My SC400 stereo install thread.
#16
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im about donw with a the JL shallow mount 13.5 sub and box for my buddies evo 9....under the driver seat.
i would put the sub the way you have it. you can build an enclosure and mount it in the rear deck relatively same place where the stock one was. a 12 wont work but if you have a 10 it will be fine.
i would put the sub the way you have it. you can build an enclosure and mount it in the rear deck relatively same place where the stock one was. a 12 wont work but if you have a 10 it will be fine.
#17
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Why mess around with a 10" when you can have an instant 3 dB gain along with more low end output with a 12"? Especially if the enclosure sizes are the same. It's not hard to build a fiberglass enclosure for the location where I have my new BM pictured. Not to mention a totally stealth install with a LOT of output. The new BM's are going to be 3.5" deep, have 13mm of one-way linear excursion and only require 0.5 ft^3 sealed. Oh, did I mention that you can mount a normal speaker grille on them? That's the beauty of an inverted surround and a shallow "cone" (technically it's a diaphragm). And with a cost of only ~$160 shipped, it's going to be a winner in my book. Keep in mind that the JL has approximately 0.75" on the front side of the mounting surface that you have to leave open...and lets not forget more room (at least 1.25" total) if you want the subwoofer to be able to move. i.e., sending it more than 15 watts.
And also don't forget that the rear deck will move enough with a different 10" subwoofer to rob you of a few decibels at least due to cancellation. Using the factory 10" subwoofer location is about the least desirable location unless you strengthen the rear deck with fiberglass or weld in steel supports.
And also don't forget that the rear deck will move enough with a different 10" subwoofer to rob you of a few decibels at least due to cancellation. Using the factory 10" subwoofer location is about the least desirable location unless you strengthen the rear deck with fiberglass or weld in steel supports.
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Oh, and here's another update:
Updates:
First off, I got the battery installed. The connections were on the opposite side of what I needed so I purchased some aluminum (do NOT buy steel for something like this - it will rust) from a local hardware store and cut them to length. The finished look is this:
And here is where that big 0 awg ground goes to:
I then covered the dual runs of 4 awg and had to modify the fuse holder to accept the twin ring terminals. I didn't want to show the company of the fuse holder (SoundQuest) so I mounted it inverted:
Updates:
First off, I got the battery installed. The connections were on the opposite side of what I needed so I purchased some aluminum (do NOT buy steel for something like this - it will rust) from a local hardware store and cut them to length. The finished look is this:
And here is where that big 0 awg ground goes to:
I then covered the dual runs of 4 awg and had to modify the fuse holder to accept the twin ring terminals. I didn't want to show the company of the fuse holder (SoundQuest) so I mounted it inverted:
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And then I hopped into the trunk area and started taking out crap (like the POS factory amplifier and half of the CD changer mount, which the other half is the factory amp bracket). And of course, I deadened the CD changer mounting location.
I made a bracket out of 1/4" plywood in an attempt to have a good base to mount the SAZ-100.4:
I used the factory amplifier bracket to make the template for the bottom of the new amp bracket so I could secure it with the 3 bolts that are sticking up out of the floor:
However: all of that proved futile because even with 1/4" material, it's too thick and the nuts won't thread onto the bolts. Even after I routed out the plywood to 1/8" thick the nuts still won't thread on. I am going to purchase some thick aluminum to make the bottom bracket out of so it can be secured because the 1/8" thick plywood isn't cutting it. Here is the location where the amp will be mounted to. I only deadend a little bit of this just for mounting/testing purposes:
Disclaimer: I spent at least 2 hours cleaning the trunk, which is why I only got a little bit of work done yesterday. The trunk was incredibly dirty! I went through 75% of a roll of paper towels and a 1/4 bottle of Super Clean just cleaning the trunk. It amazes me how a trunk can get that dirty...but oh well, at least it's clean now.
