finally started the new system.. Gimme some feedback please..
02-18-2002, 01:03 AM
#1
finally started the new system.. Gimme some feedback please..
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pics/car/stereo/
browse through the directories and tell me what you think. /subs/ and /amprack/ most importantly.
This wood stuff is just temporary, so I haven't bothered in making it pretty. The amp rack will be made from 3/4" square aluminum tubing. very similar to what's there now (in wood), but I wasn't going to chop up $100 in aluminum before I knew that's what I wanted.
There will be another pair of the same subs facing up from the rear deck- another place where I wanted to see if I liked the idea before I dumped 5 bills on a second pair of subs that I may or may not like. When I get done with the baffle that the subs are currently on and the new rear deck, they'll be made from a carbon/kevler/honeycomb composite, then covered in either CF or brushed aluminum.. I'm thinking I'll stay with the brushed alum to keep with the looks from the rest of the car.
the amp rack design will be a "quick-remove" type, so I can pull it out in a matter of seconds when I want to take the car to the track and other fun stuff like that.. it'll be a stand-alone structure that will bolt/clamp into the trunk, and has quick-connects on all the wiring. the signal wires and remote turn-on leads and temp sensors for all the amps (later project, but I already ran the wire).. they're all in one 25-pin printer cable connector. 5 sec disconnect there. screw pulling a dozen RCAs and remote wires every time I want to remove the amp rack.
Well anyway.. gimme some feedback and let me know if this looks good, or if you think I should do something else with it. I kinda like the way they're displayed back there and still leave me most of the trunk space, but I'm just not sure what the judges will think of it when I go to compete again later. they like vinyl and fiberglass and **** that moves. screw that. I want simple and LIGHT. My last system weighed 350lb, including all the materials. this one will be under 150lb, even after 50lb of dynamat scattered through the car.
oh well. you guys gimme some feedback and let me know if this is worth pursuing before I spend the bucks to put the aluminum in. thanks.
browse through the directories and tell me what you think. /subs/ and /amprack/ most importantly.
This wood stuff is just temporary, so I haven't bothered in making it pretty. The amp rack will be made from 3/4" square aluminum tubing. very similar to what's there now (in wood), but I wasn't going to chop up $100 in aluminum before I knew that's what I wanted.
There will be another pair of the same subs facing up from the rear deck- another place where I wanted to see if I liked the idea before I dumped 5 bills on a second pair of subs that I may or may not like. When I get done with the baffle that the subs are currently on and the new rear deck, they'll be made from a carbon/kevler/honeycomb composite, then covered in either CF or brushed aluminum.. I'm thinking I'll stay with the brushed alum to keep with the looks from the rest of the car.
the amp rack design will be a "quick-remove" type, so I can pull it out in a matter of seconds when I want to take the car to the track and other fun stuff like that.. it'll be a stand-alone structure that will bolt/clamp into the trunk, and has quick-connects on all the wiring. the signal wires and remote turn-on leads and temp sensors for all the amps (later project, but I already ran the wire).. they're all in one 25-pin printer cable connector. 5 sec disconnect there. screw pulling a dozen RCAs and remote wires every time I want to remove the amp rack.
Well anyway.. gimme some feedback and let me know if this looks good, or if you think I should do something else with it. I kinda like the way they're displayed back there and still leave me most of the trunk space, but I'm just not sure what the judges will think of it when I go to compete again later. they like vinyl and fiberglass and **** that moves. screw that. I want simple and LIGHT. My last system weighed 350lb, including all the materials. this one will be under 150lb, even after 50lb of dynamat scattered through the car.
oh well. you guys gimme some feedback and let me know if this is worth pursuing before I spend the bucks to put the aluminum in. thanks.
02-18-2002, 06:21 AM
#2
Matt,
It's looking pretty sweet!! I like the idea of the quick disconnects. So basically you will have no stereo at all? That's pretty nice. So I'm still kinda wondering what's up with the subs. So you're saying you are gonna run 4 subs?? What are you competing in? SQ, SPL, or both? If you were going to compete in SQ only, I'd say ditch the other 2 subs. I like the amp rack idea. The aluminum will look sweet when the neon hits it! One last comment for you....time for some new leather,eh??
