2006 MazdaSpeed 6 Audio Test Lab

durwood · 11-14-2006, 09:50 PM

Ok I am going ot post some pictures of my old install from my 04 Mazda 6 since It had some good and bad ideas. I made some changes and this year the install will be cleaner with some software changes and hardware changes. My install is never done even though I have had a working carputer for over 3 years now. So don't expect to see my worklog in the finished projects. Posts 11 and on are my current install.

Updated 3/2/07 For the second generation carputer.

Equipment (Current)
1) New Carputer -Installed (May 08).
-Gigabyte Socket AM2 Desktop board $20
-AMD 1640LE 2Ghz $40
-1GB Ram $40
-M2-ATX $50
-PCI Soundcard Prodigy Hifi 7.1 $125
-250GB Seagate HD $100
-Lite-on Slot Load USB DVD-RW Drive $100
-Logitech PS2 mini keyboard $7
-Liliput 7" 619 TS $300
-BU-353 USB GPS $50
-Keyspan Media Remote - (At some point I want to integrate my factory buttons from the radio to control the computer in addition to this either with the car2pc adapter or a homebrew method) $25
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Total Cost $767 in Hardware

2nd Retired Carputer -Installed (2/28/07).
-Intel D865GVHZ Socket 478 Desktop board $20
-Pentium 4-M 1.8Ghz $25
-512MB Ram $30
-M2-ATX $50
-PCI Soundcard Prodigy Hifi 7.1 $125
-250GB Seagate HD $100
-Lite-on Slot Load USB DVD-RW Drive $100
-Logitech PS2 mini keyboard $7
-Liliput 7" 619 TS $300
-BU-353 USB GPS $50
-Keyspan Media Remote - (At some point I want to integrate my factory buttons from the radio to control the computer in addition to this either with the car2pc adapter or a homebrew method) $25
-----------------------
Total Cost $832 in Hardware

Old Computer No longer in use First Gen
-EPIA M10000
-Liliput 7" Touchscreen
-M1-ATX PSU
-256MB Ram
-250G Seagate Hardrive - (Seagate drives are super quiet and reliable and 5-Year warranty.)
-Lite-on USB DVD-RW slim slot load
-Creative Sound Blaster Live 24bit USB - (Temporary)
-Dream works Mini-key
-Keyspan Media Remote - (At some point I want to integrate my factory buttons from the radio to control the computer in addition to this)
-Earthmate USB

2) Software
-Windows XP PRO (Not optimized yet) $130
-Roadrunner (Deteremining donation ammount)
-Digital Graphite Skin/Simplistque Skin
-IGuidance 3.0 $100
-Winamp
-Frequency Allocator $100
-Nero (came with Drive)
------------------------------
Total Software $330

New Software Under test (Software Audio Processing for tuning purposes
-Frequency Allocator (Full version) $100
-Console $50

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3) Electronics
-2x Cerwin Vega EXL350.2
-2x Cerwin Vega EXL400.4
-1x Cerwin Vega XL600.1

4) Speakers
-4x 0.75" MBQuart RTC19 tweeter
-10x generic 2" wideband midrange
-2x 10" Tang Band WT-1427
-1x 10" JL audio 10W6V2

5) Audio Power
0.75" mqquart tweets-> 2 channels 200Wx2 Cerwin Vega 400.4
2" midrange -> 2 channels 200Wx2 Cerwin Vega 400.4
10" midbass -> 4 channels bridged to 2 channels 350Wx2 dual Cerwin Vega 350.2's
10" sub -> 1 channel 600Wx1 Cerwin Vega XL600.1 class H for efficiency.
1500Wrms on the front
600Wrms for the sub.

My old install (Posts 2-5)

I used to have these 3 processors to do what my Alpine can do now.
-Audiocontrol Matrix 6 Channel Line driver
-Audiocontrol Master Volume control
-Precision Power FRX-456 Crossover

Equipment no longer used
-Alpine PXA-H701 (Time correction, crossovers, EQ, Volume control)
-A/D/S PH15 6 Channel 50Wx6 (3 way front stage)
-A/D/S PQ20 70Wx4
-1" Silk Dome LPG25NFA
-3" HiVi A3N 3" midrange
-7" Scanspeak Revelator 18S/8531G
-10" JL Audio 10W6V2 Subwoofer

I have a hardware/software solution to replace the Alpine PXA-H701 Processor. I am almost ready to phase out the alpine and go 100% carputer including processing.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/high-end-solutions/88359-software-options-tuning.html

Mounting Locations
My screen is mounted in the original Map compartment
The computer is mounted to the cross structure of the rear suspension except the hard drive.
The Sub is mounted in the far rear of trunk on the passenger side
The amps are mounted in front of the cross structure suspension bracing.
The Remote is mounted on the retracted door covering the cupholders in the center console.

