Project White Noise

[Keyser_Soze]

Thanks again for all the posting and responses - really cataloging this for later. Interested to see if you get a big rattle factor from the door woofers or too much low-mid. I think I might just do 2-ways, disconnect the door woofers and run the sub. Also, a custom sub-enclosure with slots for amps etc is going to be badass. Thanking my lucky stars I do some woodworking on the side - great way to merge the hobbies :-D.

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[ThirtyThreePointThree]

Thanks again for all the posting and responses - really cataloging this for later. Interested to see if you get a big rattle factor from the door woofers or too much low-mid.

For some reason, I got more of an issue on the driver's side than the passenger's side. The big problem is the plastic sheet that's attached with a strip of adhesive that goes all the way around its seal. It seals off the chamber used by the door woofer, and it rattles like a mofo.
I took the time to press down the adhesive a little more on both doors to make a more complete seal. Before I did this on the driver's side, I had definite rattle. Then i added dynamat to parts of the door that were vibrating at certain frequencies. Only running 20 watts rms to them right now too. I'm curious on the rattle factor when I step up the power

 

[neozeric]

where would you tap in for the subwoofer amp? rear speakers or front speakers or some hidden subwoofer out off the amp? i will not have the factory sub

 

[ThirtyThreePointThree]

Rear speaker lines would probably be easier. Shorter run and less work overall. Check out heinoceros' thread. I'm pretty sure that's what he did.

 

[ThirtyThreePointThree]

So after a week of having the 3-way's set-up, they've really grown on me. Can't wait to put amplified power to them

Tried running an auxiliary input to the ms-8 tonight as opposed to the normal amplifier high level inputs. I found that using the high level inputs from the factory amp are indeed causing a small amount of audible white noise, and it's worse with the engine on. I wonder if some of that will be cured when I switch to using amps driven by low level signals coming from the ms-8 :shrug: we'll find out. In the meantime, I'm gonna bypass the HU and run auxiliary straight to the ms-8 cuz it sounds cleaner and there's no white noise.

Couldn't help but take a picture when I took the trash out, checked out the car, and it looked like this:

Mmm...icicles make these cars look nasty

 

[wireless]

woohoo! another white ecoboost here in the dfw area

Love the audio work so far. I'm following it

 

[CooterK]

Did you run a separate power and ground wire for the MS8? I couldn't find a picture of it anywhere, but it can be a source of noise if you run power for the MS8 off of factory wiring. A good way to test it out would be to try running the MS8 off of a completely seperate power source (a spare car battery or something) and see if that gets rid of your noise. If it does then its time to rethink wiring there.

If it doesn't then your noise issue is either a high noise floor from the factory head unit (which can happen and might be something you just have to live with) OR signal interference coming from your low level inputs off the head unit. Two things I've done in the past are to solder in twisted pair RCA very close to the head unit and run them to the MS8, or to simply try twisting the factory wires as far as you can.

Good luck!

EDIT: If you find you can't get rid of the high noise floor you can simply try to tune it out later on when you add your amps. IE do the MS8 calibration at the volume the MS8 wants and your amps gains set at the minimum, then later after calibration use a lower volume setting on the headunit and turn gains up on the amps.

 

[Safire149]

Did you need to disable the noise cancelation? If so how? just unplugging the mic above the rear seats?

 

[ThirtyThreePointThree]

Cooter: check my original post. Shows my power/ground connects. I'm running my power from the fusebox(which isn't the best approach. Still need to clean this up with a new positive battery terminal, but it's looking like a bit of a complicated job with dire consequences if you make a mistake)

The ground cable is bolted to a rear seat bolt

I'm fairly convinced my noise is because of using the factory amp outputs. Me and heinoceros have been bouncing ideas in another thread about what to do on this on. One day I may try what you just alluded to, splicing the signals off the HU into an rca and running those to the ms-8. Don't know the voltage range of the signals going in to the factory amp though, so I'd be worried about driving low level signals with too high a voltage causing clipping downstream

 

[ThirtyThreePointThree]

Did you need to disable the noise cancelation? If so how? just unplugging the mic above the rear seats?

Yes and yes

 

[Safire149]

Any suggestions on how to remove the top decklid to unplug the mic? I heard there are two clips holding it up but I can't see them.

 

[CooterK]

Cooter: check my original post. Shows my power/ground connects. I'm running my power from the fusebox(which isn't the best approach. Still need to clean this up with a new positive battery terminal, but it's looking like a bit of a complicated job with dire consequences if you make a mistake)

The ground cable is bolted to a rear seat bolt

I'm fairly convinced my noise is because of using the factory amp outputs. Me and heinoceros have been bouncing ideas in another thread about what to do on this on. One day I may try what you just alluded to, splicing the signals off the HU into an rca and running those to the ms-8. Don't know the voltage range of the signals going in to the factory amp though, so I'd be worried about driving low level signals with too high a voltage causing clipping downstream

The low level signal coming out of the headunit will be fine. The ms8 has a HUGE input range on the RCA side because it is designed for factory integration. When you go through calibration the MS8 will pickup the best volume level and that will give you an idea of where to set your gains and stuff at.

 

[ThirtyThreePointThree]

Any suggestions on how to remove the top decklid to unplug the mic? I heard there are two clips holding it up but I can't see them.

Not clips. They're just magnets and there's one rivet in between them holding it in place. Just pull it down by prying at the edge where the roof meets the rear window and it'll give way in a few seconds. Youll then see the mics wiring harness. Unplug it. Done :cheers:

 

[ThirtyThreePointThree]

The low level signal coming out of the headunit will be fine. The ms8 has a HUGE input range on the RCA side because it is designed for factory integration. When you go through calibration the MS8 will pickup the best volume level and that will give you an idea of where to set your gains and stuff at.

Rock on. Thanks for the tip. I'm gonna order some harnesses or something before I look into rewiring. gonna make life easier hopefully

 

[stormtrooper]

Man, looks like you certainly know what your doing. Take it you do this all the time as a hobby? Lol. I know nothing about audio. But i know this car needs new speakers and a Sub. Most likely will take it to a shop to have it done.

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