Chevy Cavalier 04 Audio System Build Log

[X-OvrDistortion 0]

I would have double layered the wall where the subs mount, but that is just me. How think is the MDF? 3/4"?

[lightingman117 8]

I would have double layered the wall where the subs mount, but that is just me. How think is the MDF? 3/4"?

Really thick. I asked one of the mods (can't remember who) and they said it didn't matter, the DCON's are so light anyways. It's so strong I wouldn't be scared to hit it with a sledge hammer. There's absolutely no flex anywhere in the box.

[X-OvrDistortion 0]

I would have double layered the wall where the subs mount, but that is just me. How think is the MDF? 3/4"?

Really thick. I asked one of the mods (can't remember who) and they said it didn't matter, the DCON's are so light anyways. It's so strong I wouldn't be scared to hit it with a sledge hammer. There's absolutely no flex anywhere in the box.

I wanna see you hit it. That would make my day.

The mods here are all dumb, I wouldn't trust 99.9% of them.

[sefugi 166]

Any updates?? Been pretty cold were I'm at, keeping me inside. Want to see that front stage come together!!

[lightingman117 8]

Any updates?? Been pretty cold were I'm at, keeping me inside. Want to see that front stage come together!!

Sorry, I got super busy since last update. I've worked on my car as much as possible, but haven't gotten as much done as I would have liked. Cold and parents being a big hindrance. I do have a solid plan now which I'm excited about. I got the subs hopping which is awesome. I can't wait to get the doors sealed up and see how much the ID OEM v1's can kill my car =D But on that note my parents don't want me spending close to 800$ on sound deadening. Which has really stumped me. Now I don't know what to deaden and where to spend my money and such. It's annoying. I'm still waiting for that perfect moment to say hey, about that... And still go for the complete and perfect setup that I've wanted since day one. But enough of my jabbering you want pics right???

This is the new revised version that I came up for mounting the OEM's

As you can tell it's much more compact than the first.

Test fitting of the door proved that it needed to be modded for the speaker to not encounter resistance.

I would be working on it all this weekend and last if it weren't for me going to a Passion 2011 in Atlanta, and now getting my wisdom teeth pulled. Hopefully I wont be so out of it that I'll be able to get the 2nd door done. Run some 12g to the amp rack. Get the amp rack mounted. Order pneumatic springs. And wait for a few checks that are supposed to be coming for some work over winter break. And spend that on deadening and fiberglass junk.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

[lightingman117 8]

Right before it got super cold today I was able to get the door on and figure our some other logistics.

Yeah, I know my cutting skills suck. It's a learning experience. And it'll all get covered up by some balsa wood so no worries.

[sefugi 166]

Things are looking good!! $800 sounds quite steep for sound deadening. Contact Don (don@sounddeadenershowdown.com) and tell him what you are working on and he can give you the best solution and recomendations for what you are wanting to accomplish. He will not oversell you on material that you don't need.

Keep up the great work!!! Waitin' for more!!

[lightingman117 8]

Things are looking good!! $800 sounds quite steep for sound deadening. Contact Don (don@sounddeadenershowdown.com) and tell him what you are working on and he can give you the best solution and recomendations for what you are wanting to accomplish. He will not oversell you on material that you don't need.

Keep up the great work!!! Waitin' for more!!

That's who I contacted. He sent me a list of everything I'd need. Very helpful, sadly the list added up to $721 after shipping. I asked if I could nix some of the deadening and what it would do to sound quality, so we'll see.

[lightingman117 8]

Sorry for such a slow response, Church duties, School, rain, and cold kept me from doing everything but my car. But thankfully me and my dad got to plug away a little the last few weeks. This weekend should be a very large step in the right direction. I got the sound deadener in and on/in the car. Don was very helpful as always. Will recommend him from now till the day I die. I also plan on finishing the doors this weekend and the rest of the deadening. This isn't all the pictures I got either, I'll get the rest up when I find the other camera I used. I also took before and after roof deadening videos (Though I warn you, as it got dark my mind went away... ). Hopefully I'll find the time to get them up this weekend. Lot of tests though so it might be a little while.

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[J@SouthSlap 0]

Good build you have going here. How many square feet of deadener did you order to make $800??

[sefugi 166]

Wow the Mass Loaded Vinyl looks great. I'm sure you can already tell the difference.

[lightingman117 8]

Good build you have going here. How many square feet of deadener did you order to make $800??

I don't quite remember, somewhere in the 180 ft^2 range.

Wow the Mass Loaded Vinyl looks great. I'm sure you can already tell the difference.

Definitely! When I first turned my car on I was like: "is it even on?" It's so nice. I can't wait to get the rear seats in because that'll block the noise that comes from the undeadened trunk.

[sefugi 166]

Wow the Mass Loaded Vinyl looks great. I'm sure you can already tell the difference.

Definitely! When I first turned my car on I was like: "is it even on?" It's so nice. I can't wait to get the rear seats in because that'll block the noise that comes from the undeadened trunk.

No outside noise/ gives for the front stage to show it's potential!

[Kanaworm$ 292]

Very nice job for a first time install! Keep up the great work and more pics!

[lightingman117 8]

Got a decent amount done this weekend. I'm happy with the progress. I got it playing too. Set some gains using the 'scope. Figured out how to use fiberglass. Lots of fun.

Amp rack test fitting.

Ended up cannibalizing a piano hinge off of an alarm box.

Where the center console will be going with the eq, and control switches.

Wires for the H/U ran the front output to the rears so I can fade between the RCA (rear out) and front (speaker out) for rear/front fill balance.

The power comes from 12g wire ran from the mains power. Everything has a common ground. So far not too much of any hiss/alternator whine or anything of that nature.

H/U goes up to 35, 32 is a pure sine wave out the RCA's while 29 has no hiss/fuzz in the output.

Finished midbass speaker baffle. Gosh so much better with CNC'd rings instead of my crappy jigsaw skills. I need to do some more wood working.

Used foil/duct tape to cover all the holes front and back. Fiberglass to seal the larger holes. Hopefully the midbass will love the enclosure I give em.

Used some butyl rope to seal the midbass rain covers against the door and screwed em in.

Subs in trunk. Super happy about that. Man, "Fortune", Introduction by Carl Orff sounds so good in my car. I can't wait to get the mains done!