Just got my car back from Bing...SimplicityinSound...WOW!!! Sounds incredible

The pictures speak for themselves...enjoy

Bings report

Zapco DC reference 650.6 for the front channel and a 1000.4 for hte two subs.

lets get started

Front stage consists of a cusotm 3 way zapco comepetition set. a 4" midrange and tweeter were installed into the kicks, aimed on axis at the opposite listender, each mid and tweet is run active with 50 watts from the 650.6











the previously installed zapco comp midbass was left int he stock lower door location, i went over the dampening with a roller and sealed up wthe holes with some edead v4 foam, the midbass recieve 120 watts a piece active from the 650.6





thats it for interior speakers moving on to the trunk...we decided to do a full stealth install...so here is hte view with the top cover on, the floor was raised about 4" to accomodate the amps.





remove the top cover, and here is hwat the install looks like, the two zapco amps and two zapco SQ 10" subs sit in a red suede lined well, with clouded plexi dividers...there is a also a top plexi piece, that has been routed and poilshed. all wires pass through grommits











flick a switch and the two dividers light up:



perhaps its better seen at night





so thats about it...i have to say, this is by far the best sounding stock headunit system i have ever done, by tapping before hte stock amp, the signal is pretty much flat, whcih travels via simblink to the amps...the dc refernece amps has all the processing on board, so we just plug a laptop into it and can tune precisely

here are a few behind the scene pics as usual:

wiring going back









the bottom of hte amp/sub rack, wiht all the wires bundled



the hybrid mdf/fiberglass box i built...i originally was going to build a full fiberglass bottom box, but since the subs need to be in individual chambers and i have had some difficulties in the past doing perfectly divided chambers with a full glass bottom, i chose this option instead



the wiring below the floor:



and finally, a lot of you hvae asked how the bass gets through, well, the top cover is always vented the carpet is also without backing so it is full breathable



cheers

 

everything looks good except those kick panel speaker pods... no offense but that looks terrible. They should have molded it into the kick panel....

To each their own, and as long as you like it.

 

i know what you mean i am not sure if i agree with you in that htey look "terrible" unless you are just used to seeing molded in kicks everytime

i would have preferred to do it as well but was limited by the time and budget...with the design of the acura driver side kicks, it has to be molded out, then sanded perfect and then SEM coated...

i had about two weeks to do the entire intsall, and that inlcuded completely removing, figuring out, and repairing if needed, the old install, whcih took from start to finish, about 4.5 days...so leaving me with really only 5 days to start from scratch

maybe in the future, we cna add it as a secondary project...i would need about 2-3 full days to get it done in time...

 

NOW THAT IS WHAT I CALL A STEALTH SYSTEM! Your system is amazing!

 

It's kind of sloppy that they didn't run the wires underneath the carpet.

 

What? There is not 1 wire out of place on this system.

Clean. I wish I had the money to do this.

 

You're looking at the "in progress" pics...at completion everything is buttoned up perfectly...very professional work

 

They look great in person and most importantly the system sounds phenominal...I'm heading to the Bay Area meet today, we'll get some first hand opinions What I really like is the flexibility/tunability of the amps...with a usb cable to the front seat. I will be able to plug the amps into my laptop and play around with tuning...that is very, very cool

 

Are you serious? Or are you joking?

 

Good to see your over on this site, Bing. I always look forward to seeing new threads on new installs. I'm glad i finally got to see you do a 3g TL install. You needed a break from the Infiniti's, lol.

One question, Bing. Where do you order the carpeting?.. Awesome work BTW.

I'm glad you got everything fixed and done right this time, Chico.

 

hey guys, thanks for the input.

the carpet i use is called flexform, i prefer it over any kind of trunk liner cause its thicker, higher grade and in general looks better.

you can check with your local automotive warehouse, i get it through a place called resonation customs in colorado becuase no one locally carries it. but just do a search for flexform and you are good to go

b

 

beautiful.

i had a system in my tahoe. (2 12" JL W3V2 subs with a 500/1 JL amp, alpine head unit, and alpine speakers) it was tits. but no it's gone. oh well... time to start over

 

Great work again Bing! Pictures just don't do this install justice... How did it sound after tuning?

 

how much was the custom setup? I am talking about labour only excluding the parts.

 

well, i count all cost of wiring and materials as part of labor cost...

for something like this, if i started witih a clean slate, in the 2k range, but since i spent so much time taking out the original install and redoing things...its closer to 3k...

