Hi all,
After days of reading threads, asking questions & spending money at last today i started my I.C.E Install. List of equipment brought.
2 X VIBE VP2 600w amps
2 X VIBE Exact 8 8" Subs 600w.
VIBE SE-K50 Component Speakers 270w
VIBE POWER4 Wiring Kit
2 X VIBE Flat Y Cable RCA Splitter
VIBE FLAT13 Bass Cable
2 X VIBE Sub Enclosure GT2 Terminals
Voodoo Digital Distribution Block
DAY ONE.
My first step was to fit 100amp breaker to battery and run power from engine bay into cockpit. I spent 20mins with my head in lots of different positions trying to find somewhere that i could thread the cable (4awg). Then i had a thought!!! My thought was that the main loom into the car to feed ECU ect has to come in somewhere so i removed the passengers wing and hey presto a spare unused rubber bung above the plastice inner wing 10 Sec\'s later wire was emerging into the passengers footwell. I patted myself on the back and had a coffee. This is where i left the power cable for now until i remove passengers seat so i can run cable under carpet into boot area. So i turned my attention to the components. Off came the drivers door card very easy after i read the thread telling me how to do it. Old speaker and plastic holder out. Now came the problem the speakers i got look so nice i wanted them on view the only place on the door card where they could possibly go was on the speaker grill so out came the wire cutters and cut out hole for fitting the speaker into, screwed speaker into place, mounted Xover inside door card just under mirror controls (as old speaker plastic holder is removed Xover fits snugly into hole left in door). I then fitted my tweeter to the window plastic triangle. THEN water stuff started falling out of the sky so tools packed up car locked up & now i will have to wait until next weekend to continue. So until next weekend THANK YOU for reading first installment of this SAGA.
Cheers Garith.
Nice one GJ! Always feels good to get stuck right in! Sounds like its gonna be a kickin\' install! keep us informed!!!
Nice one :) It is possible to get cable through from the door through to the car btw as well. Lots of messing but a friend of mine did my drivers door....just need the other one doing at some point.
Hi Paul,
I have not run the cable from the door to the car yet as i understood a hole needed drilling to get the wire through. Is this the case? Or did your friend find another way, If so could you let me know.
Cheers Garith.
This is why i wanted to surface mount these speakers.
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00045.jpg)
Tweeter
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00047.jpg)
Head unit That 1Gb memory card inserted in the top has 25 Music Videos on Viewable on the 3.5" screen (another 1Gb card has 3-400 MP3 songs on. That should keep me going.)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00048.jpg)
Here are a few Pics (sorry about the darkness crap camera phone will take some better ones as i go along with a proper camera)
Next step Build double sub box & Fit components to passemger side.
Cheers Garith
Hi Mate,
I\'ve got that stereo in my *cough*puma*cough...you\'ll need power cap...the screen flickers when the base kicks in....and by the sounds of it you\'re gonna have a lot of base lol ;)
Marc
Hi Marc,
Thanks for that, I was going to get a power cap but was told i should not need one. I will get one now that i know that. Any ideas on what one to get?
Cheers Garith.
if you want to keep ure system one brand (and u do :)) think this should suffice...
http://www.vibeaudio.co.uk/index.asp?page=p-accessories-power.html&header=p-accessories-h.html&footer=p-accessories-f.html (http://www.vibeaudio.co.uk/index.asp?page=p-accessories-power.html&header=p-accessories-h.html&footer=p-accessories-f.html)
Hi trotter,
Nice power cap but it is only 1 farrad, I have found another VIBE power cap which is 1.5 farrad and another power cap which is 2 farrad. Does higher farrad mean it is better as it gives more power or does that not matter on the system i am running?
Cheers Garith.
the farad rating is a measure of how much capacitance the power cap(acitor) stores. Higher number = higher capacity. The amount you need is dependent upon how much juice your sytem is using IIRC, and I dont have the calculations to hand. Most installs should be able to run on a 1F cap, you only really need 1.5 and 2F if your running MONSTER amps, it also depends on how good your existing electrics are (battery/alternator/etc). Put it this way, I can run 2x 600W 12" subs and a 1200W amp in my fiesta with no capacitor. I shall have a look later though...
Looking good bro!
Just a tip, when you come to build the box for your vibe subs speak to vibe to get the exact box dimensions! Should keep it sounded mmm mmm good :)
Chris
Hi Chris (D2BBA),
Thanks for the info, I had allready got the sizes from an earlier thread. 0.8 cubic feet internal measurments per sub internally ported from one sub to another for as i have been told CRYSTAL CLARITY BASS. I can\'t wait just hope it is not raining tomorrow so i can build it.
Cheers Garith.
Day 2
Building & installing SUB BOX.
