IT'S MINE!!, FINALLY IT'S ALL MINE!!!!!! pics inside
07-08-2007, 12:00 AM
#81
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Originally Posted by gothchick
Very cool Build! Can't wait to see it come together!! Is that a UTEC serial cable I see peeking out from under your dash? :-)
Nice eyes, your a sharp cookie there miss!
Last edited by Ichigo; 07-08-2007 at 05:19 AM.
07-08-2007, 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Voboy
Looks awesome so far hope it finishes soon!
Due to issues beyond my control (The guy who was going to do the finishing work quit with no notice, and my bailed on my install... DICK!) I'll be finishing this project myself, after I get back from Vegas. Two weekends and it should be in the bag.
Last edited by Ichigo; 08-01-2007 at 06:46 PM.
07-30-2007, 05:12 PM
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Well everything is hooked up, and I have to say I am less than impressed with the amount of bass I am getting. The one problem is the crossover has IC chip based values for the crossover points, if you dont have the right chips, you cant have certain values. But I bypassed that issue by using another three way crossover instead of the AX-406.
But that still doesnt explain the lack of bass. Either I wired the subs in the box wrong or something is wrong with the amplifier (Hard to think that my boss and I would both miss that detail). It works, but no where near what was expected. At this point I'm either going to send it out to have it diagnosed or just give it back and buy two separate amplifiers. I'm really am tired off wasting my whole summer on this project.
But that still doesnt explain the lack of bass. Either I wired the subs in the box wrong or something is wrong with the amplifier (Hard to think that my boss and I would both miss that detail). It works, but no where near what was expected. At this point I'm either going to send it out to have it diagnosed or just give it back and buy two separate amplifiers. I'm really am tired off wasting my whole summer on this project.
07-30-2007, 05:56 PM
#85
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I did not go back through the thread so this may not apply, but does your head unit have a sub level? We forgot to turn up the subwoofer level on my W200 when we first installed my system.
07-30-2007, 07:44 PM
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We've spent about two hours tuning so far and the results are really disapointing At first I wasnt even using the sub out from the head unit but with the new crossover I am, I've been all over the settings on the Z-1. I'm at that "scratching head' in disbelief phase. Im going to splice in another amp that makes roughly the same power and connect it to the subs to see if the performance is any better. The subs hit but not like me or my boss had expected. Its almost like the amp is making half of the power it should be. The subs are wired to show 4 ohms and I'm running it bridged. Before I splice in the other amp I think Im going to improve the ground in the rear, right to the frame.
On a side note the rear mid drivers are loud, too loud, I think they are going to be disconnected or we're going to install attenuators on them to turn them down a bit
Anyone with some experience using a Phoenix Gold MS 2125, some advice would really help me out
On a side note the rear mid drivers are loud, too loud, I think they are going to be disconnected or we're going to install attenuators on them to turn them down a bit
Anyone with some experience using a Phoenix Gold MS 2125, some advice would really help me out
07-31-2007, 06:03 AM
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Well this might be a problem, the manual on the site says to use left+ and right- for bridged mono, which I thought I did untill I read this buried in the FAQ section:
When I took the cover off my MS/MPS amplifier I noticed that the right channel's polarity is reversed from what is labeled on the outside of the amp for the speaker terminals. Did someone wire the inside of my amplifier wrong?
No, you're amplifier is wired correct. Since the MS/MPS series amps are able to run in tri-linear mode internally the polarity of the right channel is reversed. When you wire speakers to your amplifier use the information that is labeled on the OUTSIDE of the amplifier, near the speaker terminals.
I wired mine according to the colors I could see, not what was labeled on the amp... I'll keep my fingers crossed and change it.
When I took the cover off my MS/MPS amplifier I noticed that the right channel's polarity is reversed from what is labeled on the outside of the amp for the speaker terminals. Did someone wire the inside of my amplifier wrong?
