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Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
After years of monkeying around with my own cars, it's about time to do a system for Mrs Obvious. :)
She currently has a 2009 Toyota Corolla and the stock source unit has been giving her problems. Sometimes it doesn't recognize her ipod aux source, sometimes it doesn't turn on, etc. I decided I would start stockpiling some items to do a "surprise" build for her. It started off as a very basic radio and maybe replacement speakers, but has blown out of proportion just as you'd expect a true SQ junkie to do. :facepalm:
Here is the current equipment list:
Source: Alpine w505 double din
Processor: Alpine H701
Amplifiers:
Diamond Audio D7104 150x4@4ohm 300x4@2ohm 600x2@4ohm bridged
D7056 50x6@4ohm 100x6@2ohm 200x3@4ohm bridged
Tweeter: Scanspeak D3004/6020-00 https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.co...-textile-dome/
Midrange: Scanspeak 10F/8414G-10 https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.co...-4-full-range/
Woofer: Stereo Integrity TM65 http://stereointegrity.com/product/tm65-6-5-woofer/
Subwoofer: Stereo Integrity SI BM mkIV http://stereointegrity.com/product/b...-12-subwoofer/
Accessories/Installation:
Stinger SCBM150 150amp marine grade circuit breaker http://stinger-acc.ru/img/origs/489.jpg
Stinger SHD821 Power distribution http://images.sc1.netdna-cdn.com/D/F...ed-image-1.jpg
Stinger SHD21 Ground distribution http://www.darvex.com/store/pc/catal...467_detail.jpg
Stinger SI823 RCA cables http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...XL._SX522_.jpg
1/0awg ofc copper power/ground wiring from WeldingSupply.com
Alpine KWE-610A Optical cable http://www.caraudio-store.de/images/...e_kwe-610a.jpg
Monoprice CL2 ofc speaker wire http://www.monoprice.com/Category?c_id=102&cp_id=10239
SoundDeadenerShowdown SDS CLD tiles http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/products
SoundDeadenerShowdown SDS Butyl Rope http://www.sounddeadenershowdown.com/products
I chose to go with the alpine combo since it is pretty reasonably priced on the used market and allows for some very powerful dsp on a budget. The w505 will provide some good modern features that the stock unit lacks and will offer a great starting base for a great sq system. The w505 will be connected to the dsp via the Alpine KWE-610A digital optical cable and the Ai-Net cable. I use these in my D800/H800 setup and there is zero noise.
For those that don't know much about the Diamond Audio D7 amplifiers, they were originally a design produced by Esoteric Audio. They are extraordinarily high quality class A/B amplifiers which are much more rare to find these days. Big, bold and badass. Back when I did the amplifier blind tests, Mrs Obvious commented on how much she loved the look of the D7's better than any of the others, so hopefully she'll be happy seeing these in her car.
The Scanspeak drivers are very interesting. The Scan 10f/8414g is listed as a "full range" but will be used as a midrange in this application and should excel in that department. It has very flat response from 200hz to about 4Khz and has very attractive mounting dimensions as well. The Scan D3004/6020-00 Illuminator is a 1" tweeter in a compact housing with under 2.5" outer diameter and the sealed back cup keeps this under 1" in mounting depth as well. It has low distortion and good sensitivity as well.
The Stereo Integrity TM65 is a very exciting new woofer from Nick which boasts some impressive performance, especially for the price. The TM65 is a true 6.5" mid which has a super shallow 2.29" mounting depth, yet has a whopping 9mm one-way linear xmax. It is a low distortion design and should make for an excellent midbass in the bottom of this 3-way front.
The Stereo Integrity SI BM mkIV is a shallow mount design 12" subwoofer with excellent low frequency extension and low distortion all with a miniscule airspace requirement. It's pretty impressive what these things can do in a 0.5cuft enclosure.
With all of that introduction done, the plan is to mount the midranges in the a pillars, tweeters in the sail panels and the woofers in the stock door locations. UNLESS I can somehow manage to squeeze the mids into the sail panels which would be pretty sweet as well. :) The amps and sub will be located in the trunk and will be hidden with some cutout panels to keep the trunk looking stock.
My hope is to be able to have Mrs Obvious come along to some GTGs and competitions to have some fun with me. I'm waiting on a few pieces to arrive before any construction happens, but I did order some replacement plastics to work on. I want to have most of this measured out and prepped to go in in a hurry. I'll probably try to steal her car for a day or two when she is away to get the install done so fiberglassing of pillars and sails should be done outside the car in advance to save me time. Same with the Sub box and amplifier rack.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Nice equipments. Looking forward to see your build.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Thanks Naresh. I wouldnt be surprised if her car ends up sounding better :facepalm:
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
captainobvious
Thanks Naresh. I wouldnt be surprised if her car ends up sounding better :facepalm:
:hahaha: She definitely has the potential in that equipment list.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Notloudenuf
:hahaha: She definitely has the potential in that equipment list.
