You guys won't believe this. My stereo install.

[TURBO2GO]

Update: quickly threw together a mini bass tube tonight... First impression: bass is TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT. it's not pounding my chest but you definitely hear it and it's C L E A N. That's with one woofer, outside the car. I think in the car with 4 it might be pretty pretty pretty good as Larry david would say.

I am very optimistic and excited. This bass tube... It is TINY.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Update: I've solved the subwoofer issue. No loss of space, zero. Nothing in front of the seats. Factory subwoofer is out and amplifier can fit under carpet in its place. Still have a great sub in the car.

I tried something and it worked. I was like "no way"... And it said "chyeah... Buddy... Way!!"

I can guarantee you guys, this one has never been done before.

 

[Valhalla]

So.........what did you do?

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I would like to see what this looks like :wink:.

 

[TURBO2GO]

So.........what did you do?

I will try to post a picture later tonight. I really want to finish it. I know it's kind of dumb to just say "I did this" and not give details, but I was so excited I just wanted to tell everyone I found this awesome solution.

 

[TURBO2GO]

I would like to see what this looks like :wink:.

I'd like to see where you are going to stuff two 8" woofers into the NSX cabin. Is this the same car stereo guy that put both your tweeters in the ashtray door?

 

[TURBO2GO]

Ugh... Just got a phone call and have to work tonight so I may not get to the picture.

I've made an equivalent of a miniature wave cannon.

It is about 4 feet long and 3" in diameter. It fits just under the rear window, behind the rear seats (behind the headrests). It is virtually unnoticeable and the seat goes ALL THE WAY BACK just as it did before.

I have two versions, I am just testing to see which sounds better.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I'd like to see where you are going to stuff two 8" woofers into the NSX cabin. Is this the same car stereo guy that put both your tweeters in the ashtray door?

Hahahaha.. I build the console for the Alpine Tv after everything was done it looked nice and clean but under the radio there was just an empty space where the ash tray used to be so I just cut two holes and threw the tweeters in there to see how it would look and sound. You might not like the idea but I did :wink:.

So yes, It is me the same car stereo guy that installed the tweeters in the center console/ashtray door. And.........:biggrin:

To be honest with you TURBO2GO, I been following this thread from day one and I'm sorry to say that so far I'm not impress with what you are trying to do with your stereo install. I kinda see what you are trying to do but all the time and work you have put into it just don't say "WOW" :frown:.

Only thing so far that I like is how you redid the two door speakers. That I thought was pretty creative. Tweeters location might sound good but definitely doesn't look to good there. You can say its tacky/ghetto looking. This is a car (NSX). From what I see you are the man that seem to know just about everything. I would think you would do better than that when it comes to your stereo install.

That's why I said I would like to see this. Maybe this will be a good one :tongue:.

Keep it up and show me/us something bad ass that we never seen before :smile:.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

Ugh... Just got a phone call and have to work tonight so I may not get to the picture.

I've made an equivalent of a miniature wave cannon.

It is about 4 feet long and 3" in diameter. It fits just under the rear window, behind the rear seats (behind the headrests). It is virtually unnoticeable and the seat goes ALL THE WAY BACK just as it did before.

I have two versions, I am just testing to see which sounds better.

Really? Looks more like you are buying stereo equipment and hanging/mounted it anywhere that fits. I'm starting to thing you are thinking your NSX is your bedroom. When you say never been done before, you are definitely right. You are the first.GL with the build TURBO2GO!

 

[TURBO2GO]

The problem I am having with the wave cannon type thing is that it requires some really steep filters to filter out all unwanted frequencies. I am using a third order crossover and I am still getting some unwanted resonance because of the tube length. The good thing is with tuning it puts out tremendous SPL at the frequency you tune it to, but it's just more limited. I have another version that is using two woofers, mounted isobarically (face to face).

Caroline you need to not get your panties in a bunch anytime someone says the slightest thing you don't like about your car. I was very polite to you and told you before that installation of tweeters in the ashtray next to each other was wrong and you blew up right away and said similar things. Frankly, I don't care if you or anyone else is or isn't impressed with this install, so long as at the end I achieve my goals.

For those that care... I am getting at LEAST as much output as an 8 or 10" woofer. There is no lack of punch, and I am at roughly 3.8 pounds. For comparison, a floor sub and a flat 10" earthquake are in the neighborhood of 20 pounds. I am very happy, I just have to get the right filters for this. Something very steep, 48 db/octave or similar. It will work fine because I can cascade the filters as the door speakers get pretty low on their own.

