I can say that the 800 sounds AMAZING. It's processing abilities coupled with its tuning features make it hands down the best brand new HU available in its price range, and even a tad beyond. I loved my 9887, and my 9835, and a lot of other headunits I've had, but this one wins hands down. The classy look, fit and finish, ease of use, plethora of capabilities and affordability make it one of the best all-around headunits out there for sure. Before the leghumpers come in and bark at me, I'm not saying it sounds better than a Denon Z1, or a McIntosh.  Even if I said so, I'd be speaking out of my ass, because I have no personal experience with either of those units. However, FOR THE MONEY, I'd say the 800 is definitely toward the top of the list.


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## 96dak (Jan 28, 2008)

mikey7182 said:


> Well technically it is pretty much the same deck. The interface is slightly different, but as far as SQ, I'd say it is the same. The only difference is the copper chassis really. It does have the ASR, which I'll probably never use (if it is selectable) but other than that I think the features are the same. I wanted the darker face and the copper chassis, plus I just wanted to own something I haven't already had. I have had 2 Alpine headunits since my 880, so it is hard to really say what the differences are SQ-wise. I can say that the 800 sounds AMAZING. It's processing abilities coupled with its tuning features make it hands down the best brand new HU available in its price range, and even a tad beyond. I loved my 9887, and my 9835, and a lot of other headunits I've had, but this one wins hands down. The classy look, fit and finish, ease of use, plethora of capabilities and affordability make it one of the best all-around headunits out there for sure. Before the leghumpers come in and bark at me, I'm not saying it sounds better than a Denon Z1, or a McIntosh.  Even if I said so, I'd be speaking out of my ass, because I have no personal experience with either of those units. However, FOR THE MONEY, I'd say the 800 is definitely toward the top of the list.


no kidding, just got mine in the other day, sound is a night and day difference coming from a cda-9815. deffinately glad i got it.


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## fit_tuner (Aug 14, 2006)

looks good, very simple. i just have a suggestion... y not build out an extra storage box next to the sub box, and integrate them together. IMO it would look good, since it would take up the whole width of the bed, making it look more stock, like ur previous blowthrough /w the type r's. Just a suggestion to make things look cleaner in the bed


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Yeah, I kicked that idea around. My original idea was actually to have two seperate enclosures- one behind the passenger seat and one behind the driver's seat, with the amps in between the two boxes. Then, that entire thing would be enclosed in one large box similar to my Alpine install, and the amps and subs would be shown through the cab. I couldn't pull the airspace I wanted out of the two seperate enclosures though because of the vent length required. By combining the enclosures, I was able to use a single port and cut down on the required length. I may do the toolbox idea though, although once the bedliner is in, it will look like little more than a fuel cell.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Another cool thing I found out about these amps- the mono amps have a switch that allows them to be run all the way down to 1 ohm. According to all the specs all over the web, (at least the ones I saw) they are 2 ohm mono stable. But I downloaded the owner's manual before I bought them, and they have a 'high current' switch that allows them to be run down to 1 ohm. I have them set up as sync'd rather than bridged, so each amp is being run at 1 ohm (with each DVC 2 ohm sub wired in parallel) and then the amps are linked via RCA cable. It was actually extremely simple for a dual amp setup compared to others I've seen. The master controls the gain for both amps, and it was as simple as changing a switch on each amp and a single channel of RCA linking the two.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

Very nice


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## placenta (Feb 2, 2008)

I have these Premier subs which I got yesterday and I will be installing today in a dual sealed box.

Pioneer Premier TS-W1007D4 
10" Dual 4 Ohms Premier Champion Series Subwoofer 
Power Handling: 
Peak: 1000 watts 
RMS: 350 watts 
Impedance: Dual 4 ohms 
Double-Stack Magnet 
Wide-Roll 3-Layer Fiber Radial Surround 
IMPP Cone with Carbon Fiber/Glass Fiber Reinforcement 
Newly Designed Spoke Grilles 
Frequency Response: 18 Hz - 600 Hz 
Sensitivity: 87 dB 
Phenol Resin Coated Glass Cloth 
Mounting-depth: 5-5/8" 

These were only $49 each so they must be a step down from the generation you picked up. I'll be installing these in a .85cu ft per chamber sealed box. Same size box I had my JLs in, but not the same box.

I wanted to try these subs given my excellent experience with the Premier 720PRS components. I'm not very concerned with SQ on subs, so I'm sure these will work fine for me. I just want to hear my bass.

Found out mine are low end.

It goes:

Champion
Champion PRO
Champion SPL


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## CRD (Apr 23, 2008)

placenta said:


> I have these Premier subs which I got yesterday and I will be installing today in a dual sealed box.
> 
> Pioneer Premier TS-W1007D4



I have the 2ohm version, this subs are REALLY GOOD. I still haven't made my rockford T1 sound as hard as the Premier.

I have a 4ch amp for the rockford wich is 4ohm per coil bridged 220wRMS to each coil. But my premier sub is 2ohm each coil. I'm buying one more so I can put the premier in 4ohm and use 2 of them with my amp.

They sound better than my T1 for sure. Here I was powering it up with 190wRMS to each coil. and it hold it strong.










PS: I'm using a Q-logic box 0.65 cubic ft sealed


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## placenta (Feb 2, 2008)

CRD said:


> I have the 2ohm version, this subs are REALLY GOOD. I still haven't made my rockford T1 sound as hard as the Premier.
> 
> I have a 4ch amps for the subs bridged 220wRMS x 2 @ 4ohm. But my sub is DVC 2ohm each coil. I'm buying one more so I can put them in 4ohm and use 2 of them with my amp.
> 
> They sound better than my T1 for sure. Here I was powering it up with 190wRMS to each coil. and it hold it strong.


Sweet. I have the dual 4 ohm coil subs. Havent even opened the boxes yet. These will be run by half my TRU amp. 250Wrms into each one at 2 ohms. I just leave it in stereo, the RCA's are mono anyway. Same end result as bridging the TRU amp for 500x1 @ 4 ohms.


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I have a 12" W3004SPL just sitting on the workbench, never been powered. I had these exact same 10's and they would absolutely slam. Would love to find another 12, although I have no clue how I could squeeze them into the Ram.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

What year is your Ram? Some guy over on CA.com posted pics of his single cab '02 and he had close to 10" behind the seat!  It almost looked like an extended cab...  If you've got the newer Ram, you should be able to fit two of those with no problem.


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Yeah the newer Rams have tons of room in the backseat. I had a downfiring P3 in my 2003 a few years ago and it would rock the cab. I noticed there seems like more room under the seat of this 2008 Quad Cab than there was under the rear bench of my 2004. Maybe I could two of the 10" versions under there. I saw you were selling yours... Maybe I should have kept the two I had.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

You could always buy mine  I put the FS thread on hiatus but they will probably be FS within a week once I start compiling my new equipment. PM me if you're interested.

