Yaris Sedan Deadening and Sound system upgrade

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

It came down to the center image. I was getting some funky phasing issues being on axis. I spent about 6 hours moving each set of speakers around, muting all the others, and searching for the center image. I found it. It turns out to be along the same aiming I had in my first iteration last year.

Good to know, tweet install is next up for my car... Today I just finished getting rid of my dash rattle. Its amazing how much of a difference .5sq ft of ensolite foam + .5sq ft of mat, + about 20" of electrical tape can do. It actually wasn't that hard getting dash off, once I realized I forgot the two bolts securing the airbag.

I know one thing, my tweet install is going to be much simplier than yours, and also look way more ghetto... but thats ok.

[sqcomp]

The dash pad is relatively easy to remove.

It's good seeing you here again! How's life treating you?

As for how things look, as you noticed by the pictures, I've been messing with bonding ABS. Mine most certainly look terrible now. But given a couple sessions at the shop, these pillars will turn out beautifully.

[_S7V7N_]

Taln nice to see you post man ! Long time no see.

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by _S7V7N_

Taln nice to see you post man ! Long time no see.

That's true Taln, where have you been! (O:

D.

[talnlnky]

Originally Posted by derickveliz2

That's true Taln, where have you been! (O:

D.

work 4 tens, take care of the kid on the 5th day while mom is at work, and I generally have trouble moderating my hobbies, so for the sake of my family, i cut back on 97% of my computer usage.

The family is out of town until saturday though, so thats why i started doing install work again, and have time to post on here.

Good news tho.... Got a new laptop, and now my box building software is up and working again, so I can model sub boxes again.

[derickveliz2]

I did go back to the area under the wipers..., and found out that water drainage is working ok, but the heat from the headers it's making the MLV to change shape... and a couple pieces of Mat came off, I'm assuming the change in temperatures makes the adhesion loose strength.









Ready to add a layer of "heat barrier"





Overlapping this material to get extra layers




MLV behind wipers mechanism... What a difference! specially on rainy days. LOL








Over exposed picture showing air intake on the left side "that little triangle there"



D.

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[why?]

heh, all about sq. The little sub is amazing, but your system really puts in perspective having a fully functional well working group of high end speakers with a head unit with all the toys to make them shine.

In all the years of being around people that call themselves audiophiles I've never heard a system that literally lets you "see," "feel," and hear exactly where a sound comes from as well and exact as your system does.

It was like going to see a band in a small coffee shop, but for every type of music. I don't know how many artists even thought of systems that sound like this, but listening to it you know the lead singer is in one place, the background singers are in another and the instruments are coming at you from wherever they are.

Every recording was almost intimate, and the music separated itself depending on where it was and what it was doing. Hearing is believing.

Not to mention the sound literally came from the dash, yet the main speakers were in the kick panels and only two little tweeters were up top.

As weird as it is to say, the quality being amazing was almost secondary. I'm used to that. Derick's system sounds just as good as a 5.1 home system. I've had the pleasure of really being able to listen to many, from cheap ones to really high end expensive ones, and for sound quality Derick's car is just as good as any of them.

The only thing that I would do differently is have the sound be more surround. Derick's system is set up to be all up front, literally like the musicians are in mini playing on the dash. And of course with great recordings it sounds so much better than going to see live music.

I love that this system proves you don't need insane volume to have a top notch system. Derick really has built a system that should inspire everyone.

Oh, and then the quiet. Now if you look through the thread on my car you'll see I've pretty much removed everything. Rear seats, seatbelts, the entire cargo area, spare tire, and a few of the plastic side moldings are all gone. I get to here the gas splashing around, every little thing that hits the bottom of the car, and every single little noise the car itself makes. It also takes very little audio volume to fill my car.

Derick's car is the exact opposite. Amazingly quiet. From the windshield wipers, the blower motor for the air, and then almost zero road noise. We took a short drive on the highways and his car is easily lexus quality quiet. And he still gets 43 mpg.

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by why?

heh, all about sq.

Every recording was almost intimate, and the music separated itself depending on where it was and what it was doing. Hearing is believing.

I love that this system proves you don't need insane volume to have a top notch system. Derick really has built a system that should inspire everyone.

Amazingly quiet. From the windshield wipers, the blower motor for the air, and then almost zero road noise. We took a short drive on the highways and his car is easily lexus quality quiet. And he still gets 43 mpg.

Like sqcomp says ... Welcome! to the SQ world!

Yes! we got together with why? today at lunch time, great guy, loves his Yaris, good friend!
and actually why? is a BIG GUY! I even asked him to go on the passengers side and he didn't bother the i6sw enclosure, "quiet comfortable" he said!

Thanks why? !

I appreciate your kind words and as far of inspiration...

When ever you need to get you going (wiring, installing, tips and tricks) just let me know and we'll work on it! you know at least once a week I'm in the area. Let's do a Yaris meet! I know CTScott asked me once to get together in a meet with other Yaris enthusiasts!

Thanks again


D.

[sqcomp]

Welcome to the world of sound quality! :)

I should show this to Scott...

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

Welcome to the world of sound quality! :)

I should show this to Scott...

I think you should, I think why? wouldn't mind.

D.

[sqcomp]

Done. This testimonial is on a forum specifically for such topics.