I made a bracket out of 1/4" plywood in an attempt to have a good base to mount the SAZ-100.4:
I used the factory amplifier bracket to make the template for the bottom of the new amp bracket so I could secure it with the 3 bolts that are sticking up out of the floor:
However: all of that proved futile because even with 1/4" material, it's too thick and the nuts won't thread onto the bolts. Even after I routed out the plywood to 1/8" thick the nuts still won't thread on. I am going to purchase some thick aluminum to make the bottom bracket out of so it can be secured because the 1/8" thick plywood isn't cutting it. Here is the location where the amp will be mounted to. I only deadend a little bit of this just for mounting/testing purposes:
Disclaimer: I spent at least 2 hours cleaning the trunk, which is why I only got a little bit of work done yesterday. The trunk was incredibly dirty! I went through 75% of a roll of paper towels and a 1/4 bottle of Super Clean just cleaning the trunk. It amazes me how a trunk can get that dirty...but oh well, at least it's clean now.
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This is an old update, but anyway:
I spent all day getting the 3sixty.2 installed. Man it was a LOT of work! I had to tap into a lot of factory wires while leaving the wiring in tact. I also wired up the engine bay and spent a lot of time trying to figure out why in the hell my balance won't work on my head unit. I really need two people to figure this thing out. This Lexus is proving to be a *****.
Anyway, here are some pics of today's work:
Tapping into the factory plugs and covering them up so they don't rattle:
And the amp and 3sixty.2 mounted for now (obviously not finished properly):
I spent all day getting the 3sixty.2 installed. Man it was a LOT of work! I had to tap into a lot of factory wires while leaving the wiring in tact. I also wired up the engine bay and spent a lot of time trying to figure out why in the hell my balance won't work on my head unit. I really need two people to figure this thing out. This Lexus is proving to be a *****.
Anyway, here are some pics of today's work:
Tapping into the factory plugs and covering them up so they don't rattle:
And the amp and 3sixty.2 mounted for now (obviously not finished properly):
Last edited by Electrodyn; 11-30-08 at 12:43 PM.
#23
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Well there's not much picture-wise to update except the deadening of the rear seat area.
This was the feeble beginning:
And the best deadener out there (performance, affordability, it sticks VERY well even without a heat gun):
And the result:
Besides that, I HATE Lexus and their douche-baggery in not allowing anyone to integrate with the factory head unit!!!! I installed the 3sixty.2 and had noise right off the bat. This is with the car NOT running! I tried everything - ran a power wire from the distribution block to the 3sixty, that didn't work. I jumped the 3sixty to be always on to eliminate the remote lead, that didn't work. The ground is fine - it goes the same ground of my distribution block.
There is a constant scratchy/ticking noise that goes through the system that I can't get rid of. I even went out and bought two ground loop isolators and installed them after the 3sixty, that didn't work either.
No one makes an adapter for behind the head unit except on that allows you to install a new head unit. So if you install the adapter behind the factory head unit, your factory head unit won't turn on. Now I'm two things: *****ed, and pissed off. Now I have to buy a double-din head unit in order to have good sound.
So while I was deadening the rear seat area I went ahead and ran the Tara Labs Spectrum 3A interconnects. Oh, and I ordered a Kenwood DDX7017 double-din head unit last night also.
This was the feeble beginning:
And the best deadener out there (performance, affordability, it sticks VERY well even without a heat gun):
And the result:
Besides that, I HATE Lexus and their douche-baggery in not allowing anyone to integrate with the factory head unit!!!! I installed the 3sixty.2 and had noise right off the bat. This is with the car NOT running! I tried everything - ran a power wire from the distribution block to the 3sixty, that didn't work. I jumped the 3sixty to be always on to eliminate the remote lead, that didn't work. The ground is fine - it goes the same ground of my distribution block.
There is a constant scratchy/ticking noise that goes through the system that I can't get rid of. I even went out and bought two ground loop isolators and installed them after the 3sixty, that didn't work either.
No one makes an adapter for behind the head unit except on that allows you to install a new head unit. So if you install the adapter behind the factory head unit, your factory head unit won't turn on. Now I'm two things: *****ed, and pissed off. Now I have to buy a double-din head unit in order to have good sound.
So while I was deadening the rear seat area I went ahead and ran the Tara Labs Spectrum 3A interconnects. Oh, and I ordered a Kenwood DDX7017 double-din head unit last night also.
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So I got pissed today.
Thinking of how I'm going to have to re-wire all of the system. If I'm running a wire up to the fronts just for the tweeters, why not add all new wiring? If I'm doing that, why not upgrade the mids? A single 5.25 isn't going to cut it for me. So here's what I'll be using instead.
