# 2014 Subaru WRX Hatch Audio Upgrade



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Ah yes, the obligatory build log. I will be attempting to present this in such a manner as to avoid confusion should anything be changed out, switched up, modified from the original idea, etc. It's no secret, that's kind of a forte of mine... to constantly change out equipment in the hope it will make it better, before even trying the stuff out!

So without further adieu... I would like to introduce everyone, to the beautiful automobile that will be receiving quite the acoustical upgrade. Our 2014 Satin White Pearl Subaru WRX Hatchback:

This is the day she was purchased at the dealer. You can see the previous love of my life right beside, the ill-fated 2010 Dodge Ram R/T - transplant recipient of numerous audio installs. May she have gone on to someone who also loves and cherishes her unique aggressive grace:



Some photoshop attemps made with an Android phone:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

And also introducing... the meat and potatoes. Morel MT22 tweeters, Morel CDM88 dome midranges, and Morel MW166 woofers:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

The idea is to mount the woofers in the stock location of the front doors, tweeters in the sail panels, and midrange in the A-pillars.

Started on molding the MT22 tweeters into the sail panels. After consulting with a huge inspirational friend, it was decided to use the larger Morel mount, and mold it as best as possible:







The smaller cup:



And the larger mount:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Post-surgery:







After filler and some rough sanding:



Some more sanding and additional filler for shaping:



Test fit the tweeter:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Here is the progress as of right now:



As you can see there is a seam and some sanding marks still showing through. Trying to make this all seamless and sand-scratch-free if possible:


----------



## theoldguy (Nov 17, 2009)

I'm working on my 2014 sport hatch right now. I have to admit, this thing is the easiest vehicle I've ever worked on. Very DIY friendly. 

front stage? Id recommend only one stage


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Starting fabricating the dash kit. Had an old one laying around from the Forester build, which should work out perfect. The Zapco DRC-SL controller I plan on using is wider than an aftermarket radio, and since this piece fills the gap around where the factory radio was, looks like it's a good fit.





You can see the DRC-SL is just a tad wider:



Cutting out to accommodate the DRC-SL faceplate:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Will be tackling these next:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

theoldguy said:


> I'm working on my 2014 sport hatch right now. I have to admit, this thing is the easiest vehicle I've ever worked on. Very DIY friendly.
> 
> front stage? Id recommend only one stage


Lol, that's true. Caught me in a poor choice of wording.

I'm actually watching your build log, getting some ideas on how to tackle that hatch.


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Bravo sir as usual, you're making strides towards achieving your goal. Hopefully since I will be in Myrtle Beach next week, I may run into several people near there to test/hear their audio builds. My new radio and amps have arrived, will text you with the updates.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Excellent news sir!!! Can't wait to see the Darkness build unfold even further.

Guess I could show a teaser shot of the proposed amplification:


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Lol it figures your showing your Zapco amps, as I will soon be listing my Mosconi amps for sale. Don't be shy, show us the goodies lol.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Oh noooo... the idea is to not backtrack with this build log as has been previously done with my others. You know me probably more than anyone else on these forums when it comes to changing my mind. 

Pretty sure those four amps are going to be used though, or at least 92% certain.


----------



## Serieus (May 27, 2011)

subbing into this one! will be looking to meet up with you soon still, life got busy but is slowly settling down


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Seeing as I will be passing by your way next week, is there any shops in SC I should hit up while I am there ?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Gosh, I don't know of any SC shops off the top of my head. If you pass through the Raleigh area, then I would recommend Jeremy's shop (sleeves). If you end up near Charlotte, then definitely Mark's shop.


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Well as usual it will depend on the wife and daughters where I end up lol.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Ah yes, the Captain and her crew always steer the ship


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Exactly, well at least while I'm gone my cousin the State trooper will be at my house doing my landscaping for me. This way I kill two birds with one stone lol.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

VERY nice sir!!! I am jealous. My Captain makes me do all the durn yardwork 

Meh. Least she lets me buy cool tools to get it done


----------



## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

Subscribed! Excited for this!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Hey I need you to be more than excited - you're one of my inspirational gurus!!!


----------



## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

I've still got that actuator with your name on it!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

After what we discussed earlier, I have a brand new idea for that actuator


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Sooo... I need a radio. Anyone have some suggestions for a good single din? So far the Kenwood KDC-X997 is leading the pack.


----------



## DLO13 (Oct 24, 2010)

chithead said:


> Sooo... I need a radio. Anyone have some suggestions for a good single din? So far the Kenwood KDC-X997 is leading the pack.


What do you want out of it?


----------



## teldzc1 (Oct 9, 2009)

I got the Alpine 149BT and its pretty good. I'd probably do the 80PRS though. I got the 149 because the 80PRS doesn't have XM, but I actually gave up on XM already so it doesn't matter anymore. Either way, the Alpine sounds pretty good and since you don't really need any DSP features it would be a good bet.


----------



## Sound Suggestions (Dec 5, 2010)

:snacks:


----------



## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

teldzc1 said:


> I got the Alpine 149BT and its pretty good. I'd probably do the 80PRS though. I got the 149 because the 80PRS doesn't have XM, but I actually gave up on XM already so it doesn't matter anymore. Either way, the Alpine sounds pretty good and since you don't really need any DSP features it would be a good bet.


XM/Sirius sucks, IMO... I get mail from them every other day - sign back up and we'll give you a discount and hugs and kisses and cookies. I just ask myself - why does a satellite signal sound worse than HD FM radio and why would I pay for that (only to hear the same exact computer-generated and record company-funded song loop on a long drive) :thumbsdown::huh::evil:

The 149, though... I loved it when I had it. Loved it and it does have basic DSP features so waabaam. Except maybe some more color options and more of that bubble wrap Alpine uses to protect the unit so that I can use it as free packaging material, but whatever.


----------



## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

chithead said:


> You can see the previous love of my life right beside, the ill-fated 2010 Dodge Ram R/T - transplant recipient of numerous audio installs. May she have gone on to someone who also loves and cherishes her unique aggressive grace.


This man is a poet. :book:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you for the suggestions!

The 80PRS, CDE-HD149BT, CZ702, and KDC-X997/X998 are about the only four I see leading the pack right now. 

Wish there was a Denon style piece with USB and Bluetooth. Oh and factory steering wheel controls compatible.


----------



## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

Meeeee toooooooo!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

It's funny to have those three requirements. I've only used Bluetooth once since having the car just to make sure it worked. USB though, it gets used every day. Only have three CD's in the car, and they are used if the thumb drive is removed to swap songs and I forget to put it back in the car. Steering wheel controls, yeah man. What a lifesaver. 

Is it so much to ask... to have frickin' sexy good looks, with frickin' Bluetooth and USB, and frickin' steering wheel controls...


----------



## rdubbs (Sep 26, 2012)

chithead said:


> It's funny to have those three requirements. I've only used Bluetooth once since having the car just to make sure it worked. USB though, it gets used every day. Only have three CD's in the car, and they are used if the thumb drive is removed to swap songs and I forget to put it back in the car. Steering wheel controls, yeah man. What a lifesaver.
> 
> Is it so much to ask... to have frickin' sexy good looks, with frickin' Bluetooth and USB, and frickin' steering wheel controls...


I think you're asking for the moon... make a headunit that will work well and not feel cheap.


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

A little off topic guys but i own a 02 bugeye rex and my ppi 3 ways should be here monday. I might be picking up a 13w6v2 tomorrow aswell. Figured Id post in the mot subaru related topic on here.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Hey no problem at all! Love some Scoobie goodness and especially one with audio upgrades!


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

chithead said:


> Hey no problem at all! Love some Scoobie goodness and especially one with audio upgrades!


Yea this is revision 3 on the wrx aka the "I dont want to use the whole trunk like I did on the legacy build because its a performance car build" haha ill have to get pics of the legacy and im hoping I can take pics of the wrx rev 2 final and rev 3 progress. Ps. theres more than just audio upgrades this is actually the so called last things to do to it.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Ironic, I'm tackling it in the other direction. Audio upgrades first, then start doing cosmetic and performance changes.

And yes! We would love to see the build logs.


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

Yea I swapped my dd kenwood out of the legacy into the wrx when I was selling it and sold all the equipment besides the boston sl comps and sx coaxles which I left in the doors wired to the factory wrx headunit. I then put a cheap sub setup in the rex to give me some low end until last xmas when I did a full energy stereo setup when I went to canada. Now I'm picking up where I left off on the legacy with the 3 way comps. Also I can tell you the best bang for your buck mods so you dont waste a dime!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Hey of course. I'm always eager to learn anything


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

Have any updates on your install though man? On the body work use 80, 120, 400, then filler primer it. Thatll take out all the scratches and use sealer primer to finish it off before you shoot your black. I've had good luck with the rustoleum auto paint at walmart.

edit: make sure you wetsand between coats of filler primer. like 400 or 800. I'd do 3 coats then two of sealer.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not much. I did pick up some glazing putty, 400 grit paper, and professional gold body filler today. Couldn't find any Duplicolor filler primer, as it was suggested to try it instead of the RustOleum I'd used already. 

Only audio updates are the head unit, decided on the Kenwood KDC-X998


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

I always dry sanded with 80 and 125 while using bondo to get my shape. Then I'd wet sand with 400 and do rustoleum filler primer coat (nice even wet coat) then wet sand with 400 then filler primer then, ws 400,Fp, ws 400 then as long as it looks up to your expect rations I'd do two coats of sealer primer and then wet sand with 400 then base coat then clear. Then wetsand with 2000 and you can use whatever to buff it out.

I've done that to varying degrees on slight body work on my car and it's been worth it to me.


----------



## Golden Ear (Oct 14, 2012)

Sub'd to see those Zapco and Morel goodies. And your handy-work of course


----------



## Serieus (May 27, 2011)

chithead said:


> Only audio updates are the head unit, decided on the Kenwood KDC-X998


what pushed you to the kenwood? i liked my old kdc-x995 and probably would've kept using it if it the faceplate didn't screw up (resetting with button presses and eventually just wouldn't turn on some days, music played though). i wish alpine still made some less ugly ones, like the cda-117


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Head unit decision was really influenced by wants/needs and the horrible aesthetics of single dins anymore. It's like they are going back to the early 90s with radio design. I imagine a single din just isn't as popular anymore due to the double din craze, but still. 

Worked on the dash kit a bit today. Still needs a bit more trimming to set the DRC-SL in further, but I'm pretty happy with the way it's turning out so far. Then will fill, sand, and paint the trim piece to a more factory appearance.



Mostly worked on the sail panels today. Sand, fill, sand, fill, sand, fill, sand... etc. 

