Started my install today...

[GordyNismo]

 

[GordyNismo]

 

[GlockandRoll]

Tweaked with the EQ and x-over points again tonight... starting to get the hang of the Audio Control DQL-8 remote, so that makes it almost fun to tinker with.

Gordy, thanks again dude, I played it for my buddy John tonight for a bit and he was like "Wow... it sounds like the band is right in-front of us."

I was like... "dude, thanks so much for saying that!"

The only thing left is to get the horns covered with some type of grey grill-cloth to match the dash and head to some auto-sound events to see if I can get someone to show me how to use an RTA again... I dont remember.

 

[GlockandRoll]

that this isn't just any ordinary install, i'm sure your getting more then enough mids and tweets with your setup. i didn't know everything that you guys where installing but from the post you guys aren't going the cheap route or using inferior products. personally i've never heard any systems with just front speakers sound good. but that doesn't mean there aren't any that do. glad your install is going well and hope it's everything and more then you expected. wasn't trying to start a fight as i'm not that type i was just questioning the logic of using front speakers. then again as i said i've never heard one like the install your doing and i've heard plenty.

Yeah, not cheap, but I'm probably never going to get rid of this car and hope to only do this once. Plus I may compete again... but only because it's been so long I can compete as a consumer and not in the pro-class. BTW, speaking of, ever been to a car audio sound-off; you would probably find many cars like this if you went?

If you hear a good sound stage with distinct left/right stereo separation, setting the proper image, it's like wearing a pair of headphones, you would only distort your sound stage having directional frequencies come from behind your head. Mid bass is fine, but around 500hz, the mid-range becomes particularly directional.

The design of the horns allow two advantages. Most importantly, they put the mid/tweeter driver (or motor as its called) the absolute farthest point in-front of you possible. The motors basically touch the firewall.
Secondly, the lens controls the dispersion to make it come out from one broad area the width of the dash, and not just point-source like a traditional tweeter would be.

 

[datant69]

Good point so what power class r u going for

As far as sound competions sure I've been to several. Including sponsor supported shows at a local distribution/wholesale company. Most competion cars had multiple-amp setups from Sony, jvc, bazooka, on and on. I understand what ur going for. Just what power class r u shooting for? I was aiming for 0-100 watts when I was using phoniex gold m class 50- for low & 25 for high. Just couldn't get the sound well enough for me with that set up

 

[6APPEAL]

That volume knob is like a drug when the car sounds good!

So true! Nice work. If I ever get the drivetrain back in my car maybe I can get to work on the stereo.:tongue:
John

 

[87natl]

Love the door pods for the 6 1/2's. Who do I have to bribe around here to make me a set?????????????

 

[salvageV6]

When Dire Straits was playing "So Far Away" live back in the day they barely had decent stereo in a big outdoor festival venue, and if the hot chicks were sitting behind you a rear soundstage suddenly sounded pretty good. :biggrin:

Sound stage and rock and roll probably shouldn't even be used in the same breath.

Studio mixed non-live stuff is another matter, I guess, but if I turn around listening to my studio monitor Altecs here in the basement it sounds just like my Oldsmobile did in 1980.

Try those horns on the rear deck.

JBL ring radiators at 2K Hz. worked well there for me in 1980 until I could get some Altec constant directivity horns in the car crossed over at 800Hz, they worked even better and the 15" Altec subs. had to be located out back too.

Way before waveguides built anything.

Your system should sound great as is, are you going to be installing the Altec 404/405's (forget the exact part number) in there like Richard had?

You really shouldn't need any rear fill with that setup, or front fill either depending upon your preference to the install. :wink:

Good luck!

That dynamat is fun stuff to install in the heat, hopefully you have an A/C shop, I did mine outside in the summer, never again.

 

[GordyNismo]

salvagev6,

Dynamat was done on a 91 degree Texas day in my garage With a good roller and the proper prep you don't really need to utilize a heat gun, although I did for a good portion of it.

