# My 07 scion tC install.



## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

here is my new finished setup... it consists of the following:

*Head Unitioneer DEH-7800MP
*Front Stagehoenix Gold RSD65CS comps, Deadened and sealed doors with Edead V1SE
*Rear stage:Stock rears off HU power(usually off, or faded real low)
*Amps:Kicker ZX750.1(sub), Kicker ZX550.2(comps)
*Sub Stage:10" Treo SSi, 1.75CuFt net, 35hz, 22 sq in of port

This is in an 07 Scion tC BTW.

on with the pics.... i have lots 

with the cover closed.








a shot of the HU playing some tunage.








deadened and sealed off the doors with sheet metal and Edead V1SE, b4 putting the comps in.








the comps, the woofer in the door spot, and the tweets in the kicks

















the sub stage, with the amps mounted on the back of the box.








the beautiful yet powerful Kicker amps.








amp for the sub

















amp for the front comps(notice it's the bigger of the two)









thats it! i plan to do the big 3 under the hood with 0 gauge wire soon. i would also like to add a PS2 and put some screens in the sun visors, that might be a winter project. but other than that the system is complete.

I'm happy and pretty proud of it, but let me know what you guys think. i'm open to comments and suggestions as well.


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## BlueAc (May 19, 2007)

Looks clean... nice job!


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## oneiztoomany (Oct 1, 2007)

nice install, how did u mount the sheet metal on the doors to seal them off?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

thanks guys!  

i used small self tapping screws to attach the sheet metal to the door panel. i then obviously just applied the edead to the entire panel. it seems to be holding up perfectly fine. it was my first time sealing and deadening a door and i think it came out excellent.

here is a pic of if w/o any mat on the inner panel, but some on the outer. so this is how it looked before....


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## Amish (Oct 2, 2006)

Like the others said - very clean, and much more complete than my current project  . My only recommendation for the "to do" list would be a simple trim piece to cover the amp wires over - maybe something that sits flush with the face of the amps. Not necessary, I just think it's be the finishing touch to a sweet looking install!


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## pontiacbird (Dec 29, 2006)

very nice install....clean and simple....

doors look good too.....

how do the tweeters sound in that location? my sister has a TC and i'm thinking of installing a component set for her....


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

pontiacbird said:


> very nice install....clean and simple....
> 
> doors look good too.....
> 
> how do the tweeters sound in that location? my sister has a TC and i'm thinking of installing a component set for her....


i really like them there. they don't sound like they are on the floor like they look. the sound stage actually sounds pretty high. about dash level i would say.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i had to make new MDF speaker baffles already, after only a month.

i went back in to the doors last week cause i had a slight buzz in the plastic door skin at a certain frequency. while i was in there i noticed that the mdf baffles were getting slightly wet and swelling in certain spots.

so todays project was to make new baffles and to make sure that the same thing would not happen to these as well. so i cut new ones out, then i primed them, painted them very heavily, then clear coated them very heavily. then i installed them. i totally covered them in Edead V1SE after they were mounted as well. not a hair of these new ones will be exposed to the elements again.

here are a couple pics for everybody....

this is what the worst of the two looked like after only a month..









the new ones covered in primer, paint and lots of clear...

















mounted and 100% covered in butyl mat...









and finally all finished up with the speakers back in place...

















this should not happen again now. 

also after listening to these Phoenix Gold RSD's for a month now i am very very impressed with the SQ and loudness of them. they have a very full and detailed sound to them. i am also now a BIG Kicker amp fan as well. these amps do not get hot at all! they get slightly warm to the touch if i am playing them loudly for a long period of time, but just slightly warm. after a month of playing with crossovers, EQ's, tweeter angles, and T/A the sound is amazing, especially for the price.


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## Robert (Jul 23, 2006)

Nice clean install.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Robert said:


> Nice clean install.


thanks!


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## sx_abella (Nov 14, 2007)

very clean! nice install tcguy!


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## jdc753 (Nov 14, 2007)

Very nice instal indeed. The doors look pretty well sealed and I'm sure you'll no longer have any problems with the new baffles. 

I'm just wondering what you think of the Treo SSi, after searching for subs for months of what I can put in my truck I've come down to the SSi's or the Phoenix Gold RSD's

Come up with a beauty panel for the amps and it will be super clean.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

jdc753 said:


> Very nice instal indeed. The doors look pretty well sealed and I'm sure you'll no longer have any problems with the new baffles.
> 
> I'm just wondering what you think of the Treo SSi, after searching for subs for months of what I can put in my truck I've come down to the SSi's or the Phoenix Gold RSD's
> 
> Come up with a beauty panel for the amps and it will be super clean.


i like the Treo SSi but if you don't have a strong front stage with good mid-bass with a high pass of 63hz or lower you will have a gap. back when i had my stock speakers with my unsealed and undeadened doors, i had a bad gap somewhere in the 60-120hz area. they play well on the low end but lack a bit up top.

i have heard great reviews of the RSD subs though. if they are as impressive as their comp set than the sub will be great.

do u have an idea of what i could do for a beauty panel for my amps? i like it the way it is but i'm open to suggestions to improve it even more.

thanks!


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## Keeshwah (Jun 7, 2007)

nice work, just a suggestion but if you're like me and have to take the drivers out for whatever reason you might want to get some hurricane nuts from parts express. i found myself talking mine out to put in new speakers and connectors often enough that it was worthwhile.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Keeshwah said:


> nice work, just a suggestion but if you're like me and have to take the drivers out for whatever reason you might want to get some hurricane nuts from parts express. i found myself talking mine out to put in new speakers and connectors often enough that it was worthwhile.


i like these speakers so i think i'm gonna leave them in for a while, but thanks!


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

*Re: My 07 scion tC install/updated 12-9-07*

UPDATE: i changed out the sub for something quite a bit different. i swapped out the Treo SSi and my huge box and put in a Dayton reference HO 10 in about a .72 cubic foot net box. it sounds sooo much better and gets just about as loud and just as low. i'm actually not sure which is louder overall(at least for rock/metal), but i know for my music tastes this sub kills the Treo in terms of SQ.

i still have some cleaning up to do in the trunk in terms of wiring and amp mounting but this is pretty much it. it might not be as pretty as my last install but i like the sound better and i don't think it looks that bad.




































and a close up of the box out of the car...









let me know whatcha think...


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## evan (Dec 2, 2006)

Very nice. I saw your thread on CA and it reminded me of Chad's "Ghetto". Then I found your sub selection thread here. It makes me want to go and remeasure my truck to see if there is any way I could squeeze a 5" mounting depth behind the seat.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

evan said:


> Very nice. I saw your thread on CA and it reminded me of Chad's "Ghetto". Then I found your sub selection thread here. It makes me want to go and remeasure my truck to see if there is any way I could squeeze a 5" mounting depth behind the seat.


thanks for the compliment. as i keep looking at it it's really growing on me. i really don't think it looks bad at all, especially in person.

the Dayton is really a great clean sounding sub. my favorite sub so far.


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## evan (Dec 2, 2006)

tcguy85 said:


> thanks for the compliment. as i keep looking at it it's really growing on me. i really don't think it looks bad at all, especially in person.
> 
> the Dayton is really a great clean sounding sub. my favorite sub so far.


Don't get me wrong, I think it looks great. It was the driver choice and tuning that reminded me of Chad's setup.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

evan said:


> Don't get me wrong, I think it looks great. It was the driver choice and tuning that reminded me of Chad's setup.


of course, i wasn't taking anything the wrong way, it's all good. i have been getting some not so nice comments from others about it though. i myself like it.


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## Amish (Oct 2, 2006)

It has a very "function over form" look to it, which can look pretty cool sometimes (I kinda dig it myself). It's threads like these that make me want to pick up a pair of those 10s to try, I've been happy with one ported 10 in the past but since I've got the power I might try two and just go easy on the gain to blend them in.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Amish said:


> It has a very "function over form" look to it, which can look pretty cool sometimes (I kinda dig it myself). It's threads like these that make me want to pick up a pair of those 10s to try, I've been happy with one ported 10 in the past but since I've got the power I might try two and just go easy on the gain to blend them in.


thanks, yes a little function over form. i'm glad the you "kinda dig it" lol. thanks

go for it, i highly doubt anybody would be disappointed with two of these. the SQ would be the same as long as you tune it right, just louder. even with the single one i have i am really happy and kinda shocked with the output.

i have my one going off of 400 watts rms, i couldn't imagine 2 of these off of 400 watts each. they would get loud and pound the sh!t out of you!


