Blockrocker's Never Ending Build Log

B

blockrocker

A Refined Basshead
I should start out with a short back story. I bought this 2018 Nissan Frontier in June of 2018. My first ever "new" vehicle and a good excuse to get back into a hobby I LOVED as a teenager and young twenty something. A big bass head who didn't think he had much more to learn.....lol.

Within two weeks of owning the truck I had put this little system in, to see if the fire still burned. Indeed it does.

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A Kenwood DDX-395 CD player, 2 sets of Polk passive components, MTX 75x4, MTX 500x1, and an 8" Massive Hippo 84. Look at that rats nest, a real pro.
I also added a little bit of sound deadener and proceeded to quickly outgrow the system. After all, I used to be into big basshead power and I need to feel the thump some more.


Fast forward maybe 4 months and the upgrades were on once again.

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Out were the MTX 500x1 and the Massive Hippo and in went these incredibly under rated pieces of equipment. Polk PAD1000.1 and Phoenix Gold TI3x 12" sub. I got this amp so cheap, you wouldn't believe me if I told you and I paired it with this sub. MAGIC! Seriously, this was one of the best (and unheralded) combinations I have ever owned......but it still wasn't enough power.

Plus I began to grow curious about the real SQ side of things. I stumbled onto this site and a few wonderful youtubers and I was completely sucked into the rabbit hole. Still I wanted to to have my cake and eat it too, the best of both worlds.

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My current 15" Fi BTL-3 sub in a custom box designed (by Peter Kulichi) to give me as much SQ out of the SPL sub as possible (its freaking fantastic). Also, a short lived Crescendo S6 (quickly replaced by the Mmats HIFI 6150 after losing faith in the Crescendo brand) and a Crescendo S1+. Plus my first DSP and active 3 way speaker set. The Audio Dynamics 3000 series speakers and a Helix.3. First I tried the platform above the subs. It looked bad ass but the fans created too much noise, plus it was an easy mark to steal, so I eventually settled on the trough under the sub box. Stealthy, but no access. I had a friend 3d print some speaker pods and I began to wade into deeper waters. I have been learning so much and wanted to keep the momentum going, plus the results were starting to get really good.

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A high output 240 amp Singer alternator and "big 4" upgrades were made just a few weeks ago and it inspired some more upgrades and redesigns.

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Audiofrog GB10 and GB25 recently replaced most of the 3000 series speakers (still saving for midbass) and I decided to try my hand at fiberglassing some new pods. I have a few extra pics of this process in the "Fiberglassing Advice" thread. It was a fun process that again gave me much improved results. I'm sure the fantastic frogs helped a little too.

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So naturally I had to rebuild my back end again, to try to gain some room and well.....because I had a week off work and was bored. Lol. A little lexan over the amp tray plus a french cleat and bolts keep everything nice and secure.

I also tore my door panels off again and added a layer of cc foam. It was well worth the effort as the doors are free of rattles. Plus I replaced my old MDF speaker rings with some nice 1" butcher block. Super rigid and completely weather proof. Easy upgrade.

I love my truck and I love this hobby. It is a continual learning experience that has humbled me repeatedly. However all the work is worth the effort when the tunes start pounding and the heads start turning. Lol. Thank you to everyone who contributes to this fantastic site and know that others just like me and constantly inspired by everyone's creations.

My next project will be getting the frogs into the a-pillars. I have purchased a second set on pillars and have already begun the process. Pics will be coming shortly. Thanks for taking a peek at my never ending build log. :p
 
A few more pics of the current back end.
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This is my new box and amp rack, as well as, the way I fastened everything together. French cleat on the box and rack, plus two bolts on the bottom of the box platform. Then I used flush mount hooks to keep the lid secured to the amp rack. No rattles or creaks even when driving on rough roads. I'm pretty proud of these design features, I thought they were pretty clever. Or atleast they worked out ok.
 
Love the progress, and never seen a French cleat used in car audio :thumbup:

But hate to tell you that you'd end up with more bass if the sub was on the passenger side.
 
Nice pics showing the evolution of your system. I'm excited to hear those 'frogs when this mess is over and we can have another CAJ hangout.

What did you use to seal your door access holes? My work truck is a '10 Frontier, trying to keep things very basic in it but I can't help myself, I keep improving bits and pieces every year. The doors need some love, might have a go at sealing them in the near-future.
 
Thanks for taking a look guys, I learn a lot each time I rebuild and upgrade.

