My Car Audio Build Log

[Rekin]

Hello all,

Thought i might share my r32 car audio build. First time installing sound system in car. If you see anything incorrect, please let me know so i can fix.

Hopefully this thread will give me the motivation to continue working at it

Okay, first things first...

===================================

Subwoofer

Picked up 2x brand new Blaupunkt Velocity VXS12 from a Blaupunkt liquidation sale as they are moving away from aftermarket setup. No idea if they are any good, but picked them up for a bargain.

specs: http://www.bluespot.co.uk/car-audio.aspx/vxs12-subwoofer

2 x 4Ω dual coil design - 500w RMS

Subwoofer Box

Decided to build a Decware Deathbox II - http://www.decware.com/dbk12.htm

I believe its a 4th order bandpass with an adjustable insert. I'm sure the pro's can provide more info

The two sub's are mounted, clamshell style and on a box which slides up/down the main box for fine tuning.

Pics of my build so far;

Doors

Time to start on the door. Following the tutorials on this forum, started first with applying the sound deadening.

Speaker wires fed through door.

Before:

Inside:

Outside:

Wiring

As i'll be running 1000w RMS subs and 2x60w RMS splits, i'll be going down the 2 amp setup and hence will require some beefy cables and connectors.

Bought and wired in some Knu Koncept Kolossus Fleks Kable 1/0 - 5100 strands!

Very flexible and full of copper! Made the installation very easy as it could bend around the panels of the car to get to the boot.

Connectors

Okay, went all out with the connectors. Picture below shows how it will work;

Negative:

- Knu Koncept Battery Terminal (3x 0ga)

- Distribution Block (0 gauge -> 2/4/8ga)

- Run 0ga wiring to block (replace existing ground wire)

Positive:

- Knu Koncept Battery Terminal (3x 0ga)

- Fused Distribution block (1x0ga -> 2x0ga)

- One for the amp wiring

- One to alternator(replace existing alternator wire. Bypass fusebox fuse and use distribution block fuse for simpler wiring)

- Distribution block (to split to 2 amp's)

- Distribution block (to ground amp's to one wire)

- Ground block

I think thats it for now.

Next step will involve fitting splits into doors and then replacing the negative/positive wiring in the engine bay etc

Got all the parts, just need good weather and time

Thanks for reading

- Patrick

[Mohsen]

patty going hardcore UNCE UNCE UNCE UNCE UNCE haha

[Carbon 34]

That box is a isobaric semi single bandpass box hope you ran the speaker wires to the proper phase or it will produce 0 bass or destroy the subs that center chamber better better be sealed perfect too

Isobaric boxes loose spl in the name of acurate bass control

Best for home use in most cases

Those guys at decware have some interesting designs but most wont work in a skyline ( size comstraints) the bass waves wont expand enough and will pressurize the cabin but no bass or little bass until you open the window , the bass waves at 70-80hz and the speed of sound is around 16ft the length of your car and your windshield is about 11-12ft from the boot space in a coupe so the bass waves are stronger outside the car bass travels further then treble

Be curious to see how it works for you ive done a few isobaric tubes back in the day and they sounded clean but not a lot of thump and that was in a rx7 hatchback which amplifies the bass from the shape alone

Will that box fit it looks pretty big long ? So much for a boot haha all in the name of good sound

Going to be a heavy bugger

Blaupunkt woofers , dont overdrive them to much or for a long time on 10 and watch the distortion in a mistumed box they will fry quickly , i would use a rta to setup that box since you can slidetune it ?

Good to see something a little different !

Let us know the outcome ?

[sweefu]

Looking good mate, nice wiring there. What will the front stage consist of?

[Rekin]

patty going hardcore UNCE UNCE UNCE UNCE UNCE haha

haha, do it once do it right. I had no plans of building such a system but i got both subs brand new for $30 and it all sorta snow balled from there. I had plans for a simple system...

