Clarion EQS746/my super budget plan

[ajaye]

I'm bored.
So, anyone have any experience with this puppy?
http://www.amazon.com/Clarion-EQS746-Gr ... =pd_cp_e_3

I'm trying to accomplish a super cheap and absolutely undetectable install in my car since it seems to be a magnet for break ins, no idea why. Plus I can't swing a head unit right now anyway. So my plan is to mount this in the glove box or center consol and basically use it to bridge my sources through to my amps, which will be an ipod and possibly the radio signal from my stock head unit. I only listen to sports talk radio so I don't give a fuck what it sounds like, and if I have to go on another trip with no cd player/ipod and disintegrated paper speakers I'm going to drive into a telephone pole. My goal is under $200 all in for everything, speakers, sub, this, amps etc, and I already have some stuff. Anyway, if anyone thinks of a better option or knows this thing would do the trick I'm all ears. I really don't care about the equalization much, just the 2 ins and 3 outs and size.

So far I've got 6x9s bottom mounted in the rear deck (free) (Sony XPLODS, THESE SHITS HIT SO HARD THE "E's" FELL OFF THE WORD!)
Kicker KS6.2 components for front doors ($44)
PG ZX350 will power all 4 conservatively for now once its freshened up (free...cost of caps replacement)

Plan is to get either one of these http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... r=267-7040
or two of these http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... r=267-7038
to run the doors and rear deck (unless someone wants to sell/donate something thats not a piece of shit to my cause)
So around $50-ish there

The zx350 will then run 1 8" sub ($40 + enclosure materials)
http://www.apexjr.com/SuperSub.htm

Then some more incidentals, wire and shit, but should be able to hit my $ mark and have tolerable sounding music while I drive.

[ttocs]

if your car is a repeated target I would recomend upgrading your alarm before you spent any more time installing an gear.

[ajaye]

if your car is a repeated target I would recomend upgrading your alarm before you spent any more time installing an gear.

I guess I'm exaggerating, it got hit 3 times over a couple years at my old house in my driveway but I've moved to a different state. I think it was the suction cup marks on the windshield that used to bring them in. I lived in Virginia and radar detectors are illegal there, but I covered territory in MD and DC and constantly went to Pittsburgh since I have a Steelers season ticket, so I always had to take it down and put it up. My guess is the thief saw the suction cup marks and figured there was a navigation unit under the seat or something. There is no other explanation I can imagine, my roommates car was next to mine 2 times and it was way nicer and they didn't go for it. I just don't want aftermarket grilles, and especially don't want those horrid red sony speakers showing in the rear like a "COME STEAL ME" beacon.

[oldskoolmseriesfan]

I really hope there isnt a theif dumb enough to steal sony explodes

[ajaye]

I really hope there isnt a theif dumb enough to steal sony explodes

yeah i mean i don't exactly want them showing off to the world like something im proud of either. but free is free and anything is better than the completely destroyed stockers in my car. we are talking about a 98 maxima with 207k miles on it, im already spending probably more than 20% of its worth at $200. I just need music desperately while I drive.

[ajaye]

So the drivers in my front doors were mounted in these plastic fuckers to clear the window track/path. The replacements I have are 6" vs the 6.5" stock that these accept. Should I even bother with these assuming I have clearance between the front of the speaker and the door panel? Or should I just make baffles mounted straight to the door and make them thick enough to clear the window and chuck these things, I have to make them either way.

[oldskoolmseriesfan]

chuck'em... just make some baffles.

[ttocs]

its good to help prevent water from reaching the speaker.

[ajaye]

its good to help prevent water from reaching the speaker.

That was the one reason I am considering not abandoning them. There was definitely some evidence of water getting in there on the passenger side. Trying to conceive a way to use plastic or something to help with that without making it a huge ordeal...

[stipud]

My stereo sounds like what you are going for... Stock HU, AudioControl Four.1 EQ (iPod input, which I never use). My speakers are mounted to the same factory plastic rings as well.
http://photo.stipud.com/v/saab/stereo/

I would say screw those shitty Pyle amps... find another ZX450 in the Buy/Sell area!

[ajaye]

My stereo sounds like what you are going for... Stock HU, AudioControl Four.1 EQ (iPod input, which I never use). My speakers are mounted to the same factory plastic rings as well.
http://photo.stipud.com/v/saab/stereo/

I would say screw those shitty Pyle amps... find another ZX450 in the Buy/Sell area!

You've got WAAAAY more time invested in that then I'm planning due to material cost mainly. Nice job though I imagine it was well spent in the end, the deadening especially. A zx450 is EXACTLY what I WANT. Unfortunately I doubt I can find one for $50. I've got my eyes open though, and I watch craigs list locally as well so something may pop up between now and when I get some money.

I ended up just making mdf baffles. It only took 1 3/4" mdf piece and the speaker clears the window track depth-wise and this way it eliminates one more seam I have to deaden if I went with a baffle/adapter over the plastic piece, plus the risk of the door panel not clearing. Still debating cutting a top ring to set the driver at an angle, I need to look at my table saw blade and if its large enough to do it in 2 cuts I may attempt it.