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Nice job...my van's a hatch too but it sure takes a lot more to get loud....My single Treo TSX 12" does really well though off of 800w rms and sounds great w/my front stage....

For more room, you could always do a small 'glass job into that corner for the sub


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

niceguy said:


> Nice job...my van's a hatch too but it sure takes a lot more to get loud....My single Treo TSX 12" does really well though off of 800w rms and sounds great w/my front stage....
> 
> For more room, you could always do a small 'glass job into that corner for the sub


thanks!

Treo makes damn good subs but the SSi was not the sound i was looking for. it was to boomy and bottom heavy for me. but the dayton fits the bill very nicely.


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

You're right, no doubt...I wouldn't mind trying a Dayton sub but I'm still running an AA Atlas12 in my car...very SQ oriented and transparent...Honestly, I was disappointed at first because I was used to hearing SPL subs, but once I got my front stage sorted out, it all came together and made sense...

Of course, even SQ oriented subs can hammer in the right install as you probably know


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

niceguy said:


> Of course, even SQ oriented subs can hammer in the right install as you probably know


yea this thing "hammers" pretty well in my car. it sounds amazing and gets as loud as it needs to and actually on most music hits pretty hard. i can feel it pounding my chest pretty good, especially at higher volumes. sometimes i actually find it a tad overwhelming on certain music. i keep going back and forth between 0 and +2 on my sub volume on my head unit. i'm all about SQ but i like a strong healthy bottom end that kicks hard as well.


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## dbTroy (Nov 30, 2007)

Looks great. I am getting ready to seal and deaden my doors.

Did you use some type of egg crate baffle behind the mids in the door? Do you feel like this helped any? I can't decided if I need to put something behind the mids or not.. Thanks


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

dbTroy said:


> Looks great. I am getting ready to seal and deaden my doors.
> 
> Did you use some type of egg crate baffle behind the mids in the door? Do you feel like this helped any? I can't decided if I need to put something behind the mids or not.. Thanks


i used the closed cell foam that Elemental Designs sells behind my mids. i used one layer then added a second layer in a checker board patern. i think it's called v4. idk if it really helped but i was told not to use the egg crate foam because it's not closed cell and would absorb water.


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## Lumadar (Sep 28, 2007)

Sweet install.

Have you tried playing around with the sub's placement and direction yet? I would try to tip the box on its back and have it fire up at the rear of the hatch. you *might* pick up a little volume. Worth a try


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Lumadar said:


> Sweet install.
> 
> Have you tried playing around with the sub's placement and direction yet? I would try to tip the box on its back and have it fire up at the rear of the hatch. you *might* pick up a little volume. Worth a try


first off.... thanks you very much. i appreciate the kind words! 

i have tried every position and direction possible already and found this to sound the best and have the most output. it is making a few new minor rattles on certain songs that i didn't have with the old setup though. but i plan to do lots more deadening once it warms up and the funds allow it, which should improve the sound even more. right now i am very happy with the whole setup as is.


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## evan (Dec 2, 2006)

tcguy85 said:


> of course, i wasn't taking anything the wrong way, it's all good. i have been getting some not so nice comments from others about it though. i myself like it.


Yeah, you're bound to get a few narrow minded people with the large number that post over at CA. Sometimes I think the sign up process should be more complicated to weed out a few boneheads.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

evan said:


> Yeah, you're bound to get a few narrow minded people with the large number that post over at CA. Sometimes I think the sign up process should be more complicated to weed out a few boneheads.


i prefer this forum over this one. this is by far the best car audio forum i have visited. most people here are very smart and are mostly nice people who always have good things to say. there are a lot of jack asses over there.


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## Fran82 (Jul 30, 2007)

What are the negative comments about? The install looks nice. The port outside the box is a little funky, but if you aren't competeing and it sounds good, then it's not a big deal. 

BTW, what's the hole in the rear deck for?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Fran82 said:


> What are the negative comments about? The install looks nice. The port outside the box is a little funky, but if you aren't competeing and it sounds good, then it's not a big deal.
> 
> BTW, what's the hole in the rear deck for?


thanks man. i had guys on a Scion forum saying stuff like "how can you NOT laugh at it" and just simply "are you serious?" i had some people who thought i didn't know how to tune a box and thought i just took a box and cut a whole and simply threw a port in it. i did take a sealed box and cut a hole into it and throw a port in... but it is tuned correctly and sized correctly and everything. i also had some people on caraudio.com/forum giving me crap saying the same kind of things, but only certain people.

and the hole, i'm guessing you meant the cargo cover? i cut a hole in for one of the prior ported boxes i had. i made the port fire up and didn't think it through enough and it kept trying to suck the cover into the port. so i cut a hole out for it. right now it has a piece of fabric glued over it. i want to get the whole cover redone anyway so i'm not to worried about it. when i got to the few small car shows i go to i have the trunk open and the cover off anyway so it doesn't really matter.

thanks for the compliment though. i love how the whole system sounds, especially the new sub setup. the sub hits so nice and very hard but also sounds very clean and can blend very well with the front when i turn the sub down a little.


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

yeah fvck them. that's a great install, things are clean, and i love seeing out of the box installs like that.

a suggestion, you could just cover the whole rear piece in grill cloth so your hole isn't as obvious, and it'd look more clean.

great job on everything though. it's really nice looking.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Thumper26 said:


> yeah fvck them. that's a great install, things are clean, and i love seeing out of the box installs like that.
> 
> a suggestion, you could just cover the whole rear piece in grill cloth so your hole isn't as obvious, and it'd look more clean.
> 
> great job on everything though. it's really nice looking.


yea thats what i said, i don't really care if others disapprove. lol thats why i love this forum, everybody here is very nice and helpful and not so negative. i know it doesn't look bad, and i know it sounds excellent, so thats what matters to me. it's nothing crazy and extreme but it's simple and it sounds great and i love it.

is grill cloth somewhat stretchable? the cover isn't really a square... it's more rounded on the back so i don't know how i go about that unless it's stretchable. i plan to do something with it cover eventually though. it's on the list. 

and thanks for the kind words. i appreciate it a lot!


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

yeah grill cloth is stretchy. you could use box carpet if you want, but i'd only do that if you were recovering your entire trunk, and you wanted that piece to match.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Thumper26 said:


> yeah grill cloth is stretchy. you could use box carpet if you want, but i'd only do that if you were recovering your entire trunk, and you wanted that piece to match.


yea. i'll give it a shot.... just use spray glue to attach it or what? thanks man!


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

super 77 has always been good to me.

use super 90 if you want to make sure it sticks.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Thumper26 said:


> super 77 has always been good to me.
> 
> use super 90 if you want to make sure it sticks.


cool. thanks again, maybe i'll give it a try once it warms back up.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

looks nice man  simple and clean  my kind of work...

and the front speaker placement really reminded me of the one Tc I did a few months back 

http://www.icixsound.com/vb/showthread.php?t=37244

but i am sure yours get a LOT more bass  keep playing wtih it, changing htings, thats how one learns new tips and tricks


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i got my extra few feet of black 4 gauge ground wire, and a disttrobution block for my ground wires yesterday so today when i got home from work i went and cleaned up the wiring all nicely. i tried tech flexing the wires and it was the biggest paint in the ass. i usually don't give up on things, but i got fed up and called it quits. well here is a butt load of new pics for you guys. nothing is really different other than the cleaned up wiring though.


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## bass_lover1 (Dec 10, 2005)

Nice install man, definitely looks very clean 

Don't worry about what other people think about how it looks, they usually shut up once they hear how it sounds.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

^thanks!

i actually am completely happy with how it looks now that my wiring is all cleaned up and the amps are mounted securely.

i know the port is still kind of odd, but i like it. i think it looks pretty neat.


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## Fran82 (Jul 30, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


>


Maybe it's just me or the pic, but the right amp looks like it's crooked. ??

Are you still using the split fold down feature of the seats, or are they joined together now?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Fran82 said:


> Maybe it's just me or the pic, but the right amp looks like it's crooked. ??
> 
> Are you still using the split fold down feature of the seats, or are they joined together now?


yes it must be the pic, i made sure the amps looked straight in person. it might actually be the thing that the amps mount to that make it look crooked.

and yes i can still recline the seats or fold them forward by themselves. they are not joined together in anyway.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i know i bumped this again for no reason... but i STILL just can't get over how good this setup sounds. especially the new sub. it just sounds amazing!! the SQ and output from this sub is insane. on metal with fast hard bass drum kicks it is amaaaaazzzing. it really slams you in the chest, which my old treo just didn't do at all.