Mike


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## AAAAAAA (Oct 5, 2007)

So what are oyu moving onto this time?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Well, I was going to try out the new Planet Audio Big Bang amplifiers, since I can get a great deal on them at my local wholesaler where I have an account, but the BB2400.1 mono amp is on backorder and there's no word when it is going to be available. I kicked around going with some Sundowns as well, but I think Cadence is going to fit the bill a little better. So I emailed Jason and it looks like I am going to go with the Cadence ZRS lineup. My install will be as follows:

HU: Alpine CDA-9835
Mids: B&C 6NDL38
Highs: B&C DE500 compression drivers in ID mini horn bodies
Subs: JBL W12GTi (x2)
Mid amp: Cadence ZRS-1004, 8 ohm bridged- 200x2
Horn amp: Cadence ZRS-1502, 8 ohm stereo-75x2
Sub amp: Cadence ZRS-8000D, 1.5 ohm mono~ 2000x1

The horns will be mounted under the dash on both sides, with the mids in the stock locations in the doors. The subs will be in the blowthrough, but a new enclosure obviously. I will be cutting out the rest of the width of the bed to accomodate for the larger enclosure. Each sub will be in a 2.25ft^3 net enclosure tuned to 30hz, and I will be attempting to kerf the ports. One sub will be on each side of the truck, with the ports exiting in the center between the seats. I will be doing a spray-in bedliner over the new enclosure as well, along with an upgraded battery. I already have an aftermarket 200A alternator.


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## AAAAAAA (Oct 5, 2007)

From small to huge amps, I am sure you will enjoye the bump in power.
Switching gear is always fun.

Good luck with your next project.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

So the new build started today. Equipment is as follows:

Alpine CDA-9835
18Sound 6ND430
ID Fullsize Horn Bodies
B&C DE500 compression drivers
(2x) JBL W12GTi MKII
PRS-D2100T running the horns
PRS-D4100F bridged to the mids
PRS-D2000SPL on sub duty

Today, Dave (ClinesSelect) and I started on the build. We got the old box torn out, the hole cut to accomodate the new enclosure, the new enclosure built, new holes drilled through the enclosure and bed to hold the carriage bolts and wiring, and started on the horn mounting brackets. The box will be coated with several layers of undercoating texture (similar to bedliner material) that will be black and somewhat coarse. The plan is to have a spray-in bedliner done over the box and bed. Here are a few pics I snapped today with my phone:

Hole cut:



















Box starting to take shape:




























A little sanding:










Assembled:










And set in place (not yet installed but you get the general idea):



















The enclosure really turned out nice. It will almost be a shame to spray over it... Thanks again to Dave for all the help and the 2 gallons of liquid I consumed today!  I will hopefully be coating the baffle tomorrow, getting the accordion boot in place, and getting the enclosure installed. More pics to come...


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## pwnt by pat (Mar 13, 2006)

I've always been curious: How do you seal between the cab and bed? Does the box fit through the hole cut in the bed and then seal to the cab?


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## M3NTAL (Apr 9, 2006)

Dang man, nice enclosure building skills!


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

pwnt by pat said:


> I've always been curious: How do you seal between the cab and bed? Does the box fit through the hole cut in the bed and then seal to the cab?


Actually, the box stays in the bed. If it is built through the hole, more often than not you will run into issues with body flex. The bed and the cab move independent of one another as you hit bumps, etc. so if you join them with a solid structure i.e. subwoofer enclosure, you can imagine what could happen.  What I do is build the box to fit around the hole in the bed. The hole is about 13" x 46" and the inner dimensions of the box are 13.5" x 47.5". Then of course you have 3/4" of material all around the edges. I buy something called Accordion Boot, which is basically a giant flexible rubber gasket with two sides or channels on it. Each channel has metal teeth in it, used to grab onto thin metal surfaces. So one channel goes on the bed side, and the other goes on the cab side, and the rubber in the middle looks like an accordion, allowing for body flex/movement. It looks like this:










Kind of a crappy picture, but you get the idea. 



M3NTAL said:


> Dang man, nice enclosure building skills!


I can't take much credit for that


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## 60ndown (Feb 8, 2007)

if i were to do a blow thru, id try and make the sub-box look like an old tool box, just having a box sitting there is a pretty obvious sign to any thief there is money in the truck.sure its bolted down, but some thieves are very skilled, and might steal it all in 3 minutes?

disguising the sub-box as an old tool box might save the whole system/truck?

nice work tho


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

60ndown said:


> if i were to do a blow thru, id try and make the sub-box look like an old tool box, just having a box sitting there is a pretty obvious sign to any thief there is money in the truck.sure its bolted down, but some thieves are very skilled, and might steal it all in 3 minutes?
> 
> disguising the sub-box as an old tool box might save the whole system/truck?
> 
> nice work tho


Here is what a similar enclosure looked like in my last S-10:










Kinda small- sorry. With the bedliner over it, you can't really tell what it is. Maybe i should buy some stick-on diamond plate though?  I've been lucky never to have any problems with theft. *knocks on wood*


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

The brackets are built for the horns. Here are some initial pics of them test-fitted in place:



















Working on the amp rack currently. Got the inner skins of the doors lined with Damplifier Pro along with the headliner:

Before:










After:










I may do around the peripheral borders but I'm not sure yet.


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## pwnt by pat (Mar 13, 2006)

great placement on the horns. perfectly level. That's awesome. Will make making a grill a SNAP!


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Thank you. The pics are a little grainy and the truck is dirty as hell, but hopefully the general idea is there. They did turn out very level, both in height and depth. I am happy with where they ended up.


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## Irishfocus06 (Sep 11, 2008)

I like the setup Mike. Looks like it would be loud for sure. I have the 400rms Pioneer Premier subs off 1000rms Autotek amp and it bangs for sure. Not the greatest sound quality, but overall not to shabby. I may end up getting the subs you have, but in the 12" version and d4 as there are two of them. They do sound better overall. 

Nice setup for sure! Mad skills on the blow-through as well.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Installed the Luxury Liner Pro today and got my speaker wires TechFlex'd and in place:





































The LL Pro is surprisingly easy to work with, especially considering how thick it is. I'm looking forward to see the difference it makes in noise reduction.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Got the wiring pretty much finished up. A little blurry- sorry:










I recycled the trim panel I was using in the last install, but I looked at it again this morning and wasn't happy with it. So, I made a new one. The previous one was a single piece of 1/2" MDF. The problem is, there's an indentation in the cab about 13" from the floor, so the trim panel never sat flush. I made a new trim panel, adding a 2nd layer of 1/2" MDF to the back lower side to fill in the indent. It is kind of visible here:



















From the back:










I framed the hole with 3.5" x .25" MDF strips to hide the accordion boot and clean things up a bit:










From the bed:










I'm much happier with this one than the old one. It's been nice to incorporate some of the ideas I've gotten from seeing other installs and have it turn out right. The new amp rack should be done tonight- I built one last night but didn't like it either.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Amp rack done:




























Mounted to trim panel:



















I found the plastic grommets locally at Ace Hardware for about $.50/each. I need about 5 more, but it came together pretty well. Now I need to get the new molded carpet in, permanently mount the trim panel, and get the equipment installed. Thoughts/comments appreciated.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Well, after a long day and 2 gallons of water, I got the trim panel, subs, amp rack and amps in, and everything wired up:























































The horns are in as well, but I didn't snap pics of them yet.


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

Looks like it is coming together quite well!
Can't wait to hear it.

