Cool, I had a Giulia before.

Are you going to run the front end active?

 

good question. Actually there are few pairs of unused wires left in oem amplifier harness which are used with HK systems only for mid range speakers in the front doors, so the cables should be left somewhere in the doors. If I will find them I'll try to run them active.

 

Tbh if it's got the wiring, put a small 2.5" mid in too.

From memory the tweeter is up on the dash anyway.

 

I see there's even a hole left in the door panel from behind for mid woofer. Unfortunately there's not enough channels on the amp and not enough oem cables if I want to run them all active. 2 channels will be bridged for the subwoofer.

 

Ah I did wonder on the 8 channel amp, hadn't considered 7-8 being used for the sub.

 

Can someone please confirm if this is a correct formula to calculate capacitor size for protecting tweeter when running it active?

0.159 / (F * Rh) * 1000000

My Focal TAM tweeter specs:
Fs = 1200Hz
Rdc = 3.4

0.159 / (2 * 1200 * 3.4) * 1000000 = 19.48 uF

and the closest capacitor value to this number is 20uF

 

2023-08-28 updates

Here's the OEM 8" subwoofer enclosure with 8 channel amplifier mounted on it.

OEM 8" 40w subwoofer

with a help of beans I measured the subwoofer enclosure so I can be sure that I have enough volume for JL audio 8w3v3-4 (thanks to Matt2023 and Mohsin for the tips and help). I didn't expect such results - it's bigger than I expected (it's around ±13L in volume). I guess JL audio should work just fine in that enclosure (it's more than enough according to their specs)

I also made a 3D printed spacer from ABS plastic, so I can mount it to OEM enclosure properly. The subwoofer will be mounted on M4 heat set thread inserts. First I made a prototype from PLA just to check if it fits properly.

Then I did few minors changes and then printed it in ABS. Here's the final result with the thread inserts in place:

with this spacer the driver displacement will be lower. Less displacement - more volume.

that's it for now. More updates soon

 

How can I get one of those subwoofer spacers?

 

Oh that's really nice work

 

Yeah, this is awesome. Looking forward to this build.

 

2023-08-31 update

I recently got CNC-machined MDF spacers for the front door speakers. The spacers surface has been coated with a thin layer of glue, making them water-resistant.

I lightly sanded them before painting since the surface was a bit rough.

and painted them in black.

then I pre-drilled the holes for screws

and applied the seal tape on both sides to ensure a good seal and prevent resonance

That's it for now. They're ready to be mounted!

 

Great work!

 

2023-09-20 update. Sound deadening treatment for front doors

I began by taking off the front door interior panel. There was already some manufacturer-installed sound deadening on the panel, but it wasn't very extensive.

Here's the OEM front door speaker.

To get full access to the door panel from the inside, I essentially had to remove everything, including the door window. Thankfully, it was quite easy to do it.

I now have full access to the panel and can begin working on it.

For the first layer, I applied CTK Premium 2.2mm vibration-damping material to minimize vibrations, noise, and resonance

and then I added another layer on top using CTK Elastic 6mm thermo-acoustic material to absorb and reduce the noise.

For the interior door panels I used CTK Premium 1.8mm again to dampen vibrations, rattles and resonances. Working on this panel was really tricky because there was a lot of measuring, cutting, and dealing with unusual angles.

Lastly, I added another layer on top using CTK WaveFix 15mm sound-absorbing material.

The result is quite satisfying.

 

Can you share how the door handle comes off to allow the inner panel to be removed? I couldn't figure it out when I was there.

 

1. Remove the rubber cover on the rear side of the door
2. Turn the internal screw counter clockwise until the exterior handle block is released
3. Remove the block, initially also moving the handle to release the part (this is the hardest part, especially on the driver's side with the lock)
4. Remove the exterior handle pulling it towards the mirrors side, then turn the rear part toward the outside. Finally, extract the terminal with the wire harness connections.

