2020 Subaru Outback - Audiofrog, Helix, ResoNix

Hey guys, we're a little behind on build logs and videos, so unfortunately there is no video for this car, but there are a good amount of photos. This one was pretty cool for me because this is the first build we did while starting to implement a streamlined sales process where we base the fabrication/equipment in 4 different stages. Stage 1 being mild, with stage 4 being extreme. The reason for this, is i catch myself spending way too much time and effort on something that the customer didnt even necessarily need or pay for. While it is sort of an under promise/over deliver situation, i was losing countless hours, and i need to change that. While I didnt go over different stages with the owner of the car, I kept these in mind when it came time to designing the areas that were getting custom fabrication work done. In this case it was the sail panels and the trunk. When we were going over options for the sail panels on the phone, i sent him a few examples of previous builds as well as the sail panel "monitors" in my own car. My personal car has a "stage 1" design where the pod is texture coated and the grill is wrapped in a premium grill cloth. I also sent some from the previous subaru, as well as the mercedes. At first, he wanted to keep it simple and go with grill cloth grills (dont worry, there is still protection behind said grill cloth). After he sat on it for a bit, he ended up wanting something nicer. After a bit of discussion, i figured Stage 4 it was. (i personally went this direction because i can use it as an example piece so i wouldnt have to do one from scratch just to use as a display in the shop).. So back to the rest of the build. This 2020 Subaru Outback came with the Harmon Kardon system, which we integrated into. We also used his DAP's as a secondary source to go digital directly into the DSP. The list of equipment that we used is as follows..

. Fiio & iBasso DAP's
. Helix V Eight Mk2
. Helix M One X
. Helix Director
. (2) Scanspeak Discovery 30W/4558T 12" Subwoofers
. Audiofrog GB60
. Audiofrog GB25
. Audiofrog GB10oe
. Audiofrog GS62 coaxial for rear fill

For the trunk we went with a "stage 2" install. The Subwoofers are in a 2 cubic foot sealed enclosure that is installed into the spare tire well and managed to play flat down to something around 14hz. The spare was removed for this to be possible. The amplifiers were installed with a false floor over them and wrapped to match the rest of the trunk.


So these started off as a basic shape stolen from my cars pods. From there, we adjusted the outside shape a bit and added some styling to the middle. Here is our first cut out of acrylic. We have the outer piece that also has the lower portion of the "grill" attached to it. Then theres the top portion of the "grill" which is its own piece. Then theres the center piece, which is also its own piece. All was made out of 1/4" acrylic except for the center piece, which was 1/8" acrylic. All of the separate pieces were designed to fit together perfectly, but were then shrunk 0.2mm on the outer diameter in order to account for the thickness of primer/paint. This ended up working perfectly.

https://i.imgur.com/iYCw15r.jpg






Heres the outer piece after i routed the edges to have a chamfer. The tight inside corner of the top portion needed to be filed by hand since the router bits bearing was too large to get in there. If you look closely, you can see where i drew on the center piece with sharpie to mark where i needed to stop routing. You will see why in the next few photos.

https://i.imgur.com/ytUveh8.jpg






Here are the top and center pieces after the top portion was chamfered (the center piece was not routed). Again, if you look closely, you can see where i drew on the top piece with sharpie to mark where i needed to stop routing. The chambers were done by hand. This was honestly terrifying even though I had a jig to do it. I must have gone through 10 pairs of these before I nailed it. Thankfully we have the laser and i didn't have to route the whole piece/shape by hand, only the chamfered edges.

https://i.imgur.com/62h6JkX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/YqppFcd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/aEOqhV3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lQKUkyM.jpg






Heres all of the parts that make up the grill. Everything is ready to be painted and assembled

https://i.imgur.com/4N41VA4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mDnAhqX.jpg






Painted and ready for assembly

https://i.imgur.com/Dciu8Jd.jpg






Every detail matters.

https://i.imgur.com/A60u6FX.jpg

Here you can see the coaxial cable running out from a false floor in the center console. Underneath this false floor we used an Audison SFC to switch between optical and coaxial inputs so he can use both his iBasso DAP (which uses optical output), and his Fiio DAP (which uses coaxial output. This then has optical out which goes right into the Helix V Eight Mk2

https://i.imgur.com/xePH0Rc.jpg







Helix Director mounted in the sunglass holder

https://i.imgur.com/i6hxYKP.jpg






Here is the trunk as it normally sits. We managed to retain the oem floor

https://i.imgur.com/vL0jXGj.jpg






And here is what you see once you lift the floor up. The false floor is wrapped in matching carpet, and there is grill material to protect the amplifiers and subs. The thin oem floor was treated at its handle to prevent rattles. Other than that, it does not effect the sound in any way.