ANT


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

DIYMA said:


> Looks like it is coming together quite well!
> Can't wait to hear it.
> 
> ANT


I'll bring it by one day next week.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Well, it's all installed. I am extremely pleased with how it sounds. It gets more than loud enough for me, and the clarity and stage is incredible without even tuning it yet. I am going to play around with phase and EQ a bit, but first impressions are it is definitely a few steps up from the PRS setup. The 18Sound mids seem to be holding their own and have incredible impact for a 6.5" mid. I ended up having to trim the door panels, as the mids and new pods would not clear. I will need to make or find some speaker grilles that are 7 5/8" diameter I guess. Gives me a good excuse to finally put 8" mids in the doors.  Here are a few final pics:

Trim rings, courtesy of Marv, attached to my base template:



















Installed on passenger side:










The horns are incredible, and the subs are very impactful but not fatiguing on the ears. Thanks again to those that helped, especially Dave, Fredridge for the great deal on the horns and Ant for hooking me up with some SS products. I will post a more in-depth review once I've had a chance to clean up.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

So it's been a few months since any updates. After having to cut my panels to house the 18Sound mids, I promised I'd eventually bump up to 8" drivers. A few weeks ago, I ordered a pair of B&C 8NDL51. New MDF rings and bases were made for them, and the panels were cut to fit. After kicking around several ideas for a grill, I decided to try my hand at fiberglassing. I've never done any glass work before, so it's been a learning experience, but I feel the idea has turned out pretty well. The new "grills" aren't completely done yet, as I have a lot more sanding/prep to do, but they should be complete by the end of the week. Here is the idea:

Stock panel:










The area outlined in black will be the new piece made from fiberglass, and wrapped in black vinyl:










Here is the hole cut in the panels to get the 8" drivers to fit:










The idea was/is to mold a piece, then raise out a ring around where the mids reside, and have grills that I made from MDF rings/grill cloth pressure fit inside the holes. Here are pics so far:

Prep work:



















First few layers of glass:



















Mold removed from door panel:










A bit of Evercoat Rage filler applied:










Second layer:


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Some more Rage and sanding:










Now that the piece is starting to take shape and gain strength, the edges and excess are trimmed off:










Test fit over door panel with hole cut for mid:










Here, I wrapped the MDF ring/grill with cardboard, then wrapped that with tinfoil and sprayed it with Pam, then taped in in place from the back and started building up the area with Kitty Hair:




























Here is the molded area, partially sanded with the grill sitting inside the ring:




























There is a lot more prep/sanding to do before they get wrapped, but I am happy with the way they've turned out so far, especially considering I've never done glass before.  

They are secured to the existing door panels via T-nuts. We cut slits through pieces of fiberglass mat, pushed the T-nuts through, then inserted them in holes drilled through the panel before we started laying down mat. This secured them in place and they will be bolted in from the back side of the stock panel for a (hopefully) seamless look. More to come this week!


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## rain27 (Jan 15, 2009)

nice install...and awesome to see all the pics


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

So, longest week of my life doing these damn panels, but I finally finished them up. After looking at the mold seen in the previous pics, I didn't like the look of all the sharp dips and corners toward the back of the panels. So I took grill cloth, stretched it over the entire panel with the rings on to give the panels a better contour, and resined the cloth, then a layer or two of filler over those and sanded them down smooth. This is my first ever attempt at something like this, and I'm not much of an upholsterer, but I am really pleased with the results. I will be using a pair of the JL IB4 8" grills that I just bought from quality_sound to insert into the holes. They should pressure fit right in. Anyway, here is the finished product:




























I'll be installing them today or tomorrow. They bolt in from the back through the existing panels via T-nuts that were embedded in the first few layers of glass. Should take about 10 minutes. Thanks for looking!


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## el_chupo_ (May 27, 2007)

Ready to see these installed, get them in there. Looking very nice so far.


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## AAAAAAA (Oct 5, 2007)

Yeah slap those in!


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## SUX 2BU (Oct 27, 2008)

Nice job. Diggin' the blow-through and the horn install. The S10 lends itself really well it seems for horns: depth to get the horns installed level, a pretty well-matched dash side to side for even disperson and smoothly angled up to more or less couple the output from the horn throat up along the dash. 

I've often pondered doing a blow-through on my 85 Silverado shortbox that is my weekend toy. Just too wimpy to do it since it was restored before I bought it and the sheet metal is all nice and pretty still. I'll be putting an amp rack back there though. Reg cab trucks are so tight for space!


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Thanks for the comments guys! Here it is mounted to the existing panel. I wanted to do a little 2-tone to set them off:










After closer inspection, it looks like my manual window crank might have a bit of competition on the downstroke...  I'm going out to the truck now to see what needs to be done. I may be shopping for some stubby window cranks shortly.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

So today was an interesting change of course. I found out last night that the new pod was quite a bit more stiff than the stock panel, and when I mounted it to the stock panel, it lost the natural flex it had, and not all the christmas tree clips would stay in; either the top was out or the bottom was out. On top of that, I didn't have the clearance I thought I did where the panel meets the side of the dash, and couldn't close the door.  I test fit them several times and seemed to have good clearance, but I didn't test fit them after I wrapped them in grill cloth and resined it. After spending a week and a half on them and having them turn out as good as they did, this was pretty discouraging. I tossed around cutting them down up top just above the hole, so they wouldn't interfere with the dash. I tried this on the driver's side, and they still didn't fit right.

This will probably sound strange coming from someone with a blowthrough, but I like things to look stock whenever possible. In fact, I designed my box and amp rack to be virtually invisible if one were to look inside the truck from the outside. The subs are centered behind each seat, the box is covered in black undercoating, and the amp rack resides below the center console. These pods were what I thought was my only option. Now after 2 weeks, I was back to square one. 

The whole reason the new MDF mounts came out as far as they did was because I thought I didn't have much mounting depth behind the doors. I pulled the mids out and there was only about 2-3" of the front window channel in the way. I called a local salvage yard, and they happened to have a pair of door panels that perfectly matched mine for $80/pr.  So I trimmed the MDF rings down, cut back the last few inches of the window track, mounted my B&Cs to the MDF base, and the new door panels fit on perfectly, not to mention look beautifully stock! I don't have any obtrusive pods or panels sticking out, and they sound incredible. Before considering the pods a total loss, the outcome was ultimately what I preferred, and I was able to learn a bit about fiberglassing along the way. It was definitely a lot of trial and error, and I learned the hard way to test-fit between every stage before assuming they'll fit. Not sure what my next project is... I did buy a bed cover finally. Maybe a pair of 15" old school JBLs??


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## Pistons23 (Dec 21, 2007)

wow. nice build


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Thanks.  My equipment changes often... sometimes more than I can keep up with!


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## LiquidClen (Dec 27, 2005)

off topic: do you have any pics of the Alpine build-up?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

LiquidClen said:


> off topic: do you have any pics of the Alpine build-up?


Hmmm... which one? With the 4 Type R 10s? Not really  That was a year or two ago in another truck, and I didn't take many pics unfortunately. I did do an Alpine build in this truck- was the first setup I had in here actually. Type X Pros, single Type X 10, and a few V12 amps. I do have a few pics of that build if you'd like.


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## EEB (Jul 21, 2008)

Do you have any pics of what you did to the actual door before you put the 8" in?


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## LiquidClen (Dec 27, 2005)

mikey7182 said:


> Hmmm... which one? With the 4 Type R 10s? Not really  That was a year or two ago in another truck, and I didn't take many pics unfortunately. I did do an Alpine build in this truck- was the first setup I had in here actually. Type X Pros, single Type X 10, and a few V12 amps. I do have a few pics of that build if you'd like.


Yeah, I was referring to the 4 Type R's. I was mainly curious about this one because of the Lexan beauty panel. Curious to how you cut it, how it fit on the box, etc.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

LiquidClen said:


> Yeah, I was referring to the 4 Type R's. I was mainly curious about this one because of the Lexan beauty panel. Curious to how you cut it, how it fit on the box, etc.


