Everything an Install *SHOULD* Have Advice

[sageRJ]

I remember my first install. Kinda jumped in head first not really knowing what I was doing. Afterwards I wasn’t happy with the results. Had to tear everything apart again after learning I needed to put some foam/cushioning between the speaker and door frame (custom spacer I was using) to get it more air tight. Then ripping it apart again to throw in some sound deadening. What a difference. I made mistakes, but learned a lot, and more importantly had a ton of fun doing it.

Now I want to do it as right as I can the first time in my new car. And try not to forget anything. What advice can you give me? And more importantly how does this list look? Just learned about fast rings which I had never heard of before. Are there other things that I need or should be considering?

• Head unit https://ebay.us/qjW2zj
• 2-channel amplifier (compact)
• Components (what are raw drivers?)
• Wiring kit (better to buy it all separate?)
• Sound deadening (80mil? brand?)
• Spacers/adapters
• Speaker/fast rings
• Learn to tune system correctly
• Try different positions before surface mounting tweeter on dash
• Use a proper, prepped ground

Click to read more...

 

[Firewalker]

No just no on the head unit. Buy a proper head unit not some Chinese Amazon or eBay head unit. Those always have problems with software, firmware or not working properly from the get go.

1/0 OFC power wire & ground wire or use 1/0 welding wire unless you buy a kit with OFC stuff in it.

If you plan on doing components then a 4 channel amplifier so you can go active with them. Lots of people buy midbass separate and do the tweeter purchase separate. One of the best set of midbass you can get are the Stevens MB-6 but you need some depth as they are kinda big for a 6.5" midbass. You do the set of tweeters on channels 1 & 2 then the midbass on channels 3 & 4.

doesn't have to be 80mil stuff. Stay away from Fatmat, Noico and Killmat they are all the same asphalt based company. Stick with Resonix or Second Skin. Yes it costs more but the quality is second to none. Resonix has been tested as the best out there by a independent tester in a group on face book called The Deadening.

As far as tweeters go you can mount on the a-pillars or in the upper part of the door all depends on the vehicle.

If you really want to get into tuning then the way to go is a DSP. Dayton DSP-408 is the cheapest quality one out there, there is also the JBL MS-8, Rockford Fosgate makes a nice one, for higher end you have Zapco, Helix and so on. DSP is really the way to go when going active and wanting full control over tuning. Yes it takes some time to learn but it is worth it. I am installing one here later this year and I know it will take a couple weeks to get the tune to the way I want it for the music I listen to.

Idk if you plan on subwoofer/s but if you do contact buck on here to design a box for your vehicle and he can help suggest which ones to buy.

 

[sageRJ]

First off, thanks for all the info. Really appreciate it.

I don't want one of these Chinese Android radios either but I use an iPhone and after having CarPlay, I'm not downgrading to no touch screen. Those things can introduce noise and usually on have a half volt preout. So yeah, really rather avoid them buuuut.. Crutchfield https://www.crutchfield.com/g_462250/Touchscreen-Radios.html is only showing 7 options. Does that mean there's literally only 7 touch screen HUs that will fit in a 2020 RAV4? And that the only single DIN 10" screen in existence costs $1,200?

I'm not seeing the Stevens MB-6 for sale anywhere. Is that something I'd have to buy second-hand as I'd prefer not to do that or have to hunt around. What are raw drivers? I've been seeing that recommended a lot but can't find much info. Would I need to buy tweeters and crossovers both separate if I got raw drivers?

For the tweeters, I don't want to drill or mount them into the A-Pillars. I don't mind drilling into the door but wouldn't dash mounted like the picture I attached be better for sound staging since they'd be much further from each passengers ears than if they were in the door.

I'm not going to be installing a subwoofer and I'll definitely get a DSP to tune the system so thanks for that info as well.

 

[Firewalker]

Stevens can be bought on his facebook page.

Check sonicelectronix as well for head units. They do everything crutchfield does for kits and harness stuff for free.

You don't run crossovers if you are going to go active with a DSP. DSP controls all of those aspects. Yes tweeters would be needed separately.

 

[Firewalker]

Many options according to Sonicelectronix with apple car play for a 2020 Rav4

Double DIN Car Stereos at Sonic Electronix

Double DIN Car Stereos at Sonic Electronix car audio, amplifiers, cd players, subwoofers, speakers

www.sonicelectronix.com

I would stick to the good stuff...Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood, JVC and Sony

 

[sageRJ]

I think my mounting options are single DIN only though. Does this look single to you? I just assumed it was because it looks small and then crutchfield only gave single as an option. Not sure why Sonic Electronix is giving double options. I think I need something weird like the Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX

 

[Firewalker]

That is bigger then a single din. Sonic wouldn't say it would fit if it didn't.

However there is another option just wire in a DSP so you use the stock head unit if it does what you want to.

 

[sageRJ]

Unfortunately that's exactly what they're doing. It's some non-standard in-between size apparently. "The new RAV4 dashboards do not have space to fit a standard aftermarket Single-DIN or Double-DIN sized radio provision." Source This must be why there's literally less than 10 choices. I'm seeing threads on RAV4 forums back when nothing was available.

I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts about the tweeter position I posted a picture of. Is there any debate that somewhere in that area would be objectively better than in the doors?

 

[Firewalker]

I would go with a DSP with an amplifier built in then. You would use the high level inputs while still retaining all of the stock oem head units abilities it has.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I'm curious if anyone has any thoughts about the tweeter position I posted a picture of. Is there any debate that somewhere in that area would be objectively better than in the doors?

