New Amps

[violentrapture]

Going to finish up the stereo and interior install here coming up and just ordered matching Soundstream Picasso series - my shorts are slightly damp:

Soundstream PCA2.520
RMS
160x2@4
260x2@2
520x1@4
T.H.D.: 0.02%
SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO: >97dB
DAMPING FACTOR: >200
Platinum RCA inputs and outputs
Platinum 4-gauge power connectors

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/6081/5209wm.jpg

Soundstream PCA2000D
RMS:
1100x1@4
1500x1@2
2000x1@1
T.H.D.: 0.5%
SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO: >80dB
DAMPING FACTOR: >200

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/427/2000d9wt.jpg

[Satsuriku]

dont forget, once you get it all done, you gotta take more pics all around the car dude!!! looking good

[acold7dusta]

man thats gonna sound amazing, good pick-i wish i had that kinda money...

[jwth2005]

So i take it soundstream makes decent amps???

[violentrapture]

They're like any company - they have their good and their bad. Overall though, they're highly regarded for their products.

~vR

[sofa]

Big ups :thumb:

yeah soundstream makes sum good stuff that should pound quiet nicely. How you goin to mount ur amps?. Rich makin sumthin up for you?

[violentrapture]

lol, how'd you know Richie would be involved? :P
Yeah, we're scheduled to get together June 3rd to do the install - as far as specifics... shhhh (it should be very cool though).
Cheers,
~vR

[violentrapture]

Just ordered some more goodies - getting slightly hard now:

Soundstream PQ-7

http://www.collind.com/pikshures/car/misc/pq7.jpg

Soundstream 20 Farad Cap :eek: :

http://www.collind.com/pikshures/car/misc/cap.jpg

Soundstream Power Plant:

http://www.collind.com/pikshures/car/misc/distro.jpg

Soundstream 12" woofer grill (but I have 10s you say, hmmm - what could it possibly be for?):

http://www.collind.com/pikshures/car/misc/grill.jpg

I can't wait for this stuff to arrive.

~vR

[nickgonzo]

why a cap? for show purposes?

[violentrapture]

Yep, purely for show - same as the speaker grill.

[johny_boy32]

i wish i had more money to spend on my setup when i did it but I simply needed to spend the funds elsewhere on my car. It seems to me that your concentrating on your trunk and sound...is that correct? And by the looks of it, your taking a lot of time and consideration into the equipment you are buying and the ultimate ending result. So far so good man, make sure to take plenty of pictures.

[violentrapture]

heh, it's sort of a mismash really I guess - the exterior is most likely going to be the last thing I do though.

Started off with the little apperance stuff like cleared corners, silverstar bulbs, springs, etc.

Did a basic stereo install (HU/stock speaker upgrade/alarm) then did wheels.

Some small performance upgrades like the intake, exhaust, rotors,headers (there's some nifty stuff I've been talking to with nosweat about a bit though regarding performance)

I've been mainly concentrating on the interior and ICE lately - lots of fiberglass work done, painting, carpeting, etc. (as well as just keeping it running lol... it's back in the shop today because the front wheels/brakes are grinding like a mofo)

I've been swapping various speakers, amps, subs and enclosures in and out for the past 6 months or so and think I've finally found the combination that I like, so the final ICE install is in progress (still have two more sub enclosures being made at the moment to demo and decide on). Actually the trunk is the thing that's gotten the least attention so far - sound deadened with some carpeted MDF pieces slapped on the floor for now. I definitely have an idea in mind as to what I want to do with it, but it won't be finalized until I make a decision on the enclosure for the Treos.

I'm keeping the outside work until last mainly because it's going to be hella expensive (for me at least... looking at anywhere from about $8k to $15k depending on which direction I go) and also because nothing inside is bolted down due to swapping stuff in and out and it'd be really easy for someone to bust a window and snatch 'n grab, so I'm not wanting to advertise her yet. ;)

Also everything is going slower than I would like simply because I have too many pots boiling so to speak - the new motorcycle which I'm finding out is a cash drainer (lots of fun stuff to do with them), my photography (need an expensive hobby?) :P, computers (just snagged one of the new 13" macbooks today), partying, etc. etc.

