# KHA 2014 Honda Accord Sport - Audison, Hertz, Alpine



## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Welcome, boys and girls, to another installment of KHA's build logs. I've done several, and over the past 20 years I have learned a lot.

Starting with a new platform. A 2014 Accord Sport. I bought this with 26 miles in April 2014. I'm just over 25,000 miles now. MAF has the original build log, i'm copying this over here. 

Initial system consisted of the factory head unit (BT with Pandora and vehicle integration) feeding an Alpine CDA-9887 on AUX. The Imprint kit will be used with the HU. 
An Audison LRx-5.1k is ran active to the Hertz MLK-165 and a Hertz ML3000.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e128/phat_funky_beats/2014%20Accord%20Sport/IMG_20140507_132246_518.jpg[img]


The 9887 will act as a pre-amp for daily listening and bluetooth. 

The active noise cancelling mics (there are two) were defeated. 

Here are some pics of the car. I'm a huge fan of the cosmetics. I like the inside even more than the exterior. 

[IMG]http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e128/phat_funky_beats/2014%20Accord%20Sport/IMG_20140426_094022_299.jpg





































i ordered factory tweeter pods and did some fitment testing with the ML28
got the EX sail panel tweeter mounts in from HondaPartsDeals. 
with the factory tweeter rings the opening is 1-7/16". without the opening is oddly cut and around 1-7/8". 

The ML28 tweeters can fit in a number of ways. From behind using the factory rings or in place of the factory rings using Hertz mounts.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

this is the first system, what i've had for the past 8 months









the car has a few screens, i really like the gauges and the 8" center dash screen has several uses.


















the factory head unit will remain as it controls vehicle preferences, fuel data, and the backup camera.

fitment of the ML28 into the sails was nice


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

did some deadening of the driver's door. three sheets of Raamaudio BXT II, 6 sq. ft. shown,


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Very nice....


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Nice.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

door speaker wiring

the new Accords have a plug in the door boot but it is removable and there is room for wire to pass through. finally!









only a matter of minutes to pull wire. i have 12 awg for the woofers and 16-4 for tweeters and to snag stock front output.









same on passenger. inside the door the wiring is in split loom and tied to factory wiring every 4" or so.









passenger side routing


















driver side routing


















also took the time to foam these plastic pieces that help form the carpet. they press against metal and i imagine they will make noise in time.

driver's side before









half done









both done









passenger side


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

4 hours of effort treating the passenger door. that's deadening, absorption, MLV barrier and CCF decoupler, and then terminating the speaker wires i had previously ran into the door. 

the passenger door needed deadening, so a few sheets of BXT II did the trick. 









then came the most important part of treating a door - adding absorption. this is a 1" thick compressed fiberglass ceiling tile (with the white cover removed). $6 per 2'x4' piece. this is easier to work with than the loose batt insulation and being compressed it offers more absorption with less hassle.



























next came the barrier. the factory barrier is thin. i wanted to use MLV for the barrier but had the challenge of keeping water out. the factory setup has a slit where water can drain but it is flawed. so i added Ensolite (CCF( to the metal where the MLV will contact and also to the entire inside (one piece, sticky side out) to stick to the MLV and create a watertight barrier. 



























there are 6-7 sheet metal screws holding the MLV in place. it won't fall due to heat or adhesive failures.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

now for the MLK-165 speakers. 

16-4 has two conductors for factory speaker output (until i get the 9887 in) and the other two for tweeters. 12 awg for woofers.
i soldered the connections here


















got it loomed and tied and protected









soldered leads onto the Mille woofer



























For the doors, i didn't want to cut metal and change classes. So i decided to make the Scosche adapters work. while i normally default to thick MDF rings - i've found they efficiently transfer vibration to the doors. so i deadened the hell out of the opening, added the adapters, foamed and deadened them, and installed the Mille woofers.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

the tweeter was previously mounted, just needed to be wired










i foamed those connectors so they would be quiet (no pic)


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

got the drivers door done also. 



















The fiberglass absorption is Armstrong 404B, BTW.

