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OK, I showed everybody the photos of my new Rainbow components and sub when they came in, now I finally have everything installed.

First, the DLS A7 amp. This amp is built like a tank! Just look at the detailed photos of it below. Everything is solid, and even all of the knobs and switches are metal. I had a Zapco before, and they used plastic switches, knobs, and gain pots.

It will put out 60w x 4, but I have the 4 channels bridged to make 200w x 2. The sub amp puts out 300 @ 4ohm, 440 @ 2ohm, and 600 @ 1ohm. My sub is wired for (just under) 2 ohms.

The amp is very well built and engineered, and puts out plenty of clean power. DLS Ultimate Series amps aren't necessarily cheap, but in this case you get what you pay for.

The Rainbow Germanium components are as good as advertised. Everybody talks about how good the tweeters are, but what most people fail to report on is just how much bass these produce! They go very low, and are as fast and accurate as you need them to be. The crossovers have so many different wiring configurations that you'll need to give yourself several days to test all of the combinations to find the right one to fit your needs. Regardless of your install, there is a setting that will work well for you.

Now for the sub...Rainbow Vanadium 12. Unfortunately not many people go for these because they look at the price, the power handling, and the Xmax value. They have no idea what they are missing! This is the most musical sub I have ever experienced by far. I've heard a lot of subs that struggle with music from 50hz to 80hz, but these shine from 80 on down. I'm amazed at how fast and accurate this thing is. No matter what kind of music I throw at it, or how fast the drum beats are, the Vanadium never misses! It blends in with the Germaniums just like it should...seamless. If you're looking for max SPL, or throwing a couple thousand watts at a sub, this one probably isn't for you. If however you're looking for a sub that is fast, musical, and has the ability to extend low when needed, this is THE sub. They tend to prefer smaller enclosures, which is good because I already had a 1cf sealed.

As for the install...I've seen where people have taken the speaker wire that runs to the mid-driver in the door, and actually drilled through the metal to get it into the cabin. This is unnecessary. Take a look at the photo below and you will see how I did it. The oem wiring hooks together with a couple of connectors. In one corner of it, you will see that it is hollow...you can drill this out, run your speaker wire through it, and then snake it through the rubber boot running into the cabin. Everything still seals up tight, and you don't have to worry about drilling through metal. Other than that everything was pretty much straightforward as far as installs go. I used a set of RSX MDF baffles that I bought from Elemental Designs, and made a few modifications to them so that they would clear the door panel. I also did some trimming on the inside of the door panels to get everything to fit in together. It's always a bit of trial and error, but once you're done hacking away at metal and plastic, it all comes together in the end. You should also notice that I used non-hardening modeling clay under and around the baffles...yet another way to properly sound deaden your doors (I already did all of my sound deadening a few months back).

As for listening, I still have the oem amp pushing the center and surrounds. I'll use all channels for 5.1 music, and then I usually turn down the center and surrounds for 2 channel music. It's amazing how good this DLS/Rainbow combinations sounds. I still have a little bit of a hiss issue, but I'll get that squared away in time.

Hit me up with any questions.





A view from inside the DLS A7




Mounted in trunk:




Rainbow Germanium comps:




Speaker wire path for doors:


Getting the signal for the LOC's at the stock amp (what a mess!):


Vanadium 12" sub in 1cf enclosure:


Finished:




RSX baffles (note the one on right has been modified to fit)

King of Pain

Very nice install. Good attention to detail on the doors. I'll have to try that clay method. That amp is a real monster. Those speakers look so nice I would almost hate to cover them up. What is that sub box finished with? Is that paint or a laminate?

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KoP...thanks! It's a shame to have to cover any of it up, but...

The box is covered with a textured paint. I also used the clay to seal up the sub because the texture. It worked like a charm.

PeterUbers

iTrader: (1)

Very nice work man, i'm sure it sounds incredible.

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Thanks...and yes, it does.

gtoddh

Where are your LOCs, up front or in the rear? The guys at eD suggested I install the LOCs in front and run RCAs to the rear rather than run speaker wire from the front and connect the LOCs in the rear. The thinking with this is that RCAs are going to be better shielded than speaker wire and will reduce the likelihood of picking up noise.

