# 500 HP BMW M3 goes Hybrid Audio



## 12v Electronics

So we got a turbocharged BMW E36 M3 in our shop that need a bit of a make over. The customer wants L8's in his kickpanels. No problem. Here is the car:











And here is the preliminary fitting of the L8's:









And guess what? They fit


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## doitor

Nice, Tom.
By the way, are you a mind reader?
Lol

Jorge


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## doitor

Nice, Tom.
By the way, are you a mind reader?
Lol

Jorge


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## 12v Electronics

Dunno Jorge. I have been called lots of names, but a mindreader is not one of them. 

Here is a quick clip of the L8 install.


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## vactor

niiiice!! so jealous of the Bimmer kick panels!!


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## DonovanM

Props to him for not ricing the crap out of it and keeping the subtle look of the M3 

And... for wanting such a great install  

Looking forward to how it turns out! It's unfortunate I can't do the same in my E46 without cutting through some serious metal


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## 12v Electronics

DonovanM said:


> Props to him for not ricing the crap out of it and keeping the subtle look of the M3
> 
> And... for wanting such a great install
> 
> Looking forward to how it turns out! It's unfortunate I can't do the same in my E46 without cutting through some serious metal


We will be doing a E46 with L8's, L4's and L1 pro's next. Stay tuned.


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## DonovanM

12v Electronics said:


> We will be doing a E46 with L8's, L4's and L1 pro's next. Stay tuned.


Coupe or sedan?!?!?!

STAYING TUNED!


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## 12v Electronics

DonovanM said:


> Coupe or sedan?!?!?!
> 
> STAYING TUNED!


04 M3 coupe HPF turbo car. 1000+ HP 

If you have a sedan, I can give you a link to a build with 6.5's in the doors.


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## Fixtion

being vented to the outside, does that not pose road noise problems? 

a fender, plastic, and then a light paper cone shielding noise from the outside?

_-fixtion_


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## 12v Electronics

Fixtion said:


> being vented to the outside, does that not pose road noise problems?
> 
> a fender, plastic, and then a light paper cone shielding noise from the outside?


We're not done yet. The pic is just the test fitting. 

The car is also getting a Second Skin deadening makeover. Road noise will not be an issue.


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## DonovanM

12v Electronics said:


> 04 M3 coupe HPF turbo car. 1000+ HP
> 
> If you have a sedan, I can give you a link to a build with 6.5's in the doors.


I've got a non-M coupe. Promise me you'll post in detail as there are no shops of any decent caliber that I know of in this area so I gotta wing it on my own... 

HPF... can't say I approve of what they do, but I can't wait nonetheless


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## TXwrxWagon

curious about the 500+hp M3 sedan... what's done? 

I wish my WRX had a little cavity hidden in the inner fender area like that... I'd be all over 8"s in the kick...

Rob


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## Boostedrex

Fixtion said:


> being vented to the outside, does that not pose road noise problems?
> 
> a fender, plastic, and then a light paper cone shielding noise from the outside?
> 
> _-fixtion_


It's a 500HP turbo'd M3, I'm not thinking that road/engine noise was of very much concern to the owner of that car. 

Nice car though and I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished install.


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## simplicityinsound

cant wait to see the results 

but i got you beat in the HP department haha, i am doing a 556 WHP e46 in a month or two...

unfortunately its not going to be an SQ install, he rarely drives it and just need the show points...oh well...cant wait to see the final results mang


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## 12v Electronics

TXwrxWagon said:


> curious about the 500+hp M3 sedan... what's done?
> 
> I wish my WRX had a little cavity hidden in the inner fender area like that... I'd be all over 8"s in the kick...
> 
> Rob


Car details here: Need to Sell -- 500whp M3 for $14,500 ASAP - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum



Boostedrex said:


> It's a 500HP turbo'd M3, I'm not thinking that road/engine noise was of very much concern to the owner of that car.
> 
> Nice car though and I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished install.


This car will be getting quite a bit of sound deadening. Here are some pics of the trunk in progress. I used Second Skin's Spectrum product. It took quite a few coats as well as a coating of Spectrum Sludge in a few areas, but the results are very impressive. It is nice to be able to get deadening in areas you normally cannot reach. 







































simplicityinsound said:


> cant wait to see the results
> 
> but i got you beat in the HP department haha, i am doing a 556 WHP e46 in a month or two...
> 
> unfortunately its not going to be an SQ install, he rarely drives it and just need the show points...oh well...cant wait to see the final results mang


Not sure you will beat me. There is a 1000HP E46 coming in next.


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## Ziggy

I think "urple" is a cool off color for teh m class beemers... One of my fav's from the 90's was the 325 IX (the IX was ALL wheel drive)...


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## 12v Electronics

Ziggy said:


> I think "urple" is a cool off color for teh m class beemers... One of my fav's from the 90's was the 325 IX (the IX was ALL wheel drive)...


It has been nicknamed 'The Purple Porsche Eater" around here. The owner has been correcting us saying that it is Daytona Violet.


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## JoshHefnerX

Looks pretty cool, good idea for some airspace, I might have put some welding paper or some type of barrier on the door to protect the paint though.... 

Josh


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## 12v Electronics

JoshHefnerX said:


> Looks pretty cool, good idea for some airspace, I might have put some welding paper or some type of barrier on the door to protect the paint though....
> 
> Josh


There was a "fireman" watching for sparks near the paint. There were none hitting the door. What you see are reflections. He wasn't watching my camera though.


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## simplicityinsound

pshh...i already did the 1000hp car thang  

i think anyhting over 500hp at the wheels is a bit...scary...when i tried to take that 350z around the block, it scared the crap out of me...kept it under 2500 rpm the rest of the time lol


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## Maddman

8's in the Kicks, nice! Keep the pictures coming. So far nice progress.


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## tr0y_audi0

Keep us posted looks like a fun one!
And ummm.. pot that torch away..lol


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## 12v Electronics

Got a good part of the rest of the car deadened. Also got some work done on the subwoofer enclosure. The car won't need much of it with those L8's, but the owner wants to have some big bass on tap for some occasional fun. 

The car will be getting an Image Dynamics IDMAX12v3 in a ported enclosure. It is going in the spare tire well.






































The bottom half will be fiberglass and the top is up to 2 1/4" Birch plywood

So far the enclosure is 34.2 lbs, and the spare was 44 lbs. so there has been so significant weight added.


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## Attack eagle

nice work Tom.


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## Big_Valven

Nice work, I always like seeing 8's upfront, and in the kicks - even better. So this will be an outisde venting jobbie? 

I had concerns too about the sparks and the paint, but only being able to judge from a youtube video, I'm sure the fireman had a better idea of where the sparks were going. I guess you pulled the carpet up inside too.


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## 12v Electronics

Big_Valven said:


> Nice work, I always like seeing 8's upfront, and in the kicks - even better. So this will be an outisde venting jobbie?
> 
> I had concerns too about the sparks and the paint, but only being able to judge from a youtube video, I'm sure the fireman had a better idea of where the sparks were going. I guess you pulled the carpet up inside too.


Thanks,

I would love to vent them to the outside, but with weather issues, it is not going to happen. There are enclosures being made that will be sealing them. They will be as big as possible to try to "fool" the L8 into thinking it is IB. It is a pretty smart speaker, and cannot be fooled easily 

The car has been mostly "gutted" as it is also getting Second Skin Damping throughout. Also The plasma cutter does not emit sparks on the cutting side. They are thrown pretty much straight out from the air pressure. The door is about 45 degrees off of the cutting plane, so no sparks hit it. I did have a guy there watching to make sure. If there was any chance of damage to the car it wouldn't have been used. Also, the cutter runs very cool, and the sparks are pretty much the same temperature as using a grinding wheel, so not a chance for much damage.


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## BMWturbo

Looking good... I gasped when I saw the plasma near paint also.

I've managed to ruin windscreens and paint (on a car that was being repainted anyways) with plasma's and grinders before. Molten metal is the same whether it comes froma welder, plasma or grinder.


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## cvjoint

So what function does the metal you are cutting into have? Does it not reduce rigidity when you cut big holes in the chassis? Is it just an inner fender to prevent road noise and such? I've only gone as far as 2 inch vent holes to keep away from flexing.


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## 12v Electronics

The HU is a Denford 8250 ti. 









The faceplate was disassembled and sent out to get powder coated. 

I sent him the OBC to match the color, but I had no idea he was going to match the texture!!

It is hard to tell from the pic, but it is almost a perfect match. Also the amber illumination is perfect for the BMW.


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## 12v Electronics

Some progress pics:

We are building fenderwell enclosures for the L8's. I would love to vent them to the outside, but since this is a daily driver it is not going to be practical. This the first 3 layers of fiberglass applied. 










A good portion of the car has been deadened and the subwoofer enclosure is under way.










The amp rack will be built from steel and will be 3 levels high. It will allow some use of the folding back seats for long items. Here is a pic of one of the 3 levels under construction.


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## UCF52

Very cool idea to color match the Denford with the factory cluster.


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## Big_Valven

Looking good - enclosures are looking fantastic. I'm not questioning your ability (far from it because this is a great install) though what's your reasoning for trying at IB instead of making a sealed enclosure? Just not easy enough to get the right volume in the quarter panel?
Keep at it, I can't wait to find out how these L8s go


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## 12v Electronics

Hybrid Audio drivers excel in IB locations. That is actually what they are designed for. Unfortunately this car will get road splash/water in that location and we cannot afford to have leaks or the speakers damaged. 

I have had long discussions with the owner of the car and we decided that sacrificing a bit of low end for longevity will be much more practical for this car. The enclosures will be very close to the VAS of the speaker, so they will still sound incredible. In a perfect world it would not rain, you wouldn't have to wash your car and there would be nothing dirty except internet porn.


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## Big_Valven

Fantastic. You sure know your stuff


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## amapro704

You could drill a couple of holes into the cavity below the kick. Water physically cannot come up from there to get to the driver, but if you are worried about it you could use and fairly free flowing aperiodic to block water but still have an IB {ish} situation.