CCF mounted to the inside of the panel for a moisture barrier (sticky side out will attach to the MLV)


















wires soldered, loomed, and tied









both foam sheets installed - a bit tough reaching through the speaker opening to secure it


















MLV added


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Mille wired up









and mounted









and foamed


















tweeter wired









and foamed










done









front









dash pics lit up









custom clock background


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

now onto the trunk






















































how about a 2" thick floor pad?




























rear lights removed for more deadening access


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

trunk lid deadened and stuffed - it's rock solid now









outer sides deadened and stuffed (still need to treat what's left)


















rear cavity stuffed









rear deck deadened and stuffed



























I got a lot more deadening to do, but the rear is already sounding better.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

the Audison LRx5.1k is a beautiful amplifier. i'm happy to give it a good home.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

took time to evaluate amp mounting locations. Because the amp uses the bottom and sides as the heat sink and uses active fan cooling, i am comfortable mounting the amp upside down. i will use a 1/4"-1/2" spacer to keep some airspace for the bottom. 



















the amp fits perfectly between the rear speakers but the rear speakers will be removed. i have a plan for rear fill eventually. 





















because the rear deck speakers need to go, and eventually i'll have processing for rear fill, i put some rears in the seat side bolsters.










Dayton RS100


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

removing the covering was simple - it's like they were made for this


















finished and the addition is invisible.










the only thing i could add to this is a metal grill on the surface - but i'm not worried about damage given their location. i'll have them wired up for my trip this evening and see what i think about them. 
behind the bolster will be a lot of acoustic fill and some XTC foam baffles behind the speakers.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

amp rack is 3/4" MDF because I wanted to add rigidity and density to the rear deck to counteract the drum head effect that the large, thin factory deck has. 

i started with a basic shape then modified it as needed to fit in the rear deck









i decided i wanted sides on the rack to not only hide the equipment from trunk views but to provide mounting points for the beauty panel









the ultra caps posed a challenge because it choked the space for wiring and a fuse block









so i chose to offset them









the amp ground will connect at the cap ground (where two empty ring terminals are shown). a 1/0 ground will continue from the cap to a suitable location. 1/0 power wire (sized for voltage drop, not current) will connect at the fuse block. 4 awg will run to the amp. The fuse holder uses MAXI fuses, both will be 100A. 









some test fits showed the trunk lid supports in conflict, so i had to do some trimming to clear them. i also painted the rack because i avoid bare wood. i haven't decided how i want to cover this. the beauty panel will match the factory colors with vinyl and will have windows for the amp, caps (with plexi), and fuses. i have 3/4" spacers for the amp that not only help with cooling but provide a path for speaker wires. security screws are used where necessary.

passenger side with rack mounted (viewed from inside cabin with rear seat down) - RCA's and speaker wires will be here.









driver side - power and ground will be here.









view from outside trunk


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

i have 1/2" nylon spacers between the amp and board and t-nuts in the board so the amp is quite rigid. security screws are used.









i covered the ends of the caps in CCF to lessen the chance of shorts. a plexi window in the beauty panel will reveal a section of the caps. 


















1/0 terminated into a reducer. it will be fused at 100A.


















i use tie mounts on the board to hold wiring independent of connections


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

spent time with the family and didn't get as much done on Sunday, but did manage to get the Audison LRx5.1k mounted along with the ultracaps. working upside down is certainly adding a level of difficulty... good thing this is a big trunk that i fully fit in.

i have 1/2" nylon spacers between the amp and board and t-nuts in the board so the amp is quite rigid. security screws are used.









i covered the ends of the caps in CCF to lessen the chance of shorts. a plexi window in the beauty panel will reveal a section of the caps. 


















1/0 terminated into a reducer. it will be fused at 100A.


















i use tie mounts on the board to hold wiring independent of connections


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

got a wide 1/0 cable that needed 3/0 copper terminals that i flattened/crimped in a vice then dented with a ballpeen hammer then covered in heat shrink.


















sanded the floor and used a Grade 8 bolt and nut.



























terminated the ground at the ultracap then continued to the amp. 



























power and ground is 4awg on the amp rack and will be fused at 100A. a 100A fuse will be on the ultracap feed also and using a MAXI holder allows for a quick disconnect.


i did some measuring last night to look for a good ground. used 2 awg to get from the battery negative back to the trunk and included test lead resistance. my fluke measured 0.2-0.3 ohms. testing various grounding locations, including where i chose, i did not get a measurable difference of more than 0.1 ohms. given the tolerance of the meter, that's pretty good. 

i've located the factory grounds and engine bonding jumpers. they will be upgraded soon. 