I love the old PPI amps!! They look so sweet! How are they holding up? A friend of mine is still rockin some Alpine amps he got back in H.S. Those things are now almost 10 years old!!
Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see the finished product. I'd love to hear some more about the temp sensor stuff. I'm contemplating redoing the system after I add my last amp. I am thinking of doing a raised floor with the 3 amps encased. Plexiglas and all the good stuff. I was considering a fan system that worked on a temp sensor. If you wouldn't mind sharing some more info, I'd love to hear it. Also, do you hop on www.termpro.com ever? There's a real nice board over there. I'm sure the guys there would give you some constructive criticism. Looking good!
It's looking pretty sweet!! I like the idea of the quick disconnects. So basically you will have no stereo at all? That's pretty nice. So I'm still kinda wondering what's up with the subs. So you're saying you are gonna run 4 subs?? What are you competing in? SQ, SPL, or both? If you were going to compete in SQ only, I'd say ditch the other 2 subs. I like the amp rack idea. The aluminum will look sweet when the neon hits it! One last comment for you....time for some new leather,eh??
I love the old PPI amps!! They look so sweet! How are they holding up? A friend of mine is still rockin some Alpine amps he got back in H.S. Those things are now almost 10 years old!!
Keep up the good work. Can't wait to see the finished product. I'd love to hear some more about the temp sensor stuff. I'm contemplating redoing the system after I add my last amp. I am thinking of doing a raised floor with the 3 amps encased. Plexiglas and all the good stuff. I was considering a fan system that worked on a temp sensor. If you wouldn't mind sharing some more info, I'd love to hear it. Also, do you hop on www.termpro.com ever? There's a real nice board over there. I'm sure the guys there would give you some constructive criticism. Looking good!
02-18-2002, 11:18 AM
#3
thanks for the comments..
Going to be mainly doing SQ stuff, with SPL as an option if I get bored or have money to throw away (yeah right!), so what I'm going to do is install a switch somewhere on the dash/console so I can run either or both sets of subs. wire them in stereo on the amp, so it'll see 2 or 4ohm stereo, depending on how many subs I'm running. amp will like it, and I choose which subs I want to run.
As for the PPI amps, I've only had to do a couple minor repairs on them. there's a big fat (I think 50ohm ) resistor on the input stage. they seem to burn out for some reason. I dunno whether it's because of too much input voltage or what. the ones on my 4 channel amp got so hot they melted the solder on the board and fell out. I don't know when that happened either, as I didn't find it until I took apart my amprack from the old Max- the system has been down since April of last year, but was working fine then. sooo, I dunno there.
but one of the smaller amps I picked up really cheap used, and the imput resistors on it are black and crispy. I don't even know if the amp works yet. I'm sticking it in for looks, whether I use it or not. having one small amp on the top shelf would just look weird, so it'll be there for "backup" blah blah blah
But anyway, sound quality is absolutely gorgeous on these amps and the put out gobs of power and never get hot (other than that damn resistor!), soooo I'm keeping them until they die. I've even had Guy from Focal (the dude who designed the Grand Utopia home audio stuff), but he even offered to buy them amps from me for new retail price if I ever sold them. That says enough there that I oughta keep 'em.
The temp sensor thing will be a senior EE project for me. basically I'm going to install a temp sensor on each amp, then do voltage checks at various locations too (battery, distro block, each large amp. not worried about the small amps). Also will have underhood temps of intake air, manifold temp, exhaust, etc- just for status on the turbo project. I'll also have real gauges installed for regular stuff, but these sensors will only cost a couple bucks each and I've already got to write the software to run them.. it's just two more wires and a coupld lines of code in the program.
It'll all run back to a small processor unit I'll stick somewhere- either in the trunk or behind the head unit. It'll process all the voltages/temps, then scroll through them on a small LCD display I'll mount under the head unit. throw a couple buttons in there to pause or scroll through car status or system status (which temps to look at).
A/F ratio should be easy enough to tap into also. throw an FET on the OEM oxygen sensor line and the car's ECU won't even know it's there, and I'll have an easy display of A/F in the dash.
it's going to be a pretty cool project when I'm done. if I can get it in a cool enough package, I can probably sell the thing for a couple hundred bucks (including xxx number of sensors and the processor/display module). having a shop make something similar will take weeks and cost well over a grand.. so if I can do it for a couple hundred, then everyone's happy.