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## vellocet

Wow, that is super sexy. Both the car and the install. My install skills are soooo far away from that, must keep improving them.


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## ianbiz

im loving this install, finally decided to post in this thread.


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## reindeers

Subrscribed...


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## Tonyguy

so do you have a shop man? i'm in the area and i'm liking your work.


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## 12v Electronics

Tonyguy said:


> so do you have a shop man? i'm in the area and i'm liking your work.


Yes, we have a shop about 35 miles NW of Chicago in Lake in the Hills, IL. Please let me know if you want to stop by. This store will actually be closed for the next few days as we are attending the CES show, but please let me know when you want to stop by and I will gladly help any way I can.

Here are a few more progress pics:










The Greyish goo is body seam sealer. This part of the car normally gets wet from the tire splash and runoff from the windshield. The fiberglass has been formed and adhered directly to the sheet metal in this area. A rain channel was formed at the top so that if any water should make it through it will be redirected around the encolsure and out of the lower fender. The fiberglass and metal are bonded, but if it should ever de-laminate, the body seam sealer will channel the water around the speaker opening and down to the bottom of the enclosure (which has a drain hole). The Damplifier Pro was also wrapped around the opening as a secondary seal.

It is a bit of overkill, but I would not do it any other way. There will be a fiberglass cover made that will seal this area and make it an actual enclosure. 

Some more of our Second Skin deadening:


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## 12v Electronics

A few more pics. 

This is the first layer of FG going on the L8 enclosure:










The sub enclosure and sub: 










This is all I will be able to get done until next week as I am leaving for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas tomorrow. 

I will have internet access and will be answering emails as I can.


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## BMWturbo

I'm a big fan of that kick enclosure  You've got me thinking abou the 7 now.... (not good)


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## 12v Electronics

BMWturbo said:


> I'm a big fan of that kick enclosure  You've got me thinking abou the 7 now.... (not good)


Why go 7 when you can go 8.5?  I will even send you the template. 

Curious, what BMW "turbo" do you have? I assume modded E36.


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## BMWturbo

Sorry '7' as in my 735i  Not 7 as in 7 inch drivers.

I have Morel HCW8's in the kicks now, but they are venting into the cavity/sill channel.

Cars are linked in my signature :-
1987 E32 735i - 2JZGTE conversion (twin turbo)
1985 E30 318i - 2JZGTE conversion (single turbo)


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## 12v Electronics

BMWturbo said:


> Sorry '7' as in my 735i  Not 7 as in 7 inch drivers.
> 
> I have Morel HCW8's in the kicks now, but they are venting into the cavity/sill channel.
> 
> Cars are linked in my signature :-
> 1987 E32 735i - 2JZGTE conversion (twin turbo)
> 1985 E30 318i - 2JZGTE conversion (single turbo)


I like your style. I will have to keep an eye on that E30 build. Keep up the good work!


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## DonovanM

That is some seriously great fabrication man. Keeps getting better and better... just love what you did in the kicks.

Hurry up and get back so you can finish this and start on the E46!!


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## DonovanM

wtf double post...


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## tr0y_audi0

Nice man real nice!
keep up the great work
that fiberglass lay was near perfect so nice


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## 12v Electronics

tr0y_audi0 said:


> Nice man real nice!
> keep up the great work
> that fiberglass lay was near perfect so nice


Good Lays are always nice 

Thanks for the kind words!


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## syd-monster

As per your thread in B's forum! Just too nice! I lorv the attention to the L8 install.


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## 12v Electronics

I fired up the front speakers to test the enclosure and tweeter placement. I was a little unsure if the L8/L1 pro combo would have enough midrange. Well all I can say is that I am very pleased. In fact I am so pleased with the sound and staging that I have decided that I don't want to give the car back. I want it for myself. 

The tweeters will be going in the kick panels along with the L8's. The Stage and Image is incredible in this car. There is so much low end on the windshield that I will have to turn it down with EQ/Crossover. You can see it in the RTA pic below. It has excellent width and depth. There is a bump around 160 hz that I believe is due to the enclosures. I will be deadening them, so hopefully that will take care of it. 

We will be using a Behringer DCX2496 processor that has crossovers, EQ and Time correction. I can tell you right now that very little time correction (if any) is needed. It is THAT GOOD! 

The pic below is with no EQ or phase correction. It is just the L8/L1 pro playing with no sub.


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## glidn

wow thats pretty impressive, Nice work thus far.

Keep it up.


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## syd-monster

^^^ +1,
as per B's thread!


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## mda185

Beautiful fabrication work! I am the one on the other forum that told you I would not want to lose my dead pedal and I still feel that way - but I have to admire the creativity and professionalism in this install. I would love to see pictures of the completed kick panels.

Peaks around 160-200 Hz are usually related to a resonance in the car cabin. The wavelength of sound at 160 Hz is about 6.8 feet. I'll bet that the length of the cabin is right around that measurement. It is not a precise relationship. The peak you measured is made up of a group of frequencies because you have sound waves reflecting front to back, side to side, diagonally front to back and roof to floor. You end up with a wider peak than if you just had one resonant frequency. The dominant frequency is usually related to front to back reflections and I will bet the M3 is about 7 feet in cabin length. This is the kind of thing that you can easily deal with if you have a parametric EQ where you can adjust center freq, width of boost or cut, and amount of boost or cut. Some older Alpine head units used to actually have this parametric EQ function built in.


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## 12v Electronics

Thanks for the kind words. The dead pedal will still be there. 

I did apply some sound deadening to the fiberglass enclosures and the bump at 160 definitely decreased. It is still there, and I know it is becasue of the cabin gain, so a touch of EQ should take care of it. I will not be doing any more tuning until the car is back together, so I hope that will help a bit too. 

I will post pics of the kick panels as soon as they are done. The testing I did was just to check tweeter placement and the car is still far from finished.


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## David_Edwards

God!!! 

Tom it looks horrible.....j/k.....NICE work!!! It was cool hanging out with you at CES(Gus)


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## AudioBob

That looks like it will be pretty easy to fix with a little eq work. Great install and use of skills!!!


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## 12v Electronics

More progress pics:

The fender enclosures completed. They have 4 layers of cloth, 2 layers of continuous strand matt and onle layer of chopped strand mat. They are rock solid. 










Also put a layer of Second Skin Damplifier Pro on the outside. 










The subwoofer that will be installed.










And finally it is starting to look like a car again.


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## BigRed

Lookin good Tom!! Nice work....good meeting you at CES


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## 12v Electronics

David_Edwards said:


> God!!!
> 
> Tom it looks horrible.....j/k.....NICE work!!! It was cool hanging out with you at CES





BigRed said:


> Lookin good Tom!! Nice work....good meeting you at CES


Thanks to you both. I had fun too. 

Big Red, your truck sounds awesome. Everyone who heard it had nothing but good things to say about it. It was a pleasure finally getting to hear it. Your build thread is WAY to long to read through to get to the results, but hearing it first hand really brings it into perspective. Hope to see you guys again soon!


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## BigRed

LOL!! Thanks Tom....appreciate the nice words.

Don't forget to let us see the finished product. I am not surprised at your results considering I've run my 8's to 2k, and they sounded pretty darn good. They did'nt do well in imaging because of the placement in the floorboards with no angle.

Keep it up mang....I hope one day I can hear it! I have a 7 series that has huge kick panels too!!!  Lots of ideas floating around in my head now thanks to you


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## 12v Electronics

BigRed said:


> LOL!! Thanks Tom....appreciate the nice words.
> 
> Don't forget to let us see the finished product. I am not surprised at your results considering I've run my 8's to 2k, and they sounded pretty darn good. They did'nt do well in imaging because of the placement in the floorboards with no angle.
> 
> Keep it up mang....I hope one day I can hear it! I have a 7 series that has huge kick panels too!!!  Lots of ideas floating around in my head now thanks to you


The placement of the L8's in this car put the drums and bass on the leading edge of the windshield (if not the hood). With a bit of tuning I'm sure I could get a bit more depth. Not only does it source there, but it sounds so darn life-like. Having 8.5 inches of woofer on your dash is pretty incredible. I have put 10's in doors before, but the placement of these in this car seems to do magic. I cannot describe it. I originally had a bit of a problem with female vocals being a little dispersed, but when I flipped the phase on the tweeters, it fixed that. I will be posting a bunch of tuning details when the car is done, so stay tuned. 

Being a Pro-Audio/Car Audio guy, I can honestly say that this is one of the most impressive "life-like" systems I have ever built. I would not have ever expected this "simple 2-way system" to sound this good. And besides the cutting/ FG work, there has been no install or tuning magic applied yet. 

I am really impressed with the outcome so far. Hopefully it will only get better after the interior gets installed and a bit of tuning.


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## 12v Electronics

Some pics of the HU installed. Right not the dimmer circuit is not connected, so the match is not perfect. It is amost a perfect match with the illumination wire hooked up.


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## AVIDEDTR

12v Electronics said:


> Some pics of the HU installed. Right not the dimmer circuit is not connected, so the match is not perfect. It is amost a perfect match with the illumination wire hooked up.


I LOVE IT!


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## Attack eagle

now texture match the surround?


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## 12v Electronics

Attack eagle said:


> now texture match the surround?


That is yet to come. 

Actually after looking at it mounted in the car, it does match the texture on the OBC, but looks slightly different than the dash vents. We have another Denford unit that is going into the owner's E46, and this current one matches the dash kit perfectly. I just disassembled the other radio tonight and will be sending it out for coating tomorrow. The goal is to have the new one coated without so much texture so it matches better. If it matches better, it wil be used here instead. Here are pics in the E46 dash kit. Coated and not. Either way, this one looks damn good, but at this point, I will try to get perfection. 

(crappy pics, but trust me it is a perfect match for the E46)


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## syd-monster

I lorv this attention to detail!!
Does any one else think it will look better with a black knob?
Oh and 1 dumb question Tom... will the owner be able to remember what each button does?... just wondering since you mentioned you wont be screening it.