A friend of mine runs a sign shop, and they have a massive wireless table router. We pulled Alpine's logo off google images, plugged it into his program, made it the size we wanted, and the router cut it out for us. Then, on the back side of the beauty panel, we routed a 1" perimeter around the opening that was the same depth as the thickness as the Lexan, so the Lexan flush-mounted from the back side. It was held on with shallow screws and washers. The logo was cut all the way through, as opposed to etched. People that see the pics were always curious how the subs "breathed" or why I made a cheap bandpass box.  It was definitely during my more flashy days, but I thought it was done tastefully, and the sound was not inhibited from what I could tell. 

The box did not come through the hole into the cab, so the Lexan was just mounted to the beauty panel, which was in the cab.


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## Maddman (Dec 20, 2008)

nice progress, horns in a S-10. Brings back memories- had protech horns in my 92 GMC sonoma. Sound stage was always alittle low, but won a few trophies in IASCA competition in 1996.


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## Genxx (Mar 18, 2007)

Nice install and wood work. Blow-Thru are so much fun makes me want a S10/Tacoma or old Toyota again just mess around with.

Need pics of the final install.


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## Genxx (Mar 18, 2007)

Nice install and wood work. Blow-Thru are so much fun makes me want a S10/Tacoma or old Toyota again just mess around with.

Need pics of the final install.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Maddman said:


> nice progress, horns in a S-10. Brings back memories- had protech horns in my 92 GMC sonoma. Sound stage was always alittle low, but won a few trophies in IASCA competition in 1996.


They probably didn't have much in the way of TA back then I'd imagine. With both horns out of phase, and the driver's side mid out of phase, and a little delay on the driver's side horn, my passengers have asked on multiple occasions "so what tweeters do you have up in the dash?"  It's nice to be able to tell them the only drivers attached to the dash are below it. 



> Nice install and wood work. Blow-Thru are so much fun makes me want a S10/Tacoma or old Toyota again just mess around with.
> 
> *Need pics of the final install*.


What's that???  It's never done. The door panels are now stock with the 8" mids behind them, so not much to look at there. The pics I posted of the amp rack are complete sans the seats being installed again. The sub enclosure is complete as well. I guess the only thing left is the dash and possibly the horns. I'll see if I can snap a few shots tomorrow. The W200/H701 is already up for sale, so no use in taking more pics of that...


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## CalamityGS (Feb 22, 2009)

Nice work! I have the same comps in my Regal. Those custom panels are sweet.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

CalamityGS said:


> Nice work! I have the same comps in my Regal. Those custom panels are sweet.


Thanks! Too bad I wasn't able to use them. 

Genx- Here are a few pics I snapped just now, after installing the 9855 I just picked up. Sorry the truck is a bit dirty- this gives you an idea on the horns though. Glancing inside the truck, they are next to invisible.

The new head:










eye level with the horns:










Looking down from the driver's seat:










I have yet to make grills for them, but honestly, they are so low-profile that they don't really stand out. I'll most likely just leave them how they are now.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

So I drove over to L.A. yesterday and picked up a pair of JBL 2118H. The mounting diameter was almost 1/2" less than the B&C, so I built new baffles for them. These drivers are mint. Not a scratch on them.  Here they are installed with the new baffles.




























After about an hour of solid listening to a variety of different music, I can say without a doubt why these are considered by many to be the Holy Grail of drivers. Changing nothing but the drivers out, there is such a noticeable difference that I really don't know where to start. The 2118 are so incredibly musical. Every minute detail is captured. I keep feeling like every time I try out a new driver, I notice things in songs I never picked up on before. I went and picked up my buddy this afternoon, and we drove around for a bit, listening to Korn's first album, along with some Days of the New. He had an ear-to-ear grin on his face the entire time. The vocals are incredible- strong and pronounced. They don't get lost or muddied by guitar, drums, etc. State of the Union, by Rise Against, is a somewhat loud track. For those of you who've heard it, it definitely puts your speakers to work, and can really illuminate a poor setup. With the B&C, the track sounded muffled. It got loud, but it sounded almost like there was a pillow in front of the mids. The 2118 on the other hand do a fantastic job of separating each instrument, and they blend so much better with my horns and subs. The snap is insane as well. Every time a drum or snare hits, there might as well be a drum set on my dash.

Definitely the best purchase I've made in a very long time. I know I buy and sell a lot of equipment, but I will go ahead and state publicly that I will never be parting with the 2118.  In fact, I highly doubt they will ever come out of my doors. Hell, I'm grinning as I type this. The 8NDL51 will be posted shortly in the classifieds.

The place I bought these from has a single 2226G- the 4 ohm 15" woofer- in stock, and he is searching for another one for me so I'll have a pair. Those will then be installed in the blowthrough in a large vented enclosure. That project is probably a few weeks off still, depending on when the second 2226 becomes available.


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## KMelt (Jan 19, 2009)

awesome install


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## j-man (Jan 5, 2009)

Incredible job Mike! 

Do you work on F-bodys? I always wanted to see the west coast 

Jman


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## Blown Mustang GT (Dec 6, 2008)

JBL 2118's mmmmmm... Sweet goodness!!!!


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

j-man said:


> Incredible job Mike!
> 
> Do you work on F-bodys? I always wanted to see the west coast
> 
> Jman


Head on out! I'll tear into it for ya. 



> JBL 2118's mmmmmm... Sweet goodness!!!!


That is quite the understatement!  God these things are amazing. I can't wait to hear the 2226.


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

Are you putting the 2226 in your car?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> Are you putting the 2226 in your car?


Two of them.  They will be replacing the pair of W12GTi.


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## kevin k. (May 5, 2005)

So, what's the latest on the 2118's...?


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

Are the 2226 going to used as midbasses or subs? Officially they are midbasses (Fs40), but I am sure they would do well as subs. They should be a great match with the 2118's.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

kevin k. said:


> So, what's the latest on the 2118's...?


I'm loving them. I am getting a little resonance/feedback from vocals at high volumes that I am trying to EQ down, but can't seem to figure it out. Overall I am very happy with them so far. 

Mitch- they are going to be used as subs in a vented enclosure.


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

Could the resonance becoming from the enclosure?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> Could the resonance becoming from the enclosure?


They are IB in the doors. I have gotten a few good ideas from a fellow member to decouple the mids from the doors. I'm going to sandwich lead sheeting between two 1/2" Birch ply baffles, with threaded inserts on the bottom baffle that will have bolts run through the back side securing it to the door (through the door panel itself, then the baffle), then the lead sheeting on top of that, then the top baffle glued/epoxied to the lead sheeting, with threaded inserts from the back side of the front baffle for the 2118 to bolt to. 

I also have a DRZ9255 on the way that I will be pairing with a 3Sixty.2. I will be doing all the EQ (and probably TA) from the processor, and combining xover points between the HU and processor to achieve 36/48db slopes. Between these two, I should be able to tame things down a bit.

I am also searching for a 3rd W12GTi that will join the two that are in there. The 2226 project is on hold for now. I'd like to get the most out of my 12s first.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> Are you putting the 2226 in your car?


So, the 2226 build has finally begun! I was able to find a blown pair of 2226H and had fresh factory recones done on both to "G" drivers, so they are now 4 ohm. The work turned out great, and the woofers look fantastic. The drivers:



















Next to a 2118: 










For the enclosure, I used 1" MDF. Each woofer will have a net 5ft^3 tuned to 40hz. A friend of mine works for a sign shop and so we used his table router to cut out the enclosure today. It is not glued/nailed yet as it will have to be built into the bed somewhat, but here are a few pics of it set up together:





































It will be spaced off the front of the bed 3" and comes in 5" on each side about 1/3 back to accomodate the wheel wells. It will be anchored down the same way my previous enclosure was, with carriage bolts through the bed, but will have several more toward the rear of the enclosure. And plenty-o-bracing. Power will come from a T1500-1bd with the horns and 2118 run off two T400-4 dual mono. I will post more pics as the build progresses, and hope to have it wrapped up within the next week and a half or so.


