Magnemite
10-03-2011, 05:19 PM
I'm in the process of upgrading my S13's sound system. When I bought it, it had Pioneer 4x6's all around, and despite the Pioneer name, they were still 4x6 and they sounded like garbage. I also wanted to do something unique, and I'm a die-hard Android fan, which is where the tablet idea was born.
The Plans
My original plan was to forgo a head unit altogether and mount an Android tablet directly in the Double-DIN slot. I am now also considering building a custom dock for my phone instead of putting a tablet in due to size constraints. Either way, the audio setup would be the same. I'd be running a 3.5" headphone jack to RCA cable into an equalizer, which in turn leads to the amp.
There are two main problems with running a media device directly to an amp: 1. You lose the volume and EQ controls that a head unit offers, and 2. The power signal from the device is so low that it would require the amp to be set to near max gain to get decent volume. The solution is simple: an equalizer. I will most likely use the Clarion EQS746 (http://www.amazon.com/Clarion-EQS746-Graphic-Equalizer-Crossover/dp/B000EZV3T8). The equalizer obviously offers audio control, and it amplifies the device's signal to a more usable 7 volt output.
One big issue with not using a head unit is not having a place to wire the amp and equalizer's turn on leads to. My solution is instead to wire the leads directly to the fuse box using an Add-A-Circuit (http://www.amazon.com/Littelfuse-FHA200BP-ATO-Add-A-Circuit-Kit/dp/B0002BGELQ). This will allow me to use the radio circuit for the amp and equalizer, signaling them to turn on only when I turn the key in the ignition.
Some 7" Tablets are small enough to fit in the Double-DIN slot, but they don't leave room for much else (i.e., the equalizer). Being slightly obsessive about the cleanliness of my install, I do not want to mount the equalizer anywhere obtrusive, but I also want it to be easily accessible for volume adjustments. This means I don't want to have to open the glove box every time I want to turn the music up. It also means I don't want to tack it on to the side of the center console where it looks out of place. (If anyone has experience mounting an equalizer in an S13 OUTSIDE of the radio slot, let me know.) Because of this, my options are limited. I could buy one of the few 5" tablets (Dell Streak, Archos 5) or I could use my phone. My entire music collection is stored in Google's cloud using Google Music, which means I'm streaming music in the car. If I were to go the tablet route, I would be using my phone as a wifi hotspot in order to stream. Making the tablet removable is another issue, as I wouldn't want to leave it in there as thief bait. The odds are stacking against the tablet install, leaving me more and more in favor of using my phone.
So the current (and most likely) plan is to build a custom dock for my phone in the DIN slot along with the equalizer. I'll probably draw up a diagram for what I plan to do soon. My phone, I should mention, is an HTC Sensation.
So now that you're all up to speed on the plans, I guess it's time to move on to the installation. I'm doing it in parts, as time and money allows. Money, by the way, is a big factor in this installation. I have a strict budget, and I'm trying to keep the entire system well under $500.
The Installation
Part One: Speakers
I chose to install Polk Audio db6501 (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-hXurrNOn2AZ/p_107DB6501/Polk-Audio-db6501.html) component speakers in the front. I like the clarity that components offer, and I wanted to get decent midbass up front. For now, I don't have plans to put speakers in the rear, but in the future, a set of 6.5" coaxials may find their way back there.
First thing's first, after removing the door panel, I took the stock speaker bracket out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3177.jpg
Next, I installed my 6.5" adapters that I got from eBay. I drilled an additional hole to run the speaker wire through.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3182.jpg
Put the woofer in, it clears the window glass.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3183.jpg
Next, I moved on to the tweeters. I started by making the cut out with a hole saw.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3178.jpg
Mounted the bracket and put the tweeter in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3180.jpg
I wired everything up to the crossover and put the door panel back on, but I ran into a problem. The door panel was touching and compressing the woofer surround, which would hinder it from moving freely. So I decided to cut a bit of it away.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3185.jpg
It now clears the woofer, but I lost a mounting tab for the speaker grill.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3186.jpg
I have yet to put the speaker grill back on, as I'll have to dremel a bit of it away as well to fully clear the woofer. I'll be doing that with my dad's dremel on the weekend. I'll also be mounting the crossover in the door. My dad has a bit of industrial grade velcro that I'll be using to secure it.