next i will install the LOC and do some RTA and oscilloscope testing on the HU output to characterize it's frequency response through the LOC. remember, the end goal is for the CDA-9887 to feed the Audison and be a clean source while the factory system feeds the 9887 AUX input for general listening, BT, etc. testing will determine if i'll use the HU volume or the 9887 volume. i already have the PAC interface to use the steering wheel controls for the 9887 if need be, though my preference is to use the 9887 as a preamp and use the factory HU volume control. in the end, system noise will determine what path i end up on. 

i'll likely have an iPod with lossless demo music stashed in the dash and connected to the 9887 directly. I also have the KTX-100EQ and will use it if need be.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

setup is as follows:

factory output direct from the HU into a David Navone 2 channel LOC. RCA from there into a SoundDevices USBpre ($600 preamp). A dedicated laptop running TrueRTA uses the USBpre as the input device. that is the purple line. Volume 30 of 40. 

Observed clipping at Volume 33 through an oscilloscope.

the red line is direct from the factory output into the USBpre through a speaker wire to RCA adapter. Volume was reduced to 17 in order to closely match level of the RCA. 











this kind of sucks. 

when i measured the output of the factory system using the factory speakers, thi sis what i measured with the Casella CEL-633C

measured in front of my face









i measured this 6" from the driver side woofer with the door open










what this means is that my diea to use the factory head unit for daily listening isn't quite valid... but we'll get to that later on.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

since the factory head unit has a terrible response, the 9887 is even more important. Metra doesn't have a kit yet, almost. The issue is duplicating the control from the radio. 

so i removed the pocket, cut it up, and am now prepping it

cover removed









mockup









cutting









putting the sleeve in


















starting the fill process










empty dash


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

more work on the mount - some bondo fill


















not sure i like this color and there are still some imperfections that i need to sand out









but i had to button the car up for a trip on Monday so this is where it is right now









the factory pocket cover was saved, modified, and uses magnets to hold it in place










these head units need some sort of trim ring but only three sides of the trim ring will actually fit. there is more work to be done but removing the deck isn't that difficult.


a lot of time was spent wiring new power distribution. i use a relay powered by the head unit 12V ignition feed to generate a new switched ignition source. i added a fuse block with separate outputs for the radar detector, GPS, PAC SWI-JACK, Navone LOC, and the 9887


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

did some scope testing with each output and also the AUX in from the factory output and LOC. no clipping at full volume on the Alpine (typical). HU output clips the Alpine AUX in at volume 21 out of 40 - overdrives the input. The stock deck clips at volume 33 of 40. 









battery wiring for now


















GPS and radar detector wires hidden


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Revised the mount again, added material around the faceplate and went back to the metallic paint.

illumination looks pretty good


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

sub enclosure for the ML3000


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

the factory rear seat has a hard plastic cover behind the armrest and a solid metal backing. i've noticed SUBSTANTIAL bass reduction with the seat up vs. down. in all of my cars, i make the rear arm rest a pass through for bass. this car is no exception.

luckily, Honda built this car to be re-upholstered with minimal effort. fabric just clips in place. pretty nice.

two 12mm bolts hold the rear seat in place









fabric has hard plastic lips that clip over metal tabs


















the sides have interlocking plastic guides separating black from charcoal fabric, they separate easily










the plastic piece just sits in place. i lifted the bottom out then rotated to remove the top









rear metal exposed









rear metal cut with a dremel and cutting wheel









BXT II deadener to lower resonance and a layer around all sides of the opening so it's smooth and safe.









you can't see it but in the bare picture above there are some tack welds on either side of the new hole. there is a metal bar running vertically there. the rear seat metal has the ability to rattle against that bar. so i crammed some fabric between the two in three places along each (Between welds). it was audible while knocking on the metal. it is silent now.

reassembled with ease.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Man I love your builds your damn good at what you do!


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

so that is where i sit now. next comes the processor. i had this, but sold it...









and now have this














































i spent some time playing with the H800. Programming required the unit not only have power but you had to "cycle ACC" or turn ignition on and off to move past various stages of programming. on my test bench, i had a way to do that thanks to consistency with how all of the devices were wired. I programmed with the laptop after upgrading the software version to match the head unit i will be using. 

my first test was how to use AUX inputs. I have the Alpine DVA-9861 wired with Ai-Net and fiber optic. that's the SQ source. But I also want to wire the factory head unit in. I'm going to play with that for a while on the test bench since it's -30 with wind chill today and generally cold for the next few weeks. The inputs are very flexible. There are 6 inputs and they are paired. any of the three pairs can be high level or low level inputs. and you can set up the system for 4ch + 2ch or three different 2ch inputs. The head unit only sends two channels through Ai-Net or fiber optic. 

