My stereo upgrade project

[chowman90]

Looks good

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[Matti777]

Nicely done! Another great audio build.
For the head unit audio controls, leave all at the default position. I assume you did the Forscan change to remove the factory EQ signal molestation?

Thanks. I haven't done any testing of the factory EQ controls. Is centered flat or all the way left? I have removed the factory EQ signal with Forscan so I assume I am getting a low level variable signal now.

 

[StangTime]

Thanks. I haven't done any testing of the factory EQ controls. Is centered flat or all the way left? I have removed the factory EQ signal with Forscan so I assume I am getting a low level variable signal now.

Center position is flat. There is even a button on screen to RESET the audio settings to their middle location.

 

[mikes2017gt]

How's your build coming along, @Matti777 ? If you have any question, LMK. I just finished the install part of my build, so everything is still (Painfully) fresh in my mind. Amp rack looks great!

 

[Matti777]

How's your build coming along, @Matti777 ? If you have any question, LMK. I just finished the install part of my build, so everything is still (Painfully) fresh in my mind. Amp rack looks great!

Good thanks. I had to correct a few DSP settings and set the amp sensitivities and now everything works and sounds good as far as imaging goes. I wanted that all looked after before I took the doors apart. I disconnected the factory tweeter and have one door panel off and have been fooling around with speaker mounting. It looks the Metra adaptor will put the woofer in perfect position. I just need to get some foam. I'm not sure why a custom adaptor would be required? I made a PVC adaptor ring to mount inside the factory 3 1/2" adaptor which looks like it will work for mounting the 3 inch tweeter. No pics yet. I need some foam for that speaker too. I've got a pile of sound deadening that needs to be applied so that is my next task.

 

[mikes2017gt]

Glad to hear it. Be aware that even from the factory, the midbass does not line up with the grill on the door. You don't even think of this as a possibility (at least I didn't) so you get a nasty surprise when replacing the midbasses. Don't be surprised when you mount your new midbass and you look through the grill and it's not lined up. Check my build thread for more info.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/mustang-system-2-0.147905/

Also, the reason why you will probably need a custom adapter ring (I recommend a 1/2" PVC ring and you can use the attached PDF from @StangTime ) is exactly b/c of what I wrote above about the midbass being off-center. There is a good possibility your surround will smack into the door panel. That happened to me and I don't have big, monster midbasses either. Again, check my build thread to possibly save yourself some headache. I built the PVC rings as shown (except my driver mounting hole is a diff size) and they work 100% perfectly.

Pic of my midbass using the Metra adaptors. This pic was taken dead-on straight. Now that I have the PVC rings, they are still in the same place, just set back about 1/2" and no longer hit the door panel.

I should've went with custom mounting plates for the mids and replaced that entire, big black factory monstrosity plate. I wasted a LOT of time making nice, acrylic adapter plates to sit on top of the factory mounting plate and my midranges hit the door panel too.

I'm tackling the DSP/tuning issue myself. I'm good with EQ but I'm a total noob with time alignment, phasing issues, etc. Big learning curve for me.

Glad to hear you're doing some sound deadening. IMO, it's mandatory with these tin can cars.

 

[StangTime]

Good thanks. I had to correct a few DSP settings and set the amp sensitivities and now everything works and sounds good as far as imaging goes. I wanted that all looked after before I took the doors apart. I disconnected the factory tweeter and have one door panel off and have been fooling around with speaker mounting. It looks the Metra adaptor will put the woofer in perfect position. I just need to get some foam. I'm not sure why a custom adaptor would be required? I made a PVC adaptor ring to mount inside the factory 3 1/2" adaptor which looks like it will work for mounting the 3 inch tweeter. No pics yet. I need some foam for that speaker too. I've got a pile of sound deadening that needs to be applied so that is my next task.