For now, the speakers are wired to my head unit. They sound great, but the weak 17 watts RMS output of the head unit doesn't do them justice, not to mention I can't turn the volume up too loud without causing some distortion.
Part Two: Amp
I decided on an MB Quart FX4.50 (http://www.amazon.com/MBQUART-FX4-50-4-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B004XCCAK4) for my amp. I know MB Quart isn't putting out the quality they did before Maxxsonics took over, but I looked around and the amp had good enough reviews. I bought a well reviewed 8 gauge wiring kit from Amazon as well.
No pictures for this update yet. I was using my sister's camera, but I left it at my mom's house where I was installing everything. I may be able to get it today.
First I got the amp all wired up. I ran the power cable through the firewall with the hood latch cable; there was plenty of room for it. I ran the cable under the carpet along the driver's side door sill, then under the back seat to the amp, which is located right behind the back seat. The turn on lead, speaker cables, and RCA cables all run under the back seat and up through the center console. Turn on lead and RCAs run to the head unit, and speaker cables to the speakers, obviously.
I couldn't find a wiring diagram for my head unit, and there were three loose blue wires, so I had to guess which one to wire the turn on lead to. Of course, it was the last of the three.
Once I had everything working, I powered up the system and... nothing. No sound. I tried different things for at least an hour but no luck. The only thing I couldn't try was a different input. Once I got home to my apartment I got out my 3.5mm headphone jack to RCA cable and plugged my phone straight into the amp. Voila, sound! Because I don't have anything else with RCA outputs, I can't test whether the issue is with my head unit or the RCA cables I was supplied. I'm guessing it's with the head unit, as all the reviews praised the RCA cables included with my kit.
I'm content running straight through my phone for now, as that was sort of the plan anyway. Only problem is there's a bit of hiss when I turn the amp level up to compensate for the weak signal the phone outputs. After my 3 pm breakfast, I'm going across the street to Radio Shack to pick up a line driver which will *hopefully* help with the hiss without introducing any new noise.
I'll try to get pics updated soon.
The Plans
My original plan was to forgo a head unit altogether and mount an Android tablet directly in the Double-DIN slot. I am now also considering building a custom dock for my phone instead of putting a tablet in due to size constraints. Either way, the audio setup would be the same. I'd be running a 3.5" headphone jack to RCA cable into an equalizer, which in turn leads to the amp.
There are two main problems with running a media device directly to an amp: 1. You lose the volume and EQ controls that a head unit offers, and 2. The power signal from the device is so low that it would require the amp to be set to near max gain to get decent volume. The solution is simple: an equalizer. I will most likely use the Clarion EQS746 (http://www.amazon.com/Clarion-EQS746-Graphic-Equalizer-Crossover/dp/B000EZV3T8). The equalizer obviously offers audio control, and it amplifies the device's signal to a more usable 7 volt output.
One big issue with not using a head unit is not having a place to wire the amp and equalizer's turn on leads to. My solution is instead to wire the leads directly to the fuse box using an Add-A-Circuit (http://www.amazon.com/Littelfuse-FHA200BP-ATO-Add-A-Circuit-Kit/dp/B0002BGELQ). This will allow me to use the radio circuit for the amp and equalizer, signaling them to turn on only when I turn the key in the ignition.
Some 7" Tablets are small enough to fit in the Double-DIN slot, but they don't leave room for much else (i.e., the equalizer). Being slightly obsessive about the cleanliness of my install, I do not want to mount the equalizer anywhere obtrusive, but I also want it to be easily accessible for volume adjustments. This means I don't want to have to open the glove box every time I want to turn the music up. It also means I don't want to tack it on to the side of the center console where it looks out of place. (If anyone has experience mounting an equalizer in an S13 OUTSIDE of the radio slot, let me know.) Because of this, my options are limited. I could buy one of the few 5" tablets (Dell Streak, Archos 5) or I could use my phone. My entire music collection is stored in Google's cloud using Google Music, which means I'm streaming music in the car. If I were to go the tablet route, I would be using my phone as a wifi hotspot in order to stream. Making the tablet removable is another issue, as I wouldn't want to leave it in there as thief bait. The odds are stacking against the tablet install, leaving me more and more in favor of using my phone.