I did get a configuration to work, one that allowed the 9861 to select AUX on the H800 so i could change between the two sources. That's pretty much what I want but there may be another idea.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

because i still want to use the stock head unit, i need to bypass the factory amplifier.

finally decided to take the stock head unit apart. I am trying to decide how i want it to pair with the new Alpine PXA-H800. Ideally, i'll find a way around the factory DSP entirely. getting inside was the first step. fairly easy, no ribbon cables, just plugs.

remove all of the attachments, vents, mounts. remove the main unit from the face.










a plug connects them (like a faceplate)









remove the heat sink to remove the top cover


















remove the CD mechanism









note the Parrot Bluetooth module inside the head unit


















remove the inner circuit board









remove the final cover and reveal the bottom circuit board


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Looking more closely at the amplifier IC and preamp section, i think we can snag a decent RCA output from the two dual opamps. 




























but the opamps inside are pretty poor (typical Pioneer). replacing them makes more sense. I love the Analog Devices OP275, very high slew rate and very low distortion. 

replace this:









with this:











i'm not 100% on the amplifier IC because the markings are behind the metal bracket and i don't feel like cutting that out. but this is most likely the IC (or a equivalent model). the ground pins are in the right spot.













also, there is a remote turn-on output in the harness that corresponds to Pin 25 on the amplifier IC.









closeup of the Bluetooth module


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

optimaprime said:


> Man I love your builds your damn good at what you do!


thanks, dude. it's been fun.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

You motivate me to play with mine but weather hates me right now


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

It's cold here too, below zero most days. That's why my effort is on the test bench

Feel free to shoot me a PM. 
Sent from mobile device.


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## knever3 (Mar 9, 2009)

Sweet build, I like your dedication to improve at all costs.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

knever3 said:


> Sweet build, I like your dedication to improve at all costs.


Thanks. I make my dealership nervous. They don't know what to think.


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Lol, the dealership around here would automatically void anything you wanted done including putting air in your tire. That's why I stopped going for any service work.


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## FunkPnut (May 16, 2008)

Been following your awesome build on other forums.

Us Accord Sport owners appreciate you tearing into the stock head unit for a bypass solution.


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## mrpeabody (May 26, 2010)

Loving the install. Also love me some baby Mille's.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

a long break for many reasons - mostly other projects. Since I have the second HU, i have a clean source. But a little motivation got me back into it. 

Step 1 is to add wire to the Audio Input pins on the HU amplifier IC. This is the easiest place to get a low-distortion signal before the internal amplifier and this signal should already be passed through pre-amplifiers. Doing so required 30awg "wire wrapping wire" (OK Industries R-30W-0050) and a 0.03 in. soldering tip.

An LED magnifying lamp helps as well, and some of the pics are through the lens.

In all, I tapped 7 places. 
Pin 14: FL in (left front audio - unbalanced)
Pin 15: FR in (right front audio - unbalanced)
Pin 12: RL in (left rear audio - unbalanced)
Pin 11: RR in (right rear audio - unbalanced)
Pin 13: AGND (audio signal ground)
Pin 25: B REM (remote turn-on)
Pin 22: MUTE (suspected telephone mute)

odd-numbered pins are in the front and easier to access (you don't have to remove the board). even-numbered pins are in the back and you need to remove the board to get your soldering iron in there.  Removing the IC isn't necessary. This took about an hour start to finish and i did reference my instructions at the start of this thread for the order in which to disassemble.  

I may have a concern with running parallel loads on the pre-amp on the board, but the opamps should be fully capable of supplying twice as much current given how little current feeds an input stage (typically 10,000 ohms).

Next steps (tomorrow evening) include adding small heat shrink up to the connections for protection. Then I'll connect the wires to some RCA pigtails (pulled from an older Alpine head unit that was for parts). And the remote and mute will need a connector added. i can cut into the top cover to notch for the RCA pigtails. 

all wires connected









front pins


















rear pins


















RCA to be added










once I have RCA outputs I can run them directly into my 9887 AUX input and also RTA the output (what we really are interested in). I suspect the output will be fixed (non-varying) because most amplifier IC's have a volume input.


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## Salami (Oct 10, 2007)

HELL YES!!!!!