That amp is beautiful.

Do the RSX baffles lineup with the stock screws in the TL door? It looks like it from your pics, and that you just had to do the trimming. Any pics of the trimming you did to the door panel? Any depth issues with the speakers?

Part of my eD order showed up today, but of course the NINe.5 amp is still not shipping so it's still going to be a little while before I actually get to do my install. I'm certainly learning by your example as well as everyone else here.

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I have the LOC in the rear per David Navone's recommendation. One of the other guys on here having noise issues tried both ways, and got the same noisy results. You only notice the hiss at very low volumes, but I'd like to get rid of it completely. Otherwise, it sounds amazing.

I had to drill new holes for the RSX baffles, and had to cut a considerable amount of metal from the doors (sorry, no pics of this). If you're going to install 6500's, you'll probably have to remove more metal than I did. Depth issues weren't a problem at all, and I probably could have gotten away with no baffles, but used them anyways to isolate them from the metal door frame as much as possible. You'll probably need to do some trimming to the inside of your door panel as well, but that's pretty easy. It's a bit of trial and error before you get everything to line up correctly without touching.

Are you going to drive the front and rears with the nine.5, or bridge 4 channels to drive just the fronts?

gtoddh

I'm going to run 6500s in the front and 6000s in the rear, both off the NINe.5. I got a 13Ov.2 D2 (v.3 black actually) with a 1cf sealed box, I imagine the same as yours. Chris/eD said the NINe.5 will give the sub 600w @ 1ohm. Each front should see 100w according to the specs.

How much power were you giving your 13Ov.2? Did you get good sound/feel from the sub through the seats into the cabin? I can't remember if you removed your stock sub. I'm going to remove mine to allow air to move through that hole. I was going to try a ported box, but it was just too big. Chris said the sealed box should have plenty of output.

Honestly, the power numbers I'm reading seem a bit ridiculous to me. "Back in the day" I had a Ford Probe that had a full system in it. It had 4 6.5" Polks being driven by a TINY 4ch amp(don't remember the brand) @ probably about 18w/ch RMS (it was rated at total output 100w/ch) and a dual 10" bandpass box with MTX RoadThunder subs being driven by a Phoenix Gold Saphire 1.0x 2ch amp running (hold on for it...) 45w/ch! I thought that system, besides the MEAN alternator whine, sounded good and got very loud. I can't imagine how loud it's going to get in my TL. I mean 100w to the fronts and 600w to the sub? That's out of this world compared to what I've experienced in the past. I know one thing - I'm really looking forward to the end result!

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I was giving my 13ov.3 600 watts as well off of the nine.2x in a 1cf box. It was plenty of power, but you'll probably want to remove the stock sub and open the pass through. It's not that you need to do this to "feel" the bass, but it will help for SQ. I'd also add about a pound of polyfill in the box, and seal the sub to the box with a little bit of non-hardening modeling clay (also use this for your comps).

Make sure you spend plenty of time sound deadening your doors. I've done a lot to mine, but need to add more in a few areas. I'm pushing so much air through my doors now (at 200w/ch) that it's pushing up through the top of the door where the seal meets the window.

It will be a bit of trial and error for you, and you'll need to spend a bit of time tuning, but once it's done you'll be very happy with the results...especially compared to stock.

gtoddh

Have you put deadener on the inside of the outer door skin? How about the outside of the inner steel panel? The outer skin makes sense to me. The outside of the inner panel seems excessive, but people have done it. Have you put any sound absorption material behind the speaker? I read about doing that, also about sealing up the door's inner panel openings. There is so much work that can be done.

You're right, it's going to take a while to get it all done and tuned. I'm looking forward to the challenge. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I've completed a project.

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I deadened every surface possible. I used both the mat and liquid edead, and stuffed polyfill into every place possible on the door panel itself. After you get it all installed, you should play a cd of test tones at higher volumes and listen for rattles or air leaks. Sometimes the rattles present themselves only at specific frequencies, so it's a good way to find problem areas.

I'd leave the back of the speakers open...don't try to seal them up with polyfill or anything...let the inside volume of the door work for you.

Let me know how the install goes.