# 2007 Honda Element Install



## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

So, I have posted a lot of information already in this thread Amp/front stage upgrade advice. This thread is to be a complete chronicle of my build. I have not finished everything as of this first post, so more will be added as I finish steps of the project.

So if you want to know the entire evolution, you should read the link above, this thread is about the plan I'm currently working on. Parts of it may change, although I do not expect much to change until this plan has been implemented and evaluated.

*Hardware Details:*

*Head-unit:* Kenwood Excelon DNX 6990HD










*Processor:* Rockford Fosgate 360.3










*Front Stage Speakers:* 

Tweeters: Alpine Type R Component Tweeters in the A pillars about eye level (Planned to run 4.5k-20k, 36db slope)









Mids: Dayton RS52-AN-8 in the A pillars directly below the tweeters (Planned to run 650-4.2k, 36db slope)









Woofers: Exodus EX-Anarchy 6.5" in sealed fiberglass enclosures in the doors(Planned to run 80-550, 36db slope)










*Rear Fill:* 

Polk db651 coaxials, these will get power off the head unit when the kid wants to watch a movie in the back and I don't want to hear it too much. Otherwise faded off. (Full Range)










*Front Stage Amplifiers:* 

Rockford Fosgate P1000X4D: Bridged to front door pod mounted Anarchy speakers. Should provide 300 
RMS each should I ever need it. Mounted under the driver’s seat. (Barely)









Alpine MRX-V70: Four channels will be running the Dayton mids and the Alpine tweeters. The sub channel will run to the Exodus Anarchy mounted in the center front sub enclosure pushing about 150 watts to it. Mounted under the passenger’s seat.










*Subs:* 

Front Sub: Exodus EX-Anarchy 6.5" (Planned to run 40-200, 36db slope)









Rear Sub: Fi Q 12", fully loaded, dual 2 ohm currently in 2.5 cubic ft 33hz ported box, eventually plan to build one designed more like my Alpine Type R box, but closer to the 2.5-3 ft^3 mark.(Planned to run 25-75hz, 24db slopes)


















*Sub Amp:* 

While the front sub will run off of the Alpine’s sub channel, the Fi will be fed from a much more powerful beast.
Rockford Fosgate T2500.1bdcp: This will initially be wired at 4 ohms on the Fi. The birth-sheet rates the amp at around 2000 watts RMS there. In all likelihood this is where it will stay until I get a bigger alternator and work out all the electrical upgrades to support a 20% loss in efficiency and 75% increase in power output (a shade over 3600RMS @ 1ohm on the birth-sheet). This is massive overkill for day to day driving, but I’m tempted to do a little playing around with SPL, so I want this to be the final amp I put in for sub duty, and 360.3 has a remote sub knob that I can use to tame it back for normal listening.


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

This post will show you some of the work that I have done already for this install. I’ve done everything, and this was my first real use of fiberglass, so all things considered I’m pleased with the progress so far.


Current Fi enclosure. This came basically free with the sub, so I’m using it for now.




















Front mounted Anarchy in the stock Element sub enclosure. I removed the port and sealed it long ago, and plan to keep running it sealed. I like the Anarchy there better than the JL 6w3v3 I had there before. One caveat was that I had to chuck it up in my lathe and turn down the OD slightly as it was a little too large to fit in the recess of the stock enclosure. I bet not many people have done that to their Anarchy’s.





























Front amp mounting locations.




















Fiberglassed door pods for Anarchy speakers. Not completely finished, they will get pulled out again and textured and painted to match the A pillars before they are “complete”.




















Fiberglassed A Pillars.






























More to come.........


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Subscribed, well just because lol.


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

Current impressions without the Fi or T2500 in the car:

Much more clarity in the midrange than when I was running a 2 way setup. Almost too much without the sub integrated into the mix. The Alpine tweeters seem ok running in their slopes. I've pulled down 6kHz and 8kHz around 4db with a high q to get rid of some sibilance, otherwise they're fine. The Dayton RS52-AN mids are monsters in the output department, but do require some taming. I don't remember off hand what all I changed, but I'm still not quite satisfied. I think I need some more time playing with their hand off to the tweeters, and EQ'ing. I'm using time alignment for everything and it really helps snap everything together. 

The Anarchy's are doing a commendable job in their two functions. The center front sub location helps midbass impact noticeably, and always helped pull the sub stage forward in the past, I expect it to continue to once I get my sub reinstalled with my new amp. The door pods are slightly undersized. The response is pretty good but I had to pull down 160Hz about 5db with a high q to tame some resonance from the slightly highish Qbox. They play well down to 80Hz, but the rolloff from the small sealed box seems steep. I may take a gamble one day and try to put an Aperiodic port on the rear of the sealed enclosure where it's inside the door skins to tame the resonance and impedance peak. 

