2008 Yaris sedan ‘S’ sound deadening project.

[Herbicidal]

As mentioned in my 'do I need another amp?' thread, I have ordered the Eclipse mono channel amp, Alpine Type R 10" subwoofer and an enclosure. Now I need to pick up some 4 gauge wire (power and ground), another fuse block, firewall grommet and a few other odds and ends. Now I'm motivated to get the trunk lined with Ensolite to provide a nice snug home for the new subwoofer. I'm so glad to be done with the doors!!!!

OK, I thought the 'Danger High Voltage' signs in the right front passenger door was funny, even if they will never be seen again! Even my daughter laughed!

Did I mention I'm glad to be done with the doors???

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by Herbicidal

Did I mention I'm glad to be done with the doors???

Something I really like about the doors after deadening is (and just for key-less entry) that when you lock / unlock your car with the remote, you can barely hear the noise of the system, standing next to your car...

give it a try!.

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by derickveliz2

Something I really like about the doors after deadening is (and just for key-less entry) that when you lock / unlock your car with the remote, you can barely hear the noise of the system, standing next to your car...

give it a try!.

Yup! You are right. Just a little 'snick, snick'.

My parts arrived yesterday! Ohhhh yaaaa! I stopped by Fry's Electronics on my way home from work and picked up an amp install kit that has 4 gauge wires for power and ground, speaker wire, remote turn on wire for the amp, plus all the little stuff that comes with the kit. I also spent $20 and bought a Monster 3-way slim line distribution block (will accept 4 gauge wire) that connects to the battery. I'll use two of the three openings for the power wires to both amps. This leaves me one for whatever floats my boat down the road. I still need to pick up a rubber grommet for the firewall as this time I think I will drill a hole next to the A/C vent drain plug hole that I used for the last power wire. Hopefully this weekend I can start running the wires, etc.

By the way, with the subwoofer enclosure, is there a "right way" to position it?

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by Herbicidal

By the way, with the subwoofer enclosure, is there a "right way" to position it?

usually facing it toward the rear of the car will give you the most bass.

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by talnlnky

usually facing it toward the rear of the car will give you the most bass.

Thanks much! I'll try it that way first.

[centrysis]

In my hatchback, facing towards the rear is the best.

[Herbicidal]

So I guess that is bass-ackwards! Sorry, that was pretty bad.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Still gonna do that dB reading after your speakers and sub are broken in?

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Still gonna do that dB reading after your speakers and sub are broken in?

Hi Kaotic, I'm sure herb can do that too, but the dB reading was to measure the noise level in the cabin before and after deadening with out music playing.


.


D.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by derickveliz2

Hi Kaotic, I'm sure herb can do that too, but the dB reading was to measure the noise level in the cabin before and after deadening with out music playing.


.


D.

hahaha, I know. It's one of those shits-and-giggles things. I just want to see how loud his system can get

[Herbicidal]

Sure, I'll do it both ways! I'll need some earplugs before doing the stereo check. Still gotta tune it! Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some time to play around with amp settings.

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by Herbicidal

My parts arrived yesterday! Ohhhh yaaaa! I stopped by Fry's Electronics on my way home from work and picked up an amp install kit that has 4 gauge wires for power and ground, speaker wire, remote turn on wire for the amp, plus all the little stuff that comes with the kit. I also spent $20 and bought a Monster 3-way slim line distribution block (will accept 4 gauge wire) that connects to the battery. I'll use two of the three openings for the power wires to both amps. This leaves me one for whatever floats my boat down the road. I still need to pick up a rubber grommet for the firewall as this time I think I will drill a hole next to the A/C vent drain plug hole that I used for the last power wire. Hopefully this weekend I can start running the wires, etc.

In case you haven't been following my thread about whether I need another amp to power a subwoofer, here's an update on what I've done since the new equipment arrived from Sonic Electronics. For others, this will be a repeat of the info, sorry about that. Just trying to keep some continuity. By the way, I ended up returning that Monster slim-line power block. It wasn't slim enough. With it on the positive battery post, the battery cable would not fit on correctly, so I took it back. I was able to attach the power wire for the second amp to an existing accessories 'tab' on the cable.

Here's my most recent set of pictures. As I mentioned before, the install went pretty smooth, just time consuming to do a ‘clean’ install. I used an air powered cut off wheel to remove the jack bracket under the driver’s seat and the jack does fit snugly in the spare tire compartment. I had to place a piece of 2x4 under each amp to get a level mounting spot because of a funky space between some horizontal body supports. This made it easier to connect up the wiring. I figure this allows the air to flow partially underneath and will help with the overall cooling of the amp. I’m still experimenting with placement of the subwoofer box in the trunk. Laying it flat with the sub pointing to the rear of the car takes up the most room, but standing it up and rotating it 90 degrees gives me the most space in the trunk and puts the weight closer to being over the rear axle. Anyway, I’m still playing with the positioning for sound and space maximization of the sub.

