2000 mercury mystique-first ever custom install and need advice

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

yes, Audio Tool on Android is decent above 100Hz. below 100Hz the sharp rolloff to control wind noise makes it inaccurate. you can get USB measurement mics that may work with the phone/app for improved accuracy. iphone has iAudioInterface for that along with Audio Tools by Studio Six Digital.

you can mount amps to boxes, but i like to mount the amps to a board, add a 2x2 stand off, then route wires behind the amp board. it does reduce vibration and makes the installation look much nicer. in reality, the box should be so rigid it doesn't vibrate.

here is an example of that:

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/car-audio-build-logs-cars-trucks-suvs/533022-2006-hundai-elantra-gt-5-door-simple-alpine-system.html

 

[chefzane]

It will be early next week when I get to implement all these changes, round two "ding" ! Thanks again for all the input guys.

Anyone else with ideas around all this feel free to chime in, I need all the advice and info u got.

 

[chefzane]

When I deaden the doors im gonna prolly perm mount the tweeters on top of front door panels in the triangle piece right behind the side mirrors and directed crossways toward opposite seat slightly, if this is off tell me

The question is the rear door ones where and aimed whereor should I relocate to fron dash somewhere for better stage placement?

I will also be replacing the the kicker ds series comp sets with ks series (top has I think) or piecing together a set so I need recommendations on pieces in these aizes: 5.5-6.5", 1-2" tweeter, crossover, and if I go big mid and little tweeter what about 3 way and add a 3-4"

 

[chefzane]

Anyone got some imput

 

[chefzane]

I am thinking of covering the window I have to cut to mount the subs to the inside with a piece of plexiglass. How to thick would the plexiglass need to be to cover a hole that was going to be 2.5 feet long and 12 to 14 inches tall? Should I put a horizontal metal brace in the middle of the 2.5 foot length to keep vibration down?

 

[chefzane]

How thick does the plexi or lexan need to be?

 

---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------

 

And my tweeter question above?

 

[chefzane]

Alright update time and another dilemma:

Instead of putting a lexan window in the oval hole in the back I just added another layer of wood for extra rigidity. This was played for a day without the hole covered as a kind of sealed box cuz my trunk is completely sealed. Sounded great this way. Then yesterday made the cover and installed it and when I played it last night it seamed like it wasnt as powerful? Did it sound better because being open and the trunk being sealed it was a bigger box?

And what should I seal the cover with if it needs to seal but be removable?

 

[chefzane]

And yes I know it looks crappy and there's wires that are out of place right now but they are all getting tucked and put away and everything's getting covered so it won't be all ugly

 

[i2ain2thunder 10+ year member]

For the tweeters, you should always try to connect the tweeters and move them around and listen to them in different locations to get an idea of what sounds best to you, then install them in the best location.

As for the thickness of plexi......no idea

As for the bass output lower, I don't think we will be able to answer that. Your system is pretty complex, and there are multiple phasing and cancellation possibilities. I can just say to do whatever sounds best to you. Honestly I kind of want to lean you away from the complexity of a multi speaker setup. I've heard 2way setups done well and they sound as good as any other setup out there. I know the theory is to have multiple speakers to handle all of the ranges nicely, but blending, balancing, cancellation, and phasing are all things that can complicate this. I agree with what Keephope advised about sealing the trunk and having a way for the bass to pass into the cabin to actually receive cabin gain, otherwise like he said you will be wasting bass.

 

[chefzane]

Let me try to reword this, you got an answer but I am a little past the point where your answer is needed.

Already flipped the speakers to the cabin side as KHA said and my back deck and cabin side face of box create a wall between the cabin and trunk and the trunk has all vents and holes sealed itself :

1. when ran without sealing the trunk side of the box it sounded great

2. when ran with cover sealing the trunk side it seems that output is reduced

My thinking is this and tell me if I am wrong or right and suggest which way I should leave it:

A. When ran in configuration 1, the trunk is being used as a sealed box that is double if not more the size that it is in config 2, so is it okay to leave it uncovered

B. Or should I run it in config 2 so it will reduce rattles with it not being open to the whole *** end of the car, and not have so many odd angles to bounce off of

And just thought of this is config 1 more output because the back wave of the speaker is bouncing all around the larger trunk-based box instead of being confined to the smaller actual box?

 

[i2ain2thunder 10+ year member]

What is the oval shaped hole, where is it located? I'm reading and rereading but I apologize I'm missing the whole concept of this window, where it will be located.

 

[chefzane]

Bump

 

[chefzane]

Alright update time and another dilemma:
Instead of putting a lexan window in the oval hole in the back I just added another layer of wood for extra rigidity. This was played for a day without the hole covered as a kind of sealed box cuz my trunk is completely sealed. Sounded great this way. Then yesterday made the cover and installed it and when I played it last night it seamed like it wasnt as powerful? Did it sound better because being open and the trunk being sealed it was a bigger box?

And what should I seal the cover with if it needs to seal but be removable?

Bump

 

[chefzane]

Bump

Kinda need a suggestion here, read a couple posts above for whole story

 

[chefzane]

Well as is usual with a car setup things change:

I have decided to put the amps on a false bottom with a cover over them and a large plexi window in the cover to see them. Probably, eh maybe, be hinged at the back and actuators to lift without unwiring or unmounting the amps and also allows for a custom tool kit panel and etc to be underneath as well as a few goodies for the suspension later.

Fans mounted in the false bottom and holes in the plexi for ventilation or we might vent through back deck with a push fan and pull fan through dual existing 3.5" holes from a previous attempt at porting. Or another idea being knocked around is removing the stock taillights and license plate holder on the vertical face of the trunk lid , smoothing the surface over with sheet metal and bondo, frenching in the license plate and then two pockets with updraft vents to keep water out with two fans at the top of the vents one push one pull. I dunno you give me ur opinion. I think a custom trunk lid setup for actual use in the system will get some style points in competition.

Then match the sides by building another box on the passenger side ( only frame in picture). The driver side box is goin to house the battery below and the distros and fuses on top. The passenger side will hold secrets to be announced later and the processor on top.

Then the fun begins!!! All except the two side box vertical cover panels and and maybe some accent or trim pieces are getting GLASSED!!! Yep my whole trunk is getting glassed and so is the front between the seat and sub face. Gonna make it a solid face butted up to rear deck down to a slight curve that goes down to meet the seat bottom so I can take the seat off when showing and put the seat on to qualify for certain classes at comps and to cart the kids around. And yes I have a kill switch on my subs for when my 5 and 7 year holds are in the car so I don't blow them out!

Also we are removing the stock trunk lid hinges and arms and latch and going to use some kind of hold downs for now and make stands out of square tubing. Later new hinges and mini actuators salvaged from the original setup. Maybe hood pins? I need ideas here for the trunk lid fasteners that will hold them secure enough to not rattle as well as fasteners for the back panel of the sub box as it will be removeable and needs to hold the panel tight enough to seal the weather stripping and seal the box(its a sealed box). Cam locks, hood pins, bolts and t-nuts?