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## 12v Electronics

Not my problem 

He actually wanted it this way so nobody else could operate it. 

It was his choice and he liked it this way. This radio does not have many functions anyway, so it should be easy to get the hang of.


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## pastE36prsntE46

I dont need instructions  Nice work Tom, appreciate all the attention to detail!


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## 12v Electronics

pastE36prsntE46 said:


> I dont need instructions  Nice work Tom, appreciate all the attention to detail!


Welcome to the forum. Now that you are a member I have to watch what I say about you.


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## metanium

12v Electronics said:


> The pic below is with no EQ or phase correction. It is just the L8/L1 pro playing with no sub.


I must admit that I got a semi, when I saw/read this. I just put the same combo in my truck, but my tweets are on my A-pillars temporarily (speaker rings and duct tape). I plan to move the L1Pro's to the kickpanels this weekend. My L8's are installed in the doors as seen here:http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diyma-build-logs/53102-upgrade-rs-180-hybrid-l8-ram-doors.html


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## 12v Electronics

metanium said:


> I must admit that I got a semi, when I saw/read this. I just put the same combo in my truck, but my tweets are on my A-pillars temporarily (speaker rings and duct tape). I plan to move the L1Pro's to the kickpanels this weekend. My L8's are installed in the doors as seen here:http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diyma-build-logs/53102-upgrade-rs-180-hybrid-l8-ram-doors.html


Only a semi? 

Nice work on your truck. I had my doubts about this combo, but I am a believer now.


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## 12v Electronics

After having problems with the Behringer processor power supply conversion, we have decided to go with a Zapco DSP6SL for crossover, EQ and time alignment duties. This also gave us more trunk space as it lowererd the 3 tier amp rack down to 2. Will post pics soon.


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## syd-monster

12v Electronics said:


> Not my problem
> He actually wanted it this way so nobody else could operate it.
> It was his choice and he liked it this way. This radio does not have many functions anyway, so it should be easy to get the hang of.





pastE36prsntE46 said:


> I dont need instructions  Nice work Tom, appreciate all the attention to detail!


Cool!! Black it stays then!
Welcome to the forum pastPrsnt (ive already had to shorten your login name)
You and Tom have one VERY nice & interesting project there. Well done.
500Hp in a E36 Must be very interesting. Do I see an air to air intercooler in the front there?


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## 12v Electronics

syd-monster said:


> Cool!! Black it stays then!
> Welcome to the forum pastPrsnt (ive already had to shorten your login name)
> You and Tom have one VERY nice & interesting project there. Well done.
> 500Hp in a E36 Must be very interesting. Do I see an air to air intercooler in the front there?


Yeah, he will have to change his member name to pastE36prsntE46&E36 now. 

It does have a very large custom intercooler in the front. The car has been dynoed at 502 hp, but is "conservatively" tuned right now at 15.9 psi and is ONLY 481 RWHP as it is a daily driver. 

I will let him tell you more about the car. I am just in charge of the sound system and repairing all of the broken and deteriorated interior pieces. Like this for example:










This is a very common problem with the E36 door panels. The mounting surfaces that hold the clip panels and door pockets basically fall off of the door with age. Every door and rear panel on this car have this problem. We are repairing all of them, as well as sound deadening them. We are using fiberglass and resin to bond them permanently (I hope). 

Other things that are going on right now are kinda boring. We are running wires, starting re-assemby, installing a radar detector and laser jammer among other things. I will post details once they get done. 

Another project is rebuilding this guage cluster mount out of carbon fiber. I will post a finished pic once it is done.


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## thebigjimsho

12v Electronics said:


> Some pics of the HU installed. Right not the dimmer circuit is not connected, so the match is not perfect. It is amost a perfect match with the illumination wire hooked up.


Is there anything better than a custom install that 98% of the public would think is stock? I like the black, but to further go with the stock look, I'd add script to the buttons and knobs.

But either way, that ROCKS!


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## 12v Electronics

Here are a few more pics of the project:

There are no speakers going in these doors, but a layer of Second Skin Damplifier Pro was laid and another "barrier" of DP Pro was put on the door panel to quiet road noise.



















Also a preview of the amp rack:


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## 12v Electronics

The Zapco DSP6SL is about the same size as the factory amplifier.










It fits nicely in it's location. A custom bracket was made and a layer of foam was put on the face to mount the processor. The back was dampened with Damplifier Pro.










Here is a pic of the amps:



















The 2 amps on the top are Blaupunkt VA1400's. They will be each be powering the subwoofer. Power output is 600w RMS to each voice coil. They are one of my favorite underated amps. And they are very affordable. 

There are 3 Blaupunkt VA2100's on the bottom which will run the following:

Left front Hybrid Audio Technologies L8 mid: 1x300w rms
Right front Hybrid Audio Technologies L8 mid: 1x300w rms
Front Hybrid Audio Technologies L1 Pro tweeters: 2x100w rms

There will be a cover going on the amp rack which will have cross-flow ventilation in it. Mounting them this way allows some use of the folding back seats.


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## rantanplan

12v Electronics said:


> The 2 amps on the top are Blaupunkt VA1400's. They will be each be powering the subwoofer. Power output is 600w RMS to each voice coil. They are one of my favorite underated amps. And they are very affordable.
> 
> There are 3 Blaupunkt VA2100's on the bottom which will run the following:
> 
> Left front Hybrid Audio Technologies L8 mid: 1x300w rms
> Right front Hybrid Audio Technologies L8 mid: 1x300w rms
> Front Hybrid Audio Technologies L1 Pro tweeters: 2x100w rms


 I think you'll get power enough !

Very nice work for that 2ways + sub system !


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## 99GPGTX

legit


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## 12v Electronics

Pics of the amp rack wired. It is hard to keep wiring for 5 amps neat especially when you are using 4 awg power wiring. All wires are techflexed and identified. 














Mounted the auxiliary gauges in a carbon fiber mount:














It is real carbon fiber hand laid about 1/16" thick

























We are working on finishing the final trim pieces, installing a radar Detector, Laser Jammer, high output alternator and a few other odds & ends. 



The system is fully operational and sounds great. I will do the final tuning once the rest of the trim pieces are in. I have to say that this car is LOUD. The volume knob never seems to end. There is tons of headroom. I will post some more tuning info when it is done.


----------



## slvrtsunami

Dangerous, very dangerous for an E39 owner.....nore ideas to throw around for the future.

Very nice, technical and impressive setup. Congrats.


----------



## DonovanM

Almost done... yay! Now you can get started on the E46 

jk... It's looking better and better.


----------



## 12v Electronics

DonovanM said:


> Almost done... yay! Now you can get started on the E46
> 
> jk... It's looking better and better.


The E46 has to get here first. The company who built the motor decided to redo it after finding a problem with their machine shop. It was a great thing for them to do as they didn't want any of their motors on the street with issues, but it does cut into the install time. Too bad they didn't find the problem out earlier. 

Last I heard the motor was being delivered to them today so I should have the car here soon. For some interesting reading about the problem see this link: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1161541


----------



## 12v Electronics

slvrtsunami said:


> Dangerous, very dangerous for an E39 owner.....nore ideas to throw around for the future.
> 
> Very nice, technical and impressive setup. Congrats.


Well, since Blacksapphire decided to sell his car, I have to pick up where he left off 

Unfortunately it is not in an E39, but the E46 will be getting the L8, L4 and L1 Pro's just like he was going to do.


----------



## syd-monster

WOW, tom just like in B's forum. Every time I look at this install, I just think class.


----------



## 12v Electronics

syd-monster said:


> WOW, tom just like in B's forum. Every time I look at this install, I just think class.


You haven't even seen the finished product yet. Soon you wil see a part that everyone will want. :huh2:


----------



## syd-monster

Dang... I like suspence, but you have me thinking. Don't tell me, ill wait...

















well, ill try to.


----------



## MajorChipHazard

I love what you have done with the Denon.Props to you dude great job there


----------



## PoLonY

great work there, really top notch!


----------



## slvrtsunami

12v Electronics said:


> You haven't even seen the finished product yet. Soon you wil see a part that everyone will want. :huh2:


 
AARRRGGHHHH! tell us already!!


----------



## herrubermensch

12v Electronics said:


> Well, since Blacksapphire decided to sell his car, I have to pick up where he left off
> 
> Unfortunately it is not in an E39, but the E46 will be getting the L8, L4 and L1 Pro's just like he was going to do.


Was very disappointed not to get the opportunity to see Blacksapphire's installation. I am at work on my first install in an E39 M5 and want to run the L6 (no room for the L8) L4 and L1, all in the factory locations with some "under door" fabrication. Anyone aware of an install along these lines or any install of the L6/8, L4 and L1 in an E39? Thanks in advance.


----------



## Apex Rex

I love following this build, amazing work and I will always enjoy a good clean E36.


----------



## slvrtsunami

herrubermensch said:


> Was very disappointed not to get the opportunity to see Blacksapphire's installation. I am at work on my first install in an E39 M5 and want to run the L6 (no room for the L8) L4 and L1, all in the factory locations with some "under door" fabrication. Anyone aware of an install along these lines or any install of the L6/8, L4 and L1 in an E39? Thanks in advance.


 
PM me with questions... I have a 2000 M5. Also check into BennyZ install, he has an E39 as well (not an M).


----------



## 12v Electronics

herrubermensch said:


> Was very disappointed not to get the opportunity to see Blacksapphire's installation. I am at work on my first install in an E39 M5 and want to run the L6 (no room for the L8) L4 and L1, all in the factory locations with some "under door" fabrication. Anyone aware of an install along these lines or any install of the L6/8, L4 and L1 in an E39? Thanks in advance.


Do a search for member Benny Z here and look at his build. He has L8's in the doors along with L3/L1's. I heard that car and it sounded great.

L6's should be relatively easy to fit in your car.