Dayton HO's FTW!!!


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## dbTroy (Nov 30, 2007)

Well thanks to this thread, and countless others on CA.com, I just ordered a set of those RSD comps last night from audio savings. I can't wait to try them out!


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

dbTroy said:


> Well thanks to this thread, and countless others on CA.com, I just ordered a set of those RSD comps last night from audio savings. I can't wait to try them out!


sweet! as long as your install is good you will love them. are you deadening and sealing your doors? what kinda power and processing do you have for them?


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## dbTroy (Nov 30, 2007)

My doors are sealed and have a layer of Second Skin Damplifier on them. Here's a shot of them from when I installed my JL comps in there. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with them so I am going to give the RSDs a shot. 










I plan to run them off of their passive crossovers and mount the tweeter flush to the door where the JL tweet was mounted:










As for processing, the headunit is an Alpine 9830 that has a 4-band parametric EQ and time alignment. The amp is an old school monitor 1 that is about 100-125 watts RMS. I may upgrade the amp soon to something with about 150 RMS.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

dbTroy said:


> My doors are sealed and have a layer of Second Skin Damplifier on them. Here's a shot of them from when I installed my JL comps in there. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed with them so I am going to give the RSDs a shot.
> 
> I plan to run them off of their passive crossovers and mount the tweeter flush to the door where the JL tweet was mounted:
> 
> As for processing, the headunit is an Alpine 9830 that has a 4-band parametric EQ and time alignment. The amp is an old school monitor 1 that is about 100-125 watts RMS. I may upgrade the amp soon to something with about 150 RMS.


what did you not like about the JL's?


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## dbTroy (Nov 30, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> what did you not like about the JL's?


They just lacked output in my opinion. The midbass was ok nothing special, but where they really lacked was the midrange (vocals). The vocals seemed really laid back and I tend to like them more warmer/brighter. I tend to like a dynamic sound vs a laid back one. I tried boasting the midrange frequencies but they would tend to get too shrill sounding. 

Based on all the reviews, the RSDs seem to have great midbass and a more dynamic sound, and that is exactly what I am looking for. Can't wait to try them out.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

dbTroy said:


> They just lacked output in my opinion. The midbass was ok nothing special, but where they really lacked was the midrange (vocals). The vocals seemed really laid back and I tend to like them more warmer/brighter. I tend to like a dynamic sound vs a laid back one. I tried boasting the midrange frequencies but they would tend to get too shrill sounding.
> 
> Based on all the reviews, the RSDs seem to have great midbass and a more dynamic sound, and that is exactly what I am looking for. Can't wait to try them out.


i think you will like them. i know in my setup they just plain old sound amazing. the mid-bass, the vocals the highs. everything about them just sounds amazing. the mid-bass is really strong, the vocals sound very good and very present especially when cranked really loud, and the highs are really really detailed.


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## EMU (Dec 25, 2007)

very nice install!


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

EMU said:


> very nice install!


thanks. you guys over here on DIYMA.com are to nice.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

ONE MORE UPDATE: I swapped out my Pioneer DEH-7800MP for an 880PRS. 

so far i like it a lot. has a lot of nice features that can really improce the sound, and of course it looks killer. 

went from this...









to this...


















next step will be purchasing another smaller 2 channel amp and running my comps active! cant wait. it'll be totally new to me but i think it will open up a world of options.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

sorry double post. i don't know what happened. sorry


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## evan (Dec 2, 2006)

Nice deck. Instead of adding another amp (which might require a relay) you could sell your 550.2 and buy a 650.4 and a pair of RCA's. The footprint would be the same so you wouldn't even need to change the current arrangement.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

evan said:


> Nice deck. Instead of adding another amp (which might require a relay) you could sell your 550.2 and buy a 650.4 and a pair of RCA's. The footprint would be the same so you wouldn't even need to change the current arrangement.


why would i need a relay?

and i think for me adding another amp is the better option. i'll have 205 per mid, and about 70-80 per tweeter. that'll give me lots of headroom, and room for upgrades. if i can't somehow fit it behind my seats (like i have them now) then i'll hide it under the trunk floor.


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## evan (Dec 2, 2006)

tcguy85 said:


> why would i need a relay?
> 
> and i think for me adding another amp is the better option. i'll have 205 per mid, and about 70-80 per tweeter. that'll give me lots of headroom, and room for upgrades. if i can't somehow fit it behind my seats (like i have them now) then i'll hide it under the trunk floor.


Sure, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the 'more is better' mantra. You can read about relays in #36 on www.bcae1.com.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

evan said:


> You can read about relays in #36 on www.bcae1.com.


why would i need a relay though?


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

for 2 amps, you can split the remote turn on from the deck. after that, a lot of times it's recommended to use a relay for the remote turn on. if you don't you could blow the remote turn on lead from the deck.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Thumper26 said:


> for 2 amps, you can split the remote turn on from the deck. after that, a lot of times it's recommended to use a relay for the remote turn on. if you don't you could blow the remote turn on lead from the deck.


really? i never heard that before?


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

yup. the remote turn on from your deck can only handle a very small load. depending on the amps, more than two could blow it. the relay uses the turn on signal to connect the 12v power you'll connect to it. that 12v signal can turn on all the amps you need.


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## kennys.drunken (Jan 6, 2008)

Do you happen to know what the mounting depth on the 6.5" RSD's are? I'm trying to figure out if I have enough room.

Killer install!


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

kennys.drunken said:


> Do you happen to know what the mounting depth on the 6.5" RSD's are? I'm trying to figure out if I have enough room.
> 
> Killer install!


2.87" they are actually pretty deep.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Thumper26 said:


> yup. the remote turn on from your deck can only handle a very small load. depending on the amps, more than two could blow it. the relay uses the turn on signal to connect the 12v power you'll connect to it. that 12v signal can turn on all the amps you need.


x2 on that.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

ok guys i'll use a relay once i get the third amp. i already have one laying around so i'll wire it up. thanks.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> ok guys i'll use a relay once i get the third amp. i already have one laying around so i'll wire it up. thanks.


Don't forget to use a protection diode with the relay, parts express sells a relay that has one already install on the relays plug. I would also try mounting somewhere in the trunk and hidden away so that the clicking sound from them doesn't bother you.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

GREAT NEWS!!!!

i just went active with my front stage(the PG RSD's) i hooked the tweeters up to the 880PRS and am powering them with the internal amp. the results are stunning. i am so shocked that they sound so good off such little power. they get plenty loud! an amp for them will still be in the future but for now it's pretty damn awesome. 

the RSD's are loving it so far and so am i.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

The onboard relay was one plus to my SS Powerplant distro block. Not 100% keen on the cosmetics but I can work around it.

With the 4 outputs I could still piggy back off one of the amps if I needed to.


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## demon2091tb (May 30, 2005)

Running 3 amps no relay, just daisy chain them on the remote, make sure you can though first though, might want to compair starting power consumption with your deck though, just to double check.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i'll run a relay just to be safe once i do it. i don't wanna hurt my new 880PRS. i love it so much.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

*another little update*

i finally got my tweeters perfectly on axis now! 

here are some pics. some of them were taken with the camera at the headrest so you can see the angle as i am seeing it from the drivers seat. 



























































































alright, so now both are as close to on-axis as i can tell with my two eyes. the highs now seem more even from side to side. i now have A LOT of detail in the top end but w/o sounding overly bright or harsh. it sounds really nice.


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

great work. now just get some heat moldable abs and cover up the hot glue around the edges.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Thumper26 said:


> great work. now just get some heat moldable abs and cover up the hot glue around the edges.


thanks man. 

i was just going to clean it up by maybe sanding it then painting it flat black to blend in with the kick panel.


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## daesonn (Jan 15, 2008)

How much does it cost to sound deaden a door like that?

