# 08 Subie STi rookie build



## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Keep in mind folks that this will be a work in progress over the next few weeks. Basics at this point: 9887 HU running active through a PDX-5 amp to ID OEM mids and HAT L1 tweeters and an IDQ10v2 in a “prefab custom”. The stock HU was a double din +, which means, the US version of the car has a stock unit (clarion) that is a bit wider than standard din. A royal PITA for a nice looking install; good thing is that the JDM version had a standard double din; so $100 later, I had the correct plate to keep it all looking nice. Added a Subaru pocket underneath from an older Forrester.

Due to arrive- a couple Zuki amps, Morel MD23 tweets, and some additional (functional) sound stuff thanks to the multiple posts/discussions by FoxPro5, Rudeboy, and Abmolech. The obligatory over use of Raamat has been done along with some Ensolite. Due to arrive is some additional Voalra and some MLV; so this will all get some revision and a future update post.
Ensolite has been placed over the Raamat on the interior


























Outer skin and inner skin treated with Raamat

















Mid is mounted on an MDF ring decoupled from the door with the foam cups to prevent water damage. Bottom 1/3 of the cups cut out.


All has been somewhat buttoned up for a couple months while I tried to figure out what tweets were to my taste. I started with some Seas Lotus RT25F, but didn’t wow me enough to deal with the size. Currently are some HAT L1v1 temporary mounted in the sail panel locations. I’m very happy with the mids, but the tweets seem to be a bit bright for me. Sat in a good friends car (Bertholomey) and fell in love; hence the desire to emulate his component list. While I wait for the amps and tweets, I did get a DIYMA to pit up against the IDQ. I loved the IDQ and got a few compliments from some knowledgeable folks; so it was a hard decision to go a different direction. The purchased box was a nice fit/addition and it was a shame to pull it out. But I did a temp enclosure and did quite a bit of listening with the Focal test discs and decided that the DIYMA just gave the sub stage that “little extra”…. So on to the fabrication.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

I liked the location, so I started the layup in the typical fashion. I used the MDF ring (.75 and .5 glued) with one of the cutouts to “replicate” the driver. I don’t mind reverse mounts, but wanted it to be less of an attention draw. Learning from Boostedrex, this was my method to make sure it fit inside.



























First layer dry and pulled out.

















After several layers of mat and Kintex; a little trim and the test fit










I decided to take some advice I read on this site and use some uber flexible material- swimsuit stuff- instead of fleece as it soaks up less resin, thus giving more value to it when applied to the glass. Not sure I liked the idea as it was not robust enough to hold the weight of the resin, so it ended up sagging. Then the catastrophe… sort of. The mounts for the baffle ring came loose and the ring dropped. With resin soaked fabric, this was a treat. Off to the tackle box for a couple of spanners and fish hooks. Mounted the spanners in an X formation with the hooks into the baffle ring and basically hung it from the ring till the resin hardened. (wish I wasn’t so steamed at the time and had taken pictures….) The fabric did surprisingly hold enough resin to get rigid over night so rather than having to start that process over, I was able to cut the center hole fabric out and test fit to see how bad the catastrophe affected mounting depth… success!. Here it is test fit in the car.









I don’t have any pics of the layup process because it was rather boring. I did use mat and Kintex from US composites along with the 440 resin. NIGHT AND DAY difference over the bondo crap I had used in a previous door panel build. I did the bondo Glass milkshake on the interior








After which the enclosure was rock steady. Full Gallon of resin used in the multiple layers of mat and Kintex. Did it on both the inside and outside of the front fabric layer to make sure the edges were bonded around real well I used regular bondo that I had laying around instead of looking for the Rage Gold filler. Didn’t work too bad as I planed on a vinyl covering so I did all the sanding with palm sander and B&D mouse.
VOILA









The amps will be enclosed and mounted on the seat backs, so the wire will be closed in a trim panel that will be built. Bad thing is that it needs to be secured to a fitting on the side lest it fall over under fairly benign left turns… and who takes benign turns in an STi 
To use that securement method, it has to be done before the sub is mounted. Not too bad with the IDQ, but a serious PITA with the 40lb monster!

Amp solution build coming soon as well as the tweeter pods when I settle in on which ones to use.


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## AdamTaylor (Sep 7, 2008)

looks nice


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## JediMentality (May 7, 2008)

Good save on the ring. It came out awesome. Yet another fiberglass build that makes me sad that I'm too much of a pansy to try one myself :disappointed:


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## Duce2k (Mar 18, 2008)

That looks great man, I need to take the fiberglass plunge myself soon.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

So, pulling up the driveway on Friday, feeling good to have another week in the bag and I see a lil’ something on the doorstep……. Unfortunately, it didn’t get any bigger the closer I got. High hopes that the little pink tag wedged in the door is the larger box I eagerly await!










Success!! The 9am trip to the post office was in fact the big box!

Eleets 4 and the “limited edition” 2 channel


















Time to see if they will actually fit where I had hoped. Simplicity in Sound did a beautiful install in an STi with the use of a false floor. I made the decision early on that that wouldn’t work for me due to the way it would increase the offset of the transition from back to seats when they are in the down position for hatchback use. I wanted to put them on the seat backs, but it is a 60/40 split and it was going to be tight on the 40 seat….










The 12” piece of MDF laying around looks perfect…. And the 2 channel will “just fit”!

Playin’ around with a template before cutting the MDF:










Then into the boxes….


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Oh goodie…. Look what shows up with Ms. USPS today!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Enough distraction…. Back to finishing the boxes.	


























They fit…










And it looks like a bit extra for a nice little digital sub amp if I ever go 4 way….










Fit in the car….



































Now, off to see if I can find some matching carpet material-

More to come!!!


