# 2018 Audi A6 - Helix | Phoenix Gold | Hybrid Audi | Morel | Xcelsus | JL Audio



## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

*2018 Audi A6 SQ Build*

Finally, time to start this build! I have been doing a ton of research on this site for several months now and have finally accumulated all the gear and install accessories to get this SQ project started. The information available here for DIY car audio guys is incredible and the community is extremely helpful. This will be my second install in the past few years which makes me a novice at best. Did have some pretty crazy systems in my 5.0 mustang in the 90’s, however my goal today is all about *sound quality*. I travel regularly for work and having a super high end sound system will be a pleasant change from the stock base system in my Audi. Love the car and feel confident after many hours of hard work the end result will sound excellent.

*Goals for build *


Professional level quality fit and finish
SQ that creates a convincing sound stage with great imaging
Use factory locations with stealth aesthetics being priority
Phased build to allow for multiple weekends of installation due to time constraints
Ability to return to stock with minimal work
* 

The Vehicle : 2018 Audi A6 Base Audio System








*





























*The Goods *


Nav TV Zen V
Helix DSP Pro MK2 with Director
Phoenix Gold SX2 800.4 (2) active 3 way and rear fill
Xcelsus XXT30 - Tweeters
Morel CDM 880 - Mid Ranges (Shallow mount required)
Hybrid Audio LS6SE – Woofers
Stock rear woofer and tweeters – Rear fill
Phoenix Gold SX2 1200.1 (1) sub woofers
JL Audio TW3 12 (2) Sub Bass

Pics - Hopefully this sounds as good as it looks laid out on my garage floor!















































*The plan for SQ success *

My gear goal was to put together an assortment of equipment that will yield something that meets my sound quality goals. I have never heard any of this equipment, so I hope my choices get me there!

Even though I did not go all out with ultra-high end equipment I have spent way more than I expected even with many pieces being lightly used. Although I know that if I went to my local shop the bill would have been double for what I am looking to achieve.

*Front Stage | Rear Fill*

Will be running an active 3-way front and stock rear with 2 Phoenix Gold SX2 800.4 powering both sides. The birth sheets on these amps are showing just over 200 watts at 4ohms per channel so I will not have any issue with power. I am still considering purchasing a set of Hybrid Audio L4SE to handle rear fill duties. Time will tell if the stockers are going to do the trick. I have heard many opinions on rear fill, so my plan is to have a few different DSP tunes that give me options.

I have not had the opportunity to hear a properly staged car audio system. I plan on one tune for front stage driver seat. Another tune that adds differential rear fill. Lastly, a standard full car tune for times I have passengers.

*Sub Woofers*

I had purchased this set of JL TW3 12’s for my truck previously and never used them. I decided to keep them for this build to save space in the trunk. The other day I nearly pulled the trigger on some 12 W6’s because the rating on those things is very good. My restraint saved me some cash.

My concern is pushing quality bass through the back seat is difficult based on past experiences. Right now, I plan on a sealed enclosure because the SQ focus. I am open to the idea of a ported one if there are any TW3 users that have some advice there. The Phoenix Gold SX2 1200.1 will be putting around 1,400 watts to this set which should get through those seats!

*Build Log*

My time to commit to this build is limited to mostly weekend so it will take several weeks to get this completed. I will be utilizing resources on this site for speaker adapters (@DeLander) and plan to even give 3D printing a shot. Will be doing my best to create something interesting for you guys to follow. I will post pics and commentary as thing progress. Will be starting with sound deadening in the trunk week 1.


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## MythosDreamLab (Nov 28, 2020)

Looks like you have this well planned, I would not worry too much about rear-fill...!


