# The Art of JDM Sound - G37S Sedan Show/SQ install (170+pics)



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Hey Guys, 

Just finished a pretty neat install…cosmetically, this ranks up there as prolly one of my top three most proud projects. Sound wise, it should be pretty good too 

My title for this install "The Art of JDM Audio", and you will see the reasons later on.

The car is a 2009 Infiniti G37S Sedan, a JDM themed show car. It is very cleanly and tastefully modded as you will see in the pictures below. 

Here are the goals:

1. To build a simple, elegant and classy design that typifies my install values
2. To achieve a high level of sound quality as the car will be competing next year in the SQ lanes.
3. To build a unique design that catches the eye and speaks to the JDM theme of the vehicle (more on this later)
4. To showcase PHASS products from Japan by way of Buzzman, a range not commonly seen out here and I plan to start carry them.

So…first is the car itself, I don’t know the full mod list, so don’t ask, but the owner may come on here and he can answer that part


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

So, let’s first remain in the engine bay, and the battery. I swapped out the stock unit for an optima yellow top. Being that the yellow top is about 1.25” shorter than the stock battery, I used the space and built a platform for a stinger 150 amp circuit breaker. I also wrapped the platform in CF vinyl. There is a single 0 gauge going back.










Here it the platform:










And the wiring, grease is on all the terminations, heatshrink and loomed:










Just like on older G35s, the power cable goes into the cabin via the stock rubber grommet:










Before going any further, here is the layout of the system:

Stock headunit (can't really be removed), signal for the front intercepted before the 
Bose amp, which goes into dual Zapco SLB-U simblink transmitter/line drivers (via BTL) to boost the voltage and give me sub volume control, the signal is then fed into two Zapco DSP6 units, one controls the front stage, one controls the subwoofer (I know dsp6 on just sub is a bit overloaded, but I wanted to have control over all the units and there is no dsp8 yet). From there, the signal is fed into a pair of PHASS AP75.4 4 channel amplifiers. The first sends 75 watts a piece to the midrange and tweeter, which are the new AT28EVO and the DTM25 respectively, and the second amp sends 75 watts to a PHASS MW165AL 6.5” alnico magnet midbass, and 220 watts to a SW1025 10” subwoofer. 
I am not that familiar with this stuff as of yet, so for any specifics and other questions, please ask Buzzman 

Before anything got started, I tested the stock headunit for its signal characteristics. Though from doing Ron’s Gsedan earlier this year I knew it can sound good, I wanted to be sure. So I grabbed a friend’s RTA and plugged the front channel inputs into it to test it.

Playing pink noise, here is what I found. The stock headunit does virtually nothing interms of EQing, it’s pretty flat regardless of the volume setting, meaning most of the eqing is done at the Bose amp.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

But what I did find very interesting was that while LOWERING the bass and treble on the stock headunit produced the expected effect:



















RAISING them did nothing at all prior the amp, meaning whatever the stock system does to raise the bass and treble, it does it at the Bose amp, subwoofer amp, or after that:










So that takes care of that, knowing that the stock source will function fine as a volume 
control. So here are most of the gear that will be installed into the vehicle, I only took one of each out of the box if a pair is being used


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Onto the interior. Since tuning is done by Zapco DSP, a laptop can be plugged in via a USB to provide front seat tuning of the entire car:










Instead of running an usb cable into the glovebox as I normally do, I hit a female USB jack under the driver side knee panel:



















Some build up pics of that terminal:




























Next, the Zapco subwoofer volume knob was installed into a blank plate in the driver side dash:










And a few pics of that process as well:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Moving onto the doors. The Midbass drivers were installed in the stock lower door location. The G37 features a 10” driver in the door. First a layer of foam was laid down to block road noise:










Next a pair of adapter baffles to house the new drivers was made, the reason why the new driver is set so low in the baffle, is because only that part of the stock door grille is actually open. (classic Nissan).










Then baffle is treated with truck bedliner on both sides to seal it, and a layer of sound proofing added to the backside:



















It was then mated to the stock bracket:










So here is a quick look at the Alnico midbass driver



















And here it’s mounted to the baffle. Notice that the stock wiring leading to the old speaker was retained, just added heatshrink for proper termination. You will see why I chose to reuse the stock wiring later.



















And the entire thing was then bolted back into the door:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

And the stock speaker wire clip is used to route power to the driver.










Next, the door card received a heavy dosage of sound proofing to prevent rattles and buzzing:



















The process is then repeated on the passenger side:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

So back to the reason why instead of running new wires into the door, I chose to use the stock wiring. Well, on this car, the stock Molex on the driver side had basically no free spots. I also checked the size of the stock speaker cable for the midbass, and as it turns out, it’s just as thick and heavily stranded as the stinger speaker cable I was using anyways. Not to mention 75 watts RMS is not a huge amount of power:










So I ran new speaker cable up to the kick area right before the Molex goes into the door, and hooked it up with the stock cables. Here you can see the cables for all the other drivers as well. I always make a connection point in the kicks for future change of equipment or trouble shooting needs


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Moving onto the midrange and tweeter. Both are housed in the A pillar. One thing here you will notice right away is that it’s hard to tell which is which. The AT28 midrange is prolly the smallest dome midrange I have ever seen, barely bigger interms of diameter than the tweeter, but it’s about 4 times as deep with a big ole chamber. 

