1999 Chevy Corvette Convertable V02

**scott_fx** · 11-19-2006, 07:56 PM

So I am well underway for my total system overhaul. The only thing that is the same are my tweeters and the computer. The amps, subs, door speakers, and 'soundcard' have been upgraded with far superior components.

The system will be laid out like this:

Car pc - m10000, 512 mb, 80 gb
Sound processor - crystal dac; 122 s/n ratio, spdif in, balanced out

my new gadget/sound device

Volume control - Joshua Tree logarithmic stepped attenuator

http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/

Active x-over - Phaze Audio LDX-23; Tube x-overdesigned by B.K. butler, balanced in/output
Front Stage Amps - (2) Phaze Audio TD1500 Tube amps; 150wrms x2@ 4ohms, balanced input, dual mono block design
Sub Amp - Zapco Reference 500.1; 500 wrms balanced input
Front Stage mid bass - Elemental designs eu-700; x-overed for mid bass, powered with 150 wrms each
Front Stage mid/high - CDT cl-41; 150 wrms
Sub: JL Audio 12w7

**scott_fx** · 11-19-2006, 07:57 PM

the amp rack has gone through a few full revisions. I have been very unhappy with my designs. My first amp rack won't ever be seen, i destroyed it. It had a flavor of myh old system but the amps just didn't look good with them so i tossed it out. I then added some more components and had to do a mojor rethink of the system... false floor here we come.

my first layout left something to be desired. again i tried a layout that was similar to my http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=51708 but it didn't work:

i decided it needed some more 'flare' so I layed them out at some oposing angles:

i liked that so onto the facade. i originally thought that having the amps be flush with the floor; like the old design, would look great. what have we learned? THE NEW AMPS AREN'T LIKE THE OLD AMPS!! here is what it looked like:

yeah... ***

so then i decided to open it up a bit. i liked this look but something wasn't striking me:

i liked the lines but it was just too much going on. the lines of the amps didn't match the windows for the dac and car pc (you can see the car pc window in the lower right) there was just too much going on.

so i took the amp rack into my room and had Koda take a look at it

after a closer look he shook his head 'no'

so that design was tossed out as well.

Koda and i sat for a few more days just looking at the amp rack in my room. then it came to me. follow the lines of the trunk! so here i am today... happy:

I'll keep you updated as time goes on... there are a few finishing touches that you guys wont see until the final 'show off your project' thread... but the meat and potatos will be here.

oh .... and the x-over is off center because it's just resting there right now, not bolted down.

**scott_fx** · 11-19-2006, 08:05 PM

reserved

**scott_fx** · 11-19-2006, 08:14 PM

reserved

**durwood** · 11-20-2006, 03:31 PM

I like your components. I am jealous...I bet it will sound amazing.

I love the ease of use of the Alpine but I really think its holding me back. I know I could get it to sound better but upgrading my processor to something what you have got puts me into another competition category...one that I am not ready to compete in just yet.

Go job ont he setup, I thought I was the only one who went back and forth on how I wanted it to look. At least your equipment matches unlike mine.

I'll be checking out your progress.

**scott_fx** · 11-20-2006, 03:42 PM

that's why i dont compete. I am in the same boat as you about the alpine. i had it for a while but i wasn't that happy with it... more asthetic reasons though. I dumped it and went with what i found suited me.

Thanks for your comments!

**scott_fx** · 12-20-2006, 01:33 AM

FINALLY part of the custom car pc interface arrived:

i still have to paint the piece and i'm waiting for the custom cut buttons..but it's getting closer

**scott_fx** · 01-20-2007, 09:12 PM

man... this sucks. i'm so indecisive about that amp rack. i think i'm going to end up hiding the x-over (the thing between the amps) and everything else so all you see are the amps and the subwoofer. if anyone is reading this, maybe you could give me some ideas about mounting those amps. if they were freakin rectangles i'd have this thing done by now...but the shape of those amps just is kickinng my ***.

**JasonWW** · 01-22-2007, 08:22 PM

What is the stepped attenuator for, main volume control or adjusting the sub level?

Also, as far as the amp config, do you have to keep them below a certain height for the top to fold down? What are your mounting limitations?

**scott_fx** · 01-22-2007, 08:40 PM

the stepped attenuator is for the main volume control. since the dac i'm using is mainly used for high end oem equipment (i have a dev. board) there isn't any volume control, adjusting volume on the pc isn't optimal so my only solution was to use a volume control for an amplifier. Since my attenutor isn't housed in the amp's chassis i opted for one that uses the digital world to control the attenuator. this then allow me to remote mount the volume pot away from the dac w/o a hit in sq.

as for limitations; i can't go any higher then 1/8" above the amp. Over the weekend though, i did come up with a solution that i'm very pleased with. I ended up with the same layout as the last picture but i dropped the walls of the amp rack down, lowering the overall height of the false floor. now the amps sit half below the floor and stick up where the second 'tier' of the amp rises up. I think it looks really good. i think i may be happy with this. I also decided to hide all the other equipment except the x-over, and the two tube amps.

I do have one possible modification. I had talked to veritasforge about making a custom pc case out of aluminum to place between the amps (where the x-over lives now).

The design would be based off of the new image dynamics x-overs:

i think it'd be an awesome case (veritas does amazing work!) but i'm not sure if it'll fit in with the amps.

what do you think?