Navigation & Audio New system installed
New system installed
Well, after much thought, angst, and money, I finally have my new system installed.
Details:
Headunit - wanted to keep this stock and didn't want to chop into the harness, so I ordered 2 harness connectors from Metra. One is the usual one used for aftermarket HU's, the other is the reverse connector. I ran the speaker wires off of the first harness to a MTX RE-Q5. RCA's out to the amp, and then speaker wires back to the second harness. This allowed me to avoid running new speaker wire (Hooray!).
I like the MFSW controls and the looks of the stock unit. Just couldn't find anything I liked any better.
Sound processor/line out converter - I used the aforementioned RE-Q5. Cost was around $100. It provides speaker level input, RCA outs. Individual gain controls and some crossover abilities. Mounted in the right rear panel, but may get moved. More on that later.
Amplifier - Kenwood KAC-8404 4 channel http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KAC8...ch=kenwood+amp
Nice 4 channel amp that I am using to power a component set, rear speakers, and the sub. Small enough to fit under the passenger seat with the styrofoam block removed. And it was the right price, around $160.
Speakers - MB Quart 6.5 Reference series components. Nice set. Always heard good things about MB Quart. I am certainly impressed with these. Build quality is good, sound quality is better. Mounted in the doors.
Sub - JL Audio Microsub 8. Scored this off of eBay for $25. Remembered these from a few years ago. Had always heard good stuff about them. It is bigger than I thought it would be, but it sounds awesome. I listen to mostly metal, some classical, and jazz. This handles them all quite easily. I even cranked up a little Dr. Dre and it sounded very nice. Not going to win any SPL competitions, but that's not what I'm after.
Other stuff includes and AUX input mounted under the headunit and a Sirius tuner. The Sirius unit is old, but it works, and it matches the illumination on the dash. I routed the wiring under the console and put a small hole in the cup holder to run the wires. Never found those cup holders very handy anyway. I also put down quite a bit of Second Skin sound deadening.
Still to do:
There is some alternator whine. I messed around with the gain on the amp and processor. It made it tolerable, but I probably need to redo some of the wiring. I'm thinking of moving the RE-Q5 to under the dash. The wires going to it are routed down the edge of the car and may be picking up the whine there. I think there is room behind the glove box. Then run the RCA's again and re-ground everything.
Speaker mounting in the doors needs to be redone. My homemade speaker adapters suck. I am going to order the ones from Crutchfield and modify them to fit.
Cover plate for the amp. I'm going to fab up something to cover the amp. Maybe some black mesh. Just to hide the hole.
Took about a week to do the install working after work, and then all day Saturday.
Picture links are up!!
Details:
Headunit - wanted to keep this stock and didn't want to chop into the harness, so I ordered 2 harness connectors from Metra. One is the usual one used for aftermarket HU's, the other is the reverse connector. I ran the speaker wires off of the first harness to a MTX RE-Q5. RCA's out to the amp, and then speaker wires back to the second harness. This allowed me to avoid running new speaker wire (Hooray!).
I like the MFSW controls and the looks of the stock unit. Just couldn't find anything I liked any better.
Sound processor/line out converter - I used the aforementioned RE-Q5. Cost was around $100. It provides speaker level input, RCA outs. Individual gain controls and some crossover abilities. Mounted in the right rear panel, but may get moved. More on that later.
Amplifier - Kenwood KAC-8404 4 channel http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KAC8...ch=kenwood+amp
Nice 4 channel amp that I am using to power a component set, rear speakers, and the sub. Small enough to fit under the passenger seat with the styrofoam block removed. And it was the right price, around $160.
Speakers - MB Quart 6.5 Reference series components. Nice set. Always heard good things about MB Quart. I am certainly impressed with these. Build quality is good, sound quality is better. Mounted in the doors.
Sub - JL Audio Microsub 8. Scored this off of eBay for $25. Remembered these from a few years ago. Had always heard good stuff about them. It is bigger than I thought it would be, but it sounds awesome. I listen to mostly metal, some classical, and jazz. This handles them all quite easily. I even cranked up a little Dr. Dre and it sounded very nice. Not going to win any SPL competitions, but that's not what I'm after.
Other stuff includes and AUX input mounted under the headunit and a Sirius tuner. The Sirius unit is old, but it works, and it matches the illumination on the dash. I routed the wiring under the console and put a small hole in the cup holder to run the wires. Never found those cup holders very handy anyway. I also put down quite a bit of Second Skin sound deadening.
Still to do:
There is some alternator whine. I messed around with the gain on the amp and processor. It made it tolerable, but I probably need to redo some of the wiring. I'm thinking of moving the RE-Q5 to under the dash. The wires going to it are routed down the edge of the car and may be picking up the whine there. I think there is room behind the glove box. Then run the RCA's again and re-ground everything.
Speaker mounting in the doors needs to be redone. My homemade speaker adapters suck. I am going to order the ones from Crutchfield and modify them to fit.
Cover plate for the amp. I'm going to fab up something to cover the amp. Maybe some black mesh. Just to hide the hole.
Took about a week to do the install working after work, and then all day Saturday.
Picture links are up!!
Last edited by navybsn; May 3, 2009 at 07:56 PM. Reason: add pictures
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Savannah, GA
Good setup...I was always wondering about the RE-Q setup.
As for your engine whine, you might have the gains up too high. After turning my down a little on the amp and the line converter, my engine whine disappeared.
Good Luck
As for your engine whine, you might have the gains up too high. After turning my down a little on the amp and the line converter, my engine whine disappeared.
Good Luck
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I have since adjusted the gains and reduced the noise. It is still there, but tolerable. Eventually I'll get around to pulling the interior out again and rerouting the RCA cables and maybe moving the RE-Q. It all sounds great. The best system I've ever installed in a car (5 or 6 systems). The Mini has great acoustics.
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 525
Likes: 1
If the RCA's are running next to your power wire, that could definitely be a cause of the whine. However, if it still persists after moving those, you can install a capacitor (~1 farad, made for car audio) in parallel between the alternator and battery. Doing that should filter out any alternator whine.
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