Yeah seriously. That list is no joke. I'm anxious to hear those Scans in action.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
captainobvious
Thanks Naresh. I wouldnt be surprised if her car ends up sounding better :facepalm:
Agree. These are equipment I would love to have in my car. I could find a build log for your car. But I'll sear for it when I get home to my pc. Good luck with the build. Don't keep us waiting too long.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Ooooh... very nice plan :) I like it!
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
I think Cap may be asking to trade the Zoom Zoom for the beige box after this is done. :p
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Looking forward to this build. I've been thinking about adding a dsp or upgrading to a h701 or h800 but, finding one for a reasonable price is difficult.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Man, you are setting the husband bar high.
She should be one happier Mrs. Obvious when you're done.
Would it suck if her car sounded better than yours?
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
he would just "attempt" to driver it more often than he has in the past
and those amps are the sex
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hi-FiDelity
I think Cap may be asking to trade the Zoom Zoom for the beige box after this is done. :p
Haha! No chance in hell on that one. Everything about that car is mush. Styling, brakes, performance, ride...bleh. I hope to get her something nicer in 1-2 years. Maybe a Mazda CX5 or something. She likes those.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
astrochex
Man, you are setting the husband bar high.
She should be one happier Mrs. Obvious when you're done.
Would it suck if her car sounded better than yours?
My apologies on the husband bar ;)
I would actually be super stoked if her car sounded better. I think mine sounds quite good so hers would stomp some ass if that's the case. I'd love to see her do some competitions with it and have some fun with it.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Notloudenuf
:hahaha: She definitely has the potential in that equipment list.
I feel the same about mine!
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Dammit capn......how'd it turn out? We need updates man!
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
I look forward to hear both one day!
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Haha, I'm in a holding pattern right now waiting on some parts in the mail from my buddy Mark. I'm also now looking at alternative amplifier options because the Diamond Audio amplifiers were too large to fit in the space for the install :(
I'm thinking either some JL XD or HD goodness for this vehicle. May put an order in today or tomorrow. :)
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
[emoji33][emoji33][emoji32][emoji15][emoji16][emoji3][emoji3][emoji2][emoji3][emoji3]
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
So why did lack of space stop you? Didn't stop me make more space! Jk Lol I understand enjoy the JL's good stuff. Solid
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
So I finally got started on the trunk work this weekend. It's tough to get measurements and plan things as a surprise...jeez.
I started the construction of the sub box for the rear. The design I have in mind is to have the sub front firing behind the rear seats. The back of the box would attach to the amp rack panel which would be mounted to display the amps and wiring when the trunk is opened. Everything would be concealed with a cover panel with a cutout. I didn't get pics of the box construction yet, but here's a shot I sketched up to use as reference for the construction of everything.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...gramSketch.jpg
The box will have its own back wall (all sides and walls are 3/4" birch ply) and that back wall will attach to the back of the amp rack panel with 1/4-20 threaded inserts and stainless screws. It should be quite solid when complete. The amp rack will house the pair of Mosconi AS200.4's, an Alpine H701 dsp, power and ground distribution and a terminal block for speaker and remote connections. The side walls of the amp rack will have neo magnets countersunk into the surface where it will meet the cover panel- which will also have neo magnets countersunk. This layout should take up the least space allowing her to still utilize most of the trunk space, all while having a cleanly laid out presentation that should look good with the cover removed. I'm unsure whether or not I'll be integrating any LEDs, but that's a possibility as well.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Great plan. Imagine having your wife's name in LEDs......:pepper:......
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Hah, I'm sure she would like a little bling there. Maybe some white LEDs on the inside edge of the amp rack just to highlight the install. They're super easy to do and i have some extra supplies to do it. I may as well.
Also, I ordered up the 3/4" HDPE for cutting new door baffles/mounts. Also have midranges here now as well as midbasses on their way to me. (Not the Si TM65's as they aren't released yet- these are Hybrid Audio's L6v2's). I just need to grab my router which is sitting at the parent's house right now, then I can get cracking on cutting out some mounting rings as well for the mids and tweeters.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Very nice sir, can't wait to see this build unfold
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Make that corolla shout "BLING BLING YO!"
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hi-FiDelity
Make that corolla shout "BLING BLING YO!"
Lol, going to bedazzle the word JUICY on the trunk?
