I though I should give tuning a try today with the EQ. I placed the SPL meter on a small camera tripod and straddled it over the shifter with the mic pointed about at the rear view mirror.

I used a sweep CD I created with some software I downloaded last week and metioned in another post somewhere. It starts with a 70dB test tone for setting volume on the HU then goes from 20Hz to 20,000Hz in 1/12 ocatve intervals 1 second for each step. Which means it starts at 20Hz and goes to 40Hz in twelve equal steps. Then 40Hz to 80Hz in equal steps, etc. As you get higher in frequency the jumps are bigger if you have never seen this before. It was the first time I really studied octaves and freq. response this close. I printed out a spreadsheet with every frequency so I could write down dB readings. At one second invervals though I could only write down trends. Everything was set flat on the EQ. The HP filter is at about 130Hz and the LP filter about 144 (12 o'clock positions I threw the ***** at when I installed it). I was dissapointed that I can't hear the first few steps between 20Hz and 25Hz but then it starts climbing. ( In contrast I later went inside to the home theater where I have a SVS sub. A beast with 2 12's and 900Watt amp. Manf. claims it's tuned down to 16Hz. The 70db test tone stops and the first 20Hz note hits and it is already at 77dB! There are not many peaks and valleys in this system either. No wonder movies sound so great!)
Long story short there seemed to be a peak in the Z that started about 40 Hz that climbed to 105dB at 70Hz then started going back down to the 70dB level but not until about 380Hz. Another peak started climbing around 900Hz until it hit 83dB at 1400H. 12,000Hz + showed dBs down a little.
So I tried setting the 40-90Hz **** at 65Hz and brought it down the full
-18dB, used the 125-250Hz **** at 125Hz and tried about -3dB, tried the 4th **** at 2.5Khz and tried +2-3dB and 6K-20K **** at +2dB. Then I tried raising the HP filter some and lowering the LP filter some.
Another sweep showed that it had changed and was 95dB rather than 105dB around 60Hz and other changes had helped too.
I tried some real music and it sounded good. More balanced than the flat setup and not having some of the boomy bass peaks that some songs had previously. I then tried switching on the XM radio and it sounded terrible. No low end at all. Sounded as thin as stock fornt speakers only, but cleaner.
I had to return a movie so I grabbed some CDs and went for a ride. Could barely hear the bass on some CDs. Very bright, thin sound. A couple of cds with lots of bass (one an old bass CD) sounded ok but most stuff sounded bad. I pulled over and I ended up putting everything back except I left the 60Hz **** down maybe 3dB and the 125Hz **** down a coulple too. Others are flat. And the HP LP are back at 12o'clock. I think now that if the HP and LP had a little more gap between them that I could bring the 125Hz **** back to flat.
I guess the low frequencies are just not able to compete with 100dB of rumbling road noise. I don't know. I prefer an almost flat reponse at home but I guess the car is a lot different. NOt sure what I will do now. XM sounds back to normal now and is so much nicer than the FM modulator stock connection. I guess it proves that your ear is the best judge of how you want things.

 

dannichols - yep, I've got to do something. I started looking for some liquid for the first layer but haven't looked much. Found this stuff on ebay but shipping is $20! - must be hazardous chemical fees or something.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Elemental-Design...QQcmdZViewItem
How much would you estimate I would need of what you used or something like this for covering the trunk area? I also wanted to know what approach you took with your Dynamat since it is so heavy. In the sound deading post where we were talking about this some, the guy with the G35 went very minimal with matting to keep weight down. Since you have other layers of foam, etc. did you take a minimal approach to placing mat? I'd like to start with your suggestion of liquid and matting but I don't want to spend the money on Dynamat for the entire trunk or add the weight. Maybe I missed something with all of the different materials mentioned too. I will go back and check out the other post again. I do need a little calrification on how much Dynamat you used to be effective. The other materials you mentioned are light weight so I would use them everywhere I can squeeze in the multiple layers you recommend. Also, any guides to how much wieght the liquid stuff adds? Does it basically weigh the same as the gallon minus the weight of the can?

 

I received my braxial mounts from CDT. I have inadvertently mounted my woofers upside down so the speaker terminals were closer to the crossovers and the brackets only fit in a certain spot on the basket. I will have to take the doors apart again and spin the speakers around. I hope the holes all line up! Good thing I used t-nuts too. Good news is I was able to figure out where the brackets would end up and duct taped them in place and they sound AWESOME! Just what I needed. This braxial mounting is a very good option for correct speaker placement. I've only listened to them this morning but the imaging is correct now. The only negative thing is that now the tweeters are extremely bright for my taste. Putting the HU at -1 and sometimes -2 for treble tames them so I may fix this by setting the -3dB jumper on the crossovers for the tweeters. The other good news is that this forces me to buy some sound deadening stuff for the doors. When I put the trunk panels back on the road noise was cut down vs. what I was used to for 6 months plus the fact that I don't have the time or money right now I was going to suffer until next spring for any sound proofing. I want this to be the last time the doors come apart though! 3 times is enough for me So I'm off to find good prices on material for the doors.
Didn't have the camera out in the garage but I'm not done yet anyway. I'll post some when I am.

 

"Finally done" No one is ever finally done. not even me. I thought i was done too but nooo i ended up getting a new Audiocontrol epicenter and EQS 6ch equalizer.

 

Yeah, I was pretty naive to use the word "done" to start the post. And now I used it again this morning. I've got to stop using that word, huh?

 

sorry to bring back an old thread, but what kind of grill did you use for your sub?? are you worried you might bend it or puncture the sub??

 

I am using the grille that came with it (Boston Acoustics 10.5LF). It is pretty tough so I am not worried about it at all.