https://i.imgur.com/dk9NSx6.jpg






Helix V Eight Mk2 and Helix M One X

https://i.imgur.com/CipjDVO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/x2abwYz.jpg






And here are the sail panel monitors installed and ready to go. As you can see, we aimed to match the shapes/colors of the oem door panel. To date, this might have been the most challenging piece I've made.

https://i.imgur.com/gk0kX7B.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Q6WdBRi.jpg






And here you can see why i had to stop routing both pieces at an exact point. The top piece and bottom piece of the center "grill" mate up perfectly and the chamfer follows around the silver center piece perfectly

https://i.imgur.com/yCpz7Ri.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/vPPv4no.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/4NvvYSe.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RahI58r.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/SrdwYG4.jpg






Thanks for looking!

That A-pillar is gorgeous. Very nice!

Yes, outstanding work thanks for sharing. And when did Subaru interiors get so nice ?

Why does the client want to use 2 different DAPs ? Is there a particular reason for that ?

Also, I will almost always say in all Audiofrog threads - dang those GB25's are small !

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dgage

That A-pillar is gorgeous. Very nice!

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<cough> sail panel location <cough>

Those sail pods are stunning! Well done Nick.

Great work as always Nick!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by preston

Yes, outstanding work thanks for sharing. And when did Subaru interiors get so nice ?

Why does the client want to use 2 different DAPs ? Is there a particular reason for that ?

Also, I will almost always say in all Audiofrog threads - dang those GB25's are small !

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Thanks. He was open to using just one and preferred the Fiio (as do i) which is coaxial out at the end of the day, it still needs the converter and it has the option to use both, so why not since he already has them. As far as the subaru interiors, idk. My ex's 2018 crosstrek isn't so bad either. Not as nice as this though

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dgage

That A-pillar is gorgeous. Very nice!

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What a pillars? :)
Thank you

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blu

Those sail pods are stunning! Well done Nick.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by mumbles

Great work as always Nick!

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Thanks guys. Kevin killed it on this one as well, doing the whole trunk and doing part of the sails, as well as the director

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Very nice work sir.

I've been waiting patiently for this. I am the owner of this Outback. I have been wanting to throw up some pictures of this build. Now I'm glad I waited. I knew Nick would get around to this, but I also know how busy he has been. I was lucky to get in when I did due to a big cancelation that freed up a week of Nick's time. He had at least 10 to 12 builds on his dry board waiting to come in. Nick and Kevin absolutely nailed this one. I have always done my own installs and fabrication in the past, but this time I wanted a professional installation. Not just any professional install either. I wanted Apicella Auto Sound. Nick's shop is one of, if not, the Best Audio Shops around. I have been lurking on diyma and here since about 2012. This is how I knew Nick was passionate about his work and could back up his talk. This made it easy for me to make the 6 hour trip from Pittsburgh. Those sail pods are the most beautiful, intricate, and dare I say stealth speaker pods I have ever seen. I say stealth, but they really aren't. They look factory but they also stand out at the same time. I told Nick that's how I wanted it look "Factory but Better" and he delivered better than expected. I'm not a flashy guy and that is why the hatch area looks somewhat plain compared to those pods. I wanted the hatch to be fully functional with hidden equipment and no lights and disco balls. Once again Nick and Kevin delivered. I asked Nick why he didn't cut holes in the sub cover, He said " we didn't need to". He was right. Cover on or off it makes no difference, the sound does not change. Finally this thing sounds absolutely amazing. Pure, clean and powerful. I listened to both Nick and Kevin's cars and said, "make it sound like that". Once again Nick delivered. Voices are centered with a realistic sound stage. We also implemented rear fill to perfection with the extra channels from the Helix. I was hesitant because I personally never got rear channels to integrate well with the front stage. The way Nick set this up adds a sense of space without ever pulling the stage back. I was initially worried that 75 watts was not going to be enough for the GB60's as the Helix V8 is not bridgeable. Once again I was wrong, there is plenty of midbass and I'm glad I have rear fill. I hope to hit some shows this year so people can see and hear this in person. I was always one of those guys that scoffed at going the professional route versus the diy route but not anymore. I simply could not have achieved this on my own. Thank you Nick and Kevin.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by preston

Yes, outstanding work thanks for sharing. And when did Subaru interiors get so nice ?