Without further ado:

Eclipse XA1200 mono channel amp.


Alpine Type R 10" sub.


Alpine Type R 10" sub, top view.


Alpine Type R 10" sub, connectors. I used the jumpers to set it up for 2 ohms.


10" vented sub enclosure from Sonic Electronix.


Alpine Type R 10" sub-in-the-box.


Preparing for surgery. That car jack mounting bracket has to go!


Where the bracket for mounting the car jack was, under the drivers seat. Needed to make room for the other amp.


The blue wire is 4 gauge for power to the subwoofer amp. The black tube is the A/C breather that vents to the outside of the firewall.


4 gauge power wires through the firewall passenger foot well red for the speaker amp, blue for the subwoofer amp.


Eclipse mono channel subwoofer amp on the left, Eclipse 4 channel amp for the speakers on the right.


Alpine Type R 10" sub in a box. I'm still trying different locations and positions so the wiring isn't finalized yet.

[Herbicidal]

And my experience of "tuning" the amps, also from my 'do I need another amp...' thread:

I finally was able to spend about 2 hours yesterday to tune my amps. Crawling around in the back seat with Alien Mantis's instructions in one hand and a small screwdriver in the other, moving the front seats all the way forward so I could get to the adjustment screws, making adjustments, moving the seats back to the regular positions so I could sit in the drivers seat and listen, then repeat the process all over again about six more times. When I first took a look at the adjustment screws, everything on both amps was basically turned "off". While installing them, I didn't even look at the adjustment screws because I really didn't understand them. Since last Saturday, essentially I have not been using the subwoofer amp, and for another two weeks at least, the speaker amp! I was so focused on the install and keeping it all neat and tidy I just didn't even pay any attention to what position those adjustment screws where in! What a dumba$$!

HOLY FREAK'IN MOTHER OF BASS BATMAN!!!

I can't believe the difference! I still have a HUGE $hit eating grin plastered on my face this morning! AND I'm using the stock head unit! I can't imagine the sound getting better than this, let alone what a decent quality HU would do for me! WOW!!! Obviously I am very happy with the amps, speakers and subwoofer! Once I was done, I even vacuumed and washed my car. Ahhhhhhhh! My 13 year old daughter was in the house and came out to the garage to find out what the heck was going on!

LESSON: Make sure to TUNE YOUR AMP(s)!!! If you haven't done it yet, get out there and do it!!! Othewise you are just wasting your hard earned $$$'s!!!

[derickveliz2]

The but of that woofer looks intimidating

Too bad we can't hear it / feel it.

D.

[Niels J]

Originally Posted by derickveliz2

Hi Kaotic, I'm sure herb can do that too, but the dB reading was to measure the noise level in the cabin before and after deadening with out music playing.


.


D.

So what was the "after" reading?? I can't find it anywhere

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by Niels J

So what was the "after" reading?? I can't find it anywhere

Sorry my friend! I have not made the time to get the "after" reading. Not your fault, it's all me! I was camping last weekend and I leave in a couple of days for another 4 night trip. I might not have it for a little while yet, sorry. But I have not forgotten!

[Herbicidal]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Nice. Just for shits and giggles, take a dB rating after you break in the speakers. hahaha.

OK, the wife wasn't home so I pulled into the garage, closed the door behind me and cranked up the tunes with the engine off and the windows up. The MAX my little hand-held db meter read was 97.7 db! That was all I could take! I wasn't detecting distortion, but I didn't want to 'blow' anything either. With the same song playing at the same volume I stepped out of the car and closed the door and took another reading about 6 feet away at the side of the car: 77.3 db, basically a 20 db drop to the outside. I guess that's good?

Now the crazy part. I put the db meter in the backseat like I did way back when. I didn't tape it down, but set on a sweatshirt so it wouldn't slide around. Rolled up the windows, turned off the radio and nailed the gas. Now I digress for a moment, the car is not as quick as before with the RAAMmat layered all over the place (2 boxes worth), two amps, subwoofer box and subwoofer, plus slightly heavier new speakers front and rear. That's kind of a bummer, but that's the trade-off for a great sounding system. Oh well. I accelerated up to about 50 mph, then pulled over so I could read the db meter...86.3 db!!! This is actually louder than before! So you don't have to go looking, the original reading was 84.7! What the heck?!? The interior sounds quieter to me so I really don't understand why it's reading higher now. Beats the Ensolite out of me! However, I don't think I would do anything different. Very strange. I'm open to anyone's guess!

[centrysis]

I'd say its the meter. I've followed your work. I only put mat down on the back of my HB, and it was an improvement. Some of those meters aren't that reliable. Your ears are right. It is quieter.