My S13 Sound Install Thread: 6.5" Components, Amp, Sub, Equalizer, Android Tablet(?)

[Magnemite]

I'm in the process of upgrading my S13's sound system. When I bought it, it had Pioneer 4x6's all around, and despite the Pioneer name, they were still 4x6 and they sounded like garbage. I also wanted to do something unique, and I'm a die-hard Android fan, which is where the tablet idea was born.

The Plans

My original plan was to forgo a head unit altogether and mount an Android tablet directly in the Double-DIN slot. I am now also considering building a custom dock for my phone instead of putting a tablet in due to size constraints. Either way, the audio setup would be the same. I'd be running a 3.5" headphone jack to RCA cable into an equalizer, which in turn leads to the amp.

There are two main problems with running a media device directly to an amp: 1. You lose the volume and EQ controls that a head unit offers, and 2. The power signal from the device is so low that it would require the amp to be set to near max gain to get decent volume. The solution is simple: an equalizer. I will most likely use the Clarion EQS746. The equalizer obviously offers audio control, and it amplifies the device's signal to a more usable 7 volt output.

One big issue with not using a head unit is not having a place to wire the amp and equalizer's turn on leads to. My solution is instead to wire the leads directly to the fuse box using an Add-A-Circuit. This will allow me to use the radio circuit for the amp and equalizer, signaling them to turn on only when I turn the key in the ignition.

Some 7" Tablets are small enough to fit in the Double-DIN slot, but they don't leave room for much else (i.e., the equalizer). Being slightly obsessive about the cleanliness of my install, I do not want to mount the equalizer anywhere obtrusive, but I also want it to be easily accessible for volume adjustments. This means I don't want to have to open the glove box every time I want to turn the music up. It also means I don't want to tack it on to the side of the center console where it looks out of place. (If anyone has experience mounting an equalizer in an S13 OUTSIDE of the radio slot, let me know.) Because of this, my options are limited. I could buy one of the few 5" tablets (Dell Streak, Archos 5) or I could use my phone. My entire music collection is stored in Google's cloud using Google Music, which means I'm streaming music in the car. If I were to go the tablet route, I would be using my phone as a wifi hotspot in order to stream. Making the tablet removable is another issue, as I wouldn't want to leave it in there as thief bait. The odds are stacking against the tablet install, leaving me more and more in favor of using my phone.

So the current (and most likely) plan is to build a custom dock for my phone in the DIN slot along with the equalizer. I'll probably draw up a diagram for what I plan to do soon. My phone, I should mention, is an HTC Sensation.

So now that you're all up to speed on the plans, I guess it's time to move on to the installation. I'm doing it in parts, as time and money allows. Money, by the way, is a big factor in this installation. I have a strict budget, and I'm trying to keep the entire system well under $500.

The Installation

Part One: Speakers

I chose to install Polk Audio db6501 component speakers in the front. I like the clarity that components offer, and I wanted to get decent midbass up front. For now, I don't have plans to put speakers in the rear, but in the future, a set of 6.5" coaxials may find their way back there.

First thing's first, after removing the door panel, I took the stock speaker bracket out.


Next, I installed my 6.5" adapters that I got from eBay. I drilled an additional hole to run the speaker wire through.


Put the woofer in, it clears the window glass.


Next, I moved on to the tweeters. I started by making the cut out with a hole saw.


Mounted the bracket and put the tweeter in.


I wired everything up to the crossover and put the door panel back on, but I ran into a problem. The door panel was touching and compressing the woofer surround, which would hinder it from moving freely. So I decided to cut a bit of it away.


It now clears the woofer, but I lost a mounting tab for the speaker grill.


I have yet to put the speaker grill back on, as I'll have to dremel a bit of it away as well to fully clear the woofer. I'll be doing that with my dad's dremel on the weekend. I'll also be mounting the crossover in the door. My dad has a bit of industrial grade velcro that I'll be using to secure it.

For now, the speakers are wired to my head unit. They sound great, but the weak 17 watts RMS output of the head unit doesn't do them justice, not to mention I can't turn the volume up too loud without causing some distortion.

