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Thread: My stereo installation thread

  1. #1
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    My stereo installation thread

    I'm finally upgrading the Evo with a proper stereo system, I've had a JVC DVD stereo in it for as long as I can remember and now it's time to finish the package. I'm going to use this as my build thread but feel free to post comments and constructive criticism. The Evo is my first car that I haven't done any stereo work on until now. I do have an interest in car audio and a little bit of knowledge but I wouldn't say it's one of my main hobbies. Looking back I'm a little amazed none of my other cars went haywire or caught fire with some of the shit I pulled on those installs. The Evo is my pride and joy and I intend to keep it as long as I can. I would prefer not to cut holes in it and be able to put it back to stock wherever possible but I do realize there might be some concessions. My overall goal for the car is to build one very fast, very good sounding (inside and out) and very stock looking Evo.

    Here is the equipment I have purchased.

    JVC KDAVX1 (been my head unit for awhile)
    Polk Audio DB6501 6.5-Inch 2-Way Component System
    Polk Audio DB651 6.5-Inch Coaxial Speakers
    Alpine MRP-F300 4ch
    Alpine MRP-M350 mono
    2 Dynamat door kits

    I also have all the RCA cables and wiring to complete the install and hopefully enough speaker wire. I plan on getting a lot done this weekend.

    **side note socal evo website is fucking around and keeps scrolling up this dialog box on me as I type so I'm stopping here for now **
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    Tweeters

    Here is how I mounted my tweeters. The first pic shows the stock tweeter in the housing. I cut it away and did some trimming so there was most of a ring to mount the new tweeter to. I destroyed the stock tweeters doing this but that's OK because I don't think they worked, I couldn't hear any sound from them at all. I believe the stock tweeter is .8 inches, the Polk tweeter is 1 inch. How it worked out was the ring left by the stock tweeter fit perfectly in a groove on the back of the Polk. I put some silicone sealant on the ring and let is set overnight. Fit is perfect back in the stock position. The stock location isn't exactly perfect and hardware for mounting the tweeters in the door came included but for a stealth install you can't do any better. My hearing is shot to shit anyway so not like I'll notice.
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  3. #3
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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    I've moved my build thread to caraudio.com. http://www.caraudio.com/forum/car-au...i-install.html
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  4. #4

    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by IH8VTEC
    I've moved my build thread to caraudio.com. http://www.caraudio.com/forum/car-au...i-install.html
    Very nice write-up. I was wonder what kind of adapter did you use for the front and rear drivers?Â* Did you have to purchase those separately?Â* Thanks.

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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by highenuff14
    Quote Originally Posted by IH8VTEC
    I've moved my build thread to caraudio.com. http://www.caraudio.com/forum/car-au...i-install.html
    Very nice write-up. I was wonder what kind of adapter did you use for the front and rear drivers?Â* Did you have to purchase those separately?Â* Thanks.
    Thanks!
    Do you mean to connect the larger speaker cable to the speakers? I direct soldered the wire and covered the terminals with rubber shielding from a crimp kit. You could also use shrink wrap.
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  6. #6

    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by IH8VTEC
    Quote Originally Posted by highenuff14
    Quote Originally Posted by IH8VTEC
    I've moved my build thread to caraudio.com. http://www.caraudio.com/forum/car-au...i-install.html
    Very nice write-up. I was wonder what kind of adapter did you use for the front and rear drivers?Â* Did you have to purchase those separately?Â* Thanks.
    Thanks!
    Do you mean to connect the larger speaker cable to the speakers? I direct soldered the wire and covered the terminals with rubber shielding from a crimp kit. You could also use shrink wrap.
    Thanks for the reply. No, I mean the adapter which you mount your speakers on, before mounting onto the metal door.Â* I assume the Polks didn't fit on the OEM adapter, therefore you probably got those somewhere, unless they came with the speakers or a package deal from Crutchfield.

    Thanks.

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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Reading your post again that makes more sense. I ordered the adapters from ebay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=310218845562. I drilled my own holes and mounted all 4 Polk 6.5s with them. I used silicon to seal the speaker to the ring and to seal the ring to the door.





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  8. #8

    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by IH8VTEC
    Reading your post again that makes more sense. I ordered the adapters from ebay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=310218845562. I drilled my own holes and mounted all 4 Polk 6.5s with them. I used silicon to seal the speaker to the ring and to seal the ring to the door.





    Haha, sorry for not making my question more clear from my first post. Thank you very much for th link. How do you like the Polk components? I am still shopping around and don't know what to get yet.

