SounDrive Tahoe Build Log

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Welcome to the build log for the SounDrive Tahoe which also happens to be my daily driver //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif It's built for both competition and daily listening/demos.

I'll start off with a current equipment list that I will update as needed then post pictures starting from when I bought the Tahoe until now. It was purchased in May 2015 with 87,000 miles

04 Tahoe LS - 98,000 Miles

Subwoofers: 2 DD 99z Tight Gap (First DDZ model)

Sub Amp: Taramps HD10k 2 ohm

Head unit: Alpine 9887

Mids/Highs: 4 CDT HD 6.5" coax

Mids/Highs Amp: None yet

Alternators: 370a Mechman Elite + 130a stock alt on a Mechman dual bracket

Underhood Batteries: 1 NorthStar 34/78

Other Batteries/Electrical: 1 Northstar 8DK

Sound Deadener: Knu Kolossus 100 mil (front doors only)

Power Wire: Red/Black Electron Beam 2/0

RCAs: Custom SounDrive 17' 2ch to 4ch splitters (2ch currently not in use)

 

---------- Post added at 11:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:44 PM ----------

 

Pictures right when I bought it in May:

The majority of the door speakers were blown out when I purchased it so I replaced them with some CDT HD series coax for a temporary fix.

Stock 6.5" location...

I bought an adapter so I wouldn't have to modify anything. Guess what, it didn't fit.

6.5" fit in the stock hole just fine so...

Self tappers won this battle.

Click to read more...

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Next task was to deaden the front doors. They're huge.

Outer skin is completely covered. Inner skin isn't perfect but I plan on redoing it with a few large pieces of deadener for full coverage.

Snapped another pic at this point

 

---------- Post added at 11:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:45 PM ----------

 

There was a show that weekend so I bought a box from a friend to throw in temporarily

Amps at this stage were 2 Taramp's DSP3k 1 ohm. They're pretty cool little amps. I had them set so that at 1% clipping, they cut back and would not clip any harder. Cool little feature of the DSP series.

Put it all in the back. 4 NSB group 31s. Fits like it was made for the Tahoe.

NSB 34/78 went in as well

Managed to start breaking interior pieces already

Kinda failed at the first show. The 1% clip limiter really held back my output, later found out I had an issue with the sub level control on my HU, and the box just blew for numbers since it was tuned at 29 with not enough port area. Ray at Sonus clamped the amps doing 600w each after rise though with the clip limiter and hellacious rise, so I guess it's not as terrible of a score as I make it out to be.

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Next step was the alts. I am a mechman dealer so naturally I went with a 370a elite and their dual bracket - they only had 2 left and they're discontinued.

Time to take the sawzall to a new (to me) vehicle, because, why not. Had to cut off a tiny bit of the stock alt bracket so the second alt would clear.

Picture of the alts in

Now it was clearly time for a new box design. I wanted something loud. Not kinda loud, really loud. And with a little inspiration from Alan Hall's build and a lot of modifications I came up with this design... which I didn't stick with. I did stick with the baltic birch though. This stuff is great.

I ended up changing some things around and ended up with this. One port plugged for daily, both wide open for competing. And wow, it was amazing what a difference made. At this point I had sold one of the DSP3k and was running a single one at 2 ohm - so 1500w before rise. It was really close to as loud as the last enclosure was on 1/4 of the power. Strapped it in as it was time to go back to school for a week and work on it again the next weekend.

Did some fancy sub wiring here.

Hello there.

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Finally came up with a temporary fix for the awful wheels at this point. I need to redo 3 of the wheels as they're peeling off; I think it's because of all the concavity in the wheel.

What better way to get louder than by adding more power? The HD10k 2 ohm was finally ready to be ordered in the US and I got one of the first ones right before finals.. less than a week before actually

Replaced my fancy brass bolts with even more fancy, larger aluminum bolts and copper washers for more conductivity. Does it do anything? Probably not. Does it look cool? Yup. Couldn't find copper lugs with a hole large enough for the huge aluminum stud

Finally got the false floor in - also installed the NorthStar 8DK with toolmaker battery terminals. I also put some Toolmaker terminals up front on the 34/78

And what you've all been waiting for. We metered it after all of this.. so no deadening on most of the doors, hatch, or roof yet. No testing with box placement and no modifications to the box like rounding corners or resin yet.

155.7 outlaw. Not bad for a first trial in my opinion. Now, to get my headrest score up there since I compete in MECA. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

At this point, one of the Z's is blown and the amp is sold. The 8DK is still for sale, the Z's are as well (for now).

I think I'm going to recone the Z's and compare them to the SounDrive subs I have coming for it soon.

Amp duty will be a FSD 5k at .5 for a while, since I'm limited to about 4.5k clamped in MECA

 

[kr15 5,000+ posts]

When did meca start clamping? Did they do away with the awful fusing rules?

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

When did meca start clamping? Did they do away with the awful fusing rules?

Yep, new rule for 2016. It was announced late last season they'd be swapping. The shows in February should be the first operating that way.

Classing was already released, I talked to Steve on the phone today and he said he's pushing the 2016 Rulebook out this weekend most likely.

We will also be a manufacturer member of MECA this year with a booth at many shows and probably sponsoring some too. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

At this point, one of the Z's is blown and the amp is sold. The 8DK is still for sale, the Z's are as well (for now).
I think I'm going to recone the Z's and compare them to the SounDrive subs I have coming for it soon.

Amp duty will be a FSD 5k at .5 for a while, since I'm limited to about 4.5k clamped in MECA

Ah, going back to Korean for now //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Ah, going back to Korean for now //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Until Taramp's fixes the noise issue that messes with the magnum, I have to. I could do a bunch of DSP amps but.... $$$

The 5k at .5 will definitely be a loss on the meter versus the HD10k though.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Until Taramp's fixes the noise issue that messes with the magnum, I have to. I could do a bunch of DSP amps but.... $$$
The 5k at .5 will definitely be a loss on the meter versus the HD10k though.

I'm just messing with you, lol. I like the detailed build log

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

I'm just messing with you, lol. I like the detailed build log

Thanks. I hope to have some more updates soon.

I wanna try a new enclosure but I'll have to buy my own magnum to see if swapping actually helps.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Thanks. I hope to have some more updates soon.
I wanna try a new enclosure but I'll have to buy my own magnum to see if swapping actually helps.

Nice, I'll be looking for results. I like the port/tuning setup of your current box though. That was a good idea for numbers

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Hopefully this build will be coming back to life this weekend.

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

Testing will start tomorrow

 

[Nutdawg651]

Testing will start tomorrow

Subs?