Ugly as sin at this point, but super smooth. Just a bit more sanding to do, then will start with the filler primer, sand, spray, sand, spray, sand... etc. as suggested above:


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

Nice man! I cant wait to start my install tomorrow lol.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I can't wait either! Excited to see your integration of those PPI comps and that 13W6


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

Im just hoping the guy gets back with me on the sub. He was supposed to tonight but never replied. I was trying to figure out a back up sub to go with if this falls through.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I know where an IDMAX 15 is for a great price


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

chithead said:


> I know where an IDMAX 15 is for a great price


link me brother! lol. Ill definitely have to sell my mrx-v70 and get atleast two 4 channels then or get my old t3002 up and running and use it with the t4004. 
Also I saw some of your comments on the alumapro subs. I have a 12in alunisonic (idk the sub model) its a silver cone with a black dust cap. Would that be better than my current energy 12? Also what do you think about those rf amps vs the alpine mrx or even the new prx? the rfs are the huge grey ones that were usa made.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I'd use those Fosgates if you have them already. 

Nothing beats having good clean power


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

chithead said:


> I'd use those Fosgates if you have them already.
> 
> Nothing beats having good clean power


OK man my buddy has the t4004 but hes not using it and I can acquire that back easily although i need to replace some parts on the t3002. I believe some piece shorts out and puts out nothing but heats up vc's.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Oh dang. That sucks, hope it's an easy fix. I'm a sucker for big powerhouse amplifiers. 

Hence the four Zapcos going into this build


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

chithead said:


> Oh dang. That sucks, hope it's an easy fix. I'm a sucker for big powerhouse amplifiers.
> 
> Hence the four Zapcos going into this build


Yea I had some questions about your install. I know alot about car audio but im not an expert. I dont know all about these underground companies and such like morel and zapco. Is zapco just like crazy good sq like mcintosh? Also just to clear up youre doing a 2 way front with the subs or were those 3 ways in the first pics and you havent posted subs? 

on a side note my aunt and uncle have all their old stuff left. I have picked out the following that might be of interest in my install. I wanted to gain your advice amongst what I currently told you I have. 
(2) IDq10v2s
phoenix gold m44 and m50


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Wait what? Oh man, I'd be all over those IDQ subs and PG amps. 

You are correct on the setup, 3-way using tweeters, dome midranges, and 6.5" woofers, and still undecided on which subwoofers to use.


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

I figured out who has the idmax lol. Why not go with that? lol

Also he said the subs werent for sale when i said something.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I can't even imagine trying to fit a pair of those into a tiny hatch


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

Are you going to do a false floor? That's kinda what my plans are.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Still undecided. Wanting to retain the spare tire. Not really sure how to integrate all of it just yet.


----------



## Motown65 (Jun 29, 2012)

I'd say you have 3 chices with keeping the tire. 

1) Regular box and take it out when you need the tire
2) sub box that fits inside the spare tire rim
3) Fiberglass side enclosures. (my pick)

I swapped brembos onto mine so no spare tire any how..


----------



## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

Those tweeter pods are sure coming along great!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you sir. Very tedious, but worth it in the end I hope


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Ok it's confirmed, Crutchfield shipped this afternoon. A Kenwood Excelon KDC-X998 is headed my way!!! 

Thank you to everyone for the recommendations and help with choosing the source for music goodness 

Now on to phase two. Need to finalize subwoofer choice and where they will be mounted, in order to design an amp rack. Here is a view of the rear hatch area where the amps and subwoofers will be located:



For those wondering how much space there is, here are three of the Zapcos placed in the back, and also have a fourth:



So the secret is out!!! Planned amplification is a pair of Zapco DC1000.4, and a pair of DC1100.1 - one DC1000.4 with each channel powering the tweeters and dome midranges, the other DC1000.4 bridged to power the woofers. Then a DC1100.1 to each subwoofer.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

chithead said:


> Ok it's confirmed, Crutchfield shipped this afternoon. A Kenwood Excelon KDC-X998 is headed my way!!!
> 
> Thank you to everyone for the recommendations and help with choosing the source for music goodness
> 
> ...


Just got a zapco woody I kindy love them to.I am running two dc 200.2 and dc 500.1 and the red esb zapco components for active two way. Jbl mk ill 10 for sub. And a. Drc to. Your tweeter pods are are amazing my friend.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

chithead said:


> Ok it's confirmed, Crutchfield shipped this afternoon. A Kenwood Excelon KDC-X998 is headed my way!!!
> 
> Thank you to everyone for the recommendations and help with choosing the source for music goodness
> 
> ...


Just got a zapco woody I kindy love them to.I am running two dc 200.2 and dc 500.1 and the red esb zapco components for active two way. Jbl mk ill 10 for sub. And a. Drc to. Your tweeter pods are are amazing my friend.


----------



## Golden Ear (Oct 14, 2012)

I don't think that's enough power:laugh:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Dang, I was hoping that it's "just enough" power 



optimaprime said:


> Just got a zapco woody I kindy love them to.I am running two dc 200.2 and dc 500.1 and the red esb zapco components for active two way. Jbl mk ill 10 for sub. And a. Drc to. Your tweeter pods are are amazing my friend.


Talk about Zapco goodness! Ironic, I've thought about some JBL Gti subwoofers.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I can't believe how freaking huge and heavy it is. And only in 1 foot box. I can't wait to hear it. Might get rid of him for si BMKlv 12 . I thank I can shoe horn that 12 in to my factory 8 encloser.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Any clues to your sub of choice yet ?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not a clue with the subwoofers. Just can't decide whether to go with smaller cone area to keep the enclosures as compact as possible, or go with some monster subs, and get very creative with the enclosure to allow spare tire access.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I hear ya I wanted to keep the spare in 13 equinox Ltz I finally put the amps around the spare tire with full access to it. Maybe you can do false floor over the top of it . I remember bing doing some similar with sub box dipping in to the spare tire. Then it all was hinged and raised up to get access to spare.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

That was my original plan with the amps, to have the three lift up in the middle. But then a fourth amplifier was added, and it all just snowballed from there.

So far the debate is one on each side, facing towards each other, both facing backwards, or both facing up. Guess it depends on what size subwoofer is chosen, and how large of an enclosure is required.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I see that would be cool idea.you could make square out them and leave the middle for a sub? Might be easier said then done thou.


----------



## Serieus (May 27, 2011)

maybe some sundown sd-3 10s or 12s if they come out in a reasonable amount of time?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not a bad idea. I did look at their X-series subwoofers. Love me some low FS, big excursion woofers.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

They got me thinking about there sd8.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Those SD-8 are sweet. I took a chance on a pair of the SA-8 v1.5 subwoofers, and REALLY enjoyed them. Way underpowered, in a 1 cubic foot ported enclosure, they were wonderful.


----------



## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

Turn the amps 90 degrees and all 4 should fit... Do two on each side facing inward. Then build your enclosures on the sides. There is a ton of room behind the factory panels for air space. Then you will have everything you are after.


----------



## theoldguy (Nov 17, 2009)

TheDavel said:


> Turn the amps 90 degrees and all 4 should fit... Do two on each side facing inward. The build your enclosures on the sides. There is a ton of room behind the factory panels for air space. Then you will have everything you are after.



BOOM - mind explosion!


----------



## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

This build comes to mind... ish

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...just-simple-amp-swap-;-2009-m3-build-log.html


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not a bad idea. I'll measure and see if they will fit. The two issues I'm seeing is end to end, the Zapcos would be almost 50" long, and they vent out each side, so would have to leave some room for venting. 

I have another idea just in case, will need to measure for it also.

Oh, and might have the subwoofer choice settled upon. Will probably shock quite a few people, but hey. Isn't that what this build is all about?


----------



## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Spare....out

Fix a flat....in!

Unless that thing shreds itself apart 9x out of 10 fix a flat is gonna get you home or to the tire shop. If it shreds, you're probably gonna need a tow anyway.

and this build needs more Stroker!


----------



## theoldguy (Nov 17, 2009)

Notloudenuf said:


> Spare....out
> 
> Fix a flat....in!
> 
> ...



the spare tire well on this vehicle is very shallow.


----------



## MayLegacy (May 26, 2014)

On my 14' Legacy I am going to remove the Styrofoam storage tray and build a rack on top of the spare for my 2 amps and the Helix DSP. Just going to use a regular box built to spec so I can remove it easy if needed I think. I am just worried about heat dissipation under there. I will figure that out soon enough I guess.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Notloudenuf said:


> and this build needs more Stroker!


Now THERE's an idea... 



MayLegacy said:


> On my 14' Legacy I am going to remove the Styrofoam storage tray and build a rack on top of the spare for my 2 amps and the Helix DSP. Just going to use a regular box built to spec so I can remove it easy if needed I think. I am just worried about heat dissipation under there. I will figure that out soon enough I guess.


Did this in our 2012 Forester. Went from a Tidal Audio five channel, to a pair of JL Audio JX amps, and then their M700/5 - none of those amplifiers ever overheated or gave any trouble. I think as long as you leave enough room around the amps, everything should be fine.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Update, took some measurements this morning. Will have to get quite creative here...





Width:



Little shallower towards each wheelwell:



Height:



Spare tire measurements:


----------



## MayLegacy (May 26, 2014)

chithead said:


> Now THERE's an idea...
> 
> 
> 
> Did this in our 2012 Forester. Went from a Tidal Audio five channel, to a pair of JL Audio JX amps, and then their M700/5 - none of those amplifiers ever overheated or gave any trouble. I think as long as you leave enough room around the amps, everything should be fine.


Glad to hear that, I have an Alpine PDX-V9 and a PDX-F4 and the Helix under there. I don't believe those amps generate much heat to begin with. I will be getting under way here soon, so I have been checking out your work and a few other Subaru's around here for ideas.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Definitely! You'll like those amps and that processor. Will be a very clean setup and sound so sweet.

Can't wait to see your build log!


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Hinged false floor . Amps ar 90 degrees or have them make a square with sub in middle.just my worthless 2 cents


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not a bad idea. My original idea was a hinged false floor using lid stays rated at 105 pounds for the pair, but that was for the three amps. 

Bouncing around two ideas right now, both using a staggered stacking method, kind of like an unfolded tackle box drawer. Looking at two per side, with the middle being open, or all four up behind the rear seat.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Tackle box idea sounds cool!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Small update. My baby is at Subaru  Starting making a chattering sound last night on the way home. Ended up getting worse and worse on the way to the dealer this morning, and they aren't hopeful that it's something simple. Supposed to call me tomorrow with an update.


----------



## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

Friend of mine had that. He ended up having the engine rebuilt some sorta bushing or valve deal.


----------



## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

This unfortunate event sucks a metric f*ck-ton of bummer sauce.


----------



## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)




----------



## HardCoreDore (Apr 30, 2014)

Sorry to hear about your car. Were you at or near the limit when the noise started? I didn't notice if it was a manual tranny or not, but could you have missed a shift? A friend of mine is the sales manager at a Subie dealer. He has a '13 STI and hasn't had any problems as of yet.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Quite weird how it happened. Was at a stop sign, gave her some throttle and released the clutch. She lurched forward a bit and then started making a ticking sound, almost like an exhaust leak. Seemed to be bogging down a bit too. Wasn't even a 1/4 mile from the house fortunately. Popped the hood, checked for any noises, couldn't hear anything at all. 

Did some research last night and it seemed the throwout bearing was a common issue and could be causing this noise. 