Following Buzzman’s advice, and doing a little bit of listening myself, the midrange drivers (lower ones) are aimed at right infront of the opposite listener’s ear, which the tweeters, are off axis, aimed very slightly forward following the contour of the stock glass. (this was a new technique to me, but Buzz explained it to me and my own listening confirmed that it works very well). The Pillars are wrapped in a grille cloth material similar to stock wrapping, it’s a shade lighter but blend well. If I ever find exact matching material, it’s a pretty simple swap. (for some reason, this newer G sedan had a lighter shade than Ron’s G, so the painting gray grille cloth with whitish SEM doesn’t match anymore).
































































Some build up pics of the pillars. First, both midranges were aimed with a laser to verify position:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

after quite a few hours, the baffles were secured to the pillar:










Mold cloth was then pulled and resined:










And a duraglass/resin mixture was poured into the inside to make it very strong (almost solid in many parts). Hard to see in the sun but it’s the green stuff lol










Then both are sanded smooth and blended into the stock pillar



















Some sound proofing was added to the back










Now, here is the AT28 midrange, as you can see, it came in silver:










I didn’t want to have one silver and one black driver on the pillar, so masked the 
midrange carefully, prepped the surface, and painted it black:










And here is the result, matching black drivers


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

So here are the pillars wrapped in cloth, and the drivers ready to be installed:










And the drivers mounted into the pillars




























Those are then hooked up with quick disconnects, showing heatshrink on the terminals:



















So that’s it for the front stage, next comes wiring pics of bundle going to the back of the car.

On both sides, the wires run through stock clips and are ziptied in between, ensuring that the entire bundle is secured to the car at every 6 inches or so. After the rear door, the bundle then passes through a stock channel, and then goes into the trunk.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

All the red circles mark parts where its ziptied and or secured to the car:
































































Interestingly about the G37, the rear deck is no longer a big rattle trap like the G35s. I removed the stock subwoofer and laid down a layer of sound proofing:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Okay, finally, we get to the focal point of the install and why this is one of my favorite projects thus far. The Trunk.

I had three goals for the look in the trunk:

1. Stick to my principles and create a setup that is simple, elegant and pleasing to the eye. Both also one that will catch people’s attention at shows. (as this is a show car, stealth or usability of the trunk is not in the plan)
2. Being that this is a JDM themed show car, and that we are using JDM audio products that aren’t commonly available here, I want a design that really points to this unique combination. (pure JDM)
3. For the overall visual effect of the install, I had this idea for a while, and that is, to build something that is in some sense, like a Painting being displayed on the wall of a museum:










This means three things, first of course, is something that looks like art, a painting, in some sense, secondly, a frame that mimics a painting frame, and finally, the flood lighting effect commonly seen in museums and galleries.

But I wanted to do all of this with a twist, one that also adheres to the modern aesthetics of the vehicle, CF, lighting, metal..etc etc.

So here is what I came up with. Due to the tiny trunk opening, it’s really hard to get the right angle to capture it all…but I tried 

Aside from the false floor wrapped in black CF vinyl, the main thing about this is obviously the rising sun flag displayed in the center cutout. Flush mounted in the panel are the two amps, the sub, and two ports (though only one is being used Thanks DIYMA for the suggestion! ) around the edge of the baffle, there is a border of 1” wide laser cut 1/8” aluminum, formed together to look like a painting frame. And then a white suede border provides some visual spacing for the edge lit plexi attached to the main floor.

So the idea part it is to suggest a museum painting with the frame, painted piece, and lighting, but the modern part comes in with the carbon fiber "sun" and CF vinyl floor and the edge lighting around the cutout. 


I guess it’s hard to describe in words  so here are the pics


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

But my favorite view of this trunk is at night or in a dark setting. Flip a switch, and the plexi border under the main floor lights up bright white, and I have two high intensity LED flood lights built into the ceiling of the trunk that floods the trunk floor, specifically the main display baffle area, with bright white light as well. The camera really don’t capture this effect all that well 














































Very hard to see with the camera, but there are flakes in the clearcoat, so when the light hits it, it sparkles:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

For me, visually, this achieved all the goals I had set out to achieve. So I took some higher res pictures of the setup: both in total darkness and in the fading daylight outside.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Moving on to the tons of build pics of the trunk.

Here is the tap of the stock signal prior to the Bose amp and the wires lead down to the floor, secured to the vehicle’s body. The remote wire was also tapped and lead down



















On the passenger side, the wires to power the ceiling mounted flood lights were ran down the same way



















Being that it’s a pretty solid trunk, I mostly sound proofed the floor where the build will make actual contact with the metal:










Next the foundational piece of MDF was cut and test cited into trunk, pretty much everything else mounts to foundation floor:



















Next, the cutout for the subwoofer was made, and then I cut a border for it so I can mount the cutout plate back on:



















Then I made the floor piece to the enclosure, though it’s hard to see, there is a slight rabbet put into both this pieces and border piece to staple fleece to:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

So here is the fleece stapled to the floor piece:










And then it was secured to the bottom of the spare tire hump, and then fleece was pulled and stapled to the border on the foundation floor cutout:










Resin was then applied to form the bottom of the sub enclosure:










Once that was dried, 8 layer of cloth/mat went onto it to make it solid










And I put a piece of foam on the bottom to prevent it from buzzing against the sound proofing:










Next I measured the volume, this box is about 1 cubfeet, and it filled the cavity with space to spare, so I put some more in, so the bottom portion of the subbox is about 1.1 cubic feet:



















Next, the spacers that will hold up the rising sun flag “painting” was secured to the floor:










And No-rez home audio damping material was used to line the inside walls of the enclosure as Buzz suggested, the neat thing about these is that they don’t take away from the internal airspace of the box:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Then I put the cutout piece back onto the cavity (why that border was made), and made another cutout to let air pass through to the top portion of the subbox:










So here is the top portion of the subbox, about .4 cubfeet internal air space, as the specs for the subwoofer called for a 1.5 cub ft ported enclosure. Note the two cutouts for the ports.