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Wow... might could rob a grille from the newer International Lonestar trucks:
Attachment 3661
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Slight layout change. Just updating here to keep track.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...llaLayout2.jpg
This layout shows the new amplifiers (JL XD1000/1v2 and JL XD800/8v2) presented vertically with the power and ground distribution to the left and speaker/remote terminal blocks to the left. This will allow me to build the whole backboard and have it wired up, only requiring the connections of the main power/ground and speaker runs to the backboard. This is a much easier install method as you don't have to do all of the tedious back breaking wiring inside the car. It can be prepped on the bench and then installed and connected up.
The other change is the back of the sub enclosure has some standoff blocks with 2 channels. These will be to route the wiring under the amp backboard cleanly. I had originally though about simply routing out a pair of access holes in front of the amps connections, but I think I may just do them under the amps, and use a 1/2" or so standoff for the mounts so the amps are "floating" and the wiring comes from underneath the amps making an extra clean look.
Lastly, the DSP will be mounted to the side of the sub enclosure, hidden behind the amp backboard. It's not in the prettiest of cosmetic condition, and I shouldn't need to access it so it's better of hidden.
Anything I'm forgetting?
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Dude... that is going to be amazing. Very nice layout, and we know she will love it. Fantastic work sir!
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Thanks Daniel!
This will be less cramped and cleaner than the previous layout with the different amps. Already have much of the supplies here. Hopefully I'll get some time to work on it this weekend. I need to remeasure and cut a carboard template for the rear piece on the sneak.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
A few pics. Sub box is cut and glued/clamped up. After that, I lined the inside edged with silicone, installed two steel plates and lined with sound deadening CLD. The back of the box will connect the back of the amp rack board via threaded inserts and 1/4-20 screws. The steel plates are for extra reinforcement.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...Log/photo2.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...0Log/photo.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo22.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...Log/photo8.jpg
Threaded inserts
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...Log/photo9.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo21.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo20.jpg
Box will also be lines with acoustic material.
.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Nice work capn! I love the "modular" wire it on the bench idea. I've seen people take that route in build logs before, and it's got to be better than contorting around protruding obstacles, upside down and backwards, dripping perspiration for what seems like hours wiring in the amps........one day I'm gonna have to try this myself.....lol. Great progress, looking forward to the finished pics, and listening impressions!!!
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Thanks Clay! Yeah, it makes wiring soooo much easier. But not every install makes it possible. In this case though, the design allows for it. I got the box finished up today, finished lining the inside corners with cld, then dropped in some 3M Thinsulate Acoustic to stuff. Just waiting on the XDs and the terminal strips to arrive and I'll get cracking. I also ordered some vinyl in different colors. I'll likely do the backboard in a different material than the carpet to give it a nicer finish.
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Received some packages today :)
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo27.jpg
Also got the t nuts installed on the sub baffle and installed some on the side of the box for the mounting of the dsp. Marked up the backboard for the locations of everything. Once some of the hardware arrives, I can finish up the backboard.
Box with Thinsulate acoustic
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo26.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo24.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo25.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo28.jpg
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Didn't realize the XD's got that big. :D
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hi-FiDelity
Didn't realize the XD's got that big. :D
Yeah, the 1000/1 and 800/8 (as well as the 1000/5) are the largest models of the lineup. They're 14.75" long, but just 7" wide and 2" high. They look bigger than they actually are because I've condensed the backboard height due to the available height in the trunk (and because I wanted them layed out vertically as it looks a little more symmetrical and clean ;)
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
really great work and ideas on the execution
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Thanks! I'm looking forward to continuing the work on it. Ive got a few ideas up my sleeve still...
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Re: Mrs. Obvious' Toyota Corolla build log
Just a small update. (That's what most are since I only get so much time to work on this)
I got the subwoofer enclosure carpeted and the DSP mounted. You'll notice I used steel standoffs, washers and T-nits to secure the DSP to the side of the box. Here's the reasoning- Since she has an Alpine w505 in this vehicle, a RUX controller is not necessary. In addition, the H701 isn't in the nicest cosmetic condition so it will remian mostly hidden (not displayed on the amp backboard). To keep it easily accessible though, I figured mounting it to the side of the sub box would keep it secure and allow me access to it should I need to, by folding down the rear seat. The dsp is mounted with standoffs to allow the RCAs and other wiring to pass underneath it for clean routing and clearance.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo30.jpg
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo31.jpg
I like to use higher quality allen/hex head hardware.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo32.jpg
Plenty of clearance now for all the cables, most importantly the digital optical which has a bend radius limit and can be fragile.
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...og/photo29.jpg