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

I’m following this as I have a 21 A6 with that Bang and Olufsen and SQ components just sitting awaiting an install.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Made some progress this weekend on trunk. Was able to get some sound deadener in wheel well and rear deck lid. Used Second Skins and I really like that product. Used Noico previously and this was a little easier to work with.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Next task is getting these mounted in the cubby hole located in trunk. Then running power and ground.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

I”ll be following as well. Just started my 2014 a6 bose build thursday. In my last car b7 a4 I took out the oem sub from the rear deck and had the sub box firing up through the hole. Lots more bass. In my a6 right now I opened the ski pass through and have my sub box firing through. I may take it out ( 2 bolts) and build a grill for the seatback. My build post will be up soon.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

I am interested in how the bass going through that ski port will sound. I assume having it open would increase output and sound quality. Kind of worried about mine rattling it has a ton of plastic that could be an issue.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

I did the same thing in m 2010 cc. Didnt notice any rattle issues with it either. Remember u need way less volume so less sound pressure so less rattling. And its an easy trial. Im going to take that whole flip down piece out today to see how it sounds.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

To u and coppertone, check out the mironics 38 pin breakout board


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Definitely will be looking into this for mine.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

You have my attention on this breakout board idea. I am always up for making things simple….especially in this case where I will eventually pull all of the car audio equipment out of this vehicle.

Will do some research to understand how it works. Only concern is mid range driver in door. The stock base stereo does not have mid so might not have wires in molex.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Masters weekend slowed my progress a bit. Was able to get power and ground ran and made a mounting board for my fuse block and ground block.








Stinger 200 amp circuit breaker mount
































0 guage power and and ground. Was able to use a factory ground point that happened to be not in use.

Made this abs plate to handle power and ground in rear cubby hole. Almost put Helix DSP in there but have a new plan for amp rack.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Slowly but surely making some progress. Sound deadened rear deck, cover, and speaker grills. A definite must as it was already rattling with the factory sub...or the sub was rattling. Anyway removed the factory sub to ensure not an issue and allows for air to move into cabin. Used more second skins as base layer then Noico red 150 peel and stick foam sound insulation. In addition Tessa taped all connections and clips. The speaker grills and rear deck panel are dead silent and have some major heft to them. I feel good about not having any rattles now!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Helix DSP and fuse ground block mount fabricated and ready for install and wiring.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Speaking of wiring. Wired leads to all the component speakers. Using XT60 connectors to ease install and allow for any maintenance needs or future upgrades. Tweeters now have 68 uf capacitors soldered inline to protect from turn on pops or DSP issue.

Next task. Time to tackle sub woofer enclosure and amp rack.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

You’ll get a lot more bass into the cabin with the oem sub out of there. I took my ski pass door right off for now. Still deciding what to do


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Been a few weeks since getting any work done on system. Did get the sub box built and it turned out really good. Special thanks to my father in law T.J. who has a wood shop with all the tools and his own expertise to make great enclosure and beauty panel. 

Was able to get out to the NCSQ meet last weekend and met some great guys and heard some crazy good systems. I appreciate all the advise and discussion guys. Jason’s Audi sounded insane! Nick the owner of Stereo Integrity had his Audi with the 24” IB there and ironically it was the first ever SQ system I’ve heard…..Now I get it. The stage, imaging, detail, and realism is truly an experience. The crazy thing was when I first got in only the mid bass and mid was playing and it sounded fantastic with only 4 speakers! I also understand why people talk about needing only front stage for a great system. Really motivated to get my done asap!

On to the sub box.

Cardboard mock ups make all the difference for me.

















In the shop


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Had a cool idea to use Audi grill shape on double baffle for face of enclosure. Turned out nice. Will be wrapping both baffles with dark gray alcantara suade.








O


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

I would find some honeycomb material to make an audigrill for the sub you can get alluminum or plastic. paint the inner baffle flat black with grill over it. I was wondering how your build was going. I just finished my front doors. Will write it up soon but ottawa had a massive storm no power for 3 days.
beautiful woodworking so far. Keep us posted


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## dmparker5725 (Feb 20, 2014)

This is great! Looking forward to seeing the finished product 😊


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

dmparker5725 said:


> This is great! Looking forward to seeing the finished product 😊


Thanks man. I appreciate the kind words. Hoping this thing sounds as good as your car did. Very impressed with stereo integrity speakers. If I started from scratch would but a 3 way setup for sure.


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## dmparker5725 (Feb 20, 2014)

StaudiA6 said:


> Thanks man. I appreciate the kind words. Hoping this thing sounds as good as your car did. Very impressed with stereo integrity speakers. If I started from scratch would but a 3 way setup for sure.