Anxiously waiting for results!!!


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

got the leads protected in heat shrink (color coded). not much room to route, we'll see how they held up once the CD mech was put in. would be much easier to just pull the IC out. 

soldered leads to the Alpine RCA set. 

took a dremel to the cover to notch for the RCA grommet. 

testing tomorrow.





































i used the sub output center pins for the remote out and mute out (telephone mute is what i suspect). we'll see what they do tomorrow.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

i just tapped the IC pins for now. the correct mod is to remove the IC totally so you have room for the wiring, then mod the heat sink so you can leave from there. it's a 4-layer board so you have to be careful with heat.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

So bad ass man you make look like puss for keeping stock head and using clean sweep to my amps !


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Just tapping the pins wasn't consistent and the HU circuitry didn't like the parallel connections. It was randomly muting output. So I removed the IC to also get a confirmation of the chip used. 










This is the actual IC









I removed the IC pins and decided to solder the RCA stranded wires directly to the board


















I changed the location of the RCA jacks which fit much better



















works great. I didn't get the channel assignments correct. This is the channel assignment
IN1 = Front Right
IN2 = Front Left
IN3 = Rear Left
IN4 = Rear Right

This surprises me because the circuit layout wasn't symmetric, was completely different than the similar IC I suspected, and i expected an attenuated rear with the front channels having the parallel inputs as seen on the board. 

The good news is that both front and rear outputs sound the same. I observed bass roll-off in the output compared to my 9887 but it sounded MUCH better than the speaker outputs. Volume 39 of 40 had no clipping and sounded great - a signal level that matched the AUX input on my HU.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

RTA testing completed. Front matches Rear in frequency response but not in level. Front is louder (as we all knew) by 8dB. 

FRONT









REAR










Front (same as above, different scale)









Compare to the RTA I did on the speaker outputs



















Looks like the roll-off is the same and certainly ahead of the factory amp. But this is able to be managed and with ultra-low distortion, i think a standard bass restoration interface or processor should be fine. Especially a processor with an auto-EQ CD that measures the factory output. Regardless of this bypass or high-level inputs, the advantage here is eliminating the HU distortion.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

I'm happy to have the bypass done and after some testing i feel the factory HU is finally "listenable". it certainly needs some EQ to flatten it, maybe a MiniDSP.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

optimaprime said:


> So bad ass man you make look like puss for keeping stock head and using clean sweep to my amps !


i'd still use a Cleansweep even with this bypass. You have the right tool for the job.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Well thank you got something right. I need time to revamp my doors .


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Before I removed the amplifier IC, I did some bench testing with a test CD that contained pink noise, 500Hz tone, 40Hz tone, and 20Hz tone. Tones were generated in Goldwave and full signal strength. 

I had a speaker connected to the output while taking some readings at low volume, and both worked. Adding the scope didn't generate noise. Doesn't matter now that the amplifier IC is gone, but my original plan was just to tap the pins and not remove the entire IC.

The bass roll-off still exists, but we have ZERO clipping up till 99% volume. These measurements are at the RCA jacks I installed. Also, the HU volume control worked, a good thing for those wanting to use the stock HU by itself.

500Hz tone, 39/40 volume, 2V P-P (0.5V/div)









40Hz tone, 39/40 volume, 0.5V P-P (0.2V/div)









20Hz tone, 39/40 volume, 0.16V P-P (20mV/div)









I also measured pink noise at full volume, 1V P-P average with 2V P-P peaks


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I need you work on factory head out some RCA jacks off of it. Get rid of hiss I have


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

The output is now silent. Those scope measurements were at full volume. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

You got some sweet toys. You working in the audio right?


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## D_Hoody (Nov 10, 2014)

Great work! Do you think you will be able to eliminate the low frequency roll off? I realize now the signal is much better but a flat frequency response would be ideal.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

I think we will need a software fix for flat or an external processor to undo to eq.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## edouble101 (Dec 9, 2010)

Excellent build. The system loss well thought out and properly installed. Why didn't you use balancing circuits between the caps?


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## D_Hoody (Nov 10, 2014)

Does the bluetooth and the hands-free still work?


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

edouble101 said:


> Excellent build. The system loss well thought out and properly installed. Why didn't you use balancing circuits between the caps?


Balancing circuits are only needed when you operate the caps near their rating. I'm not running at 16V so a few tenths of a volt difference doesn't matter.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

D_Hoody said:


> Does the bluetooth and the hands-free still work?


