Rainbow Powerline Install review

[griffee 10+ year member]

I've been meaning to put this write up here for those interested in the power lines and you will have to excuse my lazyness, but alas here it is in detail.

So I am a stickler for stock. Stock appearing is how I want my entire system. I don’t want to really be able to see anything. No amps, no subs, no holes for tweeters, nada, zip, zilch. So that’s the set up.Think it's possible?? LOL

The parts selected for my install were as follows: 100 square feet of Damplifier Pro, (4) Second Skin Speaker Pads, (2) Sheets of Overkill Pro, (2) Sheets of Rattle Pad, (2) 8” Rainbow Vanadium Dual Voice Coil Speakers, One Rainbow Powerline CS 275.27 Component Set containing (2) 6.9” Mids, (2) 1.06” Cal 27 Tweeters, and (2) Rainbow Passive Crossovers, Arc SE 4200 Amplifier, Arc SE2150 Amplifier, Navone NE 774V LOC converter, Stinger Pro Speaker Wire, Stinger Pro 1/0 Power Wire, Stinger Power Distribution Block(fused), 4 Gauge Stinger Power wire from Distribution block, Stinger RCA’s.

Now we are getting to fun stuff. Install time. While I think I like this part I am really not sure as I also think I hate it too. Putting a 100 square feet of sound deadener in 4 doors is a lot of work. Not to mention the whole install. I also was on limited install/destruction time. Four days. That’s it. A long weekend is all I really had, and promised it would be finished.

Let's start with pictures of some of the parts:These are the Arc Amps, the Components and the 8"s.

Click to read more...

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

Okay these pictures are of putting those very sexy sexy 8 inchers into the king cab rear doors.First pic is the 8" mounting rings out of 3/4 MDF that I jig sawed out.The second pic of how much is going to need to be trimmed.The third Pic is the showing the trimmage again.The fourth pic is the trimming done.The Fifth pick is Damplifier Pro wrapped around the trimmed part to basically seal the metal and to prevent any sharp edges.

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

Okay the first pic here is of double stick tape being applied to the 8" mounting ring.Three reasons for this: 1) it holds the mounting ring while drilling the mounting holes 2)it squishes out and gives you an idea of even torque 3) it lets you know for sure you have a seal underneath the mounting ring and door.

The next two pics are of th mounting rings being attached to the door.I did this with stainless machine bolts, and locking nuts.They were also counter sunk.

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

Pics of the Damplifier rear doors.I really went all out on the inside of the doors to make them as sealed as possible.Alot of the work can't be seen here but if I had to guess I would say about 6 hours went into each rear king cab door.Those picture can be seen here:

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

First 2 pics are of the 8's mounted in the doors.Also shows the now added overkill pro.

Next two pics are showing the alignment of the 8 inchers with the speaker grills.They are a little off due to size, but they are subs so I don't believe there be to much importance here.

Last pic is of door panel back on.Subs?Huh?No subs bro..that's stock.

Gonna have to see those pics here too

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

Lets head to the front doors now.

These first three are of the mounting plates and rings for the mids in the front doors.Both the plate and the ring are 3/4 MDF and very necessary as the mounting depth on these 6.9's is very deep.My windows clear by a whisker and not much more but they do clear.

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

These next pics are of the doors all damplified up,the plates mounted with mids,and overkill added.I had about as much time in these doors as well as the rear doors.I didn't take to many pics of the painful damplifying process.Once I started bleeding I wasn't stopping to take pictures.I cannot even begin to say how tedius doing that part is on an install, but very important.

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

Pics of the firewall behind the rear seats.Amps being mounted.This is a very precise fit.To go here they have to placed here..not an inch to the left or an inch to the right.They have to fit in between the hinges.I mounted the amps with stainless machine bolts and lock nuts.I didn't like going thru the cab with bolts but there wasn't much choice.The thickness of the amps and to have them not touch the seat meant ablsoutely no room for a board of any thickness.I did put some rubber washers under the bolt heads (so the bolts don't create a ground loop) as well as putting some on the back side of the amp mounting tabs.The amps do not touch any material of the seats, and the seats also work with no hitting or problems.Both the tops folding down, and the bottoms foling up.Also as a note I did have to lose the seat belt in the middle for the kids seat.Only thing I compromised on.

