eggyhustles

Yeah, got it when it on sale on amazon.

Only reason i didn't sell it was because i had an audison bit.1 in my mothers car and that crapped out so the ms8 took it's place.

Now i have to take the ms8 out of her car, and swap it with the rockford i'm using now..once i figure out how to manually tune

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Sorry but I had a couple of other stupid questions ... what gauge wiring would be appropriate to extend the factory amp outputs to the processor??? Also, would I be cutting and extending those amp outputs to the processor as described in Mr. Skytech's install (https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ht=factory+amp) or do I just tap into those respective lines???

Thanks again @_@

fourthmeal

If this is a gen2, you aren't tapping into an amp because there is none except for the sub amp (worthless.) The HU will be getting tapped for speaker. I would SO recommend replacing the deck though. Job #1. Gen 3,...uh..its different.

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

I have 3rd gen hahah thanks though. Replacing the rear deck speakers is pretty beneficial in the 2nd gens??

EDIT: Also, the 3rd gens do have a factory stereo amplifier in the passenger-side kick panel just FYI. I can use thicker gauged wire to do the tap connections though right? Thanks again!

eggyhustles

Couldn't the amps be completely bypassed?

fourthmeal

From what I understand of the gen 3, you should take the pre-amp signal (before the amp) and connect that to a line driver/processor.

Purely active is how your car is already, I'd definitely keep with that. Don't you have a center channel?

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, we have a center channel

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Also, can you guys link me with some information regarding the whole "active fronts, passive rears" concept? I thought I understood what it generally is, but I think the more I see the term being used, the more confused I'm getting loll

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Holy thread revival!

So, I spent yesterday and today finally installing my ID ctx65 components for my front. I chose to go with the included passive crossovers after much thought as I figured I wouldn't even be able to match the rich sound it produces on my own using an active setup ... I'm sure ID spent a great deal on engineering those crossovers so I figured I'll give them a try first before I later decide to go active ... Just to remind people of my setup:

Front components: Image Dynamics CTX65CS
Sub-Amp : Alpine MRP-M500
Mid-Amp : Alpine PDX 4.100
Subwoofer: 1 JL 10w3v3

So everything I was able to get into the car pretty smoothly ... HOWEVER, after I finished hooking up everything, there seemed to be a high-pitched noise that came from the tweeters and mids when my engine was on ... at first I thought perhaps my RCAs were getting too close to my power lines but that wasn't the problem as I had my RCAs routed on the opposite side of my trunk ... As for the connections, I have two RCAs to two y-adapters that are connected to my PDX, left fronts bridged to channels 1&2, right fronts bridged to channels 3&4 at 200wrms. I tried taking it out for a spin disregarding the hum, but as soon as I got out of the garage and stepped on the accelerator slightly, the high-pitched buzz increased in a corresponding manner ...

At this point, I'm guessing that it's associated with an "alternator whine," but again my RCAs are pretty far away from my power lines ... any suggestions/advice??? Thanks a lot in advance guys!!!

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the speakers DID produce sound when I turned on some music ... it's just that high-pitched buzzing in the background that's the problem @____@. Buzz stays when I set my volume to zero, buzz goes away when I take out the RCAs ...

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

UPDATE: (Just writing down my findings here) Was browsing through diyma forums, and I came across this thread:

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...ompenents.html

Seems to be pretty much the same case as me ... Do you guys run the speaker wires away from the power lines??? Does that mean that for my left speakers I would need to somehow route them to the right side of the car away from the power lines as well??? (I have my battery power line running on the driver's side)

fourthmeal

Speaker wires are not likely to pick up noise from the power wire. The RCA's can however. You should try another ground point first.

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the response ... hrmm ... are you talking about a new grounding pt for my 4channel amp???

fourthmeal

Yes, for the amp that is generating the noise. Alternator whine can come from anything up in the front, too. Just test some spots out, see if the noise goes away or reduces. Noise is usually a voltage potential somewhere... say between the source output's ground and the amp's ground.

It is a bitch to get rid of sometimes. I actually had to replace a battery to get rid of it last time.

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

I want to see the finished product

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

I hope that's not the case for me ... thanks , I'll be trying out some different ground positions today

Will do! I'm not an expert at this or anything by any means though hahaaah don't be discouraged by the pictures hahahaa

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

O no it's all good LOL I need to put another system in my car, I need to do something that makes me want to keep it. LOL

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

whoa ^ sorry for not having taken any pictures yet ... system is STILL in progress sigh @___@

So update: FINALLY GOT MY 3SIXTY.2!!!
Totally excited, I hooked up all the signal lines to the input of the processor as well as the power, ground, and remote ... I start up the car ... nothing ... no red light from the 3sixty at all.

