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Thread: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

  1. Back To Top    #61

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    Yeah, I was pretty bummed to find that the horns wouldn't work.

    Th repairs looks fantastic! Normally they'd only spend a week or two with the car, but they had it for six and took their time with the repairs, and it shows! It was super great that they worked around my schedule.

  2. Back To Top    #62

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    I installed the JL 300/4(bridged) today and ran everything for the Zapco AG200. Both amps are about the same height, but the Zapco has a smaller footprint. Oddly, the Zapco doesn't really fit under the driver seat, but the JL fits great under the passenger seat. Hmmm. Its not uncommon for tall people to lower the driver seat, but I've never looked into it becasue I'm 5'7".


    I just roughly set the gains then went for a 20 mile drive. The increase in power was quite nice, and if I were an average consumer, I'd be totally happy with it. I was able to drop the highpass from 80 to 50 without issue. Tomorrow I leave for 5 weeks, while I'm gone I'll order the GB15's.


    Fun thing, I was waiting to make a left turn and got a smaller-than-ideal opening in traffic and took it. I broke the rear end loose and did a power slide through the intersection. The people waiting on that road looked horrified, but I had a bigass smile on my face. It's amazing how controllable this car is when sliding compared to my last sports car, a Fox Mustang.

  3. Back To Top    #63

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    I ordered the GB15's today, they'll be waiting for me when I get home. It's been a LONG time since I've had conventional tweeters.


    Eric says my IDQ's will play up to about 2500 @24db/oct for the lowpass. The owners manual on the GB15's says 1800 @12db/oct. These are my crossover options in the 800PRS:





    So I'm think I'll start at 2000 @24db/oct and see where I end up.


    Now if I just had some time at home...

  4. Back To Top    #64

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    Krikey today was hot! Stupid Texas summer.


    But I got the GB15's installed and finished up the Zapco AG200.


    Here is the factory tweeter in it's mount:



    Here is the factory tweeter next to the GB15:








    The GB15 mounted up in the factory location with a WeatherPack pigtail:





    Running the new speaker wire through the door boot requires drilling a plug, but to remove the plug, you have to remove the whole door:





    The boot assembly with the new wire in it:





    While I had the door open I added Fast rings to the IDQ8's:





    At the moment I have the IDQ8's playing from 50-2500 and the GB15's are playing from 2500 and up. I set the TA and roughed in the gains. I didn't make any changes to the APL tune, and don't know if it is currently set to the top up or down tune.


    So far I am totally pleased with the AudioFrogs and am thrilled that I finally put my IDQ8's to use. It's a very well balanced setup, plays decently low and gets plenty loud.


    Tomorrow I'll swing by the office and pickup my tuning laptop and start the real tune. I also have an appointment to get the windows tinted in the afternoon, I'm getting a heat barrier tint to help in this crazy heat. At the moment it would actually hurt if I sat down in it, gotta stop that crap!

  5. Back To Top    #65

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    Got the window tint done today, 32% on the doors and back window, 50% on the windshield. The tuning begins tomorrow.









  6. Back To Top    #66

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    I got some work done on the tune today, but not much.


    I fired up REW and used the RTA and pink noise to get a general idea of how the speaker levels were relative to each other. I just kinda ballparked it.


    Next I used TDA to set the TA on each side relative to each other. This si the initial measurement from the left side:





    I just the TDA tool to measure the time difference between the low frequencies and what i thought was the most dominant high frequencies. Then I used a tool on Erin's site to convert that time to inches, and made the change in the HU. This was after the first adjustment:





    I think that's god enough for now!


    After doing the same on the right side, I then used REW to find how the left and right were timed relative to each other. That took a little more time to get right, but I got it close enough that every new measurement was just overshooting in the opposite way from the last one, even when making .5 inch adjustments.


    I opened up Workshop and ran a sweep of the left side, and then ran into problems. I can see the graphs after the measurement, but it refuses to allow me to save an FIR file, or do any processing after taking the measurement. I'm getting the same issue no matter what laptop I use.


    I guess I'm done tuning for now. I leave on a 5-week trip tomorrow, so I'll pick up where I left off then.