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## Tonyguy (Nov 15, 2007)

wow very nice! I'm impressed.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Fantastic progress - from what I saw 2 weeks ago to now - night and day! I think you will love the new equipment, and I think you will be happier with new install ideas. 

Fantastic job on the fiberglass box - that is the perfect solution for a fairly difficult sub / car set up. I bet the DIYMA sounds great!

I can't wait to hear / see everything on the 29th.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Playing with Morels tonight.... working on the decision for on or off axis.

Had to go with Parts Express for the necessary carpet, so the amp install will wait for that.... oh the patience this is taking.


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## SRim23 (May 24, 2007)

price of beer shipped to 44039?

guinness is currently my choice of beer at the moment.... good stuff. if you like that try Youngs Double Chocolate stout or Murphy's Irish Stout. Both very good.


with the help of a ca.com member i think im going to attempt a FG DIYMA install myself. Nice work.


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## Beyond Silence (May 11, 2009)

the woofer box looks very nice, but why didn´t you let it reach to the back seat or at least make a smooth connection to the amp-box (are u gonna put ventilation in the boxes? amps might get a little hot in there otherwise, don´t they?)


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Beyond Silence said:


> the woofer box looks very nice, but why didn´t you let it reach to the back seat or at least make a smooth connection to the amp-box (are u gonna put ventilation in the boxes? amps might get a little hot in there otherwise, don´t they?)


Not patient enough to wait for the amps to arrive before building the sub enclosure. I will be doing a trim panel to tie it together.
I will cut some "louvers" in the lids of the amp enclosures better let air out, but I want them completely covered as I use my hatchback as it is intended and throw stuff back there quite regularly. The feedback I have gotten from the Zuki owners I know is that the amps rarely get hot, and they drive them harder than I will. As far as mounted vertically, I keep the seats down most of the time anyway, so that will also help dissipate heat better. I will be monitoring temps and if I need to add circulation fans, I will.

Great points, thanks for the feedback!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

SRim23 said:


> price of beer shipped to 44039?
> 
> with the help of a ca.com member i think im going to attempt a FG DIYMA install myself. Nice work.


Do it; just be sure to buy good raw materials and it will go fairly easily.


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## 05_sprcrw (Dec 29, 2008)

looks good nice idea on the amp racks


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

looking good  i have the same table saw!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

simplicityinsound said:


> looking good  i have the same table saw!


Cool; that means I can do just a good of work as you:laugh:

.... I wish!


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## Mooble (Oct 21, 2007)

slade1274 said:


> I will cut some "louvers" in the lids of the amp enclosures better let air out...The feedback I have gotten from the Zuki owners I know is that the amps rarely get hot, and they drive them harder than I will. As far as mounted vertically, I keep the seats down most of the time anyway, so that will also help dissipate heat better. I will be monitoring temps and if I need to add circulation fans, I will.


Your amps will appreciate fans. I would do it now. Even if they don't shut down, no electronic component likes to be hot all the time. :z:

You are certainly not the only one to do this, but why do people build amp racks out of MDF? It's so freakin' heavy. Birch ply weighs half as much, it's much easier to cut, it takes paint, and density is irrelevant.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Mooble said:


> Your amps will appreciate fans. I would do it now. Even if they don't shut down, no electronic component likes to be hot all the time. :z:
> 
> You are certainly not the only one to do this, but why do people build amp racks out of MDF? It's so freakin' heavy. Birch ply weighs half as much, it's much easier to cut, it takes paint, and density is irrelevant.


Availabilty of birch for my lazy butt.... I used mostly thin gauge stuff, so the weight isn't an issue. And, I understand the dust is the issue, not the ease of cutting. I've never had an issue cutting MDF; but it is dusty as heck.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

SRim23 said:


> price of beer shipped to 44039?
> 
> guinness is currently my choice of beer at the moment.... good stuff. if you like that try Youngs Double Chocolate stout or Murphy's Irish Stout. Both very good.
> 
> ...


Tried them all and Guinness is still the best.... in fact; install helper-










And, yes, it's the real deal; Bertholomey is a reference

Nice backup in case it goes dry or the gas goes empty....










Can we all now say in unison: "Install Day at Slade's"


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

That tap is bonified!

The only pour that was it's equal was at the Cladddagh! Got Shamrocks drawn at both places!

Guinness certainly is the fuel that gets DIY installers get through the long hours - especially when things just don't go right. 

From your email, it sounds like the Morels might work out. Looks great!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

So much for “stealth”….

The one enclosure doesn’t leave much room for air-flow, even with a fan. I checked out a few different ones that would feasibly move enough air to be effective; and the ones that met that requirement were way too noisy. Audible called at the line…..
This one was done bass-ackwards; so the other enclosure will be done in a different order of events.

This one, started with the hole in the enclosure:










The guide to keep lines straight…










End result










Then I transferred the template to the additional cover, but took it a step further to put it in a full fixture to make the cutout as accurate as possible.










Then a nice little rabbet for to inlay the wire grid.










Dbl check the fitment…..










And the added “grill” that was made from a piece of stray shelving I had laying around. Now to decide if I go with carpet on the face or vinyl/carpet combination.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Project: "Zuki Jail" continues today

This is gluing the lids together:










And a little carpet:










And Voila: 


































Should help keep them cool and protect them at the same time.... it's all a bit tight, but the seats go up and down as they are supposed to.

More to come when I can get the amps mounted and wired up. Should get my goodies from Don at SoundDeadenerShowdown.com tomorrow; I'll just have to decide how much of a chunk to bite off at a time....


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Once again, I have to say that is fantastic - good thinking - great solution - awesome effect (or is it affect?). 

This is much better than a PDX 5 under the driver's seat

I can't wait to hear your impressions once you have them wired...


