[Adurm]

Just a quick log of what I'm doing here in my sportwagen with fender audio.
Gear:
Source: Hiby R3 pro saber dap aux out for now.
Dsp: audison bit one
Front door: hertz hv165L
Rear door: focal ps165 (no tweet)
Front tweet: cdt audio unity 7.5 widebands
Sub: image dynamics idq10 v4
Amp for widebands: clarion apa4204 bridged
Amp for doors: image dynamics sq 1400.5.

I decided to run all fresh wires which means going through the molex plugs. I got a depinning tool which helps but it's still a messy tedious task.

I managed to install the rear midbass with some mdf rings (not ideal but should be okay. I got some foam baffles to help keep the moisture off. I didn't like the limited air space they provide plus i needed to get behind them to put nuts on the bolts so i cut them.

Wires are mostly run. Powering everything from a single 4ga ofc since I'm only pulling about 85 amps. Amp rack is 3/8 scrap mdf carpeted. Abs next time.

That's it for now. Thanks for looking.

 

[OneFastCanuck]

WOHOO finally a build thread! liking the amp rack. Those Focals are sweet - bet they will sound good! That Audison bit one will be a nice tool for tuning

Great idea using the Hiby R3 pro saber dap with aux input to the DSP - easiest way to get clean audio signal without going for the expensive ass Zen-V like I decided to do - I only got it because I use a ton of my car's features (ex sensors, GPS as well during road trips, take lots of phone calls, etc.) and wanted to retain 100% of OEM features.

 

[Adurm]

Thank you, it's definitely a learning curve I'm on. Never done an amp rack before. Just kinda wedged stuff in there and hoped for the best. Carpet is stupid for a rack. Not sure how I'm going to secure the wires. I didn't pre drill so i might have to get zip ties with screw holes. Also need to find another 6 inches of wire for my left front door. Hoping i left enough waiting to go through the molex where i can pull some back to the amp. I'm going to secure the rack to the car via L brackets. There's some holes where a trim piece went across the trunk/back seat area. Sub box is a 16 inch concrete form tube that has been coated in resin. I need to cut a few braces for it and make the top piece doing l along with the false floor. Should fit nicely into my full sized spare gti rim.

 

[OneFastCanuck]

you can go with something like I used inside my sub box to secure wires of different sizes - see the link below (this is amazon canada but I am sure you have equivalent kits on .com)

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08BNJGXRS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Adurm]

Oh i like those better than zip. Thanks!

 

[JP Fabrication]

In for another VW build. I need ideas to help me with mine

 

[Adurm]

I'm happy if anything i do helps you with yours. I'll have some pics of the widebands, dsp remote and mostly finished rack shortly. The widebands have proven to be challenging. To which I'll explain with the pics.

 

[Adurm]

More pics.

The above pic is a brace that's covered by trim that i routed wires through. I don't plan on putting the trim back on. I will try to carpet it.

Remote in the cubby. I bent some abs and screwed it to the top of the cubby.

Pod vinyl removable glue didn't hold. Going to make some abs pieces to secure to the triangle window area then use threaded hollow shafts to secure and run wires in.

Homemade fuse holder for the bit one. Why not?

 

[Adurm]

Amp rack mostly done. I think i need a shorter rca for the clarion. I'll probably put it in the car for fun but can't hook up the speaker wires until i pull a little more from my left wideband and set gains.

 

[JP Fabrication]

Cool. I have a MK4 R32. I still need to find a home for my Bit Ten DRC

 

[Adurm]

I'm pretty sure my drc screen is toast. The dot matrix ones tend to go south. I'm only using mine for power and volume.

I'd love an r32. Don't know what can be modded engine wise. The mk7 2.0t platform are beasts when tuned.

 

[Adurm]

This mornings progress... Amp rack installed. Power and ground hooked up. I wasn't able to run 0ga ground through the brace. Fingers crossed that won't be a problem. Gonna be a while till i post more.