87natl,

Thanks! GlockandRoll said I might get a few folks inquiring. They take about 6-7 hours to build and are specifically made for the Focal slim 6.5 speaker. It would take more than a bribe...a lot more I usually do only one car a year, just enough to get the taste of what yesteryear was like. My fear is G&R will acquire another automobile and this will start all over again

 

[jwheelz1212]

were do i get the speaker things fro under the dash those are cool

 

[87natl]

salvagev6,

Dynamat was done on a 91 degree Texas day in my garage With a good roller and the proper prep you don't really need to utilize a heat gun, although I did for a good portion of it.

87natl,

Thanks! GlockandRoll said I might get a few folks inquiring. They take about 6-7 hours to build and are specifically made for the Focal slim 6.5 speaker. It would take more than a bribe...a lot more I usually do only one car a year, just enough to get the taste of what yesteryear was like. My fear is G&R will acquire another automobile and this will start all over again

Well, if you decide you'd like to put some more together, let me know your rate. Here, or by PM. You've got the measurements and the templates already, and it's all still fresh in your mind. I bet you could get a lot more proficient at it with some repetition. :biggrin:

 

[GlockandRoll]

I hope Gordy takes this as an extreme compliment!

 

[87natl]

He should. Beautiful work.

 

[GlockandRoll]

I just realized something...

You know your car stereo sounds good when you look forward to sitting in traffic, just so you get to spend more time listening too it!!!

 

[GordyNismo]

Thanks for the kind words. If I had the available time I would build a few more. My wife was generous enough to leave me alone in the garage for 3 days straight. Getting additional time might be pushing it .

We still have the grills on the waveguides to go but those will take a full day to build.

 

[GlockandRoll]

I've been playing/tuning the audio system for a while this morning.
And so far I'm getting really excited about the way it is sounding.

I've found that the horns are just SO super efficient, and the mid-bass plays so high, that I'm going to use the Audio Control DQL-8 to low-pass the mids and use the Alpine PDX-5 to HP them, creating a bandpass filter that will give me something in the 90-700hz range to play with, then high pass the waveguides at around 700, and bring the sub x-over point down to about 70 or so, knock it out of phase, and bring the gain up on it and the mids.

The staging and imaging are absolutely UN FRIGG'n REAL!!!
I've got some really great sounding test CD's, and people that have listened to it in the past few days usually just drop thier jaw and look at me for a moment before saying anything.

It's loud enough to tear your face off, and the bass is deep and tight.. you feel it really more than you hear it.

The only problem so far, is noise into the system when it turns on, and the damned delco CD player is having an intermittent problem loading CD's... so I'm probably going to get a replacement.

 

[87natl]

All testing should be done with Dire Straits.

 

[GlockandRoll]

No kidding, right!

Two of my favorite tuning discs are the Boston imaging disc, and blue-note records jazz compilation.

Eric Clapton unplugged sounds great also, as does Alice in Chains 'jar of flies' album.

Peter Gabriel is known for some good ones also.

 

[Sleeper-6]

I'm O-so-jealous. I've been trying to do something nice for the last few years, but blowing up a motor in the middle of it didn't help.
I set up the the lows with a single 12" ID MAX in a sealed box, I have a pair of 7" Dayton mids I was going to do kicks up front for, and have been on the lookout for a set of used ID CD-2s. Already collected matching Memphis amps to power everything.
The cabin and trunk has been covered with stuff from Second Skin, (mats and liquid), and topped with a layer of luxury liner.
Power, Interconnect and, speaker wires have all been run
I just need the time and horns to finish up the project.

It's not up to the level of your masterpiece but I'm hoping it'll sound good.

Do you have any more pics of the horn mounting?

 

[GlockandRoll]

The horns weren't as bad as we originally thought, although we had to flip them upside down. I can try to post some better pics when we finish them off w/grill cloth. I've got some ideas, but I'm sure Gordy's will trump mine.

Biggest problem I have now is free time to tune it with an RTA... I dont have enough damned time!!