I am not entirely sure what's wrong (might be a loose ground), but I was wondering, for those who installed 3sixty's in their cars before, did you use the OEM amp power to provide the 12v (along with 2A fuse)???

It started getting dark so I decided to hold it off until tomorrow. Any help is much appreciated!

fourthmeal

you can turn on the 3sixty2 with a signal sense and have the unit output a 12v signal to amps. Gotta pull the case, and flip the remote sense switch to "out" I think it is.

Then the 3sixty2 will pick up on the signal from the speaker wire feeding into it.

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

hrmmm i'll definitely give this a try ... I hooked up the 3sixty again today, and even measured 12-14 volts at B+ using a DMM, but the damn thing just won't turn on ... I did connect it using a remote line that I used previously on a mtx re-q, but it doesn't seem to work now for some reason as it doesn't turn on my amps either ...

I commuted roundtrip 80 miles to work today listening to music only from my center channel -____- fail

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

I just successfully installed the 3sixty.2, and it is officially up and running ...

Only one thing I can say in regards to the unit ... NIGHT AND DAY WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT!!!

I was sure in the beginning that the processor would definitely improve the sound quality, but I wasn't ready for the immense change at all --> PURE AUDIO EUPHORIA!!!! I just had the biggest smile on my face in a looooong time ... my gosh ... The depth of audio is far beyond what I thought is capable, and after nearly 3 months after having installed my entire setup (ID CTX65CS & SPS-600 (cheap rear fill) + PDX4.100, JL10w3v3 + MRP-M500, minus the processor) I've never been able to truly experience the potential of all my equipment

Nonetheless, totally excited about it, and will definitely be playing around with its tuning functions first thing tomorrow morning ... might consider hitting up a local audio shop to see if they can tune with an oscilloscope and RTA as well.

In conclusion ... GET ONE!!! or wait for the 3sixty.3

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Correction: No need for RTA now since it's flat EQ ... guess oscilloscope for my amp gains would be sufficient

fourthmeal

No need w/ the 3sixty.2, just set its gains correctly since it has clip indicators. Then adjust the gains it has internally in software, and then the amps. The idea is to get as low a hissss sound as possible from the 3sixty.2.

eggyhustles

Then port that w3 =D

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

thanks for the explanation - I didn't really notice the hiss at first until I was driving around yesterday with my audio off. I'll try adjusting the internal gains and then the amps later today. Much appreciatedd

hahahhh I was actually thinking about this given I need a project/something to do in the evenings anyways I guess I'll go ahead and make the recommended JL spec box starting later today as well (and properly strengthen the internal walls of the box this time as well with fiberglass)

eggyhustles

JL subs like bigger than advertised so go for .5 larger

don't forget to take account for sub and port displacement, too.

fourthmeal

+ polyfil! Stuff that box 1 lb per cubic foot or so.

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_s...p?series_id=24

1.25 cubic feet net internal volume + 0.5 = 1.75ft3 net int???

Would I have to add proportionate dimensions to the slot port as well???

EDIT: or would just using the specs given by JL be enough along with the polyfill? 0.5 + polyfill overkill?

PS - I would like to maintain a high level of SQ at the same time so would this produce additional output while maintaining that SQ????

fourthmeal

polyfil causes no negative effect up to ~1.25 lbs per cubic foot. Just stuff the box. It does produce more output in general, it just makes the air in the box "pretend" to be in a bigger box, so the frequency response extends a bit. For a ported box it lowers the tune which is usually a good thing. Exact science to it is complex but its out there to learn if you care.

http://audiojunkies.com/forum/blog/4...-resource.html

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Oh I actually meant in going from a sealed to ported enclosure. thanks for the info on the polyfill too though, very interesting readd (I'll definitely be polyfilling it)

eggyhustles

Polyfill works in ported too

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

i'm just asking about differences in sq between sealed and ported enclosures ... I've always been under the impression that sealed enclosures are the way to go for sq ... I'm assuming with an accurate port design though sq shouldn't be a problem. I'm going to go ahead and try making a ported box according to the JL specs and then add polyfill ... I've been considering how I would go about adding more volume (the 0.5 you mentioned above), but I'm not entirely sure how I would go about modifying the port length/size, etc.

fourthmeal

I'll field the answer here:

