Starting my first E46 install (lots of pics)

Originally Posted by RSL

Nice Art series too

those are AM series, here's Art series



Just bustin' your balls

I want to be horny, but don't want to spend $900 on new CD2s, or $500 on CD1 Pros for that matter. Rob, get the Seas and sell me your Neos for like $300

well, if I don't go with horns, I may know a set of cd2neos for sale for a good price - I'll keep you updated. I don't have a set right now - I sold my old ones

Thanks everyone! I hope to get the door install complete this weekend (cut doors, finish sealing baffles) so there will be more pics then. I don't think I'll have a chance to pick up deadener before the weekend, so that will probably be a project for after I get the subs in (will do the trunk lid/parcel shelf at the same time). I probably have a lot of cancellations in the mids ATM since they are bascially running free air until I cut the door and seal the baffle to the door...sounds really, really thin the way it is right now.

Rob, you're right, it's been a while The black ones were ProMos and the white ones were ProAM or something like that, right? Sure, let me know if you hear anything on Neos

Mark, thanks for the tip on the batt. It went low enough to reset my clock to 12:00 and trip computer to 0s, but not low enough to erase my preset stations. I hope the gas gauge is correct because I don't remember what it was at before I started.

Yeah, MDF gives pretty smooth cuts, but it sure makes a freakin mess everywhere when cutting them, especially with a rotary tool (first time using one on MDF). My poor car still has a light dusting of MDF particles and I've been driving it for 2 days

Originally Posted by RSL

Rob, you're right, it's been a while The black ones were ProMos and the white ones were ProAM or something like that, right? Sure, let me know if you hear anything on Neos

Depends on what line of amps you are talking about. The low impedance amplifiers for the Art series line were called ProArts. The technology iirc, was called ProMos - and the earlier AM series amps were called ProAM probably - however my knowledge is limited to the last of the Art series amps.

The black and white amps had the same names, and the amplifiers could be ordered with custom silk screening and powder coating color schemes straight from PPI. BAD ASS!!

M and AM = sex in a heatsink. :-)

The 50x2 running my midbasses is a ProMOS50. That was the version available during the AM lineage. I remember Phoenix Gold's answer to high current amps at that time - they could literally arc-weld with the outputs. Gawd those days were cool. :-)

I'm actually surprised noone has mounted midbasses under dash like mine. A comp car from 1991 had it set up that way and it worked great. I'm really happy with my setup - totally stealth too unless you crawl under the dash.

Mark

Yeah, the screened PPIs were all cool no matter which line they were. I did get very sick of seeing them *everywhere* back then though, LOL. Hehe, some of the cheater amps were pretty ridiculous. I used an MTX Terminator for a couple months back in the day and that was really the only high current amp I ever ran. For the most part, it was Punch 75s/150s and Power 300/Power 650.

Where do you have them crossed over Mark? Bandpass or just LP? I'd probably be worried about them dragging the image down, but I guess if they're crossed over low enough, it could be a good idea. If 8s would fit under there, I'd be inclined to run a 3-way active up front and forget about subs in the trunk altogether.

stage height cues start at around 3khz - so long as they are not resonating or causing something else to rattle, shouldn't be a stage height issue...

Hmm, I thought it was a lot lower than that, but it's been so long, I really don't remember so I'll take your word for it I am still planning on HLCDs, so I dunno if midbasses would even fit with them under there somewhere or if it would even be worth the effort for the result. I guess I'll jump off that bridge when I get to it, but an interesting idea and I'll keep it in mind.

Here's the writeup I did on my system back when it was first completed - there's a chart with the xover points in there.

The midbasses do a very narrow bandwidth and they are in sealed enclosures so are well controlled. The great thing is they allow a fairly low xover for the sub so the image doesn't drag forward, plus they take a lot of "bass stress" off the door-mounted 4 inchers. And the four inchers require no door metal cutting and don't produce miscellaneous rattles. :-)

Mark

Nice install Mark! All I can say is ditch that board prop rod for the amp rack If I need to do a false floor for amps, I kind of plan on doing the same thing for the amp rack (hinged) so I can get to the spare, but was thinking of using a linear actuator to raise the rack. I've used them in installs before and that would be a perfect use for them.

Originally Posted by RSL

Hmm, I thought it was a lot lower than that, but it's been so long, I really don't remember so I'll take your word for it I am still planning on HLCDs, so I dunno if midbasses would even fit with them under there somewhere or if it would even be worth the effort for the result. I guess I'll jump off that bridge when I get to it, but an interesting idea and I'll keep it in mind.

I'll tell you right now the midbasses won't fit under there with HLCDs installed.

Thanks Rob...I kinda figured as much when I saw Mark's pics. I'd rather have horns than a dedicated set of midbass, so I guess that answers that.

RSL... very nice... subscribing.

I'm in SA and would love to check out the system. I'm not near as advanced as you guys are but have done quite a bit of "rough" stereo installs. Sound good to me but I haven't heard systems that have EQS units and EQX to process properly. Hard to find guys in TX on the forum, most are from SoCal or Miami for some reason.