I know the sub may not be in the ideal place in the truck, but with a 4 foot box and a side port, experimenting with placement is difficult. I don't think my wife me to have any more bass, lol, but she is very supportive.

As for sealing up the doors, I used some old pool signs that were being scrapped from work. They are about 4 mm thick but they are a very rigid foam sandwiched between plastic lamination. So perfectly weatherproof (thus wavepool signage), stiff but easy-ish to cut and shape. I just used strips of kilmat to hold the pieces in place over the holes in the door. It works fantastically and can be cut off in 10 seconds if needed.

I'm also looking forward to another get together with all the wonderful local car audio junkies. Also, goatpanda, if you would like some of those signs I used in my doors, just let me know, as we have boxes of old - but never used signs, that I saved from the dumpster. Lol. I can give you as many as you need.

The signs:
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I have personally sat in Blockrocker's vehicle, and experienced this setup...

I would say that; "if you have diarrhea... DO NOT let him turn-up the volume".
I was solid, and almost crapped myself from the SPL. Not kidding.

Sound quality is great too! Very well done installation.
 
JimmyDee said:
I have personally sat in Blockrocker's vehicle, and experienced this setup...

I would say that; "if you have diarrhea... DO NOT let him turn-up the volume".
I was solid, and almost crapped myself from the SPL. Not kidding.

Sound quality is great too! Very well done installation.
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Haha! Thanks so much Jim, that's a hell of a compliment. I'm also glad I didn't let the demo go on any longer. :lol:
Lots of work to do on the SQ side of things still but its a fun process. Not to mention, sitting in your vehicle, I realized I needed to up my game.
You're a good man, JimmyDee!
 
I thought I would share a few of the ongoing updates in the truck. I finally completed my GB set with the 60s this summer and they are great. However, despite heavy door treatments I just couldn't satisfy myself enough to leave them alone. The flimsy nature of the truck interior created too much buzzing and rattling, so I stopped chasing and started thinking of a new way. Sealed door pods are what I settled on - at least for now :p

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Still a work in progress, as I need to find some extra door cards to cut up and complete the top half. Or possibly try to build one myself......we'll see. I ended up stacking plywood to build the corners, as my first attempt with curfing the corners, didn't allow me to shape the wood much, since I would burn through the ply. Plus I was concerned about long term durability. These have worked out great so far and have allowed me to dial in a better tune by eliminating the resonances in the door panel. They fit like a glove barely being 1.5 inches thicker then the original door card. They are 0.3 cubes each and I managed to install them without needing to drill any extra holes into the steel. 3 factory bolts keep it absolutely still but it can be removed in only a few minutes.

I may end up redoing these boxes for esthetic purposes but so far they have been working well. It has also proven to me how well built and designed the gb60s are. Although I get a more consistent response and much less door vibrations, its not so much, that the speaker changed characteristics. In another car or with an EXTREME amount of professional door treatment in mine, I am convinced that this speaker really does thrive in most environments. Combine that with my slow and steady progress with a tuning mic and ear, the system is sounding better then it ever has.
 
It's fun watching/hearing each other's systems evolve. I'm really impressed with how you mounted them using the existing factory hardware.

Also, you reminded me that my own build log is waaaay out of date. I need to get off my ass and update it one of these days...
 
The doors are very nearly done. Just a little cosmetic trim to complete and fill the tiny gap between the box and door card. They sound absolutely fantastic and I'm very pleased how they turned out. Especially considering it was my first full door build. I absolutely love this hobby!! Time to turn my focus back to the a-pillars. :nod:
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Heated the panels up with the heat gun and cut them with a sharp utility knife. This worked FANTASTICALLY well. It literally cut like clay and you could put a fair amount of heat to the panels with no visible changes/melting.

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Wrapped the boxes in carpet after going back and forth on finishes. I'm digging the decrease in plastic in the interior. Lol. Some nice hardware and gasket foam keeps everything air tight and looking like it belongs.

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Safe and sound in there new home. They sound fantastic and blend in nicely. Absolutely worth the effort!! :thumbup:
 
block, you're a guy after my own heart man....I love the doors and your thinking behind them. I'm looking to your setup for inspiration lol. Great work.

blockrocker said:
The doors are complete!! A little chrome goes a long ways. Plus a little foam pipping wrapped in carpet ensure a clean, aesthetically pleasing finish. At least to my standards. :cool:
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Thanks for checking it out. More to come.....
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BenevolentDictator said:
block, you're a guy after my own heart man....I love the doors and your thinking behind them. I'm looking to your setup for inspiration lol. Great work.
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Wow, thank you so much! I've learned a shit tonne from this place and some local buddies. Definitely lots of room to grow but I'm slowly getting the hang of the fabrication thing. Mainly, I just like fucking around in the truck. :p

I really appreciate the kind words.
 