Going to be mainly doing SQ stuff, with SPL as an option if I get bored or have money to throw away (yeah right!), so what I'm going to do is install a switch somewhere on the dash/console so I can run either or both sets of subs. wire them in stereo on the amp, so it'll see 2 or 4ohm stereo, depending on how many subs I'm running. amp will like it, and I choose which subs I want to run.
As for the PPI amps, I've only had to do a couple minor repairs on them. there's a big fat (I think 50ohm ) resistor on the input stage. they seem to burn out for some reason. I dunno whether it's because of too much input voltage or what. the ones on my 4 channel amp got so hot they melted the solder on the board and fell out. I don't know when that happened either, as I didn't find it until I took apart my amprack from the old Max- the system has been down since April of last year, but was working fine then. sooo, I dunno there.
but one of the smaller amps I picked up really cheap used, and the imput resistors on it are black and crispy. I don't even know if the amp works yet. I'm sticking it in for looks, whether I use it or not. having one small amp on the top shelf would just look weird, so it'll be there for "backup"
blah blah blahBut anyway, sound quality is absolutely gorgeous on these amps and the put out gobs of power and never get hot (other than that damn resistor!), soooo I'm keeping them until they die. I've even had Guy from Focal (the dude who designed the Grand Utopia home audio stuff), but he even offered to buy them amps from me for new retail price if I ever sold them. That says enough there that I oughta keep 'em.
The temp sensor thing will be a senior EE project for me. basically I'm going to install a temp sensor on each amp, then do voltage checks at various locations too (battery, distro block, each large amp. not worried about the small amps). Also will have underhood temps of intake air, manifold temp, exhaust, etc- just for status on the turbo project. I'll also have real gauges installed for regular stuff, but these sensors will only cost a couple bucks each and I've already got to write the software to run them.. it's just two more wires and a coupld lines of code in the program.
It'll all run back to a small processor unit I'll stick somewhere- either in the trunk or behind the head unit. It'll process all the voltages/temps, then scroll through them on a small LCD display I'll mount under the head unit. throw a couple buttons in there to pause or scroll through car status or system status (which temps to look at).
A/F ratio should be easy enough to tap into also. throw an FET on the OEM oxygen sensor line and the car's ECU won't even know it's there, and I'll have an easy display of A/F in the dash.
it's going to be a pretty cool project when I'm done. if I can get it in a cool enough package, I can probably sell the thing for a couple hundred bucks (including xxx number of sensors and the processor/display module). having a shop make something similar will take weeks and cost well over a grand.. so if I can do it for a couple hundred, then everyone's happy.
02-18-2002, 09:31 PM
#5
Hey Matt, give me a call....i may be able to help you get some exotic materials from some of my vendors.....And you KNOW i would be down to help with this project. ( And come get your $$$$ ) Later bro, Charles (if you need the #, email me)
02-18-2002, 09:37 PM
#6
Originally posted by gotmilk2000
Hey Matt, give me a call....i may be able to help you get some exotic materials from some of my vendors.....And you KNOW i would be down to help with this project. ( And come get your $$$$ ) Later bro, Charles (if you need the #, email me)
Hey Matt, give me a call....i may be able to help you get some exotic materials from some of my vendors.....And you KNOW i would be down to help with this project. ( And come get your $$$$ ) Later bro, Charles (if you need the #, email me)
this week's REALLY busy with school, but I have to come by and pull some parts sometime.jmax, the aluminum is already purchased. cost me about $80 for all of it, and after changing my design, I've got enough left over to build another one.
the only part I don't have are for the baffles.
(charles, we'll talk on materials
). I have a professor at school who used to work for Boeing/ NASA, and knows where to get some really kicka$$ stuff, but I don't know if I'll be able to afford it. I'll probably resort to using a regular 1/2" honeycomb and CF sheets.. I just don't want to mess with pressing the sheet (or cutting the CF if I buy the whole thing as one big sheet).anyway, I'll get in touch with you soon. I've got your # written down in my phonebook.
