2008 Yaris sedan ‘S’ sound deadening project.

[Herbicidal]

New head unit arrives TODAY!!! Yaaaaay!!!!

I'm so done with my stock HU and my battery powered Blue Tooth unit for my cell phone . After a bunch of research, I've decided on a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X994 (>>>link<<<).


It has B.T and a rear USB port (which I want in the back, not in the front so I can throw a thumb drive on it and forget about it) and for the price, it has outstanding adjustability and control over the "sound stage". I wanted something more minimalist in appearance so as not to attract thieves.

Here's a quote from the product research team at Crutchfield, these are just some of the features that pulled me over to this unit:

Sound Excellence DSP: In order to optimize the sound quality, you can use the Sound Excellence DSP to set the type of vehicle and speaker sizes, locations, distances and x-over points. The DSP settings include the following:

Cabin Setting: Choose from Compact, Full Size Car, Station Wagon, Mini Van, SUV, Mini Van (Long), or Off
Speaker Setting: The speaker X'over is automatically set when the position and size of each speaker are select from the following items.
Front: Location (Door, On Dash, or Under Dash); Size: (6-1/2", 6-3/4", 7", 4"x6", 5"x7", 6"x8", 6"x9", 7"x10", OEM, 4", or 5"); Tweeter (None or Use)
Rear: Location (Door, Rear Deck, 2nd Row or 3rd Row; Size (6-1/2", 6-3/4", 7", 4"x6", 5"x7", 6"x8", 6"x9", 7"x10", OEM, 4", or 5")
Subwoofer: Size(10", 12", 15", None, 6-1/2" or 8")
Digital Time Alignment (DTA): Choose from 0.00 to 14.44 feet for the Front pair of speakers, Rear pair of speakers, and Subwoofer distances in reference to the distance between your listening positioning and the locations of the particular speakers.
X'Over: The Kenwood eXcelon headunit provides independent high-pass crossovers for the unit's front and rear speaker/preamp outputs, as well as a subwoofer low-pass crossover.
Front High Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80,90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); or you can also select full-range
Rear High Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); you can also select full-range
Subwoofer Low Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250 Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); Phase (Normal/Reverse); or you can also select full-range
Equalizer Control: Equalizer Control allows you to use one of the System Q presets, or set your own custom settings using the 5-band Equalizer. The EQ adjustments are as follows:

Preset EQ: You can select from Natural, Rock, Pops, Easy, Top 40, Jazz, Game, iPod (you can select from 22 EQ curve types), or User.
5-Band EQ: The User mode allows you to adjust the following 5-Band EQ (62.5Hz, 250Hz, 1kHz, 4kHz, 16kHz) settings.
Band Levels: Independent front and rear EQ level of -9dB to +9dB.
Bass Effect: Enhances the bass response of Band 1 (62.5Hz).
Position Control: For a better sound-stage you can select your optimal listening position. You can choose from All, Front Left, Front Right or Front. You can also select to manually fine tune the sound stage by selecting the distance for each individual speaker in the vehicle compared to your listening position. You can select between 0.00 to 5.58 feet for the Left Front Speaker, Right Front Speaker, Left Rear Speaker, Right Rear Speaker, Left Subwoofer and/or Right Subwoofer.

Plus: 24 Bit D/A Converter: The Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X994 utilizes a 24-bit digital to analog converter for superior CD sound quality.

Additionally, there is free sofware I can download from Kenwood for the USB device:

Music Editor Compatible: The Kenwood KDC-X994 supports the PC application, Kenwood Music Editor Lite (ver.l.0 or later). Kenwood Music Editor Lite is a desktop software that helps organize, manage and transfer AAC, MP3, and WMA music files to your USB devices from your PC. When you playback audio files that have been stored on your USB device using Kenwood Music Editor Lite (ver.l.0) through this unit, you can search a file by title, album, or artist name using the headunit's Music Search function.

This guy should really help all my other components shine! After install, I'm going to have to reset everything on the amps and re-tune the whole system. I'm actually looking forward to it! And I thought it sounded good with the stock HU!

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by Herbicidal

New head unit arrives TODAY!!! Yaaaaay!!!!

Speaker Setting: The speaker X'over is automatically set when the position and size of each speaker are select from the following items.
Front: Location (Door, On Dash, or Under Dash); Size: (6-1/2", 6-3/4", 7", 4"x6", 5"x7", 6"x8", 6"x9", 7"x10", OEM, 4", or 5"); Tweeter (None or Use)
Rear: Location (Door, Rear Deck, 2nd Row or 3rd Row; Size (6-1/2", 6-3/4", 7", 4"x6", 5"x7", 6"x8", 6"x9", 7"x10", OEM, 4", or 5")
Subwoofer: Size(10", 12", 15", None, 6-1/2" or 8")

X'Over: The Kenwood eXcelon headunit provides independent high-pass crossovers for the unit's front and rear speaker/preamp outputs, as well as a subwoofer low-pass crossover.
Front High Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80,90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); or you can also select full-range
Rear High Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); you can also select full-range
Subwoofer Low Pass Filter: Frequency (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, or 250 Hz); Slope (-12, -18, or -24 dB per octave); Phase (Normal/Reverse); or you can also select full-range



This guy should really help all my other components shine! After install,


I'm going to have to reset everything on the amps and re-tune the whole system.