Got up this morning, checked oil, looked for any leaks, nothing visible. Started her up, no chatter, rattle, clangs, nothing. Pushed the clutch in, put her in first, still no noises. Took her out of gear, gave a quick rev, and there it was. This awful rattling sound. Few more quick revs and clatter chatter rattle rattle. Backed up the driveway, took her down the street and came back, seemed to make the noise above 2000 rpms. 

Quick call to our Subaru dealer, they said I needed to bring it in as quickly as possible. Drove her down there, and let me tell you... this is what service is all about. They had a service tech waiting to check the car out. After about an hour, his fear is that it's a spun bearing, and will need a new short block. They set me up in a 2014 Forester as a loaner, and let me tell you. Anyone considering one of these, BUY IT. Dang this is a sweet ride. Wish they had these when we bought our 2012.


----------



## rockford33 (Jul 17, 2014)

Is it an XT? I love my 2014 XT


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not an XT, I think just a 2.5i Limited. Still though, it's awesome with all the features and perks!!!


----------



## HardCoreDore (Apr 30, 2014)

It doesn't sound like the throw out bearing to me. You wouldn't hear it in neutral if it were. 

How many miles do you have on the clock? It sounds more like an issue in the valve train to me, but the Subaru tech would no a lot more than me, obviously.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Just turned 8200 miles


----------



## HardCoreDore (Apr 30, 2014)

Just be thankful you're under warranty brother. When you find out what the issue is, you may want to demand a new short block... err "short blocks". I know very little about flat engines. 

Regardless, I'd see if they are willing to totally replace the block if it comes to it. Having a rebuilt motor right off the bat is ridiculous.


----------



## SciPunk (Jan 12, 2013)

Damn that's a blow to you, the car and the build this early on. Good thing they are taking care of it sir. I wish you the best of luck with this! 

Oh and subied err subbed


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Went by the dealer today on the way to work. New short block had arrived this morning apparently, and gasket kit is supposed to be there Monday. Showed me the oil pan, and there were definitely bearing shavings in there. They did offer some praise on getting her in to them soon as I did, or it could have been a lot worse.


----------



## rockford33 (Jul 17, 2014)

Hopefully the new short block had the word "Cosworth" on it...


----------



## HardCoreDore (Apr 30, 2014)

rockford33 said:


> Hopefully the new short block had the word "Cosworth" on it...


I think the block is the same on the Cosworth STI. I think they got all that extra power from fiddling with the heads, and turbo.


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Don't feel bad. At least it's under warranty what to worry about ?? I would ask for extended warranty on the engine ! 
My Audi is nothing like subbie... thinking everything is ok and runs good. Next thing you know if it's not an DV Valve than something else. Or coils, or other bs. ****ing cars now days. I gave up on mine and I just throw my hands up and say f it. Music will fix everything. I just turn it up till I stop lol


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

All I can say, is they have been VERY cool about everything. And yes, very glad my wife talked me into the extended warranty.


----------



## beerdrnkr (Apr 18, 2007)

I just bought a 2015 WRX so that's pretty scary to hear but i think the new WRX's have a newly designed engine from the 2014's. Looking forward to the build!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Yeah, they were telling me if it had been a 2015, completely different kind of procedure. All sorts of red tape with Subaru wanting to inspect it and diagnose and wanting that engine back to them ASAP.


----------



## bonesmcgraw (Jan 7, 2013)

Spun bearings are a very common problem with subaru's (probably other cars as well). Many things can cause it to happen. I spun a rod bearing in my 05 sti. My oil pickup tube cracked and sucked in air instead of oil and boom it was done. Same noises your car had.

Sorry you have to go through this but glad subaru is taking care of you!


----------



## bonesmcgraw (Jan 7, 2013)

Oh and try to get a list of parts they are replacing and parts they cleaned. They should replace everything that the oil touches in your engine. It is very hard and risky to try to clean all the metal shavings in a lot of the components of the engine. Oil pan, AVCS solenoids, Cam gears are common things they try to clean out but really should be replaced. I've seen way to many engines spin there rod bearings again within a few miles of start up due to one or more of these parts containing leftover pieces of the bearing from the original spun bearing(s).

Good thing is you have a warranty on the engine so if it happens again it'll be covered but I'm sure you don't want to deal with this again.

Anyways hopefully its done right the first time and you get your car back soon.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you for the warm wishes! I have good faith the guru they have working on her will take good care. After seeing the Sti disaster he had to reassemble and repair, dude is good!!!

A teaser shot of today's (hopefully) project:


----------



## DLO13 (Oct 24, 2010)

That Kenwood unit looks really nice. I really hate the way all the decks currently look, at least, i thought i did. My only complaint is how cheap that USB and aux port on the right look. But really, not as bad as i thought. (do you think it looks cheap in person?)

Will you be adding steering wheel integration as well? (not sure if you mentioned this)


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

You know, I'm actually impressed with it. I'm not going to say it doesn't look cheap, because of not being a huge fan of glossy finishes. But the build quality is superb. Both "doors" open and shut with a solid feel to them. And the knob does not wiggle or wobble when rotating, which was a big complaint of mine on the 80PRS.

Hoping to retain steering wheel controls, already have a Metra Axxess ASWC-1, and will be ordering a few harness pieces to retain the factory USB and AUX inputs in the center console as well.


----------



## DLO13 (Oct 24, 2010)

Good to know. Thanks for the info. 
I have been hesitant to swap something out for any of the new stuff because of looks and build quality. But a lot of the quality stuff doesnt offer the steering wheel integration, bluetooth, etc etc. 

maybe ill consider this.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Just a little bit more progress today. Had to sand the opening a little more, so the DRC sets back into the trim a bit. Then that left a gap at the bottom, so had to fill and build it up to get the same angle as the top. This is where I'm calling it quits tonight:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Just a little bit more progress today. Had to sand the opening a little more, so the DRC sets back into the trim a bit. Then that left a gap at the bottom, so had to fill and build it up to get the same angle as the top. This is where I'm calling it quits tonight:


----------



## MayLegacy (May 26, 2014)

Hoping to retain steering wheel controls, already have a Metra Axxess ASWC-1, and will be ordering a few harness pieces to retain the factory USB and AUX inputs in the center console as well.[/QUOTE]

I use the ASWC-1 often, it works well. I have one waiting for my Subaru as well. I haven't found an aux adapter but it is easy enough to integrate with the factory wiring. I was pretty stoked when I found Amazon.com: Axxess AXSUBUSB Subaru USB Adaptor to Retain the OE USB in Select 2011+ Subaru Vehicles w/ Aftermarket Stereos: Electronics was available though.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Exactly! So far though, AE64 is the only place to get the AUX adapter.


----------



## MayLegacy (May 26, 2014)

Hmm, I have never seen that ae64 site, I have the pin outs for the aux though so I will just roll with that. It's cool that he makes the factory back up cam interface also. I just planned on building a voltage dividing circuit or ordering one, I have found several online for about $3.50, but all I need to do is cut the camera power down to 6volts. Thanks for sharing that site


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Got my baby back today. Gosh it's good to have her home again. Turns out the number four rod bearing is what let go.

Quick update, not audio related, but still an upgrade of sorts. Swapped from the stock black plastic console lid, to the STi version:


----------



## DLO13 (Oct 24, 2010)

I got my baby back baby back baby back....
Sorry. First thing I thought of.


----------



## sirbOOm (Jan 24, 2013)

...ribs.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Nice swap dude ! I love my equinox it's black leather with double red stitching on seats doors and arm rest. Sucker for red stitching .


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

The drc is looking pimp to !


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thanks!

Hooked up the Kenwood today so I can start getting familiar with the head unit. VERY impressed with this. The sound even with stock speakers is spectacular, and the built-in sound adjustment features are wonderful. If it wasn't for already having a goal and almost everything purchased, then this build would get scaled back in a hurry. I believe this head unit, paired with a great component set running passive, and a single subwoofer, would be amazing. Anyone on the fence or hesitating about buying this, don't. It's THAT good.


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

^^^. Glad to see that you are back and running car wise. If that radio is that good, imagine how it will be when you step up to the P99 lol.


----------



## Golden Ear (Oct 14, 2012)

Glad you got 'er back! The new lid looks good, too.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Coppertone said:


> ^^^. Glad to see that you are back and running car wise. If that radio is that good, imagine how it will be when you step up to the P99 lol.


Only if someone else is coughing up the coin for it :laugh:

Thank you sir! Hope your vacation was fabulous


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

It was and I wish that I had added a couple of more days to it. That way I could have swung by and shot the breeze with you.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Yes definitely! Would have been very nice for sure. I feel confident we will be meeting up though, soon as the WRX is finished


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

I concur, and by that time my new amps and head unit will have been installed and tuned.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Some quick work this morning. Wanted to show how much more filler is being added to each sail panel to get it to the shape and aesthetics I'm trying to achieve. 





Also did some quick sanding and added the first coat of filler primer on the dash kit. Pretty stoked about how this is turning out:


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Ohhhhhh sooo jealous of that drc placement


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

After some disappoint with using just the DRC-SL on both DC1000.4 Saturday, hooked up the laptop to them yesterday. Only one amp was tunable, and output volume was incredibly low. Had to turn the head unit up to almost 26. Messed with the software today, and turns out I had to update the firmware on the DC1000.4 that wasn't being recognized, and boom! Success! Wanted to make sure I could understand and tune these beauties before going through all the trouble of installing them. Here is a quick video from my cell phone of one song I tested with. Only settings were the crossovers, EQ was flat on the amps and the head unit:


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Wow that sounds great for just being laid out like that


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you! I can't wait to get everything installed.

A few updates from today, everything filler primed, sanded, and a single coat of texture applied. Definitely excited how each of these pieces turned out:









Now that I know everything is smooth enough, will work on a few more little details, then finish them up tomorrow hopefully.


----------



## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Looking good chit! Keep on keeping on.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

How's this for a last minute realization... woke up yesterday, and it finally occurred that every amp layout I had contemplated, would not work. There is 14" of height in the rear area before getting into the factory cargo cover. If the amps are single layer, that's at least 4" high. Doesn't leave much room, even for a 10" subwoofer. But the amp rack I really wanted to use, would have been 6.5" high. Which leaves very little room, even for an 8" subwoofer. Soooo... back to the drawing board. After standing outside this morning for about two and a half hours, it finally happened. The winning idea.







Meets all the criteria. Location, cargo area, ease of installation, ventilation, and just looks sinister.


----------



## shutmdown (Aug 24, 2008)

i like that setup


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Do you think they would get enough air stacked like that? I'll be running them at 4-ohms, so not pushing each very hard.


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

I'm loving where I know this will end up being.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

With a couple prayers and a whole lot of luck, it just might happen


----------



## 82cj8 (Jan 21, 2011)

chithead said:


> Do you think they would get enough air stacked like that? I'll be running them at 4-ohms, so not pushing each very hard.


They might.Can you buy some 3/8" spacers to put between them or would that make them to tall.Big badass looking amps though.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Definitely considering spacers. Even if I have to add extra "fins" to fill in the gaps, don't want any heat issues.