I will be redoing my door install of my 6.5" component mid drivers after viewing this. Did the tweets exactly as you did but lol not the mids. I just made an adapter plate that would allow me to bolt them to the door skin like the factory speakers were using the factory bracket. No sealed enclosure there. LOL probably why I had to make up my mids with a couple of 12's in the trunk. This left me with no lows... so adding a 15 later this month. All of them are old solobarics so they require little airspace and should allow me to still have full use of the trunk/spare tire well. Anyway like I said would love to check it out and bounce ideas in here as well, especially about the eqs/eqx to tune my setup.

Originally Posted by RSL

...All I can say is ditch that board prop rod for the amp rack...

Yeah, that pic was taken during installation. It's different now.

Mark

Oh sexy install from you too Mark... I was like wooooooaaaaaahhhhh he fit alot of equipment in there and still has a trunk. I bet the SQ is amazing as well. Wish you were local too, I am going to try to squeeze 3 amps (large), 2 12" kicker solo barics (s12d's), and a solo baric (s15d). Hopefully I'll have some trunk room as well since these subs don't require a ton of airspace. Wish I could get an eqs/eqx into the equation as well to separate everything but don't have the $200 they run right now. Do you think I could do without it if I adjust the xovers on the amps appropriately? Won't be sq soundoff quality or anything, just want it fairly clean.

Wow Mark, was just going through your site... lol you are the man. Would love to do that "remote remote" activation for the aftermarket alarm with the factory key fob. Were/are you an installer?

I'm in SA and would love to check out the system. I'm not near as advanced as you guys are but have done quite a bit of "rough" stereo installs. Sound good to me but I haven't heard systems that have EQS units and EQX to process properly. Hard to find guys in TX on the forum, most are from SoCal or Miami for some reason.

It's definitely no where near worth listening to yet In fact, it sounds pretty weak since the mids are basically running free air. Once I cut the doors this weekend and seal up the baffles to the door, there had better be a HUGE improvement or I will be disappointed (with the speakers, not the install). Then I'll need to look at making a box for the subs, along with buying a amp for them.

An EQX or EQS really isn't enough to tune "well", but they are definitely better than nothing. I just picked up the EQX to start because it was a cheap interface and included some EQ capability and a x-over in one package.

Hehe, I moved to TX from SFla, but yeah, it is semi-annoying when I see something in the classifieds for "locals only" and they're invariably in CA or Miami.

Do you think I could do without it if I adjust the xovers on the amps appropriately? Won't be sq soundoff quality or anything, just want it fairly clean.

A built-in x-over on an amp will definitely get you going no problem.

Yeah, that pic was taken during installation. It's different now

I was hoping that was all it was To do an install like that and then have a board holding the rack just looked like you gave up LOL. That's a great install Mark!

Hi guys im pretty new to the forum but have been reading stuff for a while !
Currently building ACS 323 Sport saloon indivdual with a full SQ Install using HERTZ Mille speakers and amplifers [ not officallay released yet ] or possibly GENESIS !
I have been asked loads of questions so i will start posting my pics....Install has to be ready for Sinsheim in Germany April 2007 so i gotta get grafting !
Ok here goes equipment list :
HERTZ MILLE MLK2
HERTZ HI ENERGY REAR SPKS
HERTZ ML 1330 R SUBWOOFER
HERTZ POWER AMPLIFIERS TBA OR GENESIS DMA TBA
PIONEER DEX P9 AND PRO
PIONNER AVIC 9 DVD SAT NAV WITH TOUCH SCREEN
PIONEER REAR HEAD REST MONITORS
PIONEER DAB TUNER
VISTEON DVB-T TUNER
CABLING AND POWER AUDISON CONNECTION OR IXOS TBA

Install is full on custom with two tone tan leather and black alcantara doors
Custom a pillar build for the tweeter
Custom doorbuilds and boot ...

I have been in the industry for 10+ years and i own a business in the UK specialising in this line of work so feel free to fire any q's or pm me !
My previous install was all Genesis into a BMW 325 M sport 2002 model .

OP....awesome build up so far!!! Looks very well planned out an executed!!

Thanks bombguy! I am cutting the doors now, but I have to run and pick up some more cutoff wheels

Ash, very nice!! I thought about building pods outside the panel too (and may still someday), but there's no way I want tweets in the pillars, which is why HLCDs will be the first thing on my "revision 2" list. There's plenty of depth in the panels (>3"), but the only way to get a 6.75"-8" driver in the doors is via an outside mounted pod like that (for 7-8" drivers?). It looks like you're off to a real nice start.

If you're going to be posting with pics and info of your install, it would be much better if you start your own thread. I don't mind this one going OT since it will be on/off work, but your install indeed warrants its own thread (and I mean that in a good way) and you'll get more feedback from those not necessarily looking at this thread. I would start a new thread with that post you just made and then come back in here and post a link to it Excellent work so far...can't wait to see the rest...

Cheers mate i will do that put up a new post..reason for a pillar build is that for EMMA and IASCA competions as well as personal listnen pleasure ...you basically lift the sound stage in the car..also the only way to get a bigger driver into the doors is to make new panels like i have done..if you cut the metal out you got big problems from water and moisture etc...tx for the comments ! i have a pair of ready made jenhert door builds for sale along with any kit you may want...?? i will pm u a pic ! tx again