Thank you. It definitely will. I am working on improving sound deadening/sound proofing. Front doors are pretty much done. Going to get the rear deck done next, just the way Jason recommended.


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## mumbles (Jul 26, 2010)

@StaudiA6 glad you made it to the NCSQ GTG, there are always a lot of great cars to listen to!
Your interior color looks very close to mine, so I’m curious where you get your alcantara from.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

Dark grey alcantara is easier to find than the browns. If its a low wear area like speaker cover or trim standard microsuede is easier to find in colors. I get it in black, light blue, tan and mid brown for orthotic top covers. Fabric stores may have a dozen colors in stock. I recently covered some chairs with some real suede from leatherhidestore.com they have 26 colors. They send samples as well.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

It was great meeting you Rob, and I’m looking forward to seeing this install - and I’m especially interested in hearing it! 

Incredible start - you are very good at this - looks absolutely professional. 

Hopefully I’ll hear it at the September meet in Virginia 


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

bertholomey said:


> It was great meeting you Rob, and I’m looking forward to seeing this install - and I’m especially interested in hearing it!
> 
> Incredible start - you are very good at this - looks absolutely professional.
> 
> ...


Thanks Jason. Thing are progressing but not fast enough! Takes time when you have OCD and work 60+ hours a week. I will be done by September so good chance you will get to hear it.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Work on sub box continues……

Decided to change round over to chamfer. Like this much better.










I glued all the seems really well, but can’t take a chance with resonance or loose panel so screws were added.

Should be solid now. Silicone caulked all seams as well.

























Alcantara time. Never applied this material
previously, so was a little nervous given the price per yard on this stuff. Also, my wrapping skills are severely lacking. Good news is even though first panel not perfect. Looks fantastic!!


Purchased alcantara from Relicate. They have a nice web site and can send samples. 
Below are are the other colors I considered.

Ended up going with Anthracite. Very dark grey which matches my interior well.

Lighting does not do this justice. Looks better than I was invisioning.


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## vwguy383 (Dec 4, 2008)

I'm in for the build. Love the amps and subs selection!!! Did Zed have a had in the sx2 line or was that only the Zeno and tie line???


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

vwguy383 said:


> I'm in for the build. Love the amps and subs selection!!! Did Zed have a had in the sx2 line or was that only the Zeno and tie line???


Thanks for following. The PG SX2 amps are really nice looking and seem very well built. Have high hopes that they sound. I believe they had a line up of Zens based on the SX2 chassis. Very high output 6 channel and a mono amp.

Always have had JL’s cant go wrong there. The TW3 kept my trunk space use down versus stepping up to W6 or W7. I hope my decision does not sacrifice too much sound quality.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Only had a few hours on Sunday evening to work on enclosure. Was able to get threaded inserts for subs drilled. Then wrapped the face of box with some more alcantara. Love that stuff! Looking really clean and gives it a sporty luxury vibe.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

That looks fantastic! Well Done! Looking forward to that demo even more!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Sub enclosure is finally complete. Used threaded inserts for sub woofers. SMD speaker wire terminal is a well built piece! Have 8g Knuconceptz speaker wire running to subs and of course some tech flex to keep it looking clean!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Made amp rack for SX2 1200.1 sub amp and wired today. This amp will mount underneath rear deck with M8 cap bolts.

More threaded inserts to hold amp in place. Again with Knuconceptz cable here. Flex 4g power and ground and 8g speaker wire.
















































RCA cables by “World’s best cable”. These seem to be very well made and supposedly have excellent sound quality properties.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Helix DSP looks at home on this cubby hole mount! Threaded insert process with abs is pretty cool. Drill pilot hole then take solder gun to heat insert and melt into place. Very happy with the result.


































Next up will be the amp rack for the 2 PG SX2 800.4’s that will run the left and right 3 ways and stock rears. Stay tuned.


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Darn lol why can’t my A6 build be this clean and concise.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

I‘ve been waiting for updates. Very nice work


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## RickWilson (Nov 11, 2021)

Subbed. Great work all around. Curious if you get any rattle from those door hinges? 

