AVH-X4500BT + Install by Simplicity in Sound
 

Hi guys,
I just got my FRS back, built on a budget mind you. These guys took my build (as simple as it was) to the next level.

Here's the equipment list:
Pioneer AVH-X4500BT
Illusion Audio Luccent L6CX point source
Audiomobile Elite 2008 8" sub
Arc Audio XDi 805 5 channel amp (bounded to only 3 channels)

I have to say, these guys are amazing at what they do. The passion and pride they take in everything that they touch is amazing. These are not ordinary installers. They do things as though you're an enterprise customer. Talk to you, walk you through the build process, let you see their work. These are audio solution experts. Not your run-of-the-mill DIY people. If you're all looking for an audio solution, which if you want to install a new headunit, go to them first -- consult with them and let them tell you what they think before you start.

I was on the verge of never having my car touched by another installer, but after this job -- my camry will be up next for some work done by Bing and Joey. Great people to be in contact with and always there to have a good conversation with. You can't ask for anything more when it comes to their quality.

Here's my build Journal (Presented by Bing Xu - Simplicity in Sound):
This is the fourth FR-S build we have done and the first one that did not involve a DSP and active power. In other words, this is for us relatively speaking, a pretty basic install. But like the Subaru project a few weeks ago, we wanted to make sure to demonstrate to our customer base that even a simple 2 day build, when done correctly, can make a big difference in sound.

The customer was one that previously had some not so great experiences at the hands of car audio shops and I was grateful that he gave us a chance to buck the trend :)

The goals:

1. Improve the sound quality from OEM by a noticeable level

2. Keep everything hidden in the interior and keep as much room free as possible in the trunk while maintaining the spare tire.

3. Do all of the above on a tight budget

So let’s gets started.

The install starts with the power connection at the front battery. And Joey fabricated a custom mounting tab out of steel that secures the fuse holder next to the battery. all wiring is loomed and heatshrinked. The tab is bolted secured to the car using OEM holes:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs1.JPG

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here is how this tab was fabricated on our stronghand welding table, the two pieces were precisely clamped down and then welded together:

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then the weld was groun down and a nut welded on the other side. this then was painted black and installed in the car:

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Moving onto the headunit, a pioneer 4500BTS double din dvd unit was installed, using the beatsonic tabs and harness:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs7.JPG

I installed his BT microphone right infront of his gauge cluster:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs8.JPG

here is a quick shot of the harness behind the radio, everything is organized and neatly bundled:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs9.JPG

here is a shot that suppose to show the customer mini USB thumb drive plugged into the oem slot, playing through the pioneer headunit, but i guess it just shows the door wedged open lol :D

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs10.JPG

using a servo extension cable and a usb cable with an end taken apart, i was able to adapt the oem usb/mini jack plug into the pioneer:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs11.JPG

Having done a few FR-S builds, i feel that when doing a passive install with very limited tuning, i would prefer NOT to use the top of the dash tweeter location firing into the windshield as that can have unwanted reflections resulting in peaks and valleys. Instead, i would prefer to do a high quality point source driver in the lower door only...especially in a short and small interior like the FR-S.

The speaker i chose for this job is an illusion audio Luccen L6CX pointsource, at $700 retail, it is definitely not your average coaxial :) it is basically the same speaker as the luccent L6 but in a true pointsource config.

first, new speaker wires were run into the door:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs12.JPG

next the outter door skin received some treatment in the form of Focal blackhole Tile:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs13.JPG

we then installed five rivet nuts to anchor components. two small ones that will allow the illusion audio passive xovers to bolt into, and three bigger ones to anchor the adapter baffle for the speaker itself:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs14.JPG

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs15.JPG

next, the wires are organized and lead to the area, a single thicker cable comes from the car, into the door and then two smaller wires go from the xover area back to the speaker, all following oem routes and ziptied every 4 inches or less:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs16.JPG

the entire door was then sound proofed, and the illusion audio passiver xover was bolted in place and wired up:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs17.JPG

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next using a jig we had before, we fabticated a pair of spacer baffles and coated them thoroughly with truck bedliner to protect them against the elements:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs19.JPG

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these were then bolted to the door using the rivet nuts we installed earlier:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs21.JPG

and the illusion audio L6CX was then secured in place:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs22.JPG

