System Build for a Saturn Sky Redline
 

I've recently purchased the following components:

Alpine SPR-60C 6.5" component speakers
Alpine SWR-T10 10" thin subwoofer

I already have the following amplifiers:

Soundstream Reference, 500S run at 250W x 2 (bought used, no birth sheet)
Alpine MRV-F540, run at 200W x 2 (birth sheet showed 212W x 2)
Rockford Fosgate Punch 800a2 (birth sheet showed 1000W+ x 1)

I'm picking up an Alpine INA-W910 7" touch screen deck, an Alpine HCE-C117D back up camera, 2 Aura Bass Shaker tactile transducers, a bucket of Second Skin Spectrum sound deadener/dampener.

This is all going into a 2 seater Saturn Sky Redline with 6-disc in-dash CD Monsoon 7 speaker system in it. I have already disabled OnStar, and don't care about losing the feature.

I intend on using the stock monsoon 8" subwoofer box. I will likely paint the entire outside of the box with the SSS, lay some 2.5" "egg crate" foam on the inside, and reverse mount the sub, so that the basket is on the outside. I'm doing this because by having it exposed, and removing the stock plastic covers, I will barely protrude more than 1.5" past where it is now. So I can fit it, and the internal volume is only about .4^3ft, with the basket mounted inwards, and doubles to about .8^3ft reverse mounted. I will cut an 3/4" MDF ring to the enclosure, as an adapter to the subwoofer.

I will use the RF 800a2 to power the SWR-T10. I will use the Soundstream to power the SPR-60Cs in the front. I intend on putting the SSS on the inside of the outer door skin, and the inside of the inner door skin. I am having difficulty finding extruded butyl rope, so I will use non-curing/hardening butyl sealants in caulking dispenser format and aluminum flashing to create a dampening/sealing plate to cover the openings in the inner door skin. I am undecided, but will likely use either of these as they are butyl, and both will never set/cure, so they should give me long-term dampening/deadening, and not dry out, or harden and lose dampening/deadening over time like asphalt based materials. But definitely looking for advice on this one. These are the 2 products.

DAP Products - Caulks, Sealants, Adhesives, Repair and Floor Covering

LePage / LePage® Sealants / LePage® PL® Acousti-Seal Vapour Barrier Sealant

Since my stock front speakers are smaller than 6.5", I'm thinking I won't bother reusing the stock plastic speaker mounts. Instead, I will cut a series of MDF rings to create the desired depth I will need. Since I have to make my own mounts, I will try to angle them a little for more on-axis positioning, and as a result will probably have to use MDF to contour the base/mount to the door. It'll probably look a little like the front half of a "pod" when I'm done. I'm hoping I'll be able to get the MDF smooth enough that I won't have to use body filler, but I bet I will end up having to use it in the end. I'll either cover the pod in some 3M carbon fibre vinyl I have left over from covering my door sills, or simply paint them black.

I will try to mount at least 2 of the amps behind my driver's seat up against the trunk firewall. That's where the stock amp is, and from what I have seen, I can get at least 2 amps back there. I will mount an MDF board to the back firewall, and will likely have the amps exposed and cut away much of the stock plastic panel back there for clearance. The Alpine MRV-540 will power the 2 Aura bass-shakers that I will mount to a carbon fibre plate, that will be mounted to the back of my seat to the frame. That should give me the bass/hit I'm looking for since I'll only be running a thin 10". I'm used to my old 15" JBL GTi in a 3.75 cubic foot ported box.

I will roll the entire bucket of SSS into the car, and will do the under dash, the back firewall panel, the doors as mentioned, the floor of the car, the inside of the a-pillar/windshield surround.

I'm thinking about putting some open cell 2.5" "egg crate" foam, treated with scotch guard water repellent to help prevent moisture/mold issues. It will be mounted up against SSS treated inside of the outer door panel, so I'm not worried about metal corrosion in there.

Any advice on the foam behind the 6.5" woofer? Most people that have tried various mats/pads/foams behind mids tend to like open celled egg-crate foam the most. But the mats/pads have the advantage of being made from rubber/plastic and don't have to worry about moisture issues.