 

2023-10-08 update. Installing the front speakers

Installed the MDF spacers and prepared everything for mounting the front speakers. I've also applied some foam tape to the connector and the cable to prevent any rattles. I also used the adapter cables to preserve the OEM connectors.

The installation looks nice and clean.

 

2023-10-08 one more update. Creating a custom wire harness for amplifier connection

Since I didn't want to cut any factory cables when connecting the amplifier, I purchased an additional OEM wire harness to create a custom wiring solution for connecting the Audison Forza AF C8.14bit to the car's multimedia system through the existing connector in the trunk. The good news is that I'll be able to run the front tweeters active because I discovered a separate pair of cables for the front woofers and tweeters.

I had to carefully check the pinouts and solder numerous wires. I used heat shrink tubes with adhesive inside to ensure safe and effective electrical insulation.

I also used heat shrink tubes to protect unused cable ends. The custom wire harness is nearly complete and ready for testing.

After doing some testing, I made a few changes. I left the center channel disconnected, connected the front tweeters on separate channels, crimped new cables for the subwoofer connector (because the OEM cables were too thin to drive this sub), and used harness tape to secure and protect the wiring looms, achieving a finished look.

Here's the final result:

 

Very nice work, please where did you find that oem Harman amp female connector?

 

Very nice work

 

2023-10-11 update. Mounting the amplifier and installing the subwoofer.

Removed the OEM amplifier and subwoofer

To mount the Audison amplifier on the subwoofer, I made a CNC-machined custom amplifier mount from 5mm thick ABS. M4 heat thread inserts were used for amplifier mounting points.

I also added foam tape on the back and rubber spacers at the mounting points to prevent any rattling, as it is mounted on the subwoofer enclosure and comes very close to it.

Attached the mount to the subwoofer enclosure using black M5 bolts

The amplifier is securely fastened in place using black M4 bolts.

Added a seal tape on a 3D printed subwoofer spacer made from ABS

Installed the spacer and the subwoofer itself

 

2023-10-21 update. Installing the front tweeters (active)

I first removed one of the tweeters in the front dash just to check if the Focal TAM tweeter fits well. The Focal TAM tweeters came with an additional spacer in the box, which could be mounted on top of the tweeter in case there's too much space around it.

In my case, that was indeed the situation, so I used that additional spacer. When I pressed the tweeter in, it held firmly in place, even without the glue. Certainly, I won't use glue to ensure easy removal without causing any damage. Instead, I'll opt for universal silicone to secure them in place.

But before we proceed, let's solder some wires and add a protective capacitor. This decision came after I discovered a separate pair of cables for the front woofers and tweeters, prompting me to consider running them active. The capacitor I've chosen to use is a 22uF 100V bipolar capacitor, which will cut them at around 2.1k. I'm planning to set the crossover point at around 2.8-3k. I also used the adapter cables to preserve the OEM connectors.

The cable has been soldered, and the tweeter is secured in place using silicone.

Managed to preserve the OEM look without requiring any modifications

Time to install. I used some protective tape to protect the capacitor and to secure the connector in place.

And it's done

 

2023-10-26 update. Installing wiring

For power and ground wiring, I used Ampire 6 AWG cables along with the Ampire Fuse-Kit 10/25mm², equipped with a mini-ANL (AFS) 30A fuse.

Connected the cables to the amplifier and used ferrules on the ends, of course. 6 AWG is the thickest cable you can use with these Audison Forza DSP amplifiers.

I found a suitable spot nearby to connect a ground cable to the chassis and used a Klauke 3R6-1 M6 crimp lug on the cable end. I also used a shrink tube with adhesive for a clean appearance and additional protection.

I thought for a long time where to put the fuse, because I didn't want to modify, cut or drill anything, so I finally decided to stick the fuse on the battery + terminal guard with double-sided tape, which will allow me to easily remove it at any time

And here's the fuse connected to the battery terminal. This time I used Klauke 3R8-1 M8 crimp lug on the cable end and luckily there was unused bolt on the battery terminal which I used for attaching the cable.