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the same procedure was then repeated on the passenger side:

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next comes a series of pics to show the wiring bundle as it travels from the front to the back of the car. on the left with the rcas and speaker wires, while the 4 ga main power cable went down the passenger side with the other speaker cable. everything is ziptied to the oem harness every few inches or less:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs31.JPG

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Knowing that the rear deck of the FR-S is prone to rattles, we took that off and i smothered the backside of the cover with thick open celled foam to help with that issue:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs42.JPG

moving to the trunk. as mentioned, the idea was for a very simple and basic set up to take up as little room as possible and be out of sight. so here is the normal view as you look into the trunk

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs43.JPG

closer inspection reveals a fiberglass enclosure on the passenger side with a grille for a single 8" sub:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs44.JPG

and if you bend down half way you slowly get to see the bottom edge of a single amplifier:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs45.JPG

lets take a closer look at the sub enclosure with and without the grille. an audiomobile elite 2208 sub sits in roughly .5 cub ft of air space. simple and straightforward compared to the more decorative design of the previous FR-S build:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs46.JPG

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs47.JPG

here are some build pics joey took of the sub enclosure. first here is the layup in the mold we had from the previous build:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs48.JPG

we then popped it out of the mold:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs49.JPG

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs50.JPG

then a bottom and front was glassed in place, but we only got this one pic hahaha:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs51.JPG

when that was done, the entire box was covered in trunk liner, and dyed darker to match the OEM carpet. the audiomobile sub was wired up and the inside of the box filled with focal blackhole stuff:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs52.JPG

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs53.JPG

the grille was then fabricated with mdf and grille mesh:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs54.JPG

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now let us take a closer look at the amp rack. a single arc audio xdi-805 5 channel, bridged into 3 channel mode, powers the entire system. the front illusions get 240 watts a piece, while the sub channel, running at 4ohm, sends roughly about the same amount to the sub.

the amp is bolted to a welded steel rack that is secured to the ceiling of the trunk via one OEM bolt and one large rivet nut, all the wires are neatly run and organized, with a secure grounding spot a few inches away:

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs59.JPG

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and finally, i leave you with a few pictures of joey's handiwork making the amp rack, from raw metal to primer to uh...well painted black if he remembered to snap a picture of it :D

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/jfrs63.JPG

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So thats it...for such a simple system, it sounds pretty good. the tonality overall is pretty pleasant and is a major difference compared to the anemic sounds of the oem system. and we hope that the customer's impressions of car audio shops will be changed after this experience. :)

cheers,

Bing

Adding you to the directory :D

Bing and Joey, fantastic work as always!! =)

Simple and budget? Didn't he say in this that it was a $700 speaker? OEM Audio is like $1200 for the whole package.

What was your total cost out the door?

Glad to see this build happened, and another customer happy. Great stuff

OEM audio is about 1200, that is true. But the sound quality may not be great. I've actually got a chance to go to a dealership where they had OEM+ installed and the audio was horrible compared to my system.

Total cost out the door would be a bit more than double 1200. If you want to get a system setup and customized, please speak to Bing and Joey over at SiS, they do awesome work and well worth the money.

Thanks!!!

I have my crossovers under my drivers seat and it looks pretty ghetto right now with all the wires. You are making me think about moving them to the doors. As long as they're between the inner skin and the door card, it should be relatively moisture free right? I didn't catch where did you put your amp and sub...

I think cheap, or tight budgeted, is always going to be a relative term. :) i am sure for some this would not classify as a tight budget system, but it is among the most cost effective designs we have done in many years :) I always tell people the same thing, would you spend 1500 for a very mediocre system, or would you spend 2500-3k for a night and day difference? And i hope to prove it to people once they hear their car :)

on the xovers mt_peid:

i dont like underseat as its a trap for dirt, moisture and other debris, doors in the FRS is fine, but remember, never just double side tape it or velcro them, that is a sure fireway to have them fall down after a short amount of time. i dont ever like to use screws into bare metal, and this these are installed using rivet nuts, whcih puts a threaded insert into metal, and then the xovers are bolted in place. if you dont mind them standing out, i would also put them next to the amp for easy access, but that wasnt really that applicable as we were trying to keep the amp rack as small and less noticable as possible. not to mention i have my doubts on if the plastic snap in covers of the passives will stay on upside down over time :)

b