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2013 Subaru BRZ Build Log

315K views 2K replies 166 participants last post by  bertholomey 
#1 · (Edited)
I tend to be very wordy, and this build log won't disappoint.

I have been 'obsessing' about this car since Ryan told me about it - probably December or January of this year. I thought after my 2002 BMW, I would naturally buy another BMW. I was looking at the 135i and the new Z4 coupe, but both of these cars present significant challenges for mobile audio – would take significant custom installation to get the system in the way I would want it.

Once I really started looking at the BRZ – I really liked the way the car looked, and I liked the platform for my Stereo install. I know many have made the comments on the BRZ forums and on this forum that it is a joke to be called a ‘sports car’ with only 200 horse power, but for me 1) it looks like a sports car 2) feels like a sports car in the cockpit 3) handles like a sports car 4) and it has plenty of power ----a sports car in my book – the only one that has to be happy with it.

This is my first new car, so it was a bit of a big deal. A few pics from the dealer when he got it in, and some pics when I picked it up.





The sales guy sent me a video of the odometer reading 8 miles.

The Day the wife and I picked up the car




Sitting at the 'signing' table


A few interior shots:






After tinting


 
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#2 · (Edited)
Now, to the install....

2013 Subaru BRZ: Audio Installation
• September 24, 2012 – September 30, 2012
• Mark Brooks

Goals:
• Clean and Stealthy
• Usability of trunk
• Rattle Free
• Sound quality on par with the BMW if not better

PRESS FIT EVERYTHING!
(I was instructed to make sure this is clearly stated)

Major Sections of Install:
• Head Unit
• Dash Speakers
• Mid bass drivers
• Amplifiers
• Processor
• 6to8 Controller
• Wiring
• Deadening

Rough Chronology:
• Listen to BMW for reference
• De-Install BMW
• Pull BRZ HU – check engine lights, etc.
• Measure up subs, amps
• Final decision on kicks vs doors
• Gut BRZ – prepare for deadener / wiring
• Wiring – power, rca, speaker
• Deadener
• Speaker install – dash / mid bass
• Amp Install
• Subs
• Tune

Equipment:
• Pioneer P99RS
• Mosconi 6to8 + Controller
• Mosconi 200.4, 100.4 (2)
• Morel MT23 Tweeters
• Audible Physics XR3M or Nz3 or X4Soul
• Audible Physics Arian 6.5” drivers
• Audison distribution block
• RCAs, Power Wire, Speaker Wire, Fan, Relay, Deadener

Some pics of measuring the available space:







The suitcase is a requirement - will need to drive this car to the airport.....


A table full of gear




Wires






 
#5 · (Edited)
The Head Unit - I was running close to the wire on getting a kit for this car prior to the build starting - I really wanted a custom look, and Mark delivered! I was extremely impressed with how this came out.









Speakers

I was trying to decide between the XR3M's, the NZ's, and the X4's - I really love the sound of the XR's, and it really depended on what would fit. As it turned out - the XRs would fit - 'barely'....there was really no way the X4's were going to fit without some serious cuttin'.









 
#570 ·
The Head Unit - I was running close to the wire on getting a kit for this car prior to the build starting - I really wanted a custom look, and Mark delivered! I was extremely impressed with how this came out.





Oh man, how did you mount the head unit to make that dash kit? I need to fabricate something like this. My single-DIN Clarion attaches to the OEM brackets in the top "half" of the opening, but then I would need a major trim panel like this!
 
#6 · (Edited)
Dash speakers continued





Door speakers were the 6.5" Arian drivers. Mike told me the corian baffles were the bomb, but he was later accused of sabotage....jk They took a long time to cut, lots of itchy dust, and foul language :D



Well....after they cracked when putting in screws.....we went with Mark's first choice....birch ply













 
#10 ·
The next day saw the beginning of the IB baffle. Pretty challenging in this small car. The 'wall' had to be built inside the car, and it had to be able to be removed some day (didn't really want to have it completely glued in). The wall was made with birch ply, and we went with one layer due to space constraints.

















And of course - it had to be carpeted within the car...not real fun......