More no-rez on the inside walls:










So this was mated and sealed to the floor portion of the subbox, a space plate for the amps is bolted in, and a speaker terminal cup for the subwoofer wiring is installed:










Termination of the speaker terminal:










Then the top of the box was covered in red vinyl so you don’t see bare wood around the speakers/ports in the finished project:










And the ports installed, here is the real port, I forgot the tuning freq, 30hz ish?










And the fake one that’s just plugged:










Next came the rising sun baffle piece. Using a picture I printed from the web, and measuring all the angles associated with the rays, I copied the pattern onto a piece of MDF:










Next, the cutouts for the amps are made:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

As well as for the sub and ports:










Next came the white suede border you saw in the finished pic:










And the laser cut aluminum painting frame I had made at a local metal shop:










This was then test fitted to the main floor/subbox section, and I also test fitted the 
edge lit plexi piece for proper alignment:










Then, it was all put back into the vehicle, secured, and a top fake floor made, this is the 
final test fitment of everything prior to wiring:










Here is the top fake floor center piece:










Wrapped in black CF vinyl:










Here is the edge lit plexi border, with holes drilled in to secure it to the fake floor:










Now the two pieces are mated together:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Next the hyper white LED strips were CA glued to the outside edge of the plexi:



















And black duct tape was pulled and stapled around the entire thing to prevent light from seeping out:










So here is the finished piece:










Quick test of the lighting to ensure it works properly:










The two side pieces were wrapped in black CF as well, care was taken so the patterns and angles match up:



















Then the rising sun flag board was sealed with resin:










And sent off to my friend William’s body shop – William’s Auto body in San Mateo, CA.
What came back a week later was just breathtaking. It exceeded my own expectations. He sealed it again, primered, sanded, masked, painted, and did a double clear coat, sanding after both coats and polishing. The thing is FLAWLESS! Perfectly smooth…you can tell by the lights bouncing off the finished product just how good it came out. He is a true artist and this is why I only recommend him for painting and repair needs here in the bay


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Next, the aluminum frame was secured to the piece via industrial epoxy. And the white suede border/spacer was nailed to it as well:



















So then, that was put into the car, and then the floor went on top, resulting in the finished product.

So here comes the wiring pics. There is a lot, so I won’t describe each. But basically, every wire is ziptied and secured to the floor every 8” or less, not a single drywall screw was used to mount anything, pan heads all around. And every termination is heatshrinked and color coded. 

The grounding point is a ground lug bolted to a part of the floor sanded down to bare metal.










And here is the ceiling mounted flood light build pics:

Here are the lights and the little CF vinyl trim plate I made for them:










Here they are secured to the roof liner:










On the top side, wires are lead out and they are also covered with foam so they don’t create any buzzing from hitting the metal:










And here is the termination of the switch that controls the lights:










Testing them to make sure they light up. These suckers are BRIGHT!










For the rest of the wiring, on the driver side, there is the simblink BTL, Pac-audio remote signal trigger, both SLB-Us, the DSP6 that controls the front stage, and barrier strips for remote, power and ground for all the accessories. On the passenger side, there is the other DSP6 for the sub only, barrier strips for the lighting and that dsp6, as well as a fused circuit breaker for all the stuff, since its located on the side, you can easily access it by taking off the passenger side fake floor and pulling the fuses.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

So here are all the wiring pics, along with the termination of the subwoofer wires:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

So that’s it…man my fingers are sore from typing all this. Sound wise, I barely had time to play with it, but from juts setting gains, time alignment and crossovers, without ANY EQ, I can tell this will be a very nice sounding car. I am surprised at how smooth and easy to listen the system is without any eqing. The stage is nice and wide and VERY high. Depths is decent as well with a nice center. Overall, once it gets some real tuning, it should be pretty nice and among the best sounding cars I have done in recent times 

Okay, time to go rest my hands a bit.

Any questions just let me know 

A big THANK YOU goes out to:

Don aka Buzzman and Phass japan

Robert and the gang at Zapco

William with William’s Autobody

Gene with A G Metal 

Kenny with Autosoundspecialists for the RTA 

And of course, the customers for letting me work on their baby.


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## Damo98 (Mar 20, 2009)

that is a very very neat install.... love it... 

how does it sound?


[edit] interesting locations for midrange and tweeter..


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

once tuned, it should be one of the best sounding cars i have done. its very natural to start with, so less tweaking is needed overall.


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## jpswanberg (Jan 14, 2009)

Awesome as always. I am interested to know how the amps/speakers (haven't heard of "Phass" before this build) sound after the final tuning. JPS


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

jpswanberg said:


> Awesome as always. I am interested to know how the amps/speakers (haven't heard of "Phass" before this build) sound after the final tuning. JPS


Phass is a high end japanese brand name...i heard it a few times in Buzzman and Jose (veloze)'s car and was pretty impressed.

but as far as the specifics, i think Don or Jose would be much better equipment to answer at this point 

Phass products PHASS | High-End Car Audio


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## Echo42987 (Dec 25, 2008)

I just love the amount of pictures you put in here. Great job!


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

this is ALOT even for me...lol...its acutally i thik the most pics i have ever taken of a single project


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## mattyjman (Aug 6, 2009)

fantastic job...one day i hope that my install abilities are up to par with you...


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## 2167 (Dec 5, 2007)

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

DOOD, stunning


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## strong*I*bumpin (Oct 3, 2005)

Adding a dummy port was a great idea,I like the look of the 2 ports as opposed to 1.Even with ur common MDF L-shaped ports more ppl should add a dummy port (if room is available),it wont take that much longer.Outstanding work as always.