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## CalamityGS (Feb 22, 2009)

WOW looks great.


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## eskateboarding7 (Mar 18, 2009)

Extremely impressive! You seem to like blow throughs alot lol.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

eskateboarding7 said:


> Extremely impressive! You seem to like blow throughs alot lol.


Thanks! Once you cut a giant hole through your bed, you're kind of committed.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Okay, an update and a little more detail on the install. The equipment list is as follows:

P9 combo
JBL 2226G (x2)
JBL 2118H 
JBL 500GTi 
B&C DE500/Illusion lenses
RF T1500-1bd (x1)
RF T400-4 (x2)

The 2226 will cover from 30-100hz. 2118 from 100-250hz. 500GTi from 250-1.5khz, and the horns from 1.5khz up. The GTi are in some mildly customized Q-forms somewhat on axis, with the 2118 IB in the doors and the horns... where they go.  2118 get a 400-4 bridged and the horns/500GTi will run off the other 400-4. Slightly modified my amp rack from a previous install. It turned out to fit pretty good. The goal was to get all of this gear in a single cab S-10:










Stupid, right? 

During the enclosure build:










Installed in the bed:










From the cab:










And a few pics of the amp rack. The port walls appear to not be painted in the pics, but they were taken at night and that is from the flash:



















A shot of the passenger side:










I am borrowing a local friends' Illusion lenses while I track down a pair (Thanks Dave.) I ordered the Q Forms in gray to match my interior, but with the black lenses and the GTi being all black, I painted the pods to match. I think it gives a nice contrast against the interior and blends well with the horns. 

The P9 processor is tucked away under the amp rack. I still have some wire cleanup to do and will probably end up re-routing most of them so they are hidden out of the way. 

Had a little setback with a broken optical cable, but I have another one on the way (Thanks Ryan). This should be up and running next week. Then comes the fun part.  I'll post a few more pics when it is all said and done. Thoughts, comments and critiques appreciated.


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## TREETOP (Feb 11, 2009)

mikey7182 said:


>


I used to live off of Alma School and Germann, I had that same trash can! :laugh:


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

LOL seriously? That pic was taken when I lived on AZ Ave and Queen Creek! Small world  I live up in Mesa now. I remember that enclosure...  I hope my installs have improved since then.


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## TREETOP (Feb 11, 2009)

mikey7182 said:


> LOL seriously? That pic was taken when I lived on AZ Ave and Queen Creek! Small world  I live up in Mesa now. I remember that enclosure...  I hope my installs have improved since then.


Haha yep. I lived in the Talante' neighborhood right behind Mountainside Fitness.
I'm far away from there now, I don't miss the AZ summers but the Indiana winters are for the birds. 

Your install is looking great BTW.


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## j-man (Jan 5, 2009)

Very nice Mike!! Everything is looking great. 

I want to HEAR it!!! 

Jman


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

Excellent install! 

How do the Illusion lenses compare with the ID full body's you were using before? Are the 2118's capable of playing higher, eliminating the need for a mid in the kick?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

ECM said:


> Excellent install!
> 
> How do the Illusion lenses compare with the ID full body's you were using before? Are the 2118's capable of playing higher, eliminating the need for a mid in the kick?


Well, since I damaged the optical cable on my P9, I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet  The 2118 do very well crossed higher than 250hz. They were covering 100-800hz/1khz with the ID lenses. I was just telling another member that the kicks are more of an experiment rather than an attempt to fix a deficiency in the 2-way setup. I'd like to see if I can combine the output of the horns/mids with the on-axis response of a dedicated midrange, especially now that I have 4-way processing. Plus apparently, I've sort of developed a crush on JBL.  I'm trying to see if I can squeeze some 2426 compression drivers on the Illusion lenses, but I don't think it's gonna happen. Room is limited as it is.


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

From reading the spec sheet on the 2118 driver I noticed they play pretty high which is why I asked. I'm very interested in hearing what you have to say about the Illusion horns when you get them up and running.

JBL 2426 drivers on those horns would be great. You can do anything...with enough time and enough money. 

I'm digging the whole JBL setup. Looks anti-bling, retro, using proven drivers instead of the latest, greatest driver in the car audio world.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

ECM said:


> From reading the spec sheet on the 2118 driver I noticed they play pretty high which is why I asked. I'm very interested in hearing what you have to say about the Illusion horns when you get them up and running.
> 
> JBL 2426 drivers on those horns would be great. You can do anything...with enough time and enough money.
> 
> I'm digging the whole JBL setup. Looks anti-bling, retro, using proven drivers instead of the latest, greatest driver in the car audio world.


Thanks a ton... those were just about precisely my goals.  My fabrication skills are limited, so anti-bling was a must.  I found a pair of 2426H, so it's just a matter of picking them up and trying to squeeze them in I suppose.


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

I really think you are onto something using those JBL drivers all around. A while back, when I first picked up a pair of horns, I remember studying all the great installs using horns. Cars like the Buick Regal, Kimura's Acura, etc.

Those 2226G's have a recommended crossover point of 1.2KHz and the 2426 drivers can play as low as 500Hz. Using proper time alignment or phase matching, it'd be interesting to hear what just those two drivers can do. From reading the spec sheet, there isn't anything preventing the use of a crossover point between 500Hz up to 1.2KHz.

Both the Regal and the Acura used midbass in the REAR, behind the listener and they both won many awards.

Keep the install pics coming, I'm off to find a pair of 2426's for my horns.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

ECM said:


> I really think you are onto something using those JBL drivers all around. A while back, when I first picked up a pair of horns, I remember studying all the great installs using horns. Cars like the Buick Regal, Kimura's Acura, etc.
> 
> Those 2226G's have a recommended crossover point of 1.2KHz and the 2426 drivers can play as low as 500Hz. Using proper time alignment or phase matching, it'd be interesting to hear what just those two drivers can do. From reading the spec sheet, there isn't anything preventing the use of a crossover point between 500Hz up to 1.2KHz.
> 
> ...


You know, it's funny you should mention that. Dave and I were thinking out loud about how crazy it would be to ditch the 2118 and run the 2226 up higher. I modeled them in their current enclosure and the response is dead-near flat up to ~350hz. I'm sure I'd catch some flak from the white paper guys, but it might be fun to try. The only issue I'd have currently is the mono signal- if I could sell the BD and pick up a pair of two channels to bridge to each sub and run them in stereo, it would be interesting to hear the results. A two way setup with horns and 15s... in a single cab truck. 

Oh, and as far as the 2426, I found a mint pair for $350. Let me know if you find something cheaper, or if you need a lead on them, as my source has several pair.


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

Do it! Can't you just configure your head unit to a new crossover point and "mute" the other speakers? With proper time alignment to better integrate the front horns with rear subs/midbass I see no reason why it wouldn't sound great. Especially in a single cab where the speakers are physically closer to the listener, unlike a car. Even if you just experiment with your current amp in mono, you'd get a good feel whether it's a viable option or not.

EDIT: I see three amps in your install. One amp per sub and one to the horns sounds about right. 