 

[OneFastCanuck]

Looking good! Almost at the listening phase

 

[Adurm]

Forgot to mention, my car has nav which i didn't want to lose total functionality of. I'm leaving all the stock tweeters in place so I'll get some very tinny directions and Bluetooth calls however rare it is someone calls me. Seriously just text. Up next is going to have to be the wideband mount or sub box.

 

[bbfoto]

View attachment 319089
The above pic is a brace that's covered by trim that i routed wires through. I don't plan on putting the trim back on. I will try to carpet it.

Looking good overall! 👍

For the openings/holes in the metal cross member where you have routed your wires through, use some 1/4" diameter corrugated split-loom tubing (wire sheathing tube) to line the perimeter of each opening to form makeshift grommets that will protect the wires.

The slit in the tubing can be pressed over the metal edges of the openings, and if you cut it to the proper length to fit the entire perimeter of each opening it should keep itself in place by friction-fit.

100 Feet 1/4" Split Loom - Tubing Wire Conduit Hose Cover Auto Home Marine Black: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

100 Feet 1/4" Split Loom - Tubing Wire Conduit Hose Cover Auto Home Marine Black: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

Regarding your DRC's display, are you sure that it is not due to a bad cable? It looks as if that cable has been pinched or damaged just after where it exits the hole in the metal crossmember/brace.

Using a DMM in the Ohm test setting, test the respective contacts between each end of the cable for continuity. These cables are typically simple RJ-11 phone cables which can easily be replaced or re-terminated.

If this cable is damaged, the LCD display in the DRC may not be receiving power even though the other wires in the cable that transmit the data & control signals may still be intact so that the knob and the power, volume, etc still function properly.

 

[Adurm]

Thanks for the tips BB! I never thought of the split loom for that. The drc cable may be a little pinched there. I'll have to check it. I haven't had a chance to really test the drc. I bought the bit used an i think the guy said the screen was bad but for the price i couldn't pass on it. I didnt think ahead when i ran the drc cable. I started in the back with the rj11 end and brought it up behind my center cubby. As you know, the other end is a flat piece. I didn't want to drill a 3/4 inch hole back there so i de pinned it. The lock mechanism on it are little plastic tabs that can only be bent so far before snapping. Well i snapped off the first one, white wire. When i plugged it into the drc, i made sure to hold that one in while inserting the plug. Hopefully it is secure enough. That end might be harder to procure. We'll see once i turn it on. Thanks again for the advice!

 

[Adurm]

So i powered up the system today. As expected the drc screen is blank. But the knob lights up as does the bit one logo on the dsp. Curious if my drc wire is the problem. The white wire was kinda loose. I do need some advice though. My amps aren't turning on. Voltage at the amp remote turn on is only 6v. I have the bit remote out split at the bit going to either amp. That voltage too low? Suggestions?

 

[OneFastCanuck]

What is the voltage coming out of the bit one, without the remote wire connected to amps? Hopefully not an issue with bit one remote out. However would be somewhat easy fix to wire the remote on from somewhere in front of the vehicle I would assume.

 

[Adurm]

I didn't test the bit harness. I'll do it in the am. If it's 12v, then I'm going to try to send a single wire to one amp then from there to the other. My electrical knowledge is minimal. Series, parallel, etc, idk without pictures. Side note, i fiddled with the drc wires with no success. I may need a new one if it's going to make me change input every time i turn it on. I can narrow it down to master and aux. If i could remove master from the software it wouldn't be an issue. At least i have my base crossover and distances set. Hoping to get the bit gains set and make sure I'm not clipping tomorrow. If i figure out that remote wire, I'll be running widebands and rear doors! Gotta say, the fender system sounds better without the sub. Not sure why. Oh and i could remote to the 12v plug in the boot. I worry about turn on and off pops with that though. And i don't want to pull that panel off. I got a 120v inverter built in too.

 

[OneFastCanuck]

Just to rule out your amps and ensure those are all good, you can run a 12v wire direct from the battery to the remote in of the amps to ensure they power on, just a temporary testing wire. Or if you have a spare 12v battery you can use that too.

i ended up using a relay for my remote turn on situation. just to be safe. Hopefully no pops upon start-up.