Hi all
I'm planning out my first car audio install. I'm just going to describe my plan, and anyone who feels like it can chime in with suggestions. I'll make a build log once the planning is over and the installing starts.
This is going into my 80's Mazda E2000 van. It's a camper conversion. I've done two camper conversions on this same model van before, so that part will be OK. I'm trying to keep everything "period" if possible.
So for the purposes of the audio install, at this point I still need to decide on subs, source unit, where and how to mount the speakers, and what sort of treatment to do to the front doors.
Sound treatment
Currently the van is at 'completely stripped out' stage - all the stock trim, headlining, soundproofing etc is out except the dash, which will also come out soon. I need to leave that in so I can drive it.
You can see that the front seats sit on top of the engine, there's a starter battery under the driver's seat and then I have a 100aH deep cycle battery under the passenger seat. So I have two firewalls where engine noise can get into the van. My cellphone SPL meter app says it's 89dB while driving at the moment with no sound proofing!!
First step will be adding body deadener to all the interior panels - floor pan, firewalls, door panels, roof, rear window panels (have been steeled over), rear wall panels, rear doors, up on the underside of the wheel arches, anywhere else that looks like it would help. Maybe the entire underside of the van.
Then I have a 1.4mx2.4m sheet of mass-loaded vinyl bonded to carpet underlay, which will be going all over the engine compartment, and on the floorpan in the front. I'll have some left over, which will probably just get double-layered. This will get carpeted over.
I'm getting upholstered ply door cards made up to cover the entire front door surfaces.
A wall is being constructed between the front of rear parts of the van - the plan at the moment is to use 3mm wood veneer laminated 2 layers thick on both sides, stuff acoustic foam inside it, and upholster the front-facing side. So far it's just framing. It's VERY strong framing!!
The dash and above the windshield be re-upholstered, and the roof will be padded with acoustic foam and possibly a layer of mass loaded vinyl if I can figure out how to keep it up there, it's heavy stuff!
Audio gear acquired so far
I just have the front sound stage sorted out so far.
Clarion APA 4400 amp - 4x100W@4ohms
http://www.clarion.com/us/en/MungoBlobs/453/752/APA4400G_APA4200G,0.pdf
Actually an "Addzest" branded amp, apparently these share some heritage with McIntosh
Dayton Audio RS150-4 6" woofers
Dayton Audio RS150-4 6" Reference Woofer 4 Ohm
Vifa XT25SC90-04 1" ring radiator tweeters
Vifa XT25SC90-04 1" Dual Ring Radiator Tweeter
MiniDSP 2-in 4-out
MiniDSP kit | MiniDSP
Front door treatment
I can get the mass-loaded vinyl without the underlay bonded to it, so routing out a cavity in the ply door card and filling it with a sandwich of foam and mass-loaded vinyl is what I'm considering at the moment.
I'll see if there is any space left in the doors, and stuff any gaps full of sheep's wool insulation. (My partner's mum has some sheep on her farm that we can shear!!)
Front stage speaker placement
The 6" drivers will go in the doors. Is it worth somehow angling them up towards the driving position? Are there any gotchas on mounting, or can I just route some holes and screw the drivers in?
The 1" tweeters will go in the A pillars. The plan is to add some wood struts covering the steel A-pillars, and mount the tweeters recessed into the wood, angled towards the driving position.
Subwoofer
I am undecided on subs. There is about 20" of space between the front seats and where the wall is, but to get at the engine the front seats fold up, so I need to leave about half of that free.
The two options I can think of are:
1. Build a 9" thick sub box the width and height of the van and mount it on the wall
2. Run Infinite Baffle through the wall
I'm liking option #2 to be honest!!! If anyone can chime in on some suitable speakers that wouldn't look out of place in the 1980s and are good for IB, I'm all ears.
I'm also currently amp shopping, but I think I'll get the subs first and wait for a bargain on another old Clarion amp to match the APA 4400.
Source unit
I actually have no idea on source unit. I'm doing as much reading as I can get away with on old Clarion units that might do the job, the Old School Clarion Lovers thread is a goldmine of info!