Derick...we really need to get you into an L3v2 or an L4v2 to replace that ML-70...

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

Done. This testimonial is on a forum specifically for such topics.

Derick...we really need to get you into an L3v2 or an L4v2 to replace that ML-70...

I was trying to find it but no luck, could you PM me a link please?

Thanks

D.

[why?]

heh, that pic is awesome.

I actually signed up to the hat forums too. Figured that was the best place to see if I could get one used. Although there aren't any dealers anywhere near me, probably aren't any in new england either, heh maybe I should look for someone to build the perfect sub box for it too.

Who knows, my first problem is money. I have something to aspire to now.

although running 400 watts through that sub and you'd never know it. Totally crazy.

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by why?

heh, that pic is awesome.

I actually signed up to the hat forums too. Figured that was the best place to see if I could get one used. Although there aren't any dealers anywhere near me, probably aren't any in new england either, heh maybe I should look for someone to build the perfect sub box for it too.

Who knows, my first problem is money. I have something to aspire to now.

although running 400 watts through that sub and you'd never know it. Totally crazy.

I got my L6s, and L1v2 at DIYMA (NIB) and at a good price. Used come very often and at a really good price!

D.

[sqcomp]

^ I know that one. I've had two since I came back from Iraq.

[sqcomp]

Here's something to wake some of us up...



Notice these caps? It behooves one to run these inline with a set of tweeters if you value your investment. This measure of caps will essentially create a 6 dB slope at 1500 Hertz to protect the tweeters from turn on/off pops and other "feedback" that can damage tweeters. I'll have this cap combination soldered with the quick disconnect couplers I have hanging around for serviceability, then "wrapped" in black heat shrink. This will then be put inline just after the outputs from the amplifier.

[sqcomp]

TOLM-The ONLY reason I'm using these capacitors is for tweeter protection. They help protect the tweeter from amplifier turn on/off DC transient pops (which occur after the active crossover), and they help protect against accidental tuning mistakes. That is all. I refuse to be taken captive by a crossover network that does not have any flexibility and is as big as a tank. The less parts the better.

As for the phase inversion and slope adjustability, I have no issues. I can flip phase at the push of a button...on several points of active processing.

Don't think for one second that at any time there will be a passive two or three way crossover hulking anywhere in this vehicle. While I can make it pretty, I still know I'm looking at a dinosaur.

To remind you, none of the SQ world champions at INAC used passive crossovers that I noticed. There's a reason for that.

*note - this response might sound harsh. It isn't. I'm at such a place where passive crossovers are a hindrance and a step backwards. I react a certain way when people tell me to give up flexibility and adjustability for convinience.

@ Derick - the post was placed on a private Hybrid Audio forum only accessible to Team Hybrids members. *hint hint* put in an application as soon as you rid yourself of the ML-70.

[sqcomp]

Here's something from one of the old school car audio OGs, Richard Clark, in 2001:

"Tweeters are expensive, and I’m sure that there’s nothing more frustrating than purchasing a pair of $200 tweeters and having one of them destroyed. Tweeters, and especially horn drivers, are extremely sensitive and fragile. One common failure mode for tweeters in systems with electronic crossovers is failure to provide protection from unintentional low frequency transients. Woofers have been known to move great distances when amplifiers are turned on or turned off or a RCA comes partly unplugged, but what about the tweeters?

If the tweeter is fed from a passive crossover, it will naturally be protected from this phenomenon. But, what if it’s attached directly to a monster amp? Since tweeters were not designed to move more than a few thousandths of an inch, what happens when they get popped by an amplifier? The answer is that they typically suffer from suspension fatigue and become permanently damaged. There’s no remedy for damaged tweeters, and they will produce constant distortion until they are replaced.

Simply plugging and unplugging an RCA lead from an active crossover or an amplifier driving a tweeter will often cause a potentially damaging pop. The pop in a tweeter may not always be audible, but the damage will occur electro-mechanically. (This is one of the reasons that a couple of Japanese amplifier designs included a feature that required a chassis ground connection to the RCA connector before the amplifier would engage.) There is no reason to put tweeters at such risk because the necessary safety precautions are both inexpensive and easy to install.

To protect a tweeter, a bi-polar crossover capacitor should be inserted in series with the + terminal. (It really doesn’t matter, but let’s be consistent.) This “safety” capacitor will block dangerous pops and spikes, yet, it will permit the audio to pass.

For example, let’s say we’re using a crossover point of 2000 Hz on a tweeter with an impedance of 4 ohms (at 2000 Hz). One-half of 2000 Hz yields an f of 1000 Hz. Solving for C, we arrive at 40 mfd (39.8 mfd if you’re a math buff) for our safety cap. Remember, electrolytic caps can be used as long as they’re bypassed properly. Again, polystyrene film capacitors should be used for bypassing. If this is done correctly, the safety cap will have no affect on sound as it’s too low to have any audible effect, but if any low frequencies slip by they will be removed before they can cause damage. A tweeter safety cap sort of acts like a “subsonic filter” does for a woofer, only it works at the frequencies that are troublesome to tweeters.

That’s it for this issue. I’ve been using these techniques in studio and pro audio applications for decades, and they’ve saved me many times. I hope that you’ll consider including small bypass and safety capacitors in your next system. Someday the tweeter you save may be your own!