I *LOVE* this kind of install.
I've spent - oh - damn, 30 years now - encouraging simple stereo-plus-sub setups like this for SQ, and backing that up with my own personal installs.

I love the use of door enclosures to ensure you get bass from bass drivers, and in an SUV (especially THAT one) that blocky look totally fits, and carpet is even good for everyday life. One of my criticisms of SQ competition is that you'd be dinged for that - basically would be dinged for being a simply good driveway installer who did his best to ensure 100% of the sound needs were met.

And those A-pillar enclosures look like a great approach, I really wish I could hear that. They seem more on-axis than I would have expected for steering the image center, but with the complex acoustics of car interiors sometimes things just work out that way. They seem like they have ample space, and have a similarly clean, practical look. That placement probably even keeps them from creating blind spots out the windshield, right?

Even with my current install heading in a much more complicated direction - it's still fundamentally a "stereo plus sub" setup... and I also totally relate to "never ending install". It's fun when you are experimenting, and most fun when you DO do your install in a way that facilitates future flexibility, future changes, future experimenting, without locking yourself in too deeply anywhere. Love it.
 
Thank you so much Geolemon. I've always liked the "most out of a little" approach to gear and installs. Eventually, I would like to do a fully balls out install and try my hand at high end SQ and the competition scene. For now though, this truck is an awesome canvas to experiment and improve my fabrication skills.

The dash pods are my next project as I want to improve the aesthetics and probably put them into the a-pillars. They are a good size, incredibly solid, and decently aimed for now, but they are on the radar. They don't interfere with my sightlines at all, but I'm not a big fan of dash install, so improvements are on the way. I've never been a super flashy guy but I absolutely love custom installs and above and beyond approaches. So I try to blend my personal tastes with the existing style of the vehicle. I'm not sure alcantara and custom fiberglass really go well with a Frontier interior. Lol.

Ultimately, I'm in no hurry to "finish" anything, as I enjoy the slow and steady improvements in my abilities, gear and style. As I've been wondering into uncharted territory for my personal skills, it has been pretty rewarding to battle through the different issues and slowly wrap my head around all the nuances of a good system. This place has been a gold mine for information and helpful folks. I've even met some great locals from this site and have had a few makeshift SQ show-n-shines. With a little luck, by the time I'm into my next vehicle (many years from now hopefully) I will have the skills to blow a few socks off. :D

Thank you for the kind words and the positive reinforcement. It means a lot to me and definitely keeps me motivated to continue the "never ending" journey. :thumbup:
 
"So I see", said the blind man.

Out: (1) 15" Fi BTL-3 subwoofer and (1) Crescendo s1+ amplifier.
In: (2) 12" Adire Tumult subwoofers and (2) Rockford Fosgate P1000X1bd amplifiers.

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Switched to sealed enclosures too. Each one is in a 0.65 cubic foot box with a QTC of 0.50. CRITICALLY damped. Pretty much the polar opposite of my previous setup. Lol. The amplifiers put out about the same power as my crescendo, with each sub seeing 1300-1400 watts, according to the amp birth sheets. Of course, they don't see nearly that much in the sealed box, but the clarity and easy of the bass is incredible. I also had to remake the amp tray, but I kept it simple.

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I have now had these subs a few weeks and they have been gradually broken in and "tuned". These subwoofers are so incredible, I really don't know how to describe them. After the first few days, I finally grabbed the mic and tuned everything up. I have literally needed ZERO bands of EQ on either sub, with a simple crossover at 75hz. With the box so inert, the subwoofers simply play with a wonderful natural roll-off and stay +/- 2.5 db from 26Hz to 60Hz.

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I know the graphs are not the end all be all, but this is the subwoofers at 1/48 smooth with a 75Hz xover. NO EQ!! Also, the sum of the whole at 1/3 smooth. Really nice response throughout and I am really thrilled with the results so far. Still lots to learn, since I'm so used to vented enclosures and extreme SPL, but this has gotten me the closest yet to having my cake and eating it to. :happy: At the very least, I now have a great base and solid tune in which to hone the rest in.

Thanks for checking it out!!
 
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