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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    I like the polks. I'm only pushing 50rms x 4 through so nothing crazy. I have other amps that I might try someday that up it to 75rms. I also want to try the Polk Mobile Monitor series. Honestly though in our cars a lot of this work is lost, pick something and power it with an amp so it can play louder than your exhaust and call it a day.
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  10. #10

    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by IH8VTEC
    I like the polks. I'm only pushing 50rms x 4 through so nothing crazy. I have other amps that I might try someday that up it to 75rms. I also want to try the Polk Mobile Monitor series. Honestly though in our cars a lot of this work is lost, pick something and power it with an amp so it can play louder than your exhaust and call it a day.
    You are absolutely correct about the noise from our cars drowning out the music. I don't plan on spending more than $200. I already have a couple of old school Linear Power amps for the speakers. I'm kind of leaning toward some Infinity Reference 6030cs speakers.

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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    How do the polk speakers sound vs stock?...i have the SSL package and i was going to upgrade the sub...but i can't decide if upgrading the speakers will make THAT big of a difference...

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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    If you are running just a h/u or the stock h/u you probably won't be all that impressed by these or maybe any aftermarket speakers, while an improvement they didn't blow me away. If adding amps to power them then that's a different story. Stock played louder off the h/u only power but distorted much sooner and much worse. These really came alive with a modest 50w rms and are still under powered, fronts can handle 120rms and the rears 60rms. They can play louder than I can stand and are very clear way beyond a comfortable listening volume. I'm on my second sub set up, 400rms to a 12in Rockford Fosgate Punch shallow wedge box. It is very subtle and adds a perfect balance to the system. Mostly you can't tell the sub is there unless you turn it off, then you notice the music has no punch because the cabin speakers are crossed over at 85Hz. I don't know much about the ssl package but I have seen others discussing upgrading the sub. My feeling is you will need aftermarket amps to get THAT much of a difference. I found great deals on ebay and that made this project very affordable.
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  13. #13

    Re: My stereo installation thread

    I finally got all my gears so I'm ready to start my install. I see a couple of pics on caraudio.com and you mention about the rubber boots in the doors. Is there any tricks to runnnig those speaker wires smoothly through the boots? Also, how did you run the power cable from the engine bay to the cabin? Did you have to undo the plastic fender pieces above the tire? Thanks.

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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by highenuff14
    I finally got all my gears so I'm ready to start my install.Â* I see a couple of pics on caraudio.com and you mention about the rubber boots in the doors. Is there any tricks to runnnig those speaker wires smoothly through the boots?Â* Also, how did you run the power cable from the engine bay to the cabin?Â* Did you have to undo the plastic fender pieces above the tire?Â* Thanks.
    For the boots in the door, the wires are taped up to the boot inside the door so you have to undo what seems like electrical tape and the bundle is clipped to the bottom of the door, also free that. That is the most time consuming part, after that pop the boot out of the door, scrunch it up and feed your wire through. work the boot back onto the door, it's not hard but you need to be firm and make sure you feel it kind of pop back into place. Test by wiggling it, if it comes loose easily it wasn't on all the way. Tape it all back up and remount the harness. The stock clip wasn't able to hold the harness any more, it's kind of a ziptie and a panel clip love child, I used a ziptie to hold the harness to the clip in the stock location.

    Boot and bundle all taped back up


    Finished product. push the boot out of the door so it is between the door and the car when you run the wire.





    For the battery cable I followed the stock wiring harness from the fuse box, into the fender, above the tire and into the car in the upper foot well area. There is a big rubber grommet that I cut a hole in, ran the wire through and sealed with silicone. I did take out some clips from the inner fender shield and bent the plastic down to run the wire. I zip tied it to the bundle that is already running through the fender, nice, neat and tidy. I tried to document it the best I could.

    Determining the length to leave in the engine bay


    Running it through the fender. I actually ran it from the cabin to the engine bay. Used a coat hanger to fish it through. Stuck it through the fender, taped the wire to it and pulled it through.


    Cut two slits like a + sign and fed the wire through. I sealed around the wire with a good amount of silicone to keep it weather proof. Cable on the bottom is for the hood release.


    Into the cabin.


    Head at the pedals looking up.


    Only had to run mine under the seat. My distro block is right under the front edge of my seat.


    I sheathed the wire in corrugated tubing meant for home stereo cables.


    Blends in nicely. Can't tell it's there unless you are looking for it.
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  15. #15

    Re: My stereo installation thread

    Thank you very much for the instructions and the illustration, I really appreciate it. Looks like a heck of a job you pulled off. Hopefully I can get all this done in a couple of weekends.

    I tried to pull one of the tabs off of the fender plastic piece above the tire and it broke, so I may have to find another way to run the power cable. Maybe a metal hanger to pull the cable through, we'll see.

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    Re: My stereo installation thread

    You're welcome, and yes it was a heck of a job!

    It started snowballing and I figured while I was pulling panels off I might as well go as far as I could with it. It spanned many weeks and weekends as I planned and bought pieces and executed my plan. The front doors were by far the most time consuming. If you left out the dynamat I think this install could be done in a weekend.
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