djwozza
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Posts posted by djwozza
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Cheers buddy
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Yes he's a married man these days Tony.
Parthiban I've sent you a text
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Do you still drive the IS200?
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I am meeting Niraj next week in the evening, but unsure which day yet, I will PM you details as & when I know them and if you are free please feel free to join us, possibly at or near the Ace Cafe, or a bit later that night I am meeting a guy off the TypeAccord forum and he is near Cockfosters if that is any better for you, or hook up somewhere in between?
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The sound is definitely not OEM though, Honda would be bankrupt in a week if they did this to every Accord lol
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So here's a few pics, not much to show really as everything is pretty much hidden except for the Rear Door Tweeters, and unless you looked for them, from outside the car you wouldn't know there was anything different other than the head unit, and again you wouldn't even see that in passing....
C5 Tweeters behind factory grills
C3 Component Coaxials behind factory Front Door Grills
C2 Component set in the Rear Doors
Head Unit in my highly modified facia with modded radio surround
A bit of TV whilst parked up
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That's ok pal, just gotta keep it off FB till the end of Feb. Gonna try to take some more pics & maybe a video later today showing all the functions etc & the speakers in the doors etc.
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No buddy I was too tired after working Saturday Night, then on the car til the afternoon.....
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There goes Tony when I say "don't mention it online as it's a secret till after a meet next month"
Luckily most of my FB people might miss this lol
Guys I'm humbled with the comments again. Tony you have to remember when judging the install, there are 2 main types of ICE builds these days, SPL (Sound Pressure Level) or SQ (primarily Sound Quality based, flat EQ, volume levels are far far lower). This is more towards the SQ kind of build, but with added balls, so crystal clear clarity and fairly decent volumes with a good dollop of tuneful bass. By that I mean basslines are followed with some accuracy albeit at fairly loud levels. Lots of cars will go louder, but they certainly won't sound as clean as this does across the frequency range.
So the good news is it's finally finished. Well kind of. It's all in fitted & working but there are a few cosmetic bits needing attention. These will all get done over the next couple of months as it gets warmer, and are already paid for etc, it's mostly just a question of tidying up & finishing off.
1) A Battery Box for the boot install needs to be made from sheet aluminium & carpeted.
2) Under Rear Seat still needs to have the Silent Coat applied.
3) A custom fit Perspex Panel covering the Amplifiers needs to be made & fitted, with JL Audio Decals.
4) Re do Amp Rack. I'm going to hide away the cables underneath. Quite a rigmarole but will tidy the look up.
5) The temp Ski Hatch needs finishing off so it's visually perfect.
7) Driver's cubbyhole has 2 bass controllers in and the infra red control for the TV tuner, so it needs a mounting plate cut & custom fitted to tidy it all up inside.
6) Courtesy LED's in front doors & footwells.
So how does it sound? Initially it was impressed, then maybe a little disappointed. Then a few crossover tweeks, measuring path lengths to my ears in my driving position, time alignment dialing in and corssover adjustment then it was just like WOW!! We have CD, Mp3, iPhone, DVD, Freeview TV, DAB Radio, Handsfree Bluetooth & Reverse Camera. Oh & Sat Nav, I nearly forgot that. There are 11 Speakers, 3 Amplifiers, & one very happy driver!! A good week or two running in the speakers inside the cabin, then more gain levels & crossover tweeking, & finally then some EQ to my own personal preference (which is totally flat so far).
Here is a system diagram with how it all eventually ended up.
So what is in the install?
Pioneer F-60DAB Head Unit/Sat Nav
Alpine TUE-T150DV DVB-T TV Tuner
Alpine KRE-500E Remote Eye
Alpine KAE-210DV Amplified DVB-T Tuner Aerial
JL Audio 1000/1 Amplifier (driving)
JL Audio 12W7-3 Subwoofer
JL Audio 300/4 Amplifier (driving)
JL Audio C5-650 Dash mounted Tweeters
JL Audio C3-650 Front Component/Coaxials
JL Audio A2150 Amplifier (driving)
JL Audio C2-650 Rear Components
Pyle PLCM HONDA Infrared Rear Camera
Silent Coat Bulkpacks 3x2mm & 1x4mm
CCF Self Adhesive Decoupling foam 9mm & 3mm
0awg Power & Ground Cables
4awg Power & Ground Cables (Sky High)
0agw & 4awg Terminals
Plastic Conduit trunking
KnuKoncept 0AWG Battery Terminals (2 sets)
KnuKoncept KNF-60 Fused Distribution Block
KnuKoncept KNF-36 Fused Distribution Block
KnuKoncept 8AWG x2 Subwoofer Cable
Technical stuff
After a quick listen to 2 of JL Audio's official demo cars, my original plan to use the C2-650 Speakers as my front had to be changed. As with all manufacturers there are base model speakers, then as prices increase as does the quality & the technology along with performance. The C2's retail at around £150 now, (£190 when I bought them), and although they are a step of from the Alpines I had in the Lexus, they then were clearly outclassed by the C3's.