Why does the client want to use 2 different DAPs ? Is there a particular reason for that ?

Also, I will almost always say in all Audiofrog threads - dang those GB25's are small !

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I didn't want two DAPs. I had the Fiio X5iii but it did not have optical out (only had coaxial output). I bought the Ibasso DX 150 because it has optical output. Both have a similar sound signature but the Fiio has better UI for driving. I thought the optical ouput would cut down on conversions since most DSP's have optical input. Nick knew better, and again he was right. I can not and will not ever hear that extra conversion. Now I can use whatever DAP I want.

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL work, Nick! :clap:

And Crikey, Stycker, you're a lucky bastard, haha! I'm sure that you're enjoying this system immensely. :)

And yes, Subaru has stepped up their game considerably on the interiors. But it still depends on the model and trim level a bit.

The only thing that drives me absolutley nuts is the large, flat, trapezoidal OEM acrylic Head Unit bezel. That radio bezel is huge and angles upwards significantly so that it perfectly catches every reflection possible, including huge, direct sun starbursts that "ping" your eyeballs. :(

Driving these through winding canyons with lots of trees/hills where you are constantly going in and out of the sun & shade is horribly distracting.

I've worked on a shit ton of Subaru advertising photo shoots throughout the years, and it's a PITA to photograph as well. But more important is the safety factor.

One the first photo shoot we had that used this new radio bezel design, I noticed this straight away and stated my concerns directly to Sondra Shiffer, the head Merchandising Manager for all of Subaru of America. She's super cool, and appreciates all feedback. And I'm not quoting her directly, but she basically said, "Yeah, I KNOW. I drive one, too! Unfortunately, it's not my department and the design team has made a few poor decisions, but it's the only design they came up with that still flowed with the angle of the dash."

This first shoot happened to be at Willow Springs Raceway, and most of us on the shoot took at least a few laps around the track. The reflections off of the bezel were definitely not welcomed. And it's definitely worse in the early AM or late afternoon sun...precisely when we'd normally shoot, AND when you'd normally commute to/from work. :(

My elderly parents happened to buy an Outback as their winter grocery getter, and before I could ask about the stereo's bezel, my dad mentioned the sunburst reflections off of it when driving to/from home through the canyons & trees. When I visited I would drive it quite a bit and experienced more of this first hand.

They live in an area of rolling hills, canyons, and oaks, so most of their driving is in those types of areas. My mom actually sewed a matching black trapezoidal fabric cover for the bezel with bendable "art wire" sewn into the perimeter piping. It clips to the A/C vents and you can flip it down when needed. They pretty much left the stereo on the same XM/sirius station all of the time so it didn't bother them much to not see the display.

On that first photo shoot I stated to Sondra that I sincerely hoped that this design wasn't continued and implemented throughout the entire Subaru family. But unfortunately it pretty much was. :( On every concurrent shoot and for each new model I would say, "Oh Yay! There's my favorite stereo bezel EVAR, LOL!" and just SMH. :disbelief: Luckily Sondra was mostly in agreement and super cool, but I'm still a bit surprised that I wasn't blacklisted from future shoots!


SORRY for the major derail. i guess you can tell that I'm just a little bit triggered by that silly bezel, LOL? :p

Enjoy that KILLER system!!!

This is now my fifth Subaru to date. Third Outback/Legacy wagon. It's the perfect all around car for me. It absolutely has it's quirks though. The radio at first sight is stunning. Its a vertical tall screen the size of a large ipad. Think Tesla or New Ram. However it is actually three different horizontal sections. That makes the radio section horizontal, more like an 8 inch screen. Only the navigation utilises the full screen. In order to shut off the auto start/stop you must hit 4 or 5 buttons. Its the same situation when needing the seat heater. My wife's Forester has rocker switches for everything. Some things should have been left alone.

Those pods are gorgeous. I only wish I had that level of fabrication skill. After seeing those, I don't think I'm even going to post pictures of the tweeter pods I'm currently making. :lol:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stycker