No, you're amplifier is wired correct. Since the MS/MPS series amps are able to run in tri-linear mode internally the polarity of the right channel is reversed. When you wire speakers to your amplifier use the information that is labeled on the OUTSIDE of the amplifier, near the speaker terminals.
I wired mine according to the colors I could see, not what was labeled on the amp... I'll keep my fingers crossed and change it.
07-31-2007, 07:08 AM
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Well that seems to have made a positive difference. I think I'm going to need to silicone interior panels together.... the vibration is insane
Last edited by Ichigo; 07-31-2007 at 07:15 AM.
07-31-2007, 08:06 PM
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Now that the power issue is straightened out, I think there's another bump in the road. I have to take the car back into work and let the boss have a listen to confirm, but I think the stealthbox might need to go. I'm thinking the subs need more airspace than the stealthbox has, or the modification of the box just didnt turn out that well... either way I think a new sub box solution is in order. Hell, Ive waited this long I might as well finish this the right way.
The new crossover in the system is a Memphis 16-X03 3 Way Electronic Crossover
The new crossover in the system is a Memphis 16-X03 3 Way Electronic Crossover
08-06-2007, 04:52 PM
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just not working out
Well after tweaking this and rewiring that, all I can say is this amp is just not going to put out the power I need it to.
Maybe I could force it to run at 1 ohm, but I'm not willing to take that risk with a an amplifier like this. After pouring over the documentation in the archive at PG, they estimate that even if I could get this amp to run stable at 1 ohm, the power supply would limit the output to 700 watts, which is still not enough for this project.
So after much debate I'm returning the amp to the original owner and I'm acquiring another amplifier that will provide me with sufficient power for my system.
Since I'm using 2 Memphis M3104D subs and a Memphis 16-X03 3 Way Electronic Crossover I thought I would keep it in the family and use a
5 channel Memphis Belle MCH1300 amp. Here's the specs:
RMS Power 4 Ohms Stereo Ch 1-4/Ch 5 (4 ohms Mono) 14.4V
75x4/300x1
RMS Power 2 Ohms Stereo Ch 1-4/Ch 5 (2 ohms Mono) 14.4V
115x4/600x1
RMS Power 4 Ohms Bridged Ch 1-4/Ch 5 (1 ohm Mono) 14.4V
230x2/1100x1
Input Sensitivity
250mV-9V
I really wanted to use the Frank and had spent a lot of time and preparation for it, but in the end if it's not the right piece, there's no arguing with weak sauce bass. The old school mobile pro series PG amps really shine when you can drop the impedance to .5 of an ohm, but the MS series doesn't do that, the MPS series did. Not too mention the belle is going to cost me half of what Frank was going to run me and she'll run at 1 ohm and put out 1100 watts. I've also ordered a Zenclosures box to make sure I have enough airspace for the subs. Fortunately for me, I can return the amp with no hard feelings and no loss of cash.
Maybe I could force it to run at 1 ohm, but I'm not willing to take that risk with a an amplifier like this. After pouring over the documentation in the archive at PG, they estimate that even if I could get this amp to run stable at 1 ohm, the power supply would limit the output to 700 watts, which is still not enough for this project.
So after much debate I'm returning the amp to the original owner and I'm acquiring another amplifier that will provide me with sufficient power for my system.
Since I'm using 2 Memphis M3104D subs and a Memphis 16-X03 3 Way Electronic Crossover I thought I would keep it in the family and use a
5 channel Memphis Belle MCH1300 amp. Here's the specs:
RMS Power 4 Ohms Stereo Ch 1-4/Ch 5 (4 ohms Mono) 14.4V
75x4/300x1
RMS Power 2 Ohms Stereo Ch 1-4/Ch 5 (2 ohms Mono) 14.4V
115x4/600x1
RMS Power 4 Ohms Bridged Ch 1-4/Ch 5 (1 ohm Mono) 14.4V
230x2/1100x1
Input Sensitivity
250mV-9V
I really wanted to use the Frank and had spent a lot of time and preparation for it, but in the end if it's not the right piece, there's no arguing with weak sauce bass. The old school mobile pro series PG amps really shine when you can drop the impedance to .5 of an ohm, but the MS series doesn't do that, the MPS series did. Not too mention the belle is going to cost me half of what Frank was going to run me and she'll run at 1 ohm and put out 1100 watts. I've also ordered a Zenclosures box to make sure I have enough airspace for the subs. Fortunately for me, I can return the amp with no hard feelings and no loss of cash.