After doing a quick search on the 2426 drivers, it appears I have to sell off a few things first. Didn't realize they went for close to $400. I appreciate the offer though.

ECM


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

ECM said:


> Do it! Can't you just configure your head unit to a new crossover point and "mute" the other speakers? With proper time alignment to better integrate the front horns with rear subs/midbass I see no reason why it wouldn't sound great. Especially in a single cab where the speakers are physically closer to the listener, unlike a car. Even if you just experiment with your current amp in mono, you'd get a good feel whether it's a viable option or not.
> 
> EDIT: I see three amps in your install. One amp per sub and one to the horns sounds about right.
> 
> ...


Yeah they are pricey. I guess considering that the B&C DE500 go for $300-$350 a pair as well, the JBL are a steal at anywhere near the price. I love the B&Cs, but it'll be fun to run all JBL. 

As far as the HU goes, you are correct. The only exception would be that I'd have to swap my horns over to the midrange output on the processor, as the high output only allows me to run them down to 1.25khz. I should be able to do everything else from the HU.


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## LaydSierra (Aug 20, 2009)

thats a nice install you got goin there & damn you have gone thru some equipment


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

Mike, are the seats interfering with any of the sound from the subs? In anycase, your midbass should be epic.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> Mike, are the seats interfering with any of the sound from the subs? In anycase, your midbass should be epic.


Mitch- the subs are 10-12 inches from the back of the seat, so there is a decent amount of room for them to "breathe" so to speak. I designed the enclosure (like the last one) so that both subs were centered behind the seats to keep them hidden from view, and the vents exit right between the two seats. All in all, we're talking about a cabin space about the size of 2 Port-o-Johns, so it gets loud.  I'll try and snap a few more pictures of the finished thing. 

Also, I ended up shelving the 500GTi/kicks idea for now. The P9 xover wasn't quite as flexible as I thought I'd remembered, and I didn't want to run my horns as high as I would have had to, so they are running off the mid channels in a 2-way with the 2118. Currently I've got them crossed at 800hz. 

And yes, the midbass is epic... I demo'd for a friend yesterday and he said it felt like a child was violently kicking his seat from behind


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

Very nice Mike

Will you be brining this to the show in October?
Will it look any different by then?

ANT


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

DIYMA said:


> Very nice Mike
> 
> Will you be brining this to the show in October?
> Will it look any different by then?
> ...


It will look like it does but without the kicks- the stock ones are back in. I still have a little wire cleanup to do as well but the amp rack/subs will look the same. There's a chance the P9 face will be black by then...  And yes, I will be bringing it in October. Maybe I'll swing by sometime this week or next and let you have a listen to it. It'd be nice to have another opinion in case I need to tweak anything a bit.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Mitch- here is a better view of how the subs are positioned. This is the one behind the passenger seat with the seat upright:










I'm still not sure how the flash manages to make the box look half-painted.   The seat tapers upward obviously, but there's a good 10" or so as the enclosure is also recessed in the bed 3". 

It's somewhat of a tight space inside the truck so it's hard to get a lot of good pics, but here is the view between the seats, with the ports venting through. You can see the top of the mono amp as well:










From outside the truck, none of this is visible, and that's how I wanted it. Glancing through a window, the only thing that appears aftermarket is the HU. The horns are very low profile and the 2118 are behind the stock panels. It's about as "stealth" as a blowthrough can be I guess.


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## tintbox (Oct 25, 2008)

I just read the entire thread and wow. Nice to see progress in quality and attention to detail. I love the equipment change it's always nice to try to have change. Right on.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Thanks tintbox! The truck has been through a lot 




ECM said:


> Excellent install!
> 
> How do the Illusion lenses compare with the ID full body's you were using before? Are the 2118's capable of playing higher, eliminating the need for a mid in the kick?


And now that everything is in, I've had a chance to spend some time listening with the Illusion lenses. It's difficult to say how they compare to the IDs as I have not A/B'd them directly; I've changed several other components as well (processing, etc.) They sound phenomenal FWIW. They almost seem to have a little more high end sparkle than the ID lenses, but again that could be due to several things. I'll have to swap the IDs in for a bit and see if I can tell what the differences are.


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

I love this setup. All the old school JBL stuff. The best midbass I have ever heard was in a truck with 10 mid/woofers and RF amps (1986). This system had better MB than IMAX theater sound systems. You basically have a Pro Audio sound system from 800Hz down, IN A TRUCK!!

How do the 2226's compare to the Gti's? Obviously the Gti couldn't go as high, but is the bottom similar? Did you cut the 2226 at 350 because of the sound or the seats?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> I love this setup. All the old school JBL stuff. The best midbass I have ever heard was in a truck with 10 mid/woofers and RF amps (1986). This system had better MB than IMAX theater sound systems. You basically have a Pro Audio sound system from 800Hz down, IN A TRUCK!!
> 
> How do the 2226's compare to the Gti's? Obviously the Gti couldn't go as high, but is the bottom similar? Did you cut the 2226 at 350 because of the sound or the seats?


Thanks  The 2226 are great drivers. After listening to them for about a week, The 2226 have more output in the higher sub-bass region, but are definitely lacking the lowest of lows that the GTi dominated. Currently the 2226 are HP'd at 100hz where the 2118 pick up. Songs with a lot of higher, tighter bass such as DMB and a lot of harder rock definitely hammer, but I think the W12GTi did better down low. I may try and hunt down a pair of W15GTi and modify the enclosure a bit to see how they compare.    Does it ever really end? Sheesh.


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

Dude, your install is amazing. Three speakers per channel and that's it! I'm a fan of simplicity. I don't think I'll ever run a 3 way front end with subs. I'm looking at what you've done and really like it. Is your headunit doing all the time alignment and crossover functions?

BTW, I looked at some 2426 drivers and they are HUGE! I'll be putting up some Orion amps for sale soon to pick up some 2118's.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

ECM said:


> Dude, your install is amazing. Three speakers per channel and that's it! I'm a fan of simplicity. I don't think I'll ever run a 3 way front end with subs. I'm looking at what you've done and really like it. Is your headunit doing all the time alignment and crossover functions?
> 
> BTW, I looked at some 2426 drivers and they are HUGE! I'll be putting up some Orion amps for sale soon to pick up some 2118's.


Thanks man! The P9 combo is doing all the processing, correct. It is actually very flexible except for the frequency range in xover points in the mid and high channels. I never understood why manufacturers making digital processors put any kind of limitations on xover points. I mean, if it's all programmed into a chip anyway, why not make all channels bandpass from 20hz-20khz with passable filters... right? Maybe it's more complex than that. Anyway, for that reason I had to ditch the 500GTi idea and go back to a 2118/horn combo up front. From the HU, I can change phase for each individual driver, EQ L/R 31 bands, and even mute drivers. It makes the A/B process as you tune very seamless and easy to compare once you get used to maneuvering through the menus. I followed the tuning process from Eric at ID almost word for word, and my stage is worlds better than it has been in the past. Best part is, once I set the gains on my amps, I was able to do the entire thing without ever leaving my seat.  Obviously it's a process that will take a few weeks to fine-tune, but I've got 95% of it done and it sounds great. That being said, I am having very mixed feelings about the 2226. Their output is phenomenal and the pro audio snap is very difficult to beat, but they noticeably lack on about the bottom octave. Everything is a compromise I suppose. I am going to pick up a pair of W15GTi MKII and see which pair I like better after all is said and done. 

You won't be disappointed with the 2118. They are phenomenal. I'd be interested to see a pair of 2426 in person. They definitely look big.