Looks great.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

daesonn said:


> How much does it cost to sound deaden a door like that?
> 
> Looks great.


not very much. i did both doors for about $60.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

well another change has happened in the tC. swapped the Kicker amps out for DD amps. swapped the ZX550.2 for the DD S4, and swapped the ZX750.1 for the DD C2a. 200 watts per mid, 100 watts per tweeter, and 620 watts for the sub. the tweeters sound a bit better now and obviously get louder now being amped. the sub also now has a bit more power behind it, went from about 375 watts to 620 watts. 

the next step is to do the big 3, then lots more deadening, and of course continue the constant tweaking and tuning. i also would like to mount my amps a little differently. get them off the back seats and come up with a nice way to present them. maybe a simple mdf amp rack.

some pics...

















yea... my trunk is dirty!


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## tr0y_audi0 (Feb 13, 2007)

Lookin good man, Keep it up
This install gallery is going to change audio in a few states eh..
we got some Sick systems going on here..


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

tr0y_audi0 said:


> Lookin good man, Keep it up
> *This install gallery is going to change audio in a few states eh..*
> we got some Sick systems going on here..


what do you mean?

and thanks.

oh and i added pics to my last post. my hatch is dirty, it's to cold to clean and organize.


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## tr0y_audi0 (Feb 13, 2007)

As in showing people how it should be done...
And the peopel that ride with you must have a jaw dropping ride..
im loving the installs we have going on here..


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i'm off to go do my big 3 under the hood with some 0 gauge KnuKoncepts KLM wire!! i'll be back with some pics in a bit.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

ok i did the BIG 3! went perfectly smooth, no problems at all. 

my voltage seems to be constantly at a higher number(especially when driving). my voltage was never above 14 except for first thing in the morning on a cold start. right when i started the car up(which had been run maybe an hour earlier) it was at right at 14.4 and stayed above 14.2 while driving at average speeds. at quick stops at stop signs or stop lights it stayed about 13.9-14.2 for the most part. i was sitting in line at the car wash for about 15 minutes playing my music at a moderate level and it slowly went down to about 13.4-13.6 and stayed there until i drove off. with the car off listening to music at a moderate level it seems about the same as before, a constant 12.4-12.5 after a few minutes of playing.

i don't really seem to have any voltage drop. i'll report back next time i drive it at night with the headlights and stuff on. but i don't expect anymore than a .2 drop. everything seems pretty stable now.

here are a few new pics of the wiring, the trunk and the car since i just washed it. it is quite dirty under the hood, but it's winter.


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## evan (Dec 2, 2006)

Looks good. No fuse on the positive from the battery?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

evan said:


> Looks good. No fuse on the positive from the battery?


thanks! it was pretty fun and painless.

nope. i'm not to worried about it. i don't see how anything can really happen to it.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

would it be crazy to say that the whole system seems to sound a little cleaner at high volumes now that i upgraded the wires under the hood?!?!?!?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

well after a couple days. the voltage is definitely staying at a higher number constantly(not even factoring in the stereo playing). i have yet to see any voltage drops or dimming lights at all. so the big 3 for me has worked quite well.

since it was quite warm (about 55) and nice here yesterday, and last night i got some more time in to listen to tune. played the cd And Justice For All at a really loud level and was blown away at the clarity and sheer volume of everything. the RSD's are taking the power of the DD S4 just fine. i had them sooOOoo loud and they didn't seem to mind one bit. the RSD are seriously amazing for the price you can get them for, it's insane how much power they will take. only rated at 60 watts a side (passive) and i have 300 on tap for them(active).

the Dayton HO really wakes up and loosens up when it's nice and warm out. it loses a good bit of output the colder it gets, but sounded great and had plenty of output last night. 

i am soooo happy with it all right now, sounds sooooo good! just thought i'd share.  now onto more deadening when it warms up even more.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

Glad to hear you're happy with the setup. How much power are you sending the mids/tweets? I'm sure I'll ask you again when I go active with my set


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Glad to hear you're happy with the setup. How much power are you sending the mids/tweets? I'm sure I'll ask you again when I go active with my set


not sure what they are actually seeing. the amp can do 100 per tweeter and 200 per mid, probably more. i doubt they are seeing that much RMS, but they definitely are on peaks. 

i see the clip light blink ever so slightly on the amp a lil every now and then, which means the rail voltage is being met sometimes for a fraction of a second at a time. but they get damn loud, sound real good and don't seem to be complaining. i have yet to hear any unnatural sounds come from them due to the power. no bottoming, no burning smell, nothing! the RSD's looove power.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> not sure what they are actually seeing. the amp can do 100 per tweeter and 200 per mid, probably more. i doubt they are seeing that much RMS, but they definitely are on peaks.
> 
> i see the clip light blink ever so slightly on the amp a lil every now and then, which means the rail voltage is being met sometimes for a fraction of a second at a time. but they get damn loud, sound real good and don't seem to be complaining. i have yet to hear any unnatural sounds come from them due to the power. no bottoming, no burning smell, nothing! the RSD's looove power.


Sweet, good to know, thanks!


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## rekd0514 (Sep 24, 2006)

No fuse on the power line? Decided to go the braver route I see.  Where did you get the tint for your tails, just wondering? It may be the same guy that does it for the celica and other cars.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

rekd0514 said:


> No fuse on the power line? Decided to go the braver route I see.  Where did you get the tint for your tails, just wondering? It may be the same guy that does it for the celica and other cars.


i guess you could say i went the brave route.

i did the tail lights, and the third brake light, and also my mirror turn signal lights all myself. used VHT Nightshades in a spray can, and clear coat in a spray can. then A LOT of wet sanding, and buffing, and polishing, and waxing. and when all waxed up they shine better than the cars paint. and the car is practically brand new! it took a lot of time but was worth it.


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## khail19 (Oct 27, 2006)

I see a blue power wire from battery to alternator, with nothing securing it and no fuse inline. Is that wire secured somehow and I just don't see it? It runs right on top of the fan shroud and near the exhaust manifold, both of which could be a problem if the wire was to move around.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

khail19 said:


> I see a blue power wire from battery to alternator, with nothing securing it and no fuse inline. Is that wire secured somehow and I just don't see it? It runs right on top of the fan shroud and near the exhaust manifold, both of which could be a problem if the wire was to move around.


yes, there is no fuse, and the wire has been secured since taking those pictures. it isn't going anywhere. i am really anal about my stuff and i feel 100% safe with it how it is. thanks for the concern.


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## khail19 (Oct 27, 2006)

tcguy85 said:


> yes, there is no fuse, and the wire has been secured since taking those pictures. it isn't going anywhere. i am really anal about my stuff and i feel 100% safe with it how it is. thanks for the concern.


That's cool, as long as it's secured you should be fine. A lot of people would probably fuse it anyways, but it really isn't necessary if the wire can't move.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

khail19 said:


> That's cool, as long as it's secured you should be fine. A lot of people would probably fuse it anyways, but it really isn't necessary if the wire can't move.


nope i threw a zip tie on it, and will add a couple more just to be even more safe. it is very secure though. and i'm not worried about it not being fused. it has no chance of grounding out on anything, anywhere. even at the alternator where it attaches, is a highly raised surface with plastic around it so it would be mighty hard for it to even ground out onto the alt case.


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## ippskidder (Apr 15, 2008)

great write up =)

I have a couple of questions.

I'm between the phoenix rsd 6.5 speakers and the elemental design 6000 v.2 speakers, which do you think would perform better?

I'll probably get an enclosure and a subwoofer later. For now I just want to change the front speakers and get an amp. I have a pioneer deh-7600mp, its ok for now, lol.

So I was thinking of getting the nine.5 channel amp that elemental design offers? or do you think it would be better to get a mono-amp and a 4-channel amp? Instead of running everything from the 5 channel amp.

I'm new to this  

Thanks for the help.


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## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

Wait--it's been mentioned a few times--but how the hell do you feel safe with no fuse??? How can you spend so much attention to detail on everything else, and skip the most important step? Cause "brave" isn't exactly how I would describe it. If you're posting pics up in here, you should know better, and set a better example, IMHO.

As if anyone ever designs a system where it's not "mighty hard" for the power wire to ground out.  It doesn't mean there shouldn't be a fuse. The chassis of the damn car is the ground!!


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## andthelam (Aug 9, 2006)

capnxtreme said:


> Wait--it's been mentioned a few times--but how the hell do you feel safe with no fuse??? How can you spend so much attention to detail on everything else, and skip the most important step? Cause "brave" isn't exactly how I would describe it. If you're posting pics up in here, you should know better, and set a better example, IMHO.
> 
> As if anyone ever designs a system where it's not "mighty hard" for the power wire to ground out.  It doesn't mean there shouldn't be a fuse. The chassis of the damn car is the ground!!


