Posted January 28, 20178 yr Popular Post Decided to buy a W201 chassis Mercedes Benz, it was cheap and in nice condition so I had to do it. What is wrong with another car, right? The day I bought it, did not like the wheels at all. They are from a mid 2000's E class. Check out that interior color: I found some stock pie plate wheels and put some new tires on for the winter: Previous owner did ruin the dash: Previous owner added some bass, these are two spare tire woofers from a mid 2000s Mazda: That is it for now, kicks have been sent off to get done because the car does not have any room for speakers up front stock besides 4" in the top of the dash. I will be using SSA Evil 8 ohm mids with Aurasound 3" Full Rangers. I also have a 12" Dcon laying around that I will be using for woofer duty. Amps are still up in the air but I have been trying to convince someone to sell me his old RF Punch Amplifiers. Source is an Alpine 7894, an older deck with built in DSP.
January 29, 20178 yr i like it , what year is it? Just curious , is that a leather textured steering wheel?
January 29, 20178 yr 8 hours ago, S.DeYoung said: That is it for now, kicks have been sent off to get done because the car does not have any room for speakers up front stock besides 4" in the top of the dash. I will be using SSA Evil 8 ohm mids with Aurasound 3" Full Rangers. I also have a 12" Dcon laying around that I will be using for woofer duty. Amps are still up in the air but I have been trying to convince someone to sell me his old RF Punch Amplifiers. Source is an Alpine 7894, an older deck with built in DSP. I'd ditch those Aurasound 3", they are poop. Try the FaiailPro 3FE22, they are very good. You can use these guys without tweeters if needed. http://www.parts-express.com/faitalpro-3fe22-3-neodymium-professional-full-range-woofer-4-ohm--294-1100
January 29, 20178 yr Author 15 hours ago, edouble101 said: I'd ditch those Aurasound 3", they are poop. Try the FaiailPro 3FE22, they are very good. You can use these guys without tweeters if needed. http://www.parts-express.com/faitalpro-3fe22-3-neodymium-professional-full-range-woofer-4-ohm--294-1100 The aura sounds are far from poop, those faitals do look nice. I am always up for trying new drivers.
January 29, 20178 yr Author 15 hours ago, Liro213 said: i like it , what year is it? Just curious , is that a leather textured steering wheel? 1989, the interior is MB Tex, alternative leather that holds up much better over time. I assume the steering wheel is the same material.
January 29, 20178 yr Popular Post I love the equipment list!! I can't wait to see the build progress! I have mixed feelings about what edouble said about the Auras. I tested a set in the Jimmy mounted on axis and all. I agree with you they're definitely not poop. To me they're amazingly smooth with very low distortion, so I used them in my sons truck. However they really do need to be mated with a tweeter and they're not going to be nearly as efficient as the Evil mids. I also have experience with the Faitalpro 3FE25's, the ferrite version to the 3FE22 neo drivers. He's right you really don't need tweeters with them at all and it's unreal how precise and detailed they are. However the sound is colder, sterile with little warmth compared to the Auras. The response reminds me of good horn drivers, it really does. Plus they are extremely efficient though so that's another thing to keep in mind. If you have the money to spare to order the Faitals definitely do so that you can compare them and decide which you like best for your particular install. Whichever you choose I'm certain that you'll find a use for the others in a future project.
January 29, 20178 yr The best car stereo I have heard in the past 4 years ran the auras. As with any car audio install is everything.
January 29, 20178 yr 4 hours ago, S.DeYoung said: The aura sounds are far from poop, those faitals do look nice. I am always up for trying new drivers. I tested 12 3" drivers. The Aura were one of my least favorite. Faital Pro along with Audison were two of my top favorites. When you have 12 3" drivers to test back to back you are easily able to detect each drivers shortcomings once a standard is established.
January 30, 20178 yr Author Thanks for the help everyone, nothing is set in stone for the equipment in this project. I am always up for trying new drivers and comparing against each other. 14 hours ago, edouble101 said: I tested 12 3" drivers. The Aura were one of my least favorite. Faital Pro along with Audison were two of my top favorites. When you have 12 3" drivers to test back to back you are easily able to detect each drivers shortcomings once a standard is established. Can you give me more install details? location of drivers, on/off axis, by how much? amplifier powering the tested drivers? do you have any install pictures? Again thanks for the input. 14 hours ago, ///M5 said: The best car stereo I have heard in the past 4 years ran the auras. As with any car audio install is everything. Same here, as well as I have built plenty of small home listening setups for people with the Auras. Obviously home vs car audio is way different. 16 hours ago, altoncustomtech said: I love the equipment list!! I can't wait to see the build progress! I have mixed feelings about what edouble said about the Auras. I tested a set in the Jimmy mounted on axis and all. I agree with you they're definitely not poop. To me they're amazingly smooth with very low distortion, so I used them in my sons truck. However they really do need to be mated with a tweeter and they're not going to be nearly as efficient as the Evil mids. I also have experience with the Faitalpro 3FE25's, the ferrite version to the 3FE22 neo drivers. He's right you really don't need tweeters with them at all and it's unreal how precise and detailed they are. However the sound is colder, sterile with little warmth compared to the Auras. The response reminds me of good horn drivers, it really does. Plus they are extremely efficient though so that's another thing to keep in mind. If you have the money to spare to order the Faitals definitely do so that you can compare them and decide which you like best for your particular install. Whichever you choose I'm certain that you'll find a use for the others in a future project. How were the faitals mounted? Always good to hear from other experiences. I am surprised that you felt the auras needed to be paired with a tweeter. Possible to share some install pictures? Thanks again
January 30, 20178 yr 2 hours ago, S.DeYoung said: Can you give me more install details? location of drivers, on/off axis, by how much? amplifier powering the tested drivers? do you have any install pictures? Again thanks for the input. All drivers were tested on an open test baffle. The testing was performed in my home, isolated from other noise sources as best as possible. Testing was near field with RTA and objective. Tests were performed fullrange and crossed with a minDSP. I also had tweeters mounted to test with/without tweeters. Power was 50wrms which was more than needed.