I look forward to any comments or recommendations. I'm probably going to end up buying a DC Power 320 amp alternator in the next couple of months, as well as a second battery and probably a 58F Maxwell ultra cap. See this thread to find out why on a cap. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/general-car-audio-discussion/153384-capacitors-complete-waste-money.html


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

More pictures.... 

Stuffing the back of the car, and the rats nest in the dash. 




















2 shots of what made up the rear of the fiberglassed pod before fleecing. And some shots in primer. 





























Waterjet cut and turned on the lathe spacers for the grills. This car will be used and abused for the next 10 years so I want it all to be bulletproof. 











Waterjet cut grills. 











Back side of A pillars during glassing process. 










Primed. 











Biiiiiiiig amp.


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## win1 (Sep 27, 2008)

sub'd


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## kizz (Jun 22, 2009)

looks good so far. have you tried shallow slopes between your midrange and tweeter? might help blend them together better.

I like your implementation of the extra anarchy up front!!! I think an AP vent in the doors would help those anarchy's a lot.


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## jvctan16 (Jun 11, 2013)

sub'd. interesting build. what's that metallic roll on the dash? is it insulation foam?


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

jvctan16 said:


> sub'd. interesting build. what's that metallic roll on the dash? is it insulation foam?


It's that metallic foil covered bubble wrap type product. I believe the brand name is Reflectix. I bought a roll from Home Depot and cut covers for all my windows. Works great on hot days, and for privacy and comfort when weekend car camping with my son. I swear, on hot days my car can be cooler than ambient air temp when getting in my car for lunch time. 

Also excellent for sitting in the car tuning on a warm sunny day, allows you to keep the AC off more of the time to cut down on noise.


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## jvctan16 (Jun 11, 2013)

hankbot said:


> It's that metallic foil covered bubble wrap type product. I believe the brand name is Reflectix. I bought a roll from Home Depot and cut covers for all my windows. Works great on hot days, and for privacy and comfort when weekend car camping with my son. I swear, on hot days my car can be cooler than ambient air temp when getting in my car for lunch time.
> 
> Also excellent for sitting in the car tuning on a warm sunny day, allows you to keep the AC off more of the time to cut down on noise.



oh. from where I'm from, its used inside the ceiling. I had that idea for my build log for quite some time now. That metallic thingy + dynamat.


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

kizz said:


> looks good so far. have you tried shallow slopes between your midrange and tweeter? might help blend them together better.
> 
> I like your implementation of the extra anarchy up front!!! I think an AP vent in the doors would help those anarchy's a lot.


I'm not sure if shallower slopes are the key or if I need to run the Daytons only up to 2-3k and play around more with them to cut some of the perceived sharpness I'm hearing. I'll try 24db/octave slopes and move them around before mucking with the eq too much. 

The one concern I have about going Aperiodic in the doors is the fact that my sealed pods are larger than normally recommended with AP. I'm worried about the reduced vent size requirement in my application causing audible noise as the air moves through it. I if I do end up doing it I'll be drilling small holes and testing with my DATS tester and adding more holes and membrane material until I'm happy.


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## kizz (Jun 22, 2009)

Where in nebraska are you located? would love to hear your car.


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

kizz said:


> Where in nebraska are you located? would love to hear your car.


East side of Lincoln. Send me a PM and I'll shoot you my number and you can let me know if you're in town sometime and want to stop by. I'd like to hear your car too, always looking to listen to other systems.


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

Just checked SPL in bass to mid bass frequencies to reply to a different thread. 115db at 54Hz rising to 120db at just under 80Hz. It stays fairly flat to 150Hz where it starts to drop slightly. The Anarchy's are keeping up. 



I did some more tuning today and leveled out the response some more. I'll listen for a couple days and see how I feel about it before making more changes.


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## JVD240 (Sep 7, 2009)

Very interesting build. If you don't mind me asking... what did you prefer in the Anarchy over the 6W3V3 as far as sub duties go?


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## hankbot (Jan 6, 2013)

Higher sensitivity, lower power draw, higher xmax, matching center sub driver to doors seemed logical when people use them as subs, and it keeps the distortion and basic driver response as similar as possible between the three drivers playing upper bass and midbass frequencies. Only the first three are quantifiable, the rest is speculation. It's also nice to know I have a lot of cheap replacements (more Anarchy's) in my basement should it ever fry, so it's a good long term fit. 




JVD240 said:


> Very interesting build. If you don't mind me asking... what did you prefer in the Anarchy over the 6W3V3 as far as sub duties go?


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