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## SQJEEP (May 14, 2009)

I really like the way u mounted the amps. very clean install also


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## socal28 (Nov 14, 2008)

Very nice! I don't consider this install a "rookie" though.


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## Midwestrider (Aug 10, 2007)

Very nice idea on your amp mounting solution. 
You've sparked my thoughts, being a fellow WRX wagon owner.


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## el-cid (Dec 14, 2008)

So...plan on stripping and polishing the black amp or painting the polished amp? It would tie it together well if they match, especially now that they're out in the open. Just my 2 cents.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

el-cid said:


> So...plan on stripping and polishing the black amp or painting the polished amp? It would tie it together well if they match, especially now that they're out in the open. Just my 2 cents.


Not really, the heat sinks are different anyway.

Thunder-lightning
Ebony-Ivory
Peanut Butter-Jelly

Not everything has to match to go well together.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

socal28 said:


> Very nice! I don't consider this install a "rookie" though.


Thanks! But I am a rookie at car audio installs..... check Simplicity in Sound if you question my self classificaiton. We all need something to aspire to! I just happen to have most all of the applicable tools to make fast strides in my learning curve.


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## Irishfocus06 (Sep 11, 2008)

Your rookie install looks just as good as a lot of professional installs, lol! 

Good job and nice equipment!


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## el-cid (Dec 14, 2008)

slade1274 said:


> Not really, the heat sinks are different anyway.
> 
> Thunder-lightning
> Ebony-Ivory
> ...


Touche (I don't know how to do the little hash mark over the e ). Great looking install no matter how you do it.


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## MajorChipHazard (Feb 10, 2008)

Very nice and neat and simple install.I really like the integration of your amps on the seats and with the rest of the trunk.Well done


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## SRim23 (May 24, 2007)

slade1274 said:


> Do it; just be sure to buy good raw materials and it will go fairly easily.


yeah ive been very intimidated about it until i started looking into it and it doesnt look all that difficult, just time consuming. i think the guy i was talking to about it suggested i buy the resin you used, uscomposites b-440. said it was the best stuff hes ever used.


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## lh0628 (May 25, 2009)

Very nice!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Did some more work with the MLV barrier. Funny how the engineers did everything they could to squeeze every ounce out of this car for sake of performance and I'm doing everything I can to add 150+lbs of mass back to it.

The doors are a pain to get the MLV into. Glad I had some back and forth with Don and sounddeadenershowdown.com (Rudeboy) He was a huge help. I bought some adhesive and mounting stuff and he threw in a "welcome kit" including his CLD and some of the Butyl rope. Great product- much more robust than Rammat and a "gooiness" that is between Rammat and Damplifier. Thanks so much for the advice and sample pack Don!

I previously justified Rammat by much research and from a cost perspective. Don't know if I would go the same direction again due to the gooey factor. I'm a mess whenever I work on the car now due to the butyl he uses. Good news is that Greased Lightening multi purpose cleaner cuts it like it's nothing- Great stuff. As far as ease of use I like Damplifer > Sounddeadener.com > Rammat.

Anyway, off the CLD and back to the MLV. Getting it in the doors was a challenge, but not too bad if tackled in sections. My second door I did differently than the first and it turned out better and easier. I took the first piece across the top of the door and mounted some of Don’s high strength Velcro to hold it in place.


















I then hung vertical pieces cut to size to fit in the door access panels using the Vinyl cement Don sells- great stuff and only bonds Vinyl; so easy clean up if it finds its way elsewhere….










Afterwards, got a 24 x 24 sheet of 26ga steel from Lowe’s and covered the access holes.


















Note use of Don’s CLD on the sheet panels courtesy of the welcome kit. Full treatment of Rammat CLD under the Ensolite; which worked great as a gasket for the sheet metal.

The MLV barrier now is complete on the entire interior floor and front doors. True to form with all the advice from Don and FoxPro5, the next area that has not been treated draws the attention; this case the rear wheel wells in the hatch area. I took the drivers panel out and did the MLV on the car body. Cut and cement as form fitting and contoured as possible- what a waste of ~2 hours. The panels didn’t fit back on.
So, I pulled them back off and the MLV out. Changed the method to matching the interior panel contours: 










Probably not as complete of coverage as I had in the previous trial, but the panels fit back on. It’s all sealed up with the vinyl cement. Coverage pretty much converges to the full sheet coverage in the hatch.

Lessons learned, when I get to the passenger side rear well, it will go much faster. Then we’ll see if I have to do the rear doors.

Funny thing is that I’m taking all this time/effort/expense to do all this sound blocking stuff only to put on an aftermarket exhaust later this summer and defeat all the progress I’ve made. Oh well, such as life. I can always say “imagine how loud it would be without the noise control!”


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## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

I'm glad things worked out but I'm a little surprised by your evaluation of the gooiness. Were you comparing pieces side by side or from memory? The CLD Tile adhesive is absolutely less gooey and more rubbery than Dynamat Xtreme's. Stray bits can be a little stringy, but it will never ooze under pressure like DX can. Don't want to sound too defensive, but one of my primary design imperatives was that the adhesive NOT be gooey at all since I share your opinion of deadener that leaves black muck all over the car and because adhesive consistency is one of the important characteristics that contribute to performance. Aside from that, I'll grant that the 8 mil foil can make it a little tougher to work with, especially when it comes to cutting it, but that's I sacrifice I was willing to make for improved performance.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

I can't compare to Dynamat as I have never used it; my comparisons were with Rammat and Ant's Damplifier. Side by side, the Damplifier is the cleanest to work with IMO but yours feels more "robust"; probably due to the foil thickness. And by cleanliness on a scale of 1-10 for better reference, I would have to give Damplifier a 10 as the best, yours a 9 and Raamat a 3. That all came into my reference of "ease of use"- Damplifier was easier to cut and cleaner. I don't even know if I should compare the two as you may position yours against Damplifer Pro; to which I have never used.