----------



## ChrisB (Jul 3, 2008)

chithead said:


> Exactly! So far though, AE64 is the only place to get the AUX adapter.



I didn't send you mine? Then again, you may have used it in your wife's Forester.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I don't think so. The one in our Forester was purchased from AE64. Will have to double check the pieces you sent me and see.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I thank that looks super kick ass ! And the fans suck and vent on opsite ends I thank you'll be ok.


----------



## shutmdown (Aug 24, 2008)

chithead said:


> Do you think they would get enough air stacked like that? I'll be running them at 4-ohms, so not pushing each very hard.


i think you should be fine. they probably will get warm, but definitely not too hot touch.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

You could always space them just wee bit and use those stringer cross flow fans mounted behind them where they where not visible . I thank you be fine with out them thou.


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

^^^. Stringer cross flow fans, are those slim lined facts or something ? Just curious is all.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not a bad idea at all. Planning to leave some room on the ends, in order to get fresh air circulating through them.


----------



## REGULARCAB (Sep 26, 2013)

The stinger crossflow fans are squirrel cage fans. I have never really liked them, and they can get pretty noisy. IMHO a good ole 120mm computer case fan (or 2) trumps all.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I do have quite a few computer fans leftover from old builds. Maybe 6 of them if memory serves correctly.

Nevermind, they are the 80mm fans.


----------



## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

Hey Chit looking good. Inlikes the HU processor dash piece. I think you got the right idea for the amps amd how to keep them vented. If you have some spacing between them, it should be sufficient enough cooling but fans are good too.

Also, thanks for the recommendation.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you sir! Hoping to finally give you a demo this time


----------



## REGULARCAB (Sep 26, 2013)

80mm fans work just fine. They will just be slightly louder for the same amount of air movement, or will move less air for the same amount of noise.

Of course im NOT saying you need fans. I do sympathize with with big ole amps being an issue to fit.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

The decision to try and go with smaller amps has definitely presented itself a few times during this build, but just can't let these big beauties go. 

Thank you everyone for the support and advice 

Picked up some Cat5e cable and a pack of 6P6C connectors today. Will be building the cables to connect all four amps to the DRC-SL. Can't wait to get everything else ordered.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Coppertone said:


> ^^^. Stringer cross flow fans, are those slim lined facts or something ? Just curious is all.


When I type on my ipad stinger turns to stringer . Could just be my good ol boy typing to:laugh:


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

chithead said:


> The decision to try and go with smaller amps has definitely presented itself a few times during this build, but just can't let these big beauties go.
> 
> Thank you everyone for the support and advice
> 
> Picked up some Cat5e cable and a pack of 6P6C connectors today. Will be building the cables to connect all four amps to the DRC-SL. Can't wait to get everything else ordered.


Heck no man all of them stacked just looks so evil looking ! In good way I mean ! I really think with your ohm load nothing would be needed. I mean they cool themselves . Granted zapco wasn't thinking some one was gonna make King Kong stack out of them but then again maybe they should have thought of it ! My dc amps would look cool stacked like that but much smaller . Two dc 200.2 and 500.1


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I agree, they should have made these stackable, because it looks phenomenal. Yours would look very sinister too


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I like where your putting your controller mine will be after thought if I don't have my laptop.to tune.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Kind of wishing I had pushed the head unit and controller closer together. That gap between is probably going to be bother me eventually.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

It looks great .


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you for the kind comments and motivation


----------



## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

I'm Liking the concept of the stackable amps and I'm sure that they will work the way you want them, but not sure what your plans are for your subs and how they will be incorporated in the the trunk area.

Look forward to demoing it at the GTG.


----------



## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

I'm Liking the concept of the stackable amps and I'm sure that they will work the way you want them, but not sure what your plans are for your subs and how they will be incorporated in the the trunk area.

Look forward to demoing it at the GTG.


----------



## shutmdown (Aug 24, 2008)

chithead just a FYI the zapco I/O cables are wired slightly different from RJ-12 cables. Having a bad cable can introduce noise to the amps. I know first hand.. The first batch of cables that came with some of the amps were bad and they have since fixed it. I had [email protected] send me a couple replacements.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Uh oh. That does change things quite a bit. The guy I bought three of the Zapcos from had made his own cables out of Cat5e wire and 6P6C connectors. I didn't detect any noises in the system when testing the other day, but it wasn't in a car either. Hmmm... might need to rethink this just a bit.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I heard what was bad was the USB cable . Not the phone cable .


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

With nice shield wire wouldn't he be ok ?


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Any updates?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Nothing at the moment. Trying to narrow down some of the final details. But did finally settle on a subwoofer choice. 

Hope to have some more details here soon.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Ohhhhh what's it gonna be ?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I'll keep the subwoofers a surprise for now. Want to make sure everything goes well with the deal that has been struck to acquire them. 

But... far as the hatch area, thinking subwoofer enclosures on each side, over the wheel wells. Try to turn them towards the back just a bit. Still debating between sealed or ported. Will probably have to run sealed for space savings. Wanting to mold them into the amp rack, make it all flow to match the interior as best as possible. 

Thinking about using birch this time. Always used MDF in the past, but wanting to branch out a bit. Also wanting to display some nice wood grain in various places, with colored stain. So the birch should work best for that.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Hell yes !!! That sounds very neat


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

A teaser to see how everything looks in the dash. Still not finished with the texture or color, but at least it's sanded smooth enough FINALLY.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Damn damn that's pretty !


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

those amps run quite hot, key is leaving the side to breath, as the inlet and outlets are on the sides...that stack looks a lil scary though hehe. out of the few hundred i did, about 80 percent i had zapco do the fan mod.


----------



## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

That Kenwood and DRC looks awesome. It really finished off great. Look forward to hearing it at the Meet.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

simplicityinsound said:


> those amps run quite hot, key is leaving the side to breath, as the inlet and outlets are on the sides...that stack looks a lil scary though hehe. out of the few hundred i did, about 80 percent i had zapco do the fan mod.


Mr. Bing, could you elaborate more for me on the fan mod? Having them stacked does minimize space and looks very sinister, but it's not worth having one or more fail from heat. What would you recommend to assist in cooling them?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Black Rain said:


> That Kenwood and DRC looks awesome. It really finished off great. Look forward to hearing it at the Meet.


Thank you for the kind words! Sadly though, there won't be much worth listening to by November. Still a long way to go before the installation can begin.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I hear you loud and clear. I been going for year on mine with nothing custom built. Just work and family keep me from it.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

What's the fan mod?


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

They wont fail but can go into thermal. Fan mod is.they install up to two.additional fans in the case. If u ever saw them u would think...gosh those r tiny fans hehehe  in ur design my main concern would be for top two amps with.the heat radiating upward


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Oh yeah, I did take them apart for gut shots, and that single internal fan is very small. It has been suggested to try adding 120mm external fans to circulate air into each end, wonder if there would be a way to also help extract the heat.


----------



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Is it gonna be an enclosed rack? If so a decent push pull config aughta work to constantly cycle air.through it


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Actually just a cover for the wires to keep the nice and tidy. Leaving the heatsinks facing towards the open cargo area.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Sorry for the lack of updates my friends. It is a slow road to completion, mostly due to funding (or lack of) and time available to do anything. Hopefully those will both change next month, when I'm finally done paying for the subwoofers. A very gracious seller agreed to let me make payments on something that never in a million years would I have thought would be a possible candidate. And not just one, but a pair. Had finally decided to go with the original plan from the very beginning, and get a pair of Morel Ultimo SC 12" subwoofers. As Claydo has stated numerous times, a single DC1100.1 would have been just perfect, and still be very enjoyable. But... there will now be the big daddy Ultimo 12" subwoofers going into the mix. Hoping they will provide the compromise between the natural sound of the Ultimo SC I love so much, but also step up the output like the 12W7 did. 

Oh, had a brainstorm recently. Found out these 3" trap cleaner adapters fit the CDM88 midranges very well. Should make for a great start when it comes A-pillar modification time:









Stay tuned, next up is A-pillar surgery, and start on the amp rack/enclosures!


----------



## Golden Ear (Oct 14, 2012)

Congrats on scoring your sub of choice! I'm looking forward to seeing your a-pillar surgery.

That part if the 3" clean-out adaptor should be the same size as 3" ABS pipe. If you don't need the threaded part you might be able to just use a couple pieces of pipe.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Definitely don't need the threads. I went in there looking for a match to the 3" cap already in use from aiming tests. But they of course stopped carrying those. A quick browse down the aisle located these, and the material thickness coupled with that "lip" is exactly what I've been searching for.


----------



## REGULARCAB (Sep 26, 2013)

chithead said:


> Oh yeah, I did take them apart for gut shots, and that single internal fan is very small. It has been suggested to try adding 120mm external fans to circulate air into each end, wonder if there would be a way to also help extract the heat.


The zapcos have vents on each side correct? You could make a shroud that covers all 4 openings on one side and stick a fan in it blowing out. Hell you could make it out of some thin aluminum flashing and spray it black. Wouldn't have to look bad if you got the bends nice and clean.

In an amp like that are we mainly worried about internals heating up or is it the chips that are attached to the heatsinks that we worry about? If its mainly the heatsinks, just one fan out in the open blowing across all that metal could make a world of difference.

That drc with the Kenwood deck is pretty sexy btw.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you! I'm hoping to get started on the amp rack this weekend, and find out how much clearance there is on each side for additional cooling. 

Will definitely have to look into your idea and see what can be incorporated.

Thank you about the dash pieces! Wasn't sure they would work together, but after a few weeks, I'm definitely digging how they look!


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

simplicityinsound said:


> They wont fail but can go into thermal. Fan mod is.they install up to two.additional fans in the case. If u ever saw them u would think...gosh those r tiny fans hehehe  in ur design my main concern would be for top two amps with.the heat radiating upward


You are right there,they are small I changed one out in my dc500 as it had high pitched noise coming from it. Small and pricey .


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

chithead said:


> Thank you! I'm hoping to get started on the amp rack this weekend, and find out how much clearance there is on each side for additional cooling.
> 
> Will definitely have to look into your idea and see what can be incorporated.
> 
> Thank you about the dash pieces! Wasn't sure they would work together, but after a few weeks, I'm definitely digging how they look!


I like your tweeter cup idea that be cool !


----------



## shutmdown (Aug 24, 2008)

sorry I didn't surf through all the pages, but I'm assuming 
2-12" Morel Ultimos (Hopefully 2 ohms) and your pairing them to 2-DC1100.1s? Is that assumption correct?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

optimaprime said:


> I like your tweeter cup idea that be cool !


Thank you! I like that there is enough material there to keep the pods very dense.



shutmdown said:


> sorry I didn't surf through all the pages, but I'm assuming
> 2-12" Morel Ultimos (Hopefully 2 ohms) and your pairing them to 2-DC1100.1s? Is that assumption correct?