 

oh and i tuned it to have less highs, but turns out, mr. chico likes a lot of highs so we ended up leaving it at a level similar to when oyu heard it

 

Very Very nice install. I like the amps under the plexi window. I'm assuming you lost your spare tire. Kinda reminds me of my first install.

How would you design it if the customer wanted to keep the spare?

Sorry But I'm not feeling the pods. I would end up stepping on the drivers pod. I'm sure they sound good. Maybe mold something into the door speaker panel that would aim upward may be better.

 

if spare must be kept, theni always say the install must mean the sapre can be reached easily, that owuld probably take some more designing, hard to say without having all the gear infront of me wit hthe empty trunk to look at

as i said, kicks thing is the best under the time and budget alotment door panel molding owuld sorta defeat the point of having kicks with respects to path difference minimization

 

ba da bing ba da boom! The system sound really great. My budget isnt very high as ChicoOG, time to save up some money.

 

Locks nice. Did you use 2 gauge or 0 gauge power wire to the trunk? Also where in the fire wall did you dill the whole to run the power wire? I like the stealth look!

 

I was trying to remember the last time I used a spare...can't remember love AAA

Couple people aren't liking the pods...I think they are great!!! I may change my mind when I go to the DIY meet in '08 If so, we can always modify later...doing new stuff is always fun

Favorite aspects of new install: Sound, Sound, Sound....and Tuning Capabilities, Trunk - Stealth and POW!!, and separate sub-volume control...

Thumbs up to Bing, he is great to work with: great communication, follows-through on commitments, meticulous craftsmanship, GREAT reputation in the industry...which allows him to make things happen...the guy knows people all over the country and has people sending him cars from out of state. I am glad to be part of the club

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm sure the pods contribute to an amazing soundstage. It's always good to experiment and try new things.

 

KP...no offense taken I already know that going to the DIY Mobile meet is going to be a bad idea...I'll hear and see things that will lead me to more mods But, for now, I am lovin' it

 

Hey Buddy, I know the feeling. I'm looking at your install and it gives me new ideas for mine. I can't stop playing around with my stuff. I look at my install and I want to do something different or add another little piece here or there. I'm like an audio crackhead looking for the next high.

 

on the other hand, the false floor looks great...

 

Thanks...the more I listen to it the better it sounds. Was hoping to mess around with the tuning a bit, but the software isn't mac compatible

 

The speakers looks great at the bottom, but what happens when the weather isnt so good? Worst, someone steps on it? That would be so bad...

 

System looks great. I'm looking to do a system in the spring and this is exactly what I mean when I say I want it to be stealth. This will leave me with a bad ass system without having to sacrafice any trunk space!

 

a common misperception is that kicks are fragile...i have built over 150 pairs over the yeras, and never had one destroy a speaker or a kick, ever, the worst that has happened is a dented grille.

the fiberglass is very strong, and sepakres with their grilles are pretty sturdy too...as for moisture or dirt, remember this, the FRONT of speakres, are pretty sturdy, designed to withstand moister, dirt, UV, its the back that you dont want to get wet...and whats more or less what you get with door locations

trust me, if people broke them the first time someone careless sat in the car, or the minute it was raining, i would have stoppped building them a long time ago hehe i didnt invent the concept after all its a tried and true way to improve SQ in cars and has proven tot be a very sturdy and reliable location if its built right

 

Simplicityinsound Where is your shop? Since you're not an official Vendor would you mind sending me the details via PM?

Thanks!

 

Can you think of anything that might make the voltage drop out? An old defective amp? Old defective subwoofer? I don't know...perhaps I should replace my battery?

 

I did upgrade my battery to a Stinger, but my guess would be the amp (if it is old and inefficient) You have an '08, i would guess the battery and everything else is good. Just check the stuff you added (amp, sub, wiring) to see what is draining power.

 

I agree they do look terrible especially considering how perfect and well hidden the rest of the install is.

It wouldn't surprise me if they were thoroughly destroyed within a year. But you chose to put them there so you must like it.

 

Yeah, a lot of people have said that...but, they are fine with me...they sound absolutely awesome and, after 8 months, they look like day one...they are called "kicks" because they can handle them

 

the pods would look a little better if they were covered in matching vinyl instead of that horrid carpet and painted to match the factory grills in the doors. including the metal trim ring. just my $0.02