# 2017 Seirra SLT build, Audiofrog, JL, Kicker



## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

I have another Co-worker with a 2015 GMC Sierra SLT with center console Bose.
His budget is $2000. 
Equipment we are looking at is...

NAV-TV M650GM for good clean signal
Kicker KEY180.4 for 2 way front (Bi amp mode)
Kicker CXA400.1 for the sudwoofer 
Audiofrog GS25 in the dash
Audiofrog GS690 in the front door
JL Audio center console Stealth box for the sub.
PAC APH-GM02 speaker connection harness
Rear door speakers disconnected.

Really curious to see how this system turns out. 
Will be posting pics once equipment arrives.


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## FattyBoomBoom (Sep 22, 2019)

Where’s the tweeters? Or did I miss that part?


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## JCsAudio (Jun 16, 2014)

He doesn’t need tweeters with the GS25 although using tweeters might work out better.


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## FattyBoomBoom (Sep 22, 2019)

Guess you’re right. I guess it’d be a better option than stock


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

FattyBoomBoom said:


> Where’s the tweeters? Or did I miss that part?


The GS25 is wideband speaker it plays up from 200hz to 20Khz. The Kicker KEY will cross it over at 320hz and play it all the way up to 20K. 



JCsAudio said:


> He doesn’t need tweeters with the GS25 although using tweeters might work out better.


Why would a tweeter work better?


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> FattyBoomBoom said:
> 
> 
> > Where’s the tweeters? Or did I miss that part?
> ...


If the gs25 is going in stock dash location it may work out. Stuff some foam behind and around it in the dash and that will help.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

ToNasty said:


> If the gs25 is going in stock dash location it may work out. Stuff some foam behind and around it in the dash and that will help.


Absolutely, I will be sealing off the back wave from the front wave, and work a foam gasket around the speaker to seal it up to the dash grill.


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## JCsAudio (Jun 16, 2014)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> The GS25 is wideband speaker it plays up from 200hz to 20Khz. The Kicker KEY will cross it over at 320hz and play it all the way up to 20K.
> 
> 
> Why would a tweeter work better?


In my experience a tweeter will have more sparkle than a 2.5” full range doing tweeter duty due to beaming early on with the larger driver but it really boils down to what you want or need in your system. I’ve done it both ways and prefer a tweeter that can cross low to the door woofer in a two way but you are using AudioFrog so you’re already using better equipment than I had at the time when I was using a Celestion 2-7/8” full range in the dash firing up at the windshield. I now have AudioFrog GB15 tweeters in that car and they are awesome. The SB Acoustics SB29 neo tweeters I have in my other vehicle in the dash are also awesome and cross very low too.

I think you’ll be very happy if you can get the tuning right with the Kicker Key which shouldn’t be an issue. You already selected some nice equipment.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

JCsAudio said:


> Nineteen69Mach1 said:
> 
> 
> > The GS25 is wideband speaker it plays up from 200hz to 20Khz. The Kicker KEY will cross it over at 320hz and play it all the way up to 20K.
> ...


We will see how it all turns out.
I did a different coworker's truck a month back (2017 Silverado) with GB15, GB60, VX700/5 and JL Stealth.... it was AMAZING


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Some equipment came in. Still waiting in the JL Audio center console Stealth box







Audiofrog GS25
Audiofrog GS60
Audiofrog GS62
Kicker KEY180.4 
Kicker CXA400.1 
plus all the other miscellaneous adapters, wires, ect.


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

Please dont put those there. That's how you scratch your clear coat


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

ToNasty said:


> Please dont put those there. That's how you scratch your clear coat


Its ceramic coated


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Been working on this in my spare time (not much of that these days) started Deadening the Metra speaker adapters. Would have preferred to have built my own set, but these there free from Crutchfield and we are going with them.
Deadened the inside of the adapters. This made a dig difference in weight and density. Used some acoustical foam on the front of the adapters. Soldered the wire connectors to the speaker leads.

Next to come will be deadening the door and door panels and add fast rings once they are installed.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Deadened the front and rear doors and installed the GS60's and GS62's.































Next up will be the GS25's


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Removed the Bose dash speakers. Removed the wire connectors from the speakers. Made a pigtail for the GS25 using the Bose wire connector.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Used some fast ring material to help seal the dash grill around the GS25s.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Comparison of the Bose and the GS25.


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

I did a little test with my oem dash speakers. Place some foam behind the speaker as well. It made a nice little difference


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## gijoe (Mar 25, 2008)

I hope they GS25's work, but I don't suspect they are going to be a very good replacement for a tweeter. Those 2.5" speakers are going to be beaming really early, around 5khz. Hopefully the windshield will help by acting a bit like a waveguide, but those GB25's will not do 20khz off axis. 

The install is looking clean though!