Last edited by Ichigo; 08-06-2007 at 08:37 PM.
08-12-2007, 06:36 PM
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Update time...
The Memphis Belle is IN
The Zenclosures box is IN
The subs and amp are installed and connected!
And I have pics...
The Zenclosure allowed me some flexability with installing the subs so I took advantage. Since the Belle doesn't have the same cooling requirements Frank did, I mounted it right on the amp rack.
Theres some noise in the system so I upgraded the stock ground to the batt and engine ground. I also used a 2 gauge for the power cells and amp in the back, but it still lives. I think I'm going to try the setup without the crossover, the last car we used an 16-X03 had the same issue. We'll see.
The kick panels are scheduled for Tuesday, so at least I'm making progress. And new terminals for the power cells in the back are being ordered this week, these were all we had on the shelf..
In reviewing the mistakes I've made so far I would say I expected too much from the Frank. Back in the day there weren't too many subs that needed 400 Watts RMS. The subs I chose for this install were just too beefy for the Frank. If the Frank was stable down to 1 ohm it would have been a different story
BTW the bass is absolutely sick with 1100 Watts of power @ 1 Ohm and I have a ton of noise from the interior that will have to be tracked down and eliminated, first to go is the radar detector, it shakes more than a lonely girls best friend.
The Memphis Belle is IN
The Zenclosures box is IN
The subs and amp are installed and connected!
And I have pics...
The Zenclosure allowed me some flexability with installing the subs so I took advantage. Since the Belle doesn't have the same cooling requirements Frank did, I mounted it right on the amp rack.
Theres some noise in the system so I upgraded the stock ground to the batt and engine ground. I also used a 2 gauge for the power cells and amp in the back, but it still lives. I think I'm going to try the setup without the crossover, the last car we used an 16-X03 had the same issue. We'll see.
The kick panels are scheduled for Tuesday, so at least I'm making progress. And new terminals for the power cells in the back are being ordered this week, these were all we had on the shelf..
In reviewing the mistakes I've made so far I would say I expected too much from the Frank. Back in the day there weren't too many subs that needed 400 Watts RMS. The subs I chose for this install were just too beefy for the Frank. If the Frank was stable down to 1 ohm it would have been a different story
BTW the bass is absolutely sick with 1100 Watts of power @ 1 Ohm and I have a ton of noise from the interior that will have to be tracked down and eliminated, first to go is the radar detector, it shakes more than a lonely girls best friend.
Last edited by Ichigo; 08-12-2007 at 07:37 PM.
08-12-2007, 08:53 PM
#96
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groan....my woody just got smacked down at this point in the thread. Wanted to see that puppy installed. Still looks nice though.
btw I have that same ryobi. Killer deal on all of those tools.
btw I have that same ryobi. Killer deal on all of those tools.
08-20-2007, 03:43 PM
#97
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Eliminated the alternator whine
I finally eliminated all of the noise in the system. I was really starting to run out of ideas. Sorry I have no pics with updates, but the kickpanels are 40% finished. The false floor in the rear is 50% done and of course no Alternator whine!
I added an additional 4 awg wire from the block to the chassis, I replaced the stock ground from the battery to the chassis. But I still had noise, I tried removing the crossover (several times) removing the two extra batteries in the back but was still there. I had to ground the RCA cables to the chassis of the headunit. Apparently this is a common problem with Pioneer headunits. I didn't think to do this since I never had any noise before with the old setup and the same radio. Details can be found here:
Grounding the RCA's on the head unit
Many have had problems with Pioneer head units because of a poor internal RCA ground. To remedy this, simply wrap wire around the RCA's and screw the wire down to the head unit's chassis like so:
http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198477
Of course I did mine a lot cleaner.....