Edit: Just found it. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...w-528i-hybrid-audio-image-dynamics-zapco.html


----------



## herrubermensch

12v Electronics said:


> Do a search for member Benny Z here and look at his build. He has L8's in the doors along with L3/L1's. I heard that car and it sounded great.
> 
> L6's should be relatively easy to fit in your car.
> 
> Edit: Just found it. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...w-528i-hybrid-audio-image-dynamics-zapco.html


Very helpful! So my three-way front stage would be the L6, L3 and L1 into which I would propose to push 300w per side--150w each for the L6s and 75w each for the L3s and 75w each for the L1s--using a DQXS to go active with my Xs. I see you are a dealer. What would a set of L6s, L3s and L1s typically run without the Xs?


----------



## 12v Electronics

herrubermensch said:


> Very helpful! So my three-way front stage would be the L6, L3 and L1 into which I would propose to push 300w per side--150w each for the L6s and 75w each for the L3s and 75w each for the L1s--using a DQXS to go active with my Xs. I see you are a dealer. What would a set of L6s, L3s and L1s typically run without the Xs?


The Hybrid Legatia line does not come with crossovers or grilles. Most people typically go active with them. 

Here is a link to the Legatia line:

Results for Hybrid Audio Technologies:Legatia™

All of these include the new L1v2 tweeters, even though the pics and details have not been updated yet. The Pro sets are correct.


----------



## funkalicious

Nice! Clean stealth installs are my favorite. Couple of questions:

1) When you say you changed the phase on the tweeters do you mean you switched _polarity_ (+ and -), or did you truly shift the phase?

2) Are the tweeters angled at all or parallel with the kicks?

3) What are the crossover points for the mids and tweets?

Keep up the creative and very well executed work!


----------



## 12v Electronics

funkalicious said:


> Nice! Clean stealth installs are my favorite. Couple of questions:
> 
> 1) When you say you changed the phase on the tweeters do you mean you switched _polarity_ (+ and -), or did you truly shift the phase?
> 
> 2) Are the tweeters angled at all or parallel with the kicks?
> 
> 3) What are the crossover points for the mids and tweets?
> 
> Keep up the creative and very well executed work!


I had had the tweeters 180 degrees out of phase. (same as polarity)

The tweeters are mounted mostly on axis. 

The tuning is not done yet as the interior changed the response a bit, but about 2-3 k is where thery are crossed right now and they sound pretty good. I will be tuniing it soon and will have better info then.


----------



## 12v Electronics

So a friend of mine came out to the shop today. He did me a favor by picking up the other radio faceplate from the powder coater (which was not right and is being sent back). Anyway, he asked to hear the system. He has been following the build, so he knows the work that went into it. He knew that the speakers were mounted in the kick panels, but as soon as I turned the system on he started feeling the top of the dash for speakers. He asked where were the other speakers and said there had to be more because the sound was right on the center of the dash. I tried to explain pathlengths to him, but I think he thought I was pulling his leg. He is not an audio guy, but he is a guitar player and a HUGE music fan. 

I am still giggling. 

Quick shout-out: Thank you Matt for going out and picking up the part.


----------



## funkalicious

Thanks for the info 12v. Please keep us posted as this install has become quite intriguing with its K.I.S.S. approach. I had been thoroughly dissuaded from a two-way front stage with an 8" mid and tweet (in favor of three-way) but the install that you are completing suggests it is not only possible but can have very good results as well. How is the midrange in this setup compared to a three-way?


----------



## Tonyguy

when do you guys expect the car to be done? i may wanna come up for a listen.


----------



## 12v Electronics

Tonyguy said:


> when do you guys expect the car to be done? i may wanna come up for a listen.


Shoud be done in the next couple of weeks. Let me know if you want to stop by.

Here are the grilles for the L8's:














































They are CNC machined from 1" aluminum to fit the L8 perfectly and use the speakers mounting holes.

These are prototypes and they may go into production. If you are a L8 owner and would be interested in a set, please let me know.


----------



## AdamTaylor

looks sick


----------



## el_chupo_

WOW. 

Super clean, super pimp grills


----------



## meteoro84

increible grill !!!


----------



## Apex Rex

Those grille's are gorgeous! Lucky L8 owners that get to have those works of art in their rides.


----------



## pastE36prsntE46

Tom, I have doubted you a lot for this build :laugh: JK! Those grills look amazing! :bowdown:


----------



## DonovanM

That is just too much... those grills are jaw dropping. I may be interested in a set of L8's just to run those


----------



## 12v Electronics

pastE36prsntE46 said:


> Tom, I have doubted you a lot for this build :laugh: JK! Those grills look amazing! :bowdown:


Thank you!

I have to give great thanks to the guys at The Metal Shop Home Page. They did an incredible job making this design come to life. They have an incredible shop that does just about anything you can dream up. They are great to work with and I HIGHLY recommend them. If anyone ever needs a custom made part, do not hesitate to contact them.


----------



## DonovanM

12v Electronics said:


> Thank you!
> 
> I have to give great thanks to the guys at The Metal Shop Home Page. They did an incredible job making this design come to life. They have an incredible shop that does just about anything you can dream up. They are great to work with and I HIGHLY recommend them. If anyone ever needs a custom made part, do not hesitate to contact them.


Good stuff, that grill looks perfect, maybe only needs a little bit of sanding before powder coat.

If you don't mind me asking, and feel free to PM me, but what did a one-off pair of those grills cost? Or if you order stuff from them all the time, do you know what the cost would be to a consumer like me?


----------



## 12v Electronics

DonovanM said:


> Good stuff, that grill looks perfect, maybe only needs a little bit of sanding before powder coat.
> 
> If you don't mind me asking, and feel free to PM me, but what did a one-off pair of those grills cost? Or if you order stuff from them all the time, do you know what the cost would be to a consumer like me?


This set has a ton of design and tooling time involved (actually the prototype). Their machinist took an L8 for measurements and made a perfect fitting grille using the HAT speaker holes and measurements. Since this is our design, we intend to produce more of these and make them available for purchase. There are also custom grilles in production for the other HAT speakers. They will be available soon.


----------



## chijioke penny

double post


----------



## chijioke penny

12v Electronics said:


> The faceplate was disassembled and sent out to get powder coated.


on the face plate powder coating , what color is that? is it gun metal?
thanks,
chi


----------



## 12v Electronics

chijioke penny said:


> on the face plate powder coating , what color is that? is it gun metal?
> thanks,
> chi


I am not sure what color it is. I sent it to the powder coater along with the On Board Control Center and asked him to match the color. I do not know how he actually did it but he also matched the texture.


----------



## 12v Electronics

The technology that went into these grilles amazes me. I have never seen a waterjet machine up close in action before. I thought I would post a pic of the "scrap" that came from this grille. This is the raw material (1 inch thick) that came from the center of the grille. And it was cut with WATER!!  An amazing machine. I was told that the machine that _The Metal Shop_ uses can cut up to 3" thick material. And that is just about any material including plastic and GLASS.


----------



## OnTheGreen

Nice work


----------



## Attack eagle

man, those are fraking NICE.


----------



## PoLonY

absolutely stunning, love it!


----------



## 12v Electronics

Here is a finished pic of the gauge cluster and controls:










We hard wired the radar detector (Escort 9500i) and mounted the indicators and controls into the dash trim. You can see it in the above picture as the second spot from the left just below the gauges. 

The next spot over holds a custom made sub volume control. This one knob controls both subwoofer amps. The silver jack below the knob is a 3.5mm stereo jack for an auxilliary input. This is wired directly to the radio which has controls for it.

The third is the factory alarm's glass break sensor and LED.

Here is a night pic of it:


----------



## cravenmh

Great ideas on the grills. I need my own. Only advantage to working for a large corp. that has CNC centers and a wire EDM to make my 6061 T6 billet parts. The machine shop guys work cheap on their lunch hour. Too bad the polishing I do in my garage.


----------



## 12v Electronics

Tonight's works was supposed to be an easy alternator upgrade to 140 amps. 

The 140 amp is a factory option for some BMW models. We did not want to go to a custom wind for cost issues, and 140 amp should do the job fine.










The only listing the auto parts store had for a 140 amp alternator was from a 325ci(only checked E36). It went in perfectly until I tried to tighten the bottom mounting bolt. Guess what? There was a bushing, but it was not threaded like the old one. I pulled it out and pressed the bushings out and tried to swap them. Unfortunately the new alternator's hole was bigger than the old one. 

The alternator was special order so rather than have the brain surgeon at Autozone try to figure out why it didn't match I decided to fix it myself. 

I drilled the new bushing out to 5/8" on the drill press. The old bushing was about 11/16" so I took that over to the grinding lathe and reduced the size slightly. This is how the parts look after the work:










I put them together and tack welded them together:










Pressed it into the new alternator:



















And installed it:










The pulleys line up correctly and the belt fits fine. 

I'm not sure why this alternator was different. It may be that the 325ci has a differnet bracket/bolt assembly or the remanufacturer screwed up somehow. Whatever the case, it is good to go now. 

I noticed a huge improvement going from the stock alternator to the 140amp. It was definitely needed as this system can pull about 150 amps at max volume.


----------



## Attack eagle

Love it, glad it worked out well for you. I love my 140 amp.


----------



## 12v Electronics

We put a layer of Second Skin Overkill closed cell foam on the bottom of the dash panels to reduce resonances. 



















And installed it in the car:


----------



## 12v Electronics

Here are some pics of the subwoofer enclosure. This is layer #2:










3rd & final layer:










Some shots from the RTA while tuning. Here is the left L8:










The right L8:










Left L1 Pro:










Right L1 Pro:










You may have noticed that I had the L8's crossed over a bit low at 2k. I decided to run them up a bit to 4.3k. I am still playing with crossover points and have not decided on them yet. Here is a shot of the system with crossovers set at 4.3k:










Note, these are all at 1db per step. You can see that they are all within 3 db of each other here:










The car now needs a bit of tuning for taste, but having a nice flat base sure makes it easy. These are ONLY the front speakers and no sub.

At the end of todays tuning I decided to run a quick SPL test while the machine was hooked up. I used the same tuning, and kicked up the sub control. The mic was in the same position and I just put on a track from the rock CD I was listening to. It registered 132.7 db.