Wow, nothing like rambling eh? It's a Tuesday and I can't concentrate on work while my car is in the shop so there ya go.

Hopefully the entire thing will be fit, finished and called good by the end of the year.

[tonkpils]

not to thread jack but i noticed in another post you unhooked your rear speakers,,did it make that much a difference?

[violentrapture]

heckuva difference - I'm still playing with imaging and location - so far the best I've found is both tweeters dash mounted firing into the windshield... probably because of the odd angles the mids are at. With the tweeters where they are right now my soundstage is just over my head and about A pillar forward. With the tweets moved to the very front dash firing forwards I can get it to about mirrors and midhood - can't really move the mids now without completely redoing the doors, so I think I'm going to have to live with it as is. I'd like to be able to get it to somewhere around outer doors open and front hood, but it'd probably be way more redoing of stuff than I'd like.
I've only got about 130w going to each side, and from what I've read the HD-62s don't come alive until about 150, so I'm hoping with the new amp (160x2) it'll help somewhat.

rear fill = poo ;) Since we take my car everywhere, my girlfriend has gotten used to how it sounds and when we took her car while mine was in the shop the first words out her mouth were "omg that sounds so horrible and distracting with the sound coming from the back speakers". Consequently she's getting a 6.5" component set+subs for her install (think the gigantic dash of the beetle is gonna be interesting staging though)

~vR

[tonkpils]

sweet,,im gonna disconnect mine and see how i like it,,do you still have that black box with the olds logo for 2 12's?

[violentrapture]

Unfortunately I don't - actually my local installer is doing an install on an Olds at the moment and snatched up the Vegas and box as a package. I can give you the info on the guy that built the box though if you'd like it.

One thing about just disconnecting your rear speakers - if your front stage sucks you might not like it right off the bat. The goal is to get the widest, furthest imaging you possibly can - you don't want the sound sounding like it's coming from around your ankles/neck, which might happen. Think about going to the symphony - you aren't sitting in the middle of the orchestra, but even if you're sitting in the back and close your eyes the sound almost surrounds you - that's what you want to hear.

Running no rear fill isn't for everybody, but with the proper front stage it's pure bliss.

~vR

[mikegett]

How deep are you into photography? I started out with a fuji s7000 for my honeymoon. From there I grew to a Old Nikon and Minolta 35mm and eventually my Nikon D70. I take that baby with my everywhere. I recently upgraded my macro lens to the Nikon 100. Now I just can't wait to get a flash and work on my interior lighting and portraits.

[tonkpils]

it actually sounds alot better now,,i have the memphis sync components and it sounds real good,,i could tell a huge difference,,thanks man

[violentrapture]

lol, pretty deep - I have about 30 film cameras (probably 100 lenses or so) ranging from P&S to medium/large format Contax and Mamiyas as well as several (10 or 15) digitals ranging from P&S to my babies, a Canon 5D and Nikon D200. My snatch 'n grab kit usually has a an old DTL-1000 and Fuji s9000 in it, with a few prime lenses for the 35 (28mm, 50mm, 85mm, 135mm) and a telephoto. I really like the s9000 as a digital - fixed lens that does 28-300 in 35mm equiv. Only thing I don't care for is not being able to do hyperfocal (f/8 is the smallest).

One of my favorites to shoot with is a Holga though... I got addicted to toy cameras awhile back - only problem is waiting for development since nowhere local does roll film.

If you're looking for a flash unit and are into macro, I use the R1C1 package on my D200 and it's amazing.
For a general flash unit, look at the SB-600 and SB-800. I'm more of a Canon than Nikon fan though and don't keep too much up to speed with them (USM L lenses... nothing like them)

~vR

[violentrapture]

Originally posted by tonkpils@May 16 2006, 07:22 PM
it actually sounds alot better now,,i have the memphis sync components and it sounds real good,,i could tell a huge difference,,thanks man
Quoted post


haha, that was fast - another no rear fill convert - yay! :)

Drive around with it for about a week, get a feel for where your soundstage is, then start messing around with different locations and see what you come up with (might want to run some longer wire from your crossovers to let you "move freely about the cabin")

Once you've heard a properly imaged front stage it becomes an obsession trying to figure out how to get yours close, and when you get into somebody else's car you find yourself reaching for the fade control.