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## JKashat (Nov 19, 2009)

Nice thread. Well written and great detailed pics. I love seeing tons of pics of an install. I know it can be a pain to stop during the build, but it pays off in the end. I'm sure you are very satisfied w/ yourself, and you should be. Just out of curiosity, why didn't you mount the small mid driver in the door behind the factory OEM grill in the upper part of the door, rather than have two speakers in the pillar? Was it because of the molex plug? That's the only thing I'd have done differently. The JDM Sun looks beautiful btw.


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## tinctorus (Oct 5, 2009)

Simple AMAZING!!!
Seriously man every build thread of your's that I have seen is simply inspiring and really gives me ton's of ideas as to how I want to do my current build.
If you don't mind me asking what did you charge the customer to do this entire build minus the product since he brought that in and I am not interested in changing my equipment out yet again...


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

thanks guys.

the reason why the midrange is in the A pillar versus door is for SQ, as this car is going to compete next season and higher degree is SQ is needed. havint the midrange far forward in the pillars does well interms of depths, PLD and other tonality advantages 

as far as the cost, i dont want to divulge this here in public as a rule, i provided all the gear btw, not the customer. and its a semi sponsored install to kick off my relationship with phass... so the cost i acutally charged is a LOT lower than what it would cost if this was a normal customer hehe..

if you really want to know, just PM me 

b


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## pcpete (Jan 24, 2009)

simply beautifull!! you are a master...


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## bassfromspace (Jun 28, 2016)

How did you secure the foundation piece in the trunk to the car or is it pressure fitted?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

bassfromspace said:


> How did you secure the foundation piece in the trunk to the car or is it pressure fitted?


two screws with speed clips, two little bolts.

two are upfront, two are towards the rear.

the bottom of the subbox in the spare tire well, where it meets the hump, also have four HD velcro strips to give it some more support. hmmm not sure how i didnt take pics of those lol...

pressure fit wouldnt work, if the car went over a big bump it would all fly up due to inertia


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## Matthew13 (Aug 21, 2009)

I love the trunk, the paint job for the rising sun flag is just amazing. Very clean install, the only thing I ask is why use crimp caps vs. soldering? Not trying to take away from the great work however.


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## sidneyspencer (Aug 18, 2008)

awesome gear but most importantly, amazing talent! keep it up!


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## galegorafa (Jul 22, 2009)

Great job as always Bing.... 

What RCA's cable is that?


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## buddhaV6 (Jun 14, 2009)

that is awesome...wish i had your skills :mean:


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## bafukie (Nov 23, 2007)

Phass is a well known car audio brand outside US... wonderful job too


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

Bing, first let me express my thanks, and those of Phass Japan, for giving us the opportunity to have Phass displayed as a part of your installation genius. You told me what you envisioned, but man, this is most impressive. :bowdown: I never could have imagined this kind of execution. I am usually not at a loss for words, but I don't know what more to say. The pictures tell it all. I know, based on your past work, that the pictures do not do this install justice, and I am really looking forward to seeing the final results in person, and to getting the opportunity to tune this incredibly nice vehicle.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

thanks guys...to answer some questions

1 sodering vs crimping: with installs you find people who prefer either or, i personally am a crimp person. for many reaons, sure its much much easier and faster, but also, if you look at how i make connections, i use crimp caps and ziptie. tihs combo IMO is stronger than any sodering and heatshrink you can do. becuase when you pull the two wires apart, the ziptie takes all the pressure and you dont pull in separate directions on the crimp. i also am a big believer in quick disconnects, which allows you to access and change things much easier. 

A proper crimp will pass signal just as well as a proper soder IMO and last just as long  but thats just my opinion hehe

2. the rca cable is the simblink to rca cable from zapco 

b


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## moosejuice (Oct 5, 2007)

Yet another impressive install Bing, I like the JDM theme in the truck...

B-


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## jayhawkblk (May 29, 2007)

Hey B,

Now that is a sweet install. I love the concept. Wish that sub was in a sealed enclosure so those ports were not there, But that is sweet non the less. It makes me want a G. Well it has been on my short list but this reminds me of how great these cars could be.


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## tinctorus (Oct 5, 2009)

I showed my buddy at work since he has the same car and wants to do a custom trunk setup and he was absolutely floored when I showed him your work man.
He absolutely fell in love with how you incorporated the rising sun into the design of the trunk.
I had to laugh because I just showed him the pictures and he didnt read the thread but the first words out of his mouth when he saw the trunk design was that it looks like a framed picture in a art gallery and I chuckled and then showed him how that is exactly the look you were going for so I have to definitely say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED


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## LegendJeff (Jun 28, 2009)

Bing. youre the man. Great install


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## Prozac (Oct 20, 2009)

Truly an amazing install. I love the attention to detail and ingenuity that went into it.

Prozac


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

thanks guys. marquies, you know me, i prefer sealed boxes always  but i think this sub really is much better suited to ported. similar many of the DLS subs, you put one of the DLS subs with like 8mm of xmax in a sealed enclosure and it barely does anything.

you get a new car yet?


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## DAT (Oct 8, 2006)

Wow how does the mids sound? You know with being so small in size. I would think they could not keep up with the other speakers..


also whats the cost on these babies?