Audax on the left, new woofer on the right.
And what is this mystery woofer?!
That's right, a 7" ScanSpeak Revelator. :bowdown: I figure one per door aught to cut it. :eek:
Thinking of how I'm going to have to re-wire all of the system. If I'm running a wire up to the fronts just for the tweeters, why not add all new wiring? If I'm doing that, why not upgrade the mids? A single 5.25 isn't going to cut it for me. So here's what I'll be using instead.
Audax on the left, new woofer on the right.
And what is this mystery woofer?!
That's right, a 7" ScanSpeak Revelator. :bowdown: I figure one per door aught to cut it. :eek:
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And here is today's acquisition:
Yep, that's right - a 50.4 per pair of Morel MDT12's and a 50.4 per pair of ScanSpeak Revelators. Not to mention a pair of 1000D's per pair of new Mag v4's.
Yep, that's right - a 50.4 per pair of Morel MDT12's and a 50.4 per pair of ScanSpeak Revelators. Not to mention a pair of 1000D's per pair of new Mag v4's.
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You've got Revelators?! Very rare, but sweet. The Rev's are actually a full 7", so it'll be interesting to say the least.
I haven't done ****e on the car this past month because we've only had 2 days of sunshine. I should be able to deaden both doors and start cutting the inner door skin and/or make enough spacers to fit the Scan Speak's in the doors and run all new wire (which I said I wasn't going to do - but now I've officially gone too far to turn back now...like stranded silver speaker wire and interconnects ).
I haven't done ****e on the car this past month because we've only had 2 days of sunshine. I should be able to deaden both doors and start cutting the inner door skin and/or make enough spacers to fit the Scan Speak's in the doors and run all new wire (which I said I wasn't going to do - but now I've officially gone too far to turn back now...like stranded silver speaker wire and interconnects ).
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Ok...here is a BIG *** update:
There was a LOT more work that went on other than what is pictured. I have to "give a shout out" (yes, I know that's gay) to Jacob, Brandon, and Justin at Sundown Audio. Without them, none of this would have been accomplished. I employed Jacob's OCD skills in sound deadening to do the doors "half-assed" as he calls it. From the following pics, you'll see that his half-*** is most people's over-kill. We had to keep the metal tape away from him or he would have gone ape **** and would probably still be deadening my doors.
Brandon did an excellent job on the door pods! They are smooth, fit perfectly, and are completely sealed. Thumbs up man!
Justin focused on the trunk portion and did a damn fine job! We tried to fit 3 Mag's but it simply wasn't working out with the diameter we ended up working with. Losing a Mag only lost 1.5 dB (theoretical), so it's no big deal.
The install isn't finished yet, but everything is neat and tidy. Wires are all tucked away, tied down, zip tied, soldered, shrink-wrapped, etc. It was quite the day! Now, on to the piczorz!!
There was a LOT more work that went on other than what is pictured. I have to "give a shout out" (yes, I know that's gay) to Jacob, Brandon, and Justin at Sundown Audio. Without them, none of this would have been accomplished. I employed Jacob's OCD skills in sound deadening to do the doors "half-assed" as he calls it. From the following pics, you'll see that his half-*** is most people's over-kill. We had to keep the metal tape away from him or he would have gone ape **** and would probably still be deadening my doors.
Brandon did an excellent job on the door pods! They are smooth, fit perfectly, and are completely sealed. Thumbs up man!
Justin focused on the trunk portion and did a damn fine job! We tried to fit 3 Mag's but it simply wasn't working out with the diameter we ended up working with. Losing a Mag only lost 1.5 dB (theoretical), so it's no big deal.
The install isn't finished yet, but everything is neat and tidy. Wires are all tucked away, tied down, zip tied, soldered, shrink-wrapped, etc. It was quite the day! Now, on to the piczorz!!
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First up is a picture of my deadened door in progress:
Notice the proliferous use of Second Skin deadener along with the gargantuan opening being filled with Second Skin Luxury Liner before it was to be sealed up.
Here is the door panel sealed up (AKA: the huge hole taken care of):
Notice the proliferous use of Second Skin deadener along with the gargantuan opening being filled with Second Skin Luxury Liner before it was to be sealed up.
Here is the door panel sealed up (AKA: the huge hole taken care of):