----------



## syd-monster

Tom, as per your B's forum thread. Awesome work... 
actually im a little peeved I can't hear this thing in person!


----------



## 12v Electronics

syd-monster said:


> Tom, as per your B's forum thread. Awesome work...
> actually im a little peeved I can't hear this thing in person!


It's only a short "umpteen" hour plane ride. I will even pick you up from the airport if you like


----------



## slvrtsunami

Nice flat curve at 3db per step. I love what you and your team has created. I knew I should bought an AC RTA when I had the chance. Thanks for bringing back memories.


----------



## boom_squid_2

damn nice build man....One day one day Ill get there..


----------



## 12v Electronics

The subwoofer and port grilles:










A "trunk mat" using Second Skin Luxury Liner Pro was made. It is a noise barrier made with thick closed cell foam and a heavy vinyl barrier. 










It was covered with matching trunk carpet:










There was very little trunk space taken with the subwoofer as seen here. 










The heavy grilles can support just about anything thrown in the trunk. Next we are finishing a matching cover for the amplifiers and the car will be getting a good bath and detail. When the trunk is open it will pretty much look OEM.


----------



## capnxtreme

Everything looks amazing.

I can't believe you are crossing the 8's at 4.3k, though.  Just from a theoretical standpoint, they are beaming so far below that.


----------



## 12v Electronics

capnxtreme said:


> Everything looks amazing.
> 
> I can't believe you are crossing the 8's at 4.3k, though.  Just from a theoretical standpoint, they are beaming so far below that.


I can't believe how well they play there. In fact I was playing with them up into the 6k range and they still sounded good. I am still playing with crossover points, so they may not stay there, but it really sounds good. I made a promise to myself that I would not turn on the system for 2 days and then revisit it to see if I still like it as much. We will see what happens.


----------



## Tonyguy

you open Sundays?


----------



## 12v Electronics

Tonyguy said:


> you open Sundays?


No, but if you would like to come by on Sunday, let me know and I can meet you there. This Sunday is no good, but next week should be ok.


----------



## Tonyguy

12v Electronics said:


> No, but if you would like to come by on Sunday, let me know and I can meet you there. This Sunday is no good, but next week should be ok.


I think I will come up then. I'll let you know for sure in a few days. I wanna make sure nothing else comes up.


----------



## 12v Electronics

slvrtsunami said:


> Nice flat curve at 3db per step. I love what you and your team has created. I knew I should bought an AC RTA when I had the chance. Thanks for bringing back memories.


I'm not sure you can call that a "curve" at 3db. It is pretty much flat. 

Audio Control still makes the RTA's. The one I used is only about a year old. It is still the best IMO. I have PC based RTA's, but I always trust this one the most. The mic is certified and there is little chance for error. They have made pretty much the same unit since the '70's. This one has some IASCA scoring features in it, but is still the same old great unit.


----------



## Scott Buwalda

This is a blatant plug, and I know it. But I wanted to be sure everyone realized that this is four speakers playing with a highpass on the bass speakers at 30 Hz. Note the response to 20,000 Hz out of the 25mm soft dome tweeter and the solid usable repsonse down into the subsonic frequencies with a pair of L8's and cabin gain. Nice job Tom!!


----------



## prophet_ca

Wow, that is amazing..... good job on the tuning...


----------



## ocuriel

Very nice! 

Your not too far from me. Might have to stop by one day.


----------



## pastE36prsntE46

Tom you have impressed me, I cant wait to see the final picture of the trunk. It will be really funny to tell everyone no I dont have anything in the trunk, the headunit is a special japanese one that pushes enough power to the L8s and tweeters in the kicks. :laugh:


----------



## prophet_ca

> The 2 amps on the top are Blaupunkt VA1400's. They will be each be powering the subwoofer. Power output is 600w RMS to each voice coil. They are one of my favorite underated amps. And they are very affordable.
> 
> There are 3 Blaupunkt VA2100's on the bottom which will run the following:
> 
> Left front Hybrid Audio Technologies L8 mid: 1x300w rms
> Right front Hybrid Audio Technologies L8 mid: 1x300w rms
> Front Hybrid Audio Technologies L1 Pro tweeters: 2x100w rms
> 
> There will be a cover going on the amp rack which will have cross-flow ventilation in it. Mounting them this way allows some use of the folding back seats.


I'm a newbie but i thought powering the each subwoofer voicecoil with two seperate amp was no no? How is this wired?


----------



## 12v Electronics

prophet_ca said:


> I'm a newbie but i thought powering the each subwoofer voicecoil with two seperate amp was no no? How is this wired?


The amps were matched and the gains were set with an oscilloscope.


----------



## syd-monster

I encourage anyone that can to go & hear this BM.... (and tell me what you thought ). 
There just isn't enough classy/clean installs that actually sound better than they look. To much flash these days.



12v Electronics said:


> It's only a short "umpteen" hour plane ride. I will even pick you up from the airport if you like


 Thanks for even considering it Tom, alas my funding cant strech to the $2200aus plane ticket. (that's L8 funds in saving mode). One day perhaps ill fulfill the dream and spend weeks in the US.
Thanks for sharing this install with us and thanks for pastE36prsntE46 to have the time/$$ to allow Tom to build this thing.


----------



## pastE36prsntE46

Well being in Afghanistan I had the time and I guess the money. Tom has been awesome and deserves all the credit, it was his ideas and hard work put into this car. I have seen countless times at 4 am of him posting on the build threads, as he was just finishing for the day. Hope he lives through the next build, my 750+whp E46 M3


----------



## lowpoke

pastE36prsntE46 said:


> Hope he lives through the next build, my 750+whp E46 M3


Good Lord.


----------



## funkalicious

12v Electronics: Are there any other 8" + tweeter two-way front stage combinations that you feel would produce good results in kick panel locations?


----------



## DonovanM

funkalicious said:


> 12v Electronics: Are there any other 8" + tweeter two-way front stage combinations that you feel would produce good results in kick panel locations?


I'm not 12v Electronics, but I'm sure the Seas Lotus Reference 8" + RT27F 1" would do rather well


----------



## syd-monster

funkalicious said:


> 12v Electronics: Are there any other 8" + tweeter two-way front stage combinations that you feel would produce good results in kick panel locations?





DonovanM said:


> I'm not 12v Electronics, but I'm sure the Seas Lotus Reference 8" + RT27F 1" would do rather well


Not trying to answer for Tom (12velec) either, but I think its a little more than just the combination of the L8 & L1 pro.
For starters HAT's are designed for this, that is auto use and take advantage of particular install methods, pld control, etc...
Secondly, this car has been treated so well (with vast & copius deadning) and installed to such a very high level. Think about how much went into the L8 install...
Thirdly, I think the fact that it is a E36 BMW helps, BMW's have quite large kick panel area to work with (not easy but plenty of real state).
So combine those factors with great speakers and you MAY get the same results.
This is why people like SB and 12V spend so much time listening to different speakers in different ideals. Each car is a unique environment, so your results will probably be unique too.
Im sure Tom will add more to this.


----------



## 12v Electronics

funkalicious said:


> 12v Electronics: Are there any other 8" + tweeter two-way front stage combinations that you feel would produce good results in kick panel locations?


I don't know of any other 8" driver that can play up to 2.5k linearly. I had strong doubts that even the Hybrid L8 would be able to do this effectively, but I was very wrong. It really does work well. Not only on paper, but in reality too. 

As Syd said, there are many other factors that may have helped this car achive excellent results. The BMW E36 kick panel design lends very well to pld's. Also this car was deadened excessively. There were no corners cut with the installation. All of this along with great speakers made for an excellent sounding vehicle. 

My biggest problem is that the owner is sending me his BMW E46 M3 next. This car was supposed to be the "budget build" and I am going to have a hell of a time trying to top it. 

I like challenges.


----------



## dave

That is some very nice work, i am especially liking those L8 grills. Awesome!


----------



## pastE36prsntE46

12v Electronics said:


> As Syd said, there are many other factors that may have helped this car achive excellent results. The BMW E36 kick panel design lends very well to pld's. Also this car was deadened excessively. There were no corners cut with the installation. All of this along with great speakers made for an excellent sounding vehicle.
> 
> My biggest problem is that the owner is sending me his BMW E46 M3 next. This car was supposed to be the "budget build" and I am going to have a hell of a time trying to top it.
> 
> I like challenges.



As Tom stated this is the budget build (which obviously it didnt turn out like that) and for his awesome work and attention to detail, he will always be welcome to come visit the cars in Florida. In fact if I can make it out to any shows he will have a paid trip there and maybe even a shot on me!


----------



## 12v Electronics

> In fact if I can make it out to any shows he will have a paid trip there and maybe even a shot on me!


Hurry up and schedule a show. I could use a free vacation


----------



## keep_hope_alive

awesome build. very inspiring.


----------



## Maddman

install well done, impressive flat lines from a limited numbers of drivers. Look forward to seeing more installation work on the owner's next car.


----------



## 12v Electronics

The car got a good bath and detail while waiting for the final finishing pieces. Here are a few pics:





































Much better than when it arrived:










Here is some more info on the detail for those interested. HELP! How do I make this 500 hp M3 pretty again? - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum


----------



## bigabe

So I see on bimmerforums that the enclosure for that IDMAX is 3.0 cubic feet tuned to 27Hz... wow.

Can spare tire well enclosures of that size be pulled off in an E46 sedan trunk?? I've been wondering if I could put my bigass DD3512 in a spare tire well enclosure and get the use of my trunk back. It needs 2.5 cubic feet.... but it won't take too kindly to any tuning lower than about 32Hz.

Damn I wish I was closer to your shop.... my car would be in there already.


----------



## braves6117

I've been following this build and absolutely love it!

Tom, great job. Also, where did you source the grills for the port and sub, I need some heavy duty ones as well.


----------



## Attack eagle

looks like expanded steel mesh. you can get that at home depot or lowes in small precut sections.


