123 replies to this topic

[Ruckus]

OK all done for now...

I had previously stripped my RF EPX 2 (Processor,EQ,Crossover unit) and resprayed it to match the anodized alloy used elsewhere in the install.
I had to get the paint custom mixed, it took the guy almost 2 hours to get it just right!

An EPX2 looks like this normally:


Mine now looks like this:




The graphics where cut for me by one of the mods from TalkAudio (Harry Red Chow) this was hard due to the size and detail.

Some last details not Audio related.

Sun visors



Rear seat belts and window openers, coated with satin black enamel and reinstalled:




There is one more thing I might do to the system now but I'm not going to give it away until its done... clue I do have a spare pair of channels left on one of the amps...?

Edited by Ruckus, 12 May 2011 - 10:36 PM.

[andyj.94]

Wow! Im loving the dash! How did you manage to make it with the acrylic look?

Andy

[Ruckus]

Wow! Im loving the dash! How did you manage to make it with the acrylic look?

Andy

The dash is basically a good old walnut dash, that was first laminated with a CNC’ed piece of anodised alloy, then a piece of 6mm Perspex was also CNC’ed and the edges polished.
Then it’s simply fixed in place with the button head hex fixings you see. The dial surround had to be painted as to have that machined from billet alloy that large would have been a huge amount of money.
The paint matches the anodised alloy perfectly so you cannot tell the difference.

I wanted the dash to have the look of something made by Apple

Edited by Ruckus, 13 May 2011 - 11:18 AM.

[dexterwest]

what does the wool do behine the speaker does it work

[andyj.94]

The dash is basically a good old walnut dash, that was first laminated with a CNC’ed piece of anodised alloy, then a piece of 6mm Perspex was also CNC’ed and the edges polished.
Then it’s simply fixed in place with the button head hex fixings you see. The dial surround had to be painted as to have that machined from billet alloy that large would have been a huge amount of money.
The paint matches the anodised alloy perfectly so you cannot tell the difference.

I wanted the dash to have the look of something made by Apple

Thanks for the info.
Ye you certainly achieved that look, I think thats what drew me to liking your dash so much!
I really like the Screen thats bedded into the Glovebox its a really nice touch

[Ruckus]

what does the wool do behine the speaker does it work

A couple of reasons.

The damping wool stops waves building up and reflecting back to the driver (speaker), this can create odd frequency response.
It also slows down the air, thus making the speaker 'think/feel' like its in a bigger enclosure than it is. (its black magic i tell you!)

The second point was important to me in this install as the Mid Woofers are in very tight enclosure and anything I could to to help this was good.

[dexterwest]

that is a good idea i might have to do that and i like that sub in the corner in the boot i might have to do that as well is it any kind of wool or just alot of cotton wool or could you use that yello house insulation stuff or is it professional stuff

[Ruckus]

that is a good idea i might have to do that and i like that sub in the corner in the boot i might have to do that as well is it any kind of wool or just alot of cotton wool or could you use that yello house insulation stuff or is it professional stuff

I use this,

http://www.europe-au...Product_ID=1934

But the house insulation stuff does work or polyester stuff.

[carts60]

Do you not get a shed load of rattle from having the sub in the boot??

I had a decent 12" JL sub in the boot and the sound quality was terrible. Firstly it rattled the boot off its hinges pretty much, but the sound transfer from boot to cabin was useless too.

I ended up making my own boxes and putting two 10's in the rear bins.

By the way, your car is amazing!

Edited by carts60, 13 May 2011 - 11:12 PM.

[Ruckus]

Do you not get a shed load of rattle from having the sub in the boot??

I had a decent 12" JL sub in the boot and the sound quality was terrible. Firstly it rattled the boot off its hinges pretty much, but the sound transfer from boot to cabin was useless too.

I ended up making my own boxes and putting two 10's in the rear bins.

By the way, your car is amazing!

None at all really, but this has taken a loot of work.

The rear shelf is (from the top down) Alcantara, foam, 12mm MDF, Dynamat, The standard metal self, Dynamat, 18mm MDF, Foam Alcantara.

The whole lot is bolted hard through and its safe to say its Ultra Solid and Ultra dead.

The boot lid is also deadened with 2 layers of Dynamat and the hinged and the lock have been modded to make it as solid as possible.

Everything else in the boot has a layer of Dynamat and there is expanding foam in the small gap around the fibre glass sub enclosure and the rear inner wing.
The face on the sub box is 2x 12mm sheets of MDF with dynamat in the middle!

If I block one of the large ports on the rear deck the whole boot when closed works like a 4th order bandpass enclosure, if they are both open then the port size is so large it has little effect and the bass can just pass without interference.

[dexterwest]

hi i liked your idea so much im sorry i had to copy it and it works well espcially the wool so i now have two amps and two subs and luckily the boot space works well for a enclosure so cheers i just need to tidy up the wires and insulate it now but not bad for a days work

[Ruckus]

hi i liked your idea so much im sorry i had to copy it and it works well espcially the wool so i now have two amps and two subs and luckily the boot space works well for a enclosure so cheers i just need to tidy up the wires and insulate it now but not bad for a days work

Sorry to say mate, but you have made a few mistakes there.

The sub needs to have an enclosure not just a board bolted in the corner.
Mine has a 20L enclosure made from fibreglass, then extensive sound deadening.

Second with sub in the boot you can not have speaker on the rear shelf (in fact they shouldn't be there anyway but that's a discussion for a later date).
Subs move air... A lot of air. So you speakers will get pushed about like a leaf in the wind.
Killing ther output and at worst killing them period.

The boot of a mini is a sealed box. So what you have there is a box with a sub in it, with another sub and a set of full range mount on the out side useing the same air space... Not going to work well I'm afraid.

[dexterwest]

ok thanks for the advice so what about if i build a box down from the sub in the shelf and put the two 6.9's in the arm rests next to rear seat

[Ruckus]

ok thanks for the advice so what about if i build a box down from the sub in the shelf and put the two 6.9's in the arm rests next to rear seat

Still not a good idea, sorry!

I'll start another thread for you i the next day or two.
Had a busy L2B weekend and have got a list of PM's wanting advice to get through!


Although there are some very good stickys/FAQ's in this section i think it might be worth while me doing a few piceces on Mini sound system basics and another on Speaker positions from both a technical and listening point of view.

Edited by Ruckus, 15 May 2011 - 10:47 PM.

[dexterwest]

yea ok sounds good and i saw your mini today looks good