I agree, Ive blown that fuse (the one you dont have) messing with the end that hooks to the amp. You better be extra careful!


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Guys, why are you complaining about him fusing the alternator to battey lead? NO ONE fuses that, not even the manufacturers.


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## FrankstonCarAudio (Feb 2, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> Guys, why are you complaining about him fusing the alternator to battey lead? NO ONE fuses that, not even the manufacturers.


^^ Exactly!

I think they may be taking that as the main to the amps cable?

Mark


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

ippskidder said:


> great write up =)
> 
> I have a couple of questions.
> 
> ...


i have never heard the ED set so i cannot comment on them. as for the two amps VS one, i'd rather have the two. usually you can get more power that way. i looked into a one amp solution and didn't some up with anything i liked.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

as for the guys complaining about the battery to alt cable, i choose not to fuse it. when and why would that wire ever move once installed? i see no point. even if it was to be fused, both ends are hot so you'd need a fuse at each end as close as humanly possible to each end. i just see no reason why the wire would move and ground out.


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## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

I misunderstood. I thought your main power lead was fuseless. I'm sorry.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

capnxtreme said:


> I misunderstood. I thought your main power lead was fuseless. I'm sorry.


nah the 4 gauge from my battery to my amps is fused.


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## Slimpala SS (Apr 7, 2008)

nice...


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

finally made an amp rack/wall and got the amps off my back seats!!!


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## maxchef (Jan 29, 2007)

Very Nice!!! I love the progress you have made through out your thread. Keep up the good work!!

Greg


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## tommyd (Nov 7, 2007)

very nice, are you going to make a trim piece for the amp rack?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

thanks guys!  

i was planning on leaving the amp rack like it is. if you have a suggestion on what to add to it, i'd be willing to hear it though.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> thanks guys!
> 
> i was planning on leaving the amp rack like it is. if you have a suggestion on what to add to it, i'd be willing to hear it though.


Looks great! The only thing I can think of is to make a beauty panel to flush mount the amps, but certainly looks fine without one. Maybe you could try it out on another "free day" you have.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Looks great! The only thing I can think of is to make a beauty panel to flush mount the amps, but certainly looks fine without one. Maybe you could try it out on another "free day" you have.


my only concern with that is keeping them cool. i will consider it though. thanks!


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> my only concern with that is keeping them cool. i will consider it though. thanks!


Yea, good point. I think some sort of venting, or fan-cooling system may muck up the cleanliness of a flush mount beauty panel.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Yea, good point. I think some sort of venting, or fan-cooling system may muck up the cleanliness of a flush mount beauty panel.


yea i have never tried anything like that. if i do attempt it i'll be sure to post pics and results.


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Another suggestion, take it or leave it:
What about making a cover for your amp rack? Just make a rectangle out of some 1x1's or something of the sort. Just attach it so that you basically have a raises trim ring. Then wrap it in black grill cloth so that you can't see the amps, but they'll be able to breath just fine. You could use carpet if you wanted... heck anything would work. Basically, just try to make a vertical 'false floor'. Unless, of course, you want to show of your amps. 

Looking good, though.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i like it like it is for now.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

better pics..


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

man, i just got a new CD yesterday. i just got done auditioning it in the car and words can't describe how much i love this whole setup. sounds so good, gets so loud and stays crystal clear. i think i finally got the hang of this tuning thing. lol.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

my SCHWEET new tweeter locationz...


















i got bored and wanted to try them there instead of the kicks. i think i have to buy new kick panels and get some seas neo's now! the reason i want ot get seas neo's now is that if i am going to modify my pillars i might as well do it for a new/better tweeter. i love how it raised the stage height, but i will leave them velcroed there for a lil before i hack anything up.

i also have a pair of hessdawgs ID OEM'z on the way!


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

got new kick panels installed (ones w/o tweeter holes) and decided to make my tweeters a little more permanent once again. so here is the beginnings of my tweeters pillar pods. 

since i had the day off today and my new mids didn't show up today i figured i'd start on my pillars. they are the RSD tweeters aimed perfectly on-axis. used some pvc pipe elbow fittings and drilled holes in my pillars for the pods. as of now they are just pushed into the pillar. i am not sure exactly how i will finish them yet and the progress may be a bit slow but this is them as of now.




































*a view right from the drivers side headrest showing that the left one is indeed 100% on-axis.*








*a view right from the drivers side headrest showing that the right side is also 100% on-axis.*


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## kidwolf909 (Jan 15, 2008)

Wow looks pretty nice man. Next up, carpet those with the same cloth as our pillars 

You must cover up that electrical tape somehow... Otherwise, nice mod!


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

kidwolf909 said:


> Wow looks pretty nice man. Next up, carpet those with the same cloth as our pillars
> 
> You must cover up that electrical tape somehow... Otherwise, nice mod!


they will be glassed or something, not sure yet. gotta think about it.

this is my first time messing with pillar pods, but they will look presentable when it's done. 

but they sound soooooo much better up there as opposed to the kicks. really raises the stage height and brings out sooo much more detail in the top end.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

WOOT! got my mids! WOOT!














































these things kick major ass!


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

What is everything crossed at? I just got my 880 and OEM's (and already have RSd tweets) so we are pretty much in the same boat?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> What is everything crossed at? I just got my 880 and OEM's (and already have RSd tweets) so we are pretty much in the same boat?


the sub is playing up to 63hz, the ID OEM'z are bandpassed from 80 - 2.5k, and the RSD tweeters are playing from 4k and up, all at 12db slopes. it sounds magical! 

these mids don't break when used up past 2k like the rsd mids seemed to which lets you let the mids do a little more work in the mid-range and lets you cross the tweeters a bit higher. the mid-bass output is about the same, to close to tell which has more output at this point but the oem's mid-bass has more punch and sounds cleaner. and the mid-range clarity... OMG the mid-range clarity.  i wouldn't say laid back as they can punch ya in the face with the drums in certain material but they are so buttery smooth. two thumbs way up!


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> the sub is playing up to 63hz, the ID OEM'z are bandpassed from 80 - 2.5k, and the RSD tweeters are playing from 4k and up, all at 12db slopes. it sounds magical!
> 
> these mids don't break when used up past 2k like the rsd mids seemed to which lets you let the mids do a little more work in the mid-range and lets you cross the tweeters a bit higher. the mid-bass output is about the same, to close to tell which has more output at this point but the oem's mid-bass has more punch and sounds cleaner. and the mid-range clarity... OMG the mid-range clarity.  i wouldn't say laid back as they can punch ya in the face with the drums in certain material but they are so buttery smooth. two thumbs way up!


Great, thanks for the info! I will only be able to get the 880 running in the mean time - these damn OEM's are going to require some door modifications  and I have a 2 hour drive back home tomorrow for the weekend.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Great, thanks for the info! I will only be able to get the 880 running in the mean time - these damn OEM's are going to require some door modifications  and I have a 2 hour drive back home tomorrow for the weekend.


yea, they are beastly! good luck, and let me know how it turns out.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> yea, they are beastly! good luck, and let me know how it turns out.


Will do. The earliest I'll be able to touch the doors is early next week, so I'll keep an eye on your progress.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Will do. The earliest I'll be able to touch the doors is early next week, so I'll keep an eye on your progress.


are they deadened and sealed and all that already?


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> are they deadened and sealed and all that already?


Yup! I just need to make some new baffles for the OEM's. I am still a little worried about fitment - right now I have 3/4 baffles, but I will definitely need 1" baffles (at least) to fit the ID's. I have plenty of depth, but there is a window motor crossbrace that just gets in the way enough to cause me some problems, so we'll see. I may try and browse some junkyards for some extra interior door panels and attempt at making door pods.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Yup! I just need to make some new baffles for the OEM's. I am still a little worried about fitment - right now I have 3/4 baffles, but I will definitely need 1" baffles (at least) to fit the ID's. I have plenty of depth, but there is a window motor crossbrace that just gets in the way enough to cause me some problems, so we'll see. I may try and browse some junkyards for some extra interior door panels and attempt at making door pods.


i see. i was lucky enough where they should have dropped right in. but i added another 1/4" spacer because the cut out dimension on the OEM's must have been slightly bigger than the rsd's because they wouldn't sit flat on my already existing 3/4" baffle. if i peeled back the deadener that i have wrapped the mdf with they would have worked just fine, but i wrapped them in the deadener to protect them from the elements. so i just quickly cut out a 1/4" ring for each door and drilled 8 holes and i was all set. took me about an hour total.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> i see. i was lucky enough where they should have dropped right in. but i added another 1/4" spacer because the cut out dimension on the OEM's must have been slightly bigger than the rsd's because they wouldn't sit flat on my already existing 3/4" baffle. if i peeled back the deadener that i have wrapped the mdf with they would have worked just fine, but i wrapped them in the deadener to protect them from the elements. so i just quickly cut out a 1/4" ring for each door and drilled 8 holes and i was all set. took me about an hour total.


hmm, that's a good idea. I'll have to look into that. I am most worried about clearance of the interior door panel.


