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Sillyboy's 07 Audio Upgrade

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Sillyboy, Mar 18, 2007.

  1. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    I was tired of the other thread :)

    Current status:
    - Second Skin installed all over hell on front doors
    - Scond Skin installed behind and around rear speakers (but not rest of door)
    - Front speakers are installed: Infinity Reference 6010cs
    - Rear speakers are installed: Infinity Reference 6012i
    - Pulled 4 sets of wires + ACC to "trunk" (speaker level to amp)
    - Pulled 4 sets of wire from trunk to head unit (amp to factory speaker wiring)

    I am still waiting for wiring adapters, should show up Tuesday, but this other stuff should happen this week:
    - Profile AP1040 Amp for doors
    - Really old school Soundstream D200 amp for a sub
    - Old skool Boston Pro 10.4LF subwoofer (10")
    - A triangle shaped (what do you call a triangle that has 3 dimensions... a triangloid? :)) enclosure for the sub will run the whole width of the prius and snug up against the rear seats.

    Current listening thoughts:
    When the rear speakers were installed, i was really really happy. For just $70, I thought they sounded insanely good, and I was really looking forward to having the components done up front.

    After getting the components installed last night, I am less happy. While it sounded like 50 times better than the factory speakers... they sound a bit ... off. Hard to describe, I don't have a great audiophile vocab. It reminded me of when I am flipping through the stupid settings on my receiver on my home theater "Concert Hall", "Rock Concert", "Church" ... all those goofy settings that sounds like nice person, and add a certain hollow sound? That's what the front components remind me of. Or possibly maybe kinda that while the bass was surprising good, and the very highs were good, there are some frequencies in between that are lacking.

    I really have no idea what the problem is:
    - maybe a power issue (the components can take 90 rms, the rear 2-ways just 60).
    - maybe an install issue (the rears went in nicer snugging right onto the door covers, where the fronts had to be mounted farther back in the door, create a bit of a gap before the door cover).
    - maybe a head unit issue (weird that the back sound better, but who knows).

    Anybody have thoughts on what might be up here? Maybe these speakers are just so much better that I am hearing the crappy processing in the head unit, and understanding why people buy the CleanSweep.

    I am sorta hoping that it will magically get better when i install the amp, but I am skeptical.
     
  2. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    Was driving in the wife's truck today. She has a 3 band equalizer, and I was messin' w/ the "mid" channel. What I found is that... well, I am sorta deaf :)

    Well, not so much that... but then when I moved the mid channel way high, or way low... it (not surprisingly) sounds real bad. However, I have a hard time hearing "oh, there are not enough mids". I simply hear "bad".

    I bring this up because by tweaking the mids really far out of whack, it *did* remind me of how the new front channels sound. I am gonna play try the -3db on the x-over again, and play w/ the head unit bass/treble settings to see if things sound better.
     
  3. GeoGeek

    GeoGeek Member

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    Location:
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    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    The thing about the non-JBL system is that you only get two bands of EQ (Bass & Treble).....with the
    JBL you also get a mid band you can adjust.
    I've got a package 4 with no JBL.
    I added an Audio Control Three.1 in the little storage pocket under the radio.
    In one little package this gave me three bands of EQ I can adjust plus:
    a sub-bass eq (re: bass restoration)
    a line level driver
    a subwoofer level knob
    a front/rear fader knob
    a line-output converter

    Although it's not as sophisticated as the JL Cleansweep, Rockford 3Sixty or Audio Control DQL-8, it does a nice job and only cost me $76 on eBay....compared to $400-$700 for the other options.
     

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  4. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    Really nice install GeoGeek. Clearly, I am going to have to do *something*. I bought a radio shack spl, and took measurements... um, ouch.

    Google for "Radio Shack SPL Calibration".

    hz db
    20 75
    30 73
    40 79
    50 79.5
    60 81.5
    70 79.5
    80 83.5
    90 82.5
    100 85
    125 82.5
    150 72.5
    175 67.5
    200 65.5
    225 66
    250 68.5
    275 71
    300 70.5
    350 73
    400 72
    500 72
    600 72
    800 72
    1000 71
    1200 74
    1600 71.5
    2000 71.5
    2200 67.5
    2500 64.5
    3200 71.5
    4000 74
    5000 85
    6000 85
    8000 83
    10000 84
    12000 79.5
    14000 76.5
    16000 71
    18000 66.5
    20000 63

    <sarcasm>I just can't imagine why I thought it sounded... "weird"</sarcasm>
     

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  5. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    If anybody has an opinion on whether or not this is simply "bad output from the stock head unit" versus some other (install) issue, feel free to speak up. :)
     
  6. dzoutzidis

    dzoutzidis New Member

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    yikes.... I guess the mids are pretty quiet then. Why not try turning down both your highs and lows on the non-jbl equ.? That might give you a more flat curve, although certainly not perfect it might be better?
     