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

gijoe said:


> I hope they GB25's work, but I don't suspect they are going to be a very good replacement for a tweeter. Those 2.5" speakers are going to be beaming really early, around 5khz. Hopefully the windshield will help by acting a bit like a waveguide, but those GB25's will not do 20khz off axis.
> 
> 
> 
> The install is looking clean though!


Gs25

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


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## gijoe (Mar 25, 2008)

ToNasty said:


> Gs25
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


You're right, irrelevant to my point, but that was my mistake.


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

gijoe said:


> You're right, irrelevant to my point, but that was my mistake.


Your point is correct. I have the same truck in regular cab. I tried the nz3, l2se, m40 and 2q in that area with no tweeter. It was nice but at the end of the day it needed a tweeter 

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

gijoe said:


> I hope they GS25's work, but I don't suspect they are going to be a very good replacement for a tweeter. Those 2.5" speakers are going to be beaming really early, around 5khz. Hopefully the windshield will help by acting a bit like a waveguide, but those GB25's will not do 20khz off axis.
> 
> The install is looking clean though!


Listening to them on the factory Bose sysyem is a BIG. The coworker is an older man and his hearing isnt the best anymore so anything over 10k is lost on him lol. 
These GS25 do sound great, cant wait to put the little Kickey KEY180.4 on them.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

So far the Audiofrog GS25, GS60 and GS62's are running in the factory Bose System until the Kicker KEY180.4 gets installed next week. (Bi Mode on the dash and front doors) 
The GS25s in the dash is a big improvement over the factory. Much smoother and more detailed.
The GS60s sound cleaner and more clear but dont have the bottom end the factory 6x9s had, I expected that. And the GS62s are amazing, they sound SO much better than the factory. Actually sounds like some decent rear fill in the back now. We are going to keep the rear doors on the factory system... for now.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Next to come will be the JL Audio center console Stealth box, and Kicker amps. 
Going to TRY and get an RTA reading before and after the Kicker KEY. Really curious to see how it performs.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

A little update.
I've been driving this truck around with just the Audiofrog GS speakers running off the factory Bose system and I must say I'm extremely impressed. 
The amount of clearty and detail these GS speakers reproduce is quite awesome. The sound stage naturally widened and has more depth than the Bose speakers ever produced. The GS62 really picked up the rear fill greatly. 
I'm really looking forward to see what the kicker KEY will do.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite for a this price point, it's a fraction of the cost of other builds.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Ok, so as the Kicker KEY was an inexpensive experiment, I temporarily, quickly set it up in the truck a few days ago to see what this thing was about.
Install was simple and set was quick and easy. 
As getting the signal from the NAV-TV it would a good flat signal with factory settings corrected.
Now keep in mind the GS25s, GS60s and GS62s had been play off the factory Bose system and they sound much better then the Bose speakers. 
The clarity and details were good and it widened the sound stage and gave it more depth. 
Now, with the NAV-TV and KEY powering the Audiofrog speakers the sound was absolutely TERRIBLE! "This was before the KEY did its autotuning." The sound was horrible. With the KEY in BI amp mode powering the GS25s and GS60Ss, I faded the the OEM head unit to the front and set the KEY to do its autotune. As per the the Kicker manual, after the tune was done you then set the gains.... I know! But that's what Kicker says to do. Set the gains accordingly to the manufacturers instructions and started play my usual sound tracks. 
The sound was damn good, the imaging was dead center (to the driver and not the dash) and the drivers sound stage was projected outside the drivers window. It sounded just a clean and clear as the Bose but with way more volume and a better center image. The midbass from these GS60s are eye opening. 

Not for the hiccup... and it was what I though would be the issue. When you start to add in the rearfill, the front stages time delay becomes EXTREMELY apparent. The sound becomes an echo. So, with the Kicker KEY, it's great, if its powering the only set of speakers you plan on playing. But, adding in additional speakers is a no go. Next will be installing the sub and amp. Will be curious to see how this sounds.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Update. 
We made a few changes to the system.
The kicker Key is a great piece for the price and what it does. As for blending in the rear fill, that was impossible, due to the add time delay the KEY amp adds when auto tuned. 
So we pulled out the kicker amps and decided to go with a JL VX800/8I and a JL XD600/1. We kept the JL Stealth center console sub. We kept the Audiofrog GS25 in the dash, GS60 in the front door and the GS62 in the rear door. 
And if you did the channel math, that leaves 2 unused channels.
So with 2 extra channels, we are looking to add a dedicated tweeter to the front. Unsure as to were, possibly the A-pillar or the dash near the GS25.
So now its decision time. Do we keep with the GS line and go GS10 or go with a GB10?