Love the thread insert into abs trick. Will def be stealing that.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

We will see on the hinges rattling. They seem pretty solid so hopefully none to be had once the system is fired up. Fastener wise those things are good to go with 6 bolts and washers!

On the threaded inserts you need to buy the type made for plastic specifically. I don’t think regular wood insert would work as well.


RickWilson said:


> Subbed. Great work all around. Curious if you get any rattle from those door hinges?
> 
> Love the thread insert into abs trick. Will def be stealing that.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Getting OCD overload on this project. Spent 6 hours on wiring today. It looks really good though.

The RCA’s from the WBC company come as individual cables and are directional. I needed to connect them to keep the 5 sets organized. During that process I realized I had to label them as well. Problem is I don’t have a label machine, but I have a few boxes of shrink tube. This led me to a color coded system for each individual speaker and channel.

Here are the rca’s after 80’ of tech flex and some creative shrink tubing.


















Next on amp rack task list was the speaker wires. Used the same color code system for the 8 channels of highs and another 100’ of tech flex. Knuconcepts 16g wire and speaker pants with crimped ferrules finish off the power side. Will be finishing the speaker end with soldered TX60 connectors.







[


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Great job and great way of being creative with what you have sir.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Amp Rack build

Took some time to get things right for the beauty panel to be at the correct angle. I ended up with a floating rack design that allowed for all the speakers wires to be routed under the amps and then routed through some vents in the factory body panels at the top of the trunk.

Here is the angle that the box sits in trunk which has the top leaning backward a good ways. Was able to layout and work from these measurements to get the desire result and have the rack be at 90 degrees or slighty more.










Brackets for amp rack










ABS plastic rack will be mounted with through bolt, nut and washer into sub enclosure to ensure it stays put.










Roughing things in...
























Test fit in trunk resulted in redoing all the holes to raise amps up an inch (bummer). It was going to create a clearance issue with wires if I left as is.











Added routered chamfer edge to both ABS racks to give it a finished look.











Sound deadening to keep rattles away! Crazy on how much difference before and after in regards to weight and the sound becoming a dead thud with impact.


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## SNCTMPL (Nov 23, 2014)

Nice job, everything looks really clean. Can’t wait to see it finished.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Amps mounted and wires are starting to come together nicely. All that front end work on the wiring paid off here by speeding up this portion of the install. Need to figure out a good way to mount wires at top of box though........ Thinking either peel and stick velcro or screw type wire bundler. Anyone have any other ideas? 





























Really digging how this looks with the wires wrapping and flowing under amps. Was going to do the Dean with 5 star zip tie grid deal, but decided to go with this after taking into consideration how many wires I am running on these amps! I tried to get all 3 amps in a row, but did not have the width in my trunk.












Here is a sketch of the final beauty panel design on bottom left that will have a window for the amps and an Audi logo at bottom. I need to figure out how I am going to attach this layer then the next layer that will be a full cover that provides a factory appearance and hides everything. Might screw the first layer to enclosure then use neomagnets to connect this and the second layer.

Anyone know where you can get Audi factory matching trunk carpet? Have not had any luck finding on the net. 











Speaker Mounts 

Sent dimensions and designs for 3 way speaker mounts to Delander to review and help with fabrication. Trying to speed things up... plus he does great work!

Tweeter Mount









Mid Range Mount











Woofer Mount


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## bmarsh07 (9 mo ago)

@StaudiA6 "Dean with 5 star zip tie grid deal?" Is there a video where I can see this technique?


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## court (Feb 7, 2017)

Very nice build so far. I know its going to sound good.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

bmarsh07 said:


> @StaudiA6 "Dean with 5 star zip tie grid deal?" Is there a video where I can see this technique?


5 star car audio has youtube page. There are many videos on how to do the zip tie amp rack technique. That is a trademark of Deans installs. I did one myself in last build and it turned out good.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Put a few hours in this weekend and figured out wire management on sub box and fabricated sub enclosure mounts using factory tie down bracket.

Went with velcro to secure cables to rear of sub box. Needed to have something adjustable and removable in order to route all wires on top of enclosure neatly.

Home Depot Velcro









Used Tesa tape to cover sticky side of velcro peel and stick.