January 30, 20178 yr Popular Post 8 hours ago, S.DeYoung said: How were the faitals mounted? Always good to hear from other experiences. I am surprised that you felt the auras needed to be paired with a tweeter. Possible to share some install pictures? Thanks again I tested the Auras, Faitals and some Fountek FR88EX drivers in small enclosures mounted on the far corners of the dash in my Jimmy. They are aimed on axis and I have a Focal Solid 2 powering them. The Auras are fantastic but lacked the very upper octaves to my ears. Again the Faitals had no issues at all getting to the top of the spectrum but lacked the warmth the Auras have in spades and that I prefer to have. I ultimately ended up using the Fountek drivers as they seemed, at least to my ears, to be a fusion of some of the best properties of the Auras and Faitals. Forgive the mess that my Jimmy is in on these pictures, it's really a beater not a show truck. Hard to keep it clean between the gravel roads and the mud/dirt/dogs/kids that are in and out of it constantly. Also the little enclosures will be replaced by custom built fiberglass pods mounted to the sail panels when time and funds allow. Right now they work so well and are mounted securely enough that I'm not in a huge hurry to get them done.
January 30, 20178 yr Author 9 minutes ago, altoncustomtech said: I tested the Auras, Faitals and some Fountek FR88EX drivers in small enclosures mounted on the far corners of the dash in my Jimmy. They are aimed on axis and I have a Focal Solid 2 powering them. The Auras are fantastic but lacked the very upper octaves to my ears. Again the Faitals had no issues at all getting to the top of the spectrum but lacked the warmth the Auras have in spades and that I prefer to have. I ultimately ended up using the Fountek drivers as they seemed, at least to my ears, to be a fusion of some of the best properties of the Auras and Faitals. Forgive the mess that my Jimmy is in on these pictures, it's really a beater not a show truck. Hard to keep it clean between the gravel roads and the mud/dirt/dogs/kids that are in and out of it constantly. Also the little enclosures will be replaced by custom built fiberglass pods mounted to the sail panels when time and funds allow. Right now they work so well and are mounted securely enough that I'm not in a huge hurry to get them done. Awesome, thanks for sharing
January 30, 20178 yr Author Here was my motivation to getting started on this build, SIS does so great work. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/build-logs-project-install-gallery/296681-german-unicorn-87-190e-3-4-sq-build-morel-mosconi-arc-illusion-audio.html
January 30, 20178 yr Admin Excited about this build. I love the Aura's for a budget home audio line array. My personal fav's are the Fountek 89's, ran them in the SSASQsporvtwagen.
January 31, 20178 yr 3 hours ago, S.DeYoung said: Here was my motivation to getting started on this build, SIS does so great work. http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/build-logs-project-install-gallery/296681-german-unicorn-87-190e-3-4-sq-build-morel-mosconi-arc-illusion-audio.html That is a sweet ride for sure !!! I'm tuned in on yours brother !!!
January 31, 20178 yr 4 hours ago, S.DeYoung said: Awesome, thanks for sharing This is what I was talking about. Myself, I would rather mount off axis, and adjust it the best I can, then have a on axis out of place speaker. Not saying it's what anyone else should do, just saying it's what I prefer myself. That speaker on the dash would drive me crazy. I believe in fixing the sound instead of just moving it to try and fix the problem. To each his own, but thats why I never understood the hole install is everything bit.
January 31, 20178 yr 42 minutes ago, Billy Jack said: but thats why I never understood the hole install is everything bit. Turn the speaker and you have to change the crossover. They are both the job of the installer to maximize. ...it is whole btw
January 31, 20178 yr True, I always install my speakers in a hole. And you bastard Sean, you have me searching for old German metal again!
January 31, 20178 yr Author 8 hours ago, ///M5 said: True, I always install my speakers in a hole. And you bastard Sean, you have me searching for old German metal again! Come back to the dark side. Every time I sell one I always buy another.
January 31, 20178 yr 1 hour ago, S.DeYoung said: Come back to the dark side. Every time I sell one I always buy another. Working on adding the 4th and 5th garage stall, then perhaps I'd love to own a muscle car again...but that doesn't exclude imported muscle. Sure am glad the Evo II's aren't affordable otherwise I'd have a problem.
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