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

When I did my calculations it seems that the 2226 get to around 40hz if tuned properly in a box that big. You might want to drop by the the 'Lansing Heritage Forums' and ask what you could do to get down just a bit more. 

Too bad chad isn't involved in this thread.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> When I did my calculations it seems that the 2226 get to around 40hz if tuned properly in a box that big. You might want to drop by the the 'Lansing Heritage Forums' and ask what you could do to get down just a bit more.
> 
> Too bad chad isn't involved in this thread.


I was hoping he'd chime in but I think his affinity for pro audio stops at the exit doors of the auditorium. 

You're right about the enclosure. It is tuned to 40hz and that seems about where my output drops off. I'll have to check out that forum- I appreciate the info.


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

You would think that if all processing is done with software, adding extra crossover, eq, or filter options would be easy, and it probably is, but I think it comes down to "ease of use." For DIY folks it would be great to have infinite controls, but to normal folks, just a few is all they probably need and use. Then again, how many people do you see running Illusion Audio horns with JBL pro mids and subs? 

I can only imagine the amount of slap you get out of those 2226's. If it sounds like I think it sounds, it probably has a very "tight" sound like what you hear live. If it were me, I would just keep the 2226's, unless you listen to lots of hip hop or rap, but I'm not sure if you are gangsta rockin gold fronts.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

ECM said:


> You would think that if all processing is done with software, adding extra crossover, eq, or filter options would be easy, and it probably is, but I think it comes down to "ease of use." For DIY folks it would be great to have infinite controls, but to normal folks, just a few is all they probably need and use. Then again, how many people do you see running Illusion Audio horns with JBL pro mids and subs?
> 
> I can only imagine the amount of slap you get out of those 2226's. If it sounds like I think it sounds, it probably has a very "tight" sound like what you hear live. If it were me, I would just keep the 2226's, unless you listen to lots of hip hop or rap, but I'm not sure if you are gangsta rockin gold fronts.


LOL no gold grill for me.  I mainly listen to rock, but I miss that ooomph from my W12GTi. They were not quite as snappy, but still did very well on tighter stuff. And yes, everything sounds very tight, as it does live. In fact, live recordings tend to sound the best for the most part. I really am very happy with how it turned out overall. If I can get a pair of W15GTi cheap enough, I may keep both pair


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## j-man (Jan 5, 2009)

mikey7182 said:


> Does it ever really end? Sheesh.


Uh, no Mike, it doesn't!  


Again, great job man!


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

With 10 cu/ft total you have many options.

Why not run one 2245 and the two 2226's sealed. According to UniBox, the 2245 (18") in 7.5 cu/ft tuned to 35 Hz, you should be at 95db at 1w/8ohm @ 40 Hz. I believe the 2245 was the baddest old school sub JBL ever made, but I could be wrong and someone should correct me here if I am wrong. But it should meet all your needs. They are on eBay most of the time.

If you needed more impact in the 80 Hz plus range, you could run the 2226's in 1.5 cu/ft box each up to 200 Hz. What I have described is absolute, unneeded, ridiculous overkill. It would really be more than sufficient for a frat party. But I think that is what your system is about (which is why it is so cool).

Can you run the 2226's up to 200Hz behind the seats?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

mitchyz250f said:


> With 10 cu/ft total you have many options.
> 
> Why not run one 2245 and the two 2226's sealed. According to UniBox, the 2245 (18") in 7.5 cu/ft tuned to 35 Hz, you should be at 95db at 1w/8ohm @ 40 Hz. I believe the 2245 was the baddest old school sub JBL ever made, but I could be wrong and someone should correct me here if I am wrong. But it should meet all your needs. They are on eBay most of the time.
> 
> ...


That sounds like a pretty sweet setup! An 18" would be a small challenge to fit, but I am sure I could pull it off.  I think the 2241 is what the 1800GTi is based off, and that there is a 2242 that looks very similar with slightly more output. I'll have to check out the 2245. 

I have not tried the 2226 above 200hz yet, but I'm sure they would do great as midbass in sealed enclosures flanking the 18. They sound very good as they are now... I'd just like a little more bottom end.


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

I looked at the 2241 and it looks great. Typically from what I have seen they run the sub to 80-100Hz then run the 2226 from there to 300-350Hz and let 2118 or 2123 take it from there. Ofcouse this is for Home Theater and not a truck cab.

Also, if you used round ports instead of square you might be able to convert your box to different speakers without having to build a new box.

I am in the process of putting 2206's (pathetic 12" MB) in the rear quarters of my RSX. They have the same response curves as your 2226's but are less effecient, have less surface area, are less manly, smaller, more pathetic... When I read what you are doing I ran out to do some measuring to see if 15s" would fit. Nope. Doesn't even seam worthwhile anymore now that I know you are doing 15" MB.


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

Mikey, this install is getting WAY out of hand, keep it up and post pictures! 

Install the 18 incher and report back. I agree with Mitch, run the 18 as a sub and the 2226's as dedicated MB. Talk about getting slapped around.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

ECM said:


> Mikey, this install is getting WAY out of hand, keep it up and post pictures!
> 
> Install the 18 incher and report back. I agree with Mitch, run the 18 as a sub and the 2226's as dedicated MB. Talk about getting slapped around.


My OCD is bad enough and you guys are not helping!  I'm actually not lacking midbass at all the way it is right now. The punch/kick is insane. I'd really just like that bottom octave or so to play with more authority. I think before I gut my enclosure, I will try out a pair of W15GTi to see if it maintains the midbass snap but gives me the low end I need. I've also kicked around going to a 2123 in the doors, but midbass really isn't my problem, and that would drag my stage down. Ahh... decisions, decisions.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

mitchyz250f said:


> With 10 cu/ft total you have many options.
> 
> Why not run one 2245 and the two 2226's sealed. According to UniBox, the 2245 (18") in 7.5 cu/ft tuned to 35 Hz, you should be at 95db at 1w/8ohm @ 40 Hz. I believe the 2245 was the baddest old school sub JBL ever made, but I could be wrong and someone should correct me here if I am wrong. But it should meet all your needs. They are on eBay most of the time.
> 
> ...



The 2245 is a foam surround 18 from the same family as the 2225 and 2240. It requires an enormous box but will play VERY low, it does not have the VGC technology of the 2226, the 18" variant of the 2226 is the 2241 H is 8 ohm G is 4 ohm, then they had the SVGC 2242 for a while before they moved over to the DD stuff with neo magnets. The 2245 is most certainly an impressive driver but i find it more suited to installed theater sound, studio monitors, and home apps if you have the room and are not married


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

Chad-If he gets rid of the 2226's he got 10 cu/ft total. If he keeps them, he would have 7 cu/ft for a sub and 1.5 cu/ft for each 2226. 7 cu/ft should be big enough.

This whole system is overkill, ie. HT, which is why it is so very cool.

Anyway, what would you recommend? Should he keep the 2226's and get a sub or go with the two GTi 's or should he get rid of the 2226's and get a JBL 22xx?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

I've got 10ft^3 net in the current enclosure, but it does not take up the entire bed. I've got a good 5ft^3 of unused space, if not a bit more. This has gotten out of hand rather quickly, but that's the fun of it I suppose. I am working on a deal with a pair of W15GTi, but would also be curious about a pair of 2241G in 7-8ft per sub tuned to 35hz. I flat out don't have the room to mount an 18" sub the way the 15s are mounted, so I'd have to get creative. I am also afraid that something like the 2241 would get even more "peaky" in the upper ranges, as the 2226 seem to do at high output, so they'd have to be crossed lower. They have an insane amount of output in the midbass range- almost too much for my setup. I'd be interested in running an RTA in the truck to see what it looks like.