Yes sir, a DC1100.1 for each Ultimo, but at 4-ohms per. The tweeters and midrange will be run on four separate channels, then will be bridging to power both woofers.


----------



## Golden Ear (Oct 14, 2012)

chithead said:


> Definitely don't need the threads. I went in there looking for a match to the 3" cap already in use from aiming tests. But they of course stopped carrying those. A quick browse down the aisle located these, and the material thickness coupled with that "lip" is exactly what I've been searching for.


Gotcha. Those do look like they fit like a glove.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Made some small progress today. 

Ever work diligently on something, put hours and hours of design and labor, only to find out that there was one or two miscalculations, and it doesn't quite fit?

Well... It finally occurred this afternoon I've never tried those tweeter pods to make sure they clear everything. And, success! Looks like they fit quite well actually:





Still need to get some SEM Texture paint, and then add some foam weatherstripping around the edge to seal against the metal.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Next up was to start on cutting out the floor for the amp rack and enclosures, and at least start on the amplifier mounting. Again, ever have this genius idea in your head, and then it doesn't quite fit? Here is an idea of what I hoped would work:



After measuring, and measuring, and measuring, it did finally occur that with 6.5" of subwoofer enclosure depth between the child safety belt and wheelwells, and subwoofers with 5.76" of mounting depth, there's going to be an issue. So, this stage of the build will just have to be on hold until I have the subwoofers and can accurately place them.

Moving on! Started on the midrange pods:



Turns out spare screws from a busted computer project work perfectly for mounting the mids into each piece:







Still need to get them precisely aimed, and then start cutting to match the shape of the A-pillars. Got a trick idea on how these will be finished.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

And with a few spare minutes before having to stop for the night, why not start on the Zapco control cables for linking each amp to the DRC:





And that's where we are at for now.

Oh, check this out. What a joke on some of the factory wiring. Ground cable from the engine block to the firewall:



Ground strap from the block to the chassis:



And from the battery to fenderwell:



Definitely will be upgrading these to much larger cables.

Wait until you see what I have in mind for this:


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

I for one and happy that you are forging ahead. If you need anything that I have, you know to text me for it.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Me to this one build that spurns me on to keep going when I have time! The amps stacked is so bad ass!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Oh! Had a brainstorm this morning. Since I prefer a "flush" look to the subwoofers, might be able to move them a bit further back towards the hatch, and closer to the corners. There may be plenty of room behind the wheelwells for the subwoofer motor structure there, so this might just work after all!

And had another interesting idea. Something I've asked some people about, and never really got a good vibe on. But... it might just work. If nothing else, would help with fiberglass, or stacking layers to contour around each wheelwell and follow the curves of the hatch corners. Stay tuned, as this will definitely be hit or bust.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Well, had a minor modification to the WRX today. An elderly gentleman decided my headlight must not have enough venting, and his truck was the perfect tool to fix it  

Didn't think it was that much damage, but upon further inspection, it's hood, fender, grille, headlight, bumper, and radiator support. That's just what was quickly visible with the hood popped. :facepalm:


----------



## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

poop


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Oh man sorry , now get some after market goodies in its place !&#55357;&#56832;&#55357;&#56842;&#55357;&#56834;


----------



## juiceweazel (Jul 28, 2014)

That sucks! Personally I like the factory look of these cars. Clean and aggressive!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Some more goodies, SHD20 distribution block to help with an idea I have brewing, and the required fusing for the main distribution block near the amps:



Black connectors for the Zapco communication cables, and picked up some more R/C connectors. HXT 3.5mm and 4mm bullet connectors, should work very well for the 16ga and 12ga speaker wiring:


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I love audio goodies ! Or since it's Halloween audio treats !


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Oooof... my baby girl is in the shop today. Rocking a Chrysler 200 in the meantime. First thing I thought was dang, this would be a great platform for audio. Sail panels are quite large and plenty of mounting depth for tweeters. Dash locations look great for a 3" mid, possibly 4" with just a bit of modification. And the stock door mount locations are very far forward, slightly under the dash. 

And then I got to drive it... wowzers. Definitely not a WRX.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

That blows man hope you get the car back soon.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Meh. It won't be so bad. At least she's in good care. 

Gives me some time to work on other details for the install. Can finish up the dash piece and sail panels.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

That's funny, because looking at the system diagram in your signature makes me want to upgrade my midbass


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Yay! Finally got my baby back. Ooooohhhhhhh it's so good to have her again. 

Time to get cracking on this sweet idea that came to me last Sunday. Trying to figure out all the little details and how to implement it all (wire routing, subwoofer enclosure construction, amp rack tiers, and still retain spare tire access).


----------



## plcrides (Mar 21, 2014)

glad you got your baby back,if you love yours as much as i love mine i would be sick.enjoying the build,i can't wait to see how your going to do your a/pillars hehe I've been watching and waiting.im wanting to do 3 incher's some how,nothing too big.
peace.


----------



## SO20thCentury (Sep 18, 2014)

Seeing as how nice the sails & HU/ DRC panel came out I have a good feeling the amp rack will be slick. If you can just keep your car outta trouble...


----------



## shutmdown (Aug 24, 2008)

updates?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Guess you could say I have two updates... They arrived today


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

That's some decent subage right there!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thought I would post up some more pictures of the subwoofers:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Ordered some more goodies this past week:



All that is left to collect now is the power/ground wires (Stinger Pro 1/0), all the dampening materials (Stinger RKCP12 Carpet Padding, RKO12 Overkill Foam Damping, RKX36B or RKST36B Damping), and the battery (looking at the Stinger SPP1200). 

Still debating on that Regular Roadkill Damping versus the Stealth. Weight savings of 25% with the Stealth, but 3 mil aluminum thickness versus 6 mil on the Regular. Seems like that extra .15 pound per square foot would be worth having for the damping qualities. But I do plan on two or three boxes of the Damping... so that could be 11-16 pounds of weight savings. And Stealthy black coating too.



Had an awesome idea on how to integrate all the wiring with the terminals and factory wires, and well yeah. As usual, didn't measure to see if it would fit. So here's the engine bay of a WRX. 










Anyone have an idea on where to put the distribution blocks and circuit breakers? Thinking that spot in front of the battery, right behind the driver's side headlight and washer fluid fill neck. 

The plan is to use dual 1/0 from each terminal. The ground will be simple, dual 1/0 to the one distribution block, then four 4ga outputs to various points under the hood.

Positive cables were a bit trickier to figure out. Wanted to have dual 1/0 available to power the amplifiers, as the distribution block for them is also dual 1/0 inputs, with four 4ga outputs, one for each amplifier. Battery terminals are only dual 1/0 outputs, sooo how to add the factory wiring? That's where the smaller distribution blocks come in. Can add one to each positive cable near the battery, allowing the factory wiring to attach on one of them, and then can add an additional alternator wire to the other. Circuit breakers will be after these, in order to offer protection to the audio system, while still allowing the car to run and drive. 

That's the theory anyways.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Why not on top of that plastic lid behind the battery? Seems like you would room for it all. If it would clear the hood.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

That was the original plan, but a good friend and adviser suggested those distribution blocks may be susceptible to corrosion. The big plan is to build a weather resistant enclosure to fit those pieces and offer a little bit of protection.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Clear plexi box with holes cut in it with grommets on top of that box? I assuming that's a fuse box.


----------



## shutmdown (Aug 24, 2008)

chithead said:


> That was the original plan, but a good friend and adviser suggested those distribution blocks may be susceptible to corrosion. The big plan is to build a weather resistant enclosure to fit those pieces and offer a little bit of protection.


One of the reasons why I ended up going with a regular fused block.


----------



## plcrides (Mar 21, 2014)

i can't wait to see how you do your a pillars and where you aim them.im about to do mine next month now that i have the 3 inch mid's sitting here.hope you post lots of pictures.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I'm still pretty torn on that part. Not sure whether to do pods that attach to the pillars, or mold and try to match the interior color and texture. So many options, but none that I like a hundred percent so far.


----------



## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

I say mold them. The best part is that you can always wrap them to match which ever color scheme in your car and if you change concepts its easy to rewrap.


----------



## Huckleberry Sound (Jan 17, 2009)

Keep up the great work.


----------



## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

Hey no kidding. Contact Bing at Simplicity in Sound. Check his battery retainer mods where he welds a spot for fuse holders. Might be able to fab one for you. So your positive fuse is right on the battery. I'd love one myself actually.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Well. Took some measurements today. Hoping to get some thought, opinions, or advice to help me figure all this out. I'm just hitting a wall, and don't want to lose motivation again.

Here is what I'm hoping to achieve (pay no attention to the child safety belt tether, we're using the shoulder strap now for Connor's car seat, so the entire hatch area is open for use). Amps stacked in the center behind the rear seats, subwoofers in side enclosures.

The depth at the edge of the amp stack is 31" front to back. Width is 42" between the wheel wells. That leaves 8.5" on each side of the amp stack between them and the wheel wells. The amps do have vents on the ends, inlets, and outlets. If the edge of the top amp touches the back seat, that means they take up 9.5" of space into the cargo area. I have 14" to work with, and still be able to lift the spare tire out at an angle. That would leave a gap between the top amp and the seats of 1.5" - all the wire connections would be hidden between the seats and the amp, so this needs to be taken into consideration when constructing the amp rack. 

The height is 14" from the floor to the bottom of the cargo cover. Back towards the hatch, the height is 15.5" that can still hide under the cover. With a width of 7" from the wheelwell to the face of the enclosure, that leaves plenty of room to still remove the spare tire. Plus leaves a 1.5" gap on each side for the amps to gather air. If you look towards the hatch though, the opening is wider than what the enclosures would be, so they will have to curve at the ends to line up with the trim panels. It's almost a 5" reduction too. The 24" measurement is from the back seat to the very edge of those "pockets" right where they start to curve in towards the hatch. Looks like there is plenty of room to squeeze the subs into those pockets, the problem is that curve. Unless someone recommends that the subs actually angle towards the hatch. Then that might solve some of the problem. On another note, I know sealed vs. ported has been bounced around quite a bit. These subwoofers prefer at least 1.35 cu.ft. sealed, and 2.25 ported. Just a rough guesstimate, these enclosures would be about 1.65 cubes. And that's using 1/2" thick material. Might could remove those foam trays underneath, and glass those areas to gain the extra volume required for ported. The jack handle that mounts to one foam tray, could easily be attached to the bottom of the spare tire access that would have to be built. So there is that possibility.


----------



## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

I say just go sealed. It will sound clean with your open cabin.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Amps and head unit are up for sale if anyone is interested. Still have the pair of DC1100.1 mono channels, and the Kenwood KDC-X998 available.


----------



## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

Now your getting rid of the amps and HU? Whats the new plan for the Subi?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Stepping down to some smaller amplifiers, and moving up to a double din head unit with an external processor.

Unless a steal on a P99RS comes along


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Well, anyone that had suspicion the car is cursed, more fuel for the fire.

