This is my first post, but I figure you have to start somewhere...
I'm planning out a SQ build for installing in my 2006 Passat over the next year. Overall goal is solid music reproduction with a well-made sub stage to cover listening to anything from Stravinsky to Skrillex. At the current moment, I bounce between reference discs (McIntosh, Focal Spirit of Sound, etc) and trance, drum and bass, etc. HU is a Pioneer AVH-P8400BH, everything else is stock. Here's how I plan to make things happen:
PHASE 1:
Deaden car with Raamat BXTII and Ensolite P&S. I'll start with doors and trunk and add to the dash and floor as necessary.
PHASE 2:
Dayton HO 12 DVC in a ported box. Looking for a small footprint while still maintaining as flat a tuning as possible. Will this be possible using the onboard EQ of my HU? Amp will be either a BA GT2125 or GT2200 (open to suggestions). I have no building skills and will probably outsource the build to Starr Mountain Sound since they have a special of $99 for up to 3 cubes.
PHASE 3:
Here's where I'm really undecided and could use some guidance. I'm not sure if I want to go active or passive for this setup.
Passive: SE has a pretty good deal for a NVX 4-channel with 2 sets of JBL MS-62C comps along with some NVX cld tiles and a Scosche 4ga wiring kit. I'll most likely gift the NVX tiles to a friend or donate to someone on either here or ca.com to get their whistle wet. Have heard good things about the NVX amps being built similar to the PPI 900.4. I would most likely only install one set of the MS-62s and keep one for backup.
Active: Dayton RS180 woofers with either Vifa XT25 or Dayton RS28 tweeters (not sure whether to stay soft dome or use the hard domes). Amp would be a Kenwood KAC-X4R to utilitze the active capabilites. I tossed around the idea of using a MS-8 for the processing but considering the Kenwood is considerably cheaper and also processes for the sub out, I see this as a more cost-effective solution.
My problem is with regard to the large format of the tweeters in my active setup. The Passat I currently drive poses an issue with install. Watching req's video for his 03 GTI build I noticed he had to make severe modifications to his sail panel to fit his Dayton tweets in. Where could I possibly mount either of those large format tweets and still maintain the benefits of an on-the-hood soundstage? Kick panels would be difficult as the door panels already protrude out to my dead pedal. It also doesn't help that my vents are rectangular and not circle, so dash mounting would pose difficult.
I want to maintain the spirit of DIY in this build as much as possible, but I'm a neophyte when it comes to fabrication, so anything in that regard will probably have to be done externally unless someone would be willing to come out the San Fernando Valley to teach me :).
Long time lurker, first time poster. But I've definitely learned tons just browsing some of the build threads here. Looking forward to whatever I can get from you guys.
ET1 Schilleman
United States Navy
I'm planning out a SQ build for installing in my 2006 Passat over the next year. Overall goal is solid music reproduction with a well-made sub stage to cover listening to anything from Stravinsky to Skrillex. At the current moment, I bounce between reference discs (McIntosh, Focal Spirit of Sound, etc) and trance, drum and bass, etc. HU is a Pioneer AVH-P8400BH, everything else is stock. Here's how I plan to make things happen:
PHASE 1:
Deaden car with Raamat BXTII and Ensolite P&S. I'll start with doors and trunk and add to the dash and floor as necessary.
PHASE 2:
Dayton HO 12 DVC in a ported box. Looking for a small footprint while still maintaining as flat a tuning as possible. Will this be possible using the onboard EQ of my HU? Amp will be either a BA GT2125 or GT2200 (open to suggestions). I have no building skills and will probably outsource the build to Starr Mountain Sound since they have a special of $99 for up to 3 cubes.
PHASE 3:
Here's where I'm really undecided and could use some guidance. I'm not sure if I want to go active or passive for this setup.
Passive: SE has a pretty good deal for a NVX 4-channel with 2 sets of JBL MS-62C comps along with some NVX cld tiles and a Scosche 4ga wiring kit. I'll most likely gift the NVX tiles to a friend or donate to someone on either here or ca.com to get their whistle wet. Have heard good things about the NVX amps being built similar to the PPI 900.4. I would most likely only install one set of the MS-62s and keep one for backup.
Active: Dayton RS180 woofers with either Vifa XT25 or Dayton RS28 tweeters (not sure whether to stay soft dome or use the hard domes). Amp would be a Kenwood KAC-X4R to utilitze the active capabilites. I tossed around the idea of using a MS-8 for the processing but considering the Kenwood is considerably cheaper and also processes for the sub out, I see this as a more cost-effective solution.
My problem is with regard to the large format of the tweeters in my active setup. The Passat I currently drive poses an issue with install. Watching req's video for his 03 GTI build I noticed he had to make severe modifications to his sail panel to fit his Dayton tweets in. Where could I possibly mount either of those large format tweets and still maintain the benefits of an on-the-hood soundstage? Kick panels would be difficult as the door panels already protrude out to my dead pedal. It also doesn't help that my vents are rectangular and not circle, so dash mounting would pose difficult.
I want to maintain the spirit of DIY in this build as much as possible, but I'm a neophyte when it comes to fabrication, so anything in that regard will probably have to be done externally unless someone would be willing to come out the San Fernando Valley to teach me :).
Long time lurker, first time poster. But I've definitely learned tons just browsing some of the build threads here. Looking forward to whatever I can get from you guys.
ET1 Schilleman
United States Navy