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## dftnz7 (Mar 2, 2008)

I knew you would like the OEMs! I am surprised you didn't notice add'l midbass though. I am still running passive, loser than I am, but I know these have substantially more midbass then either the CTX or RSD mids I ran previously. I even made a cut at 125hz today because sometimes it was actually showing up too much in certain songs. Play "The Pot" by Tool sometime...will give you a good test at 125hz to see if you have it melded right. Keep us posted what you think as they break in!


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## stef1981 (Aug 5, 2008)

Nice install


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

dftnz7 said:


> I knew you would like the OEMs! I am surprised you didn't notice add'l midbass though. I am still running passive, loser than I am, but I know these have substantially more midbass then either the CTX or RSD mids I ran previously. I even made a cut at 125hz today because sometimes it was actually showing up too much in certain songs. Play "The Pot" by Tool sometime...will give you a good test at 125hz to see if you have it melded right. Keep us posted what you think as they break in!


maybe they need more break in time.


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

hmmm thats a nifty tweet install, i like that a lot. i got the damn airbags in my pillars, prolly wouldnt be a good idea to install mine there  anyway i could put em on the dash and make them on axis with some kind of mounts u think?


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

^ I have side curtain airbags and have a midrange & tweeter in a pod attached to the pillar. You should be fine.


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

bikinpunk said:


> ^ I have side curtain airbags and have a midrange & tweeter in a pod attached to the pillar. You should be fine.


can i still remove the cover over the pillar like tcguy did u think and do a similar style install like he did? i wonder if that would be ok. i more fear the damn thing popping me in the face in case i ever got in a wreck,


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)




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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i wanted to show off some brand new pictures of the exterior of the car. she's sooo shiny and perty!


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

tC's are gay. ur car's dirty, wash it. lol jk bro. nice pix, lookin good man. keep us posted


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

matt62485 said:


> tC's are gay. ur car's dirty, wash it. lol jk bro. nice pix, lookin good man. keep us posted


oh yea, they are so gay!


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

tcguy85 said:


> oh yea, they are so gay!


we drive chicks cars... so ive heard....  my buddy who owns an srt-4 and 2 other neons told me that... i LOLd at him bc all 3 of them are salvage titles. atleast all the chicks i see driving them are pretty, or decent looking.


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

ps- let me get ur lip kit... . i like ur tails too, i just cant get away with anything like that around here anymore. pic below of how mine were when i had the anzos, had to take em off bc kept getting harrassed by cops, but they were plenty visible when i hit the brakes. got another tint ticket the other day too. how dark is ur window tint? oh ****... i just noticed ur tag... lol, u seen mine yet?

gotta love flint mica. i envy ur lip kit though.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i'll trade your wheels for my front lip. lol. your car looks damn good.

the tint is 20%. only had it on since may but haven't been harassed yet. and i have had the taillights tinted for over a year and haven't been harassed there either and i have had plenty of cop cars behind me.


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

tcguy85 said:


> i'll trade your wheels for my front lip. lol. your car looks damn good.
> 
> the tint is 20%. only had it on since may but haven't been harassed yet. and i have had the taillights tinted for over a year and haven't been harassed there either and i have had plenty of cop cars behind me.


nice on the tint, looks good. glad to hear u havent had any problems yet, hopefully itll stay that way for ya. i dont even have them wheels anymore to be honest, the ones in the pic are 17x7, stock size specs on stock tires... drag dr11's.... matched the car damn near perfect... for $300 new i couldnt beat em... look em up on ebay if u want some temp. wheels they fit on ur tires now. now i have the 18x8 rota p45f's in bronze.  thanks for the compliment. i say dont do anything else to ur car but put some wheels on it. looks damn good as it is  (well i mean ofcourse change the audio up every couple months, i know i do lol)


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## Jarick (Mar 20, 2006)

How do you like the tweets in the pillars compared to the kicks? Did they get covered up by passengers / legs down below?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Jarick said:


> How do you like the tweets in the pillars compared to the kicks? Did they get covered up by passengers / legs down below?


i liked them down in the kicks but putting them up in the pillars on-axis really raised the sound stage. i was getting a little upset at the lack in height so i decided to try them up higher.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

just swapped out the RSD tweeters for a set of the Seas neo's with the aluminum domes. 

there is no comparison. the Seas destroy the RSD's.

here is where i am at with my rta,









sounds so sweet!


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## dftnz7 (Mar 2, 2008)

looking good!


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## dftnz7 (Mar 2, 2008)

I am about ready try some new tweets myself, looking at Morel MDT-12s or 29s...


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

a few pictures of the Seas tweets mounted in my pillar pods.


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

ohhh u got the alums. i thought u got the textiles. nevertheless, nice job. how do they sound? (nvm u answered that)

edit: reading > me. wonder how the alums sound compared to the textiles. hmmm.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

matt62485 said:


> ohhh u got the alums. i thought u got the textiles. nevertheless, nice job. how do they sound? (nvm u answered that)
> 
> edit: reading > me. wonder how the alums sound compared to the textiles. hmmm.


from the way i have heard them both described on here, i'd prefer the sound of the aluminums. they also seem to be the more popular choice.


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## blong07 (Aug 16, 2008)

^ you guys should swap one of each of your tweeters and post a review of how they compare ;p

btw tcguy what are you lowered on? it looks perfect.

i need to get some good pics of mine...i'll wash tmrw and snap a few if anybody cares.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

blong07 said:


> ^ you guys should swap one of each of your tweeters and post a review of how they compare ;p
> 
> btw tcguy what are you lowered on? it looks perfect.
> 
> i need to get some good pics of mine...i'll wash tmrw and snap a few if anybody cares.


nah, i'll stick with the aluminum domes. i love the sound so far. i'm very happy with them.

i am lowered on Hotchkis springs. once they settle, the drop is perfect IMO.


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## blong07 (Aug 16, 2008)

i have hotchkis as well, had them for a yr+ and the left side still sits .5" lower than the right...and w/ just my amps in the back the rear wells are below the top of the tires.  but yours looks completely even...so, nice.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

blong07 said:


> i have hotchkis as well, had them for a yr+ and the left side still sits .5" lower than the right...and w/ just my amps in the back the rear wells are below the top of the tires.  but yours looks completely even...so, nice.


the rear on my car is just a hair lower. i'd say about 1/4" less wheel gap in the rear than the front. 

thanks for the compliment man!


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

im on h-techs, im about a .5" lower up front


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## blong07 (Aug 16, 2008)

yeah, yours looks awesome too matt  when i got mine, i wanted lower than an inch, but s-techs looked too low. hotchkis seemed like the perfect choice...but they dont take having stuff in your hatch into the equation it seems. i hate when cars look like they sag in the rear - i'd much rather be lower up front (raked i think is the term?).

oh well. gonna switch to tein basic coilovers when my struts are gone (i have 86k mi now ;p ) .


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

blong07 said:


> yeah, yours looks awesome too matt  when i got mine, i wanted lower than an inch, but s-techs looked too low. hotchkis seemed like the perfect choice...but they dont take having stuff in your hatch into the equation it seems. i hate when cars look like they sag in the rear - i'd much rather be lower up front (raked i think is the term?).
> 
> oh well. gonna switch to tein basic coilovers when my struts are gone (i have 86k mi now ;p ) .


yea i prefer the raked look to. it would be nice if the rear was a 1/4 inch higher but it's all good.