I always love your installs and love all the pics you take


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

not sure why they wouldnt keep up wtih the other speakers hehe but hopefully buzzman will see this and answer it


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## DAT (Oct 8, 2006)

simplicityinsound said:


> not sure why they wouldnt keep up wtih the other speakers hehe but hopefully buzzman will see this and answer it


Maybe I'm mixed up or had too many drinks, but it looks like you have the AT-28's listed as mids but on the web site it calls them tweeters 1.5k - 20K

to me it looks like you have 2 different tweeters in each A-pillar.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

acutally, i believe the at28 should now be speced at 700-20khz, its on a 800hz 12 db hi pass...

but again, i think Don need sto answer this one hehe i will go grab him

b


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## DAT (Oct 8, 2006)

simplicityinsound said:


> acutally, i believe the at28 should now be speced at 700-20khz, its on a 800hz 12 db hi pass...
> 
> but again, i think Don need sto answer this one hehe i will go grab him
> 
> b


yeah on japan Phass site they have the AT28EVo and AT58 as tweeters that go to 700hz

Hopefully Don will come and explain and pricing on these speakers..


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## d5sc (Aug 14, 2007)

Bing, AWESOME install as always! Very clean and meticulous.

For a minute there, I thought I was looking at a Christian Hosoi board when I saw the trunk. Glad the JDM route did not include Hello Kitty .


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## Pseudonym (Apr 17, 2006)

really curious why you downsized so much on the midbass. i realize 10's abit overkill but an 8 wouldnt have been out of the question, right?


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## titansfan (Jan 27, 2009)

This is honestly the first build log that has kept my attention...amazing install and creativity!!!!


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

DAT said:


> Wow how does the mids sound? You know with being so small in size. I would think they could not keep up with the other speakers..
> 
> 
> also whats the cost on these babies?
> ...


This midrange sounds fabulous, and offers installation advantages when space is at a premium. It uses the same diaphragm as the AT58 tweeter. "Keeping up" is not a problem for a small diameter speaker using a powerful neodymium magnet and a lightweight diaphragm and capable of playing a very wide frequency spectrum.


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

DAT said:


> Maybe I'm mixed up or had too many drinks, but it looks like you have the AT-28's listed as mids but on the web site it calls them tweeters 1.5k - 20K
> 
> to me it looks like you have 2 different tweeters in each A-pillar.


There was a typo in Bing's discussion of the A-pillar build with the AT28, which he inadvertently referred to as the "midrange." The AT28 is the tweeter, it is playing the upper frequencies in this set-up, 5.2 KHz and up. The DTM 25 is the midrange, presently playing from 900 Hz - 5.2 KHz.


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## g37mobbin (Aug 15, 2009)

d5sc said:


> Bing, AWESOME install as always! Very clean and meticulous.
> 
> For a minute there, I thought I was looking at a Christian Hosoi board when I saw the trunk. Glad the JDM route did not include Hello Kitty .


lol...yeah, well i am glad you like it..felt something was missing in my trunk...esp @ shows


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## douggiestyle (Apr 29, 2008)

man that rising sun just POPS.

few Q's.. do you know if G's w/o the Bose system still have that 10' cutout? Is the factory system just a 10" and tweets by the door handles? What size? And is there any easy way to fit horns in the G?

I've been dreaming of a 10" PA driver/compression horn setup 

Again, great work. Visually one of my favorites right up there with the Corvette a while back


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## d5sc (Aug 14, 2007)

g37mobbin said:


> lol...yeah, well i am glad you like it..felt something was missing in my trunk...esp @ shows


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## lucas569 (Apr 17, 2007)

lol -^

i would have gone w/ bigger midbass if i had that option on my doors! hot install regardless...


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## jayhawkblk (May 29, 2007)

simplicityinsound said:


> thanks guys. marquies, you know me, i prefer sealed boxes always  but i think this sub really is much better suited to ported. similar many of the DLS subs, you put one of the DLS subs with like 8mm of xmax in a sealed enclosure and it barely does anything.
> 
> you get a new car yet?


No no car yet. i cant seem to make up my mind. I am considering a G, or IS 350, or Audi A4/S4. I am moving back to DC in a few months and I need something practical.

I am very interested in knowing how those 28mm midranges sound.


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## xlynoz (Jun 16, 2008)

Beautiful, simply beautiful!! I might have missed it in the thread but what is the total time you spent on the install (planning, fabrication and installation)?

Also where did you get those LEDs you are using in the trunk. I could use those for a project I have.

Keep up the great work.


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

lucas569 said:


> lol -^
> 
> i would have gone w/ bigger midbass if i had that option on my doors! hot install regardless...


Why? 1. Size does not necessarily relate to sound quality or output capabilities. 2. Speaker choice should not be based just on size, but also on the frequency range in which you intend to use the particular speaker, the speaker's electro acoustic parameters, the amplification used and the speaker's efficiency, the location in which the speaker will be mounted, how each driver will interact with each other in the bandpass range in which each is used, and the particular vehicle in which it will be mounted. I am using the same mid bass driver in my door, and it actually outperforms 8" drivers I have previously used in the ways important to my listening goals.


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

jayhawkblk said:


> . . .I am very interested in knowing how those 28mm midranges sound.


Actually, the midranges are 25 mm.  They are the DTM25, Phass' most recent speaker development. It is the driver mounted at the top in the A-pillar, firing across and parallel to the windshield. The 28 mm driver is the AT28, which is the tweeter with the alnico magnet. Now, imagine the DTM25 with an alnico magnet.  Bing can chime in on what he hears in the car. I will have a chance to hear and tune it soon. I have listened to the DTM25 in my car, and am in the process of permanently installing a pair. If I wasn't impressed with it, I wouldn't be installing it.


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## Kenny_Cox (Sep 9, 2007)

Absolutely stunning work. I am not personally a fan of the red and white, but, the quality of work is apparent as with every install you do. I am also a BIG fan of the G37, do the big brakes come as a factory option or is that an aftermarket part already made for them?


