2003 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V: Project Spec-SQ

[ANeonRider 3]

NOTE: Latest update on page 12

This is from back in October, once the weather gets warmer I will be doing more work.

I have been spending a some time as of late working on my car audio install into my newly acquired 2003 Spec V.

Here is my work:

Equipment Pictures

Headunit

Alpine IVA-D310 (www.alpine-usa.com)

Amplifier

US Amps XT2000d (800Wx1@1ohm) Class D Amplifier www.usamps.com

RESERVED FOR PIC

US Amps XT1600.4 (125Wx4@4ohms) Class AB Amplifier www.usamps.com

Subwoofers

Mach5Audio MAW-10 www.mach5audio.com

Front Stage

Alpine SPX-177A 2-way components (no pictures at this time)

Wiring

Knukonceptz wiring throughout. www.knukonceptz.com

Started with the factory 2003 Spec V stereo.

I am not going to be picturing some facets of the installation, for security reasons.

First things first, I installed the headunit... the brain of the whole operation.

Bad picture... get one in daylight when I can.

Next, I ran all of the wiring.

I decided to use 1/0 cable for carrying the necessary current to the amplifiers. I picked 1/0 wire because the amplifiers I chose can require upwards of 200A at full output.The 1/0 is fused about 18" from the battery, with a 250A fuse. There is a PERFECT spot for 1/0 wiring on the passenger side, behind the glovebox, so that was where the wire was ran, strapped to firewall.

Ran all RCAs, remote, and power wiring up the passenger side, and into the trunk for the amplifiers. Still have to get to the component installation, which includes the crossovers, amplifier, and drivers. Front stage amplifier (XT1600.4) will be arriving on the weekend, and the installation will start then.

In the trunk, the 1/0 cable is distributed using KonFUSED 2 Way Distribution System from Knukonceptz. The distibution block provides fusing capability as well, so the amps are also fused here, 120A for each. From there, each amplifier is provided a short run of 4ga. wire. The grounding to each amp is provided by seperate short runs of 4ga. wire to the chassis.

No pictures exist of the wiring work yet, may get some at the time I tear the interior out for the sound deadening stage.

For the subwoofer installation, I chose 3 Mach5Audio MAW-10 10" drivers. Click for specs

I wired each subwoofer's voice coils in parallel, therefore, each subwoofer is a 2 ohm nominal impedance. The subwoofers were then wired in parallel, making a 0.667 ohm nominal impedance load to the US Amps XT2000d Class D amplifier. Estimated power output at this impedance is 1200W RMS, therefore providing each driver ~400W of clean power.

I chose to use an enclosure volume of 0.5ft^3 for each driver, or 1.5ft^3 gross. It provides this response when modelled using BassBoxPro6.

With the estimated cabin gain of a small car, like the Spec V, the in-car response will be nearly flat @ 0dB right from 10Hz to my chosen crossover point of 70Hz (-12dB/oct).

Now.. to the installation!

The enclosure needed to get me the desired 1.5ft^3 gross volume for the drivers, I needed to make it 40"W x 7.5" D x 14" H. Each woofer displaces approx. 0.06ft^3 of volume. Used 3/4" MDF, decking screws, and wood glue.

Now for some pictures!

What I started with:

A quick picture of the false floor I made for the trunk... used 1/4" MDF, and attached the factory trunk carpet to it.

Spare tire is no longer there, and became the home for the amplifiers.

Enclosure!

Woodshop at work:

Front & back of the enclosure all cut... I love table saws:

Some progress:

Test fit:

MMM, woofers:

Holes cut... enclosure nearly complete:

Woofers installed!

Amp Rack... where the spare tire once was:

Enough room for both the XT2000d & XT1600.4... all hidden under the false floor. Stays plenty cool under there as well!

Enclosure installed, and ready to rip

The enclosure front will be wrapped in some silver vinyl, and a trim panel will be made, and covered in black vinyl, a custom grill will cover the woofers, and lit by a plethura of blue LEDs in short time.

This thread will be updated as I progress more.

[Big E 4]

I like it Very nice looking, I'm sure it'll be even better once that box is covered.

[2kchevy 3]

looks cool :thumbsup:

[Godsmack 361]

Very smooth man..........rock on!!!!