Made cable holders out of zip ties using a method I saw on Car Audio Fabrication. Thanks Mark!
















Here is the final result.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Sub enclosure and amp rack chassis mount

I have 6 bolts holding the front of enclosure to the beauty panel/baffle on the front.Which is very secure already. Had to come up with something in rear and had plans to create a mount to the factory tie downs from the beginning of design . It ended up working out exactly as planned.

Made a cardboard mock up to get measurements right. Then cut and routered mounts and beveled edge.

Used heat gun an vice to bent the 90’s.


















Factory mount holes and some Metric cap screws to secure. Used 6mm and 8mm.

Enclosure is securely in place!
















































Finally able to start beauty panels for amp rack.


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## mumbles (Jul 26, 2010)

Great attention to detail! I’ve been using that zip tie method for years, haven’t really found a cleaner way to do it..,


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

Nice work, cant wait to see it. Those factory tiedown brackets are handy as hell. I would replace that tesa tape on the velcro with some scrap alcantera 😁. If you makes some up I can run some stitching around them for u.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

Ecs tuning have some wide flat licence plate bolts that would work nice for your sub brackets


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Made some progress on amp panels. The heat is crazy in NC and definitely not helping progress.

Made 1/2” MDF template after creating a cardboard template. Will use this to cut 3/4” birch that will be the finished panel. The weight difference between birch and MDF is significant. I like to keep the weight down as much as possible.


















After getting all gaps the way I wanted I used my router to duplicate the 1/2” with birch 3/4”.

I then put a 45 degree chamfer on the front and a rabbet bit groove on back for cuttingfabric later.
































I will add an ABS panel on the bottom edge that will hold an Audi logo. This panel will also close the gap you see at the bottom of the amps.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

I was going to just do a blank panel originally to cover the amp layer, but I decided that was going to look too plain.

Stuck with the Audi grill theme used on the front of the sub enclosure. This panel will attached with magnets and be easy to pop on and off.

Things were going well until I made an incorrect cut and had to do some bondo work to repair. This was way faster than starting over and it actually turned out really good.


























Then I ran into another problem that forced a design change.The Audi grill cover was not big enough to completely cover the amp rack cutout. I made some 1/4” rabbet cuts on back of panel that will receive some ABS trim cover the mistake. I think it is actually going to look better this way so not the end of the world. Just more work!


















Need to get the ABS cut and Alcantara wrap done asap. I think this going look really nice when it all comes together.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

StaudiA6 said:


> I was going to just do a blank panel originally to cover the amp layer, but I decided that was going to look too plain.
> 
> Stuck with the Audi grill theme used on the front of the sub enclosure. This panel will attached with magnets and be easy to pop on and off.
> 
> ...


I think it is going to look incredible as well! Great job!!! 


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

This is fun to read. Great job.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

The difference between a craftsman and a master craftsman is the ability to hide your mistakes.🤬


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

UPDATE……I now understand why shops buy expensive CNC and lasers to cut trim pieces. Took many hours of template making and router terror to get the abs trim done. Pro tip be very careful if you use a flush trim bit to cut ABS….things can get dangerous quickly.

Anyhow here is where the Audi project is currently.

Cardboard template for trim piece. Then cut into 1/2” mdf to make template for ABS router.











Additional trim pieces for wings and grill cover.
















Sanded and Painted trim pieces with plastidip.


Brushed steel wrap for this piece.










Very nice look. Not easy to wrap plastic!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Some more Alcantara. Spent way too much on that stuff! Looks very good though. Not too shabby for a hack in his garage!

Beauty panel living up to its name. Loving the way this turned out.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Will be making a mount for this next.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

@DeLander came through BIG time on my speaker mounts. Great work my friend! I appreciate the great pricing Todd.


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## LBaudio (Jan 9, 2009)

I really like your attention to details and overall execution, everything is made clean and exact!


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## dmparker5725 (Feb 20, 2014)

I agree. I am in middle of redoing my build to include a trunk baffle for my subs and new amp racks. My work isn’t even at your level and it took me FOREVER just to build the baffle.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

StaudiA6 said:


> Some more Alcantara. Spent way too much on that stuff! Looks very good though. Not too shabby for a hack in his garage!
> 
> Beauty panel living up to its name. Loving the way this turned out.
> View attachment 345024
> ...


