A simple SQ install in a 350z

[16psibrick]

Been a while since i posted any of my installs...

 

well, after a coupla years of building dozens of 350zs that sounded great in an everyday sense, i finally got to work with a customer who had the desire and budget to do a system in his Z that dilved a littled into the true Sound Quality side of mobile audio

 

After it was all said and done, I am happy to report that this Z, is definetly the best sounding one i have personally done...

 

goals:

1.superb sound quality

2.full stealth hatch area with zero space sacrifice

3.clean and classy

 

lets get started:

 

The signal starts with the alpine iwa-205 double din dvd headunit, and processing power for the entire car is provided by the optional H701 multichannel processor. An Ai-net and optical cable links the headunit and the rear mounted processor. The 701 provides us with full control on individual channels interms of equalization, time alignment, xover, and phase.

 

note the ipod cable in the upper cubby:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz1.JPG

 

for the front stage, a pair of Seas Lotus reference 6.5" two way components were used. the midbass is flush mounted into a pair of off axis kicks as usual:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz2.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz3.JPG

 

here are some build up pics of the kicks...

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz4.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz5.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz6.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz7.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz10.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz11.JPG

 

and of the Seas driver itself:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz8.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz9.JPG

 

the Seas tweeters are located on dash corner pods...originally, i was going to mold them in the A pillars, facing each other, about 1/3 of the way up...but due to the rake of hte windshield, this would put them quite a bit closer to the listener than i wanted, so, to maximize path difference, i located them to the far forward edge of hte A pillar, right where the windshield meets the dsah:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz12.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz13.JPG

 

again, a few build up pics of these little pods, which were quite a pain due to

their small size and difficult location...to mold

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz13.5.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz14.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz15.JPG

 

so thats about it for the interior:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz16.JPG

[16psibrick]

moving on towards the trunk...so...as promised, the trunk is totally stealth, here is the view with the carpet on, the entire floor was raised only 1/2" total

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz17.JPG

 

once you remve the carpet, you see a full vinyl floor, with two removable covers note raied 350z logo on the front cover:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz18.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz19.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz20.JPG

 

once you lift off the two covers, the equipment reveals itself to you. two of the New DLS reference RW SQ 10" subwoofers reside in a flush mounted white suede trim panel, and what appears to be a DLS ultimate amp sits under plexi in the front rack:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz21.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz22.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz23.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz24.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz25.JPG

 

if you look closely, you can notice that what appears to be a single DLS A-5 three channel amp, is acutally two amps, an DLS ultimtae A3 dual mono amp sits below it, the top amp is raised up by a platform in the back and two copper tubes in the front...its hardly noticable in this pic though

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz26.JPG

[16psibrick]

so here are some build up pics of the hatc harea:

dampening of hte floor:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz27.JPG

 

the wires, distribution blocks, ran and loomed:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz28.JPG

 

the start of hte amp rack:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz29.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz30.JPG

 

bottom amp (A3) mounted:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz31.JPG

 

amp rack installed in the hatch and wires ran and organized for hte A3:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz32.JPG

 

now the second amp is added, and wires ran and organized, also the H701 is installed on its own rack on the driver side:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz33.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz34.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz35.JPG

 

so here ist he brand new sound quality sub from DLS, very efficient, and very musical, and not too expensive.

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz36.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz37.JPG

 

now here is a neat feature i like baout the sub, when you are space limited and dont need the cosmetic magnet cover, you can remove it and gain more than 1" of clerance

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz38.JPG

 

so here is the subbox, about 1.1 cubic feet sealed, a smidgeon smaller than recommended but the biggest i can fit. note the high capacity crossflow fan on the front to circulate air in and out of the amp rack

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz39.JPG

 

here ist he subbox installed in the hatch, note that even though its full of gear, one can reach all the adjustments on the amp and reach the h701 without removing anyhting

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz40.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz41.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz42.JPG

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz43.JPG

 

and finally mock ups of hte fake floor when it was being built:

 

http://simplicity.elitecaraudio.org/sqz44.JPG

 

overall, it sounds excellent, of course the interior of hte Z, presents some challenges for achieving the best possible SQ...but this car sounds really great. midbass response is awesome, you really feel the drum beats on your chest, imaging is spot on dead center, and stage is about half way up the windshield. tonally, its extremyl even, and smooth, very laid back and natural, a very ease to listen to kind of system. and the subs blend in with the front stage perfectly

anyway, thats about it...i really hope in the future, i get to do more of these in the Z hehe, i had a few freinds and former customers come and listen to the car, and all of them were quite amazed

[Legacy05]

Awesome work as always!

[christurismohk]

your Z is 07 right? I had a 03 Z, and the pedals were silver with black dots...did you change your pedals?

[mattg]

nice work

[RayC]

You are an inspiration.

 

Few questions:

 

How is the off axis response of the seas woofers?

 

Where do you get your suede?

 

How did you mold the Tweet pods? (a lot of tape and just glass it in place, the pop out? that's what it looks like but i'm not sure)

 

How do the woofers sound in 1.1cu ft? Do you know the total Q offhand of those two in that size enclosure?

 

How is the sub enclosure secured to the car? The amp enclosure?

 

Looks like a LOT of wiring for a dual amp, single seperate, dual sub setup, but i think it just looks like that because it's done proper.

 

Nice work. Very nice work.

[16psibrick]

1. the car i believe is an 06, since i have done about 30 Zs or so, some of them come with alum pedals, some dont, i think it is an option, its just a top overlay.

 

2. pretty good, most good drivers work well off axis, or they would be horrible in lower door locations

 

3. i get my suede from my local supplier

 

4, yup, carefully tape and very patiently glass it in place with small strips of cloth

 

5. i dont know it off hand, the 1.1 sounded okay, though ideally, they would want to be in 1.3 total, a litle boomy, but an eq cured most of it...but it is waht it is given thecar? size heh

 

6. everything is screwed into the floor pan as always. with stubby sheet metal screws

 

7. well, part of the thing you maybe seeing is that the one on the bottom, the DLS A3, dual mono, has two sets of power/ground input terminals so two pairs of 4 guage goes into it hehe

 

b