02-18-2002, 09:46 PM
#7
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Posts: n/a
Matt, what kind of honeycomb? Nomex, titanium, or aluminum. When I bought the stuff for my box, 0.430 inch thick nomex, I had to get a full 4' X 8' sheet. So I may be able to cut you a deal on some of my "scrap". Your going to go with pre-fab carbon boards? I thought you would mold your own, with the kevlar and honeycomb. Or use a carbon kevlar twill. That would look sweet with a red kevlar/carbon twill in your red car. I am using the blue kevlar/carbon twill in mine.
02-18-2002, 10:06 PM
#8
matt - looks awesome.
what did you do about the trunk lid supports? i didnt' see them in the pics... did you replace them or just cut them out altogether? did it make a big difference without them?
what did you do about the trunk lid supports? i didnt' see them in the pics... did you replace them or just cut them out altogether? did it make a big difference without them?
02-18-2002, 10:52 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,004
lookin awesome.. haha how to take a maxima apart in 15 minutes.. ive learned that route myself. actually, fitting a flip down back seat is a damn good idea.
do those focals have paper cones??
and damn, do you have what 200 pounds in dynomat on that sucker?
do those focals have paper cones??
and damn, do you have what 200 pounds in dynomat on that sucker?
02-19-2002, 12:25 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 706
thats true about the input resistor burning out on those old
art series amps... heck, even the new PPI amps have a problem
with that as well... the only option is to get it serviced or
replace it yourself... it sucks cuz it happens so much
one thing that suprises me is the condition of those old
PPI arts... there aren't a lot that still look that nice
the amp rack seems like a good idea, it would definitely work
we've actually done that idea with the 25 pin parallel
for quick disconnect.. it works good just is a lil bit of a
hassle when you assemble it the first time
just curious, how do you plan to attach the entire assembly to the
car? and what the heck do you have so many amps for?
front/rear, bass...
you running separate amps for mids and highs aka biwire?
art series amps... heck, even the new PPI amps have a problem
with that as well... the only option is to get it serviced or
replace it yourself... it sucks cuz it happens so much
one thing that suprises me is the condition of those old
PPI arts... there aren't a lot that still look that nice
the amp rack seems like a good idea, it would definitely work
we've actually done that idea with the 25 pin parallel
for quick disconnect.. it works good just is a lil bit of a
hassle when you assemble it the first time
just curious, how do you plan to attach the entire assembly to the
car? and what the heck do you have so many amps for?
front/rear, bass...
you running separate amps for mids and highs aka biwire?
02-19-2002, 03:33 AM
#11
jmax, I dunno what I'm going to do on the composites yet. I'll worry about that when I get there. if I'm really broke, when I get the rest in, I'll just cover the MDF baffle with aluminum sheet and brush it to match the rest of the system. it's better than nothing.
CKNY, I haven't removed them yet. what I was going to do is yank some of those twisty-up springs off a GM or something and stick them on the sides, then remove the tension rods. they will have to be relocated for the subs in the rear deck.
brandon, some focals have kevlar cones, some others have even more exotic materials. these are paper. (they're not the $$$ focals)
Yak, I'm going to bolt it through the floor and on the sides in the wheel wells. I'll just drill a hole straight through the sides and bottom, then probably tack weld some bolts onto the car so they'll stay put. stick some rubber caps over them so water can't get back in and voila! removable only from the inside and more secure than anything else I could do. One of the amps (my "spare" that I picked up at a HAM radio swap meet for free )
looks like crap, but the rest of them are in almost new condition.
I just bought the A1200.2, and it's absolutely gorgeous. It was used in a show-only M3 since the day it came out of the box. one tiny scratch underneath the speaker connector, but it can't be seen when the plug in. I'm not complaining about that!
CKNY, I haven't removed them yet. what I was going to do is yank some of those twisty-up springs off a GM or something and stick them on the sides, then remove the tension rods. they will have to be relocated for the subs in the rear deck.
brandon, some focals have kevlar cones, some others have even more exotic materials. these are paper. (they're not the $$$ focals)
Yak, I'm going to bolt it through the floor and on the sides in the wheel wells. I'll just drill a hole straight through the sides and bottom, then probably tack weld some bolts onto the car so they'll stay put. stick some rubber caps over them so water can't get back in and voila! removable only from the inside and more secure than anything else I could do. One of the amps (my "spare" that I picked up at a HAM radio swap meet for free
)looks like crap, but the rest of them are in almost new condition.