Really when it comes to sealed vs. ported (or other alignments as well), its not that one is better than another always, its more that for a particular sub, one alignment might work better than another. In a car, we have the advantage of "Cabin Gain", an enhancement in frequency response inside the cabin of the car. This makes any subwoofer a lot louder in a car than in a large room in your house. So consider that though sealed subs are rare in home theater setups, they are common in car setups. Most likely because of the cabin gain effect, and secondarily I think it is because a smaller box is needed sealed. In fact in the WinISD box designing software I use, it will make certain recommendations based on the T/S specs. Really though, a subwoofer is designed to play a certain range of frequencies, and do so without audible distortion. When we think of "SQ" sub designs, really what we're trying to say is that this sub system needs to convincingly play the entire sub range that the music intended to be played will have. "SQ" systems also try to play that range without excessive peaks or valleys in the response, and without distortion (anything that deviates from the original signal.) I think of SQ like road course racing, and SPL like drag racing. A road course racer needs to balance braking, acceleration, steering, durability, etc. A drag racer needs to go fast, period. So for our SQ "racer", we need a system that can play bass, mid, high range all convincingly, have a solid stage presence, and have little audible distortion throughout the entire system's response.

A ported box needs to be larger than a sealed box with all else being equal. A sealed box will have a dropping response on the low end in a smooth downward slope. A ported box on the other hand will have a rather rapid drop-off in response below the port tuning frequency. Below that frequency, the port in the enclosure is "unloaded" and the subwoofer will be quick to damage itself through over-extension. For this reason it is critical to plan on a ported box to either have a low enough tune, or to have an infra-sonic filter engaged, or both. If you are going to build a ported SQ sub system, tune low to ensure the port will not unload. Also, build the box big. The reason to enlarge the box is not realized at first until you realize the connection between box size and port size, assuming the tune frequency stays the same. They are inverse proportional! A bigger box needs a smaller port to achieve the same port tune. A bigger box is also more efficient, and will have less distortion caused by group delay (the distortion cause by time alignment differences of the subwoofer itself vs. the port's output all relative to the original signal.)

In short, don't try to modify a box unless you are sure you aren't compromising somewhere. If you take a ported box and increase port length, the box itself needs to be bigger, so it all needs to be redesigned from the beginning. Build from scratch, plan ahead, and really think it through. Use WinISD programs or similar to get an idea of the expected response. I like to map out a response of something I know the sound of (like an existing sub and box in the car), and then map out my "new" box design relative to that, based on the improvements in response that I want out of it. Use something like Google Sketchup to draw it all out, and visualize the design if you want.

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

thanks for the awesome write-up!

Seems like I'll just go ahead and use the JL recommended ported box for the time being given that I've never really experimented with their designs before ... also I'm assuming JL has spent some time experimenting port design to produce the least amount of distortion between port waves and waves produced by the cone ...

I'll use JL specs (recommended tune to 32hz), stuff it with polyfill (1.25 lbs approximately), and turn on the subsonic filter ... to what frequency should the filter be set to though??? (currently set to 20hz)

eggyhustles

3/4 of what the box is tuned to is what i usually set the ssf too

fourthmeal

About 30hz subsonic, maybe as low as 26hz or so. You'll have to play with it and see if any unloading occurs with your lowest-playing music.

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

sweet.

as always thanks again guys

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

hey guys,

sorry, but yet again I have a question ... this time regarding my remote-in. I've finished building my ported box according to JL recommendations along with poylfill, but some other issues came up ...

I've been using the function on the 3sixty to have the unit pick up the speaker signals to send a remote output to my amps ... however, I've noticed that for some reason my amps were staying on while my 3sixty was shut off with my car off ... therefore, I decided to just use the remote line from the ACC fuse; however, it was able to turn on one or two amplifiers without trouble, but daisy-chaining my two amps and my 3sixty didn't seem to work ...

that's when I read about the need for relays or whatnot for supplying a remote line to greater than two amplifiers ... I bought this particular relay from radioshack (http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062482) and installed lines according to this site: http://bcae1.com/relays.htm (about 3/4 way down) ... doesn't work ....


Is a relay really needed in my particular case if I'm connected to an ACC fuse instead of the headunit remote line? Everything I've been reading in terms of a need for a relay had to do with use of the headunit remote line ... please help!!!!

fourthmeal

which setting is the 3sixty.2 set to in regards to remote? the switch inside?

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

ive had it on the setting to sense the speaker wire signals, which lead to the amps staying on with the car off. I was actually able to just make it work rite now with the switch set so that the remote terminal is for remote input using a line from the ACC fuse.

Both amps and 3sixty is on, but I'm worried about possibilities of any danger hooking up so many components to that one remote line ...

fourthmeal

not a problem if you are NOT using a remote out. I would recommend using a simple multi-fuse block to run one output per piece of equipment. This way you can have a better setup than a multi-spliced mess. I use this one from Autozone:

The remote line (ACC) connects to that bolt there, and then you have up to 6 atc fused outs.