So the current (and most likely) plan is to build a custom dock for my phone in the DIN slot along with the equalizer. I'll probably draw up a diagram for what I plan to do soon. My phone, I should mention, is an HTC Sensation.
So now that you're all up to speed on the plans, I guess it's time to move on to the installation. I'm doing it in parts, as time and money allows. Money, by the way, is a big factor in this installation. I have a strict budget, and I'm trying to keep the entire system well under $500.
The Installation
Part One: Speakers
I chose to install Polk Audio db6501 (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-hXurrNOn2AZ/p_107DB6501/Polk-Audio-db6501.html) component speakers in the front. I like the clarity that components offer, and I wanted to get decent midbass up front. For now, I don't have plans to put speakers in the rear, but in the future, a set of 6.5" coaxials may find their way back there.
First thing's first, after removing the door panel, I took the stock speaker bracket out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3177.jpg
Next, I installed my 6.5" adapters that I got from eBay. I drilled an additional hole to run the speaker wire through.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3182.jpg
Put the woofer in, it clears the window glass.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3183.jpg
Next, I moved on to the tweeters. I started by making the cut out with a hole saw.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3178.jpg
Mounted the bracket and put the tweeter in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3180.jpg
I wired everything up to the crossover and put the door panel back on, but I ran into a problem. The door panel was touching and compressing the woofer surround, which would hinder it from moving freely. So I decided to cut a bit of it away.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3185.jpg
It now clears the woofer, but I lost a mounting tab for the speaker grill.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/roadkill856/IMG_3186.jpg
I have yet to put the speaker grill back on, as I'll have to dremel a bit of it away as well to fully clear the woofer. I'll be doing that with my dad's dremel on the weekend. I'll also be mounting the crossover in the door. My dad has a bit of industrial grade velcro that I'll be using to secure it.
For now, the speakers are wired to my head unit. They sound great, but the weak 17 watts RMS output of the head unit doesn't do them justice, not to mention I can't turn the volume up too loud without causing some distortion.
Part Two: Amp
I decided on an MB Quart FX4.50 (http://www.amazon.com/MBQUART-FX4-50-4-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B004XCCAK4) for my amp. I know MB Quart isn't putting out the quality they did before Maxxsonics took over, but I looked around and the amp had good enough reviews. I bought a well reviewed 8 gauge wiring kit from Amazon as well.
No pictures for this update yet. I was using my sister's camera, but I left it at my mom's house where I was installing everything. I may be able to get it today.
First I got the amp all wired up. I ran the power cable through the firewall with the hood latch cable; there was plenty of room for it. I ran the cable under the carpet along the driver's side door sill, then under the back seat to the amp, which is located right behind the back seat. The turn on lead, speaker cables, and RCA cables all run under the back seat and up through the center console. Turn on lead and RCAs run to the head unit, and speaker cables to the speakers, obviously.
I couldn't find a wiring diagram for my head unit, and there were three loose blue wires, so I had to guess which one to wire the turn on lead to. Of course, it was the last of the three.
Once I had everything working, I powered up the system and... nothing. No sound. I tried different things for at least an hour but no luck. The only thing I couldn't try was a different input. Once I got home to my apartment I got out my 3.5mm headphone jack to RCA cable and plugged my phone straight into the amp. Voila, sound! Because I don't have anything else with RCA outputs, I can't test whether the issue is with my head unit or the RCA cables I was supplied. I'm guessing it's with the head unit, as all the reviews praised the RCA cables included with my kit.
I'm content running straight through my phone for now, as that was sort of the plan anyway. Only problem is there's a bit of hiss when I turn the amp level up to compensate for the weak signal the phone outputs. After my 3 pm breakfast, I'm going across the street to Radio Shack to pick up a line driver which will *hopefully* help with the hiss without introducing any new noise.
I'll try to get pics updated soon.