gaterose audio build Kicker/JL

[gaterose]

Thought I'd share my audio build

• Stock non-JBL Entune
• TacoTunes Plug & Play Amp Harness Installation Kit
• JL Audio RD 900/5
• JL Sub Remote
• JL Audio FiX-86
• JL Audio 10TW1-4
• Home made box behind passenger seat
• Kicker Subaru Tweeters In Dash (H631SFJ101)
• Kicker CS 3-way 6"x9" Front (43CSC6934)
• Kicker CS 2-way 6-3/4" Rear (43CSC674)
• Kicker Amp Kit with Distribution Block

Subaru Tweeters

6"x9" compared to garbage OEM for front

6-3/4" compared to garbage OEM for rear

TacoTunes Amp kit the way it should be sold - split into input/output and tech wrapped

10TW1-4 in a box I built, bolted to OEM holes. Not the prettiest but it fits and hits perfect. I may wrap it in carpet later.

RD900/5, FiX-86 and connections barely fit under the driver's seat.

Battery connection, distribution block, and Blue Sea fuse box for other accessories.

 

[Tyler]

How did the amp kit look before you fixed it? And do you think just the tweeter + 6x9” upgrade would be decent without the rest for now?

 

[gaterose]

Just 2 big piles of wire that would be a PITA to run from the dash to an amp and keep straight what plugs where.

I think so, I’ve read that just the tweeters are a huge difference. The 6.75s are the cheapest part so I just ordered it all at once. Now that I’ve added an amp, I wonder if I should’ve just got the tweeters and nicer 6x9s instead

 

[Ron]

I like how you wrapped the wires. Awesome and clean. The sub box is slick. Screw carpeting it. Get this stuff:

https://www.parts-express.com/acry-...exture-coating-kit-with-textured-3-r--260-111

Fill in your screw holes with putty, allow to dry, sand , wipe down. I brushed one coat, then texture rolled the second....

 

[gaterose]

Thanks! I actually bought some larger tech wrap so hopefully this weekend I can wrap the rest up and clean up under the seat a little better.

I already have a Upol Raptor Liner gun from a previous bed liner I did and will probably eventually buy another quart of that to coat it with. I used the rustoleum bed liner for now but not as happy w the texture as I was with the raptor liner.

 

[Tyler]

Just 2 big piles of wire that would be a PITA to run from the dash to an amp and keep straight what plugs where. View attachment 1967View attachment 1968

I think so, I’ve read that just the tweeters are a huge difference. The 6.75s are the cheapest part so I just ordered it all at once. Now that I’ve added an amp, I wonder if I should’ve just got the tweeters and nicer 6x9s instead

Wow, you really made this look neat.

 

[gaterose]

A few updates after living with the setup for a few months...

I decided to trim my fuse panel down, for some reason I was following the Pelfreybilt design and didn’t consider customizing it for my needs. Like access to the fuse box without unbolting the panel...

I also shortened the leads under my seat for my amp/dsp wiring and added a second fuse panel under the seat for the fix86 an extra (anytime) 12v outlet and an anytime dual usb outlet.

Ordered the wrong outlet from mictuning so I’ll have the right one tomorrow, it will replace the Qi charger switch since my phone doesn’t have that and I’ve seen nothing but bad reports about it’s functionality.

 

[solscooter]

A few updates after living with the setup for a few months...

I decided to trim my fuse panel down, for some reason I was following the Pelfreybilt design and didn’t consider customizing it for my needs. Like access to the fuse box without unbolting the panel...

I also shortened the leads under my seat for my amp/dsp wiring and added a second fuse panel under the seat for the fix86 an extra (anytime) 12v outlet and an anytime dual usb outlet.

Ordered the wrong outlet from mictuning so I’ll have the right one tomorrow, it will replace the Qi charger switch since my phone doesn’t have that and I’ve seen nothing but bad reports about it’s functionality.

Why the DSP doesn't the amp take direct inputs? My xd700/5 did

 

[gaterose]

The amp can take low level inputs but I wanted the sound calibration and tuning

 

[solscooter]

The amp can take low level inputs but I wanted the sound calibration and tuning

hoping to get that in a new head unit eventually. but then ill be running RCAs in place of the 9 wire

 

[Ron]

hoping to get that in a new head unit eventually. but then ill be running RCAs in place of the 9 wire

I was thinking the same thing. I'd like wireless Android Auto to come down in price first though. Also, I kind of like my set up right now using an old iPhone as an iPod with Apple Music subscription in one USB port, and a 128gb micro flash in the other USB port with my big music catalogs on it.

I'm really interested in the fix86 otherwise......

 

[gaterose]

I'm really interested in the fix86 otherwise......

I don't have anything to compare it to besides an old 4Runner with a different amp and high level inputs. The FiX-86 sounds much more like an aftermarket HU to me, but I didn't spend as much time tuning as you did with either setup.

It definitely calibrates something because it spends time processing the sound from the JL cd and doesn't necessarily properly calibrate every time.

You do get a huge eq with FiX though, I have been playing with the settings a bit but don't really know what I'm doing. Luckily you can adjust, play some music then adjust again if you leave yourself access to the USB port.

I tried the Audison in my current box today and it sounded better but the box was designed around the 10TW1 and it doesn't quite fit right so I'm going to build a new one tomorrow, weather permitting.