Again, a great product- I would definately use it in the future or recommend it to anyone asking about it. I'm taking the last bit of sample along with the Raamat to the NC get-together this weekend to give you some more hands-on exposure.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

slade1274 said:


> I can't compare to Dynamat as I have never used it; my comparisons were with Rammat and Ant's Damplifier. Side by side, the Damplifier is the cleanest to work with IMO but yours feels more "robust"; probably due to the foil thickness. And by cleanliness on a scale of 1-10 for better reference, I would have to give Damplifier a 10 as the best, yours a 9 and Raamat a 3. That all came into my reference of "ease of use"- Damplifier was easier to cut and cleaner. I don't even know if I should compare the two as you may position yours against Damplifer Pro; to which I have never used.
> 
> Again, a great product- I would definately use it in the future or recommend it to anyone asking about it. I'm taking the last bit of sample along with the Raamat to the NC get-together this weekend to give you some more hands-on exposure.


Ah, I misread Dynamat for Damplifier. That makes more sense and I can definitely live we you number ranking. I was picturing half way between RAAMmat and Dynamat Xtreme and I just couldn't see it. Damplifier Pro would be a closer comparison, but it is still a little easier to work with because of the foil. 

Mine might be a little dirtier to work with, I never looked at it that way. Once it didn't ooze all over the place I concentrated on adhesive qualities and heat tolerance. Thanks for the clarification. How'd the vinyl cement work for you? I'm loving the way it works but you have to watch the fumes.


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## Silver2003srt4 (Jan 3, 2009)

great job Keep it up

Jeremy


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Worked great and the fumes didn't bother me. You definately had to watch the tack time on the pieces as there seemed to be a small window of time for solid adhesion. Outdoor in GA late spring temps/humidity. Once I got the hang of it, I just put a thicker coat on the first piced and a thinner one on the second. That allowed them to tack up at the same time and a little push gave instant adhesion. Great choice in product!

I would love to see a multi-layer do it all application that combines the CLD/isolation/Blocker in one product. How cool would it be for a high strenght butyl adhesive backed to a decent alum foil with a minimal effective CCF layer, led foil barrier, capped with a final CCF to encapsulate the lead. It would be one heck of a product that could fit almost all applications due to minimal thickness, fully encapsulated lead in CCF, and so much more malleable than that damn MLV. What a royal PITA to get full coverage in a car full of curved surfaces.... Of course, you don't have to worry about cost or toxicity while day-dreaming.


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## Arc (Aug 25, 2006)

Hey man I am looking into a 08/09 WRX 5-door similar to yours. Could you tell me the depth in the doors?


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## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

slade1274 said:


> Worked great and the fumes didn't bother me. You definately had to watch the tack time on the pieces as there seemed to be a small window of time for solid adhesion. Outdoor in GA late spring temps/humidity. Once I got the hang of it, I just put a thicker coat on the first piced and a thinner one on the second. That allowed them to tack up at the same time and a little push gave instant adhesion. Great choice in product!


It's definitely one of those "perfect for the job" products. Two things I really like about it is that after 48 hours it will never come apart and if you leave exposed adhesive around the edges when it cures it isn't sticky at all anymore.



slade1274 said:


> I would love to see a multi-layer do it all application that combines the CLD/isolation/Blocker in one product. How cool would it be for a high strenght butyl adhesive backed to a decent alum foil with a minimal effective CCF layer, led foil barrier, capped with a final CCF to encapsulate the lead. It would be one heck of a product that could fit almost all applications due to minimal thickness, fully encapsulated lead in CCF, and so much more malleable than that damn MLV. What a royal PITA to get full coverage in a car full of curved surfaces.... Of course, you don't have to worry about cost or toxicity while day-dreaming.


I've thought about this - and when you are sweating buckets and dripping blood, thoughts about how to make things easier naturally come to mind. I really think that in most applications the modular approach is going to be better and more effective. To start with, you need 100% coverage with the barrier and much less than that with the CLD. Lead would certainly make things more formable, but you would still need to seam corners and seams and that becomes difficult when you can't go barrier to barrier since the foam would add gaps at the overlap. 

I think we just need to accept that this will be a tough project and be glad that we don't have to do it very often. I went to a Saturn Sky meet last weekend to demonstrate the products and to help a guy install them, more than anything to see if it was possible to make a dent in the noise in a convertible with extensive engine and exhaust mods. While we were working (in direct sunlight and temps in the high 90s) 4 or 5 guys came along, watched for a while and asked if they could hire me to do the same thing to their cars. Answer was easy - NO.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Arc said:


> Hey man I am looking into a 08/09 WRX 5-door similar to yours. Could you tell me the depth in the doors?


What do you need to know? I have 6.5" ID OEMs, which is a rather deep speaker. Using a .5" MDF spacer I have between .5 and 1" of clearance when the window comes down.


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## Arc (Aug 25, 2006)

slade1274 said:


> What do you need to know? I have 6.5" ID OEMs, which is a rather deep speaker. Using a .5" MDF spacer I have between .5 and 1" of clearance when the window comes down.



That's perfect..thanks.


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## minibox (Mar 25, 2009)

Thanks for the listen yesterday. Very impressive clarity and detail. I think I'm now officially a fan of Zuki amps. For some reason I only took a quick glance of your amp rack but now that I look at the build pics I must say I'm very impressed. I wouldn't call yourself a rookie, this is certainly no bush league install.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks for the kind words. I really liked your choice in audition tracks- very diverse. I would like to know what disk you used that had the female vocals on it.