Lots of measuring as i wanted a nice fit under the Rear Strut bar. Removed panel divider between boot and car as the box will have a face panel fitted there for 2 reasons, 1. To secure sub box into position 2. to finish box off and cover up opening. Set up my tools and started cutting MDF i went for 18mm building the box did not take long at all. Here are some pictures:-
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00220.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00221.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00222.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00223.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00225.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00224.jpg)
I made sure everything fitted nice and secure and with the face plate on in last pic there is now way it can be removed as it is locked in tight.
I then removed the box again for the fitment of Subs & speaker connections.
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00226.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00227.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00228.jpg)
After refitting the box i ran the RCA cable under the drivers side carpet and into the boot. Fitted the amps to top of SUB BOX and started wiring them up.
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00231.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00230.jpg)
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p112/gasejo/DSC00229.jpg)
Still need to run power cable under passenger side carpet and into boot and still have to fit passenger side components but the install is nearly done a few little bits like fit distribution box and power cap but this is a job for next week. Thank you for reading my thread and questions i will gladly answere and any orders for SUB BOX\'s just let me know.
Cheers Garith.
Hi all,
A quick question.
Would it be better to cover the box in acoustic material or just paint it? any ideas.
Cheers Garith.
that looks the shiznitz.....well done that man!! :)
as for finishing, that is entirely upto you...I covered mine in that chequerplate roll stuff, think it looks ace, but thats just IMO!!
what would look really sweet, would be to cover the box in a black-leather or vinyl type fabric that would blend it in with the surrounding plastic...you know, make it look like Mazda put a huge sub box in there!!
ps: did u need to use that program, or did you just wing it?
Hi trotter,
I used the program to get a rough idea, but in the end size was limited in the back of the ReX so i had to make a few adjustments. I think you are right i will get some material so it blends into the plastic. I am glad how the build went you cant see it from the pics but the facia panel actually curves around the contors of the frame work and fit really nicely into where the old divider went. (which is no longer required if any one wants it).
Cheers Garith.
hey, just wondering did you record the measurments you made the box from by any chance. Was going to have a go over the christmas break.
Hi Leedslad,
The size all depends on the sub/s you have. With mine i needed 0.8 cubic feet per sub (Internal measurment) and where i had limited space in height and depth i used the width to make the space i needed. Within the documentation with the sub it will tell you what are you need for your sub. I hope this help!
Cheers Garith.
Hi All,
DAY THREE.
Finishing Off.
Yesterday i braved the ice and cold to finish of the install. Out came the passengers seat to run the power under carpet. Fitted the passenger door components. Then came the last step fitting the head unit. This is where i came across a problem i only seem to have front right and rear right working on my speaker connections. So i went into the h/unit menu to check balance & fade but they where set to 0 to it looks like the left channels are dead. I decided as i am not having rear speakers that i will wire the fronts up to the available working channels which works fine. Then i turned the breaker on so the amps would get power. The subs jumped into life so the h/unit adjustments started to set up for the subs. This is when i found out that my speaker set up running off of front&rear right channels is not going to work as the rca to my amp\'s is running off a rear out rca on the h/unit so as i was adjusting the fade for more power to amps the front right component was cutting out. So i was getting mono. Now i have a dilemma do i buy a new h/unit but i really like this one with the inbuilt screen and memory card reader. Or do i buy aanother amp for the components as the h/unit has rca front out. So there is where i left it until my mate came over last night to set up the amps. The subs sound amazing now but still need to get components sorted. One thing my mate told me i did not realise is that you have to run subs in ??????????????? So he has turned the gain down to about 1/4 and said run them in for about a month. Is this true????
Anyway i have gone on long enough i will keep you all informed as to how i will proceed i.e h/unit or another amp.
Thanks for reading and a VERY HAPPY XMAS to you all GARITH.
Well, I\'d try a different headunit first just to check if the "no left speakers" problem is actually with the headunit or somewhere else? Like, borrow one from a mate or somesuch to see if the problem\'s in your h/u. If it turns out to be the internal amp then you can always use a different amp but it maybe that you\'ve got a proper rightwing headunit :D.
Your mate is not wrong, in general speakers sound a bit better once they\'ve been used for a while (same goes for other musical instruments) and it\'s certainly not wrong to keep things a bit lower power initially but doubt that you\'d blow the speakers if you cranked up the volume.
Hi Gasejo, just enjoying your thread, nice install!! Do you still have the divider as mentioned?
Hi Jetpilot,
What divider do you mean the divider within the sub box or the divider between boot and cab. Either way yes. I am glad you enjoyed yhe thread, i am very happy with how it turned out as this is my first install. Still waiting on a few bits i.e Power/Cap and Acoustic box covering i will get photo\'s up as soon as done.
Cheers Garith.
Hi Mate
Divider been boot and cab, only up the road in Poole, so let me know your number and ill give you a call and work it out.
Cheers
Hi Jetpilot,
Yeah no problem text me on 07958477407.
Cheers Garith.
HI Mate
Good to catch up today, this was the thread i mentioned to you earlier!
http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33274