I'm planning out my first car audio install. I'm just going to describe my plan, and anyone who feels like it can chime in with suggestions. I'll make a build log once the planning is over and the installing starts.
This is going into my 80's Mazda E2000 van. It's a camper conversion. I've done two camper conversions on this same model van before, so that part will be OK. I'm trying to keep everything "period" if possible.
So for the purposes of the audio install, at this point I still need to decide on subs, source unit, where and how to mount the speakers, and what sort of treatment to do to the front doors.
Sound treatment
Currently the van is at 'completely stripped out' stage - all the stock trim, headlining, soundproofing etc is out except the dash, which will also come out soon. I need to leave that in so I can drive it.
You can see that the front seats sit on top of the engine, there's a starter battery under the driver's seat and then I have a 100aH deep cycle battery under the passenger seat. So I have two firewalls where engine noise can get into the van. My cellphone SPL meter app says it's 89dB while driving at the moment with no sound proofing!!
First step will be adding body deadener to all the interior panels - floor pan, firewalls, door panels, roof, rear window panels (have been steeled over), rear wall panels, rear doors, up on the underside of the wheel arches, anywhere else that looks like it would help. Maybe the entire underside of the van.
Then I have a 1.4mx2.4m sheet of mass-loaded vinyl bonded to carpet underlay, which will be going all over the engine compartment, and on the floorpan in the front. I'll have some left over, which will probably just get double-layered. This will get carpeted over.
I'm getting upholstered ply door cards made up to cover the entire front door surfaces.
A wall is being constructed between the front of rear parts of the van - the plan at the moment is to use 3mm wood veneer laminated 2 layers thick on both sides, stuff acoustic foam inside it, and upholster the front-facing side. So far it's just framing. It's VERY strong framing!!
The dash and above the windshield be re-upholstered, and the roof will be padded with acoustic foam and possibly a layer of mass loaded vinyl if I can figure out how to keep it up there, it's heavy stuff!
Audio gear acquired so far
I just have the front sound stage sorted out so far.
Clarion APA 4400 amp - 4x100W@4ohms
http://www.clarion.com/us/en/MungoBlobs/453/752/APA4400G_APA4200G,0.pdf
Actually an "Addzest" branded amp, apparently these share some heritage with McIntosh
Dayton Audio RS150-4 6" woofers
Dayton Audio RS150-4 6" Reference Woofer 4 Ohm
Vifa XT25SC90-04 1" ring radiator tweeters
Vifa XT25SC90-04 1" Dual Ring Radiator Tweeter
MiniDSP 2-in 4-out
MiniDSP kit | MiniDSP
Front door treatment
I can get the mass-loaded vinyl without the underlay bonded to it, so routing out a cavity in the ply door card and filling it with a sandwich of foam and mass-loaded vinyl is what I'm considering at the moment.
I'll see if there is any space left in the doors, and stuff any gaps full of sheep's wool insulation. (My partner's mum has some sheep on her farm that we can shear!!)
Front stage speaker placement
The 6" drivers will go in the doors. Is it worth somehow angling them up towards the driving position? Are there any gotchas on mounting, or can I just route some holes and screw the drivers in?
The 1" tweeters will go in the A pillars. The plan is to add some wood struts covering the steel A-pillars, and mount the tweeters recessed into the wood, angled towards the driving position.
Subwoofer
I am undecided on subs. There is about 20" of space between the front seats and where the wall is, but to get at the engine the front seats fold up, so I need to leave about half of that free.
The two options I can think of are:
1. Build a 9" thick sub box the width and height of the van and mount it on the wall
2. Run Infinite Baffle through the wall
I'm liking option #2 to be honest!!! If anyone can chime in on some suitable speakers that wouldn't look out of place in the 1980s and are good for IB, I'm all ears.
I'm also currently amp shopping, but I think I'll get the subs first and wait for a bargain on another old Clarion amp to match the APA 4400.
Source unit
I actually have no idea on source unit. I'm doing as much reading as I can get away with on old Clarion units that might do the job, the Old School Clarion Lovers thread is a goldmine of info!