Well, I started building up the audio in my SpecV. I made a thread to discuss the effort, including sound damping, install pics and problems, and results.

EDIT: Most of the pictures in this thread have been relocated to an album here:
http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...nryiv1/Stereo/

The Victim:


The Lab (haha):


Source Unit:


I should preface the following by saying that I used the Metra faceplate kit and a Scoche wiring kit. The wiring kit was for 1972-2006 Nissans and had extra wire connectors attached. I left the covers on them and taped over them. Since the dash has lots of space, this was not an issue. The faceplate kit was the standard, recommended Metra kit.

The first thing that I ran into was a problem with a gap at the top of the HU when the trim plate was installed. This is the place there the top of the HU meets the actual trim ring. See the pic for a better idea:


If you look at the top, you will see a slight gap.

Now, this would not be a big deal, but with the fold-down face on the 580, I needed it to be a better fit to allow the face to flap open. To address this, I bent the metal support brackets ever so slightly, and I flattened the dimpled screw holes at the BACK of the bracket (using a bench vise) and "oblonged" the holes with a drill. This allowed me to tilt the HU up very slightly. I plan to do some more tweaking because the face seems to make contact with the bottom rim of the trim plate, but I will get into that later. As you can see below, the gap is fairly well eliminated.

 

More installed pics:



Now, in the pics of the installed unit, it LOOKS like the curvature of the trim plate fairly well matches that of the dash, but that is really not the case. It is close, but given the fact that they make and sell thousands of these, you'd think that they might do a better test fit for both curvature AND HU alignment...

Pic at night:

I need better camera skills...

So far, the only other thing that I have done is to add a Bazooka EL 8 amplified sub to add some low-end. This is an entirely temporary solution. I am deciding on a more permanent subwoofer setup AFTER I get my components installed.

The sub, so far:


And the back seat wren's nest of wiring (still coiled up on the floor):


Note the 8 gauge 12V+ on the passenger side and the 3-channel (yes, you read that right) RCAs on the driver's side. Since the sub channel will be mono, I just ran 1 3-channel RCA to the trunk.

 

From here, the next step will be front stage (hopefully this weekend) on a Rockford Fosgate 250a2 amp. I have bought a set of Hertz ESK 165s components (http://www.hertzaudiovideo.com/Doc/pdf_esk165s.pdf) for the front. These are made by Audison, and are gaining popularity in the audiophile circuit for their SQ and value. I got a set from Don and will be writing a review for them after the install. These are a fairly slim fit mid, but I will be making PVC spacers to assist in the install. I will also be installing 30 sq ft of eDead to damp the doors.

Temp amp:


For a more permanent amp, I will be running an old school Xtant 404m amp that I picked up for a good price. It is rated at 50W RMS x 4 channels, but I will be bridging 2 of the channels into a mono 4 ohm load, resulting in a 200W RMS x 1 and the standard 50W x 2 for the fronts.

I will be using a HPF for the fronts and the HUs onboard sub crossover and level control to run the rear channels bridged to a small sub- probably a 10" or maybe even an 8" sub. I want to keep things as small as possible in the trunk, and just need enough bass to supplement the 6.5" components. If I can fit 4 gauge wire in the inputs for 12V+ and ground, I will use the 4 gauge that I have. If not, I will leave the 8 gauge in place.

 

Looks good, pics of those hertz please

 

I took them out of the box, and man do I hope that they are water-resistant- because I drolled all over them.

I'll snap some pics ASAP. I am goign to work on the spacers this weekend. Once they are done, I need to wire up the amp to run them. Unfortunately, my wife has NO idea that I am doing the door speakers. I was going to mention it, but I figured it would be a fight. Now that the HU is in, I have to come up with an excuse for pulling the doors apart, making spacers, and installing the comps. With the baby, my time is fairly well spent for me...

 

This is a Maxima forum, jerkypants.

 

he gets a pass, its in the family...

 

I dont have a Maxima, whatcha gonna do bout it?

 

Let's do the math here, @$$hat...

My postcount=6635. Your postcount=131. Me, 1. You, 0.
My join date=June 2002. Your join date=Nov 2004. Me, 2. You, 0.
My Maximas owned=3. Yours owned=1?. Me, 3. You, 0.
My status=MODERATOR. Your status=peon. Me, 4. You, 0.

Any questions?

 

Back to topic:

 

Nice work mang...

 

Can I play too?

 

Very nice, are those polypropylene cones?

 

Yeah. Why do you spend all this time here, and still confuse a Spec with a Max?

 

The same reason you don't read and understand what he just said. We are all Audio guys here and he has a new system with parts that were purchased from some of the people on this site. We (well me at least) can't wait for a review of the Hertz Comps, as well as more pics of his wife yelling at him when the door panels come off ........

 

If you've noticed the website is clearly divided in different sections. There's a section called the maxima discussions where you talk about maximas and the audio & electronics is listed under miscellaneous section. As far as I'm concerned anything that is audio or electronically related can be discussed here (cell phones, cameras, speakers, etc) Not to mention everything that was done/installed in this sentra can be easily be installed in a maxima anyway.