My rookie status is self appointed due to my experience level on auto installation. I will admit that I'm handy and have a solid skill base, just putting it to use in a car is rather new to me. My only other work was Jason's trunk that you saw on Friday as well.


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## Boostedrex (Apr 4, 2007)

I was lucky enough to get some listening time in this car as well when I was at the meet last Friday. I have to say, this car sounded GREAT! Too bad the workmanship of the install is crappy!! LOL! J/K. 

So, what other tweaks did you end up making after I left Ryan?


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Boostedrex said:


> I was lucky enough to get some listening time in this car as well when I was at the meet last Friday. I have to say, this car sounded GREAT! Too bad the workmanship of the install is crappy!! LOL! J/K.
> 
> So, what other tweaks did you end up making after I left Ryan?


Thanks Zach- It was a pleasure meeting you and I value your input. I'm going to be playing with the eq slightly. Nick ran his RTA in it and noted some spots that could use some tweaking, but I didn't fully understand how to use the PEQ at the time but have since played with it enough to understand it. I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the mic setup that Jorge posted in the tutorial section so I can continue tuning and understand how my ear hears each frequency tweak.


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## Boostedrex (Apr 4, 2007)

Very nice! I have to admit that your car was my favorite of the 3 that I listened to at the meet. You aren't far off from being ready for the lanes IMHO. Have you played around with the midrange phase anymore or is it pretty much where you want it now?


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Not yet. I will give it some good time when I get the RTA set up.
Thanks for the compliment!


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## gokiburi (Jul 20, 2007)

Great install! Very creative + excellent workmanship.

One quick question re: door sound deadening - did you put any MLV between the door card and the inner door panel, or was it all inside the door itself? Did you fully cover the door area? 

Thanks!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Inside the door, fully covering the door area. It ends up on the outside of the window when rolled down into the door cavity.


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## dawgdan (Aug 10, 2006)

Not sure how I missed this thread, but I did. *duh*

Everything looks really great, man. Would really enjoy to take a listen at some point, but that whole baby thing kills my spare time...  

Nice job on the sub box, too.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks Dan- any time you want to head my way, let me know. I'd even be willing to meet you somewhere if you get closer to town for an afternoon. Worst case, my wife is willing to sacrifice her birthday weekend for Erin's meet; so I hope you can make it as well. I too would love to hear your ribbons as they are fairly rare in a mobile install.

The box is all thanks to you for the tutorial! I probably wouldn't have had as much courage to do it if you didn't make it look so easy. I know I speak for the entire community when I say that it is one of the best reference materials for the DIYer to get into glass. I am looking forward to my next one when I can use my hands-on lessons learned to improve the layout/design as soon as Nick can get that SI BM released! .5 ft^3 really interests me with the mounting depth he is shooting for!


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## dawgdan (Aug 10, 2006)

The Neo8's stink. LOL! I actually have Pb2theMax's old kickpanels in my truck seen here:

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2794/kicks003dn3.jpg
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/3711/kicks2006xy9.jpg

They look really clean, but these planars are really made for dipole use. They're really choked up behind that kick. I bet they would SHINE in an open baffle, but that's just not realistic in a car. So I'm going back to either a dome tweeter or a cone widebander like a Peerless 2" up in the a-pillars. I still have my Seas Neos that sounded WAY better in my old ride (the Mazda6 in the tutorial), and I would throw those in the stock tweeter locations if I didn't have beaming issues with the CW21's in the doors. I'd have a gaping hole between 1500-2500 Hz.

That BM looks like a mean mug of a sub. Y'all didn't even get to hear the real one coming out.  I think I could even fit that behind my seats...

You know, I actually am getting together with some friends on the 13th out at Medieval Times (I know, ridiculous, right! but it's a surprise birthday party and my buddy always wanted to go there since he was a kid.  ) I know we'll be getting together in the evening. I might be able to head out your way during the day. I'd LOVE to listen and check out your setup. I'll PM you.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

slade1274 said:


> The box is all thanks to you for the tutorial! I probably wouldn't have had as much courage to do it if you didn't make it look so easy. I know I speak for the entire community when I say that it is one of the best reference materials for the DIYer to get into glass.


X2 on that - I send people the link every chance I get. I had done a lot of fiberglassing years ago for completely different applications when there was still a local plastic products supplier I could drive to and just ask for whatever I needed. Having a road map into the complex offerings from U.S. Composites was a tremendous help. Now I always have some B-440 around.


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## RMAT (Feb 13, 2007)

Very nice build. I'm local and would love to hear this.


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## dawgdan (Aug 10, 2006)

I enjoyed making that tutorial very much. I'm glad that people have gotten good use out of it.


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## Coheednme13 (May 10, 2008)

So where are the pics of the front stage? Are you using kicks or just the doors for your mids? You must be going with a new setup since you were selling the Zuki's. The SI BM is out also so are you going to stick with that plan? What were your impressions of the BM from the g2g?


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## Coheednme13 (May 10, 2008)

Did I ask too many questions?:worried:

Oh man I just asked another 

But seriously I like the build up just curious about the other things I love WRX's and just wanted to know what your front stage was like. Hopefully the next time there is a meet up in NC I can make it.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

I'm not going to answer for Slade, but there are some changes occurring with his awesome STi. 

Some guys from NC are talking about getting together around the Greensboro / Winston - Salem area near the end of October - keep an eye out in the next week or so for a thread anouncing it.