[tonkpils]

yeah it was fast,,i have A.D.D. so i have to do things while im thinking about it or ill forget,,lol

[nickgonzo]

So what speakers are you going to end up using?

[violentrapture]

I'm sticking with the Treo SSi subs and CDT HD-62s. I have the Satnet-560 crossovers - gonna try some ID NX30 tweeters that're on the way first and see how they sound on there, heard some really good things about them and the DRT-25 isn't quite what I'm looking for. The HD-6 mid really impresses me though, got the front high passed at roughly 70Hz right now.

~vR

[mikegett]

Originally posted by violentrapture@May 17 2006, 01:24 AM
lol, pretty deep - I have about 30 film cameras (probably 100 lenses or so) ranging from P&S to medium/large format Contax and Mamiyas as well as several (10 or 15) digitals ranging from P&S to my babies, a Canon 5D and Nikon D200. My snatch 'n grab kit usually has a an old DTL-1000 and Fuji s9000 in it, with a few prime lenses for the 35 (28mm, 50mm, 85mm, 135mm) and a telephoto. I really like the s9000 as a digital - fixed lens that does 28-300 in 35mm equiv. Only thing I don't care for is not being able to do hyperfocal (f/8 is the smallest).

One of my favorites to shoot with is a Holga though... I got addicted to toy cameras awhile back - only problem is waiting for development since nowhere local does roll film.

If you're looking for a flash unit and are into macro, I use the R1C1 package on my D200 and it's amazing.
For a general flash unit, look at the SB-600 and SB-800. I'm more of a Canon than Nikon fan though and don't keep too much up to speed with them (USM L lenses... nothing like them)

~vR
Quoted post


The S9000 is a very nice camera. I have a friend that owns one. My primary use for the 7000 was macro shooting. It will focus up to 1cm away at F2.8 Much better than my Nikon kit lens at F5.8 at one foot. I haven't been able to play with the 105 much, but it has realy impressed me so far. http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1...&productNr=2160 (http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5&productNr=2160)
What are your interests in shooting. Nature shots have been my thing for a while, but I want to get more into portraits in the future.

[violentrapture]

I mainly do situational and object photography for my personal stuff - product and project for work.

heh, here're some of the prints from my last week and a half (yep, week and a half) of shooting:

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/1306/prints1gu.jpg

[Cliff8928]

Man, and i thought I was nuts for getting a Canon EOS 20D and not having any professional use for it. :eek:

[nickgonzo]

Originally posted by violentrapture@May 17 2006, 06:50 AM
I'm sticking with the Treo SSi subs and CDT HD-62s. I have the Satnet-560 crossovers - gonna try some ID NX30 tweeters that're on the way first and see how they sound on there, heard some really good things about them and the DRT-25 isn't quite what I'm looking for. The HD-6 mid really impresses me though, got the front high passed at roughly 70Hz right now.

~vR
Quoted post



Active or passive?


Seeing as I just got this car, I've been looking at my options. I don't think I will buy a premade component set anytime soon. I guess you can call me a DIY convert. I've been eyeing those tweeter pods, and I just may go ahead and stick some tweets in them. (despite how much I have fallen in love with large format tweeters.. I wonder how some Vifa XT19s would look there :heehee: )

Given my options, I think I'm going to prolly go with a Seas midwoofer and some LPG tweets.

oops didnt mean to go off on a tangent, just thinking out loud here. I've never tried CDT specifically, but I have used various Vifa drivers in the past. IIRC the HD series woofer used to be based on the Vifa MG line. Or was it the ES series.. bah I've been out of the game for too long.

[violentrapture]

Passive - I lack the experience, know-how and head unit to do active. :P

What HU are you going to be using?

Are you thinking of using the RW 165 as the mid? I've heard some really good things about it. Also I think the DLS Nobelium line used Vifa drivers didn't it?