  7. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dzoutzidis @ Mar 20 2007, 03:01 PM) [snapback]409130[/snapback]</div>
    It sounds pretty non-optimal right now :-P

    I did try pushing treble and bass all the way down, but the frequency response graph was only vaguely better. Still went from 67db at 3.2khz to 81db at 5khz. 14db change in less than an octave is unsavory, any way you slice it.

    JL Audio CleanSweep on the way...
     
  8. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    /sigh

    So, I sorta wasn't paying attention, and wired the amp turnon to the power antenna. As expected, my amp now only works for AM/FM. Not CD/Ipod.

    So... uh.. where do I tap into something good? ACC I guess, where is that?
     
  9. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sillyboy @ Mar 21 2007, 08:53 PM) [snapback]409954[/snapback]</div>
    Where do you have a power antenna on a Prius???
     
  10. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Mar 21 2007, 10:56 PM) [snapback]409955[/snapback]</div>
    heh. Clearly, I don't.

    But the head unit does have a connection for the power antenna, which is what I tapped.
     
  11. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sillyboy @ Mar 21 2007, 11:07 PM) [snapback]409959[/snapback]</div>
    Okay, I tapped into the front cigarette lighter. It's really easy, as long as you are willing to be totally ghetto :) I literally just jammed a wire into the back of the + connector, and taped it on there. I screwed up the first time and routed my wire the wrong way, so I had to redo it... allowing myself an opportunity to prove that I actually had to apply decent force to the wire to get it out of there :)

    Only had to pop off the vent just right of the dash, and the very bottom center molding (which has the lighter on it).

    Okay, so now that the amp works... <woah!>

    My first thought was "woah, why did I order the eq? this sounds awesome". The biggest change was in separation of the instruments... was really easy to pick up each one. And I swear I could hear the singers lips parting before they sing ;-) Really diggin' it.

    I decided to go ahead and do my frequency response graph again, and it was actually still pretty screwed, so I am still glad the EQ is coming today :)
     
  12. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    Today's Progress Report and Such:

    - got my CleanSweep. However... the seller forgot to send the calibration cd, and hasn't seen it for 6 months. /sigh. Guess I will pay the $10 from JL Audio for another... and wait. :( If somebody wants to send me an mp3/wma of the calibration track, I will love them long time. PM me.

    - When building a subwoofer enclosure, it totally helps if the accessories for your table saw are running square. :unsure: Nightmare.
     
  13. sidelack

    sidelack New Member

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    I just finished my first "stage" of upgrading my 07 prius system. It as really bad. I changed out my front speakers with an older set of mb quart's 160 "Q's", added an "old-school" RF amp. I biuld a small fiberglass/mdf box with .36 and dropped a single JL audio 8w3. wired at 8ohms, (amp is overpowered anyhow and being that the amp is in the truck it really helps it run cool.
    and disconnected my "muddy" center channel.

    I am very happy with the results so far. Very solid bass and 100% better highs and imaging.
     
  14. MacDude

    MacDude Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sillyboy @ Mar 22 2007, 09:24 PM) [snapback]410704[/snapback]</div>

    Any further updates?
     
  15. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MacDude @ Apr 14 2007, 02:08 PM) [snapback]423306[/snapback]</div>
    Attempt #1 was basically a wipe out. I had way too much noise (hisssssssss) that I could not get rid of. I am honestly not sure if it was the head unit or the inputs to the cleansweep, I tend to think the former. Simply because if I hooked up an ipod to the cleansweep, it was fine. (however, its not *that* clear since the ipod had a relatively small signal to begin with... the high level from the head unit might have been treated differently!?).

    And, I was getting *nasty* clipping. Playing a 50hz sample, even at low settings for the volume on my head unit... was bad enough clipping to fry my tweeters.

    I just got everything together for Sillys System #2. New alpine head unit, PAC SWI-Jack for stearing wheel controls, Metra kit for mounting the head unit. I have a brutal cold or I would be attempting the install right now... :)

    Updates soon.
     
  16. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    Well, it's pretty much done. and I am pretty much happy.