 

[gaterose]

I have been unhappy with the 10TW1-4 in part because it didn't seem as responsive as I'm used to and also because it was only pulling 250W at 4-ohm. I've run other 4-ohm subs on 250W, but this seemed especially weak. So I decided to try an Audison APS 10 D following @Ron's recommendation. Also used the Acrytech Duratex coating.

I could've reused my old box, but I got rushed putting it together and the angles didn't come out as well as I wanted so I decided to start fresh for the new sub. I did my best to base it off the Audison APBX 10 DS which is built with this sub, but we have more horizontal space than vertical so I had to reconfigure the numbers a bit. I also used 3/4 MDF instead of 5/8, not because it's stronger but I didn't see 5/8 locally.

Recessed sub, rounded corners, flush edges, much cleaner than version 1. Also had to notch out the overlap a bit to allow for clearance

(ignore the feet)

Cut a channel in the bottom to hide the speaker wire and flush it up against plastic

Used the previous box as a template to locate and drill holes to mount to factory bolt holes

After 4 coats of Duratex, you can see I got bored waiting on the Duratex to ship and decided to try my hand at engraving a Toyota emblem into the MDF. I think it came out pretty good for a first time.

I also cleaned up the overlap clearance notch

I only did 2 coats on the backside because it's not exposed

Mounted using 2 OEM bolts

Seat reinstalled

First impressions, I think it's more responsive. Definitely hits harder than my 4-ohm 10TW1, but that was expected with the increase in power. Could just be placebo effect combined with extra power though, we'll see if the feeling sticks after I get some butt time in the seat.

 

[Victory4x4]

Awesome setup! I also have a Kicker system in the truck with a dedicated subwoofer and front component speaker amp, but no DSP yet.

Looking at this as an option to do all of the sound processing automatically. Technically it could power a front set of components for those of you that are putting a system together.
https://www.kicker.com/key-smart-amplifier

 

[Ron]

I have been unhappy with the 10TW1-4 in part because it didn't seem as responsive as I'm used to and also because it was only pulling 250W at 4-ohm. I've run other 4-ohm subs on 250W, but this seemed especially weak. So I decided to try an Audison APS 10 D following @Ron's recommendation. Also used the Acrytech Duratex coating.

I could've reused my old box, but I got rushed putting it together and the angles didn't come out as well as I wanted so I decided to start fresh for the new sub. I did my best to base it off the Audison APBX 10 DS which is built with this sub, but we have more horizontal space than vertical so I had to reconfigure the numbers a bit. I also used 3/4 MDF instead of 5/8, not because it's stronger but I didn't see 5/8 locally.

Recessed sub, rounded corners, flush edges, much cleaner than version 1. Also had to notch out the overlap a bit to allow for clearance

(ignore the feet)

Cut a channel in the bottom to hide the speaker wire and flush it up against plastic

Used the previous box as a template to locate and drill holes to mount to factory bolt holes

After 4 coats of Duratex, you can see I got bored waiting on the Duratex to ship and decided to try my hand at engraving a Toyota emblem into the MDF. I think it came out pretty good for a first time.

I also cleaned up the overlap clearance notch

I only did 2 coats on the backside because it's not exposed

Mounted using 2 OEM bolts

Seat reinstalled

First impressions, I think it's more responsive. Definitely hits harder than my 4-ohm 10TW1, but that was expected with the increase in power. Could just be placebo effect combined with extra power though, we'll see if the feeling sticks after I get some butt time in the seat.

That looks amazing. Great job man, really friggen cool!

 

[Ron]

Let's discuss the Fix 86 a little more. Can you give me a "real world" run down on how you distributed the power to it, and how the wires are run, because I think I might be getting closer to pulling that trigger.

 

[gaterose]

Awesome setup! I also have a Kicker system in the truck with a dedicated subwoofer and front component speaker amp, but no DSP yet.

Looking at this as an option to do all of the sound processing automatically. Technically it could power a front set of components for those of you that are putting a system together.
https://www.kicker.com/key-smart-amplifier

Thanks! The last two vehicles I've owned have had a stock HU with aftermarket amp and sub and I almost immediately switched both to aftermarket HUs. This time I wanted to stick with the OE HU as it does everything I want and looks much cleaner than aftermarket so I decided to try a DSP.

I haven't seen that amp but did look at the Kicker DSP, though I can't remember the model name now. I have always had good experience with JL and read a lot of great reviews about the FiX 86 so i went that route.

Let's discuss the Fix 86 a little more. Can you give me a "real world" run down on how you distributed the power to it, and how the wires are run, because I think I might be getting closer to pulling that trigger.

Haha sure, so the power is very simple. It says right in the manual that you can just plug the +/- into your amp +/-, just use a fuse (3A or 5A, I believe) between the amp and your DSP. I ended up adding a 4 circuit fuse block under my seat, next to the amp, because I wanted to power an anytime 12V and USB. So the FiX is wired to that, but it doesn't have to be. I ran it for a couple months wired to the amp as described above.

The remote just plugs into the power I believe(it's in the manual). Since you already have a remote for your amp (I assume) you could use that one. But I don't have a remote input at all, the fix detects signal audio signal from the radio and sends remote output to the amp to turn it on.

It must detect some very minute sound input or something because it doesn't shut the amp off if my HU is muted, paused, or even on standby.

Thanks for the comments about the box too, I was super stoked with how it came out. I guess I just rushed the last one.

 

[solscooter]

Nice job on that box. Super sweet