And I am married, but she isn't into it.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

I think it's kickass you are going for pro drivers, totally

JBL uses the 2226 up to 1.6K in an effective manner. BUT I just don't think the pro offerings are what he's going to be looking for. Here's the skinny, pro speakers aren't designed to go ultra low, they are designed to hit 30-40 cycles and do it loud. not that the transfer function of a single cab truck would not aid tremendously with this option. ONE THING you could try and it would be tough but give you a damn good idea. Rent a SR4719 or SRX4719 and somehow blow it into the cab to see if you like it... it's their dual 18 cab. I've never been a big fan of the 2226's as sub duty but that's LIVE....

I see no reason why they would not work as a sub in a small truck, I'd investigate tuning in a bit more detail then try the rental and report back. If you don't like the 18's go GTI and let it romp in a nice vented enclosure.

I feel that an 18, and 2 15's in back are going to just complicate things too much... too close of a driver and the 18 will play pretty damn high too. The 18s in those enclosures I mentioned for rental are the 2241s.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

chad said:


> I think it's kickass you are going for pro drivers, totally
> 
> JBL uses the 2226 up to 1.6K in an effective manner. BUT I just don't think the pro offerings are what he's going to be looking for. Here's the skinny, pro speakers aren't designed to go ultra low, they are designed to hit 30-40 cycles and do it loud. not that the transfer function of a single cab truck would not aid tremendously with this option. ONE THING you could try and it would be tough but give you a damn good idea. Rent a SR4719 or SRX4719 and somehow blow it into the cab to see if you like it... it's their dual 18 cab. I've never been a big fan of the 2226's as sub duty but that's LIVE....
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input! It'd be tough to vent the 4719s into the cab with it well-sealed, but it might be worth a shot to give me an idea. I'm leaning toward the 15GTi pair at this point though as the install will be a bit easier and I'm pretty much guaranteed the bottom end I'm looking for.


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## ECM (Dec 23, 2007)

Listen to Chad and your truck will end up as a mobile PA! Can you imagine venting dual bass bins into that cab? I can't, so that means you'll have to try it and post pictures for the benefit and advancement of DIYMA.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

mikey7182 said:


> Thanks for the input! It'd be tough to vent the 4719s into the cab with it well-sealed, but it might be worth a shot to give me an idea. I'm leaning toward the 15GTi pair at this point though as the install will be a bit easier and I'm pretty much guaranteed the bottom end I'm looking for.


I'm kinda leaning to that myself but I did not know if you were hell bent on keeping it all pro drivers. I think you are heading in the right direction.



ECM said:


> Listen to Chad and your truck will end up as a mobile PA! Can you imagine venting dual bass bins into that cab? I can't, so that means you'll have to try it and post pictures for the benefit and advancement of DIYMA.


LOL, it was just to see if it worked  One cool thing is that you can rent one and see as opposed to buying a kilobuck in drivers


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## mitchyz250f (May 14, 2005)

Chad - An interesting thing is that the response curves of the 2245 in a closed box is almost identical to the DIYMA12! Well identical except that the JBL is 11 db more sensitive?

Where would you cross the subs to the 2118's? Would in be defferent for the GTi's and 2245?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

Just a few updates and pics- I sold off the P9 combo and replaced it with the DEH-P01. I also pulled the 2226 and replaced them with a pair of W15GTi MKii. I kept the same enclosure and dropped the tune a bit. It's now about 4.6 cubes new per sub tuned to 34hz. As I am finding out the hard way, there is a little more sawdust in the enclosure than I thought  




























The W15GTi have a bit more low end than the 2226 but maintained the snappy clarity they had, so I am very happy with how they turned out. And the P01 is a phenomenal headunit. I'll post some more thoughts on it as I get some more time to listen, but so far it is at the least on par with the P9.


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## sydmonster (Oct 5, 2009)

Cool upgrade! Look forward to your feedback about the P01


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

slimysenor said:


> those alpines are lookin hot


Alpines? You must mean the ones in the very first post of this thread from almost two years ago. I'm sure the other 23 guys whose build logs you left 5-6 word comments in 3 hours ago appreciate it as well. Go pad your post count elsewhere.


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

I was totally expecting ads for penis enlargement or getting ripped in 4 weeks.  I guess it could have been worse.

On topic: How much of your bed is left?

Jay


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## beerdrnkr (Apr 18, 2007)

Your systems looking awesome man. Love that new HU, let me know when you wanna sell it....lol...How big is your enclosure for the subs? I'm really debating whether or not to get 2 15 GTI's but don't know if I have the space.


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

JayinMI said:


> I was totally expecting ads for penis enlargement or getting ripped in 4 weeks.  I guess it could have been worse.
> 
> On topic: How much of your bed is left?
> 
> Jay


LOL, true. 

As for the bed, I have not measured it, but I've probably got about 2 feet left, maybe a little more. The enclosure does not quite come to the back edge of the wheel wells. I guess the correct answer would be "enough to do a third 15."


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

beerdrnkr said:


> Your systems looking awesome man. Love that new HU, let me know when you wanna sell it....lol...How big is your enclosure for the subs? I'm really debating whether or not to get 2 15 GTI's but don't know if I have the space.


Thanks Luis! I am most likely never letting the HU go. I've actually considered buying a spare!  The enclosure is a little under 5 cubes net per sub. Overall it ended up being a little over 12 cubes gross. I used 1" MDF, so that takes up a bit more room. JBL recommends 4 cubes gross per woofer, so you could get away with that. I just already had the enclosure built for the JBL 2226, so I lengthened the ports to drop the tune rather than build a new enclosure. 1" MDF gets pricey!  I know you like the old school look- I just put the 2226 pair up for sale if you think you've got the room  A shameless plug in my own build log...


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## th3disturbed1 (Oct 4, 2009)

glad to see someones committed enough to make up for my lack of it!


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## Rick420 (Nov 28, 2009)

I have a pioneer premier champion pro series 12 and its been great! Never was into pioneer that much but this sub changed my mind...picked it up used for $50 and have ran it for a year(very hard) and have never had a problem!!


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## fiberglasslvr (Oct 4, 2009)

One word, Nice.


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Be curious to know how you are liking those GTi subs.


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## JoeDirte (Sep 21, 2009)

Very ballsy. I like it.


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## SuBNoiZe (Sep 21, 2009)

I'd love to see how you got those mids to fit so well in the doors, I had trouble getting 3" deep 6.5s in mine, I had to space out the window channel. Got any pics without the mids installed, of where you said you cut it?


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## mikey7182 (Jan 16, 2008)

SuBNoiZe said:


> I'd love to see how you got those mids to fit so well in the doors, I had trouble getting 3" deep 6.5s in mine, I had to space out the window channel. Got any pics without the mids installed, of where you said you cut it?


Hey, just saw this.  Talk about an old thread...  It's nice to go back and see the beginning though. Really it's just going to depend on how thick your baffle is. Depending on how you trim it, I was able to fit up to a 1" baffle behind the factory panels. Now the 8" mids I used were 4" deep, and the window channel bolt had broken off on the drivers side so I was unable to space it out, so I actually lost the last 3-4" of window travel on that side. But assuming I could space it out, they would have cleared no problem. I have several other build logs on here that should have some pics of just the baffles. I'll see if I can dig up a link or some pics, but you should be able to find it by my username.


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