Those are absolutely lovely! I’m looking forward to seeing them in person instead of on my phone screen 


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## M_Mark28 (Mar 11, 2021)

Very nice work


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

I appreciate all the positive feedback guys. Working very hard to make this a high quality install. Time invested has been significant to this point, however things are going to move quickly now that I have the hard stuff out of the way.

CA glued all the neodymium magnets in panels tonight. These things are crazy strong.










I should be able to knock the director mount out tomorrow. Then will be heading down the home stretch of running wires,door sound deadening, and speaker install. Getting close!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Director mount took a little longer than I thought it would.

Lots of filing and sanding to get the right fit. Used mdf to provide abiltiy to make small adjustments as fitting process took place.

Rough cut


















Wanted to get a feel for finishes so I threw a quick wrap of black brushed metal. I am liking this and will probably end up sticking with it…..Still needs some adjustments to get drawer cover clearance. Looking pretty sharp already.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Here is a quick progress update.

JL 12 TW3


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

2 Phoenix Gold 800.4

Amp rack and cover. Forgot how cool those PG amps look. Wow!


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## audionow (Oct 29, 2021)

Nice work, so clean.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

That is beautiful! Well designed and very well executed! I like all of it 


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## bbfoto (Aug 28, 2005)

bertholomey said:


> That is beautiful! Well designed and very well executed! I like all of it


Took the words right outta my mouth (or from my fingertips to the keyboard, ha!). 

x2!


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

Like I say when I see skizeR or LBaudio work, WOW


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## mumbles (Jul 26, 2010)

You sir, are killing it! That looks spectacular and I agree on the black brushed metal!


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## TheTodd (Feb 11, 2016)

mumbles said:


> You sir, are killing it! That looks spectacular and I agree on the black brushed metal!


Agreed! Can I ask where you got the brushed metal vinyl? It looks like an almost exact match for my dash & I’ve been having a hard time finding some that matches.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

TheTodd said:


> Agreed! Can I ask where you got the brushed metal vinyl? It looks like an almost exact match for my dash & I’ve been having a hard time finding some that matches.


Bought it on Amazon. Made by vivid. Was pretty inexpensive. I would try a another brand like 3m. Had some issues with edges not holding well.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

So I was able to get the PG 1200.1 sub amp rack installed this weekend.


Sound deadened and bolted with 8m Bolts and rubber washer to absorb vibration.

























With amp installed. Wires will run into top of beauty panel and be out of the way.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

I thought that looked like vvivid vinyl. It is actually very good stuff. I have used it many times including a full matte grey wrap on a b6 a4 avant. As you said wrapping plastic is tricky. It is very tempting to heat and stretch around corners but doing so stretches the adhesive too. 
To get good results on finicky interior pieces you need to use 3M 94 primer. It is available in cans or as a felt tip pen. It also needs a polished finish for good adhesion. If you are making plastic parts use a felt wheel or acetone to melt/ polish the edges. And like many thinks your first couple attempts may suck. Like you said its inexpensive stuff to play with not like your ancanterra. 😩


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

A6 looks awesome cant wait to see it in 12 days


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## TheTodd (Feb 11, 2016)

Thanks. I saw the vivid on Amazon but I’m unsure about it because a few reviews said it has sparkles in it. My wife suggested trying the Cricut aisle at Michaels as I only need a small piece. My dash is brushed but the only kit available is gloss black so I’m hoping I can wrap it to match.


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

Cricut vinyl is different. Vvivid makes that too. Try amazon.ca also, I saw some brushed metal on there. I think there are 3 or 4 versions. If you find some I can bring it to Va.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

TheTodd said:


> Thanks. I saw the vivid on Amazon but I’m unsure about it because a few reviews said it has sparkles in it. My wife suggested trying the Cricut aisle at Michaels as I only need a small piece. My dash is brushed but the only kit available is gloss black so I’m hoping I can wrap it to match.



