Here is my install in my 2005 Anniversary Edition Z.

I had the following design goals in mind for my system.

1 - Sound quality was the utmost important factor
2 – Modest amount of power. I did not want a megawatt audio system that could down the road compromise the integrity of the electrical system of the car.
3 – Everything had to look like it was designed to be in the car.

I want to thank the following people on this site here for their awesome products that definitely meet goal number 3.

Nazar (WickedCAS) – The pods you made for me were a work of art. They fit perfectly and imaging is dead on.

MLG9770 (Zenclosures) – This is the best subwoofer enclosure out there. Perfect fit and finish.

Here is the run down of the equipment installed.

Alpine IWA-W200 – Double Din-DVD Head unit
JL Audio 5/500 – 5-channel 500watt RMS Amplifier
Focal – Poly Kevlar 165 K2 -6.5” component speakers (Front)
Focal – Access 165 CA1 – 6.5” Coaxial Speakers (Rear)
Focal – Polyglas 27V1 – 11” Subwoofer

67 sqft Rammat and Ensolite sound deadning material
Monster Cable – Micro XLN 6-channel cables

Here is the car with the interior completely removed for sound deadning.











Now with 67sqft of Rammat installed.











Rear Speakers installed.


Amp installed in the enclosure where the old Bose subwoofer resided. Amp was a perfect fit and there is good ventilation here.



Door panels re-installed and Nazar’s pods bolted in. I didn’t want tweeters in the stock sail panel location. I opted to have them closer to the midwoofer and lower in the door. I really like how the yellow Focal cones match the yellow car.



Now the Alpine head unit:



Subwoofer enclosure fit perfectly and Focal sub dropped right it in. They are advertised as an 11” driver but they are really just a standard sized 10” driver. This subwoofer is really designed for a ported enclosure but there is no room in the box to install a port.




Results

The focal Polykevlars are amazing! The midrange is very clear and the highs are intense. The drivers have very strong mid bass and I have them crossed over at 50Hz@24db. They are very fast and tight.

The rear speakers are just there for ambience and do not draw attention to themselves.

The subwoofer is very dry sounding. In fact you really have to crank the system to know its there. Its not a deep sounding subwoofer and is mainly bass reinforcement. This sub is definitely not for you rockers or rappers. Its good for jazz and blues and music like that. I think it would be much louder in a ported enclosure. I have since dropped in an Alpine Type-R that I had from my other vehicle to see how it compared. There was no comparison, the Alpine Type-R hit twice as hard and twice as deep. I like the Alpine Type-R a lot better.

The focal sub will be used as a hifi stereo sub for my listening room. I will put it in a larger enclosure with a big flare port and see what it does. It’s actually the same exact driver that Focal uses in their mid-range Home subwoofer line.

 

Nice install.. love the sound deading job you did.

 

+1 how long did whole thing took you?

 

excellent work!

b

 

they did not skimp on labor

looks nice

 

My good friend Keith @ Odin Sound did the whole job for me. He spent a good week doing it and the Sound Deadning alone took 4 days. I was really pleased with how it turned out. Keith has done car audio for 20 years and is an excellent installer.

The sound deadning made a huge difference. The car is like a vault inside now. Road noise was virtually eliminated.

 

looks awesome man. I bet you added like 150 pounds to your car though. Oh well its the price you pay for awesome stereo

 

Did you have any problems with the metal door skins?

I've read here where people pulled off the metal inner door skins and then they had trouble with the windows. Because of these stories I stopped before pulling off the door skins and only got sound proofing behind the speakers and on the outside of the metal and inside of the plastic door skins.

I love the custom tweeter installation - very nice.

 

Fixing the windows isn't too bad if you run into issues, you just have to reset the stopping point.

 

hey man you should be able to get the alpine to sit more flush in that dash. If you take it back out and drill new holes for the mounting it will sit back inthere flush.. If you search my posts you can see how far back mine sits.

 

That is good to know, I would like to sink that head in completely flush. Keith didn't think it would go any deeper but if you guys have done it, than I am sure as hell going to do it.

I know I added a little weight, I am buying a Turbonetics turbocharger kit for it in the next few weeks. Keith is going to help me install it so when i have my car in his garage I will talk him in to flush mounting the head.

I am actually going to pull the sub box and get another one fron Zenclosures but the one I am going to have it punched out for a pair of 8" subs. I want to match up a pair of JL Audio 8W3-v2's. If anyone is interested in my box with a brand new Alpine SWR-1022D Type-R sub with Alpine Grill. I have maybe 1 to 2 hours at the most on this sub. Its not even broke in yet. Let me know.

 

I'll admit I don't have experience with Focal, but maybe if your give the sub a little "break in" time it would sound better?

Clean install, excellent equipment choices.

 

I am actually using my Focal sub in my Home Stereo system. I put it in a 1 cuft ported box with a 300 watt BASH amp and this my friends was the magic combination. This sub sounds much better ported than sealed. Its just not deep when its sealed. It just came alive with a 3" X 14" flared port. Acuracy is dead-on and matches perfectly my new Adire Extremis book shelf speakers.

I want the 8's so I can cross them over at a higher point for more mid bass reinforcement. Its really hard to beat the sound of a good pair of 8s. I am incredibly picky about my sub bass.

 

I thought I was the only guy running around with holes in my door from tweeter mounts. Mine are a bit lower and back from yours, but good choice. You should get the benefits of proximity to the mids, while maintaining a slightly raised soundstage

 

A really nice system although IMO if your looking for a SQ system you should not be having rear speakers in the car the size of the Z. Much better to spend the money on getting a more powerful amp for the fronts and better speakers.

I've a set of Focal Utopias in my fronts and the mid-bass they produce is stunning and i am probably underpowering as only using a couple channels off a Audison LRx 300.4

 

your sure know your stuff, I love focal audio. very nice and clean install.

 

My only complaint was the sub. I didn't keep up with the fronts. The sub doesnt hit very deep. It also only has an X-Max of 7mm so its not a high excursion sub.

My amp delivers 100wX2 @ 4 ohms to fronts and 25Wx2 to my rears

The rear speakers are barely on just create a wrap around sound. You don't notice them until I turn them off. I like having rear fill.

My Alpine deck plays DVD audio and that is where rear speakers really shine my friend.

 

that IS a ported box or sealed? that focal sub should really be in a ported box... hence the 7mm of xmax

 

Just did a major sub upgrade!

I bought a custom made fiberglass enclosure for a single rear firing 12" sub. The box has 1.5 cuft and I bought a new JL Audio 12W3V3 subwoofer with grill to drop into it. Still waiting for the sub.

Here is a photo of the enclosure.

 

nice, where did you get that box from?
and isnt 1.5 cuft to much for a w3??