TO DO List
-Better volume control
-Factory stereo dash controls and steering controls integration

Projects Underway
-Factory stereo dash controls and steering controls integration
-Wire cleanup

Finished Projects
-Upgraded Earthmate USB GPS mouse to the BU-353
-New Computer installed
-Found a software / hardware soultion for sound processing
-Molded Remote into cupholder cover
-New Screen mount fits better, front cover molded into screen bezel.
-Built a cover panel for processor/sub box
-Made new Tweeter pods and made them look more factory.
-Added sound dampening to front doors and rear parcel shelf.

The order of this may change depending on needs.
More to come....

durwood · 11-15-2006, 07:56 AM

Here was my old setup. The changes were the midrange drivers were Aura 3", the sub amp was a Soundstream Ref300SX. I was using the old processors which have been replaced by the Alpine PXA-H701.

durwood · 11-15-2006, 08:18 AM

Here are pictures of my old install...

The screen pretty much the same as now. I can manually fold it down to hide it or just adjust it to reduce glare since I don't have a transreflective screen. I don't like motorized things because they are too tempermental. It locks into place by powerfull magnets when open.

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durwood · 11-15-2006, 08:22 AM

Old computer location in the center console arm rest...

Great except the only problem was cooling. I had to add some extra fans later on because it got kind of warm and I didn't want the computer to fail. You can't see it from the pics but I had a 5.25" DVD drive mounted on top of the center console. I made a new housing/cover for the arm rest out of MDF and wrapped it in matching vinyl which covered the DVD drive.

I removed the arm rest storage pocket by simply removing the screws from underneath the center console outer shell. It gave me exactly enough room for the homemade MDF computer case.

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durwood · 11-15-2006, 08:25 AM

Amplifier setup

This was along the drivers side of the trunk. On the other side I had my sub and processors. The best part was that I still had a ton of trunk space and could fold my seats down. I also still had access to my spair tire. Too bad I can't locate better pictures

Nolat · 11-15-2006, 03:33 PM

A nice clean install. Some good looking ideas, good work man!

canibusfan · 11-15-2006, 03:52 PM

i cant wait to see more pics, hopefully i can get some ideas from this

durwood · 11-15-2006, 04:29 PM

Thanks. I don't really have any more pictures of my old install. I will take pictures of my current install this weekend if its nice out.

Simon123 · 11-19-2006, 12:27 AM

Nice install man, I'm glad to see I wasn't just being paranoid about mounting my comp in the center console. I couldn't see how I was going to keep it cool. I have the wagon so I ended up mounting it in behind the stock trim panels on the left side. I like your screen solution, I've spent over a year on and off dicking around with motorization and I'm about done. Even the units with pro R and D seems finicky.

RedGTiVR6 · 11-19-2006, 08:55 AM

subscribed!

I'm very interested to see how this install turns out!

durwood · 11-19-2006, 06:59 PM

Ok, now on to the current setup.

Disclaimer...the computer install is not complete. It works, I have no problems, it is just messy. I live in a apartment complex with no garage. Any work I do not on it ais at my friends house when I have free time which isn't very often. I am paranoid about working on my car out in the open because people can get sticky fingers if you know what I mean. So don't criticize yet. The final install of it will look much cleaner. Right now I have to clean up the USB wires and finished mounting the hard drive and put the cover back on my case. Hopefully should be ready by next spring for competition season.

durwood · 11-19-2006, 07:05 PM

Here are some more pictures of the computer under the passenger seat. The first one is how it looks when the seat is in its normal position. The others show how much clearance I have which is about and 1" from the seat bottom but on the left you can see how it tucks right underneath the seat rail. I have quick disconnect plug for all the power wiring going into the computer case so that I can remove it and take it inside for lengthy computer software installs/testing. The hard drive is in a removable enclosure so I can plug the drive into my home computer for music/movie additions.

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durwood · 11-19-2006, 08:10 PM

I used the stock door locations for my MBQuart QSD216 6.5". I currently don't have any sound deadening that I had in my other car. That is also on my list of things to complete. Lucky for me the Mazda 6 panels in the door are made of some kind of plastic material that is pretty quiet on its own. The interior door panels actually need more dampening then the speaker mounting surface IMO. Either way they will both get dampened in the future.

Here are my pictures of the midrange and tweeters. The midranges were mounted in the factory vent locations-perfect for almost any 3" driver under 3.5" in total diameter. I dampened the vents with dynamat exterme and sealed off the vent with a combo of duct tape, automotive carpet and acoustic foam behind the driver so that the speakers are not cooled by the air-conditioning and condensation will not build up on the drivers.