It does have some sparkles in it. You can buy a very small amount for less than $20 to check it out.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

dkc7 said:


> I thought that looked like vvivid vinyl. It is actually very good stuff. I have used it many times including a full matte grey wrap on a b6 a4 avant. As you said wrapping plastic is tricky. It is very tempting to heat and stretch around corners but doing so stretches the adhesive too.
> To get good results on finicky interior pieces you need to use 3M 94 primer. It is available in cans or as a felt tip pen. It also needs a polished finish for good adhesion. If you are making plastic parts use a felt wheel or acetone to melt/ polish the edges. And like many thinks your first couple attempts may suck. Like you said its inexpensive stuff to play with not like your ancanterra. 😩
> View attachment 346224


You are correct I did heat the edges to stretch over corners. Primer would have likely fixed that issue. Now I have an edge that is delaminating slightly and I cannot fix it. Not really an option to redo due to being glued pretty well to panel plus I have a layer of peel and stick foam behind it. I may need to come up with some type of edge material to cover it.


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## BP1Fanatic (Jan 10, 2010)

NICE install!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Home Stretch…………….

It’s been about a month and half since my last update. Continuing where I left things last.

So basically, all the pre fab work was complete at this point and I needed to tear it all apart to run the wiring through the vehicle. Keep in mind I have continued using the factory stereo knowing this would take a few months to complete and did not want to go without stereo and handsfree phone capabilities.



Audi does a nice job insulating the wheel wells. No need for sound treatment there.










Power and ground in place with some Alcantara trimmed Velcro. Over kill yes, but I had a bunch left over so why not.











Lots of wires going to power and ground all equipment. Was able to get everything in there including all rca cables, digital signal, and digital coax for future hi res player use.










The majority of wires were ran through the factory vents in panel on left side of vehicle. Was able to get some more use of the Alcantara on all these Velcro strips on the sub enclosure/amp rack.










This is where the color coding of all cables helped simplify process.










Sub amp mounted under rear shelf. Got lucky with trunk light being in the exact right place.











Speaker wires and signal to dsp and Nav TV Zen-V.











Plenty of room to hide wires next to the factory bundle. Running these to center of vehicle through console into Director and Zen-V were a PIA from here.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Sub reinstall

Audi was kind enough to have holes already in rear shelf for mounting sub woofer enclosure.











TW3’s wired to 1 ohm load. Should be sending around 1400 watts to the pair.











Built box about 10% bigger than JL spec. Used about 1.5 lbs of poly fill on each sub.











Sub box mounted and sub wired for power!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Painted Delander mounts and installed speakers. Making some headway. Decided to rent a car for a week to be able to leave interior pieces out to finish build in a week.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Went to work on doors....they needed lots of it!

Used a variety of products to get them the best I could. 











Applied 2 layers peel and stick to outer door skin. Then I made my own acoustic squares from some high density neoprene from Xcel rubber company. Also, stuffed the cavity at top of door with acoustic fiberglass insulation. Applied Second Skin damplifier pro to interior door skin as well. 



















Cut these down to 3"x3" squares and spray glued them to second skin peel and stick. 









This is about the time I realized my measurements for the brackets for the woofers in door and tweeters in dash were not going to work. Should have taken the door skins off to get a better measurement. This caused a couple week delay to get new ones made from Delander.............Dang!

Then rental car got hit in parking lot after a golf outing and cost me $500 for deductible since the person decided not to hang around. Also missed Va meet the same weekend trying to get this done. Bummer.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Door cards were going to be a challenge lots of plastic and very flimsy.

Before treatment.









Second skin layer










Xcel 1/4" peel and stick neoprene rubber. Good stuff!












































Final result. 4 hours later......Have about 10 hours total into the front doors. Was worth the effort!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Molex plugs were good to go with factory holes already. Took my time to get wiring right and soldered all connections. Had a lot of worries about that part. Went better than expected.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Delander revised tweeter and woofer mounts arrived. Made sure I had the measurements and clearances right this time!!! Thanks for the great service and product Todd!!!!!










Painted to stay true to OCD tendencies.










......but these are now perfect!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Time to install in car.....finally!



















Just enough clearance for factory grill covers.