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## Coheednme13 (May 10, 2008)

ok I will keep an eye out but you guys have to take it easy on a newb when I ask a bunch of questions


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Sorry, didn't see the additional posts or questions.
It is going through an identity crisis as many install do as the rookies "learn" more and decide to over-complicate things. Pretty much everything is changing except the mounting location of the amps. I have a B1.1 that's going in and I plan to go 4 way. I determined that the Zuki Eleets will indeed fit in the spot that the two channel went, so the larger seat back will be used hopefully for the B1.1 and a new Leviathan from Zed. I'm awaiting on the delivery of the new amp to see if it will all fit where I want it to or if I have to go with Plan B for the B1 location. I tried an HSU subwoofer, but didn't like it as much as the DIYMA or the BM mk II. I have not seen/heard a mk III, but am very interested in giving it a shot as the mounting depth of the DIYMA constrains my install flexibility. The front stage is up in the air as well. I have a pair of SLS 8" for the midbass, but not sure if I'll be putting in the effort to mod the doors or see what I can get from a 6.5". The midrange is also in the air, not only brand/model, but location. Once I get the B1, I'll be doing some midrange auditions. Of interest:
Tang Band W3-1364S http://www.parts-express.com/pdf/264-844.pdf
Hertz HL70 HERTZ by Elettromedia - Special Car Stereo
Vifa TG9 Vifa TG9FD10-04 3.5" Full Range from Madisound
H-Audio Trinity: H-Audio Inc. USA

I'm looking to try the mids in the the kicks as well as at the base of the A-pillar. I may look into alternative tweeters as it may be a crime to keep the Morels just to play from 10k and up.....


Oh, do I long for those days when ignorance was bliss and the passive A/D/S component set was "ideal for me". Damn this hobby!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Coheednme13 said:


> ok I will keep an eye out but you guys have to take it easy on a newb when I ask a bunch of questions


No worries from me- just didn't see it. Feel free to hit me on PM if you have questions you feel better not posting.

I'm just north of Atlanta, right of 85; I'd guess about 3 hours from you based on my route to see the folks in Murrells Inlet if you ever want to get together.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Coheednme13 said:


> ok I will keep an eye out but you guys have to take it easy on a *newb* when I ask a bunch of questions


For real 
Pictures by Coheednme13 - Photobucket

Sand baggers are always welcome in my threads as I consider myself a newb to this hobby even though I have mechanical/electrical/fabrication skillz.


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## Coheednme13 (May 10, 2008)

I had lots of help this is my first install and I was taught how to fiberglass during this build and vinyl. My first experience with bondo period. So I don't have the skillz yet but I'm trying to learn.


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## fishingfiend (Nov 19, 2008)

Great build, congrats. Any updates on your front stage setup?

Awesome dampening job! Has it helped lower the road noise in the cabin?


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Lots of updates to come!!!! Stay tuned


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Long time coming as I had a bit of an identity crisis. Here was how the amp racks turned out... make a note that certain speaker grille cloth have inside and outside, and the differing textures catch the flash differently; making pics look like different fabric.




















And then it all changed. I decided that I didn't want a sub box in the area and am going with the calculated risk of sans spare tire. Next post will be the changes to the hatch.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

So here’s the hatch area. Started by removing the spare and doing some layout concepts. I’ve decided to go with a novel approach and rock quad 6.5” subs. They obviously don’t dig as deep as others, but four of them coupled to the cabin gain of a hatchback do surprisingly well. I love guitar and kick drum bass, so these do a fantastic job in that realm of frequency response.

First, I did the amp rack area and then cut the bulkhead for the sub box. Taped off area to glass and went to town.


















Finished glass tub.









I have no idea where in the world the pics from attaching the baffle went because it was interesting how I did it. It is a piece of ½” cut to drop in the tub and another larger ½” piece that forms the rest of the primary floor. Here it is already put together before the glassing was complete.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

An area aft of the bulkhead was cut out for display of the amplifiers.
It was all covered in a light gray ultra-suede with a CF cloth accent. I went for a lighter gray than the seats for no real good reason other than I liked the contrast of the lighter color to the equipment.









































































The jury is still out on the CF trim as it seems a tad "out of place" even though I like it.....

It will all be covered by a carpeted false floor with an inset grill to let the subs and amps breathe; so it won't be seen unless removed for viewing.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

With the purchase of the BitOne.1, I could go with a fully passive HU, and the novel concept of a double din DVD HU is nice. I like the iPod interface of the Pioneer. The DRC for the B1 is a floating mount under the radio, in PERFECT position for volume control as my hand is down by the stick shift anyway.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

As far as the front stage is concerned, I went with the H-Audio EET system. I did some initial listening before glassing the pods and felt I had it situated right. That being said, I can’t get the focus right on the sound stage to my liking, so they will be “redone” as my next project, with much more time taken at aiming, tweaking, tuning BEFORE I get back into the glass.

Midbass in stock location in door... nothing different than the door posts earlier in the thread.

Adequate room away from the air bag.










Baffle...er... mounting ring art:


































aiming play


















“Finished unfinished” pods.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Fantastic progress! I personally like the aesthetic of the hatch area - those DLS amps are beautiful! 

I liked the way the 4 Tangs sounded in the 'normal' mdf box you had them in -I'd really like to hear how they do in this set up, with the beforementioned cabin gain.

I really like the way the full din player looks in this car, and the mounting of the DRC was perfect - looks pretty much stock. 

I am very interested in hearing the EET set up once everything is 'dialed in' - I think these have the capability of amazing sound quality. 

Great job as always! Can't wait to hear it!


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## minibox (Mar 25, 2009)

Great quality work Ryan! Looking forward to seeing the amp rack and box in person. Good to see you broke out the welder for this project.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

..... and grinder.


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## Melodic Acoustic (Oct 10, 2005)

Great Job sir:thumbsup:, you know I still in Ga. right!


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Man, that trunk setup looks very nice!

What is that big silver thing under the DLS amps and next to the bitone?