Does anyone have experience with Scosche wire harnesses? I've only ever used Metra thus far, and I've purchased a Scosche. I also have purchased a PAC TR7 bypass/multi-function module to bypass video so that it can be used at anytime, including the rear-view camera. Because of the sporty greenhouse/profile, it's often hard to see traffic lights if you're the first car at the light, and the lights are mounted high up. Thus far I've been getting by with a small wide angle mirror mounted to my dash. I'd consider getting a cheaper camera mounted at the back edge of my hood/cowl to use in the other video input eventually.

Thanks for the help/advice/suggestions.

Sounds like a good plan if the .8^3ft is enough for the new sub. Why the foam though?

Sorry I have no advice on this one but be sure to let us know what you go with and how it works. Sounds like you've done your homework.

The idea is that if there is no egg crate foam directly behind a speaker in an enclosure, waves will bounce off the back of the enclosure and hit the woofer again causing distortion and lowering efficiency.

Gotta do a basic install (deck, small amp for a small sub) in my girlfriend's new car. And we've been lucky in my area with a really mild winter so far. And all I'd really need is a decent weather on a weekend when I'm not working to slap her system in. Then I'll get to mine. Looks like I may have to wait a bit though as I'm guessing it'll be at least 1 week of my car being partially/disassembled. I've done multiple large installs before, and when you go this far, and have to fabricate so much from raw materials, it always took at least a week to get everything right. Probably won't get a solid week of good weather in my area for a while. I'm hoping either Feb or Mar. I still have to pick up the Second Skin Spectrum, the deck, the camera, and the Aura Bass Shaker tactile transducers. I'll probably grab em when I grab the gf's stereo stuff when I head into my local car audio shop within the week.

The only thing I see is you have a whack load of power for the shakers. They truly only need 30-50watts each so, if room is tight, maybe look at a tiny amp for them and save the Alpine for something else.

The wavelengths are too long to matter. I would save the foam and use it somewhere else.

Where abouts are you?

I've tried it in subwoofer boxes, and behind 6.5" woofers in doors, and I've found it particularly noticeable on the 6.5", and much less so on the subwoofers, but it should help. Particularly since I'm mounting the subwoofer inverted (basket out).

I'm only using it behind the 6.5" in the door, and behind the 10" sub. I have a 4' x 4' sheet of it. That'll be plenty.

Toronto.

I know, it's not ideal. But those are the 3 amps I have left over from a previous install. Don't really feel like picking up another amp just to drive the shakers.

My pops has an Alpine deck right now, and he's been looking to put speakers in. I guess I could donate the MRV-540 to him, and pick up something super cheap.

Otherwise, I have no other use for the MRV-540 anyways. I used to use it bridged to 2 channels to play peerless 6.5" component woofers, with vifa 2" ring dome tweeters (140W x 2 with 2 way passive crossovers), and the Soundstream powering Scanspeak front 6.5" component woofers, and a pair of vifa 2" ring dome tweeters (I'd blow a few tweeters here and there until I added the second per channel up front at 250W x 2 with 3 way active crossovers, and the Fosgate powering a JBL 15" GTi sub in a 3.75+^3 ft box with a 1.5" front face, internally braced, ported box. I have no idea what I'm ever going to do with that JBL in my car. I doubt my dad would be interested in it either.

Worst case scenario, I'll run the amp at 4 channels, and not run the output from 2 of them, and turn the gains down on the Alpine to the Auras and it should be fine. Overkill for sure but saves me the trouble of having to go out and get a small cheap amp.

A thought just occured to me. I had never intended on using the internal amps, and did not care if the INA-W910 had any. But it does have 50W x 4. I could always use that to power the Aura Bass shakers.

I just wonder though, will the INA-W910 allow me to use the pre-outs to an amp for the front components, and the internal amp to power the rear? I'm thinking that the pre-outs are still live if the internal amp is used.

Can anyone confirm? In that case, I'd only need 2 amps, and that would make the install easier for sure.

You can use the preouts and built in power at the same time. I would try it. If it's not enough, pick up a tiny amp for them but they really do perform with not a lot of power.

It's got me thinking now. Stock, I had 3.5" rear speakers as well, that I originally planned on eliminating. But now, perhaps I'll use the INA-W910s amplified outputs to play a set of 3.5" rear speakers.

Anyone got any recommendations for 3.5" speakers? Should I bother with coaxial? Or just single woofer?