 

[TURBO2GO]

By the way.. The original wave cannon is about 12 feet long and 16" in diameter, I am not "buying parts and dropping it into the car like its my bedroom". It's a very different animal than this and you can't just reduce dimensions and get bass. I can be more technical if necessary if someone is really curious, but the look is similar to the wave cannon. Since I can't take a photo tonight I wanted to just post and give an idea. In flat black it is not even noticeable. I mean you REALLY don't see this. You can cover or paint to any color, match the interior. 1/2 of it is behind the headrests.

In my first install, it also worked like a tactile transducer as well. The slight bass vibrations are on the tube and they get transferred to the seat. So you "feel" the punch as well as hear it. It's working out great so far.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

The problem I am having with the wave cannon type thing is that it requires some really steep filters to filter out all unwanted frequencies. I am using a third order crossover and I am still getting some unwanted resonance because of the tube length. The good thing is with tuning it puts out tremendous SPL at the frequency you tune it to, but it's just more limited. I have another version that is using two woofers, mounted isobarically (face to face).

Caroline you need to not get your panties in a bunch anytime someone says the slightest thing you don't like about your car. I was very polite to you and told you before that installation of tweeters in the ashtray next to each other was wrong and you blew up right away and said similar things. Frankly, I don't care if you or anyone else is or isn't impressed with this install, so long as at the end I achieve my goals.

For those that care... I am getting at LEAST as much output as an 8 or 10" woofer. There is no lack of punch, and I am at roughly 3.8 pounds. For comparison, a floor sub and a flat 10" earthquake are in the neighborhood of 20 pounds. I am very happy, I just have to get the right filters for this. Something very steep, 48 db/octave or similar. It will work fine because I can cascade the filters as the door speakers get pretty low on their own.

OMG TURBO2GO, I was just saying. Relax.....:tongue:.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

As long as you happy, that's all that really matters. I was just saying :wink:.

 

[pvmike]

Ugh... Just got a phone call and have to work tonight so I may not get to the picture.

I've made an equivalent of a miniature wave cannon.

It is about 4 feet long and 3" in diameter. It fits just under the rear window, behind the rear seats (behind the headrests). It is virtually unnoticeable and the seat goes ALL THE WAY BACK just as it did before.

I have two versions, I am just testing to see which sounds better.

Very cool idea.

 

[eyecandy]

To be honest with you TURBO2GO, I been following this thread from day one and I'm sorry to say that so far I'm not impress with what you are trying to do with your stereo install. I kinda see what you are trying to do but all the time and work you have put into it just don't say "WOW" :frown:.

And thats whats wrong with the car audio scene nowadays... people are more concerned about equipment and installs that have a wow factor and look cool, than what they sound like.

I ripped out a "show system" from my NSX when I got it, because it was just extra weight with no real purpose.

 

[eddy w]

Hey turbo, I like what you have done to date and so far some pretty cool ideas! Ive been waiting to do something basic to mine without going nuts for a while now and really want to maintain the stock look. Im real curious how low this canon style sub will go but i must say i hadn't thought of that concept.
keep up the good and interesting work!:smile:
eddy

 

[Caroline-NSX]

I ripped out a "show system" from my NSX when I got it, because it was just extra weight with no real purpose.

Awww, that suks :redface:. Hey, your NSX is a little lighter now WOO-HOO :tongue:.

 

[TURBO2GO]

And thats whats wrong with the car audio scene nowadays... people are more concerned about equipment and installs

I ripped out a "show system" from my NSX when I got it, because it was just extra weight with no real purpose.

I definitely believe one of the reasons the Bose system is so limited in terms of sound quality, is the fact that had to work with some strict weight limitations. I personally feel a heavy system has no place in an NSX. The lucky break here is that technology has impoved a lot. I am looking at some of these speaker drivers I am using, the kind of construction, the super tight tolerances, the materials that allow these crazy high excursions on small drivers... Weren't available even 5 years ago.

 

[TURBO2GO]

If anyone reading this has a broken Bose radio they want to sell please PM me. I am getting into it internally so I don't need it to work. Not the display, not the electronics, nothing.

Thanks!!

 

[UnhuZ]

Hi,

i have one spare but with no faceplate (display is hanging lose).

Do you want it? (internally is all there untouched)

Nuno

PS - I don't want any money for it, of corse

 

[TURBO2GO]

Hi,

i have one spare but with no faceplate (display is hanging lose).

Do you want it? (internally is all there untouched)

Nuno

PS - I don't want any money for it, of corse

Thanks. Caroline also offered up a broken one. I am going to make an attempt to modify a factory radio to house an aftermarket amplifier and volume control in the standard location. I kind of need the faceplate for that. But looking at my own, I think the housing can be of use.