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

bikinpunk said:


> Man, that trunk setup looks very nice!
> 
> What is that big silver thing under the DLS amps and next to the bitone?


It's the actuator for his rocket blastersepper:


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

bikinpunk said:


> Man, that trunk setup looks very nice!
> 
> What is that big silver thing under the DLS amps and next to the bitone?


Flux capacitor 

DLS X-D40 amp
X-program - Products

The plan was to use it for the subs and a pair of RA30 amps for the front stage- one left and one right. Slight miscalculation regarding the "switchable LP filter"- switchable yes, but not defeatable; so the sub channel is just that on the RA30. I need more than 125hz out of the midbass, so they are on the X-D40 full range and the subs are paired to 2ohm to each sub channel of the RA30 amps.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

I know it's not a flux capacitor because I have one and I know what they look like!


'roads? where we're going, we don't needs ... roads'


PS: We need to get together sometime for a tuning session. And where is mark!?


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

bikinpunk said:


> PS: We need to get together sometime for a tuning session. And where is mark!?


Definitely! I want to get a few things wrapped up a little tighter with the front stage first. But that can simply be a matter of days if I take the time.

Mark is banging around GA with family. I'm sure he'll chime in as to how far from ATL he is and how much longer he'll be in town.


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## Coheednme13 (May 10, 2008)

awesome work brother I need to come down next time you're doing a project so I can see some nice work and learn a thing or two


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Coheednme13 said:


> awesome work brother I need to come down next time you're doing a project so I can see some nice work and learn a thing or two


yea, yea... you talk a big game when it comes to get togethers  

You are welcome to come down any time. I'm about an hour straight down I85 from the GA border. I would love to see your truck in person as well


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## Melodic Acoustic (Oct 10, 2005)

I will be in town until weekend.


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## sleepybrown (Jun 23, 2007)

Wow great build man! I love the way you were able to mount the H-Audio drivers in the pillars! 

Glad you like those 6's as subs. It kind of reminds me of Bing's Nissan 350Z install!


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## kingby (Nov 3, 2009)

Incredible journey. Given me some great ideas for my install. I am going to stick with the rookie label and since I have an 09 STi and I am contemplating using your initial prefab sub enclosure and integrating the OEM HU with a B1.1. Swapping in components for front and just abandoning the rears.


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## kingby (Nov 3, 2009)

Oh yeah, There are a few local B1.1 installs and I am also contemplating this mount for the control unit.










I think it look great and fits in nicely. There are so many STi logos in this thing, I don't think I will miss one.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

I had fantastic luck with a nice 6.5 in the door and a Morel MT23 tweeter in the stock sail location before I went 4 way. Definitely doable in stock locations as long as you are ready to fabricate a proper tweeter mount or can put up with the apperance of a surface mount.

I'm an iPod whore, so the stock integration wouldn't suit..... very nice mounting option you pictured. I'm not a big fan of stuff mounted near horizontal though. Too much gunk to attract.....


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## kingby (Nov 3, 2009)

slade1274 said:


> I had fantastic luck with a nice 6.5 in the door and a Morel MT23 tweeter in the stock sail location before I went 4 way. Definitely doable in stock locations as long as you are ready to fabricate a proper tweeter mount or can put up with the apperance of a surface mount.
> 
> I'm an iPod whore, so the stock integration wouldn't suit..... very nice mounting option you pictured. I'm not a big fan of stuff mounted near horizontal though. Too much gunk to attract.....



I was listening to the Hertz HSK165XL and thought about running these active with the B1.1. Already thinking about the best way to mount on the sail panels (looking at something fabricated...I don't like the surface mounts.)

My real problem is amps. I would love a great 5 channel, but they are all huge units and I really am trying to stick with under the seat install. I am now looking at a 4 channel and a mono mounted under the seats (I throw too much wet ski gear in the back to attempt on the seat backs).


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

^ jl hd900/5 would be an excellent choice. The price is a bit high, but it fits your needs.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

bikinpunk said:


> ^ jl hd900/5 would be an excellent choice. The price is a bit high, but it fits your needs.


X2


But my amp racks on the seat backs would work great for you as they totally protect the amps, provide a grill for air, and don't take up any room once the seats are down. In fact- it makes an almost flush transition from the back area to the seat backs when down. (still have them BTW)


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## DAT (Oct 8, 2006)

Nice to see the new pics of the Enigma / Trinity speakers mounted on the A-Pillars.. I bet it sounds great... finished tuning this yet?


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks Dave,
I get great response and the tonality is fantastic, but my image isn't as center focused as I would like. As these were a hasty attempt to represent the products at a few GTGs, I may take some more time and play with aiming to get it right. I had good luck with the tweets on the sail when 2way, so I may try them there and the mids tucked a bit deeper and more on axis to the center of the car.


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## ocblaze (Nov 21, 2009)

How did you mount the amp enclosures to the 60/40 seat? screws? I like this idea and may copy it in the future!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Yep, screws. You just have to make sure that you hit the metal structure of the seat back. I still have the amp boxes if you are interested in them. I'm ~45 minutes from you.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

the pods look GREAT!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks Bing- means a lot coming from you!


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

slade1274 said:


> ..... and grinder.


The bigger the blob, the better the job! 


Jay


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## kdxrider200 (Feb 1, 2010)

that is a truly amazing build. good job man. and the best part is the car that it is in.....


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Keep watching - there are some really exciting things that are going to happen in this car!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Probably need to start a new thread; removing rookie from the title


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## ChiTownSQ (Apr 7, 2008)

FOr sure.. Rookie.. No longer applies! Good work!


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks... actually more true than you know. I found a passion for this stuff and really like what Bing does out in California, so that is what I want to start doing around the Atlanta area.