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

nah both of ur guys stances looks good. actually, mine is only about 1/4 to 1/2" upfront lower now bc of the subs. regardless, im doing a konig yellow strut swap, etc most likely.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

I GOT IT!!!

i think i found my sweet spot!

moved the crossover point on the tweeters up to 4k with a 12db slope. that cleared everything right up. 

so now the mids are playing up to 2.5k with a 12db slope and then i have a 3/4 octave under lap. sounds sooooo nice and mellow now.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

also installed the pack of Damplifier Pro that i won on here as well. installed it all except for one sheet which i plan to put on my hatch lid. 

awesome stuff, here are some pics...


























































































the car seems a bit quiter and the panels i placed it on are definitely deader. the tap test porves that. the real test will be on my way to work tomorrow.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

one more


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## blong07 (Aug 16, 2008)

yeah i dunno what ppl were hearing running the neos @ 2.5k, i ran auto eq on mine when i first got them and it put the mids and tweets @ 4k w/ like 18 db/octave. immediately moved the xover down to that since everybody else seemed to think that was best. i spent weeks struggling w/ eq cause i was positive that's where i wanted my xover point. finally took a chance and re-ran it and actually listened to it and HOLY DAMN did the tweets sound better w/ the 4k pt.

i honestly cant tell any difference between the id mids running @ 2.5 or 4 tho. like none.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

blong07 said:


> yeah i dunno what ppl were hearing running the neos @ 2.5k, i ran auto eq on mine when i first got them and it put the mids and tweets @ 4k w/ like 18 db/octave. immediately moved the xover down to that since everybody else seemed to think that was best. i spent weeks struggling w/ eq cause i was positive that's where i wanted my xover point. finally took a chance and re-ran it and actually listened to it and HOLY DAMN did the tweets sound better w/ the 4k pt.
> 
> i honestly cant tell any difference between the id mids running @ 2.5 or 4 tho. like none.


yea the seas neo's sound amazing crossed at 4k/12db. i'm only running the mids up to 2.5k though. got a decent size under lap goin on, but it sounds right to my ears.


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

tcguy85 said:


> yea the seas neo's sound amazing crossed at 4k/12db. i'm only running the mids up to 2.5k though. got a decent size under lap goin on, but it sounds right to my ears.


have u RTA to see if theres a dip in the 3k-3.5ish range? anyways, u thinki should run my tweets up @ 4k/12 as well since im running the textiles, and leave the mids at 2.5k/12? i actually put my mids back at 63/12 for the low end and it sounds a lot better, the mids actually dont seem to struggle. downloaded some sarah mclachlan and played it for some vocals.. wheweee, this system is tons better than anything ive had in the past. i wonder if the mach5s will be play similiar to ur oems

ps- do u have the ability to do 6db down per on ur xovers? i have 6, 12, 18 and 24... wondering if dropping the mids down to 6 on the 2.5k range would let the rolloff a little further in the upper end. then again, i dunno wtf im talking about. nooB here ftl


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

btw- lost any of ur christmas tree clips yet? i lost one, and broke one (well not really broke but its not reusable bc it got stuck and i yanked it out sideways and flattened all the spurs. ive got to the point now i can take my whole tC apart excluding the front seats in about 30 minutes. lol


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

matt62485 said:


> have u RTA to see if theres a dip in the 3k-3.5ish range? anyways, u thinki should run my tweets up @ 4k/12 as well since im running the textiles, and leave the mids at 2.5k/12? i actually put my mids back at 63/12 for the low end and it sounds a lot better, the mids actually dont seem to struggle. downloaded some sarah mclachlan and played it for some vocals.. wheweee, this system is tons better than anything ive had in the past. i wonder if the mach5s will be play similiar to ur oems
> 
> ps- do u have the ability to do 6db down per on ur xovers? i have 6, 12, 18 and 24... wondering if dropping the mids down to 6 on the 2.5k range would let the rolloff a little further in the upper end. then again, i dunno wtf im talking about. nooB here ftl


i have not rta'd since moving the crossover point on the tweeters. i bet there is a slight dip around 3k or so but it sounds better to my ears. think of it as an extra EQ band. you can try it and see if you like it. you should know right away if it seems like your missing something or not. to me the difference was huge and huge in a very good way. i can choose 6,12,18, or 24db slopes if i want as well. i could try a 6db slope on the mids but i like the way it sounds right now i am going to leave things a long for a little while now. but going to a 6db slope would do exactly what you're thinking it would do.



matt62485 said:


> btw- lost any of ur christmas tree clips yet? i lost one, and broke one (well not really broke but its not reusable bc it got stuck and i yanked it out sideways and flattened all the spurs. ive got to the point now i can take my whole tC apart excluding the front seats in about 30 minutes. lol


i have broken a few and need to get a few to replace broken and missing ones. it happens.


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## 03blueSI (Feb 5, 2006)

I am in the same boat. I lost one and broke one if the trees installing my amp behind the side panel


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

sweet, thanks man for the reviews, etc. gives me something to go try. w00t. but ur install is coming along good. btw. what exactly does the blue stuff/dampener do as oppossed to the alum. stuff?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

matt62485 said:


> sweet, thanks man for the reviews, etc. gives me something to go try. w00t. but ur install is coming along good. btw. what exactly does the blue stuff/dampener do as oppossed to the alum. stuff?


that blue piece is a chunk of thick closed cell foam i had laying around. i figured maybe it may help so i threw it in there.

and my install isn't "coming along" it's done. lol  unless i decide to glass the pillars or swap something out. lol


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## matt62485 (Jun 7, 2008)

tcguy85 said:


> that blue piece is a chunk of thick closed cell foam i had laying around. i figured maybe it may help so i threw it in there.
> 
> and my install isn't "coming along" it's done. lol  unless i decide to glass the pillars or swap something out. lol


closed or open cell? i thought open cell was the perferred bc it doesnt hold water, or am i gettin things ass backwards
and 

done... hahahahaha. are installs ever "done"... im sure ull have something up ur sleeve before too long. as far as being "done" cosmetically, it looks great, i wouldnt change a thing cosmetic wise.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

matt62485 said:


> closed or open cell? i thought open cell was the perferred bc it doesnt hold water, or am i gettin things ass backwards
> and
> 
> done... hahahahaha. are installs ever "done"... im sure ull have something up ur sleeve before too long. as far as being "done" cosmetically, it looks great, i wouldnt change a thing cosmetic wise.


well cosmetically the pillars don't feel done. i just might have to glass them or at least mold them a little somehow.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

*my latest progress....* just wanted to sum everything up in one post as to where i'm at with my install. nothing really new, just figured i'd sum things up so people don't have to browse the whole install log.

*the equipment being used:* 880PRS, ID OEM 6.5" mids, Seas neo aluminum tweeters, DD S4 and DD C2a amps, Dayton Ref H.O. 10(.7net, tuned to 30hz)










*actual pics*

*tweeter pillar pods:*

















*the mids:*

















*Head Unit:*









*inside the hatch*:


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

moved my tweeters again. lol

i had the spare set of already cut up kick panels so i have decided to make a set of pods for them for the kicks. i have been not so happy with my tweeters in my pillars. thats one of reasons why i never really finished them. i liked the extra stage height but i could never tame them. they always seemed to overpower the mids even though the level on them was pretty low and they were crossed pretty high.

i'm not going to jump to any conclusions quite yet, but so far just after a couple hours, the seas tweeters seem to sound much much better down in the kicks. i moved the crossover point down to 2.5k/24db as well (instead of 4k/12db), a spot i tried when in the pillars and only made things worse, now sounds great with them mounted down in the kicks.

i have them aimed somewhat (kinda roughly so far) on-axis. i slightly enlarged the holes that i already had in my kicks, stuck the pvc couplers in and quickly hot glued them at what i had guessed would be close to on-axis. the left side needs to point a bit more to the left, the right side needs to point a tiny bit more to the right and also up a bit as well. but it was pretty close for a quick guess.

i used the Auto EQ & T/A to get my T/A numbers again, and since it ran the EQ part as well i figured i'd give it yet another shot. this time i was actually pretty happy with how it set it up. i listened for a little bit, then whipped out the RTA to get a quick flat baseline tune. the upper mid-range that showed a huge dip before isn't such a big dip anymore. it leveled it off somehow.














































the teal line is the last scan i did with them in the pillars, the yellow line is the scan i just did with them in the kicks after very minimal tuning. i'm sure that from 8k on up will level out a bit once they are put perfectly on-axis.

tomorrow and over the weekend i will have them finished up. i need to aim them better first. i will make up a little MDF piece with a hole drilled in the middle to aim them with a laser pointer. 

this job will be a lot easier of a job than trying to do the pillars. a little bit of body filler and some paint and she'll be all set and looking good.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

Looks good so far, glad you're happy. Quick question though, where did you get the extra set of kick panels? Stealership, junk yard, eBay? I just bought a new car so I would rather have the extra panels to screw up on rather than the originals. 