 

[lithiumus]

Some comments so far.

Loved the speaker door work. Stayed completely within the spirit of OEM. You could put that in and get great bass response and midrange and no one could tell that anything was modified. Perfect and beautiful.

Tweeters are definitely a challenge and I understand the compromise required to use those speakers. In order of preference:

- I would have preferred completely hidden speakers with no OEM interior modification.
- Second preference is split between no OEM interior modification and not hidden vs. completely hidden/flush mount with minor OEM interior modification.

By minor OEM interior modification, I mean to only cut parts of the car that are hidden, readily available and cheap to replace. i.e. kick panel area, carpet, plastic trim... NOT cutting dash, discontinued A pillars, main Door trim, etc.

If the sound is really trully amazing from the tweeter, I would consider your initial window/dash mount. It's not horrible and the sound performance may just outweigh the hidden speaker wish. Couple that with an inexpensive high performing tweeter... that makes it more compelling. Worse thing would be... it sounds great, it's not hidden and also cost a fortune!

I have to admit, the subwoofer hit me by suprise. I saw that picture of the bose wave tube and your description of it sitting behind the headrest and I can't envision how it would be not noticable. Some pics might help. At least for me, I would opt to not have great sounding bass if it means installing something like that behind the seats... can it be on the rear floor and hidden by carpet?

Active crossovers vs. passive crossovers. I know I mentioned this before and I absolutely agree with you that active crossovers give you the control you need to marry the tweeter and mid together as well as control all the various digital corrections inside the vehicle. My question and comment is whether this is actually the key pillar, central to and a core requirement for your system?

While I have gone a lengths to retrofit OEM navigation systems in the NSX knowing that it wasn't something anyone would want to do, my audio goals are quite different while still keeping with an OEM spirit, I've always wanted to keep the audio simple. I got rid of the Alpine PXA-H700 (predicessor to the H800) to keep with the spirit of keeping things simple with my car audio.

Going fully active with crossovers means you need at a minimum, 4 channels of amplification plus your digital processor and one more channel of amplification for the sub. It definitely gives you control and I'm not saying that I won't go this direction, but many may not.

Suggestion to have an option... albeit a lower sonic quality option, to be able to use 3 channels of amplification, 2 for the mains and one for the sub. That would give people who don't want a more complex system an option.

 

[Caroline-NSX]

Thanks. Caroline also offered up a broken one. I am going to make an attempt to modify a factory radio to house an aftermarket amplifier and volume control in the standard location. I kind of need the faceplate for that. But looking at my own, I think the housing can be of use.

Hey Dave, both unit still works not broken:wink:.

 

[UnhuZ]

Hi,

Thanks. Caroline also offered up a broken one. I am going to make an attempt to modify a factory radio to house an aftermarket amplifier and volume control in the standard location. I kind of need the faceplate for that. But looking at my own, I think the housing can be of use.

Dave, if you need it to do whatever you want to, please just say "Ship it" and i'll gladly do it.

Thanks,
Nuno

 

[TURBO2GO]

Lithimius, active crossovers are a core of what I am doing. I suppose that I could find a tweeter that would match this woofer, make a decent passive crossover for it, and keep it cheap and allow it all to fit behind the door grille. But the sonic quality would go from 90 to 50. I am dealing with parts with vastly different sensitivities and even impedance, to design a passive that works well here won't be easy. I also can't properly time align the drivers being passive, and that too matters a lot.

The bass tube behind the headrests doesn't look bad at all. In fact you don't really see it. I am the one looking at it here, no one else has really seen it. It's quite small and unobtrusive. It can be easily removed for a track day. It takes up only wasted interior space. It frees up amp space under the carpet. It requires no cuts or mods of the interior. It's light. There are lots of benefits. Frankly it's not easy to make. Using software to design enclosures is not always perfect. The response I get in car and out of car are VASTLY different. It's kicking my ass and it's still not 100% that I'll do it. But I'm going to keep working on it. If it doesn't work I'll go back to the factory box.

In the end, my stated goals remain the same:

1) sound quality
2) no cutting or modifying of visible parts
3) low weight
4) reasonable cost

I'm fairly confident that whoever else installs whatever I come up with at the end will have one of the best sounding systems for an NSX first and foremost. The cost to sound quality ratio will be amazing. The fact that you lose no space and don't need to make cuts is icing on the cake.

If someone really can't handle 3 items in the car that are barely visible for all these other gains, this isn't for them. This is almost a non-issue for me compared to the gains. It is absolutely the least compromises of anything I have seen.