Recent pics; I simplified the system by going back to a two way front stage and single amp:

Tweeters:


































Sub/amp/processor- decided to pull the trigger on eliminating the spare tire. Stock floor height only raised 3/4", so I can still use the factory tie downs.


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

AND it sounds GREAT!


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

A very innovative approach to getting the most out of the least amount of space. Great equipment choices to maximize the potential of the sound with the limitations that were present. Fantastic fit and finish, and as Kendal said, great sound. 

The front stage is detailed, wide, high, and deep - and the dual BM's are one of the best sounding sealed presentation that I have heard. Anyone near the Atlanta area should try to get a listen to this car!


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## ascelon (May 25, 2010)

I am truly excited to check this out soon! Great work slade :thumbsup:


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## saMxp (Jun 22, 2007)

Man, I need to listen to this car again. The M is slated to be replaced by a 2011 WRX in a few months.


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## ascelon (May 25, 2010)

saMxp said:


> Man, I need to listen to this car again. The M is slated to be replaced by a 2011 WRX in a few months.


Ironic considering the OP traded his STI in against a 1 series a month or so ago


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## JoeDirte (Sep 21, 2009)

ascelon said:


> Ironic considering the OP traded his STI in against a 1 series a month or so ago


You traded the Subie, Ryan?! Say it ain't so.

I should have made it to that meet.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

saMxp said:


> Man, I need to listen to this car again. The M is slated to be replaced by a 2011 WRX in a few months.


It was dialed in quite nicely.... _was_



ascelon said:


> Ironic considering the OP traded his STI in against a 1 series a month or so ago


No need for the rolleyes; it hasn't been widely known and Sam is a friend that has a tendency to go hot/cold with the audio scene 



JoeDirte said:


> You traded the Subie, Ryan?! Say it ain't so.
> 
> I should have made it to that meet.


It is so- was time for a change. I have a real sickness. :laugh:

The hardware was done for the meet, but not the wiring yet; so you didn't miss much from my end. :blush:


New build thread should be up by end of week!


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## saMxp (Jun 22, 2007)

Definitely worth a chuckle for us to switch marques. I've definitely been burned out on audio in the past year, much of which has to do with car troubles. LOVE the new 1 series, though. Seriously considered the 135 for a good while. Can't wait to see the build thread! 
Getting a new car will definitely heat up the car audio interest!


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

Ryan, I'm looking forward to the new build as well.


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## Chayse (Nov 23, 2010)

slade1274 said:


> It will all be covered by a carpeted false floor with an inset grill to let the subs and amps breathe; so it won't be seen unless removed for viewing.


I have a question for you. Do you remember how much, if at all, this setup raised your floor? I'm looking to do something similar with two Zapco amps, a 650.6 and 360.4, and a single SI BM MKIII.
Thanks.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

It was about 1.5" I think...you can see the tie downs in this image; with false floor on top to protect the gear they were not functional with this setup.


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## Chayse (Nov 23, 2010)

Thanks. Do you remember if the extra height was due to the amps or the subs? I'm trying to keep everything under the stock floor level, or only minimally raise it. I need to keep use of the stock tie downs since I have a cargo net back there.
Thanks for the inspiration.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

with the 4 x 6.5" sub layout the constraint was the amps as I was running 3 amps- one being under the two seen along with the BitOne. The SI BM layout constraint were the subs as I was able to match the height with the angled single Audison amplifier.


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## Chayse (Nov 23, 2010)

Excellent, Thanks!


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## kelrog (Apr 11, 2009)

Do you have any build pictures of the dual SI BM's? I'd like to see how that was put together.


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## yong_ly07 (Jan 12, 2009)

great job! on the build


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

It is pretty cool that this build log has gotten so much interest recently - it is like the Subi still lives.....

You did such a good job with it, that it is cool to see that others can get great ideas from what you accomplished.


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## yong_ly07 (Jan 12, 2009)

i wish i had a good clean rear trunk, too bad my install is going to be in a coupe that uses a fuel tank in the trunk


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

kelrog said:


> Do you have any build pictures of the dual SI BM's? I'd like to see how that was put together.


Sure- I'll post them when I get home.


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## kelrog (Apr 11, 2009)

Thanks


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

I guess I don't have as many as I thought... still have all the parts too. 

Baffle board for the drivers:

















Placement confirmation in the car.









Positioned the front bulkhead in the car and glassed the bottom to the front bulkhead. Positioned the baffle, glued to the bulkhead and leveling standoffs.

















Used fleece and glass to connect the bottom to the baffle, covered top and front with ultrasuede.

I cut out a base for the amp area out of MDF and glassed up the sides of the spare tire area. Cut it flush with the sub enclosure to finish with the beauty panels. The amp rack is welded steel bolted to the MDF. Tub is removable to service amp/Bit1/wires.


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## Chayse (Nov 23, 2010)

Nice pics. You said this setup only raised the floor .75" and you could still use the tie downs, correct?
It looks like the sub enclosure fits completely between the rails in the tire well.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Yes and yes. It was just shy of 1 cu ft.


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## kelrog (Apr 11, 2009)

Are the blue led's just a strip? Or do you have them behind plexi?


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## blueatlanta (Feb 10, 2011)

kelrog said:


> Are the blue led's just a strip? Or do you have them behind plexi?


to me, it looked like a strip of leds behind plexi.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

Yep, edge lit plexi.


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## kelrog (Apr 11, 2009)

did you get one whole sheet the size of the cutout or piece it from smaller ones?

sorry, im trying to figure out my hatch, and i was thinking red would be kinda cool back there.


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## slade1274 (Mar 25, 2008)

One sheet; and red would look cool back there. I went with Blue as it matched the Audison logos but would probably have done red to match the dash lighting if I were using other equipment.


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