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

Pics 1 is where I put the crossovers(one on each side..same spot).Not easy access as the seat will have to be pulled if I ever desire adjustments,but I like the fact that they are pretty hidden.Besides I drove around for 2-3 weeks with no seats making all my adjustments..which are now all done.So I shouldn't need to fiddle anymore.

Pics 2/3 are of the seat placed back in and clearing the crossovers by a whisker.When I say a whisker on how much some of this stuff clears..I mean a whisker..no exaggeration.

 

[griffee 10+ year member]

Okay the wrap up.

I have everything back in, and did the install in my required 4 days(except for the re-installation of the rear seats while tuning).I didn't take pics of the front door panels reinstalled because...well they look like stock door panels and a stock door.The tweets went in the stock location with stock covers so there isn't anything to see there either.The rear door panels back on show no signs of the 8's underneath.The rear seat now being reinstalled hide the amps almost completely.I will get some shots of that and add them later.The stock head unit with the LOC is..well a stock head unit.

I am very happy with the way things turned out.No box under my rear seat.So the doggies jump in and out with ease instead of trying to make the leap to the seat or the "help me" look when they don't want to attempt it.

No amps under my driver/passenger seats.So I don't lose all the storage for one, and for two when I am carrying passengers in the rear they have some place to put their feet and they are also not kicking my nice amps.

No reason for a theif to break in to my ride because they are ogling my set up.Looks stock.Love it.

Now for the best part.

IT JAMS.The 8's would absolutely astonish you as it has other people I've sat in the truck.They pound for 8's.I've had 8's before as well as having 2 10's in a downfire box and they didn't come close to this setup.Tight,punchy, and can play pretty low.

The powerline components are very detailed and crisp.The mids play pretty low themselves and help with imaging as it really seems to just tie everything together.I don't know how to explain it really but the sound seems to come from everywhere.The tweeters are directional from the standpoint of hearing them in front of you, but the sound from the tweeters doesn't sound seperated as in left and right..it just sounds like front.Hard to explain really.

I listen to lots of different types of music...Toby Keith...Panic Channel..Talking Heads....Shinedown...Metallica...Snoop Dogg...Kid Rock...it just depends ont he mood I'm in, but they all sound great.My head unit is set flat and the only adjusting I really need to do between any of the CD's is the bass adjusting knob(remote volume from the amp) for the subs.Very rare do I need to go + or - on the bass/mid/treble settings.I feel this is a pretty good indicator of having a setup dialed in pretty good.You should be able to stick in different types of music with different recordings and not have to adjust yourself to death to get it to sound good again because you changed CD's.

I really got to give a big thanks to Don at Unexpected Creations In New Jersey on the great gear.He helped in picking equipment to meet my expectations as well as putting up with lots of dumb questions.It was a pleasure doing business with him, and it's nice having the peace of mind that he will stand behind all his products and gear.A nice big plus from buying from an authorized dealer for the products on this install.Thanks again Don!

Now I did this install over a year ago. It's still pounding, and still going strong.Trust me I play the heck out of it. It's either jamming or off for me...doesn't seem to be too much in between.

A few final photos of the wrap up...awesome head unit eh?

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

Very nice! Thanks for taking the time to post this.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

What vehicle?

 

[tbasile1 10+ year member]

Nice Install!!

It looks stock //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Homossaywhat? 10+ year member]

hows that LOC affecting the SQ? a friend of mine wants to do a frontstage but keep stock HU, thats why i ask

 

[filtor1 10+ year member]

Oh man. Where in FL are you? I would enjoy having a sit in the vehicle.