 

Why are you spending ANY time in this thread? Do you perhaps need a vacation from the entire forum?

 

I wonder why any of you take silly comments so seriously, especially when it's clearly meant in a tongue-and-cheek manner. Of course, I realize the .Org is serious business, what with some people using the forum to drastically increase their client base and flex e-muscle, so I guess I should watch myself when attempting a friendly rib-poking.

 

Your first one I responded to in the same manner, your second one I did not. If its offending someone, then yes I do step in.

 

wow. nice try pinning it back on them.. theres a fine line between joking and just being straight up annoying

now lets see more from the install!

 

I love the audio room...

 

Yes, yes, tis always fully of joy...........

 

I don't confuse them at all. In anything other than a straight line, there IS no comparison- even with the max with fully bolted suspension and brakes and the Spec fully stock. The Maxima is 10 times more comfortable, accellerates better, and is probably safer in a crash (hence the reason that the baby RARELY gets in the Spec). THe Spec is my commuter car- one that gets 30 MPG but tears up corners- and accellerates out of them- like few other FWD vehicles can. Are their better cars? Yes. Can other FWD cars be modified to outperform it? Yes. Would I buy one again? No.

Don't get this twisted- I don't confuse the two. But Sentra sites are full of a LOT less informed members, and this place is a lot better for supporting innovative things. Try to introduce a new brand or a new mod over on a B15 site and your threads don't get a reply- unless the mod or part is about 1/2 the cost of the option that it replaces.

 

looks good thus far..

you gonna get that ID sub from don?

 

Looking good so far. Keep 'em coming. You'll have at least 1 week of no more distractions in this thread.

 

I'm calling him today. I'd LOVE to get that to round out my mid-level install. No top-shelf parts, but all solid, mid-grade parts from respected companies- and nothing off of the shelf at the local BB/CC/tweeter (nothing against those places). My goal is to make this a full basic install for UNDER $600- including wiring and basic deadening- that sounds like it cost 2x as much.

 

well it looks like you are on your way to having a successful midlevel system as you would call it. I too am curious about how the Hertz perform. So hurry up!!!!

 

Well, back to the mothergrabbing drawing board- the ID sub was a dual 4 ohm VC configuration. I need a D2 or S4 config.

 

go for an ascendant audio 10 if they're available. they're cheap and great subs.

 

+1 on^^^^^^^

 

Hmm ... Still interested in going IB? I have another option sitting in my closet... DLS OA8.... it's 8 ohms, but it is efficient, and since you'd be running it in IB form, it wouldn't require GOBS of power anyways. They hit hard with only 160 watts.

 

Where's dem progress pics?!

Those are some miniscule xovers!

 

Thats about the only thing I'm not too fond of on that set, I don't like in-line xovers

 

I just bid on and won an ID10 in a box- Dual 2 ohm VCs. I got it on eBay (locally) for $22.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...7315&rd=1&rd=1

 

Haha, can't beat that for $27.50.

 

!

 

As long as it is not blown, I am set. The amp arrives today, and I will hopefully get the comps installed soon. I have to make some custom spacers to get them in the doors w/o hitting the windows. That is why nothing more has been done on them.

The spec has only 1.9" of mounting depth, and the spacers that I am making will add .75" to that. What I have to do is pull the doors apart, remove a stock speaker, trace it, cut out the spacer, cut out the mounting hole, etc. This is a lot of downtime.

My play, which is much easier, was to buy these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...9444739&rd=1,1

I will wait until they arrive and use them. That way, I can just do the install all in quick swoop without pulling my doors apart to use my OEM speakers as a template. Those are only 1/4" (not big enough), so I will use them as a template.

I am making a whole run of spacers out of PVC boards to use for myself and to sell on the B15 forums. I am using PVC so that I don't have to worry about water or other crap getting all over wood spavers and rotting or molding it.

 

Well, I made my prototype PVC speaker spacers for the front doors. I used a pair of 1/4" spacers as a template. The 1/4" set had a center mounting hole that was too small for any speakers that I had, so I enlarged the hole to accomodate 6.5" speakers.
Pics of the rough prototypes:

Speaker in spacer:


Spacer thickness- 1":


Spacer overlaid on top of template:

(I left off a small part of the mounting "wing" because that is how wide the material is. It does NOT affect the function of the spacer, since the mounting hole still has pleanty of material around it.)

Pic of template:

These were too thin to be useful at all, and the center hole is not large enough to acomodate the average 6.5" speaker.

(4) spacers on the floor:

 

Not bad at all!

 

They look like I had my eyes closed cutting the inner circles. My plan to use a radius cutter failed me (the drill press chuck was the wrong shape for the cutter), so I did it by hand with a jig saw.

The next set will look better. Guys on one B15 forum think that $35 shipped is a great price. The other B15 site says it is a ripoff. At the cost of the material and the time commitment involved, I think it is fair. I am sure not making much- if anything- off of them.