  7. Back To Top    #67

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    I got home on Friday and did a little work. I decided to do most of the tuning from scratch, the TA was fine, so I left that alone.


    I started by setting the APL to flat and -15db to eliminate any possible clipping. I then used 0db sine waves at 4khz and 400hz to test the two outputs of the HU with my O'Scope. All was good so I moved on to the amps with -10db sine waves.


    After setting the gains I moved on to REW and used pink noise and the RTA function to set the levels between the tweeters and mids, using the HU to turn down the louder stuff. I had to turn the tweeters down quite a bit. Then I used the same tools to set the levels between the left and right and got them within 1db.


    After getting all that setup I move on to APL Workshop. I did a little over 200 samples on each side, and uploaded the FIR files into the APL1 and took a listen. DONE!


    I was so happy with the sound I didn't even bother taking an after measurement. It sounds... Right. Good. Great! I couldn't find any major flaws except the obvious, it doesn't play super low. But it's perfect for this car, it's fun! There's plenty of power and good dynamics. I'm quite happy with it.


    I only have a couple tasks left: I need to clarify with Raimonds on how to convert my APL1 16 position switch to a 2 position. I think a pull switch with a cable hooked to the softtop frame is the cleanest way to make a top up/down switch. I also need to make some brackets to secure the amps under the seats so they can't slide around.


    While I was home last time I had to remove the center console to do something, and that requires removing the shift knob. When taking the factory knob off the label fell off, and it now looks like crap:





    So I went looking for a new knob. When looking for a clean, simple, leather knob for a Mustang it's easy. But it turns out, finding the same for a Mazda isn't so easy. The stupid "tuners" have ruined that market. I was eventually able to find Rev9, a company that will allow you to pick your leather/stitch colors. I ordered one and went with black/black for a simple look. I also did the "while I'm in there" move and ordered a short throw shifter from MiataRoadster. This weekend I installed both the shifter and knob.





    The Miata 5-speed is already a fantastically smooth shifting transmission, but this shifter make it just that much better. It was quite an expensive upgrade, but very much worth it. It makes the car just that much more enjoyable to drive, as if it wasn't fun enough already!

  8. Back To Top    #68

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    The measurements are in!


    I'll start with the original Workshop measurements from yesterday, these are before any EQ.


    Left:
    Right:


    And after EQ


    Left:
    Right:


    I'm curious why Workshop isn't making any changes over about 6kHz. But I'm getting great response down to 50Hz, even with an 80Hz HP, just like WinISD predicted.


    The TDA response gets more interesting though. When compared to my graphs from above, the TDA measurements got worse.


    Left:
    Right:


    And for a final graph, a couple REW measurements after doing the APL work:



  9. Back To Top    #69

    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    Well, my HU has taken a crap on me, the right side output is dead. 10 years isn't terrible for a HU, especially since it did a couple hundred thousand miles in a rough riding Kenworth before I ever put it in a car.


    So now I have a few options:


    Free Option: Replace the HU with the TwK D8 I already have. The pro is great tuning flexibility, digital input from the APL1. The con is finding a place to put the volume knob that looks natural, loss of steering wheel controls.


    Low Cost Option: Replace it with a Pioneer DEH-80PRS. The pro is that it's pretty much a direct drop in. The con is that it looks terrible, bleh.


    Medium Cost Option: Replace it with a Pioneer DEX-P99RS. The pro is that it's pretty much a direct drop in, and offers more tuning flexibility than the dead 880PRS. The con is the price for not much of an upgrade.


    Higher Cost Option: Buy a Helix P SIX DSP MKII. The pro is the greatly increase tuning flexibility, digital input from the APL1, I can ditch both current amps, it's smaller than the JL, I'll have free channels to add subs later if I want. The con is trying to mount the controller so it looks natural, loss of steering wheel controls, price.


    What would you do? Any other ideas?

  10. Back To Top    #70
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    Re: 2010 MX-5 / Miata Build

    I would make it about "The Sound" , if aesthetics are important then make it very pretty and who cares about how it sounds.
    Viewing Smilies , you trying to access privileged system?¤Somewhere 0ut There¤}]

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