That box is a isobaric semi single bandpass box hope you ran the speaker wires to the proper phase or it will produce 0 bass or destroy the subs that center chamber better better be sealed perfect too

Isobaric boxes loose spl in the name of acurate bass control

Best for home use in most cases

Those guys at decware have some interesting designs but most wont work in a skyline ( size comstraints) the bass waves wont expand enough and will pressurize the cabin but no bass or little bass until you open the window , the bass waves at 70-80hz and the speed of sound is around 16ft the length of your car and your windshield is about 11-12ft from the boot space in a coupe so the bass waves are stronger outside the car bass travels further then treble

Be curious to see how it works for you ive done a few isobaric tubes back in the day and they sounded clean but not a lot of thump and that was in a rx7 hatchback which amplifies the bass from the shape alone

Will that box fit it looks pretty big long ? So much for a boot haha all in the name of good sound

Going to be a heavy bugger

Blaupunkt woofers , dont overdrive them to much or for a long time on 10 and watch the distortion in a mistumed box they will fry quickly , i would use a rta to setup that box since you can slidetune it ?

Good to see something a little different !

Let us know the outcome ?

haha thanks for the detailed information.

Triple checked that I wired it correctly haha

The plan is to slide the center box to the ideal position and then screw/seal it in place. It is already hard to slide the centre box due to the air not having anywhere to go. I made sure i didnt build a dodgy box haha

Box weigh's 30kg i think, 3/4mdf and two 12" subs arent light!

I have test fitted, it just fits. Need to remove the spare as its a bit too tall (r32 boot's are very shallow). Length wise its fine.

In the end, if im not happy, i'll use it at home as a coffee table haha

Nice info about the bass waves, will need to listen out for it once it's in.

Will update thread once it's in the car!

Looking good mate, nice wiring there. What will the front stage consist of?

cheers. front stage, again picked up some splits from Blaupunkt. Only 60w RMS. Not sure what to expect however if it doesnt work its easy enough to swap them out. Hardest part is the sound deadening and mdf spacer.

[Rekin]

hmmm fitted the speakers and spacers to the front doors. The spacers touch the door skin and cause buzzing/vibration sound. Kinda defeats the whole dynamat installation haha

Im thinking of shifting the speaker/spacer lower so it doesnt touch the door skin (where the arm rest is)

Is there anything else i could do? Should i cover the wooden spacer with some foam or something?

Not happy

[Carbon 34]

Spacers should be mounted to door with flat surface and butyl rubber sealer , speakers should be mounted flat not warped or wavy the coils can drag if flexed and butyl seal to wood

Wood should be sealed with paint or epoxy or it will be dead first rain

Door trim might need dynamat chunk on backside, mine is spray foam filled behind armrest , contoured after drying to fit and adds some safety in impact bonus lol keeps the sound coming from speakers not every leak in door skin

Spray foam is light but messy so beware cant remove without force once dry , wet it sticks to everything and i mean everything haha

No photos of your spacers

But you could run a dense foam to door panel between speaker not prefered but you could ?

[Rekin]

Spacers should be mounted to door with flat surface and butyl rubber sealer , speakers should be mounted flat not warped or wavy the coils can drag if flexed and butyl seal to wood

Wood should be sealed with paint or epoxy or it will be dead first rain

Door trim might need dynamat chunk on backside, mine is spray foam filled behind armrest , contoured after drying to fit and adds some safety in impact bonus lol keeps the sound coming from speakers not every leak in door skin

Spray foam is light but messy so beware cant remove without force once dry , wet it sticks to everything and i mean everything haha

No photos of your spacers

But you could run a dense foam to door panel between speaker not prefered but you could ?

Thanks for the tips. I ended up shifting the spacer further down on the door. A pain when you have to drill new holes in the spacer. Spent many hours trying to match the holes. Must be an easier way?

Anyways, an update;

The japanese owner made some nice spacers for the existing speakers. Even took the effort to make the blank plate for the door pockets (with foam too)

So ripped off the blank plate to stick to my door skin

New MDF spacer painted and fitted with speaker. Cross over located inside the door.

Also took the time to repair the auto window winder and recondition the power window switches including replacing the burnt out globe! Majority of the bulbs in the r32 have all burnt out so its neat to see them working at night when replaced.

Not much to see here, but just to show that the drivers window up/down switch has a light. Majority, if not all, r32's have this bulb burnt out, so though i would share.

Also replaced the globes in the r32 auto spoiler buttons. Opened up the switch and ball bearings and springs flew out. Was fiddly to put back together and was surprised that i managed haha.

Next step:

Trying to replace the battery negative -> block wire but cant undo the bolt holding it on the block. Tucked right at the bottom of the block, too hard to get any decent leverage to crack the bolt...might have to try going underneath the car or getting mechanic to do his magic.

Thats it for now

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

what thickness is the spacer?

[Rekin]

what thickness is the spacer?

I think it was 3/4"