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> Update.
> We made a few changes to the system.
> The kicker Key is a great piece for the price and what it does. As for blending in the rear fill, that was impossible, due to the add time delay the KEY amp adds when auto tuned.
> So we pulled out the kicker amps and decided to go with a JL VX800/8I and a JL XD600/1. We kept the JL Stealth center console sub. We kept the Audiofrog GS25 in the dash, GS60 in the front door and the GS62 in the rear door.
> ...


Gb10 of course but the gb10 is no slouch and like half the price 

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

GB10's ordered


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## moregrip1 (Jul 17, 2018)

please keep the updates coming! Interested to see how you incorporate the tweeters!


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Got the truck for a few days and added the GB10's and started to chase down a few center console rattles. 
Who would have figured with a 10" sub in the console it would rattle lol. 

After playing with the placement and listing to the GB10's in multiple locations, both on and off axis I found a spot that sounded great. 








Who knew that Focal KRX2 angle mounts would fit perfectly for the GB10's LOL














Started removing the center console to isolate the rattle. At lower volume the low frequencies sounds muddy and rattling, I would have bet my paycheck it was blown sub. Sounded like the voice coil was rubbing. But when I removed the sub I found the issue.







The speaker grill!
I could have sworn I took it off befor I installed it, guess I didn't. I HATE these, they are always causing problems. 
So I got the sub reinstalled and added some foam tape to the connectors and anywhere wire would come in contact with metal or plastic and added some sound deadening and acoustical foam.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Few more pics of isolating the plastic wire connectors and such


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

Is that a 10w1? In the Ebay box for the 8s?

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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

ToNasty said:


> Is that a 10w1? In the Ebay box for the 8s?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


That is a 10TW1
Its JLs Stealth box for the center console


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> That is a 10TW1
> Its JLs Stealth box for the center console


I thought of doing that same exact thing. I just couldn't get myself to buy jl. Let me know how it turns out. I might actually try it 

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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

ToNasty said:


> I thought of doing that same exact thing. I just couldn't get myself to buy jl. Let me know how it turns out. I might actually try it
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk


Now that the rattles are gone it sounds great. It's not going to win any SLP competitions lol but you can definitely feel the bass. It has some authority to it for a sealed 10. You can feel it in your chest. Its SO nice having the sub up front. It truly makes a difference.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Got it all finished up, wires labeled to match the rest of the install and tuned. Blending these in was a breeze with minimal EQing and level matching.


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## farfromovin (Mar 30, 2011)

Do you have a link for those speaker wire pigtails? Love those things!


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

farfromovin said:


> Do you have a link for those speaker wire pigtails? Love those things!


Xt-60 connectors. Amazon has them 

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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

5 Pair for AMASS XT60H Upgraded Version XT60 Connectors with Covers Male Female Power Plug with Sheath for Lipo Battery RC Planes Cars : Toys & Games


5 Pair for AMASS XT60H Upgraded Version XT60 Connectors with Covers Male Female Power Plug with Sheath for Lipo Battery RC Planes Cars : Toys & Games



www.amazon.com


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## Cjburn (Dec 31, 2017)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> Its ceramic coated


You know ceramic coating offers little to know protecton against any scratches. There are some self healing coatings (Feynlab Heal Lite), but their main purpose is environmental protection to the paint. If its sold as scratch protection in any way, you have been sold a load of garbage.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

Cjburn said:


> You know ceramic coating offers little to know protecton against any scratches. There are some self healing coatings (Feynlab Heal Lite), but their main purpose is environmental protection to the paint. If its sold as scratch protection in any way, you have been sold a load of garbage.


It was said in jest, was being sarcastic lol


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## anthonyst06 (Dec 12, 2011)

Finally someone with my exact setup in Mind. I plan on mimicking this setup to the T. Currently I'm running a linkswell headunit, feeding into bose amp. I have the dash speakers changed out to gs25, they sound much better. I have so many questions for you if you don't mind helping me. Did you rerun all new speaker wire to the JL Amps with DSP, or did you tap into factory speaker wire and only run new speaker wire for the tweeters? Can you let me know all of the products you use to get this done? Thank you so much! I'm new here, I've been searching forever for someone with the same set up in mind. @Nineteen69Mach1


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

anthonyst06 said:


> Finally someone with my exact setup in Mind. I plan on mimicking this setup to the T. Currently I'm running a linkswell headunit, feeding into bose amp. I have the dash speakers changed out to gs25, they sound much better. I have so many questions for you if you don't mind helping me. Did you rerun all new speaker wire to the JL Amps with DSP, or did you tap into factory speaker wire and only run new speaker wire for the tweeters? Can you let me know all of the products you use to get this done? Thank you so much! I'm new here, I've been searching forever for someone with the same set up in mind. @Nineteen69Mach1


I ran new speaker wires to the GB10s and used a PAC T-harness that goes in at the Bose amp to use the factory wires for all the other speakers with out cutting up the factory harnesses. I picked up the Audiofrog gear from Crutchfield so they came with the speaker plug adapters and mounting adapters for the front and rear doors. I used XT60 terminal connectors from Amazon for the tweeters.