Absolutely, that was a requirement. All I did was bypass the amp. All of the functions are the same, just low distortion.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

optimaprime said:


> You got some sweet toys. You working in the audio right?


"working in the audio"? 

i'm an electrical engineer with a BSEE. i'm also working as an acoustics engineer. i do both. 

working with circuits and audio is a hobby. it's how i have fun.


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## gumbeelee (Jan 3, 2011)

SUPER NICE JOB!!! Beautiful


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## slowsedan01 (May 4, 2008)

904Sport13 from DriveAccord forums checking in. As I said on that forum, excellent work KHA! Hopefully I can sign you up to mod my deck also!


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Working on the H800 installation, i decided to drop the entire headliner and deaden and stuff it. might as well. 



















this much fit in the rear half of the roof cavities



























headliner has some plastic molds that will get foam covering. you can see factory sound absorption pillows (used everywhere)


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

oh, man, that takes me back to when I did that in my civic. it was very much worth the effort, but it was a royal PITA to get the headliner back in my car by myself. I had a whole lot of boxes propping up that thing. lol. 

plugged in...


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

ErinH said:


> oh, man, that takes me back to when I did that in my civic. it was very much worth the effort, but it was a royal PITA to get the headliner back in my car by myself. I had a whole lot of boxes propping up that thing. lol.
> 
> plugged in...


they have two friction clips in the rear that push in, that should help, along with the driver's seat head rest. it's just a cumbersome piece. 

worth the effort and it will provide years of benefit. i'm adding ultratouch thermal barrier as well to improve insulation and sound absorption


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Yea. I installed some pieces of foam up there as well. 

The biggest difference was when it rained. 

Definitely worth the effort. Like I said, just a PITA for my car as a one man job. The headliner kept wanting to fold back on itself and it would crease up (it's a civic... Not a Lexus, after all) so I had to use some cardboard boxes to prop it up while I worked it in to place.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

Having read somewhere long ago the roof is a biggie, I'm thinking that might even take precedence over the trunk then if some CLD is left, go for the trunk. Would you agree Erin?

Subscribed. Love a good Honda build!  


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Yea. My trunk also has plenty of CLD applied to it. Overkill, probably.


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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

keep_hope_alive said:


> "working in the audio"?
> 
> i'm an electrical engineer with a BSEE. i'm also working as an acoustics engineer. i do both.
> 
> working with circuits and audio is a hobby. it's how i have fun.


Acoustics engineer that's what I thought. That's cool I always wanted to be sound engineer. I really like where going with build.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

it's a large piece to manage solo, but it was firm enough to stay one piece and not fold.









next up:


















brain will be in the rear driver corner, with a beauty panel.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Got a lot accomplished this weekend. I pulled the CDA-9887 and removed previous factory integration. I ran new wiring for the Alpine PXA-H800 and RUX-C800 and paired it with an Alpine DVA-9861. Fiber optic, Ai-Net, USB, Mic, and power ran to the back, down the middle. Factory radio front and rear RCA outputs (custom) to the H800 AUX1 and AUX2 RCA inputs.

Some cool things about this include the ability to retain fader control at the factory radio when using the factory radio as the source. I made a video demonstrating the functionality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxirnpWzRP8

Around 1:30am i decided to tackle the C800 mounting. I modified the sunglass holder to house the controller while retaining the function of the holder. This allows the controller to hide away and is probably the coolest feature so far. 




























the H800 brain is located at the passenger rear and a beauty panel will be made to hide cabling. I'll also make a panel to cover the amps and caps (all with windows to show the components). I'm trying an Alpine 3522S for running rears (custom located in the rear seats). I have some extra cabling here and there for flexibility 





































a few photos of the wire routing, everything is in split loom. ties or aluminum foil tape at regular intervals as needed. all factory panels fit perfectly.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Ran an RTA prior to any EQ or tuning effort. Consider it a baseline. Mic in front of my face. Used a Casella CEL-633C.

This compares the factory HU as a source vs. The 9861 as the source. Factory bass roll-off is seen. There is a 20Hz subsonic filter.









This compares two different volume levels with the 9861.










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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Great job that you are doing, question I can't seem to find any information on that Alpine DVA-9861. I'm also running an H800 as well as the C800 and am curious as to what the third piece of your equation is.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Coppertone said:


> Great job that you are doing, question I can't seem to find any information on that Alpine DVA-9861. I'm also running an H800 as well as the C800 and am curious as to what the third piece of your equation is.