I'm now trying to decide how to seal the mdf surface against water/moisture. I actually returned a gallon of kilz original when i bought the mdf the other day which would have been perfect lol. The only thing I have on hand is a water based acrylic primer/sealer and a concrete bonder/fortifier I use for plaster work (PVA based same as elmer's glue), and tons of drywall compound, premix and setting type (google produced some how-to's saying to use this). Using anything water based to treat mdf against water doesn't add up in my mind, if I'm over thinking this please let me know. I guess I could go get a little pint of Zinser BIN or a spray can of Kilz...I need to grab some thicker stuff to deaden with anyway. Should I just go with the acrylic I've got? Money is the main issue.

[ajaye]

Well for my first non bolt in install I guess its coming along OK. I'm not looking to win any awards lol. The 6x9s will mount to the bottom of the rear deck. The 6" driver baffle is going to mount where that plastic piece was so I routed down the mounting points to use the stock hardware. Gonna slap the sealer on the other side and start pulling some wire while it dries..

[stipud]

Those baffles look pretty good. I'd probably use either a hearty outdoor paint, car undercoating spray, sound deadening spray, or even plasti-dip to coat them.

[ajaye]

Thanks man. I found some enamel undercoat/sealer so there's 2 coats on everything now. The rears are in, they shouldn't see any direct water contact so I'm not sweating them. I may try to dig up something a little more robust for a couple top coats on the fronts before they go in, and I'm not counting on it being 100% good either way but should hold up for a while at least. LOL maybe even longer than the car which isn't saying much. Wires pulled through the doors to the car, I'm gonna put the xovers under the dash so I can get to them a little easier when the sub goes in down the line if I need to. Still gotta bury all my wire from the trunk yet, at least the back seat is already out from the rear deck work.

[ajaye]

I want to mount the amp to the back of the back seat in the trunk. Since its a unibody car will that be a sufficient point to ground the amp? I can post a picture if it helps, its basically metal structure and the back seat (padding/upholstery) just bolts on over it. Essentially a firewall between the cabin and the trunk.

[stipud]

Definitely not a great choice. That's some thin, weak material, which is poorly connected to the body, if even. You'll want to use a thick, structural kink in the actual body of the vehicle. Look around the bottom and sides of the back seat panel, and there should be a good spot. Consider somewhere near where your seatbelts bolt to the car, for example.

[ajaye]

Definitely not a great choice. That's some thin, weak material, which is poorly connected to the body, if even. You'll want to use a thick, structural kink in the actual body of the vehicle. Look around the bottom and sides of the back seat panel, and there should be a good spot. Consider somewhere near where your seatbelts bolt to the car, for example.

I'm gonna try to take it into a rear strut tower, I think that's my best bet.

I got a quick test listen in today. I should have waited, its fucking begging for a sub and I can't swing it right now.

[ajaye]

Hey dudes, haven't had much time for the internetz lately but I'm still working on this, and still broke. Here is my current situation, if anyone has any insight I'm all ears.

I just grabbed a Rockford 160.4 locally for $50 (the trans-ana punch series from like 1997 or so) and am about to pick up a Rockford BTR-4110 subwoofer unit for $15. I'm not a fan of the newer RF stuff, but I had good experiences with stuff from this era (mid/late 90s).I can't find any specs on the latter and its a temporary solution anyway but I figured for $15 what the hell, it appears to be a 10" driver factory built into a tube enclosure, and I can at least have some LP frequency reproduction until I get a more substantial subwoofer. As of now, my thoughts are:

ZX350 powering the 2 kicker components up front, stereo and high passed around 90-120hz (just estimating until I can listen)
Aux outs from the ZX to the rear ins on the RF, and run the 2 rear channels bridged to the BTR 4110. My thoughts here are 2-fold, first the phoenix x-over is 24db/octave vs the RF 12db, and also easily adjustable via pot on the PG vs the RF having the x-cards.
Now I'll need a 2nd full range signal for the front inputs on the RF to run my 2 rear fill channels, which will be high passed at the factory set RF 80hz point for the time being until I can order components to modify the roll off point.

Or another option
The PG ZX350 running the 4110 subwoofer bridged, LP set same as HP before (90-120ish).
PG Aux outs to RF front inputs. Run in 2 channel input mode (so 1 stereo input feeds all 4 channels), 2 fronts set to full range on the RF and using the PG to set the pass band.
Same high pass signal will then be used by rears, but I can modify the xcard for the rear channels using a LP filter to create a bandpass, so I'll have a rear fill pass band of like 90ish-2000 hz or something (again need to do some listening and what not). My hope is this would help keep the rear fill as just that, and leave the soundstage focused in the front.
My concern with this option is both overpowering the sub and under powering the fronts. The RF, though legitimately underrated, specs at 20 watts RMS per channel w/ all 4 driven into 4 ohms. Again, I'm on a tight budget, and its taken me a while to find some deals to move forward, so while I know "get amps, speakers, etc more suited to your needs" is the right answer, this is what I have to work with right now.

As I'm going for more well balanced and enjoyable listening experience vs SPL, I'd REALLY like to keep it stereo, at least in the front. I have to imagine though that a mono rear fill w/ stereo front would create a very awkward soundstage, but if you guys have any experience getting creative here lemme know. The other option is to omit rear fill all together, which I have never done before, but I'm open to try if any of your experiences suggest its worth it, which would give me basically 2 bridged channels from the RF of about 80 watts RMS which would be perfect for my fronts. The RF amp is only stable to 4ohms bridged anyway, so doing a mono front and mono rear or running both left speakers parallel bridged and both right the same won't work.