Starting my stereo upgrade

[NV Paul]

Looking good congrats.

Thanks, I am learning a bunch and really having fun with the project.

 

[dhmcfadin]

Thanks for the input. It's not bad news, just the facts. I built it conservative because I do not have the straight-ahead kit installed yet, that will allow me to take some accurate measurements and redo it. I can also gain a little if I go to 5/8 instead of 3/4. It's packed with polyfill. Just wanted to get something in the truck to get started. I know there will be more mods coming. I am already planning on a possible speaker upgrade for Christmas and I have not even heard these yet. Unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere so I cannot audition speakers. I have been bouncing back and forth between JL C7 vs Focal Utopia? This has become one of those its the journey not the destination adventurers, I am learning a lot so thanks truly for the input!

Definitely throw in the Morel Elate Carbon in there. Comparable in price to C7 three way setup.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

Thanks for the input. It's not bad news, just the facts. I built it conservative because I do not have the straight-ahead kit installed yet, that will allow me to take some accurate measurements and redo it. I can also gain a little if I go to 5/8 instead of 3/4. It's packed with polyfill. Just wanted to get something in the truck to get started. I know there will be more mods coming. I am already planning on a possible speaker upgrade for Christmas and I have not even heard these yet. Unfortunately, I live in the middle of nowhere so I cannot audition speakers. I have been bouncing back and forth between JL C7 vs Focal Utopia? This has become one of those its the journey not the destination adventurers, I am learning a lot so thanks truly for the input!

if you want to hear what the focal utopia sound like, i will be passsing through elko on 80 in october. always avaliable to meet up

 

[NV Paul]

if you want to hear what the focal utopia sound like, i will be passsing through elko on 80 in october. always avaliable to meet up

Yes Yes and Yes please!

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

Yes Yes and Yes please!

text me anytime (831) 254-7562

 

[NV Paul]

Ended up with different amps, changed the amp board, and ran some zero 1/0 wire through the truck, punched it through the firewall with a few grommets. The tweeter and mid wires laying on the floor in the pic will be replaced when my new speakers come in in a few weeks then routed behind the board away from the main power and secured. And the bird's nest on the right will be secured behind the trim panel and all neatened up. of wires will be tucked back behind the trim pannel.

 

[Hush Car Audio]

Looking good.

 

[NV Paul]

I installed Focal 165W-XP’s in the rear door, I am still waiting for the utopia’s to put in the front. I currently have Infintiy Kappas in a 3 way active up front and thought it sounded really good. Then I started tuning it. Wow what a difference that is making. I had no idea how much just doing time alignment would change the sound quality. It is amazing, it makes the music so much fuller, and rich. I have an Alpine DSP but this video from ARC audio on setting up the sound is great.

It is like a training video for installers using their DSP’s. It starts slow, like plug it in kind of thing, and as a former, IT guy for a large company believe it or not….yep….plug it back in works about 15% of the time. This guy talks about installers who can set time alignment by ear, I thought no way would I be able to do that, I would just measure the distances input the values, and be good. I did however go ahead and download the Phase Pulse Test Track from ARC Audio here:

https://www.arcaudio.com/tech-talk

After I measured the distances and put them in then for kicks played the test tract closed my eyes and started hitting the up and down arrow on the keyboard (adjusts time alignment setting on Alpine DSP). Sure enough I could hear the pulse moving back and forth across the dashboard. Amazing! Got it so when I opened my eyes had it right in the middle of the front windshield (it was 2” different than what I measured). Tweeters then mids then woofers, woofers where harder. Ok so after this long-winded explanation I saved the time alignment to a preset. And tried one of the recommended songs Ballad of a runaway horse by Jennifer Warnes. Not my style but ok..played without time alignment sounded fine. Played with time alignment, night and day. I now know what a sound stage is. W/O it was a little muddy and over by my left knee, with it it’s bright full and up on hood. Just wanted to share some resources.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

i prefer time alignment by ear because when we judge at competitions we dont use any equipment to judge sound. it may be perfect by an rta or oscilliscope standards, but when it comes down to it, its how it sounds to you, in your vehicle

 

[NV Paul]

Done! Got the new A-pillars back from MTI and put the speakers in, also hooked up an amazing Sub box Noah built. It is curved fits under the rear seat perfectly. Spent a couple of days tuning it and am really impressed. If I had it all to do over again I would have reached out to Noah or Bruce way earlier in the process, I could have saved myself a lot of headaches returning equipment.