I've been waiting patiently for this. I am the owner of this Outback. I have been wanting to throw up some pictures of this build. Now I'm glad I waited. I knew Nick would get around to this, but I also know how busy he has been. I was lucky to get in when I did due to a big cancelation that freed up a week of Nick's time. He had at least 10 to 12 builds on his dry board waiting to come in. Nick and Kevin absolutely nailed this one. I have always done my own installs and fabrication in the past, but this time I wanted a professional installation. Not just any professional install either. I wanted Apicella Auto Sound. Nick's shop is one of, if not, the Best Audio Shops around. I have been lurking on diyma and here since about 2012. This is how I knew Nick was passionate about his work and could back up his talk. This made it easy for me to make the 6 hour trip from Pittsburgh. Those sail pods are the most beautiful, intricate, and dare I say stealth speaker pods I have ever seen. I say stealth, but they really aren't. They look factory but they also stand out at the same time. I told Nick that's how I wanted it look "Factory but Better" and he delivered better than expected. I'm not a flashy guy and that is why the hatch area looks somewhat plain compared to those pods. I wanted the hatch to be fully functional with hidden equipment and no lights and disco balls. Once again Nick and Kevin delivered. I asked Nick why he didn't cut holes in the sub cover, He said " we didn't need to". He was right. Cover on or off it makes no difference, the sound does not change. Finally this thing sounds absolutely amazing. Pure, clean and powerful. I listened to both Nick and Kevin's cars and said, "make it sound like that". Once again Nick delivered. Voices are centered with a realistic sound stage. We also implemented rear fill to perfection with the extra channels from the Helix. I was hesitant because I personally never got rear channels to integrate well with the front stage. The way Nick set this up adds a sense of space without ever pulling the stage back. I was initially worried that 75 watts was not going to be enough for the GB60's as the Helix V8 is not bridgeable. Once again I was wrong, there is plenty of midbass and I'm glad I have rear fill. I hope to hit some shows this year so people can see and hear this in person. I was always one of those guys that scoffed at going the professional route versus the diy route but not anymore. I simply could not have achieved this on my own. Thank you Nick and Kevin.

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Thank you Brian! It really means a lot. Idk if I told you this, but your grills were never supposed to be THAT intricate. But as I usually do, I get carried away when I think of something cool and next thing you know I'm trying to piece together something that i would have previously thought impossible lol. Im glad you are enjoying the system as a whole, and especially the rear fill and the V Eight. I say this all the time and I'll say it again... If you are reading this, i can almost guarantee that you can get more clean power out of your system vs how it is currently set up. Gain structure and proper tuning is a hell of a thing

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SkizeR

your grills were never supposed to be THAT intricate. But as I usually do, I get carried away when I think of something cool and next thing you know I'm trying to piece together something that i would have previously thought impossible lol.

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funny, I've heard that before...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thedynoguy

funny, I've heard that before...

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yeah, exactly lol. pay for "stage 2" and get "stage 4" just because i cant control myself lol

This Helix is one hell of DSP/Amp. I have only made minor tweaks in eq and levels. The tuner in me just can't leave things alone. Aside from the minor eq and level tweaks, I just can't improve on Nick's tune. Everything sounds perfect. I initially thought I liked the stage expanders, but after critical listening I found that it does collapse the stage. The bass expanders are also just a bit too much. They do add some bass boost, but I find that the sub level control and tone controls do a better job. Between the install, speaker locations, equipment, sound deadening and tuning I think we have a mic drop here.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stycker

This Helix is one hell of DSP/Amp. I have only made minor tweaks in eq and levels. The tuner in me just can't leave things alone. Aside from the minor eq and level tweaks, I just can't improve on Nick's tune. Everything sounds perfect. I initially thought I liked the stage expanders, but after critical listening I found that it does collapse the stage. The bass expanders are also just a bit too much. They do add some bass boost, but I find that the sub level control and tone controls do a better job. Between the install, speaker locations, equipment, sound deadening and tuning I think we have a mic drop here.

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It looks like Nick did an awesome job on your Subaru. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I know Nick's customer's come from near and far, but in a perfect world it would be great to have a get together at his shop where we all could see and hear the projects that Nick and Kevin put together. And, I've played with my "Nick" settings in the Helix too. I've actually got 3 different presets for different types of music. Nothing drastic, just enhancements for my listening style (and hearing impairment)...

WARRANTIES VOIDED!!! :p

Nick,

For sure the sail pods are a work of art. Almost looks stock if it weren't for your additional style / flare. But, that's not why I am writing. I'm real curious about your sub-woofer install. I have a new vehicle and was planning a similar strategy of recessing the subs under the back hatch floor. I want to retain full use of the rear hatch and keep the install stealth.

• Can you post any photos of the rear hatch fabrication / build process?
• Also, how does it work with the subs firing up into the hatch cover? Don't they rattle the bejesus out of it?

Any feedback you can provide would be appreciated.

Ge0

Nick,

I'm also curious how you shaped your sail panel grills. Did you use the material cut out of the acrylic frame as a negative to stamp out the grills?

Ge0