I know it will definitely be done by Sept 8th because my boss is showing the stereo and install at the Formula D Drift in Wall NJ. One of the sponsors is Memphis Audio and thats his biggest brand. I'm getting 6 Memphis component speakers (4x6.5's and 2x 5.25's in the kicks) out of the deal and a pair of free caps. Not to mention all the time he is spending doing the kicks and the false floor in the back.
I added an additional 4 awg wire from the block to the chassis, I replaced the stock ground from the battery to the chassis. But I still had noise, I tried removing the crossover (several times) removing the two extra batteries in the back but was still there. I had to ground the RCA cables to the chassis of the headunit. Apparently this is a common problem with Pioneer headunits. I didn't think to do this since I never had any noise before with the old setup and the same radio. Details can be found here:
Grounding the RCA's on the head unit
Many have had problems with Pioneer head units because of a poor internal RCA ground. To remedy this, simply wrap wire around the RCA's and screw the wire down to the head unit's chassis like so:
http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198477
Of course I did mine a lot cleaner.....
I know it will definitely be done by Sept 8th because my boss is showing the stereo and install at the Formula D Drift in Wall NJ. One of the sponsors is Memphis Audio and thats his biggest brand. I'm getting 6 Memphis component speakers (4x6.5's and 2x 5.25's in the kicks) out of the deal and a pair of free caps. Not to mention all the time he is spending doing the kicks and the false floor in the back.
09-01-2007, 06:11 PM
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The kick panels are in the car and drying as I post. They were made to deliver on axis sound and we will be installing a pair of Memphis MSQ5 5.25 inch mids and tweeters. The new battery terminals arrived and I installed those today to cleanup the wiring a bit. Here's a few quick shots I took:
Im estimating one more day to finish the kick panels and one day to finish the trunk and it should be done in time for Formula D.
Im estimating one more day to finish the kick panels and one day to finish the trunk and it should be done in time for Formula D.
10-06-2007, 07:52 AM
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Sorry Ive been a too busy to post the finished pics (new job and all). The project was wrapped up last month but I wanted to clean the car before taking pics of the final result. I still need to install some accent lighting and cut a piece of plexi to cover the crossovers in the rear but I will post pics tonight.
11-23-2007, 05:48 PM
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Finally had time to post these
Here are some of the finished project:
The kick panels turned out good (had to do it a second time since I had to let it dry outside the vehicle. As the resin dried it worped the oem plastic).
Passenger side:
Of course the damn little M came off the speaker grille ERRRR!)
Drivers side
The mounted Memphis Belle Amp:
The Subs and Zenclosures box:
The spare tire well. I have to revisit this area and move the ground cables out of the way. I'll probably take care of that when I do the plexi cover with some lighting. It never ends....
And one random shot of the car:
All things considered (The time= All summer) The Money spent (I never would have been abled to do this had I not worked at a stereo shop)
all come together to make a truly incredible sound. The front stage is just .. wow. And the 1100 Watts into those subs.. It really does shake your soul.
Now time for the ipod adapter
The kick panels turned out good (had to do it a second time since I had to let it dry outside the vehicle. As the resin dried it worped the oem plastic).
Passenger side:
Of course the damn little M came off the speaker grille ERRRR!)
Drivers side
The mounted Memphis Belle Amp:
The Subs and Zenclosures box:
The spare tire well. I have to revisit this area and move the ground cables out of the way. I'll probably take care of that when I do the plexi cover with some lighting. It never ends....
And one random shot of the car:
All things considered (The time= All summer) The Money spent (I never would have been abled to do this had I not worked at a stereo shop)
all come together to make a truly incredible sound. The front stage is just .. wow. And the 1100 Watts into those subs.. It really does shake your soul.
Now time for the ipod adapter