Caught me a "gator" on the way to work today. Nice little split in the front spoiler now


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Oh no, just as we were getting the final plans locked in gear/ install wise.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Meh, it happens. Definitely not going to worry about it. More damage is bound to happen with the drive I have for work every day. Probably just try an adhesive and paint to match, and then try to get a lip to help with further incidents.

Maybe one like this:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Well, I'm sure it's no surprise. But plans have changed again. 

Still going with the Morel MT22 tweeters in the sail panels, and still planning to use the Morel CDM88 dome midranges in the A-pillars once I can figure out a way to integrate them with a factory look and style. Will be using the Morel MW166-4 woofers in the front doors with adapters I've found on eBay. Used them in the Forester, and couldn't be happier with the way they fit and functioned, plus nothing to modify or fabricate.

After quite a bit of debating, decided to ditch the monster quad amplifier setup and go with something a bit smaller. Space constraints, required electrical system upgrades, and the fact my son wanted a "radio like Mommy's" helped push this change. Upon researching quite a few replacement possibilities, a Helix P Six DSP and Helix SPXL 1000 amplifier were chosen. This will provide the seven channels of amplification required, plus offer all the tuning capabilities I could ask for.

The Helix P Six DSP will be under the passenger seat. The SPXL 1000 will be mounted on the rear of the subwoofer enclosure. Putting it inside of a large "pocket" will allow plenty of airflow, and I plan on installing black mesh on the sides for ventilation. The enclosure face will be recessed a tad for a little extra detail. Will be rebuilding the floor so that the center section lifts on a hinge to access the spare tire, as the enclosure will only be about 14 inches deep, leaving plenty of space to get the spare out. Being 33 inches wide also leaves space on each side, so some cargo room is retained. 

Looking at a Kenwood DDX5901HD for head unit choice. Leaning towards it because of price, multimedia functions to keep my son and wife happy, and ability to use the iDatalink Maestro RR for viewing vital information regarding the car (and clear codes), since I plan on adding some performance upgrades in two years.

This is pretty much the best I could come up with, filling all "family car" criteria, and still being focused on SQ. 

Here is a picture of the enclosure idea, not drawn to scale though:


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Kool beans as I will be following this as sending my support as much as I can sir.


----------



## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Coppertone said:


> Kool beans as I will be following this as sending my support as much as I can sir.


^This from me as well.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

There is a 5902 out now. I'd look at that instead of the 5901 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Looked at the DDX5902. After reading all the horror stories regarding Kenwood's slow interface, and some quality control problems, didn't really want to invest a ton of money into them. Thought maybe getting the older DDX5901HD would be a way to save some money and check their reliability before investing in one of the higher model numbers. 

Plus I have another install that the DDX5901HD would go towards later


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

chithead said:


> Looked at the DDX5902. After reading all the horror stories regarding Kenwood's slow interface, and some quality control problems, didn't really want to invest a ton of money into them. Thought maybe getting the older DDX5901HD would be a way to save some money and check their reliability before investing in one of the higher model numbers.
> 
> Plus I have another install that the DDX5901HD would go towards later


Hot damn ****s a moving epper:epper:epper::fireman::fireman:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thought I would share just a bit of the subwoofer enclosure. The idea is one I've had for quite some time, and finally had the nerve to try it. Very glad to have done it, but am learning a lot of dos and don'ts here. Figured it would be ok to let everyone in on the big secret. 

One of the materials I've always had an affection for, is wood. Background story, dad brought me up as almost every Saturday, we were either out working on one of the cars, or building something for the house. Ranged from anything to decks, cabinets, gun cabinet, tables, bed frames, just depended on whatever he saw in that month's Woodworking magazine. But, something we were never good at, is finishing. Usually the pieces ended up either painted, or just this terrible orangish brown color from trying to stain them. The few subwoofer enclosures I've seen in cars with a natural wood finish happen to have that same rusty color on them. 

Well, since we are into this hobby to appreciate music, one of the instruments that is quite often enjoyed, an electric guitar. People spend so much time and money on a guitar with a custom finish, with absolutely stunning wood grain patterns, in the most beautiful colors. So why on earth do we have to look at ugly brown furniture all the time? Wood is one of many materials that just has a natural beauty to it, so why not incorporate it more into our daily lives? I would love to see it, and really have a fondness for colors, soooo without further adieu, presenting... the subwoofer enclosure starting point:



The above color is what they call, "Cherry Red". A bit too wine colored for my taste, so tried another color called, "Scarlet" - ding ding ding! Winner!



Starting the poly process:





Almost had it flawless, and realized, there's something missing. Oh yeah! Duh...



Modified an old router jig we had built years ago to get the correct cutout, and some tape to help protect the finish:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

So after a few measurements, we have a flush edge, and a perfect cutout!!!



Roll that beautiful flush fit footage:



Used a 3/4" spade bit and epoxy to fit the barbless tee nuts:



And what do we have here:



That's right, pure sekz:



But... you can tell, there's a problem. Look at the edge around the subwoofer:



Rookie mistake. Not sure whether the heat from the router process caused the poly to "lift", or if it just peeled away from the cutting, but it got some major fubar going on. Tried lightly sanding the bubbles, then tried dabbing a bit more poly around the inner edge, and then sanded about a 1/2" circle all the way around and applied more stain to fix. But, couldn't get the color to match. Sunuva!!!

So this is where it sits as of tonight:



Just sanded it back to bare birch and started over. Lesson learned. Must be why they call it, "FINISHING". Still pretty pleased with the look of it though. And glad I'm learning from it instead of just getting lucky. Should have more progress by the end of this week. Want to cut the piece out before starting anymore poly coats, as I don't want to have to do it again! Not that I don't enjoy working on it, just ready to move on to another phase of the build


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

That's awesome! I LOVE natural wood finishes.


----------



## maggie-g (Aug 20, 2014)

Looks awesome. Good job Dan. Although I wouldnt call stain a natural wood finish mr. sound.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> That's awesome! I LOVE natural wood finishes.


Thank you! It's something I would love to see more of. Such a beautiful and natural finish, and with a pop of color, just makes the grain stand out even more.



maggie-g said:


> Looks awesome. Good job Dan. Although I wouldnt call stain a natural wood finish mr. sound.


Touché! Still pretty though


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Made some more progress today, and more sadness. But not too bad. 

Taped off and cut out the "face" today:





If you look at the bottom left corner, you can see that even with the tape, a little chunk still managed to come off while cutting. Since I trimmed off 7/8" from one side to even everything up, used a piece of that to fill in the spot, and am waiting for the glue to dry before going any further:



Should be able to get it sanded up and stainmatched tomorrow, then start with the new coats of poly


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Sooo... I had this question about midrange placement. The initial idea was to mount them in the A-pillars. Since I don't have the skills to fabricate them in the way I think A-pillars should look (not to mention being too cheap and stubborn to have someone else do them), other options started being explored. Reading through tons of threads regarding placement, it ranged from A-pillars to kick panels to the dash, but nowhere in between. A-pillars did have a bit of beaming during my test sessions, and dash locations are not an option. The WRX doesn't have any spots for that anyways, and all previous attempts I've tried with dash mounted midrange or tweeters was a disaster. Kick panel locations did peak my curiosity though. 

While riding home last Friday night, I kept staring at these door pockets in the car. Subaru apparently thinks anyone who drives their cars must be an outdoor type individual and provides a nice spot near the woofer for a water bottle. There are two cupholders in the center console. The pockets are empty... but, maybe we can remedy that. Looking at the angle of the panels, and the perfect round spot for those water bottles... lightbulb!





The original placement I tried was more on-axis, and was decent, but had this weird stage. Almost a 3/4 circle, starting in the middle of the door panel, going out towards the hood, then back to the middle of the other door panel. Very wide stage, and had some depth, but just a weird pattern. I know that it's stock radio, no tuning capabilities, time alignment would fix it, etc... but would rather get the placement as good as possible first. 

Pushing them all the way forward, and tilting more off-axis (angled towards the center console), the stage height improved, and that 3/4 circle turned more into a "rainbow" across the dash (thank you Mr. Jason for that term). 

Not the best recording device, but here is a cell phone recording, held at my head height, just to get an idea of the detail and clarity that was present:


----------



## beerdrnkr (Apr 18, 2007)

chithead said:


> Sooo... I had this question about midrange placement. The initial idea was to mount them in the A-pillars. Since I don't have the skills to fabricate them in the way I think A-pillars should look (not to mention being too cheap and stubborn to have someone else do them), other options started being explored. Reading through tons of threads regarding placement, it ranged from A-pillars to kick panels to the dash, but nowhere in between. A-pillars did have a bit of beaming during my test sessions, and dash locations are not an option. The WRX doesn't have any spots for that anyways, and all previous attempts I've tried with dash mounted midrange or tweeters was a disaster. Kick panel locations did peak my curiosity though.
> 
> While riding home last Friday night, I kept staring at these door pockets in the car. Subaru apparently thinks anyone who drives their cars must be an outdoor type individual and provides a nice spot near the woofer for a water bottle. There are two cupholders in the center console. The pockets are empty... but, maybe we can remedy that. Looking at the angle of the panels, and the perfect round spot for those water bottles... lightbulb!
> 
> ...


I'm having pretty good results so far with mids in the dash. That's a pretty interesting spot though, interested to hear your results if you decide to go that route.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

beerdrnkr said:


> I'm having pretty good results so far with mids in the dash. That's a pretty interesting spot though, interested to hear your results if you decide to go that route.


That's awesome! I've always had wonky issues with my previous vehicles that had factory dash locations. Probably my inexperience with tuning, and being impatient to work with what I had at the time.

Tried setting them up near the A-pillars, and moving back down to those locations a few times on the way home last night. Seems like up high, they do need to be on-axis to sound best. Beaming was horrible once they were turned off-axis. The issue though, was the pillar shapes mean they would be very obstructive with the midranges mounted in them, and sounded a bit, "shouty". 

When down low, they needed to be far forward as possible to sound best, and I'm still experimenting with the angling. Tried turning them back towards the dome light, and noticed a slight difference compared to if they are pointed over the shifter. Going to experiment more with this aiming, but I'm pretty sold on them being down by the woofers. The sound is much more natural, and seems to fill the cabin more. I don't know the word for how they sounded when placed by the pillars. Like the sound was coming from one area, and not all over.


----------



## soloz2 (Dec 20, 2010)

Looks good! Love my 14 WRX hatch. The stock stereo is horrible though! I opted for a Forester headunit for better SQ and OEM looks.


----------



## soloz2 (Dec 20, 2010)

I had a request for some pics of my audio setup. 
2014 WRX hatch
stock speakers
stock headunit from 2011+ Forester (Chinese version works just like USDM version except no HD radio and AM tuning is slightly different).
OEM Kicker 10" subwoofer
Rydeen Duo backup camera wired up to display on headunit screen just like OEM and looks stock from the exterior.





Sideshot showing how my car sits now with my kayak loaded. The only change I'm seriously considering is selling the Kicker sub and getting an underseat sub. I know it won't be quite as good, but will give me more trunk space.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

That is nice! We test drove a 2012 Forester with a radio similar to that, but ended up with the non-premium setup when buying ours. 