 
#11 ·
Subscribed! You're using the same frontstage drivers as me. The XR3m is a fantastic driver! But I don't need to tell you that. I also ran the Morel MT23 with it myself but decided that I liked the XR3m alone on my mid/highs... It just sounded cleaner. You're doing a great job so far! I'll be getting a new subaru Outback or Legacy for my upcoming build... I hope to get some ideas from this build. I can't wait to hear your impressions of the Arians! Your post that you wrote when you first got the XR3m drivers is what talked me into trying them! LOVE EM!
 
#19 ·
Thanks!!!

I'm a big fan of the Arians....but of course you all know I would say that.....but I was using some solid drivers (Seas Lotus Reference 6.5's). I feel that the Arians provide greater resolution, accuracy, and 'weight' to the bass frequencies.
 
#12 ·
With the subs in....I had an extremely fortunate thing happen.....I spoke to my friend Webster who offered up his awesome pair of AA subs - lovingly modded to run IB. It took something very special to make me leave my frankensub that I have enjoyed for the past several years. I have always wanted to run dual subs, and I finally got my chance. I am extremely impressed with these subs - with a solid baffle, 4 ohm final load, and 90+ sensitivity.....they do well!









Painting the magnets....




Removing the rear deck turned into a real PITA - the plastic pieces that need to be removed to get to the deck didn't want to play along. Thanks to Subimax, we knew that we would get rattles if we didn't do something about this area now.







 
#13 ·
Trunk build. 10 pounds of 'stuff' in a 5 pound sack.....I know that 20" + amps aren't typically put in small cars like this, but there isn't but a very few other amps I would consider other than these Mosconis. Mark had to get 3 amps, a distro block, a processor, and a fan in the tire well. I'm looking to replace those AQ RCAs with something shorter.













The 6to8 controller...I was really looking forward to using this piece. It was a challenge to get it to me, and it turned out to be a bit bigger than we had expected. The deal breaker for me was that it didn't seem to want to work with the bluetooth dongle installed. I need to use the bluetooth to tune, and I am not going to install the dongle every time I want to tune......something about that word dongle.....





Never got a pic of the controller lit up.
 
#14 ·
The tweets were installed in the pillars. The original idea was to put them in the dash next to the 3's, but the only space really available was where the stock tweet was installed.....that could possibly seriously narrow the stage. Mark installed the Morel tweeters using the supplied hardware.

Here are some 'Final' pics


















....and a shout out to Ryan with the excellent spray wash to keep things clean.
 
#17 ·
So to wrap things up.....

I had finally got my '02 BMW 325i sounding exactly how I wanted, and then we ripped it apart. So I had Mark install the same gear (except the subs), and since we ran out of time at the end of the build to do any tuning except for Time Alignment, the tune is exactly the same as what was in the BMW.

It sounds better already. The drivers are mounted more solidly, the wiring is direct (not the splices that were needed in the BMW), and the driver locations have some inherent advantages.

The staging is very wide, deep with good layering, height is midway up the windshield, and the bass is solid - the dual subs play low and loud - effortlessly. I'm really looking forward to a few tuning sessions to get this to a level that I never experienced before - even as much as I liked the sound in the BMW.
 
#24 ·
Hey, the best time to break stuff for the car is when it is brand new versus being 10+ years old with plastic parts that are nearly impossible to find.:laugh:

I know on my WRX that certain plastic pieces are single use items only.:(
 
#26 ·
Thanks.....it is some nice work. I thought Mark did a fantastic job on the car. He had done a lot of research on the BRZ / FRS forums and some of the great builds on this forum, but pictures will only tell you so much. He had some plans in mind that had to be changed when he was presented with the actual dimensions of the car. Also, as you could guess, there was not any builds on the BRZ/FRS forums to this level (most guys either don't care that much about sound or didn't want to add this much weight).

I mentioned before that I really liked the way he mounted the Pioneer. I never liked the dash kit in the bmw - little flimsy thing that looked awful. I got a quote on a fiber glass custom mount.....about $350, and even I couldn't 'justify' that kind of cost. The stock unit it a weird din + 1/2, so I'm not sure exactly what the kit is going to look like. I think this black bevel looks really good with the Pioneer, and I couldn't be happier in the way it turned out.
 
#40 ·
Thanks for saying that Kendal...... I believe the words you said upon exiting the vehicle was, "your car always [makes me mad] when I demo it" :)

I secretly hope you have the same reaction in November when you get a longer demo with your music ;)
 
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