High End Audio Build

[wildcatgoal]

It might be a possibility for us to build this same basic enclosure and then you build off of it. Keep in mind that this is very time consuming work which means labor dollars. It will however sound better than any store or internet enclosure. This thing feels as solid as cement. The rest of the enclosure will be built out of Baltic birch which is another very dense wood.

Sheeeitt I'd take one, too. Beats word working. I'd even buy it unassembled and just assemble it on site if you can IKEA package it, haha. I'm a wiring guy, not a wood worker... I can do it, I just really dislike cleaning wood dust!!!

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[JLsounds]

Technically a line driver is just that, increases voltage from input to output -analog to analog. There is no "line driving" of an optical signal, which is digital. Thus, you are using the FIX to convert analogue to digital, not as a line driver.

Other topic: I do not know whether the FIX will do this or not, but every car audio processor I've dealt with (likely due only to the software) will not flatten low-level input unless you pipe that through the high-level inputs on the processor (vs. using RCAs). This is ultra annoying with many cars because if they have Bose or some other upper-end system, you can often convert the signal wires from the radio pre-amplifier (which are often low level) to RCAs and then input that directly into an amplifier but it is not the case in all cases, it seems, that the signal coming from the radio is flat/unprocessed. It is flat/unprocessed in a Chevrolet Volt and the processing/time alignment happens in the Bose amplifier, not in the radio. That was such an easy car to do a stereo in as a result! But in some cars, you can get a low level but that low level carries the processing in it and you need the processor you use to de-process it but can't because they only do it with high-level inputs, assuming you are going to connect post-amplified via high-level speaker wire taps to the processor. Total software fail.

Before you commit, hopefully they've contacted JL Audio to confirm it will process the input of a low-level signal as it would a high-level signal. Again, only software really could be the issue as the hardware in any processor will do it. Just don't know what JL had in mind when they designed the thing.

Confirmed it with them before we started this project. While they haven't tested it with the Audison processor, they have tested it with their processor that is in the works called the Tweak. We will be Beta Testing the Tweak in another one of our vehicles in a couple of weeks.

 

[JLsounds]

Technically a line driver is just that, increases voltage from input to output -analog to analog. There is no "line driving" of an optical signal, which is digital. Thus, you are using the FIX to convert analogue to digital, not as a line driver.

Other topic: I do not know whether the FIX will do this or not, but every car audio processor I've dealt with (likely due only to the software) will not flatten low-level input unless you pipe that through the high-level inputs on the processor (vs. using RCAs). This is ultra annoying with many cars because if they have Bose or some other upper-end system, you can often convert the signal wires from the radio pre-amplifier (which are often low level) to RCAs and then input that directly into an amplifier but it is not the case in all cases, it seems, that the signal coming from the radio is flat/unprocessed. It is flat/unprocessed in a Chevrolet Volt and the processing/time alignment happens in the Bose amplifier, not in the radio. That was such an easy car to do a stereo in as a result! But in some cars, you can get a low level but that low level carries the processing in it and you need the processor you use to de-process it but can't because they only do it with high-level inputs, assuming you are going to connect post-amplified via high-level speaker wire taps to the processor. Total software fail.

Before you commit, hopefully they've contacted JL Audio to confirm it will process the input of a low-level signal as it would a high-level signal. Again, only software really could be the issue as the hardware in any processor will do it. Just don't know what JL had in mind when they designed the thing.

As I stated earlier, we might not use the JL piece. I plan on trying without first. If I have noise issues due to low voltage from the factory head unit then we will try the FIX. We will prewire the car for both options

 

[JLsounds]

It's been a little while since I have posted any updates due to us being so busy at the shop. We got back at it today. Here are some latest pics.


The center section of the enclosure serves two purposes. The first is to take up some air space as the enclosure is slighter bigger than what we want for each driver. The second is for structural bracing. We also coated the inside of the enclosure with fiberglass resin to add even more strength and to seal up the pores of the wood.


test fitting the enclosure with the amps mounted.


test fitting the face. We are using the door panel as inspiration. Once this is all done we will have quite a few elements from the door panel in this face. There will be chrome rings, stitching and shapes from the door panel


the doors first level of sound deadening. Both inner and outer door skins are done


the second level of sound deadening is a 1/4" thick closed cell foam liner. The Mille 7" driver and 3" mid range are also installed. The baffle for the mid bass driver is made out of baltic birch. The mid range is mounted in the factory baffle and then we sound deadened it. The closed cell foam will have to be cut out for the door panel pocket to fit. I then reinstalled the factory plastic barrier to keep water from getting on the door panel

 

[OEMRadio]

Looking good.. Wish I would be able to hear it

 

[c6red]

sub

 

[Gmacguyver]

It's nice to see good work. What sound deadening material/company are you using. I like the all black. I'm only experienced with Dynamat but want to try something not as messy.

 

[pinero61]

Does the pad over the mat material make a big difference? I just did dynamat superlite throughout the entire car.

 

[JLsounds]

It's nice to see good work. What sound deadening material/company are you using. I like the all black. I'm only experienced with Dynamat but want to try something not as messy.

It is a material called MESA Mat. It is built by Stinger for our dealer network. Hushmat also comes in all black.

 

[JLsounds]

Does the pad over the mat material make a big difference? I just did dynamat superlite throughout the entire car.

The pad does make a major difference. It is a closed cell foam so it helps kill low frequency noises from road and tire noise

 

[pinero61]

The pad does make a major difference. It is a closed cell foam so it helps kill low frequency noises from road and tire noise

I have some 1/2" Dynaliner for the Seat delete panels, but if it makes that much of a difference I'll do the doors and floor too.

 

[JLsounds]

Grabbed the output signal wires from the reprogrammed ACM (thanks to OEMradio) at the factory amp. All the speaker wires are also ran to the factory amp as we will be using the factory wiring from here to the speakers. After all the connections are done we then wrapped it all in TESSA tape to keep the factory appearance. The blue wire not hooked up is the turn on wire for the processor. We will hook that up when we do the speaker wires.

 

[JLsounds]

The sub knob for the Hertz amp mounted below the USB

 

[JLsounds]

Speaker wire run along with the factory wiring on the driver's side of the vehicle


signal wires wrapped in TESSA tape and run through the middle of the car under the back seat


board epoxied into place under the driver's seat for the processor. Doing this keeps us from having to run screws through the floorboard of the car


Bit One processor mounted under the driver's seat. Went here due to the fact that there is no room in the amp rack. Also makes it easy for me to access the USB port for tuning when needed


mocking up of the enclosure trim panels. We used the door panel of the car for the inspiration in the design. It is hard to see but we have a lot of the same angles and shapes of the door panel throughout this panel. We also fabricated acrylic rings to go around the woofers and then had them chrome plated. Yes, those are chrome plated plastic like the factory does. The center hole will be a piece of white acrylic with our logo and back lit with LED's.

 

[Evolvd]

Really nice work!

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