I just bought the A1200.2, and it's absolutely gorgeous. It was used in a show-only M3 since the day it came out of the box. one tiny scratch underneath the speaker connector, but it can't be seen when the plug in. I'm not complaining about that!
02-19-2002, 12:36 PM
#13
Prolly not.. unless it's in Tulsa, Dallas, OK City, or Kansas City, I'll be thinking about finals from my living room.
I doubt if I'll even compete at all this season, as school is killing me and I'm getting married and have several other projects in the next few months. doesn't leave much time to go to shows to qualify, let alone the money involved!
I doubt if I'll even compete at all this season, as school is killing me and I'm getting married and have several other projects in the next few months. doesn't leave much time to go to shows to qualify, let alone the money involved!
02-19-2002, 12:52 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,445
Originally posted by Matt93SE
Prolly not.. unless it's in Tulsa, Dallas, OK City, or Kansas City, I'll be thinking about finals from my living room.
I doubt if I'll even compete at all this season, as school is killing me and I'm getting married and have several other projects in the next few months. doesn't leave much time to go to shows to qualify, let alone the money involved!
Prolly not.. unless it's in Tulsa, Dallas, OK City, or Kansas City, I'll be thinking about finals from my living room.
I doubt if I'll even compete at all this season, as school is killing me and I'm getting married and have several other projects in the next few months. doesn't leave much time to go to shows to qualify, let alone the money involved!
02-19-2002, 09:00 PM
#15
Originally posted by max'n out
I fully understand. Finals will either be in Charlotte or greenville, and will probally never come back out to that area. I also understand getting the points. my car woun't be done till at the earlest June probley july. So i'll be running my talon which modaswell be stock to get some points.
I fully understand. Finals will either be in Charlotte or greenville, and will probally never come back out to that area. I also understand getting the points. my car woun't be done till at the earlest June probley july. So i'll be running my talon which modaswell be stock to get some points.
and I barely made it on there. 10th place, but I was still up there!
02-19-2002, 09:04 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,445
Originally posted by Matt93SE
that doesn't surprise me.. they can get huge crowds and lots of competitors if they stay near east or west coast. Guys like me will only come to them if they're in the middle of the country, but I'm the kinda guy that only went because it was close and I knew I could get on the podium if I went.
and I barely made it on there. 10th place, but I was still up there!
that doesn't surprise me.. they can get huge crowds and lots of competitors if they stay near east or west coast. Guys like me will only come to them if they're in the middle of the country, but I'm the kinda guy that only went because it was close and I knew I could get on the podium if I went.
and I barely made it on there. 10th place, but I was still up there!
...o thank god I don't go that far back anymore
02-20-2002, 10:51 PM
#17
Originally posted by max'n out
I'd take 10th over the 21st place I had in the 99' finals...o thank god I don't go that far back anymore
I'd take 10th over the 21st place I had in the 99' finals
...o thank god I don't go that far back anymore
Were you at the '00 Finals in OK city? there was a 4th or 5th gen there, but I never got a chance to look at it. I finally quit working on my car about 5 minutes before judging, then as soon as it was over, I fell asleep and woke up just in time for the results. guess that's what happens when you don't sleep for 3 days straight prior to the show!
02-21-2002, 08:10 AM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,445
Originally posted by Matt93SE
Well there were only 13 in my class at '00 finals!
Were you at the '00 Finals in OK city? there was a 4th or 5th gen there, but I never got a chance to look at it. I finally quit working on my car about 5 minutes before judging, then as soon as it was over, I fell asleep and woke up just in time for the results. guess that's what happens when you don't sleep for 3 days straight prior to the show!
Well there were only 13 in my class at '00 finals!
Were you at the '00 Finals in OK city? there was a 4th or 5th gen there, but I never got a chance to look at it. I finally quit working on my car about 5 minutes before judging, then as soon as it was over, I fell asleep and woke up just in time for the results. guess that's what happens when you don't sleep for 3 days straight prior to the show!
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