Part Two: Amp

I decided on an MB Quart FX4.50 for my amp. I know MB Quart isn't putting out the quality they did before Maxxsonics took over, but I looked around and the amp had good enough reviews. I bought a well reviewed 8 gauge wiring kit from Amazon as well.

No pictures for this update yet. I was using my sister's camera, but I left it at my mom's house where I was installing everything. I may be able to get it today.

First I got the amp all wired up. I ran the power cable through the firewall with the hood latch cable; there was plenty of room for it. I ran the cable under the carpet along the driver's side door sill, then under the back seat to the amp, which is located right behind the back seat. The turn on lead, speaker cables, and RCA cables all run under the back seat and up through the center console. Turn on lead and RCAs run to the head unit, and speaker cables to the speakers, obviously.

I couldn't find a wiring diagram for my head unit, and there were three loose blue wires, so I had to guess which one to wire the turn on lead to. Of course, it was the last of the three.

Once I had everything working, I powered up the system and... nothing. No sound. I tried different things for at least an hour but no luck. The only thing I couldn't try was a different input. Once I got home to my apartment I got out my 3.5mm headphone jack to RCA cable and plugged my phone straight into the amp. Voila, sound! Because I don't have anything else with RCA outputs, I can't test whether the issue is with my head unit or the RCA cables I was supplied. I'm guessing it's with the head unit, as all the reviews praised the RCA cables included with my kit.

I'm content running straight through my phone for now, as that was sort of the plan anyway. Only problem is there's a bit of hiss when I turn the amp level up to compensate for the weak signal the phone outputs. After my 3 pm breakfast, I'm going across the street to Radio Shack to pick up a line driver which will *hopefully* help with the hiss without introducing any new noise.

I'll try to get pics updated soon.

[Magnemite]

Reserving this spot in case the post gets too big.

[chrisjakcj]

Do you have any pics of your equalizer, any tips on how to install one.

[Magnemite]

The equalizer is linked in the first post, but here it is again: Amazon.com: Clarion EQS746 1/2 DIN Graphic Equalizer with Built-in Crossover: Electronics

It's 1/2 DIN sized, which means it'll fit fine in the radio slot. What exactly do you mean by tips? Wiring, mounting or both?

[chrisjakcj]

Sorry should have been more specific, I need help with wiring. Can you help

[ultramagnus]

Originally Posted by chrisjakcj

Sorry should have been more specific, I need help with wiring. Can you help

from the looks of the EQ it just needs power and the rca from amp.sub and whatever else. I haven't installed an EQ in a long time and that's when rca cables were still on high head units.


do you have links to the base plates for the door, i'm finally thinking of putting my old sound setup in the s13 since it's now my daily.

[Magnemite]

An EQ is wired pretty similar to an amp. It has a power cable that runs to the positive terminal of your battery, a turn on lead that runs to the head unit, and a ground. As far as RCA cables go, you run a set from your head unit to the EQ, then up to 3 more RCA cables to the amp(s) for front speakers, rear speakers, and sub.

And here's link for the speaker brackets: 6½" Speaker Adapters Nissan 240sx 240 sx 89-94 Front | eBay

[Broadfield]

Hit me up if you run into any technical issues or need advice on anything.

I would recommend that if you are going to use MP3 files as your media, use nothing lower than a 320 kbps file. Otherwise you will notice a decline in your overall sound quality and definitely a lower output. Compressed files are bad anyway for sound quality, but at least 320 rate is sometimes tough for the average listener to audibly tell the difference between it and a straight rip from a CD. I realize this is a VERY budget system and sound quality simply isn't going to be there, but at least a higher bit rate file is a "free" sound quality upgrade over a 128 or the like.

Toby

[Magnemite]

Originally Posted by Broadfield

Hit me up if you run into any technical issues or need advice on anything.