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

top notch fab work, Bing.
You did some things differently than I would have done, but the work is friggin' beautiful, man.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

thanks guys.

about hte midbass question. i myself have been, is currently, and will almost always be a 6.5" midbass person.

my issue with 8" is in most of the smaller thinner doors on toays cars, having most 8" creates an awful a lot of midbass coloration, build up in the 125 to 300hz range that really really requires toning down. i find that in many of these cases, by doing so, you sorta negate a lot of the extra gains an 8" would have over the 6.5". i amnot saying that you cant make an 8" sound great in the door, but i myself will always prefer 6.5". in some cars, like the new vettes, where you can seal the door and it makes for a HUGE cavern like enclosure, 8" work great, but for me, a door like the G would be best suited for a 6.5". 

b


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## g37mobbin (Aug 15, 2009)

Kenny_Cox said:


> Absolutely stunning work. I am not personally a fan of the red and white, but, the quality of work is apparent as with every install you do. I am also a BIG fan of the G37, do the big brakes come as a factory option or is that an aftermarket part already made for them?


they come with the factory bbk's not slotted or crossed. I went straight to a 8 piston/4 piston set up. i finding more people not liking the red/white japan flag but it goes well with my BBK's as well as my tail lights.


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## tigersharkdude (Nov 27, 2009)

best build thread ever. awesome job, on one of my favorite cars


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## Kenny_Cox (Sep 9, 2007)

g37mobbin said:


> they come with the factory bbk's not slotted or crossed. I went straight to a 8 piston/4 piston set up. i finding more people not liking the red/white japan flag but it goes well with my BBK's as well as my tail lights.


It's your car, and you have the right to do what you please with it. It's not that I don't "like it" it's that I would have preferred to do something else. I assume that the brake kits for the g35 and the g37 are the same? If not, that's awesome they got a kit to market so fast. 

This might be what I purchase after I am done with my TBSS. Maybe....


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## g37mobbin (Aug 15, 2009)

Kenny_Cox said:


> It's your car, and you have the right to do what you please with it. It's not that I don't "like it" it's that I would have preferred to do something else. I assume that the brake kits for the g35 and the g37 are the same? If not, that's awesome they got a kit to market so fast.
> 
> This might be what I purchase after I am done with my TBSS. Maybe....


Yeah, I'm just pointing out the feedback I get. For the g35 and G37 are different...so for the g35 you would need a bracket to put on the g37 akekeno brakes..sorry for the misspell


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## Kenny_Cox (Sep 9, 2007)

That's really cool though, meaning... It's awesome that big brake companies brought it to market so fast. I have a "Sports SUV" that's been out for four years and there still isn't a variety of big brake kits for it!  They look awesome behind your wheels.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Great job Bing! 

I like the Phass equipment - loved the sound in Buzz's car and Jose's truck.


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## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

Another winner! How does he do it??

I like the spotlights under the rear deck - very crafty. I'm going to do something like this as well.

One thing, if it hasn't been mentioned before: Maybe paint the midrange and tweeter grill and surrounds to match the cloth?


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## katodevin (Feb 14, 2008)

Amazing job once again. I'll be contacting you to do my pillars once I get the processing to go 3-way up front. They look phenomenal.


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## DAT (Oct 8, 2006)

Buzz Gibson?

http://phass.jp/Documents/I love phass english.pdf


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## ///Mpower (Oct 27, 2009)

Your attention to detail is incredible, wish you lived in my area for a install on my car


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

DAT said:


> Buzz Gibson?
> 
> http://phass.jp/Documents/I love phass english.pdf


Yeah, that's him (me). :blush: From about a year and a half ago. Nice to see you are reading the Phass web site so closely.  Thanks.


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## katodevin (Feb 14, 2008)

Hey bing or buzz. Can you go into a bit of detail on the strategy behind the tweet and mid aiming? I'm in the process of planning something very similar (mid and tweet in the pillars) and was interested in the tweet-windshield / mid-opposite listener setup. Thanks so much.


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## keep_hope_alive (Jan 4, 2009)

awesome wiring work. that really stood out to me. i know how much extra effort that takes. nice job.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

buzz is best suited to answer this one, his is very intimately familar with the gear and i basically followed his instructions along wtih a little of my own litsening on this one


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## inoii (Nov 20, 2009)

high quality job there


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

katodevin said:


> Hey bing or buzz. Can you go into a bit of detail on the strategy behind the tweet and mid aiming? I'm in the process of planning something very similar (mid and tweet in the pillars) and was interested in the tweet-windshield / mid-opposite listener setup. Thanks so much.


The speaker location was determined based on aesthetics and sonic goals, limitations due to the car's passenger cabin layout, and because we wanted to optimize the listening experience as much as possible for both listeners (the customer and his girlfriend both own the vehicle). The kick panels were not under consideration because the footwells are narrow and the sides of the center console are high, all of which would seriously impede dispersion. The customer wanted as "clean" looking an install as possible, and mounting the tweeters in the A-pillars themselves would have resulted in a bulge due to their depth and the location of the air bags there. So, because the midrange had the least depth of the two, we chose to mount the midrange above, and angled it parallel with the glass of the windshield, effectively firing them AWAY from the listener slightly (since the windshield is rounded). This will couple the output to the windshield surface and help get the best depth possible, and can also produce a center image with minimal time alignment in both seats. The domes have extremely wide dispersion characteristics so mounting them off axis is not a detriment, and can be beneficial in that you won't have to attenuate the output levels much since they are not firing directly at the listener. The tweeter location was chosen so that path lenghts were optimized. They were angled up a bit to minimize reflections off the dash surface and enhance image height. The direction in which they are firing was chosen so that sound stage depth and width would be enhanced by utilizing the reflections off the windshield and door windows, and so that output was directed between the listeners, and not directly at them by the speaker closest to them, thereby reinforcing the center image and reducing the need to attenuate the speakers to reduce brightness caused by a more on axis to near listener placement.