The C3's are an interesting engineering solution. They are a convertible coaxial/component system, so in effect they can be used as a drop in speaker replacement with the Tweeter mounted inside the front of the Woofer like this....
or they can be detatched (literally unscrewed) and run seperately as a Woofer & Tweeter and mounted in seperate locations
leaving the Woofer with a supplied phase plug
They have an externally mounted crossover to split the frequencies between the speakers in either mode
JL Audio ran these with the tweeter attached in their demo cars as they feel it provided better imaging with the drivers closer together, and after listening I had to agree. They also ran in the centre of the dashboard another set of tweeters to help lift the sound more up to ear level, in a ghost tweeter arrangement. As I wanted a stealthy look I decided to do this with the incredibly HQ C5 Tweeters, but hidden in the stock locations in the far corners of the dashboard. This has worked out incredibly effective, as although they are running at approx 3dB lower than the C3's, it is just enough to raise the vocals up to head level, & tbh with them seperated the soundstage imaging is pretty awesome even if I do say so myself. The C5 Tweeters & adjustable crossovers, note the jumper bars for adjusting the tweeter volume so they integrate as needed.
C2's (originally going in the front)
So the C2's got relegated to the rear doors, these only run for effect when I am alone in the car, so are backed down to around a third volume to just provide something known as rear fill. Only when I have rear seat passengers in demo mode they get some more volume. The sound should always come more from the front as you simply don't go to a concert, & then turn your back on the main stage.....They still sound pretty awesome but are outclassed by the newer C3's in the front door. As my 300/4 was now running in 300/2 mode, the C2's power demands are provided by another JL Audio Amplifier; a A2150 (eBay you godsend), which takes up every inch under the driver seat & provides up to 75Wrms to each rear door.
Not any room at all under the drivers seat now lol
So a few bit's and bobs to do over the next month or two after it's all given a final dail in, but thankfully spending money is now over, which is lucky really as that coincides with me having none ha ha
Anyone local to London that owns a Lexus IS200/300 or just wants to hear a demo, message me as I will be at a Lexus meet towards the end of February in NW London, or just PM me and we can sort something else out that suits you.
Do me a favour though guys, no mentions on FB for now, ta muchly
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Ha ha ha cheers buddy
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A few bits & pieces finished off today, no time for pictures unfortunately, it was too cold to hold the camera steady.
Door Bins
Lined the inside of the door bins with a layer of Closed Cell Foam
(Prevents any bits & pieces jangling around)
Power Cable & RCA's
Run Power Cable from the Fuse Box to under the driver seat plus an RCA Phone lead for the amplifier that will drive the rear door component speakers. This is a JL Audio A2150 providing 2x 75Wrms, this allows my 300/4 to run in bridged mode 2x 150Wrms to the front speaker set up. Watch for a somewhat different & slightly unique solution to the front sound stage than the Lexus, which had stock location Mid/Bass Woofers in the bottom of the doors, with tweeters mounted in stock pods behind the mirrors. You won't see any difference other than the Honda tweeter stock location is in the corners of the dash near the windows.... More of this when the car is finished......
Ski Hatch
Yep. I took a Dremel to the area behind the rear arm rest to make a Ski Hatch/Bass Port. As I fully intend to keep the car for at least a few years yet, this was the only solution. With the rear 6x9's removed & this extra port, there will be very little obstruction for the bass flow into the cabin. Some cars systems are deliberately designed so the car can be heard streets away. Mostly they don't live up to the hype inside when you get a demo. As this car was designed to keep me happy, & as I sit inside the car, that is where I have focused the sound. If you can hear it outside then great, but that's just a bonus for you. I want the sound to be focused on those lucky enough to hear it from the inside.
A big shout to Y2Kanjar for his help & use of his sheltered driveway today. If I win the lottery I will deffo buy a big house with a double or even treble garage. Working outside today was fine, the sun was out. Then all if a sudden my hands just started freezing up, which then spread to my core very quickly, so we had to retire to his nice warm house stopping any further work for now.
Mission impossible is very nearly achieved.......
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It had to be at the very least on a par with the Lexus install or would have been a complete failure.
With the extra sound deadening including the roof & the entire boot lining, that alone should be an improvent, then add in better quality speakers (the Alpine components I have upgraded were no slouch), more power to the subwoofer & the front soundstage, & the very best head unit Pioneer made last summer, the improvements should be a noticeable step up.
How much of a step up, only time will tell...
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I had to aim high, if I'd aimed low I might actually have achieved it.......
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Ah yes the bass line from the introduction to Neil Diamond's - America. I say bass line, it's actually hidden from most home/car systems as it goes ridiculously low like a cathedral organ, deffo a favourite demo track for the intro as it's a bass you feel rather than just hear, but also it has complex waves of strings which really test the full range of frequencies for clarity.