That is a beautiful WRX you have! Are those the vinyl tail light overlays?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

A quick update, did more listening yesterday. I'm still torn between placement, and wanted to ask for some help and advice. When placed up by the A-pillars, angled on-axis, the percussion is way more apparent than when they are down in the door panels. But, the vocals, guitar, piano, things like that have a "shouty" and almost "muddy" sound. To me, this is the heart of the midrange, right? And percussion would be more of a tweeter's job?

When they are down in the panels, everything sounds so much smoother, fuller, lively, you are immersed in sound. The stage seems 40 feet wide (I can't believe this, NEVER have had a car with an image like it) but you lose that "snap" with snares and cymbals.

I want to try installing the tweeters in the sail panels today and experiment a bit more. See if it cures the issue, and then we can start with fabricating something for those midranges.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Percussion is midbass and midrange. Where on the dash are the mids? Are they hornloading off of the dash? What about them higher on the doors, crossfiring?


----------



## trans4m (Dec 11, 2012)

subscribing since I also have wrx. I went with the Forester head unit (US version with HD radio), stock speakers, audio integrations box with RE Audio sub/amp, and rydeen duo camera.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> Percussion is midbass and midrange. Where on the dash are the mids? Are they hornloading off of the dash? What about them higher on the doors, crossfiring?


Possibly hornloading from the dash and the windshield. I'm placing them near the A-pillars. Tried moving near the dash, and up halfway, even tried in the sail panel location, all still have the same effect. Could it be a near-field thing?


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

It's more than likely reflections then. If anything, nearfield should be better. Are they dome mids?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Yes sir, dome midranges. Seemed like everyone was recommending them to be in the pillars and on-axis, but I just don't like it. 

Starting to wonder if it's because I have no crossover capabilities at the moment. Perhaps because they are playing too high, then there is distortion occuring and it is extremely noticeable when placed near the A-pillars. Then by moving them further away, and down lower into the pockets, that issue isn't exactly cured, but just less of a problem because of the distance.


----------



## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

soloz2 said:


>


IMO this was the pinnacle of the WRX/STI platform for Subaru. Hated to see it go.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

chithead said:


> Yes sir, dome midranges. Seemed like everyone was recommending them to be in the pillars and on-axis, but I just don't like it.
> 
> Starting to wonder if it's because I have no crossover capabilities at the moment. Perhaps because they are playing too high, then there is distortion occuring and it is extremely noticeable when placed near the A-pillars. Then by moving them further away, and down lower into the pockets, that issue isn't exactly cured, but just less of a problem because of the distance.


I bet a come mid would work better. The dome is throwing sound everywhere so there is going to be more reflection. 



Babs said:


> IMO this was the pinnacle of the WRX/STI platform for Subaru. Hated to see it go.


I wanted the hatch but it had less storage than the sedan so I got the sedan. On the Survey that Subaru sent out recently I voted for a WTX/STI wagon/Levorg over a 5-door.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> I bet a come mid would work better. The dome is throwing sound everywhere so there is going to be more reflection.
> 
> I wanted the hatch but it had less storage than the sedan so I got the sedan. On the Survey that Subaru sent out recently I voted for a WTX/STI wagon/Levorg over a 5-door.


Do you think a cone mid would be better up in the pillars, or down in the door pockets?

That's funny, I actually voted for the Wagon, and a sport version of the Crosstrek. STi version of that would get my attention for sure.


----------



## soloz2 (Dec 20, 2010)

chithead said:


> That is nice! We test drove a 2012 Forester with a radio similar to that, but ended up with the non-premium setup when buying ours.
> 
> That is a beautiful WRX you have! Are those the vinyl tail light overlays?


Yes, vinyl overlay. I had mine done professionally so they were cut on the tails instead of trying to get precut vinly properly fitted. Best part was the cost was basically the same as buying the vinyl online and doing it myself!



Babs said:


> IMO this was the pinnacle of the WRX/STI platform for Subaru. Hated to see it go.


Thanks! I love my hatch. I actually planned on buying a 15 since around 13, but when I saw the actual pictures I just wasn't sold on the look, sedan only and the new FA engine. (before anyone tells me the FA is better I have a 14 FXT and it threw another CEL today. so glad I have an EJ)


----------



## beerdrnkr (Apr 18, 2007)

soloz2 said:


> Yes, vinyl overlay. I had mine done professionally so they were cut on the tails instead of trying to get precut vinly properly fitted. Best part was the cost was basically the same as buying the vinyl online and doing it myself!
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks! I love my hatch. I actually planned on buying a 15 since around 13, but when I saw the actual pictures I just wasn't sold on the look, sedan only and the new FA engine. (before anyone tells me the FA is better I have a 14 FXT and it threw another CEL today. so glad I have an EJ)


I think 2015 is the first year of the FA engine isn't it?


----------



## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

quality_sound said:


> I bet a come mid would work better. The dome is throwing sound everywhere so there is going to be more reflection.
> 
> 
> 
> I wanted the hatch but it had less storage than the sedan so I got the sedan. On the Survey that Subaru sent out recently I voted for a WTX/STI wagon/Levorg over a 5-door.


Whoah I didn't even know about those.. Looks like another JDM > US situation where they get all the good stuff and don't bring it here.


----------



## soloz2 (Dec 20, 2010)

beerdrnkr said:


> I think 2015 is the first year of the FA engine isn't it?


the new FA engine and CVT were first in the JDM Legacy GT in 2013. It came to the USDM market in 2014 in the Forester XT. The engine is now available in the 2015+ WRX. 

From what I've seen and read the 2015 FXT and 2015 WRX seem to be exhibiting less issues than the 2014 FXT. For example, lots of 2014 FXT owners had issues with hard starting in wet/cold conditions and knock. 



Babs said:


> Whoah I didn't even know about those.. Looks like another JDM > US situation where they get all the good stuff and don't bring it here.


The Levorg looks pretty sweet, but to be honest I'm more of a hatch guy myself. I voted to bring the Levorg, but would really like to see a turbo XV Crosstrek.


----------



## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

soloz2 said:


> ..would really like to see a turbo XV Crosstrek.


Agreed!


----------



## beerdrnkr (Apr 18, 2007)

soloz2 said:


> the new FA engine and CVT were first in the JDM Legacy GT in 2013. It came to the USDM market in 2014 in the Forester XT. The engine is now available in the 2015+ WRX.
> 
> From what I've seen and read the 2015 FXT and 2015 WRX seem to be exhibiting less issues than the 2014 FXT. For example, lots of 2014 FXT owners had issues with hard starting in wet/cold conditions and knock.
> 
> ...


Good info thanks.

I'd jump into a turbo crosstrek in a second!


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

chithead said:


> Do you think a cone mid would be better up in the pillars, or down in the door pockets?


I've never been overly fond of dome mids. I'd do a 3" or 4" mid in the a-pillar before I did a dome. 



> That's funny, I actually voted for the Wagon, and a sport version of the Crosstrek. STi version of that would get my attention for sure.


Well the Crosstrek is just a lifted Impreza so I don't see why that was really an option, or than "because rally car".


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

beerdrnkr said:


> I think 2015 is the first year of the FA engine isn't it?


No. The BRZ/FRS got it at launch in 2014 and I think the Impreza had it when it was redesigned in 12 or 13.


----------



## beerdrnkr (Apr 18, 2007)

quality_sound said:


> No. The BRZ/FRS got it at launch in 2014 and I think the Impreza had it when it was redesigned in 12 or 13.


My bad, I was talking about the FA turbo.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

More updates.

The more I listened to the midrange placement, the more I liked it. But... something still wasn't quite right. Could still hear some of that "horseshoe" effect going on. So a certain Bob (who may or may not have received a leave of absence from here) suggested I try tuning before finalizing the location. Unfortunately, the amps won't be here for at least another month, so had to improvise. Dug through my parts bin for some coil inductors from a past project, and installed them on the positive side of the midranges. Drove home, listened the whole way, and dadgum. I was mad. All this magical unicorn sound had turned to bandicoot shart. Still had a somewhat wide stage, clarity, immersing experience, but localization was a huge issue now. The stage dropped a ton. Could definitely tell the midranges were down low. 

Came home, posted in the baw over at CarAudioJunkies, got some motivation to keep at it, and went to work. Thought for sure it was the inductors. Perhaps I had crossed them too low? Maybe having the tweeters installed would raise the stage? Well, this morning I went out there armed with another pair of coil inductors and a towel (it's hot as fawk, and I hate sweating in the car). Swapped the inductors out, and noticed something strange. In my haste to rig everything up the other day, I wired the driver's side midrange backwards. Swapped those wires, and BAM! It was like that magical unicorn drop kicked Mr. Bandicoot in the teeth for sharting on his new rainbow rug. The stage jumped back up, everything was back to where it was, except something was odd about the sound. Almost like a "tunnel" effect. Some vocals sounded like they were singing through an empty soup can, or megaphone, definitely weird. 

Rode around like that for a bit until it hit me. The placement. Moved them up to the pillars, ewwww... Nope. Back down in the pockets, oooof, hello tunnel sound again. What if there is a middle ground? Rearranged the towels I'm using as support, and moved the midranges further up the door panel, almost right on top of where the woofer will be. BING-FRICKING-O! The stage immediately jumped to middle of the windshield, went out far beyond the mirrors, further towards the hood, it was everywhere! Eureka! Tunnel sound is gone, that percussion snap is back, gosh I'm excited to pursue this further. 

Thank you to all who have contributed tips and guidance to help keep this idea going. Would have definitely tried and given up on it a few years back without influence from here and the CAJ forum. Hoping to start on some sort of pod for the midranges very soon now that the unicorn horn shavings have been sprinkled again.


----------



## maggie-g (Aug 20, 2014)

chithead said:


> So a certain Bob (who may or may not have received a leave of absence from here) suggested I try tuning before finalizing the location.


Bob as in battery operated buddy? or like the infamous bobditts?

either way, I have found that in my subaru with dash mounted mid range, crossing them from 200-3.khz really did the trick. Not saying that is what you should do, but give it a shot. Glad I could give you some useful advice for a change.


----------



## Mlarson67 (Jan 9, 2015)

Nice work on the sail panels SWEET. Have done a lot of woodworking 
, as you will see upcoming in my build, you might try buying a HVLP spray gun at a home imp. store $40-$50. Well worth the money! I spray everything with precatylized lacquer. Especially in a car environment, polyurethane is hard to get to lay smooth, time consuming as hell, and yellows over time. Lacquer lays smooth and can be done in one day with many coats. Looking forward to your mid solution/ mounting.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Happened to have some time this weekend to try a few things. Wasn't happy with the finish, even after four coats of polycrylic. After much debate, I decided it was time to try a wet sand. EEEEKKK!!! I know, right? Well, what a failure. The whole piece ended up cloudy afterwards, even after using 400 grit for the sanding and then rubbing in the direction of the grain with one of the fine synthetic wool pads I purchased.

Or so I thought. After one more coat of poly, this is how it turned out:



Dadgum board is smooth as glass now, and looks phenomenal, to me at least. 