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## katodevin (Feb 14, 2008)

Thanks so much for the response. I have a couple more questions.



Buzzman said:


> The speaker location was determined based on aesthetics and sonic goals, limitations due to the car's passenger cabin layout, and because we wanted to optimize the listening experience as much as possible for both listeners (the customer and his girlfriend both own the vehicle).


Ahh, that makes sense. Would you have gone a different way if all the requirements were the same EXCEPT eliminating the need to cater to a passenger and create a driver-centric experience? 



Buzzman said:


> The direction in which they are firing was chosen so that sound stage depth and width would be enhanced by utilizing the reflections off the windshield and door windows, and so that output was directed between the listeners, and not directly at them by the speaker closest to them, thereby reinforcing the center image and reducing the need to attenuate the speakers to reduce brightness caused by a more on axis to near listener placement.


If I understand you correctly, on-axis setups reduce the "center image", and have more "brightness" when compared to setups that utilize the windshield and window glass to reflect the sound?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

well, to my experience, it varies wildly from car to car.

for me personally, and i can only speak to this regarding the gears i am more famaliar with (seas, DLS, zapco etc)...

in cars with more slanted windshields (most of the ones i have been doing), on axis to opposite listener (i generally dont do full on axis both aimed differently focused at driver becusae most of my customers dont like the look) can have some benefits in overall tonality, since you hvae to deal with less reflections etc... for off axis firing across, it seems to aid in depths and in some cases, to my ears, better center, at least easier to obtain solid center.

i think there are advantages and disadvantages of both, and it varies a lot from car to car, equipment to equipment, personal preference to personal preference. the reason why i do for the most part, off axis in most of my customres cars, is that after i show them what on axis looks like compare to off, most them want to have it appear as low key and less protrusive as possible since its the one part of the system that is most readiyl seen when the car is parked on the street. 

as far as catering to a passenger. in most cars today built with A pillar mounted mid and or tweeter, and also with time alignment, for imaging and staging wise, it becomes a one seater car. have a two seater car usually requires somethig that really minimizes PLD, namely, kicks, rebuilt dash, horns, etc. 

from my experience, the minute you go over a low threashold in time alignment to get a center for the driver, its almost impossible to get a good center for the passenger.

but i do miss the ole days before time alingment, when kicks were everything, and all the cars that imaged perfectly from either seat at the comps


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

katodevin said:


> Thanks so much for the response. I have a couple more questions.
> 
> 
> 
> Ahh, that makes sense. Would you have gone a different way if all the requirements were the same EXCEPT eliminating the need to cater to a passenger and create a driver-centric experience?


I would have mounted the midrange on the bottom and out in the corner as that alignment would offer more optimal path length differences in the critical midrange band pass. But, the customer wanted a non-obtrusive, clean install.



katodevin said:


> If I understand you correctly, on-axis setups reduce the "center image", and have more "brightness" when compared to setups that utilize the windshield and window glass to reflect the sound?


No, what I am saying is that an A-Pillar mounted speaker that is on axis with the listener results in greater energy being directed at the listener given its close proximity to listener, and given the adjacent hard surfaces, requires much more attenuation (reduction) of output from that speaker (as compared to the opposite speaker) in order to provide a pleasing tonal balance and a more focused center image.


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## scooter99 (Dec 21, 2008)

MAN THIS IS AN AWESOME JOB!!! Big props BRO!!

Ok question! When you're doing the clear level with the lights, what are you using? Is it plexi or is it lexan? How are you cutting it? I saw your subaru at the bay area meet and I love the way that looks. 

Again great job!!


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

i use plexi, i used to make a jig and cut it with my router, but i hated the smell and the debris it throws out, now adays, i pay a friend who works at a plastic store to route things for me to a jig, its a lot more expensive than me doing it myself, but i hate having to pick bits of plexi out of my hair for days after routing it


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## douggiestyle (Apr 29, 2008)

was the stock frontstage just the 10 and some larger format tweeters by the door handles?


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## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

douggiestyle said:


> was the stock frontstage just the 10 and some larger format tweeters by the door handles?


If you were quoting me, it was 10" woofers in the floorboards of a Porsche, protected by expanded metal, and the tweeters were attached to that in a coaxial setup. Imagine you're sitting in a car; look straight down at your feet. The left woofer would be behind the pedals


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

hmm just found out something interesting about hte stock bose headunit in this car.

apparently, it has a true 24 bit burr brown DAC for playing CDS...that may explain some part of why this HU is not bad as a stock unit...

but rumor is they are deleting that little gem from 2010 

b


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## eskateboarding7 (Mar 18, 2009)

About half of the pictures are not currently working....I want to see it all! Very nice build, definitely something to be proud of.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

hmm all works for me and for a friend who i asked to check out...can someone else confirm?


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

The pics on page 1 are displaying (took a long time to load on the work internet connection ), but they are all there. 

BTW - (might be a Buzz question rather than a Bing question) The link to the phass website on page 2 - is that the defunct US site that a previous dealer had or is that a current US site?


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## Buzzman (Jul 26, 2007)

bertholomey said:


> The pics on page 1 are displaying (took a long time to load on the work internet connection ), but they are all there.
> 
> BTW - (might be a Buzz question rather than a Bing question) The link to the phass website on page 2 - is that the defunct US site that a previous dealer had or is that a current US site?