    Final stuff:
    - Front speakers: Infinity Reference 6010cs
    - Rear speakers: Infinity Reference 6012i
    - Alpine CDA-9857 head unit.
    - Metra head unit kit 99-8213 http://www.metraonline.com/downloads/pdf/T...INST99-8213.pdf
    - PAC SWI-Jack steering wheel control
    - 4 channel amp for doors
    - sub woofer amp for old 10" boston acoustic sub
    - cable for my ipod to alpine

    I suppose i can put up pics if anybody really cares, but silentak1 has a picture of his install in this thread: http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=1...hl=pioneer+avic showing something fancier anyway :)

    Naturally it sounds very kick nice person, especially compared to where I started :) I do think replacing the head unit is the way to go. Of course, there are down sides...

    - the steering wheel controller is... ok. at best. The first problem is that it is slow to respond. If you click a button fast, it just does nothing. But... if you hold it for awhile, you are gonna jump more like 4 notches of volume, instead of 1. Using it to control volume was useless enough that i switch those buttons to "change track" and the normal track change buttons to "change folder"... which seems to work on mp3 disks with folders, but doesn't really do stuff w/ my ipod. :( the mode change button works great, heh. :) I like how on the stock prius holding the buttons had different meanings -- like holding mode would power it off. That is gone. Really, it kinda makes me want to learn enough electronics to build my own solution, because I am pretty sure a better one exists.

    - Alpine's ipod control is... ok. There are some things it does which are quite nice. The station preset buttons on the head unit jump by percentages through lists (so, the 3 button might jump to say 45% through the lists of artists, and 6 button would jump to 90% or whatever). Makes it a bit easier to move through larger lists. Still, there are some pretty un-intuitive pieces to their UI. I never know if I should hit the search button or mode button, the track change buttons vs up/down buttons around the search button vs volume knob. they seem to just pick something at random. It also a serious bummer that I can't continue to use the controlls on the ipod -- they are locked out, gotta use the head unit.

    Overall I am pretty happy. It all ended up being a bit more extreme than I intended :) I just want new speakers! The stock speakers on the non-JBL are just soooo awful. But, once you pull on that thread... all hell breaks loose and you end up where I am...

    [edit: added speaker info to list]
     
  17. acdii

    acdii Active Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sillyboy @ Mar 18 2007, 06:03 PM) [snapback]408070[/snapback]</div>

    Just an FYI, but sometimes people loose their hearing in certain ranges due to too many days listening to hard beating loud subwoofers in a small enclosed space. Ask me how I know :D,, eh what did you say sonny?
     
  18. priusFTW

    priusFTW Gen III JBL non Nav

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sillyboy @ Apr 19 2007, 10:42 AM) [snapback]425967[/snapback]</div>
    But you got new speakers right? That is what you said in your original post anyway. I have decided to upgrade my system. I am starting with changing out the speakers and installing dynamat. I will determine from that point, once accomplished, if any further upgrade is deemed necessary based on my tastes.
     
  19. Sillyboy

    Sillyboy New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusFTW @ Apr 20 2007, 09:03 AM) [snapback]426659[/snapback]</div>
    LOL. Ya, sorta forgot to mention that here again.

    Front: Reference 6010cs
    Reader: Reference 6012i

    I don't love the fronts. To me, even w/ the -3db settings, the component tweeters are too loud/harsh. It is way better w/ the new head unit, but it does get a bit nasty at high volumes.

    I will probably just live w/ that for awhile. Or try and stick a resistor in series w/ the tweeter? I might be that crazy. :)

    Honestly, I think I would have been happy w/ just a good head unit replacement, and really good and efficient speakers. The amp and subs were probably a bit extreme for my needs, but it is typical for me to go over the top w/ projects like this :)

    I will be really interested to hear how your "just speaker replacement" goes. That is what I hoped for, and they just sounds like po po.
     
  20. Presto

    Presto Has his homepage set to PC

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    Sillyboy,

    I notice you have the Infinitys and the tweeters are known to be on the harsh side. I was able to compensate for this by using the active crossover on my amp so that the tweets and woofers were on their own channels. I just turned the gain down on the tweets enough that my head wouldn't split open when cranked up. I've used Infinity's for about 5 years because I thought they were really good.... until I heard some higher end stuff.

    When I bought an amp off a member from another forum, he demoed his sound system in his car. He wasn't pushing heaps of power, but he had Focal components, and they were clear and loud enough to be heard half a block away. It's possible to have phenomenal sound, but it's all about your budget. The Focal 165KPs cost me $600 CDN from a boxing day sale at a local audio shop. Well worth the money, IMHO.