I dunno why this idea popped in my head, but am so glad to have tried it. This has inspired me to try and utilize something similar in all of my builds from now on. Have read some great tips and received amazing advice on some things to try different next time, and will be excited to experiment more with them in the future.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Mlarson67 said:


> Nice work on the sail panels SWEET. Have done a lot of woodworking
> , as you will see upcoming in my build, you might try buying a HVLP spray gun at a home imp. store $40-$50. Well worth the money! I spray everything with precatylized lacquer. Especially in a car environment, polyurethane is hard to get to lay smooth, time consuming as hell, and yellows over time. Lacquer lays smooth and can be done in one day with many coats. Looking forward to your mid solution/ mounting.


This is one of the ideas I want to try ^^^ Read that Wagner has a HVLP sprayer that is great for water based stains and finishes. Definitely want to look into it more. 

If not that, I do have a decent air compressor


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Dude it's very nice looking. I love it it's so different !


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Was walking through Lowe's today and saw this on sale, Bora Saw Guide. Has a decent clamping system and little sled for a circular saw to allow precision cuts instead of wrestling with the tablesaw. 










Would have come in handy with that birch, and will sure work out nice when it comes time to construct the rest of the enclosure. They have a connector kit to mate two together and then allow cutting the full 8 foot sheet. Went ahead and bought two of the kits with the saw plate, because the sale price on them was the same as just the rail by itself.


----------



## damonryoung (Mar 23, 2012)

Is that the one that can be placed at an angle?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

As far as I know, this kit just does straight cuts.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

You had me curious, so I double checked:

Bora WTX Clamp Edge Saw Guide 50-inch

Looks like this particular one is just for straight cuts, but the Wide Track Clamp can angle up to 22.5 degress:

BORA CLAMP EDGE WIDE TRACK

Here is a review of the Wide Track Clamp:

Canadian Woodworking - Bora Clamp Edge Wide Track


----------



## soloz2 (Dec 20, 2010)

I have the Bora clamp that can do angles. It's amazing, but it doesn't lock for straight cuts so you just have to measure twice before cutting.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

How much is that clamp glide you got?


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

BORA Bora 50-in WTX Clamp Edge & Saw Guide Kit


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Sooo... since my funds are on lockdown after some recent purchases... had to recycle some stuff. Swapped an AVH-X3700BHS into the Forester, that AVH-P8400BH went into dad's 2007 F150, and removed the JVC KW-R900BT from it. So since there was an extra radio laying around, might as well use it for now. At least it will allow me to run the RCA cables, and do some preliminary tuning until I can swing another head unit purchase.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

chithead said:


> Sooo... since my funds are on lockdown after some recent purchases... had to recycle some stuff. Swapped an AVH-X3700BHS into the Forester, that AVH-P8400BH went into dad's 2007 F150, and removed the JVC KW-R900BT from it. So since there was an extra radio laying around, might as well use it for now. At least it will allow me to run the RCA cables, and do some preliminary tuning until I can swing another head unit purchase.


Have you ever considered putting in an iPad? I have a bezel for a mini I can't use anymore. It's got a single DIN opening. I used it for an 80PRS and a mini.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Hadn't really considered the tablet route, no sir. Were you decently pleased with it?


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

chithead said:


> BORA Bora 50-in WTX Clamp Edge & Saw Guide Kit



Thank you kind sir.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

My pleasure  Any updates on your build?


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

I trying to tune , need to seal up doors and still battling the hiss,


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

chithead said:


> Hadn't really considered the tablet route, no sir. Were you decently pleased with it?


I loved it. It would really be awesome with a Sony and their control app. It lets you control EVERYTHING in the HU


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Soooo this arrived today.



What's in the box?

Well... this.



And this.



Just holding them makes you want to...


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Moar pick churs!!!


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

You GO boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.


----------



## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)




----------



## Huckleberry Sound (Jan 17, 2009)

I am enjoying to whole design and setup!!!
Keeping it simple!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Well, no turning back now. I removed it from the plastic


----------



## maggie-g (Aug 20, 2014)

copy and paste much? lol. Now get that sh!t installed!


----------



## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

6 channels amplified and a full-bore-knock-down-drag-out processor.. In that itty bitty case. Brave new world.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

A tiny bit more progress today. Amp board almost done. Left room for a distribution block, and working on a plan to secure all the wiring:



Took a piece of the red birch left from the subwoofer enclosure, used a roundover bit on the router, taped up the middle, and then sprayed the edge with truck bed liner:



The amp is secured to the birch with some allen head wood screws from a set of Vibe subs I had a few years back.


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

You're doing some great work so far Daniel, keep this up and you can meet us for the August meet lol.


----------



## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

chithead said:


> A tiny bit more progress today. Amp board almost done. Left room for a distribution block, and working on a plan to secure all the wiring:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


NICE! Anxious to hear your thoughts on how this one sounds. I'm sure the processing will be outfreakinstanding.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you for the kind words! Hoping to get some listening time in this week or weekend to really decide on that midrange placement, and start running speaker wires.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

So this happened tonight:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

This pretty much sums up my evening, hence why I wanted to hook everything up


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Bit more done today:


----------



## juiceweazel (Jul 28, 2014)

I'm really curious how this is all going to play out!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Got to work on the enclosure a bit more. Changed my mind on the final finishing, so hopefully can order the covering material for it soon and get this part done. 





Started on the bracing, and used up some old mastic I've had around for years my brother gave me. Sealed up the seams pretty well. Just have to put the rear enclosure wall on now, and finish up the final braces, then it's ready for wrapping


----------



## Huckleberry Sound (Jan 17, 2009)

View attachment 82889


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Got the rear wall fabbed up. Installed some extra bracing since the amp will be mounted to it. Also installed the speaker terminal, and 8ga wire for the subwoofer:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Added another brace across the middle of the rear wall inside, glued and brad nailed, then stuffed the enclosure:



Subwoofer installed again to double check clearances:



And some shots of the SPXL 1000 mounted:


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Amps and box look great man ! Can't wait to see what else you got !


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Getting ready for some testing tomorrow


----------



## Huckleberry Sound (Jan 17, 2009)

Yoooo I am loving the progress of this. Amazing... Wow! I want the same amp for a set of jbl subs.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

A big THANK YOU to Mr. Glenn for helping feed my addiction to Morel goodness!!!



Was hoping to have more progress with the enclosure, but as of this morning, it isn't much further. 

Taped off the face of it:



To do a roundover on the edges, and fill in any brad nail holes, scratches, etc. in the MDF:



Unfortunately, I tried the bedliner application again, hoping it would turn out like the amp board did, and no. Of course not. Why would there be success twice. Looks like complete garbage in my eye, so it's back to square one, what I wanted to do in the first place. Will take more time to buy the wrap and other pieces, but will get the look I'm really wanting. 

So since that was a failure, thought I'd work on the wiring a bit. Using some scraps of techflex and other pieces, decided to redo the subwoofer wiring:







Less than two feet of 8ga for maximum wattage and damping factor. :thumbup:


----------



## Huckleberry Sound (Jan 17, 2009)

Extremely Nice!!!!


----------



## juiceweazel (Jul 28, 2014)

Attention to the smallest details can make all the differences. At times I wish I were this detail oriented!


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you for the kind words!

Forgot to show this - figured why not throw some stain on that crate the Helix mono amplifier arrived in:


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Well, the saga comes to an end. Traded the WRX on a 2015 Legacy Limited 3.6R this morning.


----------



## Golden Ear (Oct 14, 2012)

Hahaha Lets see how far you get on the build in the next one


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Why the change? What does the Legacy give you that the WRX doesn't? Other than some actual bottom end power.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Couple reasons actually. Main were my wife couldn't drive it, and I was tired of having the WRX beat up from the drive each day. Front bumper was scratched all to crap, and it was starting to get paint chips in places I didn't know could happen. 

Legacy will fit into the daily grind much better.

Fortunately, I'm finding the stock head unit could be a keeper, and should be able to use almost everything that was planned for the WRX. 

Helix P Six DSP has high level inputs


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Pictures of the Legacy Limited 3.6R





Pictures of the radio:


----------



## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Stop Chitting around, and change your signature lol.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Ha, change it to Project Grampy Car?


----------



## bonesmcgraw (Jan 7, 2013)

chithead said:


> Ha, change it to Project Grampy Car?


Hey now Grampy car? I prefer to call it a Grown up car. LOL. 

Car looks good. Plenty of opportunities for the new system.

I went from an 05 sti to a 2011 legacy 3.6r.


----------



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

Aren't the 3.6R engines more reliable too?....Good luck with the new ride.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

chithead said:


> Couple reasons actually. Main were my wife couldn't drive it, and I was tired of having the WRX beat up from the drive each day. Front bumper was scratched all to crap, and it was starting to get paint chips in places I didn't know could happen.
> 
> Legacy will fit into the daily grind much better.
> 
> ...


Ahhhh. Why not just teach her to drive a manual? (easier said than done, I know. my wife completed the MSF-Basic course and has a motorcycle endorsement but won't learn to drive a manual  )

I DO like the new Starlink quite a bit. It's a vast improvement. 

The paint still sucks. Subaru just doesn't put enough on the car. If you want to keep it looking good, clear bra. It's a lifesaver. 

If you decide to use the OEM locations let me know. I got rid of my WRX when my wife went back to school to save money so I never even took my C3CX's out of the box. I _could_ use them in the Mini but they'd have to go into the midrange location on the door.


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

I'm digging the Starlink head unit for sure. Crazy to just push a button, and tell the car what temperature I want. 

Thank you for the offer on those Illusion Audio C3CX. Wanted to try out the Morel stuff first and see how it does, then consider any other options after that. Already have a great setup ready to go, might as well put it to use somehow or another 

Oh, it was the clutch. She can drive a manual, and had no problems with our 2007 WRX. It was something about the 2014. Most people I let drive it complained about the clutch pedal. Said it took way too much effort, and snapped back too strong for their likings. I enjoyed it though, but family first. Happy wife, happy life.


----------



## optimaprime (Aug 16, 2007)

Dude I dig the new ride! Your gear in it w I'll great! Sub will still look good red .


----------



## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you sir! Definitely going to use that enclosure for now. Got a plan though on the new one once funds and time allow for some more fabrication.


----------



## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

chithead said:


> I'm digging the Starlink head unit for sure. Crazy to just push a button, and tell the car what temperature I want.
> 
> Thank you for the offer on those Illusion Audio C3CX. Wanted to try out the Morel stuff first and see how it does, then consider any other options after that. Already have a great setup ready to go, might as well put it to use somehow or another
> 
> Oh, it was the clutch. She can drive a manual, and had no problems with our 2007 WRX. It was something about the 2014. Most people I let drive it complained about the clutch pedal. Said it took way too much effort, and snapped back too strong for their likings. I enjoyed it though, but family first. Happy wife, happy life.


That is weird. I thought it was pretty light. It definitely is compared to my Minis, M3, and VWs.


----------

