Zed Amps, Stereo Integrity Subs, Hybrid Audio 3way front stage, Audison Processing

[JoeMartin]

I just got my 10 installed this morning... I was hoping to not have to go through the trouble of completely sealing that rear quarter panel, but it looks like I will have to. Too much air for the sub and it sounds absolutely horrendous.
Time to bust out the 6 inch sealing tape!

[toast]

So here is a pic of the final product...



But like I said, I'm not happy with the sound. I looked at maybe making the box bigger, but then I made the mistake of dropping my sub from my old STI in the spare tire well. I hits SOOO hard. I'm going to 'glass up a new one for a perfect fit for this car and go without a spare. Used a sheet of thin gauge aluminum, some CLD and a full coating of Ensolite to seal off the noise in the area.

[kmbkk]

Originally Posted by toast

But like I said, I'm not happy with the sound. I looked at maybe making the box bigger, but then I made the mistake of dropping my sub from my old STI in the spare tire well. I hits SOOO hard. I'm going to 'glass up a new one for a perfect fit for this car and go without a spare. Used a sheet of thin gauge aluminum, some CLD and a full coating of Ensolite to seal off the noise in the area

Do you think it's because of the sub or the location? I was originally going to do the spare tire area but thought the rear side panels would be a good location.

[AtlasMick]

Here is what I found when installing a sub in place of the stock 3" and using the whole cavity for the box.

The B pillar is tacked together and has 3 places where it lets air through. I circled those, you will have to put some closed cell expanding foam in there or air will pass through those holes pretty easily and out of the seat belt roller hole.

Also, The frame has holes throughout, one that opens up in the bottom of the cavity and that also leads to the front of the car so seal it up too.

Last one is a large gap through the top of the cavity next to the B pillar coming out into the window.

[rusty959]

Good work gents. I was considering throwing some 10's in that position beside the seats but ended up not going for it in favor of my hcca in a birch/glass box sealed off from the cabin.
Since then I've realized that since I've effectively removed my spare tire since I can't get to it anymore, I might as well just take it out and glass something in its place.

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by kmbkk

Do you think it's because of the sub or the location? I was originally going to do the spare tire area but thought the rear side panels would be a good location.

Location is 90% of it. That location doesn't couple with the car much at all and it you're not used to it, it can sound very flat. It is almost always more accurate (assuming proper airspace, etc) but it definitely doesn't "hit" like it will in the spare tire well or rear corners.

[toast]

In my case it was volume. I could only get .3 cubic feet and that is without the volume displaced by the driver.

The problem with using the entire air space as your enclosure is even after sealing everything in the side cavity, when you go to bolt the front mounting plate on for the woofer you realize that all those edges along the 'triangle' are not in the same plane. If you bolt the plate to the front vertical edge you will be left with about a 1" gap in the back. More foam, more work. Just so much easier in the spare tire well.

Now that I have removed the spare I'm sure I will get the first flat I've ever had in any car.

[JoeMartin]

Here's my addition to this thread...
I personally think it sounds excellent, though it does miss a bit of the "punch". This could likely be accented with porting... But I haven't the slightest clue how to do that. =)

I will note for you: It makes EVERYTHING that can rattle do so. I've been taping and foaming things as I find them.


The inside has neoprene glued on with 6 inch sealing tape on top of it and some weatherproof aluminum tape to make sure it stays attached to the neoprene.
Three layers of foam weather stripping to seal the MDF to the cabin. The sides are not on the same plane, so it creates some massive gaps if you try to just bolt it together.
You can see one bolt at the top right (other three were not drilled yet).
I drilled a hole, put a bolt through, put a nut over the bolt on the cabin side, and then put my foam over it.




I used expanding foam to separate the rear quarter panel from the trunk and whatever else is back there.
Used aluminum tape to seal the line beteen the fender and the panel. Not sure if it's air tight from the factory.
Added 6 inch tape to deaden the fender some.



Ignore my face, trying to get a picture of the top portion is ridiculously difficult.
Here you can see more expanding foam to seal against the door section and the body, as well as the rear quarter window where air would escape out of.
Also some aluminum tape to seal the top section of the body and window.



A picture toward the rear, showing all of the foam and sealing tape. Also you can see how the bolt is put through.




Front section again, just showing more foam.



Bottom of the panel. Foamed the inside of the door jam. Added some neoprene and 6 inch tape over the factory dampening material.



"Complete" version of the other side. Eventually I'll add a cable attachment to the wood. As it is now I have the wires just between two pieces of foam so it still seals just fine.
You can also see the foam coming up near the rear quarter window.

[quality_sound]

Porting won't fix the problem. First, these subs are in no way, shape, or form, designed for a vented enclosure. It would hasp have to be a LOT bigger to try vented anyway. Second, the illusion of impact comes from your midbasses, not the subs, so that's where you need to focus your tuning. Time alignment will make a huge difference here.


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[JoeMartin]

I appreciate the lesson here Quality_Sound.

I have no heart ache admitting that I know nothing about what I'm doing, just following the general things I have seen depicted for set ups.
Since I have found and sealed all of the small holes (dear God there were a lot) it sounds so much better. For someone like me, someone that knows they're doing an at-home/non-professional set up, it works great... But now I need to set up the original sound system/upgrade it to match the bass output of these subs.

[quality_sound]

No problem. I remember how much I struggled with expectations and not meeting them when I was just getting into car audio. Granted, it was very different in the late 80s and early 90s but the process is still the same.


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[AtlasMick]

Some updates.

I made a heavy duty fuse box with 1/4" plexi, 1"x1.25"x12" aluminum bar stock, and some stainless hardware.





I just need to pick up some more screws and it'll be completed. I might make another due to what all I learned in the process. This one is fine but it's not cosmetically perfect. I'll definitely use this guy until I make another.

Singer alternator is in the car. That's all for now.

[quality_sound]

No, it's not PERFECT, but for a first attempt, that's pretty damned awesome! Good work.

When cutting plexi, put painters tape over the line you're going to cut. It will keep the edges from chipping like that.