Aluminum
Thread Starter
1000 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,783
defro, I did some listening tests with it against some really high end (read 5k per pair) home cables. I'm happy with them.
Yes there is better, but I'm not willing to pay for it.(yet [img]tongue.gif[/img] )
Adam
Yes there is better, but I'm not willing to pay for it.(yet [img]tongue.gif[/img] )
Adam
Adam, any plans to remove the alum. once it's all built and then polish or something? I like that screen shot of the 900. That's some funky stuff it can do! Oh, a bandsaw might have been a little nicer for the edges when cutting those holes but not everybody has one lol
50 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 241
How big are those subs, by the way? i think that would look good if you polised the aluminium. to do mine, i use 120G then 200g then 400g then 600g, makes for a nice, smooth, shiney surface 
or you could do brushed or, that nice, unfinished, old, aluminium that has been riding in the back of a truck look 
. Lookin good, dude
or you could do brushed or, that nice, unfinished, old, aluminium that has been riding in the back of a truck look . Lookin good, dude
Thread Starter
1000 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,783
Yes there are plans to do more work with the aluminum. To start with, I just wanted to build a home for the PXA-H900 to comfortably reside. I didn't show the interconnect routing in detail, but it's a big part of why things are layed out the way they are. The connection from the H900 to each amplifier channel is about 6 inches in length. I'm custom building some inteconnect to fit that need.
The speaker wire will be shortened up and terminated with WBT connectors. These connectors will connect to 5 way binding posts mounted on end-plates on each side of the amp rack.(one set of connections for right, and another for left) Each binding post will have a run of high quality speaker wire to the desired amp. output terminal. This will really tidy up the speaker wire connections, and allow me to change amplifiers without worrying about speaker wire lengths.
Power connections will be changed as well.For now I just used what I had in my stash to get things running. Eventually, each aluminum plate holding an amplifier will have a set of Anderson Power-poll connectors for power, and molex connectors for low level signals. Basically, each component will have the ability to be "unplugged" and removed. Power to the amp rack will be upgraded to two 1/0 awg positive and negitive runs.(dual 300 amp lines)
Now for finishing:
The rear deck holding the subs will be covered with Cascade Audio Engineering VB4 barrier type material. This is to help seal the trunk area as a true Infinite baffle type setup, and the block road noise permiating from the trunk area. The factory rear deck cover will be applied over this area totally concealing the sub array.
The amp rack will be eventually totally dismanteled for the above re-wiring plan. When I do this, I will be applying a layer of VB4 under the H900 (if you look closely in the pictures, you will see that it floats off of the aluminum plate about 1" with aluminum spacers) that will completely seal the trunk area from the passenger cabin.
All visible aluminum surfaces in the trunk area will be smoothed and polished, although I'm not going for the bling look. I just want everything to look "finished".
I mentioned before that I'd like to be able to change out amps from the rack with ease, this is because I plan on trying out any amp that people will let me get my hands on. The list includes more Audison, Arc Audio, TRU, BRAX, and Sinfoni amps. Of course this is a little bit down the road folks, my midranges are sorely in need of a better install.
Adam
The speaker wire will be shortened up and terminated with WBT connectors. These connectors will connect to 5 way binding posts mounted on end-plates on each side of the amp rack.(one set of connections for right, and another for left) Each binding post will have a run of high quality speaker wire to the desired amp. output terminal. This will really tidy up the speaker wire connections, and allow me to change amplifiers without worrying about speaker wire lengths.
Power connections will be changed as well.For now I just used what I had in my stash to get things running. Eventually, each aluminum plate holding an amplifier will have a set of Anderson Power-poll connectors for power, and molex connectors for low level signals. Basically, each component will have the ability to be "unplugged" and removed. Power to the amp rack will be upgraded to two 1/0 awg positive and negitive runs.(dual 300 amp lines)
Now for finishing:
The rear deck holding the subs will be covered with Cascade Audio Engineering VB4 barrier type material. This is to help seal the trunk area as a true Infinite baffle type setup, and the block road noise permiating from the trunk area. The factory rear deck cover will be applied over this area totally concealing the sub array.
The amp rack will be eventually totally dismanteled for the above re-wiring plan. When I do this, I will be applying a layer of VB4 under the H900 (if you look closely in the pictures, you will see that it floats off of the aluminum plate about 1" with aluminum spacers) that will completely seal the trunk area from the passenger cabin.
All visible aluminum surfaces in the trunk area will be smoothed and polished, although I'm not going for the bling look. I just want everything to look "finished".
I mentioned before that I'd like to be able to change out amps from the rack with ease, this is because I plan on trying out any amp that people will let me get my hands on. The list includes more Audison, Arc Audio, TRU, BRAX, and Sinfoni amps. Of course this is a little bit down the road folks, my midranges are sorely in need of a better install.
Adam
0 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 34
I really am I amazed by your install (or planning) Adam. I wish I had the time/ability/tools to do such an install myself. Perhaps when I'm done university I will be able to.
Have you thought about installing a PC in your vehicle that would integrate with the stereo? Maybe it would be nice to continuously be able to adjust the processor as needed without having to run to the trunk and back.
Also, I've read that BMW's have a great onboard computer system that is easy to tie into with a PC that will let you control/monitor virtually everything in the vehicle.
I realize the stereo is likely priority one, but while you're in the planning stages, might be something to think about?
Very VERY nice work.
-dyno
Have you thought about installing a PC in your vehicle that would integrate with the stereo? Maybe it would be nice to continuously be able to adjust the processor as needed without having to run to the trunk and back.
Also, I've read that BMW's have a great onboard computer system that is easy to tie into with a PC that will let you control/monitor virtually everything in the vehicle.
I realize the stereo is likely priority one, but while you're in the planning stages, might be something to think about?
Very VERY nice work.
-dyno