I'm actually looking forward to it! And I thought it sounded good with the stock HU!

Congratulations!
with x-over features you only need to match gain the amps. By pass every thing else.

D.

[_S7V7N_]

The 794 has basically the same options, i've spent about an hour of tuning and wow, these things have settings out the Ying Yang. Congrats on the buy !

[Herbicidal]

Thanks guys! I'm really psyched about getting it! I've got a busy weekend ahead, but I hope to at least get it hooked up. The 'tuning' will come later.

_S7V7N_ - good luck with your tuning! Sounds (no pun intended) like you are pleased with your unit.

[Truchito86]

wow man, i've just read your thread from the very begining, and i've got to say that all of your work is very impressive. it also help me make the decision of going ahead and getting the sound deading job started on my yaris sedan. all i've done is replaced the stock speakers with alpine type-R's, but the door rattle has always annoyed me. can't wait to get started this weekend. great write up man!

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by Truchito86

wow man, i've just read your thread from the very begining, and i've got to say that all of your work is very impressive. it also help me make the decision of going ahead and getting the sound deading job started on my yaris sedan. all i've done is replaced the stock speakers with alpine type-R's, but the door rattle has always annoyed me. can't wait to get started this weekend. great write up man!

Thanks! Glad you had some time to kill! In hindsight, I think I over did it on the RAAMmat. From what I know now, looks like a 25% coverage of the RAAMmat on the inside of the door panels would kill the resonance, then go to town with the Ensolite foam. Both products are VERY easy to use and do not require gloves. I LOVE the peel and stick, that's the easiest to work with. All the door pictures are right there, so you know what's behind the panels. No big surprises, just lots of holes.

Good luck if you choose to do it. I had fun! But then again, I'm sick like that.

[sqcomp]

Now you guys know about some of the crossover and EQ capabilites Derick and I are faced with...

Add in a complete 1/3 Octave and another pre out...

[Herbicidal]

Yeah, I think I will stay at my level. Even with my relatively low-end components it will be the best system I've ever owned and I'm good with that. Especially since I did all the work myself.

[sqcomp]

I applaud the DIY work!

[derickveliz2]

There is nothing better than the feeling of doing it your self!

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by derickveliz2

There is nothing better than the feeling of doing it your self!

Originally Posted by sqcomp

I applaud the DIY work!

Yeah, I do too! You guys, however, took THAT to the next level and beyond!!! Way to go!

[Herbicidal]

Oh, I did get the new Toyota bezel that gives me the double DIN opening since I have the factory integrated radio. I did a quick test fit of what came from Crutchfield and it fits the Toyota bezel perfectly! Whew! Now it should be pretty much plug and play.

Oh yeah, this little jewel (which served it's purpose) will be coming out too!
Now I'll be able to take advantage of the RCA outputs on the new deck and go right to the Eclipse amps. My little system will be able to breathe!!!!

[Herbicidal]

I've installed my Kenwood HU and it has TONS of adjustability. I've barely scratched the surface. My two amps (Eclipse EA4200 and the Eclipse XA1200600W) both have adjustability for the crossover's and bass boost as shown in the pictures below. Since my new HU has built in control over ALL these functions, should I "zero out" the amps and do ALL the tuning through the HU? Looking for suggestions. Thanks!

XA-1200:


EA-4200:

[derickveliz2]

.

In theory you would "by pass" the X-over and only adjust the Input Levels AKA Gains

In your amp I don't see an option to go "full" like in my amp.

But I'm sure the Masters will correct me if I'm wrong and give a proper answer

[Herbicidal]

Thanks Derick! Anyone else? Suggestions on how to set the amps specifically, since my new HU can control all the settings?

[Herbicidal]

I've decided to replace the vented subwoofer box with a sealed one. I checked the requirments for my 10" Alpine Type R subwoofer and this one fits the bill from Sonic as far as internal box volume. Hey, for the price of a tank of gas, I bought the box and paid the shipping. It's worth it to me to give it a try. Plus it has a smaller footprint than the vented box I have now. AND it has an angled back that I think will fit nicely up against the back of the rear seat. Here's what I ordered for $17.99 plus shipping:

<link to the specs of the sub box>

[derickveliz2]

Looks nice! Herb...

Please let us know how they compare to the ported box.

D.

[derickveliz2]

I was looking at this one, but it's out of stock!



cheap!