----------



## 12v Electronics

bigabe said:


> So I see on bimmerforums that the enclosure for that IDMAX is 3.0 cubic feet tuned to 27Hz... wow.
> 
> Can spare tire well enclosures of that size be pulled off in an E46 sedan trunk?? I've been wondering if I could put my bigass DD3512 in a spare tire well enclosure and get the use of my trunk back. It needs 2.5 cubic feet.... but it won't take too kindly to any tuning lower than about 32Hz.
> 
> Damn I wish I was closer to your shop.... my car would be in there already.


In a E46 sedan (non //M) the spare tire area is pretty large, but not as big as the E36. I think you could get close to the 2.5 cubic foot volume with some careful planning.



braves6117 said:


> I've been following this build and absolutely love it!
> 
> Tom, great job. Also, where did you source the grills for the port and sub, I need some heavy duty ones as well.


The grilles are custom made with expanded steel as Attack Eagle said.


----------



## 12v Electronics




----------



## DonovanM

Well done as always.

Is that a wrap?


----------



## 12v Electronics

DonovanM said:


> Well done as always.
> 
> Is that a wrap?


You mean a wrap as in finished? If so, no. I have one more surprise up my sleeve. (if it works out) 

I will say this: I haven't turned the system on in about a week due to a nasty head cold, but I got a chance to listen to it again today and I was once again very impressed. The customer is leaving the car here for a short while and I will still be playing with the tune, but honestly I don't know how much better I can make it. This system really amazes me.


----------



## Megalomaniac

That shine is nice! You must have done some serious paint correction! What did you end up sealing the paint with?


----------



## abonablesnobeast415

nice setup


----------



## Apex Rex

One of my all time favorite cars, color included. 

Amazing work!


----------



## 12v Electronics

Megalomaniac said:


> That shine is nice! You must have done some serious paint correction! What did you end up sealing the paint with?


It was sealed with Klasse High Gloss sealant.

There is a thread on the detail here: HELP! How do I make this 500 hp M3 pretty again? - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum


----------



## Mless5

Man, I'd be super careful with those amps. They get really hot under normal use. Props for hard work though!


----------



## 12v Electronics

Mless5 said:


> Man, I'd be super careful with those amps. They get really hot under normal use. Props for hard work though!


The amp cover is designed to pull air in from the lower rear vents and over the bottom amp level and then up to the top level and out through the 2 fans mounted in the cover. 

I have been using these amps for a long time and I don't find that they get excessively hot, but if they do the crossflow cooling will take care of that.


----------



## Oliver

Very nice install documentation , Tom !! 

If'n you all own a bimmer get this guys address and some $$$$


----------



## rcurley55

12v Electronics said:


> In a E46 sedan (non //M) the spare tire area is pretty large, but not as big as the E36. I think you could get close to the 2.5 cubic foot volume with some careful planning.


Just to clarify a bit.

In the E46 coupe, there is a full sized spare or at least room for one. The early cars with the staggered wheels came with an extra front wheel, the later cars started to adopt a space-saving spare, but the floor boards never changed. My brother's car came with a 17 x 7 or so full size - it's a 225/45-17 iirc. That well is every bit of 9 inches deep, maybe a touch more, but if we go with 9 inches you are looking at somewhere on the order of....2.55 cubes or so of room - and that's without messing with raising the floor.

That's an estimate, and remember that there's some abnormalities in there.

As for the E46 M3 - there is a spare tire well or sorts - the car comes with a fancy fix-a-flat - nothing else. The spare tire well has approximately 1.1 cubic feet in it - it's tricky, but you can fit a sub under the floor if you try hard enough - 2 10's would fit physically, and 3 8's - if they had TINY magnets would probably work too. It's the perfect place to stash some amps!

Of course, there was no E46 M3 sedan.


----------



## 12v Electronics

a$$hole said:


> Very nice install documentation , Tom !!
> 
> If'n you all own a bimmer get this guys address and some $$$$


Thanks!

We work on all cars, but we have a great BMW & Porsche following. I guess you can say we specialize in them.


----------



## Megalomaniac

Purple Nurple!


Can we get a photo of whats under the hood? Did you detail that too?


----------



## designer485

Your install is awesome, so clean. Exactly how it should be done. Oh an +1 on the color. I love techno violet!


----------



## pastE36prsntE46

designer485 said:


> Your install is awesome, so clean. Exactly how it should be done. Oh an +1 on the color. I love techno violet!


\


It is actually DAYTONA VIOLET!  Oh and for the gentlemen who requested the pic of under the hood.....enjoy.


----------



## KMelt

heard Hybrids for the first time couple of weeks ago. pretty darn sweet


----------



## 12v Electronics

pastE36prsntE46 said:


> It is actually DAYTONA VIOLET!  Oh and for the gentlemen who requested the pic of under the hood.....enjoy.


There you go again with the Daytona Violet 

Oh, and I replaced all of those missing alternator air intake fasteners that are missing in that pic. So much stuff I fixed that you do not know about. I should have documented it, but I just went ahead and fixed it because I could not let the car leave that way. 



KMelt said:


> heard Hybrids for the first time couple of weeks ago. pretty darn sweet


Great! Which ones did you hear?


----------



## KMelt

L81-2 Heard them via Metanium. Sounded awesome.


----------



## pagustin

Well Tom first that install is awesome! Second I'll be contacting you via PM with pricing type questions as I live a short 6-8 ours away (depending on cops and my go fast pedal, lol) So when is this car going to go to FL? I'm trying to swing a work trip to Chicago so I can hear it!

Thanks for all the posts and the great info.

P


----------



## Serious Sam

Very nice.
Inspiring to many.

I appreciate you sharing your experience and thanks to the owner to allow his car to be shown in this way.


----------



## 12v Electronics

Just a few updates. Since the next car has been delayed by the transport company , I have been focusing on the tuning. I probably have 30 different configurations saved on my computer and I still go back to the original settings. There was no time alignment applied becuase every time I did measurements it never seemed to sound right. I got a nice exel program from a friend of mine that he got from a friend in Mexico  that worked perfectly. With a very slight bit of time alignment it did wonders. 

The car is pretty much ready to go now. I still am playing with the tuning for some dumb reason and once it gets finished I will install the amp rack finish panel and call it done. 

While waiting for the turbo company to finsh the car we decided to install an alarm with RFID technology and an auxillary cable that would be run into the center console along with the USB cable for the Zapco processor.

Here is a video of the alarm's features: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOaVgkdIdWg

Also I took the car for a ride today to test for squeaks and rattles, etc. There are none, but I have to say that this car is CRAZY fast. I knew better than to "hot-rod" a customers car, but I was driving down a nearby road with a few bumps and I though that it was ok to press down the throttle a bit in 3rd gear. I was dead wrong. I went from 30 to 60 mph in the blink of an eye. I can't believe this car is this fast. Unbelievable....

I can't imagine what the HPF E46 will be like. Rich the owner promises to give me a real ride once the car is done. I'm not sure I want to be in it 

While the car was outside today the sun was setting and I could not resist taking this photo.


----------



## braves6117

12v Electronics said:


> While the car was outside today the sun was setting and I could not resist taking this photo.


That begs the question, will you be able to let the car go...? :laugh:


I like the alarm, thanks for the video


----------



## pagustin

That thing is beautiful from the inside out! Oh and yeah I call 3rd gear in my M3 the "Magic" gear as you can be sitting at about 2000 rpms and hammer it all the way to 95 mph before you have to shift.

Now to schedule a trip to Chicago with my M3 for some install fun.

P


----------



## slvrtsunami

Man, I just love the opening in the front bumper, lookd like specifically made for the intrcooler....I wonder if there is a kit for a E39 M5? It has the S62 engine.


----------



## cojones

Wow. One of the nicest stealth installs I've seen.


----------



## 12v Electronics

braves6117 said:


> That begs the question, will you be able to let the car go...? :laugh:
> 
> 
> I like the alarm, thanks for the video


Not sure if I want to let it go. If I was to build a car and sound sytem this would be high on the list. 



pagustin said:


> That thing is beautiful from the inside out! Oh and yeah I call 3rd gear in my M3 the "Magic" gear as you can be sitting at about 2000 rpms and hammer it all the way to 95 mph before you have to shift.
> 
> Now to schedule a trip to Chicago with my M3 for some install fun.
> 
> P


Comon' by! 

I don't know what the owner will do with all of that power under the hood but I'm sure he will definitely have some fun with it. I was driving it normally and once it hit 3500 rpm it went from 30 to 60 mph instantly. I have had a few modified turbo cars of my own, but the power there is insane. Pretty scary actually. 



slvrtsunami said:


> Man, I just love the opening in the front bumper, lookd like specifically made for the intrcooler....I wonder if there is a kit for a E39 M5? It has the S62 engine.


I know there are a few aftermarket bumpers for E39's but not sure if there are any that look like that. 



cojones said:


> Wow. One of the nicest stealth installs I've seen.


Thank you. I enjoyed doing this one. The next car I am doing will not be as "stealth", but it will be more of a show car so that is cool. Unfortunately the car is over a month behind schedule to arrive and I will be pressed for time to get everything done in time. Time to stock up on the coffee at the shop.


----------



## slvrtsunami

> I know there are a few aftermarket bumpers for E39's but not sure if there are any that look like that.


Yes, I am sure there are. However, the opening on my M5, with a little cutting, could probably handle a shorter but longer IC.




oh wait, Im sorry, I thought I was dreaming about modding my car!! nevermind


----------



## 12v Electronics

Well, it looks like a time to move on to bigger and better things.










This is the owner's pride and joy with a turbocharged 755 rear wheel horsepower. It will be getting a Hybrid Audo Technologies L841-3 Pro system with Zapco DC Reference amps. 

This should be a fun build. Since the same person owns both cars I have a feeling that he will have a tough decision on which one to drive each day. 

I will start a new build thread for this new car. You will see it soon!!


----------



## Serious Sam

Tom, are you going to put the 8's in the kick again?

Do you find that the kick panel is a better place for the 8 than the door?

Man, this is going to be fun to watch.