J

[///M5 2,833]

I love the 3 10's

[juddspaintballs 0]

im very excited, i love that you actually took the time and designed a box with a flat curve specific to your vehicle instead of using WinISD and guessing that your box will be good. everything looks awesome. which line of RCA's from Knu are those? i just ordered a set of the 4ch 6m kyrstal kables to replace my klarity kables which are not the best in the world...

[Bigpete123 1]

Do you plan on putting grilles over the subs? I would think they could get damaged if they're in the open like that, especially in a trunk.

good-looking install, btw.

[Adrian_D 520]

nice install

i remember seeing some pics of the sub..

[ANeonRider 3]

Do you plan on putting grilles over the subs? I would think they could get damaged if they're in the open like that, especially in a trunk.

good-looking install, btw.

Been that way since October, and no damage thus far. Like said above, I have something up my sleeve for protection. Once it warms up here I will be continuing my build.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I love the 3 10's

x2

[ANeonRider 3]

I pulled the interior, and started deadening last night. Should have time to update with some pictures tonight.

[audio-neon 34]

looks like the karma line of knukonceptz interconnects, just got mine today.

[ANeonRider 3]

Here's my progress over the last two days. Deadened with B-Quiet Extreme, 2 layers everywhere with some spots getting as many as 4 layers.

Driver's side floor board:

Driver's side, under the seat started:

Filling all of the holes, and space in between panels, cross members & braces with this:

Back seat area, bare:

Driver's side, all done to where carpet meets back seat:

Nice little cable tray where I ran my 1/0 power cable:

Passenger side all done, up to carpet line:

And door deadened. Did the inside of the door skin as well with 2 layers.

And door panel back on:

Time consuming, but worth it.

[///M5 2,833]

Nice work mang.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I want to do that do our civic.

[Godsmack 361]

I have similar aspirations for the Formula.

I like this ALOT!!!!!!

Keep up the good work.

J

[Bigpete123 1]

oooh, looking at those pics of sound deadening made my skin crawl. I hate doing that. But it sure does pay off!

Good work.

[ANeonRider 3]

I got my carpet in, deadened the rear deck, and went to start the trunk.... when I found about 3" of water in the spare tire well, not cool. Especially when my power distribution & amps were in there!

Now I have to figure out my amp location again, because although I am going to seal the chit out of the trunk, I do not trust the spare tire well location anymore.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

Good thing you found that.

[ANeonRider 3]

Well, I ran out of deadener (boo). 150 sq. ft. so far, need about another 150 sq. ft. to complete the job.

Have everything on the bottom of the car, one door, and the rear deck done. I may want to put another layer on the bottom of the trunk, but we'll see how it goes.

Installed the tweeters, and drivers' side woofer as well. Unfortunately, not enough deadener to deaden the drivers' door yet. \

Also have run into a problem, it seems as though either the tweeters are getting frequencies that the crossovers should be filtering. When listening to them alone, they seem to be getting way too much lower frequencies, and pop when turned up to higher levels. Not sure WTF is up with my crossovers, but I guess this is an excuse to go active (PXA-H701 anyone?).

Anyways, interior is all back together until I can get more deadener.

I also did end up installing the amps in the wheel well. I sealed up every body seam I could find, and mounted them higher in the well. Going to have to monitor the situation and see if the water trouble continues.

[DevilDriver 28]

Looks good. A well-deadened vehicle is the best starting point for a great stereo.

[///M5 2,833]

You don't need an excuse to go active, just some dough.

Nice work mang.

[ANeonRider 3]

Looks good. A well-deadened vehicle is the best starting point for a great stereo.

Before deadening, sub amp had to have the gain 1/2 of max, and the sub level @ +15 to get the sound I wanted.

Now, sub amp gain is just barely up from minimum, and the sub level is @ +7, and I have to turn it down at times because it gets to be too much.

Front stage amp is gained at minimum too, lots of headroom now!

[ANeonRider 3]

Well, priced out the H701 from a good friend that works at a local stereo shop.

$450 CDN. Going to be my birthday present to myself

[///M5 2,833]

Damn I wish it was my birthday. Nice buy. I'd buy one but I really don't want to have to buy a controller too.