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## Picassotheimpaler (Sep 21, 2014)

How did the door panels go back on?
I tried to use neoprene CCF and found it doesn't compress nearly at all. So I had to actually strip the neoprene out and go with a different brand CCF instead. 
Build looks great so far though!!


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

Time for rest of panels to be put in....First I had to fire this thing up of course! 150 hours of work later and I must say I was a little nervous about if it would work and how it would sound. Ran into some DSP setup errors that led to no sound and I was frantically trying to figure it out. Thanks to other members here was able to correct the input/output settings. Sound finally!!!! DAMN GOOD to start. Sigh of relief for the $ and time invested for something that sounds great. 

Got the grills right for treatment and they are silent, problem is they made a noticeable difference in clarity on the tweets and mids so I pulled them off for now. I may need to come up with some type of design that is a open grill concept.

























Trim panel all treated. Came up with a custom Noico peel and stick foam and foam backed headliner combo that I spray glued together. This eliminated my concerns on the durability of the foam from Noico and the possibility of squeaking.



















Treated all the panels with this product that needed to go back into car.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

95% Finished. Some nights shots while I was tweaking the DSP.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

I do have a problem with the Director going black screen while doing firmware update. Sent message to customer service at A F and still have not heard anything. Warranty expires in a few days and I just hooked it up! Really want to have that option to store multiple tunes and provide additional control. 

After getting basic tune done a quick time alignment and cross overs set for all speakers, I am happy to say all the hard work was worth it. Even my wife and kids were impressed listening to a driver's seat tune showcasing what a proper SQ build can do for car audio music experience. Can't wait to see what a good tune and high res player can do.

Good news is that even though I am not an expert in SQ systems I have a very solid stage with excellent detail overall. Was very surprised on how good it really does sound given I did not go ultra high end on the equipment. Lots of potential considering did not touch digital inputs and amp gains are all the way down which may be required for digital input? No EQ or summing is applied either. Anyone have suggestions for shop to do real tune in North Carolina?


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

StaudiA6 said:


> I do have a problem with the Director going black screen while doing firmware update. Sent message to customer service at A F and still have not heard anything. Warranty expires in a few days and I just hooked it up! Really want to have that option to store multiple tunes and provide additional control.
> 
> After getting basic tune done a quick time alignment and cross overs set for all speakers, I am happy to say all the hard work was worth it. Even my wife and kids were impressed listening to a driver's seat tune showcasing what a proper SQ build can do for car audio music experience. Can't wait to see what a good tune and high res player can do.
> 
> Good news is that even though I am not an expert in SQ systems I have a very solid stage with excellent detail overall. Was very surprised on how good it really does sound given I did not go ultra high end on the equipment. Lots of potential considering did not touch digital inputs and amp gains are all the way down which may be required for digital input? No EQ or summing is applied either. Anyone have suggestions for shop to do real tune in North Carolina?


Hey man - Awesome Job! The build looks phenomenal - very well done in all aspects! I really enjoyed the detailed explanation about the door treatments - I’ll be revisiting my doors soon as well. 

I really wish you had been able to make it to the Virginia meet - it looked like an Audi dealership  We are hoping to potentially host a mini-meet in February in Pulaski VA, and I’ll share the link once it is available. 

For tuning in NC - especially with the Helix - I recommend my installer Mark in Charlotte - I’ll PM contact info 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## dkc7 (Jan 7, 2022)

Very nice. I had the same nightmare when I first fired up my system. Dsp amp set to normal input but I only had digital. Thanx for the great detail on door panels. Thats my next step. Cant wait to see and hear. u feel like a road trip to maine the end of the month.


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## TurdCrapley (11 mo ago)

Awesome install! Those SX2 amps are powerhouses. Wish they still made them.


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## StaudiA6 (Nov 13, 2021)

TurdCrapley said:


> Awesome install! Those SX2 amps are powerhouses. Wish they still made them.


I have a few weeks on the system now and I am amazed on the power these SX2’s have. Still have gains a minimum setting and they push all speakers very hard. Zero noise play crystal clear and run cool even at 1 ohm on subs! Comparing these to my Rockford Prime amps in last system these are in an entirely different league. You can buy them for a decent price now. 2 of my 3 were used and got them for around $350 each.


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