----------



## quality_sound

I've never heard a 3-way car with midbasses in the kicks that had midbass as goos is it was in the doors. Sure, it'll image a little better, but not enough, IMO, to make up for the work and the loss of midbass.


----------



## Tonyguy

Damn, that is gonna be a nice build. Make sure to start a new thread.


----------



## bigabe

755HP??


Sounds like an HPF M3. I want, I want, I want... OMFG.


----------



## bigabe

Oooooh yay... double post... I win a prize!!!!


----------



## 12v Electronics

Serious Sam said:


> Tom, are you going to put the 8's in the kick again?
> 
> Do you find that the kick panel is a better place for the 8 than the door?
> 
> Man, this is going to be fun to watch.


The L8's will be going in the doors in this car. I would love to put them in the kicks, but this car does not have the room without major mframe modification.



bigabe said:


> 755HP??
> 
> 
> Sounds like an HPF M3. I want, I want, I want... OMFG.


Good guess. Here is the car on the dyno:

YouTube - Rich's HPF Stage 3 M3 Turbo w/755rwhp by HorsepowerFreaks


----------



## Megalomaniac

12v Electronics said:


> Well, it looks like a time to move on to bigger and better things.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the owner's pride and joy with a turbocharged 755 rear wheel horsepower. It will be getting a Hybrid Audo Technologies L841-3 Pro system with Zapco DC Reference amps.
> 
> This should be a fun build. Since the same person owns both cars I have a feeling that he will have a tough decision on which one to drive each day.
> 
> I will start a new build thread for this new car. You will see it soon!!


lets see more pics of that M!


----------



## AlpineAndy

Very nice build!!!


----------



## syd-monster

As per the B's thread, I look forward to the next install Tom!


----------



## 12v Electronics

New build thread started here: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...m3-gets-hybrid-audio-makeover.html#post684753


----------



## djr

what a build i have just read the thread from start to finish, simply stunning


----------



## 12v Electronics

People have been asking for a recap, so here is a "Picture Palloza"











Preliminary fitting: 



















L8 installation video:

YouTube - 12v Electronics E36 M3 Audio Part 1- HAT L8 install


Sound deadening pics:


----------



## 12v Electronics

-------------------------------------------------------------

The sub enclosure is 3 layers of 3/4" birch plywood.


----------



## 12v Electronics




----------



## 12v Electronics

Here is the head unit. It is a Denon 8250:











It was color and texture matched to the dash:


----------



## 12v Electronics

Kick panel enclosures for the L8's:














































----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Door panel repair:











Amp rack pics:


----------



## 12v Electronics

Carbon Fiber gauge mount:


----------



## 12v Electronics

L8 grilles:


----------



## 12v Electronics

140 amp alterntor upgrade:
























































Kick Pods:


----------



## 12v Electronics

RTA pic:











Computer interface:




















Alarm install video:

YouTube - 12v Electronics- BMW RFID alarm system


Final product:


----------



## 12v Electronics

Detail Pics:


----------



## mobeious

that L1 being so far away from that L4 a good idea?


----------



## quality_sound

Did I miss the L4s?


----------



## pagustin

There is no L4 its a 2-way set up with an L8 and L1 pro. 

P


----------



## 12v Electronics

mobeious said:


> that L1 being so far away from that L4 a good idea?




No L4's in this car.


----------



## markland556

Nice recap on the thread. 

Did you spray the spectrum down then put the damplifier on top of that? Or was is the other way around?


----------



## reindeers

I love the grilles. Your ride is looking sick man!!!!


----------



## brianlin87

love the retextured headunit to match like oem. 

great work


----------



## brianlin87

love the retextured headunit to match like oem. 

great work


----------



## BMWTUBED

Tom,
Is it possible to do this type of kick panel enclosure in an E46 Sedan?
If so, I may have some business for you 
I LOVE how stealth it is!


----------



## 12v Electronics

BMWTUBED said:


> Tom,
> Is it possible to do this type of kick panel enclosure in an E46 Sedan?
> If so, I may have some business for you
> I LOVE how stealth it is!


There is not enough room in the E46 to get them in there like this. A pod would have to be made and it would stick out pretty far. Then there will be airspace issues. Also there is a ton of support beams in this area on the E46 and cutting would have to be carefully done. I am working on a E46 coupe right now and everything is going in the doors.


----------



## BMWTUBED

Damn, and I used to own an E36


----------



## BassBrat

Those L8's are paper cones so make sure no moisture gets back there from the wheel wells


----------



## 12v Electronics

BassBrat said:


> Those L8's are paper cones so make sure no moisture gets back there from the wheel wells


OK, will do.
:lol:

They are in sealed enclosures.


----------



## JP Fabrication

12v Electronics said:


> OK, will do.
> :lol:
> 
> They are in sealed enclosures.



I don't think the rain channel,
body seam sealer
Damplifier Pro
4 layers of fiberglass cloth
2 layers of strand matt
1 layer of chopped matt
and the Second Skin Damplifier Pro
is enough


----------



## 12v Electronics

crnacnac said:


> I don't think the rain channel,
> body seam sealer
> Damplifier Pro
> 4 layers of fiberglass cloth
> 2 layers of strand matt
> 1 layer of chopped matt
> and the Second Skin Damplifier Pro
> is enough


Actually I believe there were up to 7 layers of cloth in places.


----------



## slvrtsunami

12v Electronics said:


> Actually I believe there were up to 7 layers of cloth in places.


 
Overkill, just the way I like it!!


----------



## Niebur3

Now that is a build....very nice work!!!


----------



## 12v Electronics

I have gotten a few PM's about the amp rack cover that was not explained in the build. 

This one:










It is a hand laid blue kevlar/carbon fiber mix. It covers the wires and controls and is necessary for the forced air cooling. There are 2 fans in the top of the cover under the grilles. They pull air from the vents on the back side of the cover, over the lower layer of amps and then up and over to the top layer. 

Here is a video of a bass test on the system:





Not bad for a SQ car.


----------



## bigabe

Violent Bass Air FTMFW!!!!


----------



## OnTheGreen

Awsome.


----------



## 12v Electronics

bigabe said:


> Violent Bass Air FTMFW!!!!


VBA's FTW!!!

This car is so cool because it can go from a SQ car to a SPL contender with the turn of a knob. I will have to take a SPL reading when I have the meter out, but unfortunately I think the car will peg it as my meter only goes to 136 db. I recorded it at somewhere around 133 db earlier in the build when I was RTA'ing the car. I know it is over 136 db right now as it really hurts when pushed. 

I have to stop doing that as I cannot tune for about 2 days after cranking that knob. It is so addictive though  I need help.


----------



## Eiswritsat

is the charcoal grey or lt.grey carpet because my girl has a 97 convert and ive been trying to find a good match so i can get started on her trunk once she get s her hard top installed in a week.


----------



## JayinMI

No, no no...stop replying to this thread, 12V. Work on the *other* BMW and post pics :laugh:

Jay


----------



## JayinMI

VBA, FTW.

VBA recorded with a digital camera, FTL. :laugh:

Jay


----------



## JayRich

That was a great install. Kudos for the excellent stealth job


----------



## trevordj

Hey Tom, thanks for hamming it up with me about this build today. I am super excited to get the L6 and L1 Pro into my fiancee's Subaru!

This still has to be one of my favorite builds... although the other BMW you are working has me drooling too.


----------



## 12v Electronics

trevordj said:


> Hey Tom, thanks for hamming it up with me about this build today. I am super excited to get the L6 and L1 Pro into my fiancee's Subaru!
> 
> This still has to be one of my favorite builds... although the other BMW you are working has me drooling too.


My pleasure. Thanks for the kind words. Let me know how you like the L61-2 Pro set.


----------



## AdamTaylor

JayinMI said:


> No, no no...stop replying to this thread, 12V. Work on the *other* BMW and post pics :laugh:
> 
> Jay


Word!


----------



## 12v Electronics

Eiswritsat said:


> is the charcoal grey or lt.grey carpet because my girl has a 97 convert and ive been trying to find a good match so i can get started on her trunk once she get s her hard top installed in a week.


Sorry I missed your post. It is called Charcoal Heather and it is the closest match I have found. In fact the pictures do not do it justice because the flash seems to pick out the old carpet from the new. 

We do stock it, so please let me know if you need some.


----------



## Echo42987

So I personally had the honors to go hear this install last night and all I can say...

PERFECT IMAGING!

The car sounded amazing. The speaker location on this BMW was perfect, the imaging was there 100%.

Truly, when he demoed an acoustic guitar solo, it sounded like the guitar was right in front of me and the sound ran across the dash perfectly!

Tom AWESOME job on this build and I'm bummed I didn't get to hear the other BMW  but I am sure that one sounded just as good not if better lol!

-Nick-


----------



## bballer123

Tom is a great guy! He gave me the opportunity to take a listen to this system and it was a treat. There has been so much work put into this car (as you can see in the build) and the end results tell of this. The RTA photos are not misleading. That 8" driver gets LOW. The sound is VERY tight. 

This is my first install that I have listened to with the tweeter in the kicks so that was an experience. Sound stage was very uniform. I currently have (and am used to) my tweeters in the top of the door/pillar. It was nice to hear the advantages/disadvantages of each. 

I would again like to thank Tom for taking the time today to show me the system. Thanks!

-Matt


----------



## douggiestyle

I must say I am more a fan of this build than the other one, but you may have had more time on this one than the other. I'm a sucker for this gen. Bimmers, though.

One Q: There's a small movement starting using carbon fiber fabric to wrap interior parts. Not sure if that's what you are using for your install accents or if it's "real" cf. How involved is that process for you?