I think you should use Scan-speak R2904 tweeters. <_<

~vR

[mikegett]

Originally posted by violentrapture@May 18 2006, 06:54 AM
I mainly do situational and object photography for my personal stuff - product and project for work.

heh, here're some of the prints from my last week and a half (yep, week and a half) of shooting:

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/1306/prints1gu.jpg
Quoted post



Good lord, my question is how you have the time for all your projects. I feel lucky to get a full weekend. I am not familiar with situational, but object photography sparks my interest. It is amazing how changing the lighting can have such a drastic affect on how we percieve ordinary things. My knowledge and use of flash photography is very limited. I am hoping to create a studio room in the near future just for this.

[violentrapture]

lol yeah, I keep pretty busy - it's easier having a girlfriend that's out of town a lot (she's an account manager for a book company and has to fly to military bases every other week or so)

Helps too that I can come/go at work as I please - if I'm feeling creatively stumped I'll just leave, go do something different like work on my car, go take pictures, whatever, and come back.

Also I don't sleep much... 3-4 hrs on average - I should get a pic up of the empty packs of nodoz and empty cans of jolt laying around.

Situational is basically just candid photography - usually I'll spend a couple hours a day just driving/riding around town with a couple cameras and shoot everyday life kinds of things.

Lighting is of one of those things that takes a lifetime to get right - my biggest gain was using reflectors as far as studio and object (even outdoor macro) photography - get some small, collapsible white, silver and gold reflectors if you don't have any already. They're cheap (~$20/ea), and will make a world of difference.

Only problem is the funny look people give you when you're angling reflectors around something, then circling it on all fours twisting your CL-P trying to find the best angle from the sun. :P

~vR

[nickgonzo]

Originally posted by violentrapture@May 18 2006, 08:03 AM
Passive - I lack the experience, know-how and head unit to do active. :P

What HU are you going to be using?

Are you thinking of using the RW 165 as the mid? I've heard some really good things about it. Also I think the DLS Nobelium line used Vifa drivers didn't it?

I think you should use Scan-speak R2904 tweeters. <_<

~vR
Quoted post


Sorry for not getting back to you sooner.. been real busy w/ work and stuff.

Right now I have an Alpine 7995 from my breeze, but I think I'm going to go with the new Pioneer P880PRS in the near future.

I just got a pair of Dayton RS180 mids, I cant wait to try them out. They are damn sexy :) Too bad it only plays well up to 2khz. Eventually I am thinking of going with the Seas C18RNX mid and LPG 25NFA tweeter.

Anything scan-speak is out of my price range :)

[violentrapture]

lol, I've been watching for a 880 to pop up for sale on the forums somewhere - joehemi had one not too long ago but I didn't see it before he sold it. Think one just might be replacing my 8445, not sure yet.

Speaking of expensive - you see the 4 ways hebrewhammer has up? Ridiculous... but I'd still sell my left nut for them.

~vR

[violentrapture]

eh, said fuggit - got a 880 on the way - overnight shipping... hopefully they can get it out today and i get it tomorrow - if not, Monday.

rawr - if I keep it there'll be a CD8445 going up for cheap. ;)

~vR

[nickgonzo]

copycat! ROFL jk.

I envy you. I need to save some cash to pay to register my car before I start buying audio goods. (except those daytons, that was very impulse heheh :) )

same name on ECA?

[violentrapture]

lol, I posted about possibly switching to an 880 a few days ago. :P

Yup, same name on ECA (not very active on there other than browsing), CA, SiN, SD, icix (don't be hatin' on RE now!), etc.

I love me some forums!

~vR

[ptrudel]

you're nuts man lol

[nickgonzo]

Yeah I'm on all of those as well lol, but I mainly vists DIYMA and ECA the most. I havent visited SD sicne I discovered ECA, CA has never really caught my attention. SIN is a great forum as well, but seems a little dead. icix has a sweet music forum :)


I was looking at the thread with the pics in your car, and we have the same car, lol. Well color at least, i guess its kinda rare?

[violentrapture]

I guess in some places it's kinda rare - there are quite a few that are green down here though - I just really like the color.

I like SD because a lot of people on there are in the DFW metroplex, so I can do local pickup on stuff for sale. ;)

[slowandlow]

nice setup mine is alot of old school with ppi older and alpine older amps but the newest headunit with hd fm

ps i do love my digital rebble xt but i want a good zoom lense for it. should i get one with is or not?