What do you want to know about the DVA-9861?

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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

I currently run a 910 unit with mine and just wanted a single din din that would allow me to have my factory head unit in place, yet have all the control of my 910 with a single din.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

The 9861 may offer some control, I'm still experimenting. I think the C800 is still needed.

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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Made some beauty panels tonight.









And one for the amp rack









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## cueball981 (Feb 16, 2009)

Very nice!


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## steve4134 (Oct 10, 2007)

Great install. 

Steve


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## serlvz (Jul 14, 2015)

Really liking your install. Just got a 2015 6 cyl. Accord manual coupe a week ago. I'm trying to soak up ideas and learn. You've done an outstanding job. I, too, want to retain the factory HU for all the crap that is tied into it, but want a cleaner source signal. Taking in ideas.

Following.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

KHA 2014 Accord deadening acoustical insulation: https://youtu.be/f-Q63NuvmfA

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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Learned a lot this weekend. Hoping to be part of the team to help bring SQ competitions back to the upper midwest. 

I also have a better understanding on what I need to improve on in the Accord. Time well spent, and with great people.

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## jtaudioacc (Apr 6, 2010)

keep_hope_alive said:


> KHA 2014 Accord deadening acoustical insulation: https://youtu.be/f-Q63NuvmfA
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


nice houses!


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## HK53sbr (Jun 15, 2014)

Curious why you pulled 9887 set up. It looked like a clean somewhat simple solution to achieve a quality signal source. Your factory head unit mod is impressive. Although doing a side by side comparison using an iStreamer vs the factory unit, I found it to be no contest in what comes out the other end. If in fact you are ditching the single din 9887 route, I'll swap you pockets.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

HK53sbr said:


> Curious why you pulled 9887 set up. It looked like a clean somewhat simple solution to achieve a quality signal source. Your factory head unit mod is impressive. Although doing a side by side comparison using an iStreamer vs the factory unit, I found it to be no contest in what comes out the other end. If in fact you are ditching the single din 9887 route, I'll swap you pockets.


The 9887 was a nice head unit but certainly limited in processing ability. It sounded good but in order to be truly competitive in competition I would need more tuning ability. Now I have fiber optic back to the H800 processor and that provides superior channel separation. Now I have full fader capability with the stock HU and a separate SQ source. I can tune for a factory head unit setup and tune for an SQ setup with the 9861 - saving each as separate presets on the H800. 

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## HK53sbr (Jun 15, 2014)

keep_hope_alive said:


> The 9887 was a nice head unit but certainly limited in processing ability. It sounded good but in order to be truly competitive in competition I would need more tuning ability. Now I have fiber optic back to the H800 processor and that provides superior channel separation. Now I have full fader capability with the stock HU and a separate SQ source. I can tune for a factory head unit setup and tune for an SQ setup with the 9861 - saving each as separate presets on the H800.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


Gotcha. That makes sense and creative thinking on your part.


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## cfennessy (Jul 4, 2015)

Any updates?


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

cfennessy said:


> Any updates?


Enjoying it. 

A fiberglass sub enclosure is planned for spring. 

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## TwistdInfinity (Jun 7, 2015)

Yeah don't fiberglass in winter. I tried doing my a pillar pods in winter. Took so long for anything to set, even with a heater in front of them for hours in the garage haha

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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Agreed. I can mix it hot and sacrifice working time but I prefer sun baking to cure. 

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## cfennessy (Jul 4, 2015)

For sure I was planning a fiberglass box but did so too late so I did something else to hold me over


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

The enclosure I built has been sealed up and I'm thrilled with the performance. 

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## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Love your build bro . One of all time favs . Both of cars you have put on here.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

Time for some updates.

finally time to ditch the MDF box and build a molded fiberglass enclosure in the rear corner.

previously









adding layers of 3M painters tape









outline mostly complete









two layers plus the enclosure outline in green









with the false floor installed. enclosure will allow for removal of the floor for spare tire access.







[/QUOTE]



keep_hope_alive said:


> The following evening included more taping, plastic, foil, and a lot of chopped mat and resin.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

I also decided to swap the stock head unit for a premium model (made by Alpine, 3V balanced out)

I bought it as a salvage unit.
Actual part number is 39101-T3W-A830-M1 from a 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid

Lucky for me, the main 24 pin harness is identical.