----------



## 12v Electronics

Echo42987 said:


> So I personally had the honors to go hear this install last night and all I can say...
> 
> PERFECT IMAGING!
> 
> The car sounded amazing. The speaker location on this BMW was perfect, the imaging was there 100%.
> 
> Truly, when he demoed an acoustic guitar solo, it sounded like the guitar was right in front of me and the sound ran across the dash perfectly!
> 
> Tom AWESOME job on this build and I'm bummed I didn't get to hear the other BMW  but I am sure that one sounded just as good not if better lol!
> 
> -Nick-





bballer123 said:


> Tom is a great guy! He gave me the opportunity to take a listen to this system and it was a treat. There has been so much work put into this car (as you can see in the build) and the end results tell of this. The RTA photos are not misleading. That 8" driver gets LOW. The sound is VERY tight.
> 
> This is my first install that I have listened to with the tweeter in the kicks so that was an experience. Sound stage was very uniform. I currently have (and am used to) my tweeters in the top of the door/pillar. It was nice to hear the advantages/disadvantages of each.
> 
> I would again like to thank Tom for taking the time today to show me the system. Thanks!
> 
> -Matt


Thanks guys. It was a pleasure meeting you both. Showed the system to a few people today and all I got was good feedback. I'm not sure how member tonyguy liked it, but I did have to almost pry him out of the seat 



douggiestyle said:


> I must say I am more a fan of this build than the other one, but you may have had more time on this one than the other. I'm a sucker for this gen. Bimmers, though.
> 
> One Q: There's a small movement starting using carbon fiber fabric to wrap interior parts. Not sure if that's what you are using for your install accents or if it's "real" cf. How involved is that process for you?


The carbon fiber is real in this car as is the kevlar/carbon amp rack cover. It is not too difficult, but just takes time and patience.


----------



## Tonyguy

12v Electronics said:


> Thanks guys. It was a pleasure meeting you both. Showed the system to a few people today and all I got was good feedback. I'm not sure how member tonyguy liked it, but I did have to almost pry him out of the seat


Aww come on Tom, you know I loved it.  To all wondering about this combo, Let all worries be rested. This car sounded *SPECTACULAR!*
I spent a good amount of time in this car and I got to listen to a variety of music. The L8's absolutely kicked in this car. They got down real nice and low and had plenty of punch. They also really excelled in terms of transients. And on the high end, they sounded amazing. Nice, full bodied but with a dark tone to them. I honestly kept the sub off 50% of the time as these were more than enough low end. These took the 300 watts they were given like nothing. I'm honestly astonished by these 8's and their frequency response. 
As far as the tweeters go, these L1 Pro's were great too. They mated almost perfectly with the 8 which says a lot. They too also had that murky vibe going for them, yet were very detailed. These tweets also have the ability to project a steady image, which was amazing in this car. Some songs really brought this out. Track #10 on Focal test disc #2 really had this combo shining. It Honestly and Truly sounded like the artists was sitting on the hood and beating on the windshield as his drum. I felt the beat from the L8's in my face and chest. This made my jaw drop! I've never experienced the feeling and this combo was able to bring that track to life. Very Impressive! On other tracks like _Alice in Chains Mtv Unplugged_ disc, track #5 _"Down In A Hole"_, This set really conveyed the space of the stage and solidly set the artists rock solid on the dash playing his guitar. And you can literally feel each pluck of his guitar strings, almost razor sharp.  <- This was my expression during the whole track! This song also gave a buddy of mine who was in the car goosebumps. He had never experienced this sensation either. He is sold on doing HAT drivers in his car. 
Lastly, the quality of the sub bass was incredible too. The idMax was able to blend in with the L8 seamlessly so much that my buddy had a hard time determining when I was turning it on and off. But at a twist of the volume knob, this thing POUNDED! I know that the idMax was capable of getting loud, but it was rediculous! This is also a testament to Tom's Skills. This car was like the ultimate woman: A lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets! This car was so transparent and clean one second, yet would satisfy most bass heads the next. IMO, It was honestly too much bass for my tastes. But it was what the customer wanted. Also worth a worthy mention are the Blaupunkt Velocity amps. These things made their power like any high end amp i've ever heard and sounded great. It is rediculous how much of a value these amps are. Anybody doubting them would be Stupid to do so. 
Now for the few small negatives. And i'm really splitting hairs here. One or two tracks I played did seem to bring out a little unwanted resonance in the L8. I don't blame it entirely on the speaker as it may be how high they're crossed over. But it wasn't bad enough to make me reconsider these 8's. Also worthy of mention are the L1's. While incredibly detailed, they were not as detailed as the Dynaudio MD102. They also didn't create as much ambience and the conveyance of space as the the 102 does. At least as easily as the 102 does. But again i'm really nitpicking. This again may not be the fault of the tweeter as they were mounted in the kicks. And I do have some long ass legs. So please take these criticisms with a grain of salt. 
Lastly to mention was how great of a guy Tom was. It was great to sit down and be able to talk to Tom when he was supposed to be working on a car (sorry Echo!) but he was more than courteous with me and my friend who visited him. He also was very cool when I spent more time listening to the car than I should have. This car was honestly addictive! I really didn't want to get out. But Tom's work was amazing and he truly does awesome work. The details were all finished with care and I wouldn't hesitate for a second to bring my car to Tom ( If I only had the funds)(and the car) as he would treat it as his own. He really does care about treating the customer right and it shows. It will definitely show when his customers come back for more. Having people like him in the industry makes it a little better for everyone. Thanks again Tom for the invitation to listen to this amazing car. It really made the 2 hr ride home suck listening to my car.


----------



## Tonyguy

The forum is acting weird. Take this to the top.


----------



## Echo42987

haha tony awesome review n I'm ok with him not working on my act as long as he was showing off that masterpiece 

And yes tom you r a great guy n do seem to care bout that actual customer rather then just making money! People like u deserve to go far in the world! And now I really want to listen to this car again when I come n compare it to my dynaudios! Would u care if I brought the seats n stuff with when I come n pick up the car 

Bummed I missed out on meeting you tonyguy as you've been helpful to me as well!
-Nick-


----------



## Tonyguy

Echo42987 said:


> haha tony awesome review n I'm ok with him not working on my act as long as he was showing off that masterpiece
> 
> And yes tom you r a great guy n do seem to care bout that actual customer rather then just making money! People like u deserve to go far in the world! And now I really want to listen to this car again when I come n compare it to my dynaudios! Would u care if I brought the seats n stud with tom when I come n pick up the car
> 
> Bummed I missed out on meeting you tonyguy as you've been helpful to me as well!
> -Nick-


No problem man. I knew Tom did awesome work, and from what I saw today, your car will sound great. And I will defintely be back around Tom's shop when he gets some more cars in. It's just such a long drive for me (almost 2 hrs) but it was completely worth it.


----------



## 12v Electronics

Tonyguy said:


> On other tracks like _Alice in Chains Mtv Unplugged_ disc, track #5 _"Down In A Hole"_, This set really conveyed the space of the stage and solidly set the artists rock solid on the dash playing his guitar. And you can literally feel each pluck of his guitar strings, almost razor sharp.  <- This was my expression during the whole track! This song also gave a buddy of mine who was in the car goosebumps. He had never experienced this sensation either. He is sold on doing HAT drivers in his car.


That is one of my favorite albums to listen to in that car. The song No Excuses is also one that really sounds great. 

Thanks for your honest coments. You are welcome back anytime. 

Echo, you can bring whatever you like when you come by.


----------



## GlasSman

douggiestyle said:


> I must say I am more a fan of this build than the other one, but you may have had more time on this one than the other. I'm a sucker for this gen. Bimmers, though.
> 
> One Q: There's a small movement starting using carbon fiber fabric to wrap interior parts. Not sure if that's what you are using for your install accents or if it's "real" cf. How involved is that process for you?


I wouldn't call it a small movement....I mean theres carbon fiber looking vinyl for God's sake!!!

Carbon fiber isn't difficult to work with_* if*_ you know how to work with composites.

Vacuum bagging is a must if you want top notch looking parts though.


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## 12v Electronics

GlasSman said:


> I wouldn't call it a small movement....I mean theres carbon fiber looking vinyl for God's sake!!!
> 
> Carbon fiber isn't difficult to work with_* if*_ you know how to work with composites.
> 
> Vacuum bagging is a must if you want top notch looking parts though.


I haven't seen much CF vinyl that doesn't look like wallpaper. 

You can get a great look without vacuum bagging, you just nedd a very good mold and some skill.


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## sgraham92

Bump because I want to start a thread and this is a crazy build. Nice job


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## sasa097

so i am about to start my install in this exact same type of car

after seeing this install I am really debating if I should put the tweeters down in the kicks since it seems these were such great results or stick with my original plan of mounting them somewhere in the middle of the door(stock midrange location)

My system will be passive for now, any thoughts?


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## 12v Electronics

I would not try this install with passive crossovers. It would be too hard to get it right.


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## dales

this was an awesome build. mad props to you sir for the hard work and dedication to the best possible sound.


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## indytrucks

Welp, I'm seriously considering doing my L8's in the kicks of my E36 now. Do you think it would still sound good going with something easier like L6's though? I also have L4's and L1V2 Pros. I'm debating on where to put those as well. Those 4's are huge! I assume this car is gone by now?


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## 12v Electronics

indytrucks said:


> Welp, I'm seriously considering doing my L8's in the kicks of my E36 now. Do you think it would still sound good going with something easier like L6's though? I also have L4's and L1V2 Pros. I'm debating on where to put those as well. Those 4's are huge! I assume this car is gone by now?


The L6's would definitely be easier to install and do sound great. I have done 2 E36's with L6's and they sound phenominal. If you have the processing power I would put the tweeters in the kicks on axis like this. It just works so good in this car. As far as a 3-way system, there is no good place to put them in this car unless you could squeeze them in the kicks too. If ou are going to do a L8, I would try it with the new L8v2. The extra range may be even better.


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## Tonyguy

This is still one of my favorite cars that i've had the pleasure of listening to.


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## 12v Electronics

Tonyguy said:


> This is still one of my favorite cars that i've had the pleasure of listening to.


How have you been Tony? Long time no talk.


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## Tonyguy

I've been good man. Just been working my ass off. How's evrything up north there? i've been wanting to take a trip up to ******** with you but i work between 50-60 hrs a week. I'll make it up there one day soon!


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