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## anthonyst06 (Dec 12, 2011)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> I ran new speaker wires to the GB10s and used a PAC T-harness that goes in at the Bose amp to use the factory wires for all the other speakers with out cutting up the factory harnesses. I picked up the Audiofrog gear from Crutchfield so they came with the speaker plug adapters and mounting adapters for the front and rear doors. I used XT60 terminal connectors from Amazon for the tweeters.


Thank you so much for replying! I'm finally going to start this install. I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but considering I changed my headunit to an aftermarket headunit, I don't have any need for the NAV-TV bus right? Currently my Linkswell headunit is feeding into a bose adapter, then feeding into the bose amp. After this install Everything will just go out to the RCAs on the back of my headunit into the JL Audio 8 channel amp. I'll just to use the PAC harness you're using to use the factory speaker wire so I dont have to run new ones and only run new wire for the tweeters right? I'm going to replicate your exact build here.


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## anthonyst06 (Dec 12, 2011)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> We will see how it all turns out.
> I did a different coworker's truck a month back (2017 Silverado) with GB15, GB60, VX700/5 and JL Stealth.... it was AMAZING


Was the 5th channel enough to run the jl stealth console sub box? I'm actually thinking of moving to this setup now. I keep changing my mind. Which setup do you prefer?


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

anthonyst06 said:


> Was the 5th channel enough to run the jl stealth console sub box? I'm actually thinking of moving to this setup now. I keep changing my mind. Which setup do you prefer?


Yes! It was plenty of power.
Its a great setup


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

anthonyst06 said:


> Thank you so much for replying! I'm finally going to start this install. I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but considering I changed my headunit to an aftermarket headunit, I don't have any need for the NAV-TV bus right? Currently my Linkswell headunit is feeding into a bose adapter, then feeding into the bose amp. After this install Everything will just go out to the RCAs on the back of my headunit into the JL Audio 8 channel amp. I'll just to use the PAC harness you're using to use the factory speaker wire so I dont have to run new ones and only run new wire for the tweeters right? I'm going to replicate your exact build here.


Correct, no need for nav-tv. RCAs from radio to amp and just run a pair of speaker wires for the tweeters in a 3 way set up.


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## anthonyst06 (Dec 12, 2011)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> GB15


You didn't have any rear speakers in this setup?


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## anthonyst06 (Dec 12, 2011)

@Nineteen69Mach1 I'm finally starting my build soon. Just about ordered everything. This will be my current setup: GB10 (located in the same area you installed the GB10s), GB25 (in dash) and the GB60s in the front doors, I ordered the same JL audio console box as well. Ordered the JL XD600/1v2 and the JL VX800/8i. I'll just be using Hertz z 165 in the rear for fill. I'm new to DSP and EQing to say the least. But I have a background in electronics and computers so I'm sure I'll catch on to the software quickly. Any chance to make things easier for setting up initially that you could send your JL Audio DSP software Profile to me and I can start the tuning with this base configuration file? That would be so helpful with timing and alignment, I do realize I'll have to make many adjustments though. Thanks again.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

anthonyst06 said:


> You didn't have any rear speakers in this setup?


I run rearfill speakers.


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## Nineteen69Mach1 (May 30, 2017)

anthonyst06 said:


> @Nineteen69Mach1 I'm finally starting my build soon. Just about ordered everything. This will be my current setup: GB10 (located in the same area you installed the GB10s), GB25 (in dash) and the GB60s in the front doors, I ordered the same JL audio console box as well. Ordered the JL XD600/1v2 and the JL VX800/8i. I'll just be using Hertz z 165 in the rear for fill. I'm new to DSP and EQing to say the least. But I have a background in electronics and computers so I'm sure I'll catch on to the software quickly. Any chance to make things easier for setting up initially that you could send your JL Audio DSP software Profile to me and I can start the tuning with this base configuration file? That would be so helpful with timing and alignment, I do realize I'll have to make many adjustments though. Thanks again.


Absolutely.
Pm me and ill send you my email


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## anthonyst06 (Dec 12, 2011)

Nineteen69Mach1 said:


> Absolutely.
> Pm me and ill send you my email


I sent you a PM. I am going to be running GB10s, GB60s, GB15s. Although these may cross a bit different and there will be some adjustments from your profile, it will give me a starting guide for timing etc.


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## preston (Dec 10, 2007)

anthonyst06 what linkswell head unit are you running ?


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## anthonyst06 (Dec 12, 2011)

preston said:


> anthonyst06 what linkswell head unit are you running ?


Linkswell GEN 5 T-Style for GMC sierra


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