If the system gets anywhere near my expectations this time around I will be very happy. No reason it shouldn't, but it's getting near the equivalent of the Christmas Tree @ Santa Pod time for a car with a highly modded/tuned engine.
The proof of the pudding....... Only time will tell but I'm getting excited
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It wasn't a competition car designed to make the girl'ls hair go crazy like some videos, it still retained all the seating for starters, had a useable boot space (albeit a small one), and everything was pretty much hidden away so you wouldn't even know it was there.
The main aim was crystal clarity whatever the volume, with a large helping of tuneful bass that wasn't just a deep thud thud, something articulate but forceful. It could make your hair tingle a bit but that was about it.
Similar aims this time, but to take the quality up a notch or two, & I'm now running the same subwoofer as before, with a same model series amplifier rated at double the power. That for doesn't mean it will go twice as loud though, as to increase 2dB is a bit like taking a car that's hitting an aerodynamic brick wall at 198mphl, and then trying to get it to break 200mph. To do that a huge increase in power is needed etc.
So to recap the Subwoofer amplifier is now a 1000/1 (previously a 500/1 1x 500Wrms), the 4 channel 300/4 (4x 75Wrms) will now be running in 2 channel bridged mode (front doors now 2x 150Wrms), & finally the rear doors will be powered by a third Amplifier (2x 75Wrms). The 6x9's normally found on the rear shelf have been removed to allow more bass into the cabin.
Think the Lexus install on medically prescribed steroids & a few months with a personal trainer
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Yeah well your ears will be needed soon pal so get ready. Priority auditions given to those who heard the Lexus
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Quick update: a few bits to do on Sunday in preparation for a last day or two at a pro install shop to finish. Won't be long now....
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The wonders will happen when the car is finished & my foot is finally healed. Then I can crack on with getting my life back on track.
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Did a few minor bits at the weekend, door cards off taking speaker measurements etc, nothing of note picture wise tho. This morning I had a chat with another installer, this time a very highly respected professional install shop. Due to current health issues (improving but not improving as fast as I would like), & not having a nice warm double garage to use, and my sheer desperation @ getting the install finished after 4 months of delay, it really leaves me little option but to get a pro installer shop to finish off the last day or two of the install. Now after all the hard work, the planning, the DELAYS, I just need it finished!!
So with some additional funds, I should be up & running within the next month or so, deffo by the end of February so it's all ready for the upcoming season of Car Meets.
One final question, anyone want to buy a kidney??
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It was the least I could do at your time of loss my friend
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It's long & too complicated to go into on here, but shaking hands & moving on is the best thing at this stage. If he had been clear there was a money issue 4 months back we could have come to a solution I'm sure, but after this long & all the messing about my trust in him completing this install with me was gone.
I might end up paying more money for the final instal bit involving door removal etc going to a car audio installers, but there was no way I could have given him a single penny until the job was 100% completed, so we were at an impass.
Onwards & upwards tho. Hopefully by mid Feb everything will be completed, I'm deffo toying with hiding the amp rack cables underneath the shelf now to tidy things up with just small exposed sections where they protrude through the rack itself.
Anyway after probably the worst year of my entire life health wise (which nearly took it & is still a massively complicated continuing saga), along with the knock on of the worst ever financially too, I'm glad something positive has finally happened to end it & I can crack on to a finish in the next 6-8 weeks.
So I will get the install finished soon, & I am hoping further down the line we can rekindle our friendship to a point in the future after this brief hiyatus, but that I will leave up to him, no stress or drama from my end certainly. Time will tell.
Merry Christmas to you & yours people x
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The last 4 month saga has drawn to a close, I've finally binned the guy that was originally helping me. Nothing but BS excuses, & he has had me over a barrel as all my install tools, front components, sound deadening etc was all at his. After being what amounted to being continually mugged off, I called a halt too it. He had been ignoring my texts & phone calls for 3 weeks, so I tried a different tactic. It's called a "shock knock". I had to do it twice today, but he got the message & finally answered. His undertone was about how long it had taken etc & I could see he just wanted more money than he had already been given.
So he's now getting all my bits together, and at a mutually convenient time in about a week I pick up my remaining gear, shake hands & part ways, and can then crack on elsewhere with it.
Wozza's Honda Accord ICE Thread
in Car Blogs
Posted
He's a top fella. Looking back, although things didn't end well on LOC, I made some lifelong friends there such as Gord, Geoffers, Aido, Niraj, Y2Kanjar & yourself, plus I learned a lot about modifying cars, so in the end I gained far more than I lost.
Oh & I went to the Nürburgring, put in some decent laps for a ring virgin, & I didn't crash. I did have a few "moments" tho, but that just proves I was trying hard enough.....