Stereo update completed

[Quackfoo]

Got the amp in, got the speakers in, ACM programmed, and got a sub going. I have to admit the sound is MUCH improved. Sounds that were indistinguishable before are easily recognizable now. It's brought new life to my music. My amp is probably a little smaller than some of the guys here would go with, but frankly it's plenty loud and my music sounds crisp and clear so I'm happy with it. Couldn't have gotten this done without all the info guys have been nice enough to share here!

Amp - Alpine MRV-V500
Front - Alpine R-S65C
Rear - Alpine R-S65
Sub - JL Audio CP108LG-W3v3

I might swap the sub sometime down the road, it's an open port and little boomy for my taste, but it's growing on me and I'm getting it dialed in better each time I adjust it. This sub is not going to rattle your car and wake the neighbors, but I hate over the top subs.

The speakers sound great. You'll need a sub though, I found the bass lacking and I'm not a bass freak. The crossovers have adjustments for the tweaters and I have them dialed in so they don't overpower the mids or cause ear bleeds and headaches. It has a nice balanced sound to it. Works great for the type of music I listened to.

This is a good mid level setup for someone who wants to enjoy their music and doesn't feel the need for an obnoxiously loud system that annoys people two blocks over. I could have spent a bunch more money for a better system, but going crazy on this stuff doesn't appeal anymore. I wanted better than what was there since I plan to keep the car another 5-7 years and factory sound was just horrid. I listen to rock, grunge, a little industrial, blues, occasionally something heavy metalish.

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[plc268]

How did you power the speakers? Did you run new wiring to the speakers or did you just use the existing wiring?

 

[Quackfoo]

Before the factory amp I spliced and soldered in rca's to feed the amp, and from the amp I ran all new wiring to the speakers. I didn't actually cut anything in the harnesses, just spliced into them. I'm NEVER putting the factory speakers in again. When I finally sell the car this stuff can go with it, too big a pita to do it all over again . I have the amp in the spare tire well mounted to a carpeted piece of mdf board. The crossovers are hiding behind the panels in the foot wells (footwell drivers side, see pic in post #8 for passenger), so if I need to adjust them I can get to them relatively easily. It didn't make much sense to use the factory speaker wires with the crossovers mounted there.

Everything works, I can adjust treble, mids, bass, l/r, and fade with the headunit. I have a remote to the amp to adjust the subs gain. I'll hide that away later, I've pretty much got it where I want it so I don't mess it much at this point. The chimes volume didn't get messed up, it stays at the same level regardless of the radios volume. It's like it came out of the factory but sounds a lot better.

 

[mumbles]

Awesome! Congrats on the install and glad you are happy with the results!

I gotta ask... how did you run the speaker wires into the doors? I looked at the boot between the chassis and the door for 30 mins or so and finally went "Naaah, I'll just use the factory wiring"

 

[scott_0]

sorry, you answered my one question in post #3 but how did you program the ACM?

 

[Quackfoo]

For the acm I used forscan and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F0GVBWY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I changed 727-01-02 from 0200 to 0000

My car was already set to low level being the 9 speaker. Good info here if you haven't seen it, I know this link is here on the forums somewhere https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...iVSlDFGFHnfeuhb3RTMVz95730/edit#gid=338817466

For the speakers I used this guys instructions. It took me almost 1.5-2 hours per door and it was a real pita. I didn't use the same tubing he did, I had some other stuff that was thinner than what he used. It was clear rubber tubing I got from Home Depot back in the day, no idea why I had it, but it worked. I put a little WD 40 to help it slide, and you don't want anything too stiff. I ran it with a string through it so I could use the thinner tubing, then removed the tube and pulled the speaker wire through with the string. This was basically an all day ordeal getting everything installed . If I'd realized how annoying it would be I'd have used the old wiring, but I'm a stubborn SOB and I didn't want the crossovers in the door.

[ame]

 

[scott_0]

in his video, his vehicle appears to not have the molex connectors, making his job much easier, how did you go about getting through the molex?

 

[Quackfoo]

I tried to get my camera in there, but I just can't get an angle. This is were I put the crossover on the passenger side (I didn't want it next to all the fuses and the amp power). I need to update kick panel drivers side, dash passenger for the crossovers. Anyway in this case the wiring is going under the molex. You can do it if you're a stubborn idiot. Part the reason it took so damn long is I unplugged the molex and getting it back in was a bitch. I'd never do it that way again, but once I got started I was ass deep. It required some prying with a long screw driver to started. I'm amazed something didn't break. I'd always run new speaker wire in my other cars and it never occurred to me how big a pita it would be in this one until I was halfway into it. This is similar to the tubing I used. I took a straightened out coat hangar to push the string through it and wd40 on the outside. Mine was clear though, not sure where this red stuff came from http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sioux-Ch...-10-ft-Vinyl-Microfuel-Line-HSUFD10/204407921

Bah, I'm going to try and get a camera under there again. Back shortly, hopefully with better photos. Nope can't get a better picture.

Look here's the short of it, my way was stupid. It sounded like a good idea when I started, but it was way more work for identical results. It helps to start running the tubing from the door. And to tell you how stupid it was and the part I didn't want to share is I might have had to drill a really small hole to make some space (the gromet is intact). It also helps to work for a hospital and have access to specialized tools most people wouldn't access to, used for repairing equipment not people! If I didn't have some of those tools I'd never have gotten that molex off or back on there. It was near colossal F-UP that I somehow pulled out of my ass. I could have damaged the wiring in there or the molex. It's a case of taking prior experience and forcing a solution that could have been done much easier if I'd thought it through. It's one of the reasons I'll NEVER touch the speakers in this thing again lol.

And in a real gotcha moment, my phone must have hit the button on my remote that puts the windows down. I went out there to try get a picture under there again and they were both open and it was starting to rain again. That would've been bad!

So the moral here is don't be like Quackfoo, just use the existing wiring I feel dumber just trying to explain it!

 

[scott_0]

lol sounds like you went through hell, Im not even 100% I wanna do it at this point

 

[Quackfoo]

lol sounds like you went through hell, Im not even 100% I wanna do it at this point

I wouldn't let my experience put you off. If I'd just used the existing speaker wires instead of being stubborn it would have been a lot easier. There's a reason everyone does it that way :headbonk:

I was listening to Tool on the way into work and I kept hearing police sirens in the distance, I kept looking for them and looking for them, then I turned the radio down to try find them. It was from the damn song! I've heard that song a dozen times in the car and never noticed it until now .

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