Everything @mikes2017gt is correct. You "might" get away with the Metra adapters if your mid-bass has a thin frame, low profile surround, and a low X-max (cone excursion). My Hertz drivers had none of those low profile features (thick aluminum frame, very tall rubber surround, high X-max) so I had to make the custom 1/2" adapters or my surround would slap the back of the door panel. Measure the height from the door surface of the OEM driver to the tip of the surround. That is your max mounting height. Look up the dimensions for your new driver. Find the distance from the back of the frame (mounting surface) to the tip of the surround and add the value for X-max to it. Subtract that number from your OEM max mounting height and that will tell you the height of the spacer you can get away with.

Edit: I just checked. You're using JL C3-650 coaxials? They have a 0.75" high projection from the mounting surface. The Metra adapters are 0.814" high. You need 1.57" of clearance and that combo won't fit. The non coaxial driver looks to be half that with a projection of 0.375" and that is also too high.

 

[Matti777]

The installed height on the 6 1/2 looked to be exactly the same as the stock speakers. I'm not running the tweeters. If they contact I'm leaning towards replacing the grills. They are not exactly pretty IMHO.

I see where the woofers are offset about 5/8" from the grill. Weird.

 

[Matti777]

...I should've went with custom mounting plates for the mids and replaced that entire, big black factory monstrosity plate. I wasted a LOT of time making nice, acrylic adapter plates to sit on top of the factory mounting plate and my midranges hit the door panel too.

I'm tackling the DSP/tuning issue myself. I'm good with EQ but I'm a total noob with time alignment, phasing issues, etc. Big learning curve for me.

Glad to hear you're doing some sound deadening. IMO, it's mandatory with these tin can cars.

I have no extra height for a mounting plate for the 3 1/2 speakers which is why I made an adapter to go inside the factory mounting plate. Of course that only works if the speaker is smaller and has no flange like my SB Acoustics.

I used the Audiofrog guidelines for system set-up and the tracerite calculator for figuring out time delay settings. So far so good. I've yet to get much into using the REW software and mic for tuning. That part might have a steep learning curve.

 

[Matti777]

Slow progress but the passenger door is now sound deadened with Kolossus and the speakers are wired and trial mounted. The large tweeter is mounted on a PVC ring glued inside the factory bracket.

 

[mikes2017gt]

Looking good. What holds the driver in the bracket? The factory driver mounts to the holes at the 12:00 and 6:00 positions in the first photo.

 

[Matti777]

I haven't installed the 4 screws yet but they go through the flange to the PVC ring mounted inside the bracket.

One thing I am not sure about is how much sound deadening to apply to the inner door. Do I just need to apply to points that might contact the door panel?

 

[mikes2017gt]

OK, got it. Please post a pic when you mount it; I like seeing the nuts and bolts of how things are done.

For the sound deadening it's really about how far do you want or NEED to take it. Some people will cover every single inch of sheetmetal and hole that isn't used to mount the door panel itself. That takes a lot of time and a lot of material. The doors have those huge L-shaped holes in them. There really isn't much to deaden, unless you want to cover up that hole. I had a bad experience in a previous vehicle where I went nuts on the inner door panel and then had a lot of trouble with the release rod that connected the door handle to the mechanism, as well as fitment of the door panel itself. I didn't put any deadening on the inner door panel. YMMV.

I did put a considerable amount of matting on the outer door panel. I put two layers of it on the lower part of the outer door skin. Basically, underneath the crashbar, from front to back. I also used the large foam "plug" from a Fast Rings set behind the midbass.

If you have the material and the desire, you could put small pieces in strategic spots on the back of the door panel itself. I noted there were some thinnish areas, but I didn't have a whole lot of matting.

 

[Matti777]

I did the same inside the door except no foam. All I have done on the inner door is line the big plastic liner and put some smaller pieces in areas I thought might contact the door panel. I hope to install the panel and check for interference and then finish the other door tomorrow. I'm in isolation (again) so I have some time

 

[mikes2017gt]

Hope you stay healthy! Use the isolation time to get your build done! This coming from the guy who took 10+ months to start his build, but hey, do as I say not as I do.

Sounds like you did a good job on the sound deadening. I have less than you do and my doors are pretty dead and I have no rattles.

I hope your midbasses fit behind the door panels. If not, you'll be building some PVC rings.

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