For power cable I used a black cable sleeve for additional protection and appearance.

Here's how the battery section looks like with everything in place.

I also added some acoustic foam to prevent the cable from touching the chassis and causing rattle.

Here's the final look at the amplifier section

And finally the DSP amplifier is ON 🥳

 

This is awesome. Loving this install.

 

Very nice! I’m a sucker for a clean stealth install. Well done.

 

2023-11-23
I will be making some changes to my system. In September, prior installing the amp in my car, I did initial setup and performance measurements on my Audison C8.14bit DSP amp. Unfortunately, the results were not satisfying (if you're interested in reading more about the measurements I conducted and seeing the results, click here). I reached out to Audison, shared my results, and expressed concerns about its performance. I actually managed to tune the system with this DSP amp, but to achieve the correct curve required pushing the limits of this amp and using a substantial amount of gain which in some cases causes the subwoofer to clip or in general distorts certain sounds at higher volumes. Eventually, they offered me to replace it with a more powerful model, the M8.14bit. I have already shipped out the C8.14bit and am now awaiting the delivery of the M8.14bit.

Due to the larger dimensions of the M8.14bit amp, I had to redesign the amplifier mount. I already have the prototype of this mount, and I will provide updates on it later.

 

2023-12-01
I just received early Christmas gifts: an M8.14bit DSP amp, which Audison agreed to exchange instead of the C8.14bit. It's bigger and way heavier than the C8.14bit. I hope to have it installed in the upcoming days and to do the same measurements I did for the C8.14bit to see how it performs. Luckily, all the connectors are the same as those on C8.14bit.

 

Nice build. Good to hear they are taking care of you. Also, really awesome the connections are the same! Tidy wiring can remain!

 

Thanks! Yes, their support was really nice and understanding. I hope that now I'll have enough power for the sub and won't have to install a separate monoblock, which would require more wiring.

 

an amazing install,car and setup congrats, my only advice would to simply try out a mono amp as a dummy:

1) find a mono amp available locally from a forum member,friend,installer that you simply wire the mono amp as a dummy without fully installing it only to see if it makes a difference.

2) if indeed it does provide much better sub performance and if indeed the stereo amp performs better with the lack of the heavy duty/task of providing for a subwoofer is no longer there than go ahead and buy a compact,efficient and powerful sounding amp.

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something like this would be a great buy tbh.

 

I wish my install was that damn simple!
Love the simplicity of yours!!!

 

2023-12-08
And here's the new CNC-machined mount I made for the larger M8.14bit DSP amplifier, crafted from 5mm thick ABS. M4 heat-thread inserts were used for the amplifier mounting points.

I added rubber spacers to the mounting points to prevent the rattle. I'll also add some additional damping later to further reduce any potential rattling, especially since it is mounted on the subwoofer

Attached the mount to the subwoofer enclosure

Amplifier in place, it was quite challenging to route the harness that was already taped and routed based on C8.14bit. Since the amplifier is bigger and higher, there wasn't much space left for cables at the bottom. Nevertheless, I somehow managed to fit them there.

The amplifier is functioning properly, and I have completed the initial setup/tuning to test if everything works. I can tell that there's a noticeable difference in quality, as it doesn't clip at higher volumes. Additionally, the subwoofer is now moving properly and doesn't require increasing the input signal beyond 100% in the mixer for the subwoofer (which is a big no-no).

I also ordered more damping materials for the trunk and the subwoofer itself because the subwoofer is shaking things in the trunk quite badly at higher volumes.

At the same time, I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong while tuning the system with REW. I have been experiencing an ongoing issue, both previously and currently, where the soundstage shifts toward the right, even when I lower the right side significantly. Both sides match during individual measurements.