I have almost never heard tweeters up in the dash like that sound good. Loading/reflecting out of the V where the glass and dash meets can make for unforeseen problems. A pillar is typically solid or up high on the doors towards the front.

Not sure if Q-forms makes plug and play kickpanels for your vehicle but that makes the whole thing a non-issue. Just use kick locations or go 3 way with midbass in a well sealed/deadened door and mid and tweet in the kick. I've always been very satisfied with kickpanel locations for mids and highs.

You may regret cheaping out on a head unit but you may get lucky. IF you give it a try, make sure you buy from a seller who takes returns and post a full report on the unit you get.

 

[sageRJ]

I would go with a DSP with an amplifier built in then. You would use the high level inputs while still retaining all of the stock oem head units abilities it has.

I didn't realize they had DSP/Amp combos. Do they make ones for line level instead? If I'm going through the trouble of running all new wire I want the signal as clean as possible.

I have almost never heard tweeters up in the dash like that sound good. Loading/reflecting out of the V where the glass and dash meets can make for unforeseen problems. A pillar is typically solid or up high on the doors towards the front.

Not sure if Q-forms makes plug and play kickpanels for your vehicle but that makes the whole thing a non-issue. Just use kick locations or go 3 way with midbass in a well sealed/deadened door and mid and tweet in the kick. I've always been very satisfied with kickpanel locations for mids and highs.

You may regret cheaping out on a head unit but you may get lucky. IF you give it a try, make sure you buy from a seller who takes returns and post a full report on the unit you get.

So it sounds like I'm definitely going A-pillar or door then, thanks. Is the pillar generally better in most cases? I had no idea they made those custom kick panel enclosures - but of course not a single one exists for the RAV4 from either Q Logic or Q-forms. That ***** because I would have definitely went 3-way with those. $5-600 is cheaping out?! But no, I take your point. Those android units are designed for the features, not for audio quality. Again, I don't want to spend all this time and money and start by delivering a noisy, 0.5 volt source. I'm not going with one of those. I guess I'm spending $1,200 if I want a 10" screen.

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

No just no on the head unit. Buy a proper head unit not some Chinese Amazon or eBay head unit. Those always have problems with software, firmware or not working properly from the get go.

1/0 OFC power wire & ground wire or use 1/0 welding wire unless you buy a kit with OFC stuff in it.

If you plan on doing components then a 4 channel amplifier so you can go active with them. Lots of people buy midbass separate and do the tweeter purchase separate. One of the best set of midbass you can get are the Stevens MB-6 but you need some depth as they are kinda big for a 6.5" midbass. You do the set of tweeters on channels 1 & 2 then the midbass on channels 3 & 4.

doesn't have to be 80mil stuff. Stay away from Fatmat, Noico and Killmat they are all the same asphalt based company. Stick with Resonix or Second Skin. Yes it costs more but the quality is second to none. Resonix has been tested as the best out there by a independent tester in a group on face book called The Deadening.

As far as tweeters go you can mount on the a-pillars or in the upper part of the door all depends on the vehicle.

If you really want to get into tuning then the way to go is a DSP. Dayton DSP-408 is the cheapest quality one out there, there is also the JBL MS-8, Rockford Fosgate makes a nice one, for higher end you have Zapco, Helix and so on. DSP is really the way to go when going active and wanting full control over tuning. Yes it takes some time to learn but it is worth it. I am installing one here later this year and I know it will take a couple weeks to get the tune to the way I want it for the music I listen to.

Idk if you plan on subwoofer/s but if you do contact buck on here to design a box for your vehicle and he can help suggest which ones to buy.

Out of curiosity, why are you saying stay away from noico? Noico is a butyl based product, not asphalt. I'm in central Florida, asphalt based products do not hold up here at all.

Don't want to start a pissing match, but I have used a bunch of different brands of deadener over the 14+ years I've been doing this and I chose noico for my current install. Second skin is awesome, but for a budget install noico is a damn fine product.

 

[Firewalker]

No actually Noico, Fatmat and Killmat are all owned and are the same product sold by the same company and is a asphalt based product. Testing has shown that in the deadening group by an independent tester. Ask Skiezer or any of those guys who have seen the results of it on cars even in New York.

Several sites out there say it is an asphalt based product.

Been doing this for over 25+ years and the one time I used Killmat which is the same as Noico it melted in Northeast Wisconsin weather which isn't as hot as Central Florida. This wasn't on my car thankfully. I used it on the neighbor because he believed all those so called great amazon ratings, he used it on his two front doors and within a year it was melting off on his S-10 Blazer.

To each their own and agreed no pissing match. I just wouldn't buy it or even use it.

 

[sageRJ]

So this adjusted list looks comprehensive for what I'm going for? Not forgetting anything obvious.

• Head unit (4v preout)
• 4-channel amplifier/DSP combo
• Active Components
• Wiring kit & Speaker wire
• Sound deadening
• Spacers/adapters (if factory set can't be used)
• Speaker/fast rings

 

[Kickstand Premium Member]

No sub?
Your going to regret it
6 Months from now you will be ripping it apart to install one.
I understand that subs take up space and maybe you don't want to shake the house when you drive by it but there are other options and it's really a necessity if your going to do a stereo.
No need to put on big bulky boxes that take up the whole trunk
1 8" or 2 6.5" sub/s on 500 watts give or take can be hidden somewhere and will make a world of difference plus they don't travel as much so your not advertising your stereo and you can do them sealed so again less space
I always said if I did an SQ setup it would be with 2 8" or 4 6.5" but thats in a full sized 4 door sedan so...