The rest of the harnesses vary with being useful with the following differences:
Harness B isn't needed - it has audio I won't use (has sub out)
Harness C has HandsFreeLink and external AUX audio.
Harness D has HandsFreeLink
Harness E goes to the external FM Tuner - so I lose FM unless I adapt and feed my Alpine DVA-9861.
Harness F only has ground and power but the Navi model adds a few other cables.
Harness G has the lanewatch camera, and I need to check the harness against the base model because the harness includes the rear view camera.
Harness H is i-Mid and the same
Harness J is HandsFreeLink
Harness K is the USB port




























I referenced several schematics to figure out the connections.

A 2013 Accord with Premium and Navi schematic








http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e...Diagrams/2013AccordPremiumNaviHUSchematic.jpg

A 2015 Accord with Premium w/out Navi schematic








http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e...iagrams/2015AccordPremiumHUDiagram 203732.jpg

This is the schematic for the 2014 Accord Sport non-touchscreen that I will be replacing









http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e...Diagrams/2014 Accord SportAudio Schematic.jpg

After comparing the schematics, it seems the only wire that I have to manually re-configure is the HFL steering wheel controls - assuming they will even work with the new HU directly since that wire routes to the HFL Controller on the premium model.[/QUOTE]



keep_hope_alive said:


> i'm super stoked about the next upgrade: swapping the stock with the premium touch screen. this will give me a clean, flat output without the internal DSP of the current stock unit... all while keeping full stock functionality with cameras and info screen.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

The swap to a newer, premium touch screen is mostly done. Not all of the harnesses match up so it took some effort to coordinate the pin-out. For example, harness "F" is needed and requires 12V constant and ground. 



















The whole point of the swap is to get a clean signal without DSP and HPF. Mission accomplished. The premium factory HU is made by Alpine and has a clean signal out of the HU (designed to feed an external amp which has DSP). At least Honda had one option that was reasonable.

---------- Post added at 09:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 PM ----------

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfzeiz-CtmA

video of function of settings. ignore the hassle with screen visibility initially


I've seen threads about buying the V6 brackets and trays to install a Group 24 battery in the 2.4L cars. I found that a Group 34 fits fine with generic trays and mounts, $5. 

Stock battery (with electrical load additions)









Replacement battery with generic mount and tray









Stock removed









Tray replaced (was eventually bolted down)









Because this battery isn't reversed, I had to get the battery monitor connector on the other side, which is easily done by pulling it back in the loom and routing separately. New loom was added.









Stock mounting bolts are used for the aftermarket hold-down. 









I previously replaced the stock power and starting cable ends with terminals. I also insulate the aftermarket positive mount with self-fusing silicone tape rated 1000V per layer.


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## FunkPnut (May 16, 2008)

I always enjoy a good ole fiberglass sub box build


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## slowhatch (Nov 29, 2014)

Really top notch build, it's very evident that your attention to detail and going the extra mile is paying off big time. Quick question, do you have any before and after measurements for the sound deadening that you performed? My wife has a 2014 Accord EX and it is pretty terrible as far as road noise is concerned. Also, do you rely on an RTA for tuning or some other method? Thank you, Dave.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

slowhatch said:


> Really top notch build, it's very evident that your attention to detail and going the extra mile is paying off big time. Quick question, do you have any before and after measurements for the sound deadening that you performed? My wife has a 2014 Accord EX and it is pretty terrible as far as road noise is concerned. Also, do you rely on an RTA for tuning or some other method? Thank you, Dave.


Hi, Dave. Road noise was lowered until my tires became very noisy due to excessive negative rear camber. The floor, roof, and do front doors are no longer dominant noise sources. Rear doors and rear wheel wells are dominant now.

I use an RTA, yes. TrueRTA and REW. I also use handheld Class 1 sound level meters.

Rich V.


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## asianinvasion21 (Sep 24, 2012)

Man all of your builds are always legendary. Ive followed your other builds and your always making improvements and trying new things. I always respect people who change up there builds often and spend hours trying to perfect sound quality. Keep up the good work!


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

asianinvasion21 said:


> Man all of your builds are always legendary. Ive followed your other builds and your always making improvements and trying new things. I always respect people who change up there builds often and spend hours trying to perfect sound quality. Keep up the good work!


Thanks!

Rich V.


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## obogle (Aug 12, 2019)

Did you ever figure out the HFL mapping?


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