That link is to the site of the previous distributor, who has gone AWOL and hasn't had anything to do with Phass for almost 2 years now. Phass Japan has not been able to reach him, so requests to remove the site have gone unheeded. I am in the process of building a new site. Here is the link to the Japanese site:

English Top


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## threepointo (Apr 17, 2009)

"And sent off to my friend William’s body shop – William’s Auto body in San Mateo, CA.
What came back a week later was just breathtaking. It exceeded my own expectations. He sealed it again, primered, sanded, masked, painted, and did a double clear coat, sanding after both coats and polishing. The thing is FLAWLESS! Perfectly smooth…you can tell by the lights bouncing off the finished product just how good it came out. He is a true artist and this is why I only recommend him for painting and repair needs here in the bay"

First off nice job!

Man what can I say about Williams autobody! he does excellent work! When I was living in socal I drove alllllll the way back to the bay just to have him work on my car! He does nice custom hoods for Z's too as you can see the hood on my Z he just finished a few weeks ago!

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3830611


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

i have seen you car at williams quite a few times  abolsutely great guy to work wtih hehe


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## nitropilot (May 6, 2010)

I have to compliment you on the AWESOME install!!! I have the same car and have been inspired to start working on my system. I haven't had that desire in more than a decade. I'm sure it won't turn out that nice, but I'm hoping to at least sound good!! I actually found this forum after finding your build log on motormusicmag.com. I was floored when I saw it.

What foam did you use on the doors? It looks easier to use than normal damping films.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

its edead V4 teklite, with its adheisve backing, its a godsend for installers


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## nitropilot (May 6, 2010)

Aww, Elemental Designs. I've been their site a lot. Thought I would have recognized it. I bought one of their 110v.2 subs for my home theater. Been debating going with the kv.2 or a Peerless xls 10 for my car.

Why did you used it on the metal door, but not the plastic door panel? Does it not work well on plastic?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

to me, it seems the foam does a lot to block noise, while the heavier sound proofing helps to prevent buzzing, at least thats my experiences, so thats how i have been doing doors for a long time as the best combo.


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## nitropilot (May 6, 2010)

oic. thanks for the tip. makes sense with the extra mass.


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## blazron22z (Jun 15, 2009)

nice car


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## lostthumb (Dec 16, 2005)

Very Nice Install!


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## nitropilot (May 6, 2010)

This car didn't retain it's ability for bluetooth hands free did it? I've been trying to figure out how to keep it if I install aftermarket gear.


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## jimmyjames16 (Dec 12, 2006)

God damn!!.. I am always blown away by your installs... exceptional work my friend!!


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## jimmyjames16 (Dec 12, 2006)

How do you get your plexi-cuts soo accurate and clean??


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## BlackFx4InTn (Apr 11, 2009)

Sorry to bump an old thread but this is such a beautiful install, excellent work! I have one question. I just bought an 08 G35s Sedan with Bose/nav and I am in the planning stages of my build. I havent taken the door cards off yet, but I know we have the 10" subs in the front doors and 1" tweeters in the sails. What size is the mid at the top of the door?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

i honestly cant remember...replacing that speaker at that location was never part of the plan  

this system is for sale, if not already sold...the car is being returned to stock...


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## BlackFx4InTn (Apr 11, 2009)

simplicityinsound said:


> i honestly cant remember...replacing that speaker at that location was never part of the plan
> 
> this system is for sale, if not already sold...the car is being returned to stock...


I'm sorry to hear that because you put so much pride and effort in it. I figure it is either a 3" or a 4" mid. It seems the answer isn't anywhere on the interweb so there only one way to find out


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## BlackFx4InTn (Apr 11, 2009)

Your pics arent showing up anymore bud... well at least, not for me. I use this build as a good reference thread. Hope they return soon!


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## south east customz (Jan 17, 2011)

Its a 3.5 I think. but u can easily fit a HAT 3 or with mods a 4. Also have for a DLS 3 way in one
I have some factory ones I just found if u want to see a pic. Let me know I'll get it tomorrow. 
I wish my site was up, I had one on there. That's why happens when u trade work for a redesign web page, it take a while


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

hmm they work fine for me? maybe a temprary glitch on my website's server?


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## BlackFx4InTn (Apr 11, 2009)

simplicityinsound said:


> hmm they work fine for me? maybe a temprary glitch on my website's server?


Yeah, they work fine now. At the time the pics were down at G35 driver as well, maybe it was just a problem with the hosting site. 

South East, I've kind of gone a new direction but will keep that in mind. I bought the Clarus C61-2. My issue there though, is I'm debating on whether I should go to the doors with the mids or the kicks for a more on axis response. I have a fuse panel on the driver side kick, but I guess I could build out from there.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

btw, i think the components (other than the dual dsp6s) in this car are for sale


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## BlackFx4InTn (Apr 11, 2009)

I'm trying to tapp into my door woofer wires like you did here, for my mids








I found the Black(+) and White (-) for the driver's side, but I CAN NOT find the Green (+) and Red (-) for the passenger side. I did see some red and green wires in the bundle in the driver's side kick panel, are these the same wires I'm looking for? And do they run under the dash to the passenger side molex? I'm running out of daylight and I have my car torn apart. Any advice?


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## Dzaazter (Apr 28, 2011)

Hey South east, I'm gonna pm you some questions if thats okay.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

BlackFx4InTn said:


> I'm trying to tapp into my door woofer wires like you did here, for my mids
> 
> 
> 
> ...


i honestly cant remember its been a while. but pull out your multimeter and test for continuity at the speaker and at the bundle. thats what i did to confirm.

b


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## BlackFx4InTn (Apr 11, 2009)

ahhh good idea...thanks!


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## luisc202 (Oct 29, 2013)

Where are the pics?


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## UNBROKEN (Sep 25, 2009)

It’s a 12 year old thread…


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