I would recommend that if you are going to use MP3 files as your media, use nothing lower than a 320 kbps file. Otherwise you will notice a decline in your overall sound quality and definitely a lower output. Compressed files are bad anyway for sound quality, but at least 320 rate is sometimes tough for the average listener to audibly tell the difference between it and a straight rip from a CD. I realize this is a VERY budget system and sound quality simply isn't going to be there, but at least a higher bit rate file is a "free" sound quality upgrade over a 128 or the like.

Toby

Thanks for the offer, I'll definitely let you know if any issues arise. And as for the sound quality, I DJ, so the majority of my music collection is 320. Thanks for the advice!

[Tantwoforty]

In for updates!

[slydin240sx]

I bought a pair of the exact same speaker adapters for when I had my s13, but I never ended up using them. I still have them if anybody wants to buy em? PM me.

Anyway looks good man! I'll be following this to see the outcome of it all....

[Bushido]

I like the idea of using a tablet in place of a head unit. I wanna see how this turns out

[chrisjakcj]

I made my own speaker adapters out of the hardcover of some old textbooks, they hold up pretty good

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by chrisjakcj

I made my own speaker adapters out of the hardcover of some old textbooks, they hold up pretty good

Lol, backwoods engineering at it's best! That material is actually too thin and will flex under heavier bass notes. If you were to thicken the material up you would most likely get better bass response from your speakers... especially if you have an amplifier driving them. You want the thickest, most rigid material possible.

[Pray And Spray]

Nice mannn interested on see how this works out

[Magnemite]

Updated with amp install info.

[Broadfield]

I'm curious what amplifier kit you bought?

[Magnemite]

Originally Posted by Broadfield

I'm curious what amplifier kit you bought?

Amazon.com: Scosche Revopak8 8-Gauge Revo Series Single Amp Power and Audio Kit (Silver/Black): Car Electronics

[Broadfield]

Originally Posted by Magnemite

Amazon.com: Scosche Revopak8 8-Gauge Revo Series Single Amp Power and Audio Kit (Silver/Black): Car Electronics

Should definitely be decent enough.

[qwerth]

very nice man

[Magnemite]

Glad to have your approval. Definitely reassuring.

[waxball88]

Have you looked into ipads in subies. I know a couple of owners on i believe NASIOC have made a molded center console "dock" the has an ipad plug so you can just drop it in and go, then unplug it when you're done.

[Magnemite]

Originally Posted by waxball88

Have you looked into ipads in subies. I know a couple of owners on i believe NASIOC have made a molded center console "dock" the has an ipad plug so you can just drop it in and go, then unplug it when you're done.

Nice, that was essentially my plan. Building a drop in type dock for a tablet in the DIN slot. Obviously I can't fit an iPad in there because of size constraints. There actually aren't very many tablets that will fit in a double DIN slot, which is probably the most difficult thing about this install.

[waxball88]

Originally Posted by Magnemite

Nice, that was essentially my plan. Building a drop in type dock for a tablet in the DIN slot. Obviously I can't fit an iPad in there because of size constraints. There actually aren't very many tablets that will fit in a double DIN slot, which is probably the most difficult thing about this install.

Yeah same concept, different product. I bet you could use the center bezel and cut out and area then glass the tablet in, with some room obviously so it can be easily removed. Easiest way would be for it to slide out of the top most likely, unfortunately i don't have a tablet to mock up.

[Magnemite]

Originally Posted by waxball88

Yeah same concept, different product. I bet you could use the center bezel and cut out and area then glass the tablet in, with some room obviously so it can be easily removed. Easiest way would be for it to slide out of the top most likely, unfortunately i don't have a tablet to mock up.

When I was originally researching the project to see if anyone's done it before, I came across this: Android Tablet In-Car Sliding Dock using hacked DVD drive

My intention is to use the same concept, but not the DVD tray. I was going to use some sort of hinge mechanism to open the slot and slide the tablet in and out easily. I've had all kinds of ideas in my head, but we'll see what actually works when I get to it.

[waxball88]

Something like this is a little less over-engineered.

And would be fairly easy to make out of fiberglass.
I like the hinge idea. If it had tabs to slide into m nd of lile a cassette player