Just curious, where did the auto-EQ make boosts and cuts? I have never been happy with the auto-EQ yet, but I have seen other that were pleased with it.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Looks good so far, glad you're happy. Quick question though, where did you get the extra set of kick panels? Stealership, junk yard, eBay? I just bought a new car so I would rather have the extra panels to screw up on rather than the originals.
> 
> Just curious, where did the auto-EQ make boosts and cuts? I have never been happy with the auto-EQ yet, but I have seen other that were pleased with it.


when i moved my tweeters up to the pillars i made a thread on a scion forum asking if anybody had a set of kick panels they wanted to sell. next day i got a message from a guy on there saying he had a set he had bought and planned to hack them up but never did. so i bought them from him for $50.

the auto EQ doesn't tell you where it boosts and cuts. i could do a scan with the rta with the auto eq on, and then off and compare the two. but this time around it got it looking flatter on the rta than i ever have. so i used it as a baseline and did a few small tweaks and got it sounding really good.

tonight when i got home from work i got them 100% on axis. centered them at the center of the drivers side headrest at ear level. sounds soooo nice! better than ever. 

to aim them i got a little creative with a laser pointer and a piece of mdf. i cut out a piece of my that would fit into the PVC fitting and then drilled a hole in the center of it and stuck the laser pointer into it. i then aimed them and took out the hot glue gun and went to town. the are rock solid! 

just need to get some body filler or something and blend them in, and then paint them up.

a pic of my homemade aiming tool









a few pics of them as of now. hopefully this weekend i'll get them lookin nice.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> the auto EQ doesn't tell you where it boosts and cuts. i could do a scan with the rta with the auto eq on, and then off and compare the two. but this time around it got it looking flatter on the rta than i ever have. so i used it as a baseline and did a few small tweaks and got it sounding really good.


Yeah, I figured you did a before and after scan with the RTA to see what changes the auto-EQ made. That's cool that it worked that well though. I'll give mine another shot once I get everything transferred over.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Yeah, I figured you did a before and after scan with the RTA to see what changes the auto-EQ made. That's cool that it worked that well though. I'll give mine another shot once I get everything transferred over.


well this was the best i could come up with, just starting from scratch (when they were in the pillars though) vs. what the auto EQ did with a few very minor tweaks. 

the teal line was before the yellow line is the new line after the auto eq. the auto EQ line is the better looking better sounding one.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

just put my pillars back to stock.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

Did you fill the holes in the pillar? It looks like you can see them through the suede (maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me).


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Did you fill the holes in the pillar? It looks like you can see them through the suede (maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me).


yea i sorta did. i didn't notice it when i was wrapping them or when i took the pictures. but yes in the pictures you can sorta see the outline of where the pods were. i guess there is a very small rise all around where the hole was.  ehhh... whatever. 

i sure wasn't gonna drive around with empty PVC in my pillars. you can just barely see the imperfection if you are looking for them. anybody that didn't know pods were there would probably never notice. i may redo them eventually to make them perfect, but they are good enough for now. lol  

next step is to finish the kick pods. they sound soooooo good BTW. sounds magical, so crisp yet so smooth.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> yea i sorta did. i didn't notice it when i was wrapping them or when i took the pictures. but yes in the pictures you can sorta see the outline of where the pods were. i guess there is a very small rise all around where the hole was.  ehhh... whatever.
> 
> i sure wasn't gonna drive around with empty PVC in my pillars. you can just barely see the imperfection if you are looking for them. anybody that didn't know pods were there would probably never notice. i may redo them eventually to make them perfect, but they are good enough for now. lol
> 
> next step is to finish the kick pods. they sound soooooo good BTW. sounds magical, so crisp yet so smooth.


Yeah, I'm sure the camera really brings out the imperfections. As long as it looks good in person, that's all that matters. 

I'm pretty excited to do a new build and start from scratch. I have been trying to research driver placement the last few days, so it is good to see your response from different locations. I am going from a small car to a mid-size SUV, so it may be quite a different ball game; I'm still not sure.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

UCF52 said:


> Yeah, I'm sure the camera really brings out the imperfections. As long as it looks good in person, that's all that matters.
> 
> I'm pretty excited to do a new build and start from scratch. I have been trying to research driver placement the last few days, so it is good to see your response from different locations. I am going from a small car to a mid-size SUV, so it may be quite a different ball game; I'm still not sure.


cool. start a build log for your progress. i'd like to see what you come up with.


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## UCF52 (Nov 20, 2007)

tcguy85 said:


> cool. start a build log for your progress. i'd like to see what you come up with.


I definitely will. I just need to sell my car as I am picking up the new ride on the 1st. And well, probably won't start any work until the old car is gone. But I am excited to do a new build.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

i just did some intense listening. sampled a lot of various material and everything sounded awesome!

the stage is wide, deep, and pretty high considering where things are mounted. sounds are dancing all over my dash and windshield. tonality also seems very realistic. sounds very smooth but with lots of authority when needed. i'm finally very happy with everything. i guess my last tuning session was pretty damn good!


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## FSUnoles (Apr 29, 2007)

awesome to confirm what i plan on doing. i have those same tweets and some seas mids for back up. but im going to use my focal k2p in the same fashion with the tweeter mounted in the kick like that. Iv heard the focals do well on axis and based on your listening it seems to work well with the tc. i also saw a girl on scionlife who won some comp actually put everything in the kick but im too lazy for that. good stuff and i caught this post on scionlife and was laughing when i saw it here. little bit different environment


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## Inferno333 (Mar 29, 2006)

What thickness of baffle did you need to use for the ID mids? What do they have for depth?


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Inferno333 said:


> What thickness of baffle did you need to use for the ID mids? What do they have for depth?


it's a 3/4" piece of mdf, then another 1/4" piece. i think i could have gotten away with the 3/4" piece but i decided to add another ring when i installed them just to be safe.

the id's have 3.125" of depth to them.


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## Inferno333 (Mar 29, 2006)

Thanks bud!

My new mids are 3.15" deep. Looks like I'll need 1" baffles.


What are each of the speakers phase? I'll be going back to active here pretty soon. The speakers will be in about the same places, except the tweeters will be mounted off axis.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Inferno333 said:


> Thanks bud!
> 
> My new mids are 3.15" deep. Looks like I'll need 1" baffles.
> 
> ...


what car is this going in?

they are both wired in phase with each other. not out of phase.

which mids and which tweeters?


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## Inferno333 (Mar 29, 2006)

2006 Scion tC. That's why I specifically asked you about the door baffles. 

So it sounded better with the drivers mid wiring in correct electrical phase?

I bought the 7" Seas type mids from the ebay auction listed in the "Hot Deals" section and i'm using DLS Nobelium tweeters.


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## tcguy85 (Oct 29, 2007)

Inferno333 said:


> 2006 Scion tC. That's why I specifically asked you about the door baffles.
> 
> So it sounded better with the drivers mid wiring in correct electrical phase?
> 
> I bought the 7" Seas type mids from the ebay auction listed in the "Hot Deals" section and i'm using DLS Nobelium tweeters.


oh is see.

yes, i have every driver in phase with each other. both tweeters are the same phase, and both mids are the same phase.

where do you plan to install the tweeters?


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## Inferno333 (Mar 29, 2006)

tcguy85 said:


> oh is see.
> 
> yes, i have every driver in phase with each other. both tweeters are the same phase, and both mids are the same phase.
> 
> where do you plan to install the tweeters?



They are going in the kicks.

They both will be mounted in the same spots on each side.


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## ReticulatingPigeonElf (Sep 22, 2010)

nice, i just got done with my own 07tc setup. got the seas neo alums, ctx65cs mids, and regular id10v3d4. plus, an alpine pdx 1.600 and a kenwood xr-4s. hu is a kenwood x794. big 3 done and doors sealed/deadened.

one question: how the heck did u manage using 3/4 baffles and also fit the door panel back on flush? the bottom inside corner on both my doors wont snap down because the baffles are in the way - they sit like 1/2 inch off...door still closes though. but really howd u do it? dang panel resonates a lot as a result of this contact, erg. thinking ill have to remake the baffles with 1/4 base + 3/4 spacer or something so the corners dont impede flush door panel placement.


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